ParsT 75 Oure sweete Lord God of hevene, that no man wole perisse but wole that
ParsT 75A we comen alle to the knoweleche of hym and to the blisful lif that is perdurable,
ParsT 76 amonesteth us by the prophete Jeremie, that seith in thys wyse:
ParsT 77 " Stondeth upon the weyes, and seeth and axeth of olde pathes (that is to seyn, of olde sentences) which is the goode wey,
ParsT 78 and walketh in that wey, and ye shal fynde refresshynge for youre soules, etc. "
ParsT 79 Manye been the weyes espirituels that leden folk to oure Lord Jhesu Crist and to the regne of glorie.
ParsT 80 Of whiche weyes ther is a ful noble wey and a ful covenable, which may nat fayle to man ne to womman
ParsT 80A that thurgh synne hath mysgoon fro the righte wey of Jerusalem celestial;
ParsT 81 and this wey is cleped Penitence, of which man sholde gladly herknen and enquere with al his herte
ParsT 82 to wyten what is Penitence, and whennes it is cleped Penitence, and in how manye maneres been the acciouns or werkynges of Penitence,
ParsT 83 and how manye speces ther been of Penitence, and whiche thynges apertenen and bihoven to Penitence, and whiche thynges destourben Penitence.
ParsT 84 Seint Ambrose seith that Penitence is the pleynynge of man for the gilt that he hath doon,
ParsT 84A and namoore to do any thyng for which hym oghte to pleyne.
ParsT 85 And som doctour seith, " Penitence is the waymentynge of man that sorweth for his synne and pyneth hymself for he hath mysdoon. "
ParsT 86 Penitence, with certeyne circumstances, is verray repentance of a man that halt hymself in sorwe and oother peyne for his giltes.
ParsT 87 And for he shal be verray penitent, he shal first biwaylen the synnes that he hath doon,
ParsT 87A and stidefastly purposen in his herte to have shrift of mouthe, and to doon satisfaccioun,
ParsT 88 and nevere to doon thyng for which hym oghte moore to biwayle
ParsT 88A or to compleyne, and to continue in goode werkes, or elles his repentance may nat availle.
ParsT 89 For, as seith Seint Ysidre,
ParsT 89A " He is a japere and a gabbere and no verray repentant that eftsoone dooth thyng for which hym oghte repente. "
ParsT 90 Wepynge, and nat for to stynte to do synne, may nat avayle.
ParsT 91 But nathelees, men shal hope that every tyme that man falleth, be it never so ofte,
ParsT 91A that he may arise thurgh Penitence, if he have grace; but certeinly it is greet doute.
ParsT 92 For, as seith Seint Gregorie, " Unnethe ariseth he out of his synne, that is charged with the charge of yvel usage. "
ParsT 93 And therfore repentant folk, that stynte for to synne and forlete synne er that synne forlete hem,
ParsT 93A hooly chirche holdeth hem siker of hire savacioun.
ParsT 94 And he that synneth and verraily repenteth hym in his laste, hooly chirche yet hopeth his savacioun,
ParsT 94A by the grete mercy of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, for his repentaunce; but taak the siker wey.
ParsT 95 And now, sith I have declared yow what thyng is Penitence, now shul ye understonde that ther been three acciouns of Penitence.
ParsT 96 The firste is that if a man be baptized after that he hath synned.
ParsT 97 Seint Augustyn seith, " But he be penytent for his olde synful lyf, he may nat bigynne the newe clene lif. "
ParsT 98 For, certes, if he be baptized withouten penitence of his olde gilt, he receyveth the mark of baptesme
ParsT 98A but nat the grace ne the remission of his synnes, til he have repentance verray.
ParsT 99 Another defaute is this: that men doon deedly synne after that they han receyved baptesme.
ParsT 100 The thridde defaute is that men fallen in venial synnes after hir baptesme fro day to day.
ParsT 101 Therof seith Seint Augustyn that penitence of goode and humble folk is the penitence of every day.
ParsT 102 The speces of Penitence been three. That oon of hem is solempne, another is commune, and the thridde is privee.
ParsT 103 Thilke penance that is solempne is in two maneres;
ParsT 103A as to be put out of hooly chirche in Lente for slaughtre of children, and swich maner thyng.
ParsT 104 Another is, whan a man hath synned openly, of which synne the fame is openly spoken in the contree,
ParsT 104A and thanne hooly chirche by juggement destreyneth hym for to do open penaunce.
ParsT 105 Commune penaunce is that preestes enjoynen men communly in certeyn caas, as for to goon peraventure naked in pilgrimages, or barefoot.
ParsT 106 Pryvee penaunce is thilke that men doon alday for privee synnes, of whiche we shryve us prively and receyve privee penaunce.
ParsT 107 Now shaltow understande what is bihovely and necessarie to verray parfit Penitence. And this stant on three thynges:
ParsT 108 Contricioun of Herte, Confessioun of Mouth, and Satisfaccioun.
ParsT 109 For which seith Seint John Crisostom, " Penitence destreyneth a man to accepte benygnely every peyne that hym is enjoyned,
ParsT 109A with contricioun of herte, and shrift of mouth, with satisfaccioun, and in werkynge of alle manere humylitee. "
ParsT 110 And this is fruytful penitence agayn three thynges in which we wratthe oure Lord Jhesu Crist;
ParsT 111 this is to seyn, by delit in thynkynge, by reccheleesnesse in spekynge, and by wikked synful werkynge.
ParsT 112 And agayns thise wikkede giltes is Penitence, that may be likned unto a tree.
ParsT 113 The roote of this tree is Contricioun, that hideth hym in the herte of hym that is verray repentaunt,
ParsT 113A right as the roote of a tree hydeth hym in the erthe.
ParsT 114 Of the roote of Contricioun spryngeth a stalke that bereth braunches and leves of Confessioun, and fruyt of Satisfaccioun.
ParsT 115 For which Crist seith in his gospel, " Dooth digne fruyt of Penitence " ; for by this fruyt may men knowe this tree,
ParsT 115A and nat by the roote that is hyd in the herte of man, ne by the braunches, ne by the leves of Confessioun.
ParsT 116 And therfore oure Lord Jhesu Crist seith thus: " By the fruyt of hem shul ye knowen hem. "
ParsT 117 Of this roote eek spryngeth a seed of grace, the which seed is mooder of sikernesse, and this seed is egre and hoot.
ParsT 118 The grace of this seed spryngeth of God thurgh remembrance of the day of doom and on the peynes of helle.
ParsT 119 Of this matere seith Salomon that in the drede of God man forleteth his synne.
ParsT 120 The heete of this seed is the love of God and the desiryng of the joye perdurable.
ParsT 121 This heete draweth the herte of a man to God and dooth hym haten his synne.
ParsT 122 For soothly ther is nothyng that savoureth so wel to a child as the milk of his norice,
ParsT 122A ne nothyng is to hym moore abhomynable than thilke milk whan it is medled with oother mete.
ParsT 123 Right so the synful man that loveth his synne, hym semeth that it is to him moost sweete of any thyng;
ParsT 124 but fro that tyme that he loveth sadly oure Lord Jhesu Crist,
ParsT 124A and desireth the lif perdurable, ther nys to him no thyng moore abhomynable.
ParsT 125 For soothly the lawe of God is the love of God; for which David the prophete seith.
ParsT 125A " I have loved thy lawe and hated wikkednesse and hate " ; he that loveth God kepeth his lawe and his word.
ParsT 126 This tree saugh the prophete Daniel in spirit, upon the avysioun of the kyng Nabugodonosor, whan he conseiled hym to do penitence.
ParsT 127 Penaunce is the tree of lyf to hem that it receyven,
ParsT 127A and he that holdeth hym in verray penitence is blessed, after the sentence of Salomon.
ParsT 128 In this Penitence or Contricioun man shal understonde foure thynges; that is to seyn, what is Contricioun,
ParsT 128A and whiche been the causes that moeven a man to Contricioun, and how he sholde be contrit, and what Contricioun availleth to the soule.
ParsT 129 Thanne is it thus: that Contricioun is the verray sorwe that a man receyveth in his herte for his synnes,
ParsT 129A with sad purpos to shryve hym, and to do penaunce, and neveremoore to do synne.
ParsT 130 And this sorwe shal been in this manere, as seith Seint Bernard:
ParsT 130A " It shal been hevy and grevous, and ful sharp and poynaunt in herte. "
ParsT 131 First, for man hath agilt his Lord and his Creatour; and moore sharp and poynaunt for he hath agilt hys Fader celestial;
ParsT 132 and yet moore sharp and poynaunt for he hath wrathed and agilt hym that boghte hym, that with his precious blood hath delivered us
ParsT 132A fro the bondes of synne, and fro the crueltee of the devel, and fro the peynes of helle.
ParsT 133 The causes that oghte moeve a man to Contricioun been sixe. First a man shal remembre hym of his synnes;
ParsT 134 but looke he that thilke remembraunce ne be to hym no delit by no wey, but greet shame and sorwe for his gilt.
ParsT 134A For Job seith, " Synful men doon werkes worthy of confusioun. "
ParsT 135 And therfore seith Ezechie, " I wol remembre me alle the yeres of my lyf in bitternesse of myn herte. "
ParsT 136 And God seith in the Apocalipse, " Remembreth yow fro whennes that ye been falle " ;
ParsT 136A for biforn that tyme that ye synned, ye were the children of God and lymes of the regne of God;
ParsT 137 but for youre synne ye been woxen thral, and foul, and membres of the feend, hate of aungels, sclaundre of hooly chirche,
ParsT 137A and foode of the false serpent, perpetueel matere of the fir of helle;
ParsT 138 and yet moore foul and abhomynable, for ye trespassen so ofte tyme as dooth the hound that retourneth to eten his spewyng.
ParsT 139 And yet be ye fouler for youre longe continuyng in synne and youre synful usage,
ParsT 139A for which ye be roten in youre synne, as a beest in his dong.
ParsT 140 Swiche manere of thoghtes maken a man to have shame of his synne, and no delit, as God seith by the prophete Ezechiel,
ParsT 141 " Ye shal remembre yow of youre weyes, and they shuln displese yow. " Soothly synnes been the weyes that leden folk to helle.
ParsT 142 The seconde cause that oghte make a man to have desdeyn of synne is this:
ParsT 142A that, as seith Seint Peter, " whoso that dooth synne is thral of synne " ; and synne put a man in greet thraldom.
ParsT 143 And therfore seith the prophete Ezechiel: " I wente sorweful in desdayn of myself. "
ParsT 143A Certes, wel oghte a man have desdayn of synne and withdrawe hym from that thraldom and vileynye.
ParsT 144 And lo, what seith Seneca in this matere? He seith thus: " Though I wiste that neither God ne man ne sholde nevere knowe it,
ParsT 144A yet wolde I have desdayn for to do synne. "
ParsT 145 And the same Seneca also seith, " I am born to gretter thynges than to be thral to my body,
ParsT 145A or than for to maken of my body a thral. "
ParsT 146 Ne a fouler thral may no man ne womman maken of his body than for to yeven his body to synne.
ParsT 147 Al were it the fouleste cherl or the fouleste womman that lyveth, and leest of value,
ParsT 147A yet is he thanne moore foul and moore in servitute.
ParsT 148 Evere fro the hyer degree that man falleth, the moore is he thral, and moore to God and to the world vile and abhomynable.
ParsT 149 O goode God, wel oghte man have desdayn of synne, sith that thurgh synne ther he was free now is he maked bonde.
ParsT 150 And therfore seyth Seint Augustyn: " If thou hast desdayn of thy servant,
ParsT 150A if he agilte or synne, have thou thanne desdayn that thou thyself sholdest do synne. "
ParsT 151 Tak reward of thy value, that thou ne be to foul to thyself.
ParsT 152 Allas, wel oghten they thanne have desdayn to been servauntz and thralles to synne, and soore been ashamed of hemself
ParsT 153 that God of his endelees goodnesse hath set hem in heigh estaat, or yeven hem wit, strengthe of body, heele, beautee, prosperitee,
ParsT 154 and boghte hem fro the deeth with his herte-blood,
ParsT 154A that they so unkyndely, agayns his gentilesse, quiten hym so vileynsly to slaughtre of hir owene soules.
ParsT 155 O goode God, ye wommen that been of so greet beautee, remembreth yow of the proverbe of Salomon. He seith,
ParsT 156 " Likneth a fair womman that is a fool of hire body
ParsT 156A lyk to a ryng of gold that were in the groyn of a soughe. "
ParsT 157 For right as a soughe wroteth in everich ordure, so wroteth she hire beautee in the stynkynge ordure of synne.
ParsT 158 The thridde cause that oghte moeve a man to Contricioun is drede of the day of doom and of the horrible peynes of helle.
ParsT 159 For as Seint Jerome seith, " At every tyme that me remembreth of the day of doom I quake;
ParsT 160 for whan I ete or drynke, or what so that I do, evere semeth me that the trompe sowneth in myn ere:
ParsT 161 `Riseth up, ye that been dede, and cometh to the juggement.' "
ParsT 162 O goode God, muchel oghte a man to drede swich a juggement, " ther as we shullen been alle, "
ParsT 162A as Seint Poul seith, " biforn the seete of oure Lord Jhesu Crist " ;
ParsT 163 whereas he shal make a general congregacioun, whereas no man may been absent.
ParsT 164 For certes there availleth noon essoyne ne excusacioun.
ParsT 165 And nat oonly that oure defautes shullen be jugged, but eek that alle oure werkes shullen openly be knowe.
ParsT 166 And, as seith Seint Bernard, " Ther ne shal no pledynge availle, ne no sleighte; we shullen yeven rekenynge of everich ydel word. "
ParsT 167 Ther shul we han a juge that may nat been deceyved ne corrupt. And why?
ParsT 167A For, certes, alle oure thoghtes been discovered as to hym, ne for preyere ne for meede he shal nat been corrupt.
ParsT 168 And therfore seith Salomon, " The wratthe of God ne wol nat spare no wight, for preyere ne for yifte " ;
ParsT 168A and therfore, at the day of doom ther nys noon hope to escape.
