<fol. 11v>And ri3te as almy3ti god brou3te þulke puple . oute
of bodeli þraldome & bondage of pharao ; so gostly
he brou3te vs oute of þe þraldome & bondage of
þe deuel . þat is bi pharao taken & vnderstonde Forwhi
be-fore þe tyme . þt crist be-come man al mankynde
was in egipte gostly . þt is in derkenesse of
synne . & þraldome of pharao . þat is to sey . vnder
þe fendes powere . For were he neuere so goode . &
holy þat deiede in þt tyme he wente in to helle . þt
is bi egipte gostly be-tokenede . ¶ But crist come
doune fro heuene . & be-com man & dede many wondres
. & many merueiles in þe egipte of þis worlde
be-fore pharao . þe fend kynge of egipte . And
þoru3 his blodi passion . delyuerede his puple oute
of þraldome . & drenchede þe fend pharao wt al his
oost . For crist þoru3 his paynful passion ouercome
þe fendes powere and lefte him bounde in helle for
a þousande 3ere after ; as seynt Jon seiþ in þe boke
of pryuetes . And þus god þoru3 his grete my3te
& mercy delyuerede his puple oute of egipte of
helle & of þraldome of þe fend pharao . And
þou3 man hadde no moo causes ; but onli þis .
me þinkeþ hit shulde singulerli moue him to sette
al his treste & his worshepe & his loue in to god
þat is þus ful of my3t & of mercy . For þer was
noon oþer creature þat my3tte brynge mankynde
out of þe fendes þraldome ; but onli he
þat hadde duble kynde perfitly in him-self . & were
boþe god & man . & wolde meke him-self as myche
after þe wil of god ; as adam bi pride dede a3ens
þe wil of god . ¶ Forþer-more in tixt of þis ma<> <gap in text>
<fol. 12r>lerne bi þe si3te of hem to folwe seyntes lyuynge ;
goode hit is to eche man . þis sentence seiþ seynt gregor
to serge þe bishope as þe lawe wittenesset . þerfore
whan men comen to þe chirche . first bi-holde he
vp to þe hey3e auter . For+þer is godes bodi in forme
of bred in þe boxe oþer in coupe . & þanne haue þei hie
vp to heuene þe ey3e of here soule . þt þe entent
of here soule & here herte . whiy þou3t & my3te
& deuocion of here soule . þanke þei almy3ti god
þat he wolde fouche-saafe . eche day to come fro
þo hey3e heuene . for þe helþe of oure soules . ¶
And þan 3ef þei seen eny likenesse of crist do oon þe
cros . haue þei mynde on þe bitter payne & passion
þt he suffrede for saluacion of mannes soule .
& hertely þan3ke þei him þerfore . & after þt . 3ef þei seen
eny ymage oþer likenesse made in mynde of eny
oþer seynt ; rere þei vp þe mynde of here soule to heuene
praiynge al þe seyntes þt ben þere to be mediatores
. & prayours or bidders for hem to god ¶ Nou3t
bileuynge oþer tristynge ; þt þulke ymage oþer
liknesse my3te brynge eny man or womman out of
gostly oþer bodili meschefe eþer 3eue helye oþer richesse
oþer take a-wey . ¶ Hit is wretten in godes lawe ; þt
þei mowen neþer 3elde to eny man neþer yuel ne
good . neþer 3eue richesse ne take a-wey . And þou3
any man make a vowe to hem & 3elde bit nou3te ;
þei shullen nou3t seche it þei shulle nou3t delyuere .
eny man fro deþe neþer restore a blynde man to his
si3te . þus seiþ holy writte . ¶ But onli to teche men
bi þe si3te of hem to haue þe beter mynde on hem
þt ben in heuene . & to seche bisilyche what lyfe þei
<fol. 12v>þei lyueden in erþe þou3 þe whiche bi þe mercy of
god þei ben nowe seyntes & to folowe þulke lyf
in al þat man may . ¶ For seynt austyn seiþ . a
deuoute sewere oþer folowere . pleseþ more god
þan eny idol herer oþer preisere . ¶ For whi as he
seiþ trewe herynge of herte ; is folowynge of
werke . ¶ For soþe to worshipe & nou3t to folwe ;
is noo þinge elles . but liyngeli to flatere . soþeli
þe company of seyntes han goo to-fore . þe excusacion
of sleuþe is taken a-wei . as seiþ seynt austyn
. ¶ More-ouer god seiþ in his comaundement ; þat
he is a gelours louere . for he wolde þt al mannes
herte . strengye . vnderstondynge & witte be ocupiede
in his loue . þt neþer þu vnderstonde ne wil .
ne þinke eny þinge contrarie to god as seynt austyn
seiþ . seynt gregor seiþ . þt prouynge of loue . is 3euynge
of werke . we louen god vereli ; 3ef we
kepen [his] hestes & refrayn+ous fro oure lustes he þt
fletteþ a-brode bi vnlefful lustes . & desireþ nou3t
god ; for he a3en seiþ him in his wil . as seynt gregor seiþ .
