Paule saythe, Hilarem datorem diligit deus. God loueth a glad gyuer, and that if it be of true begotten goodes. For Salomon saythe, De tuis iustis laboribus ministra pauperibus. Of thy trewe labours mynystre and gyue to 32 the poore folkes. For Isodorus saythe, Qui iniuste tollit, iuste nunquam tribuit. He that taketh wrongfully, cannot gyue trewelye. For it is wrytten Ecclesiastici xxxv. Qui de rapinis, aut vsuris, aut de furto immolat: e[s]t quasi 36 qui coram patre victimat filium. He that offereth of the goodes, that he getteth by extortyon, vsurye, or thefte, he is lyke as a man slewe the sonne in the presence of the father. Thou mayste ryghte well knowe, the father 40 wolde not be well contente. Noo more wolde god be pleased with the gyfte of suche begotten goodes.

170. ¶ The seconde maner of almes.

   Dimittere eis, a quibus lesus fueris. To forgyue theym that haue trespaced to the, wherin thou shalte please god moche. For it is in the gospell of sayncte Marke

Mark, xi. 6.

.xii. Si non dimiseritis aliis, nec pater vester celestis dimittet 4 vobis peccata vestra. If you forgyue not, your father of

[Fol. 87.]

heuen wyll not forgyue you your synnes. Also if thou doo not forgyue other, thou shalte be founde a lyer, as ofte as thou sayeste thy Pater noster, where thou sayste: 8

Matt. vi. 12.

Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. And forgyue to vs our dettes, as we forgyue to our detters. By these dettes maye be vnderstande the thynges that we oughte to do to god, and doo not them. 12 And also the trespaces and the synne that we haue offended to god, in that we aske mercye of. And if thou wylte not forgyue, thou mayst not aske mercy of ryght. Eadem mensura, qua mensi fueritis, remetietur vobis. 16 The same measure that ye meate other men by, shall be moten vnto you. Dimittere autem rancorem et maliciam omnino necessitatis est, dimittere vero actionem et emendam opus est consilii. To forgyue all rancour and malyce, that 20 a manne oweth to the in his harte, thou arte bounden of necessitie to forgyue all the hole trespace, or to leaue thyne actyon, or a reasonable mendes. Therfore it is but a dede of mercye if thou so do, and no synne though 24 thou sue the lawe with charytie. But and a manne haue done to the a trespace, and that thou arte gladde that he hathe soo done, that thou mayste haue a quarell, or a matter, or an accyon agaynste hym, and nowe of malyce 28 or yll wyll thou wylte sue hym, rather than for the trespace; nowe thou synnest dedely, bycause thou doest rather of malyce than for the trespace, and than haste thou loste thy charitie, Prouerbiorum .xxxii. Qui pronus 32 est ad misericordiam, benedicetur. He that is redy to forgiue, shall be blessed.

171. ¶ The thyrde maner of almes.

Three ways of correction.

   Errantem corrigere, et in viam veritatis reducere. To correcke a misdoer, and to brynge hym into the waye of ryghte. It is to be vnderstand, that there be thre maner of corrections. 4

First, as an enemy.

   ¶ The fyrste correction is of an ennemye, the seconde is of a frynde, and the thyrde correction is of a Iustyce.

Chrysostom.

The fyrste saythe Chrisostome, Corripe non vt hostis expetens vindictam, sed vt medicus instituens medicinam. 8 Correcke not as an enemye doinge vengeaunce, but as

Secondly, as a friend.