ParsT 169 Wherfore, as seith Seint Anselm, " Ful greet angwyssh shul the synful folk have at that tyme;
ParsT 170 ther shal the stierne and wrothe juge sitte above, and under hym the horrible pit of helle open to destroyen hym
ParsT 170A that moot biknowen his synnes, whiche synnes openly been shewed biforn God and biforn every creature;
ParsT 171 and in the left syde mo develes than herte may bithynke, for to harye and drawe the synful soules to the peyne of helle;
ParsT 172 and withinne the hertes of folk shal be the bitynge conscience, and withouteforth shal be the world al brennynge.
ParsT 173 Whider shal thanne the wrecched synful man flee to hiden hym? Certes, he may nat hyden hym; he moste come forth and shewen hym. "
ParsT 174 For certes, as seith Seint Jerome, " the erthe shal casten hym out of hym, and the see also,
ParsT 174A and the eyr also, that shal be ful of thonder-clappes and lightnynges. "
ParsT 175 Now soothly, whoso wel remembreth hym of thise thynges, I gesse that his synne shal nat turne hym into delit,
ParsT 175A but to greet sorwe for drede of the peyne of helle.
ParsT 176 And therfore seith Job to God, " Suffre, Lord, that I may a while biwaille and wepe,
ParsT 176A er I go withoute returnyng to the derke lond, covered with the derknesse of deeth,
ParsT 177 to the lond of mysese and of derknesse, whereas is the shadwe of deeth,
ParsT 177A whereas ther is noon ordre or ordinaunce but grisly drede that evere shal laste. "
ParsT 178 Loo, heere may ye seen that Job preyde respit a while to biwepe and waille his trespas,
ParsT 178A for soothly oo day of respit is bettre than al the tresor of this world.
ParsT 179 And forasmuche as a man may acquiten hymself biforn God by penitence in this world, and nat by tresor,
ParsT 179A therfore sholde he preye to God to yeve hym respit a while to biwepe and biwaillen his trespas.
ParsT 180 For certes, al the sorwe that a man myghte make fro the bigynnyng of the world
ParsT 180A nys but a litel thyng at regard of the sorwe of helle.
ParsT 181 The cause why that Job clepeth helle the " lond of derkness. " :
ParsT 182 understondeth that he clepeth it " lond " or erthe, for it is stable and nevere shal faille; " derk, "
ParsT 182A for he that is in helle hath defaute of light material.
ParsT 183 For certes, the derke light that shal come out of the fyr that evere shal brenne
ParsT 183A shal turne hym al to peyne that is in helle for it sheweth him to the horrible develes that hym tormenten.
ParsT 184 " Covered with the derknesse of deeth " -- that is to seyn, that
ParsT 184A he that is in helle shal have defaute of the sighte of God, for certes the sighte of God is the lyf perdurable.
ParsT 185 " The derknesse of deeth " been the synnes that the wrecched man hath doon, whiche that destourben hym to see the face of God,
ParsT 185A right as dooth a derk clowde bitwixe us and the sonne.
ParsT 186 " Lond of misese, " by cause that ther been three maneres of defautes,
ParsT 186A agayn three thynges that folk of this world han in this present lyf; that is to seyn, honours, delices, and richesses.
ParsT 187 Agayns honour, have they in helle shame and confusioun.
ParsT 188 For wel ye woot that men clepen honour the reverence that man doth to man, but in helle is noon honour ne reverence.
ParsT 188A For certes, namoore reverence shal be doon there to a kyng than to a knave.
ParsT 189 For which God seith by the prophete Jeremye, " Thilke folk that me despisen shul been in despit. "
ParsT 190 Honour is eek cleped greet lordshipe; ther shal no wight serven other, but of harm
ParsT 190A and torment. Honour is eek cleped greet dignytee and heighnesse, but in helle shul they been al fortroden of develes.
ParsT 191 And God seith, " The horrible develes shulle goon and comen upon the hevedes of the dampned folk. " And this is for as muche as
ParsT 191A the hyer that they were in this present lyf, the moore shulle they been abated and defouled in helle.
ParsT 192 Agayns the richesse of this world shul they han mysese of poverte, and this poverte shal been in foure thynges:
ParsT 193 In defaute of tresor, of which that David seith, " The riche folk, that embraceden and oneden al hire herte to tresor of this world,
ParsT 193A shul slepe in the slepynge of deeth; and nothyng ne shal they fynden in hir handes of al hir tresor. "
ParsT 194 And mooreover the myseyse of helle shal been in defaute of mete and drinke.
ParsT 195 For God seith thus by Moyses: " They shul been wasted with hunger, and the briddes of helle shul devouren hem with bitter deeth,
ParsT 195A and the galle of the dragon shal been hire drynke, and the venym of the dragon hire morsels. "
ParsT 196 And forther over, hire myseyse shal been in defaute of clothyng, for they shulle be naked in body as of clothyng,
ParsT 196A save the fyr in which they brenne, and othere filthes;
ParsT 197 and naked shul they been of soule, as of alle manere vertues, which that is the clothyng of the soule.
ParsT 197A Where been thanne the gaye robes, and the softe shetes, and the smale shertes?
ParsT 198 Loo, what seith God of hem by the prophete Ysaye: that
ParsT 198A " under hem shul been strawed motthes, and hire covertures shulle been of wormes of helle. "
ParsT 199 And forther over, hir myseyse shal been in defaute of freendes.
ParsT 199A For he nys nat povre that hath goode freendes; but there is no frend,
ParsT 200 for neither God ne no creature shal been freend to hem, and everich of hem shal haten oother with deedly hate.
ParsT 201 " The sones and the doghtren shullen rebellen agayns fader and mooder, and kynrede agayns kynrede, and chiden
ParsT 201A and despisen everich of hem oother bothe day and nyght, " as God seith by the prophete Michias.
ParsT 202 And the lovynge children, that whilom loveden so flesshly everich oother, wolden everich of hem eten oother if they myghte.
ParsT 203 For how sholden they love hem togidre in the peyne of helle,
ParsT 203A whan they hated everich of hem oother in the prosperitee of this lyf?
ParsT 204 For truste wel, hir flesshly love was deedly hate, as seith the prophete David: " Whoso that loveth wikkednesse, he hateth his soule. "
ParsT 205 And whoso hateth his owene soule, certes, he may love noon oother wight in no manere.
ParsT 206 And therfore, in helle is no solas ne no freendshipe, but evere the moore flesshly kynredes that been in helle,
ParsT 206A the moore cursynges, the more chidynges, and the moore deedly hate ther is among hem.
ParsT 207 And forther over, they shul have defaute of alle manere delices.
ParsT 207A For certes, delices been after the appetites of the fyve wittes, as sighte, herynge, smellynge, savorynge, and touchynge.
ParsT 208 But in helle hir sighte shal be ful of derknesse and of smoke,
ParsT 208A and therfore ful of teeres; and hir herynge ful of waymentynge and of gryntynge of teeth, as seith Jhesu Crist.
ParsT 209 Hir nose-thirles shullen be ful of stynkynge stynk; and, as seith Ysaye the prophete, " hir savoryng shal be ful of bitter galle " ;
ParsT 210 and touchynge of al hir body ycovered with " fir
ParsT 210A that nevere shal quenche and with wormes that nevere shul dyen, "
ParsT 210B as God seith by the mouth of Ysaye.
ParsT 211 And for as muche as they shul nat wene that they may dyen for peyne, and by hir deeth flee fro peyne,
ParsT 211A that may they understonden by the word of Job, that seith, " ther as is the shadwe of deeth. "
ParsT 212 Certes, a shadwe hath the liknesse of the thyng of which it is shadwe,
ParsT 212A but shadwe is nat the same thyng of which it is shadwe.
ParsT 213 Right so fareth the peyne of helle; it is lyk deeth for the horrible angwissh, and why?
ParsT 213A For it peyneth hem evere, as though they sholde dye anon; but certes, they shal nat dye.
ParsT 214 For, as seith Seint Gregorie, " To wrecche caytyves shal be deeth withoute deeth, and ende withouten ende, and defaute withoute failynge.
ParsT 215 For hir deeth shal alwey lyven, and hir ende shal everemo bigynne, and hir defaute shal nat faille. "
ParsT 216 And therfore seith Seint John the Evaungelist, " They shullen folwe deeth,
ParsT 216A and they shul nat fynde hym; and they shul desiren to dye, and deeth shal flee fro hem. "
ParsT 217 And eek Job seith that in helle is noon ordre of rule.
ParsT 218 And al be it so that God hath creat alle thynges in right ordre, and no thyng withouten ordre,
ParsT 218A but alle thynges been ordeyned and nombred; yet, nathelees, they that been dampned been nothyng in ordre, ne holden noon ordre,
ParsT 219 for the erthe ne shal bere hem no fruyt.
ParsT 220 For, as the prophete David seith, " God shal destroie the fruyt of the erthe as fro hem;
ParsT 220A ne water ne shal yeve hem no moisture, ne the eyr no refresshyng, ne fyr no light. "
ParsT 221 For, as seith Seint Basilie, " The brennynge of the fyr of this world shal God yeven in helle to hem that been dampned,
ParsT 222 but the light and the cleernesse shal be yeven in hevene to his children, "
ParsT 222A right as the goode man yeveth flessh to his children and bones to his houndes.
ParsT 223 And for they shullen have noon hope to escape, seith Seint Job atte laste that " ther shal horrour and grisly drede dwellen withouten ende. "
ParsT 224 Horrour is alwey drede of harm that is to come, and this drede shal evere dwelle in the hertes of hem that been dampned.
ParsT 224A And therfore han they lorn al hire hope, for sevene causes.
ParsT 225 First, for God, that is hir juge, shal be withouten mercy to hem; and they may nat plese hym ne noon of his halwes;
ParsT 225A ne they ne may yeve no thyng for hir raunsoun;
ParsT 226 ne they have no voys to speke to hym; ne they may nat fle fro peyne;
ParsT 226A ne they have no goodnesse in hem, that they mowe shewe to delivere hem fro peyne.
ParsT 227 And therfore seith Salomon: " The wikked man dyeth, and whan he is deed, he shal have noon hope to escape fro peyne. "
ParsT 228 Whoso thanne wolde wel understande thise peynes and bithynke hym weel that he hath deserved thilke peynes for his synnes,
ParsT 228A certes, he sholde have moore talent to siken and to wepe than for to syngen and to pleye.
ParsT 229 For, as that seith Salomon, " Whoso that hadde the science to knowe the peynes
ParsT 229A that been establissed and ordeyned for synne, he wolde make sorwe. "
ParsT 230 " Thilke science, " as seith Seint Augustyn, " maketh a man to waymenten in his herte. "
ParsT 231 The fourthe point that oghte maken a man to have contricion is the sorweful remembraunce of the good
ParsT 231A that he hath left to doon heere in erthe, and eek the good that he hath lorn.
ParsT 232 Soothly, the goode werkes that he hath lost, outher they been the goode werkes that he wroghte er he fel into deedly synne
ParsT 232A or elles the goode werkes that he wroghte while he lay in synne.
ParsT 233 Soothly, the goode werkes that he dide biforn that he fil in synne been al mortefied and astoned and dulled by the ofte synnyng.
ParsT 234 The othere goode werkes, that he wroghte whil he lay in deedly synne,
ParsT 234A thei been outrely dede, as to the lyf perdurable in hevene.
ParsT 235 Thanne thilke goode werkes that been mortefied by ofte synnyng,
ParsT 235A whiche goode werkes he dide whil he was in charitee, ne mowe nevere quyken agayn withouten verray penitence.
ParsT 236 And therof seith God by the mouth of Ezechiel, that
ParsT 236A " if the rightful man returne agayn from his rightwisnesse and werke wikkednesse, shal he lyve? "
ParsT 237 Nay, for alle the goode werkes that he hath wroght ne shul nevere been in remembraunce, for he shal dyen in his synne.
ParsT 238 And upon thilke chapitre seith Seint Gregorie thus: that " we shulle understonde this principally;
ParsT 239 that whan we doon deedly synne,
ParsT 239A it is for noght thanne to rehercen or drawen into memorie the goode werkes that we han wroght biforn. "
ParsT 240 For certes, in the werkynge of the deedly synne, ther is no trust to no good werk that we han doon biforn;
ParsT 240A that is to seyn, as for to have therby the lyf perdurable in hevene.
ParsT 241 But nathelees, the goode werkes quyken agayn, and comen agayn, and helpen,
ParsT 241A and availlen to have the lyf perdurable in hevene, whan we han contricioun.
ParsT 242 But soothly, the goode werkes that men doon whil they been in deedly synne,
ParsT 242A for as muche as they were doon in deedly synne, they may nevere quyke agayn.
ParsT 243 For certes, thyng that nevere hadde lyf may nevere quykene; and nathelees, al be it that they ne availle noght to han the lyf perdurable,
ParsT 243A yet availlen they to abregge of the peyne of helle, or elles to geten temporal richesse,
ParsT 244 or elles that God wole the rather enlumyne and lightne the herte of the synful man to have repentaunce;
ParsT 245 and eek they availlen for to usen a man to doon goode werkes, that the feend have the lasse power of his soule.
ParsT 246 And thus the curteis Lord Jhesu Crist ne wole that no good werk be lost, for in somwhat it shal availle.
ParsT 247 But, for as muche as the goode werkes that men doon whil they been in good lyf been al mortefied by synne folwynge,
ParsT 247A and eek sith that alle the goode werkes that men doon whil they been in deedly synne been outrely dede
ParsT 247B as for to have the lyf perdurable,
ParsT 248 wel may that man that no good werk ne dooth synge thilke newe Frenshe song, " Jay tout perdu mon temps et mon labour. "
ParsT 249 For certes, synne bireveth a man bothe goodnesse of nature and eek the goodnesse of grace.
ParsT 250 For soothly, the grace of the Hooly Goost fareth lyk fyr, that may nat been ydel;
ParsT 250A for fyr fayleth anoon as it forleteth his wirkynge, and right so grace fayleth anoon as it forleteth his werkynge.
ParsT 251 Then leseth the synful man the goodnesse of glorie, that oonly is bihight to goode men that labouren and werken.
ParsT 252 Wel may he be sory thanne, that oweth al his lif to God as longe as he hath lyved, and eek as longe
ParsT 252A as he shal lyve, that no goodnesse ne hath to paye with his dette to God to whom he oweth al his lyf.