¶ seynt austyn seiþ loue departeþ holi men ; fro þe
worlde & maken men of o wil to dwelle in þe
hous he þt haþ nou3t verri loue he his nou3te &
no cunnynge . ne feiþ . ne 3euynge of catel to poure
men: ne penaunce of bodi profiteþ eny þinge to
him ; þt haþ nou3t loue As he seiþ . þe tonge . soule
& lif . be axed of þe louere of god . þe tonge þt he
speke nou3t foul . ydol . ne wikkede wordes . but
clene chast & as godes wordes . þe soule þat hoe
þenke noon vnclene . ne foule & ydol or yuele
þoutes . but chast clene & swete heuenely þoutes
<fol. 13r>þe lif þat hit worche plessynge to godes worshipe
for þe loue as seynt gregor seiþ is neuer idel . for
3if hit is loue ; hit worcheþ grete þinges plesynge
to god . Crist comaundeþ in þe gospel . þat eche man
loue him in al his herte . þis ˆ <mrg>is</mrg> þt crist seiþ of al þe herte ;
& of þe soule reseyueþ nou3t departynge in-to oþer
þinges . for howe myche mannes herte is sette in
oþer þynges ; for so myche hit is departed fro god .
¶ God secheþ þrefolde loue of man . Of his herte .
soule . & strengeþes . to wt-drawe man . fro þe þrefolde
lustes of þe worlde . ¶ þat is . fro þe loue of
þe possessions . oþer of richesses . fro þe loue of hi3enesse
& vayn worshipes . & fro þe loue of fleschely
lustes . for in þese þre was crist tempted & þerfore
to teche man a3enstonde þese ; he seiþ ¶ þou
shalt loue þi lord god of al þyn herte . & of al þi
soule . & of al þi strengþes . jn þat þt god seiþ in þis
comaundement þt he visiteþ þe wickenesse of
fadres in þe children & so forþ . he sheweþ boþe loue
& drede . but for a man shulde kyndeli bi ladde
bi loue þerfore he medleþ more of loue . þan
he doþ of drede . whanne he seiþ þt he doþe veniaunce
noon but in to þe þrede oþer þe ferþe generacion
; of hem þt hatein him . but he doþ mercy
in-to a þousand kynredes of hem þat louen him
& kepen his hestes . ¶ For bi þeise tweyne þt is
bi loue & drede ; god chasteþ his children as by
3erde & staf . ¶ And þerfore he seiþ bi his prophete .
3if j be þi god ; where is my loue . & 3ef j be þi lord :
where is my drede . For bi a loue drede . eche
man shulde serue god ¶ And þerfore seynt austyn
<fol. 13v>seiþ ; þt ri3te as a bristel bringeþ in a þreed ; ri3t
so þe holi drede of god bringeþ in loue . ¶ But
vnderstonde nou3t . þat god doþ veniaunce oþer
punyscheþ þe child for þe fader oþer moder þat
haþ synned: for þe childe shal nou3t bere þe wikkenesse
of þe fader . as god seiþ bi his prophete ; but
þis is vnderstonde þus ; 3if þe fader be synneful
& weked . & 3ef þe childe folweþ & vsuþ þe synneful
lyuynge of þe fadir ; þanne god wol punysche
þe childe iustly . for his owene giltes . & þt is
þat god seiþ in þe tixit ; þt he wolle punysche þe
children of hem . þt haten him god punyscheþ no3t
þe childe for þe fadres oþer þe modres giltes ; but forre
þe children waren liche hem in maneres & yliche in synnes
& hateden god . as seynt Jerom & austyn expounen
. ¶ God punyscheþ þe children ; for þei folwen
þe synnes of here fadres and modres ˆ <mrg>& nou3t for hure fadrus & modrus</mrg> han synned ;
& þerfore god seiþ þt he wol vsite þe wikkenesse
of fadres in þe children in-to þe þrede & þe ferþe kynrede
. of hem þt haten him . ¶ For oþer while fadres
& modres lyuen so longe for to here children
haue children . & so forþ to þe þrede degree oþer þe ferþe .