a phisicyon or surgyon, mynistringe or gyuynge a medicyne. To the seconde saythe Salomon. Plus proficit amica correctio, quam correctio turbulenta. A frendelye 12 correction profyteth more than a troublous correction. For yf thou speke courteysly to a man that hath offended, and with sweete wordes of compassion, he shall rather be conuerted by theym, than with hye wordes of great 16 punysshement. And Isodorus saythe, Qui per verba blanda castigatus non corrigetur, acrius necesse est, vt arguatur. He that wylle not be chastysed by fayre wordes, it is necessary that he be more hardlyer and straytlyer reproued 20 or punysshed. To the thyrde saythe sayncte Ierome, Equum iudicium est, vbi non persona sed opera considerantur. There is an euen Iugemente, where the personne is not regarded, but the warkes are consydered. And alsoo hit 24 is wrytten. Reddet vnicuique iuxta opera sua. He shall yelde vnto euery manne after his workes. And sayncte Augustyne saythe, Sicut meliores sunt, quos corrigit amor, ita plures sunt quos corrigit timor. As those be better, 28 that be chastysed by loue, soo there be many moo that be chastysed by feare. For and they feared not the punyshement of the lawe, there wolde be but a fewe chastysed by loue. And saynte Gregory sayth, Facientis 32 procul dubio culpam habet, qui quod potest corrigere negligit emendare, et illicita non prohibere consensus erroris est. He that maye correcke, and dothe not, he taketh the offence to hym-selfe of the dede; and he that dothe not forbede 36 vnlawefull thynges, consenteth to the same, &c.

172. ¶ What is the greattest offence that a manne may doo and offende god in.

   In myne opynyon, it is to be in despayre of the mercye of god. And therefore what soo euer thou haue doone or offended god, in worde, warke, thought, or dede, be

Isidore.

neuer in despayre for it; for Isodorus saythe, Qui veniam 4 de peccato desperat, plus de desperatione peccat quam de culpa cadit. He that despayreth to haue forgyuenes of his synnes, he synneth more in despayrynge than he dyd in the synne doynge. For saynte Iherome sayth, Magis 8 offendebat Iudas deum in hoc quod suspendebat, quam in hoc, quod eum tradidit: Judas offended god more in that that he hanged hym-selfe, than he dydde whanne he betrayed god. For god sayth in his gospell, Nolo mortem 12 peccatoris, sed magis vt conuertatur et viuat. I wyll not the deathe of a synner, but rather that he maye be conuerted and lyue. And also he saythe, Non veni vocare iustos, sed peccatores ad penitentiam. I am not comen to call 16 ryghtwyse men, but to call synners to do penaunce. For thou canste not so soone crye god mercy with thy harte, but he is as redye to chaunge his sentence, and to graunte the mercy and forgyuenes of all thy synnes. For 20 saynte Austyne saythe, Sicut scintilia [sic] ignis in medio maris, sic omnis impietas viri ad misericordiam dei. As a sparke of fyer is in comparison able to drye vppe all the water in the se, noo more is all the wyckednes of man 24 vnto the me[r]cyfulnes of god. And therfore it is conuenyent that a manne shulde be penytent, contryte, and aske god mercye and forgyuenesse of his synnes and offences, that he hath done; wherof speketh Chrysost[o]me, Nemo 28 ad deum aliquando flens accessit quod non postulauerit accepit. No man hath gone any tyme wepynge to god, but he hath taken or had that thynge that he hath asked. And sayncte Bernarde saythe, Plus cruciant lacrime peccatoris 32 diabolum quam omne genus tormentorum. The teares of a synner tourmenteth the deuyll more, than all other kyndes of turmentes. And sayncte Austyne saythe, Acriores dolores demonibus non inferrimus, quam cum peccata nostra 36 penitendo et confitendo plangimus. We canne not doo more sharper sorowes to the dyuell, than whan we wayle or wepe in confessyon, and doynge of penaunce. And that maye be well proued by Mary Magdaleyn, 40 whanne she kneled downe and cryed god mercye, and kyste his fete, and wasshed theym with the teares of her eyen, and wyped them with the heare of her heed, to whom our lorde sayde, as in his gospell, 44 Dimittuntur tibi peccata tua. Thy synnes are forgyuen to the; and also he sayde to her: Fides te saluam fecit, vade in pace. Thy faythe hath saued the, goo thou in peace. To the whiche mercy and peace I besech 48 almyghty Iesu brynge all chrysten soules. Amen.

¶ The Auctour.

Finis.