ParsT 253 For trust wel, " He shal yeven acountes, " as seith Seint Bernard,
ParsT 253A " of alle the goodes that han be yeven hym in this present lyf, and how he hath hem despended,
ParsT 254 [in] so muche that ther shal nat perisse an heer of his heed, ne a moment of an houre
ParsT 254A ne shal nat perisse of his tyme, that he ne shal yeve of it a rekenyng. "
ParsT 255 The fifthe thyng that oghte moeve a man to contricioun
ParsT 255A is remembrance of the passioun that oure Lord Jhesu Crist suffred for oure synnes.
ParsT 256 For, as seith Seint Bernard, " Whil that I lyve I shal have remembrance of the travailles that oure Lord Crist suffred in prechyng:
ParsT 257 his werynesse in travaillyng, his temptaciouns whan he fasted, his longe wakynges
ParsT 257A whan he preyde, hise teeres whan that he weep for pitee of good peple,
ParsT 258 the wo and the shame and the filthe that men seyden to hym, of the foule spittyng that men spitte in his face,
ParsT 258A of the buffettes that men yaven hym, of the foule mowes, and of the repreves that men to hym seyden,
ParsT 259 of the nayles with whiche he was nayled to the croys,
ParsT 259A and of al the remenant of his passioun that he suffred for my synnes, and no thyng for his gilt. "
ParsT 260 And ye shul understonde that in mannes synne is every manere of ordre or ordinaunce turned up-so-doun.
ParsT 261 For it is sooth that God, and resoun, and sensualitee, and the body of man been so ordeyned
ParsT 261A that everich of thise foure thynges sholde have lordshipe over that oother,
ParsT 262 as thus: God sholde have lordshipe over resoun, and resoun over sensualitee, and sensualitee over the body of man.
ParsT 263 But soothly, whan man synneth, al this ordre or ordinaunce is turned up-so-doun.
ParsT 264 And therfore thanne, for as muche as the resoun of man ne wol nat be subget ne obeisant to God, that is
ParsT 264A his lord by right, therfore leseth it the lordshipe that it sholde have over sensualitee, and eek over the body of man.
ParsT 265 And why? For sensualitee rebelleth thanne agayns resoun, and by that way leseth resoun the lordshipe over sensualitee and over the body.
ParsT 266 For right as resoun is rebel to God, right so is bothe sensualitee rebel to resoun and the body also.
ParsT 267 And certes this disordinaunce and this rebellioun oure Lord Jhesu Crist aboghte upon his precious body ful deere, and herkneth in which wise.
ParsT 268 For as muche thanne as resoun is rebel to God, therfore is man worthy to have sorwe and to be deed.
ParsT 269 This suffred oure Lord Jhesu Crist for man, after that he hadde be bitraysed of his disciple, and distreyned and bounde
ParsT 269A so that his blood brast out at every nayl of his handes, as seith Seint Augustyn.
ParsT 270 And forther over, for as muchel as resoun of man ne wol nat daunte sensualitee whan it may,
ParsT 270A therfore is man worthy to have shame; and this suffred oure Lord Jhesu Crist for man, whan they spetten in his visage.
ParsT 271 And forther over, for as muchel thanne as the caytyf body of man is rebel bothe to resoun and to sensualitee,
ParsT 271A therfore is it worthy the deeth.
ParsT 272 And this suffred oure Lord Jhesu Crist for man upon the croys,
ParsT 272A where as ther was no part of his body free withouten greet peyne and bitter passioun.
ParsT 273 And al this suffred Jhesu Crist, that nevere forfeted. And therfore resonably may be seyd of Jhesu in this manere:
ParsT 273A " To muchel am I peyned for the thynges that I nevere deserved, and to muche defouled for shendshipe that man is worthy to have. "
ParsT 274 And therfore may the synful man wel seye, as seith Seint Bernard,
ParsT 274A " Acursed be the bitternesse of my synne, for which ther moste be suffred so muchel bitternesse. "
ParsT 275 For certes, after the diverse [disordinaunces] of oure wikkednesses was the passioun of Jhesu Crist ordeyned in diverse thynges.
ParsT 276 As thus: Certes, synful mannes soule is bitraysed of the devel by coveitise of temporeel prosperitee, and scorned by deceite
ParsT 276A whan he cheseth flesshly delices; and yet is it tormented by inpacience of adversitee and bispet by servage and subjeccioun of synne;
ParsT 276B and atte laste it is slayn fynally.
ParsT 277 For this disordinaunce of synful man was Jhesu Crist first bitraysed,
ParsT 277A and after that was he bounde, that cam for to unbynden us of synne and peyne.
ParsT 278 Thanne was he byscorned, that oonly sholde han been honoured in alle thynges and of alle thynges.
ParsT 279 Thanne was his visage, that oghte be desired to be seyn of al mankynde, in which visage aungels desiren to looke, vileynsly bispet.
ParsT 280 Thanne was he scourged, that no thyng hadde agilt; and finally, thanne was he crucified and slayn.
ParsT 281 Thanne was acompliced the word of Ysaye, " He was wounded for oure mysdedes and defouled for oure felonies. "
ParsT 282 Now sith that Jhesu Crist took upon hymself the peyne of alle oure wikkednesses, muchel oghte synful man wepen and biwayle,
ParsT 282A that for his synnes Goddes sone of hevene sholde al this peyne endure.
ParsT 283 The sixte thyng that oghte moeve a man to contricioun is the hope of three thynges; that is to seyn, foryifnesse of synne,
ParsT 283A and the yifte of grace wel for to do, and the glorie of hevene, with which God shal gerdone man for his goode dedes.
ParsT 284 And for as muche as Jhesu Crist yeveth us thise yiftes of his largesse and of his sovereyn bountee,
ParsT 284A therfore is he cleped Jhesus Nazarenus rex Judeorum.
ParsT 285 Jhesus is to seyn " saveour " or " salvacioun, " on whom men shul hope to have foryifnesse of synnes, which that is proprely salvacioun of synnes.
ParsT 286 And therfore seyde the aungel to Joseph, " Thou shalt clepen his name Jhesus, that shal saven his peple of hir synnes. "
ParsT 287 And heerof seith Seint Peter: " Ther is noon oother name under hevene
ParsT 287A that is yeve to any man, by which a man may be saved, but oonly Jhesus. "
ParsT 288 Nazarenus is as muche for to seye as " florisshynge, " in which a man shal hope that
ParsT 288A he that yeveth hym remissioun of synnes shal yeve hym eek grace wel for to do.
ParsT 288B For in the flour is hope of fruyt in tyme comynge, and in foryifnesse of synnes hope of grace wel for to do.
ParsT 289 " I was atte dore of thyn herte, " seith Jhesus, " and cleped for to entre. He that openeth to me shal have foryifnesse of synne.
ParsT 290 I wol entre into hym by my grace and soupe with hym, " by the goode werkes that he shal doon,
ParsT 290A whiche werkes been the foode of God; " and he shal soupe with me " by the grete joye that I shal yeven hym.
ParsT 291 Thus shal man hope, for his werkes of penaunce that God shal yeven hym his regne, as he bihooteth hym in the gospel.
ParsT 292 Now shal a man understonde in which manere shal been his contricioun. I seye that it shal been universal and total.
ParsT 292A This is to seyn, a man shal be verray repentaunt for alle his synnes that he hath doon
ParsT 292B in delit of his thoght, for delit is ful perilous.
ParsT 293 For ther been two manere of consentynges: that oon of hem is cleped consentynge of affeccioun,
ParsT 293A whan a man is moeved to do synne, and deliteth hym longe for to thynke on that synne;
ParsT 294 and his reson aperceyveth it wel that it is synne agayns the lawe of God,
ParsT 294A and yet his resoun refreyneth nat his foul delit or talent, though he se wel apertly that it is agayns the reverence of God.
ParsT 294B Although his resoun ne consente noght to doon that synne in dede,
ParsT 295 yet seyn somme doctours that swich delit that dwelleth longe, it is ful perilous, al be it nevere so lite.
ParsT 296 And also a man sholde sorwe namely for al that evere he hath desired agayn the lawe of God
ParsT 296A with parfit consentynge of his resoun, for therof is no doute, that it is deedly synne in consentynge.
ParsT 297 For certes, ther is no deedly synne that it nas first in mannes thought
ParsT 297A and after that in his delit, and so forth into consentynge and into dede.
ParsT 298 Wherfore I seye that many men ne repenten hem nevere of swiche thoghtes and delites,
ParsT 298A ne nevere shryven hem of it, but oonly of the dede of grete synnes outward.
ParsT 299 Wherfore I seye that swiche wikked delites and wikked thoghtes been subtile bigileres of hem that shullen be dampned.
ParsT 300 Mooreover, man oghte to sorwe for his wikkede wordes as wel as for his wikkede dedes.
ParsT 300A For certes, the repentaunce of a synguler synne, and nat repente of alle his othere synnes,
ParsT 300B or elles repenten hym of alle his othere synnes and nat of a synguler synne, may nat availle.
ParsT 301 For certes, God almyghty is al good, and therfore he foryeveth al or elles right noght.
ParsT 302 And heerof seith Seint Augustyn,
ParsT 303 " I wot certeynly that God is enemy to everich synnere. " And how thanne?
ParsT 303A He that observeth o synne, shal he have foryifnesse of the remenaunt of his othere synnes? Nay.
ParsT 304 And forther over, contricioun sholde be wonder sorweful and angwissous; and therfore yeveth hym God pleynly his mercy;
ParsT 304A and therfore, whan my soule was angwissous withinne me, I hadde remembrance of God that my preyere myghte come to hym.
ParsT 305 Forther over, contricioun moste be continueel, and that man have stedefast purpos to shriven hym, and for to amenden hym of his lyf.
ParsT 306 For soothly, whil contricioun lasteth, man may evere have hope of foryifnesse;
ParsT 306A and of this comth hate of synne, that destroyeth synne, bothe in himself and eek in oother folk at his power.
ParsT 307 For which seith David: " Ye that loven God, hateth wikkednesse. "
ParsT 307A For trusteth wel, to love God is for to love that he loveth, and hate that he hateth.
ParsT 308 The laste thyng that men shal understonde in contricioun is this:
ParsT 308A wherof avayleth contricioun. I seye that somtyme contricioun delivereth a man fro synne;
ParsT 309 of which that David seith, " I seye, " quod David (that is to seyn,
ParsT 309A I purposed fermely) " to shryve me, and thow, Lord, relessedest my synne. "
ParsT 310 And right so as contricion availleth noght withouten sad purpos of shrifte,
ParsT 310A if man have oportunitee, right so litel worth is shrifte or satisfaccioun withouten contricioun.
ParsT 311 And mooreover contricion destroyeth the prisoun of helle, and maketh wayk and fieble alle the strengthes of the develes,
ParsT 311A and restoreth the yiftes of the Hooly Goost and of alle goode vertues;
ParsT 312 and it clenseth the soule of synne, and delivereth the soule fro the peyne of helle, and fro the compaignye of the devel,
ParsT 312A and fro the servage of synne, and restoreth it to alle goodes espirituels, and to the compaignye and communyoun of hooly chirche.
ParsT 313 And forther over, it maketh hym that whilom was sone of ire to be sone of grace;
ParsT 313A and alle thise thynges been preved by hooly writ.
ParsT 314 And therfore, he that wolde sette his entente to thise thynges, he were ful wys;
ParsT 314A for soothly he ne sholde nat thanne in al his lyf have corage to synne,
ParsT 314B but yeven his body and al his herte to the service of Jhesu Crist, and therof doon hym hommage.
ParsT 315 For soothly oure sweete Lord Jhesu Crist hath spared us so debonairly in oure folies that
ParsT 315A if he ne hadde pitee of mannes soule, a sory song we myghten alle synge.
ParsT 316 The seconde partie of Penitence is Confessioun, that is signe of contricioun.
ParsT 317 Now shul ye understonde what is Confessioun,
ParsT 317A and wheither it oghte nedes be doon or noon, and whiche thynges been covenable to verray Confessioun.
ParsT 318 First shaltow understonde that Confessioun is verray shewynge of synnes to the preest.
ParsT 319 This is to seyn " verray, " for he moste confessen hym of alle the condiciouns that bilongen to his synne, as ferforth as he kan.
ParsT 320 Al moot be seyd, and no thyng excused ne hyd ne forwrapped, and noght avaunte thee of thy goode werkes.
ParsT 321 And forther over, it is necessarie to understonde whennes that synnes spryngen, and how they encreessen, and whiche they been.
ParsT 322 Of the spryngynge of synnes seith Seint Paul in this wise: that " Right as by a man synne entred first into this world,
ParsT 322A and thurgh that synne deeth, right so thilke deeth entred into alle men that synneden. "
ParsT 323 And this man was Adam, by whom synne entred into this world, whan he brak the comaundementz of God.
ParsT 324 And therfore, he that first was so myghty that he sholde nat have dyed, bicam swich oon that he moste nedes dye,
ParsT 324A wheither he wolde or noon, and al his progenye in this world, that in thilke man synneden.
ParsT 325 Looke that in th' estaat of innocence, whan Adam and Eve naked weren in Paradys, and nothyng ne hadden shame of hir nakednesse,
ParsT 326 how that the serpent, that was moost wily of alle othere beestes that God hadde maked, seyde to the womman,
ParsT 326A " Why comaunded God to yow ye sholde nat eten of every tree in Paradys? "
ParsT 327 The womman answerde: " Of the fruyt, " quod she, " of the trees in Paradys we feden us,
ParsT 327A but soothly, of the fruyt of the tree that is in the myddel of Paradys, God forbad us for to ete,
ParsT 327B ne nat touchen it, lest per aventure we sholde dyen. "
ParsT 328 The serpent seyde to the womman, " Nay, nay, ye shul nat dyen of deeth; for sothe, God woot that
ParsT 328A what day that ye eten therof, youre eyen shul opene and ye shul been as goddes, knowynge good and harm. "
ParsT 329 The womman thanne saugh that the tree was good to feedyng, and fair to the eyen, and delitable to the sighte.
ParsT 329A She took of the fruyt of the tree, and eet it, and yaf to hire housbonde,
ParsT 329B and he eet, and anoon the eyen of hem bothe openeden.
ParsT 330 And whan that they knewe that they were naked, they sowed of fige leves a maner of breches to hiden hire membres.
ParsT 331 There may ye seen that deedly synne hath, first, suggestion of the feend, as sheweth heere by the naddre;
ParsT 331A and afterward, the delit of the flessh, as sheweth heere by Eve; and after that, the consentynge of resoun, as sheweth heere by Adam.