þe whiche children þt comen after folwen or folwynge
þe wykkenesse of here fadres bifore goynge
; maken hem-self as eires of þe wikkedenesse
. of here fadres & modres .
¶ JN þe secunde comaundement god seiþ þus to eche
man ¶ þou shalt nou3t take þe name of þi lord
god in vayn . ¶ For god wil nou3t haue him wt-oute
gilte . þt takeþ his name in ydel oþer wt-oute
cause . ¶ Jn twei maneres may a man take go
<fol. 14 r>des name in vayn . boþe in manere of lyuynge . & also in
vayn swerynge . whanne a man is baptemede & takeþ
cristendome . þanne is þe name of crist preyntede in
his soule . whiche is boþe god & man a name a-boue
al names . as seynt poule seiþ . & þer he for-sakeþ
þe fend & al his werkes . þt is synne . & makeþ couenaunt
to be cristes trewe seruaunt ; & to kepe his bydynges
¶ But whanne man brekeþ þis couenaunt
& bi-comeþ þe fendes seraunt doynge dedly
synne ; þanne he takeþ cristes name in vayn . while
he serueþ þe fend doynge his werkes . as seynt petir
seiþ . ¶ And þerfore seynt austyn seiþ . No man deme
him self ; to be a veri cristene man . no but 3ef he life
after þe lore or techynge of crist . Also in oþer manere .
man takeþ godes name in vayn . as in swerynge & forswerynge
and riccheþ nou3t how . ¶ For fro a 3onge
childe þt vnneþe can speke til an olde bedrede
man . þt god haþ al-most biraft his speche ; þis
heste of god is reufulliche broken . for myche folke
han brou3t hem-self in-to siche a perleus custome ;
þt vnneþe kunne speke eny worde ; but 3ef þei swere
bi god in vayn oþer bi somme of his creatures .
Seynt austyn seiþ . þat to swere bi god oþer bi eny
oþer seynt ; is to clepe him to bere witnesse of þulke
þynge þt þu swerest fore ¶ And bi-þenke þe ri3t wel .
þat 3ef þou clepedest a poure man to bere witnesse
of eche worde þt þu spekest in litel tyme ; he
wolde haue endynacioun þer-of . & seie þt þu scornedest
him . & myche more wolle almy3ti god þt forfendeþ
al suche swerynges ; & clepinge to be witnesse
. for þe cause shulde be trewe . & ri3t . and ne
<fol. 14v>deful 3ef men shulde clepe suche a lord as god is ; to
bere witnesse þer of . And þerfore god forfendeþ þis
veyn swerynge bi his name in þis comaundement
& in many oþer places in his lawe . ¶ And crist forfendeþ
swerynge bi creatures . in þe gospel of matheu
. where he comaundeþ to swere nou3t . neþer bi
heuene ne bi þe erþe . ¶ And in þt þat he forfendeþ . to
swere bi heuene ; he forfendeþ to swere bi seyntes
þt ben in heuene: And in þt þat he forfendeþ to swere
bi þe erþe . he forfendeþ . to swere bi eny creature
in erþe ; as bi sonne or mone oþer fier oþer bi eny
oþer siche . as seynt Jerom witnesseþ . & here wt
a-cordeþ seynt Jame seiynge . dere broþer bi-fore
al þinges . ne swere 3e neþer bi heuene ne bi
erþe . ne bi eny oþer oþ ; lest 3e falle vnder þe dome
of god . And seynt Jon crisostom seiþ . þt hit is
ydolatrie oþer worshipe to false godes ; to swere bi
a creature . 3e+as he seiþ þis is suuereyn blasphemye
syþen þis swerynge bi+as myche as is in þe swerer
makeþ þe creature . bi whicche he swereþ . to be god .
