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Previous: From The Parson's Tale, paragraph 10: The third move to contrition, fear of the day of doom |
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© Librarius
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© Librarius All rights reserved. |
| § 11 The fourthe point that oghte maken a man to have contricion is the sorweful remembraunce of the good that he hath left to doon heere in erthe, and eek the good that he hath lorn. Soothly, the goode werkes that he hath lost, outher they been the goode werkes that he wroghte er he fel into deedly synne, or elles the goode werkes that he wroghte while he lay in synne. Soothly, the goode werkes that he dide biforn that he fil in synne been al mortefied and astoned and dulled by the ofte synnyng. The othere goode werkes, that he wroghte whil he lay in deedly synne, thei been outrely dede, as to the lyf perdurable in hevene. Thanne thilke goode werkes that been mortefied by ofte synnyng, whiche goode werkes he dide whil he was in charitee, ne mowe nevere quyken agayn withouten verray penitence. And therof seith God by the mouth of Ezechiel, that "if the rightful man returne agayn from his rightwisnesse and werke wikkednesse, shal he lyve?" Nay, for alle the goode werkes that he hath wroght ne shul nevere been in remembraunce, for he shal dyen in this synne. And upon thilke chapitre seith Seint Gregorie thus: that "we shulle understonde this principally; that whan we doon deedly synne, it is for noght thanne to rehercen or drawen into memorie the goode werkes that we han wroght biforn. For certes, in the werkynge of the deedly synne, ther is no trust to no good werk that we can doon biforn; that is to seyn, as for to have therby the lyf perdurable in hevene. But nathelees, the goode werkes quyken agayn, and comen agayn, and helpen, and availlen to have the lyf perdurable in hevene, whan we han contricioun. But soothly, the goode werkes that men doon whil they been in deedly synne, for as muche as they were doon in deedly synne, they may nevere quyke agayn. 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, yet availlen they to abregge of the peyne of helle, or elles to geten temporal richesse, or elles that God wole the rather enlumyne and lightne the herte of the synful man to have repentaunce; and eek they availlen for to usen a man to doon goode werkes, that the feend have the lasse power of his soule. And thus the curteis lord Jhesu Crist ne wole that no good werk be lost; for in somwhat it shal availle. But, for as muche as the goode werkes that men doon whil they been in good lyf been al mortefied by synne folwynge, and eek sith that alle the goode werkes that men doon whil they been in deedly synne been outrely dede as for to have the lyf perdurable; wel may that man that no good werk ne dooth synge thilke newe frenshe song, "jay tout perdu mon temps et mon labour." For certes, synne bireveth a man bothe goodnesse of nature and eek the goodnesse of grace. For soothly, the grace of the Hooly Goost fareth lyk fyr, that may nat been ydel; for fyr fayleth anoon as it forleteth his wirkynge, and right so grace fayleth anoon as it forleteth his werkynge. Then leseth the synful man the goodnesse of glorie, that oonly is bihight to goode men that labouren and werken. Wel may he be sory thanne, that oweth al his lif to God as longe as he hath lyved, and eek as longe as he shal lyve, that no goodnesse ne hath to paye with his dette to God to whom he oweth al his lyf. For trust wel, "He shal yeven acountes, as seith Seint Bernard, "" of alle the goodes that han be yeven hym in this present lyf, and how he hath hem despended; in so muche that ther shal nat perisse an heer of his heed, ne a moment of an houre ne shal nat perisse of his tyme, that he ne shal yeve of it a rekenyng. | § 11 The fourth point that ought to make a man to have contrition is the sorrowful remembrance of the good that he has failed to do here on earth, and also the good that he has lost. Truly, the good works that he has lost, either they are the good works that he did before he fell into deadly sin or else the good works that he did while he lay in sin. Truly, the good works that he did before he fell in sin are all killed and paralyzed and dulled by the frequent sinning. The other good works, that he did while he lay in deadly sin, they are utterly dead, as to the life eternal in heaven. Then these good works that are mortified by frequent sinning, which good works he did while he was in charity, nor can never revive again without true penitence. And thereof says God by the mouth of Ezekiel, that "if the righteous man return again from his righteousness and do wickedness, shall he live?" Nay, for all the good works that he has wrought shall never be in remembrance, for he shall die in his sin. And upon this chapter says Saint Gregory thus: that "we shall understand this principally; that when we do deadly sin, it is for nothing then to tell or draw into memory the good works that we have done before." For certainly, in the doing of the deadly sin, there is no trust to no good work that we have done before; that is to say, as for to have thereby the life eternal in heaven. But nonetheless, the good works revive again, and come again, and help, and help to have the life eternal in heaven, when we have contrition. But truly, the good works that men do while they are in deadly sin, forasmuch as they were done in deadly sin, they can never revive again. For certainly, thing that never had life can never revive; and nonetheless, although it be so that they do not help one to have the life eternal, yet they help to shorten the pain of hell, or else to get temporal riches, or else that God will the rather illuminate and lighten the heart of the sinful man to have repentance; and also they help to accustom a man to do good works, so that the fiend may have the less power of his soul. And thus the courteous Lord Jesus Christ wishes that no good work be lost, for to some degree it shall help. But, forasmuch as the good works that men do while they are in good life are all rendered powerless by sin that follows, and also since all the good works that men do while they are in deadly sin are utterly dead so far as having the life eternal, well may that man who does no good work sing this new French song, "Jay tout perdu mon temps et mon labour (French: "I have lost my time and my labor.") For certainly, sin deprives a man of both goodness of nature and also the goodness of grace. For truly, the grace of the Holy Ghost fares like fire, that can not be idle; for fire fails as soon as it abandons its function, and right so grace fails as soon as it abandons its function. Then loses the sinful man the goodness of glory, that only is promised to good men that labor and work. Well may he be sorry then, that owes all his life to God as long as he has lived, and also as long as he shall live, that has no goodness with which to pay his debt to God to whom he owes all his life. For trust well, "He shall give accounts," as says Saint Bernard, "of all the goods that have been given him in this present life, and how he has spent them, insomuch that there shall not perish a hair of his head, nor a moment of an hour shall not perish of his time, but that he shall give of it a reckoning." |
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Next: From The Parson's Tale, paragraph 12: The fifth move to contrition |
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