ParsT 332 For trust wel, though so were that the feend tempted Eve -- that is to seyn, the flessh --
ParsT 332A and the flessh hadde delit in the beautee of the fruyt defended, yet certes, til that resoun -- that is to seyn, Adam --
ParsT 332B consented to the etynge of the fruyt, yet stood he in th' estaat of innocence.
ParsT 333 Of thilke Adam tooke we thilke synne original,
ParsT 333A for of hym flesshly descended be we alle, and engendred of vile and corrupt mateere.
ParsT 334 And whan the soule is put in oure body, right anon is contract original synne;
ParsT 334A and that that was erst but oonly peyne of concupiscence is afterward bothe peyne and synne.
ParsT 335 And therfore be we alle born sones of wratthe and of dampnacioun perdurable, if it nere baptesme that we receyven,
ParsT 335A which bynymeth us the culpe. But for sothe, the peyne dwelleth with us, as to temptacioun, which peyne highte concupiscence.
ParsT 336 And this concupiscence, whan it is wrongfully disposed or ordeyned in man, it maketh hym coveite, by coveitise of flessh,
ParsT 336A flesshly synne, by sighte of his eyen as to erthely thynges, and eek coveitise of hynesse by pride of herte.
ParsT 337 Now, as for to speken of the firste coveitise, that is concupiscence, after the lawe of oure membres
ParsT 337A that weren lawefulliche ymaked and by rightful juggement of God,
ParsT 338 I seye, forasmuche as man is nat obeisaunt to God, that is his lord,
ParsT 338A therfore is the flessh to hym disobeisaunt thurgh concupiscence, which yet is cleped norrissynge of synne and occasioun of synne.
ParsT 339 Therfore, al the while that a man hath in hym the peyne of concupiscence,
ParsT 339A it is impossible but he be tempted somtime and moeved in his flessh to synne.
ParsT 340 And this thyng may nat faille as longe as he lyveth.
ParsT 340A it may wel wexe fieble and faille by vertu of baptesme and by the grace of God thurgh penitence,
ParsT 341 but fully ne shal it nevere quenche, that he ne shal som tyme be moeved in hymself,
ParsT 341A but if he were al refreyded by siknesse, or by malefice of sorcerie, or colde drynkes.
ParsT 342 For lo, what seith Seint Paul: " The flessh coveiteth agayn the spirit, and the spirit agayn the flessh;
ParsT 342A they been so contrarie and so stryven that a man may nat alway doon as he wolde. "
ParsT 343 The same Seint Paul, after his grete penaunce in water and in lond --
ParsT 343B in water by nyght and by day in greet peril and in greet peyne;
ParsT 343C in lond, in famyne and thurst, in coold and cloothlees, and ones stoned almoost to the deeth
ParsT 344 -- yet seyde he, " Allas, I caytyf man! Who shal delivere me fro the prisoun of my caytyf body? "
ParsT 345 And Seint Jerome, whan he longe tyme hadde woned in desert, where as he hadde no compaignye but of wilde beestes,
ParsT 345A where as he ne hadde no mete but herbes, and water to his drynke, ne no bed but the naked erthe,
ParsT 345B for which his flessh was blak as an Ethiopeen for heete, and ny destroyed for coold,
ParsT 346 yet seyde he that " the brennynge of lecherie boyled in al his body. "
ParsT 347 Wherfore I woot wel sykerly that they been deceyved that seyn that they ne be nat tempted in hir body.
ParsT 348 Witnesse on Seint Jame the Apostel, that seith that " every wight is tempted in his owene concupiscence " ; that is to seyn,
ParsT 348A that everich of us hath matere and occasioun to be tempted of the norissynge of synne that is in his body.
ParsT 349 And therfore seith Seint John the Evaungelist, " If that we seyn that we be withoute synne,
ParsT 349A we deceyve us selve, and trouthe is nat in us. "
ParsT 350 Now shal ye understonde in what manere that synne wexeth or encreesseth in man.
ParsT 350A The firste thyng is thilke norissynge of synne of which I spak biforn, thilke flesshly concupiscence.
ParsT 351 And after that comth the subjeccioun of the devel --
ParsT 351A this is to seyn, the develes bely, with which he bloweth in man the fir of flesshly concupiscence.
ParsT 352 And after that, a man bithynketh hym wheither he wol doon or no thilke thing to which he is tempted.
ParsT 353 And thanne, if that a man withstonde and weyve the firste entisynge of his flessh and of the feend,
ParsT 353A thanne is it no synne; and if it so be that he do nat so, thanne feeleth he anoon a flambe of delit.
ParsT 354 And thanne is it good to be war and kepen hym wel,
ParsT 354A or elles he wol falle anon into consentynge of synne; and thanne wol he do it, if he may have tyme and place.
ParsT 355 And of this matere seith Moyses by the devel in this manere: " The feend seith,
ParsT 355A `I wole chace and pursue the man by wikked suggestioun, and I wole hente hym by moevynge or stirynge of synne.
ParsT 355B And I wol departe my prise or my praye by deliberacioun, and my lust shal been acompliced in delit.
ParsT 355C I wol drawe my swerd in consentyng.' " --
ParsT 356 for certes, right as a swerd departeth a thyng in two peces, right so consentynge departeth God fro man --
ParsT 356A " `and thanne wol I sleen hym with myn hand in dede of synne'; thus seith the feend. "
ParsT 357 For certes, thanne is a man al deed in soule.
ParsT 357A And thus is synne acompliced by temptacioun, by delit, and by consentynge; and thanne is the synne cleped actueel.
ParsT 358 For sothe, synne is in two maneres; outher it is venial or deedly synne.
ParsT 358A Soothly, whan man loveth any creature moore than Jhesu Crist oure Creatour, thanne is it deedly synne.
ParsT 358B And venial synne is it, if man love Jhesu Crist lasse than hym oghte.
ParsT 359 For sothe, the dede of this venial synne is ful perilous,
ParsT 359A for it amenuseth the love that men sholde han to God moore and moore.
ParsT 360 And therfore, if a man charge hymself with manye swiche venial synnes,
ParsT 360A certes, but if so be that he somtyme descharge hym of hem by shrifte,
ParsT 360B they mowe ful lightly amenuse in hym al the love that he hath to Jhesu Crist;
ParsT 361 and in this wise skippeth venial into deedly synne. For certes, the moore that a man chargeth his soule with venial synnes,
ParsT 361A the moore is he enclyned to fallen into deedly synne.
ParsT 362 And therfore lat us nat be necligent to deschargen us of venial synnes. For the proverbe seith that " Manye smale maken a greet. "
ParsT 363 And herkne this ensample. A greet wawe of the see comth som tyme with so greet a violence that it drencheth the ship.
ParsT 363A And the same harm doon som tyme the smale dropes of water, that entren thurgh a litel crevace into the thurrok,
ParsT 363B and in the botme of the ship, if men be so necligent that they ne descharge hem nat by tyme.
ParsT 364 And therfore, although ther be a difference bitwixe thise two causes of drenchynge, algates the ship is dreynt.
ParsT 365 Right so fareth it somtyme of deedly synne, and of anoyouse veniale synnes,
ParsT 365A whan they multiplie in a man so greetly that [the love of] thilke worldly thynges that he loveth,
ParsT 365B thurgh whiche he synneth venyally, is as greet in his herte as the love of God, or moore.
ParsT 366 And therfore, the love of every thyng that is nat biset in God, ne doon principally for Goddes sake,
ParsT 366A although that a man love it lasse than God, yet is it venial synne;
ParsT 367 and deedly synne whan the love of any thyng weyeth in the herte of man as muchel as the love of God, or moore.
ParsT 368 " Deedly synne, " as seith Seint Augustyn, " is whan a man turneth his herte fro God,
ParsT 368A which that is verray sovereyn bountee, that may nat chaunge, and yeveth his herte to thyng that may chaunge and flitte. "
ParsT 369 And certes, that is every thyng save God of hevene.
ParsT 369A For sooth is that if a man yeve his love, the which that he oweth al to God with al his herte, unto a creature,
ParsT 369B certes, as muche of his love as he yeveth to thilke creature, so muche he bireveth fro God;
ParsT 370 and therfore dooth he synne. For he that is dettour to God ne yeldeth nat to God al his dette;
ParsT 370A that is to seyn, al the love of his herte.
ParsT 371 Now sith man understondeth generally which is venial synne, thanne is it covenable to tellen specially of synnes whiche that many
ParsT 371A a man peraventure ne demeth hem nat synnes, and ne shryveth him nat of the same thynges, and yet natheless they been synnes
ParsT 372 soothly, as thise clerkes writen; this is to seyn, that at every tyme that a man eteth or drynketh
ParsT 372A moore than suffiseth to the sustenaunce of his body, in certein he dooth synne.
ParsT 373 And eek whan he speketh moore than it nedeth, it is synne. Eke whan he herkneth nat benignely the compleint of the povre;
ParsT 374 eke whan he is in heele of body and wol nat faste whan other folk faste, withouten cause resonable;
ParsT 374A eke whan he slepeth moore than nedeth, or whan he comth by thilke enchesoun to late to chirche, or to othere werkes of charite;
ParsT 375 eke whan he useth his wyf withouten sovereyn desir of engendrure to the honour of God
ParsT 375A or for the entente to yelde to his wyf the dette of his body;
ParsT 376 eke whan he wol nat visite the sike and the prisoner, if he may;
ParsT 376A eke if he love wyf or child, or oother worldly thyng, moore than resoun requireth.
ParsT 376B eke if he flatere or blandise moore than hym oghte for any necessitee;
ParsT 377 eke if he amenuse or withdrawe the almesse of the povre;
ParsT 377A eke if he apparailleth his mete moore deliciously than nede is, or ete it to hastily by likerousnesse;
ParsT 378 eke if he tale vanytees at chirche or at Goddes service, or that he be a talker
ParsT 378A of ydel wordes of folye or of vileynye, for he shal yelden acountes of it at the day of doom;
ParsT 379 eke whan he biheteth or assureth to do thynges that he may nat parfourne;
ParsT 379A eke whan that he by lightnesse or folie mysseyeth or scorneth his neighebor;
ParsT 380 eke whan he hath any wikked suspecioun of thyng ther he ne woot of it no soothfastnesse:
ParsT 381 thise thynges, and mo withoute nombre, been synnes, as seith Seint Augustyn.
ParsT 382 Now shal men understonde that, al be it so that noon erthely man may eschue alle venial synnes,
ParsT 382A yet may he refreyne hym by the brennynge love that he hath to oure Lord Jhesu Crist,
ParsT 382B and by preyeres and confessioun and othere goode werkes, so that it shal but litel greve.
ParsT 383 For, as seith Seint Augustyn, " If a man love God in swich manere that al that evere he dooth
ParsT 383B is in the love of God and for the love of God verraily, for he brenneth in the love of God,
ParsT 384 looke how muche that a drope of water that falleth in a fourneys ful of fyr anoyeth
ParsT 384A or greveth, so muche anoyeth a venial synne unto a man that is parfit in the love of Jhesu Crist. "
ParsT 385 Men may also refreyne venial synne by receyvynge worthily of the precious body of Jhesu Crist;
ParsT 386 by receyvynge eek of hooly water, by almesdede, by general confessioun of Confiteor at masse and at complyn,
ParsT 386A and by blessynge of bisshopes and of preestes, and by oothere goode werkes.
ParsT 387 Now is it bihovely thyng to telle whiche been the sevene deedly synnes,
ParsT 387A this is to seyn, chieftaynes of synnes. Alle they renne in o lees, but in diverse manneres.
ParsT 387B Now been they cleped chieftaynes, for as muche as they been chief and spryng of alle othere synnes.
ParsT 388 Of the roote of thise sevene synnes, thanne, is Pride the general roote of alle harmes.
ParsT 388B For of this roote spryngen certein braunches, as Ire, Envye, Accidie or Slewthe, Avarice or Coveitise (to commune understondynge), Glotonye, and Lecherye.
ParsT 389 And everich of thise chief synnes hath his braunches and his twigges, as shal be declared in hire chapitres folwynge.
ParsT 390 And thogh so be that no man kan outrely telle the nombre of the twigges and of the harmes that cometh of Pride,
ParsT 390A yet wol I shewe a partie of hem, as ye shul understonde.
ParsT 391 Ther is inobedience, avauntynge, ypocrisie, despit, arrogance, inpudence, swellynge of herte, insolence, elacioun, inpacience, strif, contumacie, presumpcioun, irreverence, pertinacie, veyneglorie,
ParsT 391A and many another twig that I kan nat declare.
ParsT 392 Inobedient is he that disobeyeth for despit to the comandementz of God, and to his sovereyns, and to his goostly fader.
ParsT 393 Avauntour is he that bosteth of the harm or of the bountee that he hath doon.
ParsT 394 Ypocrite is he that hideth to shewe hym swich as he is and sheweth hym swich as he noght is.
ParsT 395 Despitous is he that hath desdeyn of his neighebor --
ParsT 395A that is to seyn, of his evene-Cristene -- or hath despit to doon that hym oghte to do.
ParsT 396 Arrogant is he that thynketh that he hath thilke bountees in hym that he hath noght,
ParsT 396A or weneth that he sholde have hem by his desertes, or elles he demeth that he be that he nys nat.
ParsT 397 Inpudent is he that for his pride hath no shame of his synnes.
ParsT 398 Swellynge of herte is whan a man rejoyseth hym of harm that he hath doon.
ParsT 399 Insolent is he that despiseth in his juggement alle othere folk,
ParsT 399A as to regard of his value, and of his konnyng, and of his spekyng, and of his beryng.
ParsT 400 Elacioun is whan he ne may neither suffre to have maister ne felawe.
ParsT 401 Inpacient is he that wol nat been ytaught ne undernome of his vice, and by strif werreieth trouthe wityngly, and deffendeth his folye.
ParsT 402 Contumax is he that thurgh his indignacioun is agayns everich auctoritee or power of hem that been his sovereyns.
ParsT 403 Presumpcioun is whan a man undertaketh an emprise that hym oghte nat do, or elles that he may nat do;
ParsT 403A and this is called surquidrie. Irreverence is whan men do nat honour there as hem oghte to doon, and waiten to be reverenced.