Seþen hit is reseruede to god onli þat men swere
bi him . wt þre condicions þt god reherseþ bi Jeremy
þe prophete . þt is þt he þat shal swere be compellede
bi doome . & þat he knowe verili þt his cause be
trewe . & also nedful to helpe his euene cristene ; in
here ri3t . & elles shulde eche man kepe him fro swerynge
. For [if] eny of þeise þre condicions faileþ ; hit is a
periure oþer forswerynge . as seynt jerome witnesseþ in
þe comune lawe . ¶ And seþen almy3ti god seiþ in
his lawe . þat þulke shal nou3t be vnponeschede þt
takeþ godes name in vayn . what punyschynge sup
<fol. 15r>pose we . schullen þei haue . þt not only taken his name
in vayn . but also dismembre & crucifien him .
as myche as is in hem . swerynge bi his herte &
bi his woundes & oþer membres ¶ Suche doon
more dispit to crist . þan þe Jewes duden þt naileden
him to þe cros . As seynt austyn seiþ & gregor boþe . / /
For þis manere of swerynge is cleped blasphemye .
& oon of þe most despites þt man may do to god .
to swere bi his lymes & a-twyte oþer obreyde him .
of his paynful passion . ¶ And þerfore hit is written
in þe lawe of holi chirche . þt 3ef eny swereþ bi
þe heer .or bi þe hede oþer bi+suche oþer membres of
crist . eþer vse þe blasphemye a3ens god in oþer manere
; be he deposed or degraded ; 3ef he is in þe ordre
of þe chirche ; 3ef he is a lewed man be he acursed .
¶ And 3ef eny man swereþ bi a creature ; be he chastised
most sharpli . þis is þe lawe þere . ¶ And þerfore
al þulke þat des[y]ron to scape þe bitter curse of god ;
absteyne þei hem fro alle suche swerynge . ¶ But
þe fend haþ founde þre fals excusacions in swerynge
. & tau3t hem his seruantis . to witstonde & excuse
here synne ¶ For sume seien on scorne . as
þe fend techeþ hem . what he seiþ . is it nou3t good
to haue god in mynde . ¶ And summe seien J may
swere ; for J swere soþe . ¶ And summe seien . but 3ef
J swere no man wol leue me . wt þis þree fals
excusacions men supposen . to excuse hem-self ; of
suche synful & vayn swerynge . ¶ But þei acusen
hem-self bi-for god . & maken here synne greuoser .
¶ For as to þe first popynt J pray þe . 3ef þi seruaunt
dede a þinge . þat þou haddest him forfendede . euer
<fol. 15v>þe ofter þt dede hit ; þe worse þu woldest be a-payed .
¶ And more-ouer 3et 3ef he scornede þe þerto . & seide þt
he dede soo for þi loue . to haue þe in mynde . loke
now þou bi þi self how þe þinkeþ namely 3ef þu
were his lord or his kyng . þan myche more wol
god . þat is lord of al . Seþþen þu ert so bolde to do
þilke þynge þt he forfendeþ & 3et scornest him þer-to ;
& seiest þat þou dost it to haue him in mynde . ¶ And
þerfore eche cristene man be war þt he haue nou3t
þus god in mynde . as þe prophete rekeneþ . Lest he be
put out of mynde a-monge þe chosene of god . as
þe prophete rekeneþ . ¶ Also to þe secunde false & fened
excusacion may be answered þus . a man schulde nou3t
swere al wey whanne he seiþ soþ .For eche man oweþ
to seie sooþ . whanne he shal ou3t speke . for-whi
god forfendeþ eche man to lye & þus bi þis false &
fened excusacioun ; man shulde swere at eueri word
3if it were leful to [s]were euere whanne he seiþ sooþ .
¶ But þis is openly false . as holi writte wittenesseþ
. For þe holi gost seiþ bi þe wise mannes mouþe
þat a man þt swereþ myche ; shal be fulfilde wt wikkenesse
. & veniaunce shal nou3t departe fro þilke hous ;
in whyche many oþes ben vsed and þerfore man and
woman J consele take hede of þis sentence of god .
& be war of veniaunce for 3oure myche swerynge .
¶ And to þilke þt seien þt no+man wil leue hem but
3ef þei wollen swere ; þis me þinkeþ a foule excusacion
eny man to seie . seþun a false man may swere as
myche as a trewe man . ¶ And þus shulde men byleued
bi oþes as wel a fals man ; as a trewe . For
comenly þe more fals þt a man is ; þe moo oþes
<fol. 16r>wol he swere . & comenly he þat wol bliþely swere
. wol gladly forswere . & also bi-gile . For he þat
dredeþ nou3t to breke godes hestes ; he wol nou3t be
a-drad for to be fals .