ParsT 404 Pertinacie is whan man deffendeth his folie and trusteth to muchel to his owene wit.
ParsT 405 Veyneglorie is for to have pompe and delit in his temporeel hynesse, and glorifie hym in this worldly estaat.
ParsT 406 Janglynge is whan a man speketh to muche biforn folk, and clappeth as a mille, and taketh no keep what he seith.
ParsT 407 And yet is ther a privee spece of Pride that waiteth first to be salewed
ParsT 407A er he wole salewe, al be he lasse worth than that oother is, peraventure;
ParsT 407B and eek he waiteth or desireth to sitte, or elles to goon above hym in the wey,
ParsT 407C or kisse pax, or been encensed, or goon to offryng biforn his neighebor,
ParsT 408 and swiche semblable thynges, agayns his duetee, peraventure, but that he hath his herte
ParsT 408A and his entente in swich a proud desir to be magnified and honoured biforn the peple.
ParsT 409 Now been ther two maneres of Pride: that oon of hem is withinne the herte of man, and that oother is withoute.
ParsT 410 Of whiche, soothly, thise forseyde thynges, and mo than I have seyd, apertenen to Pride that is in the herte of man;
ParsT 410A and that othere speces of Pride been withoute.
ParsT 411 But natheles that oon of thise speces of Pride is signe of that oother,
ParsT 411A right as the gaye leefsel atte taverne is signe of the wyn that is in the celer.
ParsT 412 And this is in manye thynges: as in speche and contenaunce, and in outrageous array of clothyng.
ParsT 413 For certes, if ther ne hadde be no synne in clothyng,
ParsT 413A Crist wolde nat so soone have noted and spoken of the clothyng of thilke riche man in the gospel.
ParsT 414 And, as seith Seint Gregorie, that " precious clothyng is cowpable for the derthe of it, and for his softenesse,
ParsT 414A and for his strangenesse and degisynesse, and for the superfluitee, or for the inordinat scantnesse of it. "
ParsT 415 Allas, may man nat seen, as in oure dayes, the synful costlewe array of clothynge,
ParsT 415A and namely in to muche superfluite, or elles in to desordinat scantnesse?
ParsT 416 As to the first synne, that is in superfluitee of clothynge, which that maketh it so deere, to harm of the peple;
ParsT 417 nat oonly the cost of embrowdynge, the degise endentynge or barrynge, owndynge, palynge, wyndynge or bendynge, and semblable wast of clooth in vanitee,
ParsT 418 but ther is also costlewe furrynge in hir gownes, so muche pownsonynge of chisels to maken holes, so muche daggynge of sheres;
ParsT 419 forth-with the superfluitee in lengthe of the forseide gownes, trailynge in the dong and in the mire, on horse and eek on foote,
ParsT 419A as wel of man as of womman, that al thilke trailyng is verraily as in effect wasted, consumed, thredbare, and roten with donge,
ParsT 419B rather than it is yeven to the povre, to greet damage of the forseyde povre folk.
ParsT 420 And that in sondry wise; this is to seyn that the moore that clooth is wasted,
ParsT 420A the moore moot it coste to the peple for the scarsnesse.
ParsT 421 And forther over, if so be that they wolde yeven swich pownsoned and dagged clothyng to the povre folk,
ParsT 421A it is nat convenient to were for hire estaat, ne suffisant to beete hire necessitee, to kepe hem fro the distemperance of the firmament.
ParsT 422 Upon that oother side, to speken of the horrible disordinat scantnesse of clothyng, as been thise kutted sloppes, or haynselyns,
ParsT 422A that thurgh hire shortnesse ne covere nat the shameful membres of man, to wikked entente.
ParsT 423 Allas, somme of hem shewen the boce of hir shap, and the horrible swollen membres,
ParsT 423A that semeth lik the maladie of hirnia, in the wrappynge of hir hoses;
ParsT 424 and eek the buttokes of hem faren as it were the hyndre part of a she-ape in the fulle of the moone.
ParsT 425 And mooreover, the wrecched swollen membres that they shewe thurgh disgisynge,
ParsT 425A in departynge of hire hoses in whit and reed, semeth that half hir shameful privee membres weren flayne.
ParsT 426 And if so be that they departen hire hoses in othere colours,
ParsT 426A as is whit and blak, or whit and blew, or blak and reed, and so forth,
ParsT 427 thanne semeth it, as by variaunce of colour, that half the partie of hire privee membres were corrupt
ParsT 427A by the fir of Seint Antony, or by cancre, or by oother swich meschaunce.
ParsT 428 Of the hyndre part of hir buttokes, it is ful horrible for to see.
ParsT 428A For certes, in that partie of hir body ther as they purgen hir stynkynge ordure,
ParsT 429 that foule partie shewe they to the peple prowdly in despit of honestitee,
ParsT 429A which honestitee that Jhesu Crist and his freendes observede to shewen in hir lyve.
ParsT 430 Now, as of the outrageous array of wommen, God woot that though the visages of somme of hem seme ful chaast and debonaire,
ParsT 430A yet notifie they in hire array of atyr likerousnesse and pride.
ParsT 431 I sey nat that honestitee in clothynge of man or womman is uncovenable, but certes the superfluitee or disordinat scantitee of clothynge is reprevable.
ParsT 432 Also the synne of aornement or of apparaille is in thynges that apertenen to ridynge,
ParsT 432A as in to manye delicat horses that been hoolden for delit, that been so faire, fatte, and costlewe;
ParsT 433 and also in many a vicious knave that is sustened by cause of hem; and in to curious harneys,
ParsT 433A as in sadeles, in crouperes, peytrels, and bridles covered with precious clothyng, and riche barres and plates of gold and of silver.
ParsT 434 For which God seith by Zakarie the prophete, " I wol confounde the rideres of swiche horses. "
ParsT 435 This folk taken litel reward of the ridynge of Goddes sone of hevene, and of his harneys whan he rood upon the asse,
ParsT 435A and ne hadde noon oother harneys but the povre clothes of his disciples;
ParsT 435B ne we ne rede nat that evere he rood on oother beest.
ParsT 436 I speke this for the synne of superfluitee, and nat for resonable honestitee, whan reson it requireth.
ParsT 437 And forther over, certes, pride is greetly notified in holdynge of greet meynee, whan they be of litel profit or of right no profit,
ParsT 438 and namely whan that meynee is felonous and damageous to the peple by hardynesse of heigh lordshipe or by wey of offices.
ParsT 439 For certes, swiche lordes sellen thanne hir lordshipe to the devel of helle, whanne they sustenen the wikkednesse of hir meynee.
ParsT 440 Or elles, whan this folk of lowe degree, as thilke that holden hostelries, sustenen the thefte of hire hostilers,
ParsT 440A and that is in many manere of deceites.
ParsT 441 Thilke manere of folk been the flyes that folwen the hony,
ParsT 441A or elles the houndes that folwen the careyne. Swich forseyde folk stranglen spiritually hir lordshipes;
ParsT 442 for which thus seith David the prophete:
ParsT 442A " Wikked deeth moote come upon thilke lordshipes, and God yeve that they moote descenden into helle al doun,
ParsT 442B for in hire houses been iniquitees and shrewednesses and nat God of hevene. "
ParsT 443 And certes, but if they doon amendement, right as God yaf his benysoun to [Laban] by the service of Jacob,
ParsT 443A and to [Pharao] by the service of Joseph, right so God wol yeve his malisoun
ParsT 443B to swiche lordshipes as sustenen the wikkednesse of hir servauntz, but they come to amendement.
ParsT 444 Pride of the table appeereth eek ful ofte; for certes, riche men been cleped to festes, and povre folk been put awey and rebuked.
ParsT 445 Also in excesse of diverse metes and drynkes, and namely swich manere bake-metes and dissh-metes, brennynge of wilde fir
ParsT 445A and peynted and castelled with papir, and semblable wast, so that it is abusioun for to thynke.
ParsT 446 And eek in to greet preciousnesse of vessel and curiositee of mynstralcie, by whiche a man is stired the moore to delices of luxurie,
ParsT 447 if so be that he sette his herte the lasse upon oure Lord Jhesu Crist, certeyn it is a synne;
ParsT 447A and certeinly the delices myghte been so grete in this caas that man myghte lightly falle by hem into deedly synne.
ParsT 448 The especes that sourden of Pride, soothly whan they sourden of malice ymagined, avised, and forncast,
ParsT 448A or elles of usage, been deedly synnes, it is no doute.
ParsT 449 And whan they sourden by freletee unavysed, and sodeynly withdrawen
ParsT 449A ayeyn, al been they grevouse synnes, I gesse that they ne been nat deedly.
ParsT 450 Now myghte men axe wherof that Pride sourdeth and spryngeth, and I seye,
ParsT 450A somtyme it spryngeth of the goodes of nature, and somtyme of the goodes of fortune, and somtyme of the goodes of grace.
ParsT 451 Certes, the goodes of nature stonden outher in goodes of body or in goodes of soule.
ParsT 452 Certes, goodes of body been heele of body, strengthe, delivernesse, beautee, gentrice, franchise.
ParsT 453 Goodes of nature of the soule been good wit, sharp understondynge, subtil engyn, vertu natureel, good memorie.
ParsT 454 Goodes of fortune been richesse, hyghe degrees of lordshipes, preisynges of the peple.
ParsT 455 Goodes of grace been science, power to suffre spiritueel travaille, benignitee, vertuous contemplacioun, withstondynge of temptacioun, and semblable thynges.
ParsT 456 Of whiche forseyde goodes, certes it is a ful greet folye a man to priden hym in any of hem alle.
ParsT 457 Now as for to speken of goodes of nature,
ParsT 457A God woot that somtyme we han hem in nature as muche to oure damage as to oure profit.
ParsT 458 As for to speken of heele of body, certes it passeth ful lightly,
ParsT 458A and eek it is ful ofte enchesoun of the siknesse of oure soule.
ParsT 458B For, God woot, the flessh is a ful greet enemy to the soule,
ParsT 458C and therfore, the moore that the body is hool, the moore be we in peril to falle.
ParsT 459 Eke for to pride hym in his strengthe of body, it is an heigh folye.
ParsT 459A For certes, the flessh coveiteth agayn the spirit, and ay the moore strong that the flessh is, the sorier may the soule be.
ParsT 460 And over al this, strengthe of body and worldly hardynesse causeth ful ofte many a man to peril and meschaunce.
ParsT 461 Eek for to pride hym of his gentrie is ful greet folie; for
ParsT 461A ofte tyme the gentrie of the body binymeth the gentrie of the soule;
ParsT 461B and eek we ben alle of o fader and of o mooder;
ParsT 461C and alle we been of o nature, roten and corrupt, bothe riche and povre.
ParsT 462 For sothe, o manere gentrie is for to preise, that apparailleth mannes corage with vertues and moralitees, and maketh hym Cristes child.
ParsT 463 For truste wel that over what man that synne hath maistrie, he is a verray cherl to synne.
ParsT 464 Now been ther generale signes of gentillesse, as eschewynge of vice and ribaudye and servage of synne, in word, in werk, and contenaunce,
ParsT 465 and usynge vertu, curteisye, and clennesse, and to be liberal --
ParsT 465A that is to seyn, large by mesure, for thilke that passeth mesure is folie and synne.
ParsT 466 Another is to remembre hym of bountee that he of oother folk hath receyved.
ParsT 467 Another is to be benigne to his goode subgetis; wherfore seith Senek,
ParsT 467A " Ther is no thing moore covenable to a man of heigh estaat than debonairetee and pitee.
ParsT 468 And therfore thise flyes that men clepen bees, whan they maken hir kyng,
ParsT 468A they chesen oon that hath no prikke wherwith he may stynge. "
ParsT 469 Another is, a man to have a noble herte and a diligent to attayne to heighe vertuouse thynges.
ParsT 470 Now certes, a man to pride hym in the goodes of grace is eek an outrageous folie, for thilke
ParsT 470A yifte of grace that sholde have turned hym to goodnesse and to medicine, turneth hym to venym and to confusioun, as seith Seint Gregorie.
ParsT 471 Certes also, whoso prideth hym in the goodes of fortune, he is a ful greet fool;
ParsT 471A for somtyme is a man a greet lord by the morwe, that is a caytyf and a wrecche er it be nyght;
ParsT 472 and somtyme the richesse of a man is cause of his deth;
ParsT 472A somtyme the delices of a man ben cause of the grevous maladye thurgh which he dyeth.
ParsT 473 Certes, the commendacioun of the peple is somtyme ful fals and ful brotel for to triste; this day they preyse, tomorwe they blame.
ParsT 474 God woot, desir to have commendacioun eek of the peple hath caused deeth to many a bisy man.
ParsT 475 Now sith that so is that ye han understonde what is Pride,
ParsT 475A and whiche been the speces of it, and whennes Pride sourdeth and spryngeth,
ParsT 476 now shul ye understonde which is the remedie agayns the synne of Pride; and that is humylitee, or mekenesse.
ParsT 477 That is a vertu thurgh which a man hath verray knoweleche of hymself, and holdeth of hymself no pris ne deyntee,
ParsT 477A as in regard of his desertes, considerynge evere his freletee.
ParsT 478 Now been ther three maneres of humylitee: as humylitee in herte; another humylitee is in his mouth; the thridde in his werkes.
ParsT 479 The humilitee in herte is in foure maneres. That oon is whan a man holdeth hymself as noght worth biforn God of hevene.
ParsT 479A Another is whan he ne despiseth noon oother man.
ParsT 480 The thridde is whan he rekketh nat, though men holde hym noght worth. The ferthe is whan he nys nat sory of his humiliacioun.
ParsT 481 Also the humilitee of mouth is in foure thynges:
ParsT 481A in attempree speche, and in humblesse of speche, and whan he biknoweth with his owene mouth
ParsT 481B that he is swich as hym thynketh that he is in his herte.
ParsT 481C Another is whan he preiseth the bountee of another man, and nothyng therof amenuseth.
ParsT 482 Humilitee eek in werkes is in foure maneres. The firste is whan he putteth othere men biforn hym.
ParsT 482A The seconde is to chese the loweste place over al. The thridde is gladly to assente to good conseil.
ParsT 483 The ferthe is to stonde gladly to the award of his sovereyns,
ParsT 483A or of hym that is in hyer degree. Certein, this is a greet werk of humylitee.
ParsT 484 After Pride wol I speken of the foule synne of Envye, which that is, as by the word of the Philosophre,
ParsT 484A " sorwe of oother mannes prosperitee " ; and after the word of Seint Augustyn, it is " Sorwe
ParsT 484B of oother mennes wele, and joye of othere mennes harm. "
ParsT 485 This foule synne is platly agayns the Hooly Goost. Al be it so that every synne is agayns the Hooly Goost,
ParsT 485A yet nathelees, for as muche as bountee aperteneth proprely to the Hooly Goost, and Envye comth proprely of malice,
ParsT 485B therfore it is proprely agayn the bountee of the Hooly Goost.
ParsT 486 Now hath malice two speces; that is to seyn, hardnesse of herte in wikkednesse,
ParsT 486A or elles the flessh of man is so blynd that he considereth nat that he is in synne
ParsT 486B or rekketh nat that he is in synne, which is the hardnesse of the devel.
ParsT 487 That oother spece of malice is whan a man werreyeth trouthe, whan he woot that it is trouthe;
ParsT 487A and eek whan he werreyeth the grace that God hath yeve to his neighebor; and al this is by Envye.
ParsT 488 Certes, thanne is Envye the worste synne that is. For soothly, alle othere synnes been somtyme oonly agayns o special vertu,
ParsT 489 but certes Envye is agayns alle vertues and agayns alle goodnesses.
ParsT 489A For it is sory of alle the bountees of his neighebor, and in this manere it is divers from alle othere synnes.
ParsT 490 For wel unnethe is ther any synne that it ne hath som delit in itself,
ParsT 490A save oonly Envye, that evere hath in itself angwissh and sorwe.
ParsT 491 The speces of Envye been thise. Ther is first, sorwe of oother mannes goodnesse and of his prosperitee;
ParsT 491A and prosperitee is kyndely matere of joye; thanne is Envye a synne agayns kynde.
ParsT 492 The seconde spece of Envye is joye of oother mannes harm,
ParsT 492A and that is proprely lyk to the devel, that evere rejoyseth hym of mannes harm.
ParsT 493 Of thise two speces comth bakbityng; and this synne of bakbityng or detraccion hath certeine speces, as thus:
ParsT 493A Som man preiseth his neighebor by a wikked entente,
ParsT 494 for he maketh alwey a wikked knotte atte laste ende. Alwey he maketh a " but " atte laste ende,
ParsT 494A that is digne of moore blame than worth is al the preisynge.
ParsT 495 The seconde spece is that if a man be good and dooth or seith a thing to good entente,
ParsT 495A the bakbitere wol turne al thilke goodnesse up-so-doun to his shrewed entente.
ParsT 496 The thridde is to amenuse the bountee of his neighebor.
ParsT 497 The fourthe spece of bakbityng is this: that if men speke goodnesse of a man, thanne wol the bakbitere seyn,
ParsT 497A " Parfey, swich a man is yet bet than he, " in dispreisynge of hym that men preise.
ParsT 498 The fifte spece is this: for to consente gladly and herkne gladly to the harm that men speke of oother folk.
ParsT 498A This synne is ful greet and ay encreesseth after the wikked entente of the bakbitere.
ParsT 499 After bakbityng cometh gruchchyng or murmuracioun; and somtyme it spryngeth of inpacience agayns God, and somtyme agayns man.
ParsT 500 Agayn God it is whan a man gruccheth agayn the peyne of helle, or agayns poverte, or los of catel,
ParsT 500A or agayn reyn or tempest; or elles gruccheth that shrewes han prosperitee, or elles for that goode men han adversitee.
ParsT 501 And alle thise thynges sholde man suffre paciently, for they comen by the rightful juggement and ordinaunce of God.
ParsT 502 Somtyme comth grucching of avarice;
ParsT 502A as Judas grucched agayns the Magdaleyne whan she enoynted the heved of oure Lord Jhesu Crist with hir precious oynement.
ParsT 503 This manere murmure is swich as whan man gruccheth of goodnesse that hymself dooth, or that oother folk doon of hir owene catel.
ParsT 504 Somtyme comth murmure of Pride, as whan Simon the Pharisee gruchched agayn the Magdaleyne
ParsT 504A whan she approched to Jhesu Crist and weep at his feet for hire synnes.
ParsT 505 And somtyme grucchyng sourdeth of Envye, whan men discovereth a mannes harm that was pryvee or
ParsT 505A bereth hym on hond thyng that is fals.
ParsT 506 Murmure eek is ofte amonges servauntz that grucchen whan hir sovereyns bidden hem doon leveful thynges;
ParsT 507 and forasmuche as they dar nat openly withseye the comaundementz of hir sovereyns,
ParsT 507A yet wol they seyn harm, and grucche, and murmure prively for verray despit;
ParsT 508 whiche wordes men clepen the develes Pater noster, though so be that the devel ne hadde nevere Pater noster,
ParsT 508A but that lewed folk yeven it swich a name.
ParsT 509 Somtyme it comth of Ire or prive hate that norisseth rancour in herte, as afterward I shal declare.
ParsT 510 Thanne cometh eek bitternesse of herte, thurgh which bitternesse every good dede of his neighebor semeth to hym bitter and unsavory.
ParsT 511 Thanne cometh discord that unbyndeth alle manere of freendshipe. Thanne comth scornynge of his neighebor, al do he never so weel.
ParsT 512 Thanne comth accusynge, as whan man seketh occasioun to anoyen his neighebor,
ParsT 512A which that is lyk the craft of the devel, that waiteth bothe nyght and day to accusen us alle.
ParsT 513 Thanne comth malignitee, thurgh which a man anoyeth his neighebor prively, if he may;
ParsT 514 and if he noght may, algate his wikked wil ne shal nat wante,
ParsT 514A as for to brennen his hous pryvely, or empoysone or sleen his beestes, and semblable thynges.
ParsT 515 Now wol I speke of remedie agayns this foule synne of Envye. First is the love of God principal
ParsT 515A and lovyng of his neighebor as hymself, for soothly that oon ne may nat been withoute that oother.
ParsT 516 And truste wel that in the name of thy neighebor thou shalt understonde the name of thy brother;
ParsT 516A for certes alle we have o fader flesshly and o mooder -- that is to seyn, Adam and Eve --
ParsT 516B and eek o fader espiritueel, and that is God of hevene.
ParsT 517 Thy neighebor artow holden for to love and wilne hym alle goodnesse; and therfore seith God,
ParsT 517A " Love thy neighebor as thyselve " -- that is to seyn, to salvacioun bothe of lyf and of soule.
ParsT 518 And mooreover thou shalt love hym in word, and in benigne amonestynge and chastisynge,
ParsT 518A and conforten hym in his anoyes, and preye for hym with al thyn herte.
ParsT 519 And in dede thou shalt love hym in swich wise that thou shalt doon to hym in charitee
ParsT 519A as thou woldest that it were doon to thyn owene persone.
ParsT 520 And therfore thou ne shalt doon hym no damage in wikked word, ne harm in his body,
ParsT 520A ne in his catel, ne in his soule, by entissyng of wikked ensample.
ParsT 521 Thou shalt nat desiren his wyf ne none of his thynges. Understoond eek that in the name of neighebor is comprehended his enemy.
ParsT 522 Certes, man shal loven his enemy, by the comandement of God; and soothly thy freend shaltow love in God.
ParsT 523 I seye, thyn enemy shaltow love for Goddes sake, by his commandement.
ParsT 523A For if it were reson that man sholde haten his enemy,
ParsT 523B for sothe God nolde nat receyven us to his love that been his enemys.
ParsT 524 Agayns three manere of wronges that his enemy dooth to hym, he shal doon three thynges, as thus:
ParsT 525 Agayns hate and rancour of herte, he shal love hym in herte.
ParsT 525A Agayns chidyng and wikkede wordes, he shal preye for his enemy. Agayns the wikked dede of his enemy, he shal doon hym bountee.
ParsT 526 For Crist seith, " Loveth youre enemys, and preyeth for hem that speke yow harm, and eek for hem that yow chacen and pursewen,
ParsT 526A and dooth bountee to hem that yow haten. " Loo, thus comaundeth us oure Lord Jhesu Crist to do to oure enemys.
ParsT 527 For soothly, nature dryveth us to loven oure freendes, and parfey, oure enemys han moore nede to love than oure freendes;
ParsT 527A and they that moore nede have, certes to hem shal men doon goodnesse;
ParsT 528 and certes, in thilke dede have we remembraunce of the love of Jhesu Crist that deyde for his enemys.
ParsT 529 And in as muche as thilke love is the moore grevous to parfourne, so muche is the moore gret the merite;
ParsT 529A and therfore the lovynge of oure enemy hath confounded the venym of the devel.
ParsT 530 For right as the devel is disconfited by humylitee, right so is he wounded to the deeth by love of oure enemy.
ParsT 531 Certes, thanne is love the medicine that casteth out the venym of Envye fro mannes herte.
ParsT 532 The speces of this paas shullen be moore largely declared in hir chapitres folwynge.
ParsT 533 After Envye wol I discryven the synne of Ire. For soothly, whoso hath envye upon his neighebor,
ParsT 533A anon he wole comunly fynde hym a matere of wratthe, in word or in dede, agayns hym to whom he hath envye.
ParsT 534 And as wel comth Ire of Pride as of Envye, for soothly he that is proud or envyous is lightly wrooth.
ParsT 535 This synne of Ire, after the discryvyng of Seint Augustyn, is wikked wil to been avenged by word or by dede.
ParsT 536 Ire, after the Philosophre, is the fervent blood of man yquyked in his herte,
ParsT 536A thurgh which he wole harm to hym that he hateth.
ParsT 537 For certes, the herte of man, by eschawfynge and moevynge of his blood, wexeth
ParsT 537A so trouble that he is out of alle juggement of resoun.
ParsT 538 But ye shal understonde that Ire is in two maneres; that oon of hem is good, and that oother is wikked.
ParsT 539 The goode Ire is by jalousie of goodnesse,
ParsT 539A thurgh which a man is wrooth with wikkednesse and agayns wikkednesse; and therfore seith a wys man that Ire is bet than pley.
ParsT 540 This Ire is with debonairetee, and it is wrooth withouten bitternesse; nat wrooth agayns the man,
ParsT 540A but wrooth with the mysdede of the man, as seith the prophete David, " Irascimini et nolite peccare. "
ParsT 541 Now understondeth that wikked Ire is in two maneres;
ParsT 541A that is to seyn, sodeyn Ire or hastif Ire, withouten avisement and consentynge of resoun.
ParsT 542 The menyng and the sens of this is that the resoun of a man ne consente nat to thilke sodeyn Ire,
ParsT 542A and thanne is it venial.
ParsT 543 Another Ire is ful wikked, that comth of felonie of herte avysed and cast biforn, with wikked wil to do vengeance,
ParsT 543A and therto his resoun consenteth. and soothly this is deedly synne.
ParsT 544 This Ire is so displesant to God that it troubleth his hous and chaceth the Hooly Goost out of mannes soule,
ParsT 544A and wasteth and destroyeth the liknesse of God -- that is to seyn, the vertu that is in mannes soule --
ParsT 545 and put in hym the liknesse of the devel, and bynymeth the man fro God, that is his rightful lord.
ParsT 546 This Ire is a ful greet plesaunce to the devel,
ParsT 546A for it is the develes fourneys, that is eschawfed with the fir of helle.
ParsT 547 For certes, right so as fir is moore mighty to destroyen erthely thynges than any oother element,
ParsT 547A right so Ire is myghty to destroyen alle spiritueel thynges.
ParsT 548 Looke how that fir of smale gleedes that been almost dede under asshen wollen quike agayn whan they been touched with brymstoon;
ParsT 548A right so Ire wol everemo quyken agayn whan it is touched by the pride that is covered in mannes herte.
ParsT 549 For certes, fir ne may nat comen out of no thyng, but if it were first in the same thyng natureelly,
ParsT 549A as fir is drawen out of flyntes with steel.
ParsT 550 And right so as pride is ofte tyme matere of Ire, right so is rancour norice and kepere of Ire.
ParsT 551 Ther is a maner tree, as seith Seint Ysidre, that whan men maken fir of thilke tree
ParsT 551A and covere the coles of it with asshen, soothly the fir of it wol lasten al a yeer or moore.
ParsT 552 And right so fareth it of rancour; whan it is ones conceyved in the hertes of som men,
ParsT 552A certein, it wol lasten peraventure from oon Estre day unto another Estre day, and moore.
ParsT 553 But certes, thilke man is ful fer fro the mercy of God al thilke while.
ParsT 554 In this forseyde develes fourneys ther forgen three shrewes: Pride, that ay bloweth and encreesseth the fir by chidynge and wikked wordes;
ParsT 555 thanne stant Envye and holdeth the hoote iren upon the herte of man with a peire of longe toonges of long rancour;
ParsT 556 and thanne stant the synne of Contumelie, or strif and cheeste, and batereth and forgeth by vileyns reprevynges.
ParsT 557 Certes, this cursed synne anoyeth bothe to the man hymself and eek to his neighebor.
ParsT 557A For soothly, almoost al the harm that any man dooth to his neighebor comth of wratthe.
ParsT 558 For certes, outrageous wratthe dooth al that evere the devel hym comaundeth, for he ne spareth neither Crist ne his sweete Mooder.
ParsT 559 And in his outrageous anger and ire -- allas, allas! --
ParsT 559A ful many oon at that tyme feeleth in his herte ful wikkedly, bothe of Crist and eek of alle his halwes.
ParsT 560 Is nat this a cursed vice? Yis, certes. Allas! It bynymeth from man his wit and his resoun,
ParsT 560A and al his debonaire lif espiritueel that sholde kepen his soule.
ParsT 561 Certes, it bynymeth eek Goddes due lordshipe, and that is mannes soule and the love of his neighebores.
ParsT 561A It stryveth eek alday agayn trouthe. It reveth hym the quiete of his herte and subverteth his soule.
ParsT 562 Of Ire comen thise stynkynge engendrures: First, hate, that is oold wratthe;
ParsT 562A discord, thurgh which a man forsaketh his olde freend that he hath loved ful longe;
ParsT 563 and thanne cometh werre and every manere of wrong that man dooth to his neighebor, in body or in catel.
ParsT 564 Of this cursed synne of Ire cometh eek manslaughtre. And understonde wel that homycide, that is manslaughtre, is in diverse wise.
ParsT 564A Som manere of homycide is spiritueel, and som is bodily.
ParsT 565 Spiritueel manslaughtre is in sixe thynges. First by hate, as seith Seint John: " He that hateth his brother is an homycide. "
ParsT 566 Homycide is eek by bakbitynge, of whiche bakbiteres seith Salomon that " they han two swerdes with whiche they sleen hire neighebores. "
ParsT 566A For soothly, as wikke is to bynyme his good name as his lyf.
ParsT 567 Homycide is eek in yevynge of wikked conseil by fraude, as for to yeven conseil to areysen wrongful custumes and taillages.
ParsT 568 Of whiche seith Salomon, " Leon rorynge and bere hongry been like to the cruel lordshipes " in withholdynge or abreggynge of the shepe
ParsT 568A (or the hyre), or of the wages of servauntz, or elles in usure, or in withdrawynge of the almesse of povre folk.
ParsT 569 For which the wise man seith, " Fedeth hym that almoost dyeth for honger " ; for soothly, but if thow feede hym, thou sleest hym;
ParsT 569A and alle thise been deedly synnes.
ParsT 570 Bodily manslaughtre is, whan thow sleest him with thy tonge in oother manere,
ParsT 570A as whan thou comandest to sleen a man or elles yevest hym conseil to sleen a man.
ParsT 571 Manslaughtre in dede is in foure maneres.
ParsT 571A That oon is by lawe, right as a justice dampneth hym that is coupable to the deeth.
ParsT 571B But lat the justice be war that he do it rightfully, and
ParsT 571C that he do it nat for delit to spille blood but for kepynge of rightwisnesse.
ParsT 572 Another homycide is that is doon for necessitee, as whan o man sleeth another in his defendaunt
ParsT 572A and that he ne may noon ootherwise escape from his owene deeth.
ParsT 573 But certeinly if he may escape withouten slaughtre of his adversarie, and sleeth hym,
ParsT 573A he dooth synne and he shal bere penance as for deedly synne.
ParsT 574 Eek if a man, by caas or aventure, shete an arwe,
ParsT 574A or caste a stoon with which he sleeth a man, he is homycide.
ParsT 575 Eek if a womman by necligence overlyeth hire child in hir slepyng, it is homycide and deedly synne.
ParsT 576 Eek whan man destourbeth concepcioun of a child, and maketh a womman outher bareyne
ParsT 576A by drynkynge venenouse herbes thurgh which she may nat conceyve,
ParsT 576B or sleeth a child by drynkes wilfully, or elles putteth certeine material thynges in hire secree places to slee the child,
ParsT 577 or elles dooth unkyndely synne, by which man or womman shedeth hire nature in manere or in place
ParsT 577A ther as a child may nat be conceived, or elles if a woman have conceyved,
ParsT 577B and hurt hirself and sleeth the child, yet is it homycide.
ParsT 578 What seye we eek of wommen that mordren hir children for drede of worldly shame? Certes, an horrible homicide.
ParsT 579 Homycide is eek if a man approcheth to a womman by desir of lecherie, thurgh which the child is perissed,
ParsT 579A or elles smyteth a womman wityngly, thurgh which she leseth hir child. Alle thise been homycides and horrible deedly synnes.
ParsT 580 Yet comen ther of Ire manye mo synnes, as wel in word as in thoght and in dede;
ParsT 580A as he that arretteth upon God, or blameth God of thyng of which he is hymself gilty,
ParsT 580B or despiseth God and alle his halwes, as doon thise cursede hasardours in diverse contrees.
ParsT 581 This cursed synne doon they, whan they feelen in hir herte ful wikkedly of God and of his halwes.
ParsT 582 Also whan they treten unreverently the sacrement of the auter, thilke synne is so greet that unnethe may it been releessed,
ParsT 582A but that the mercy of God passeth alle his werkes; it is so greet, and he so benigne.
ParsT 583 Thanne comth of Ire attry angre. Whan a man is sharply amonested in his shrifte to forleten his synne,
ParsT 584 thanne wole he be angry, and answeren hokerly and angrily, and deffenden or excusen his synne by unstedefastnesse of his flessh;
ParsT 584A or elles he dide it for to holde compaignye with his felawes; or elles, he seith, the feend enticed hym;
ParsT 585 or elles he dide it for his youthe; or elles his compleccioun is so corageous that he may nat forbere;
ParsT 585A or elles it is his destinee, as he seith, unto a certein
ParsT 585B age; or elles, he seith, it cometh hym of gentillesse of his auncestres; and semblable thynges.
ParsT 586 Alle thise manere of folk so wrappen hem in hir synnes that they ne wol nat delivere hemself.
ParsT 586A For soothly, no wight that excuseth hym wilfully of his synne
ParsT 586B may nat been delivered of his synne til that he mekely biknoweth his synne.
ParsT 587 After this, thanne cometh sweryng, that is expres agayn the comandement of God; and this bifalleth ofte of anger and of Ire.
ParsT 588 God seith, " Thow shalt nat take the name of thy Lord God in veyn or in ydel. "
ParsT 588A Also oure Lord Jhesu Crist seith, by the word of Seint Mathew,
ParsT 589 " Ne wol ye nat swere in alle manere; neither by hevene, for it is Goddes trone;
ParsT 589A ne by erthe, for it is the bench of his feet; ne by Jerusalem, for it is the citee of a greet kyng;
ParsT 589B ne by thyn heed, for thou mayst nat make an heer whit ne blak.
ParsT 590 But seyeth by youre word `ye, ye,' and `nay, nay'; and what that is moore, it is of yvel " -- thus seith Crist.
ParsT 591 For Cristes sake, ne swereth nat so synfully in dismembrynge of Crist by soule, herte, bones, and body.
ParsT 591A For certes, it semeth that ye thynke that the cursede Jewes ne dismembred nat ynough the preciouse persone of Crist,
ParsT 591B but ye dismembre hym moore.
ParsT 592 And if so be that the lawe compelle yow to swere, thanne rule yow after the lawe of God in youre swerying,
ParsT 592A as seith Jeremye, quarto capitulo: Thou shalt kepe three condicions: thou shalt swere " in trouthe, in doom, and in rightwisnesse. "
ParsT 593 This is to seyn, thou shalt swere sooth, for every lesynge is agayns Crist;
ParsT 593A for Crist is verray trouthe. And thynk wel this: that " every greet swerere, nat compelled lawefully to
ParsT 593B swere, the wounde shal nat departe from his hous " whil he useth swich unleveful swerying.
ParsT 594 Thou shalt sweren eek in doom, whan thou art constreyned by thy domesman to witnessen the trouthe.
ParsT 595 Eek thow shalt nat swere for envye, ne for favour, ne for meede, but for rightwisnesse, for declaracioun of it,
ParsT 595A to the worshipe of God and helpyng of thyne evene-Cristene.
ParsT 596 And therfore every man that taketh Goddes name in ydel, or falsly swereth with his mouth,
ParsT 596A or elles taketh on hym the name of Crist, to be called a Cristen man
ParsT 596B and lyveth agayns Cristes lyvynge and his techynge, alle they taken Goddes name in ydel.
ParsT 597 Looke eek what Seint Peter seith, Actuum quarto, Non est aliud nomen sub celo, etc., " Ther nys noon oother name, " seith Seint Peter,
ParsT 597A " under hevene yeven to men, in which they mowe be saved " ; that is to seyn, but the name of Jhesu Crist.
ParsT 598 Take kep eek how precious is the name of Crist, as seith Seint Paul, ad Philipenses secundo, In nomine Jhesu, etc.,
ParsT 598A " That in the name of Jhesu every knee of hevenely creatures, or erthely, or of helle sholde
ParsT 598B bowe, " for it is so heigh and so worshipful that the cursede feend in helle sholde tremblen to heeren it ynempned.
ParsT 599 Thanne semeth it that men that sweren so horribly by his blessed name,
ParsT 599A that they despise it moore booldely than dide the cursede Jewes or elles the devel, that trembleth whan he heereth his name.
ParsT 600 Now certes, sith that sweryng, but if it be lawefully doon, is so heighly deffended, muche worse is forsweryng falsly, and yet nedelees.
ParsT 601 What seye we eek of hem that deliten hem in sweryng,
ParsT 601A and holden it a gentrie or a manly dede to swere grete othes?
ParsT 601B And what of hem that of verray usage ne cesse nat to swere grete othes, al be the cause nat worth a straw?
ParsT 601C Certes, this is horrible synne.
ParsT 602 Swerynge sodeynly withoute avysement is eek a synne.
ParsT 603 But lat us go now to thilke horrible sweryng of adjuracioun and conjuracioun,
ParsT 603A as doon thise false enchauntours or nigromanciens in bacyns ful of water,
ParsT 603B or in a bright swerd, in a cercle, or in a fir, or in a shulder-boon of a sheep.
ParsT 604 I kan nat seye but that they doon cursedly and dampnably agayns Crist and al the feith of hooly chirche.
ParsT 605 What seye we of hem that bileeven on divynailes, as by flight or by noyse of briddes, or of beestes,
ParsT 605A or by sort, by nigromancie, by dremes, by chirkynge of dores or crakkynge of houses, by gnawynge of rattes, and swich manere wrecchednesse?
ParsT 606 Certes, al this thyng is deffended by God and by hooly chirche.
ParsT 606A For which they been acursed, til they come to amendement, that on swich filthe setten hire bileeve.
ParsT 607 Charmes for woundes or maladie of men or of beestes, if they taken any effect,
ParsT 607A it may be peraventure that God suffreth it, for folk sholden yeve the moore feith and reverence to his name.
ParsT 608 Now wol I speken of lesynges, which generally is fals signyficaunce of word, in entente to deceyven his evene-Cristene.
ParsT 609 Som lesynge is of which ther comth noon avantage to no wight;
ParsT 609A and som lesynge turneth to the ese and profit of o man, and to disese and damage of another man.
ParsT 610 Another lesynge is for to saven his lyf or his catel. Another
ParsT 610A lesynge comth of delit for to lye, in which delit they wol forge a long tale
ParsT 610B and peynten it with alle circumstaunces, where al the ground of the tale is fals.
ParsT 611 Som lesynge comth for he wole sustene his word; and som lesynge comth of reccheleesnesse withouten avisement; and semblable thynges.
ParsT 612 Lat us now touche the vice of flaterynge, which ne comth nat gladly but for drede or for coveitise.
ParsT 613 Flaterye is generally wrongful preisynge. Flatereres been the develes norices, that norissen his children with milk of losengerie.
ParsT 614 For sothe, Salomon seith that " Flaterie is wors than detraccioun. " For somtyme detraccion maketh an hauteyn man be the moore humble,
ParsT 614A for he dredeth detraccion; but certes flaterye, that maketh a man to enhauncen his herte and his contenaunce.
ParsT 615 Flatereres been the develes enchauntours; for they make a man to wene of hymself be lyk that he nys nat lyk.
ParsT 616 They been lyk to Judas that bitraysen a man to sellen hym to his enemy; that is to the devel.
ParsT 617 Flatereres been the develes chapelleyns, that syngen evere Placebo.
ParsT 618 I rekene flaterie in the vices of Ire,
ParsT 618A for ofte tyme if o man be wrooth with another, thanne wole he flatere som wight to sustene hym in his querele.
ParsT 619 Speke we now of swich cursynge as comth of irous herte. Malisoun generally may be seyd every maner power of harm.
ParsT 619A Swich cursynge bireveth man fro the regne of God, as seith Seint Paul.
ParsT 620 And ofte tyme swich cursynge wrongfully retorneth agayn to hym that curseth, as a bryd that retorneth agayn to his owene nest.
ParsT 621 And over alle thyng men oghten eschewe to cursen hire children, and yeven to the devel hire engendrure,
ParsT 621A as ferforth as in hem is. Certes, it is greet peril and greet synne.
ParsT 622 Lat us thanne speken of chidynge and reproche, whiche been ful grete woundes in mannes herte,
ParsT 622A for they unsowen the semes of freendshipe in mannes herte.
ParsT 623 For certes, unnethes may a man pleynly been accorded with hym that hath hym openly revyled and repreved and disclaundred.
ParsT 623A This is a ful grisly synne, as Crist seith in the gospel.
ParsT 624 And taak kep now, that he that repreveth his neighebor, outher he repreveth hym by som harm of peyne
ParsT 624A that he hath on his body, as " mesel, " " croked harlot, " or by som synne that he dooth.
ParsT 625 Now if he repreve hym by harm of peyne, thanne turneth the repreve to Jhesu Crist,
ParsT 625A for peyne is sent by the rightwys sonde of God, and by his suffrance, be it meselrie, or maheym, or maladie.
ParsT 626 And if he repreve hym uncharitably of synne, as " thou holour, " " thou dronkelewe harlot, " and so forth,
ParsT 626A thanne aperteneth that to the rejoysynge of the devel, that evere hath joye that men doon synne.
ParsT 627 And certes, chidynge may nat come but out of a vileyns herte.
ParsT 627A For after the habundance of the herte speketh the mouth ful ofte.
ParsT 628 And ye shul understonde that looke, by any wey,
ParsT 628A whan any man shal chastise another, that he be war from chidynge or reprevynge.
ParsT 628B For trewely, but he be war, he may ful lightly quyken the fir of angre and of wratthe,
ParsT 628C which that he sholde quenche, and peraventure sleeth hym which that he myghte chastise with benignitee.
ParsT 629 For as seith Salomon, " The amyable tonge is the tree of lyf " -- that is to seyn, of lyf espiritueel --
ParsT 629A and soothly, a deslavee tonge sleeth the spirites of hym that repreveth and eek of hym that is repreved.
ParsT 630 Loo, what seith Seint Augustyn: " Ther is nothyng so lyk the develes child as he that ofte chideth. "
ParsT 630A Seint Paul seith eek, " The servant of God bihoveth nat to chide. "
ParsT 631 And how that chidynge be a vileyns thyng bitwixe alle manere folk,
ParsT 631A yet is it certes moost uncovenable bitwixe a man and his wyf,
ParsT 631B for there is nevere reste. And therfore seith Salomon, " An
ParsT 631C hous that is uncovered and droppynge and a chidynge wyf been lyke. "
ParsT 632 A man that is in a droppynge hous in manye places,
ParsT 632A though he eschewe the droppynge in o place, it droppeth on hym in another place.
ParsT 632B So fareth it by a chydynge wyf; but she chide hym in o place, she wol chide hym in another.
ParsT 633 And therfore, " Bettre is a morsel of breed with joye than an hous ful of delices with chidynge, " seith Salomon.
ParsT 634 Seint Paul seith, " O ye wommen, be ye subgetes to youre housbondes as bihoveth in God,
ParsT 634A and ye men loveth youre wyves. " Ad Colossenses tertio.
ParsT 635 Afterward speke we of scornynge, which is a wikked synne, and namely whan he scorneth a man for his goode werkes.
ParsT 636 For certes, swiche scorneres faren lyk the foule
ParsT 636A tode, that may nat endure to smelle the soote savour of the vyne whanne it florissheth.
ParsT 637 Thise scorneres been partyng felawes with the devel; for they han joye whan the devel wynneth and sorwe whan he leseth.
ParsT 638 They been adversaries of Jhesu Crist, for they haten that he loveth -- that is to seyn, salvacioun of soule.
ParsT 639 Speke we now of wikked conseil, for he that wikked conseil yeveth is a traytour.
ParsT 639A For he deceyveth hym that trusteth in hym, ut Achitofel ad Absolonem. But nathelees, yet is his wikked conseil first agayn hymself.
ParsT 640 For, as seith the wise man, " Every fals lyvynge hath this propertee in hymself, that
ParsT 640A he that wole anoye another man, he anoyeth first hymself. "
ParsT 641 And men shul understonde that man shal nat taken his conseil of fals folk, ne of angry folk, or grevous folk,
ParsT 641A ne of folk that loven specially to muchel hir owene profit, ne to muche worldly folk, namely in conseilynge of soules.
ParsT 642 Now comth the synne of hem that sowen and maken discord amonges folk, which is a synne that Crist hateth outrely.
ParsT 642A And no wonder is, for he deyde for to make concord.
ParsT 643 And moore shame do they to Crist than dide they that hym crucifiede,
ParsT 643A for God loveth bettre that freendshipe be amonges folk, than he dide his owene body,
ParsT 643B the which that he yaf for unitee. Therfore been they likned to the devel, that evere is aboute to maken discord.
ParsT 644 Now comth the synne of double tonge, swiche as speken faire byforn folk and wikkedly bihynde, or elles they maken semblant
ParsT 644A as though they speeke of good entencioun, or elles in game and pley, and yet they speke of wikked entente.
ParsT 645 Now comth biwreying of conseil, thurgh which a man is defamed; certes, unnethe may he restoore the damage.
ParsT 646 Now comth manace, that is an open folye, for he that ofte manaceth, he threteth moore than he may parfourne ful ofte tyme.
ParsT 647 Now cometh ydel wordes, that is withouten profit of hym that speketh tho wordes,
ParsT 647A and eek of hym that herkneth tho wordes. Or elles ydel wordes been tho that been nedelees or withouten entente of natureel profit.
ParsT 648 And al be it that ydel wordes been somtyme venial synne,
ParsT 648A yet sholde men douten hem, for we shul yeve rekenynge of hem bifore God.
ParsT 649 Now comth janglynge, that may nat been withoute synne. And, as seith Salomon, " It is a sygne of apert folye. "
ParsT 650 And therfore a philosophre seyde, whan men axed hym how that men sholde plese the peple,
ParsT 650A and he answerde, " Do manye goode werkes, and spek fewe jangles. "
ParsT 651 After this comth the synne of japeres, that been the develes apes,
ParsT 651A for they maken folk to laughe at hire japerie as folk doon at the gawdes of an ape.
ParsT 651B Swiche japeres deffendeth Seint Paul.
ParsT 652 Looke how that vertuouse wordes and hooly conforten hem that travaillen in the service of Crist,
ParsT 652A right so conforten the vileyns wordes and knakkes of japeris hem that travaillen in the service of the devel.
ParsT 653 Thise been the synnes that comen of the tonge, that comen of Ire and of othere synnes mo.
ParsT 654 The remedie agayns Ire is a vertu that men clepen mansuetude, that is debonairetee;
ParsT 654A and eek another vertu, that men callen pacience or suffrance.
ParsT 655 Debonairetee withdraweth and refreyneth the stirynges and the moevynges of mannes corage in his herte,
ParsT 655A in swich manere that they ne skippe nat out by angre ne by ire.
ParsT 656 Suffrance suffreth swetely alle the anoyaunces and the wronges that men doon to man outward.
ParsT 657 Seint Jerome seith thus of debonairetee, that " it dooth noon harm to no wight ne seith.
ParsT 657A ne for noon harm that men doon or seyn, he ne eschawfeth nat agayns his resoun. "
ParsT 658 This vertu somtyme comth of nature, for, as seith the Philosophre,
ParsT 658A " A man is a quyk thyng, by nature debonaire and tretable to goodnesse;
ParsT 658B but whan debonairetee is enformed of grace, thanne is it the moore worth. "
ParsT 659 Pacience, that is another remedie agayns Ire, is a vertu that suffreth swetely every mannes goodnesse,
ParsT 659A and is nat wrooth for noon harm that is doon to hym.
ParsT 660 The Philosophre seith that pacience is thilke vertu that suffreth debonairely alle the outrages of adversitee and every wikked word.
ParsT 661 This vertu maketh a man lyk to God, and maketh hym Goddes owene deere child, as seith Crist.
ParsT 661A This vertu disconfiteth thyn enemy. And therfore seith the wise man, " If thow wolt venquysse thyn enemy, lerne to suffre. "
ParsT 662 And thou shalt understonde that man suffreth foure manere of grevances in outward thynges,
ParsT 662A agayns the whiche foure he moot have foure manere of paciences.
ParsT 663 The firste grevance is of wikkede wordes. Thilke suffrede Jhesu Crist withouten grucchyng, ful paciently,
ParsT 663A whan the Jewes despised and repreved hym ful ofte.
ParsT 664 Suffre thou therfore paciently; for the wise man seith, " If thou stryve with a fool,
ParsT 664A though the fool be wrooth or though he laughe, algate thou shalt have no reste. "
ParsT 665 That oother grevance outward is to have damage of thy catel. Theragayns suffred Crist ful paciently, whan
ParsT 665A he was despoyled of al that he hadde in this lyf, and that nas but his clothes.
ParsT 666 The thridde grevance is a man to have harm in his body. That suffred Crist ful paciently in al his passioun.
ParsT 667 The fourthe grevance is in outrageous labour in werkes.
ParsT 667A Wherfore I seye that folk that maken hir servantz to travaillen to grevously or out of tyme, as on haly dayes,
ParsT 667B soothly they do greet synne.
ParsT 668 Heer-agayns suffred Crist ful paciently and taughte us pacience, whan he baar upon his blissed shulder
ParsT 668A the croys upon which he sholde suffren despitous deeth.
ParsT 669 Heere may men lerne to be pacient, for certes noght oonly Cristen men been pacient for love of Jhesu Crist
ParsT 669A and for gerdoun of the blisful lyf that is perdurable, but
ParsT 669B certes, the olde payens that nevere were Cristene commendeden and useden the vertu of pacience.
ParsT 670 A philosophre upon a tyme, that wolde have beten his disciple for his grete trespas,
ParsT 670A for which he was greetly amoeved, and broghte a yerde to scoure with the child;
ParsT 671 and whan this child saugh the yerde, he seyde to his maister,
ParsT 671A " What thenke ye do? " " I wol bete thee, " quod the maister, " for thy correccioun. "
ParsT 672 " For sothe, " quod the child, " ye oghten first correcte youreself,
ParsT 672A that han lost al youre pacience for the gilt of a child. "
ParsT 673 " For sothe, " quod the maister al wepynge, " thow seyst sooth. Have thow the yerde, my deere sone, and correcte me for myn inpacience. "
ParsT 674 Of pacience comth obedience, thurgh which a man is obedient to Crist and to alle hem
ParsT 674A to whiche he oghte to been obedient in Crist.
ParsT 675 And understond wel that obedience is parfit
ParsT 675A whan that a man dooth gladly and hastily, with good herte entierly, al that he sholde do.
ParsT 676 Obedience generally is to parfourne the doctrine of God and of his sovereyns, to whiche hym oghte to ben obeisaunt in alle rightwisnesse.
ParsT 677 After the synne of Envye and of Ire, now wol I speken of the synne of Accidie.
ParsT 677A For Envye blyndeth the herte of a man, and Ire troubleth a man, and Accidie maketh hym hevy, thoghtful, and wraw.
ParsT 678 Envye and Ire maken bitternesse in herte, which bitternesse is mooder of Accidie, and bynymeth hym the love of alle goodnesse.
ParsT 678A Thanne is Accidie the angwissh of troubled herte; and Seint Augustyn seith, " It is anoy of goodnesse and joye of harm. "
ParsT 679 Certes, this is a dampnable synne, for it dooth wrong to Jhesu Crist,
ParsT 679B in as muche as it bynymeth the service that men oghte doon to Crist with alle diligence, as seith Salomon.
ParsT 680 But Accidie dooth no swich diligence. He dooth alle thyng with anoy, and with wrawnesse, slaknesse, and excusacioun, and with ydelnesse, and unlust;
ParsT 680A for which the book seith, " Acursed be he that dooth the service of God necligently. "
ParsT 681 Thanne is Accidie enemy to everich estaat of man, for certes the estaat of man is in three maneres.
ParsT 682 Outher it is th' estaat of innocence, as was th' estaat of Adam biforn that he fil into synne,
ParsT 682A in which estaat he was holden to wirche as in heriynge and adowrynge of God.
ParsT 683 Another estaat is the estaat of synful men, in which estaat men been holden to laboure in preiynge to God
ParsT 683A for amendement of hire synnes, and that he wole graunte hem to arysen out of hir synnes.
ParsT 684 Another estaat is th' estaat of grace, in which estaat he is holden to werkes of penitence.
ParsT 684A And certes, to alle thise thynges is Accidie enemy and contrarie, for he loveth no bisynesse at al.
ParsT 685 Now certes this foule synne Accidie is eek a ful greet enemy to the liflode of the body,
ParsT 685A for it ne hath no purveaunce agayn temporeel necessitee, for it forsleweth and forsluggeth and destroyeth alle goodes temporeles by reccheleesnesse.
ParsT 686 The fourthe thyng is that Accidie is lyk hem that been in the peyne of helle, by cause of hir slouthe
ParsT 686A and of hire hevynesse, for they that been dampned been so bounde that they ne may neither wel do ne wel thynke.
ParsT 687 Of Accidie comth first that a man is anoyed and encombred for to doon any goodnesse,
ParsT 687A and maketh that God hath abhomynacion of swich Accidie, as seith Seint John.
ParsT 688 Now comth Slouthe, that wol nat suffre noon hardnesse ne no penaunce. For soothly, Slouthe is so tendre and so delicaat,
ParsT 688A as seith Salomon, that he wol nat suffre noon hardnesse ne penaunce, and therfore he shendeth al that he dooth.
ParsT 689 Agayns this roten-herted synne of Accidie and Slouthe sholde men exercise hemself to doon goode werkes, and manly
ParsT 689A and vertuously cacchen corage wel to doon, thynkynge that oure Lord Jhesu Crist quiteth every good dede, be it never so lite.
ParsT 690 Usage of labour is a greet thyng, for it maketh, as seith Seint Bernard, the laborer to have stronge armes and harde synwes;
ParsT 690A and slouthe maketh hem feble and tendre.
ParsT 691 Thanne comth drede to bigynne to werke anye goode werkes. For certes, he that is enclyned to synne,
ParsT 691A hym thynketh it is so greet an emprise for to undertake to doon werkes of goodnesse,
ParsT 692 and casteth in his herte that the circumstaunces of goodnesse been so grevouse
ParsT 692A and so chargeaunt for to suffre, that he dar nat undertake to do werkes of goodnesse, as seith Seint Gregorie.
ParsT 693 Now comth wanhope, that is despeir of the mercy of God, that comth somtyme of to muche outrageous sorwe,
ParsT 693A and somtyme of to muche drede, ymaginynge that he hath doon so muche synne that it wol nat availlen hym,
ParsT 693B though he wolde repenten hym and forsake synne,
ParsT 694 thurgh which despeir or drede he abaundoneth al his herte to every maner synne, as seith Seint Augustin.
ParsT 695 Which dampnable synne, if that it continue unto his ende, it is cleped synnyng in the Hooly Goost.
ParsT 696 This horrible synne is so perilous that he that is despeired,
ParsT 696A ther nys no felonye ne no synne that he douteth for to do, as shewed wel by Judas.
ParsT 697 Certes, aboven alle synnes thanne is this synne moost displesant to Crist, and moost adversarie.
ParsT 698 Soothly, he that despeireth hym is lyk the coward champioun recreant, that seith " creant " withoute nede.
ParsT 698A Allas, allas, nedeles is he recreant and nedelees despeired.
ParsT 699 Certes, the mercy of God is evere redy to the penitent, and is aboven alle his werkes.
ParsT 700 Allas, kan a man nat bithynke hym on the gospel of Seint Luc, 15,
ParsT 700A where as Crist seith that " as wel shal ther be joye in hevene upon a synful man that dooth penitence,
ParsT 700B as upon nynty and nyne rightful men that neden no penitence. "
ParsT 701 Looke forther, in the same gospel, the joye and the feeste of the goode man that hadde lost his sone,
ParsT 701A whan his sone with repentaunce was retourned to his fader.
ParsT 702 Kan they nat remembren hem eek that, as seith Seint Luc, 23, how that the theef that was hanged bisyde Jhesu Crist seyde,
ParsT 702A " Lord, remembre of me, whan thow comest into thy regn. " ?
ParsT 703 " For sothe, " seyde Crist, " I seye to thee, to-day shaltow been with me in paradys. "
ParsT 704 Certes, ther is noon so horrible synne of man
ParsT 704A that it ne may in his lyf be destroyed by penitence, thurgh vertu of the passion and of the deeth of Crist.
ParsT 705 Allas, what nedeth man thanne to been despeired, sith that his mercy so redy is and large? Axe and have.
ParsT 706 Thanne cometh sompnolence, that is sloggy slombrynge,