¶Cam.xxviijm.
¶ How the phariſees and othere token occaſioun of
ſclaundre of the wordes and the dedes of Jeſu.
We ſchulle haue no wonder thouȝ ſomme men taken occaſioun of ſclaundre of oure wordes and dedes / be they neuere ſo gode and trewe· for ſo it byfel of oure lorde Jeſu ofte ſithes· and ȝit myȝte not he erre in worde or dede. Wherfore byfelle on a tyme that the phariſees aſkeden him: Why that his diſciples waſched not her hondes whan thei wentPage 146 to mete? And in that thei kepte not her cuſtome after the techynge of her elder. Bot oure lorde / ſeynge that thei charged more the waſchynge with outforth and bodily clannes than vertues with ynneforth and goſtely clanneſſe / anſwered harde aȝeyne / reprouynge hem / that thei breken the heſtes of god for her tradiciouns and bodily obſeruaunces· declarynge after / that vices that comen oute of the herte defoillen more a man than doth the bodily mete taken vnwaſched. Wherfore they were gretely ſclaundred and ſtired aȝenſt hym: bot he toke none hede thereof / for they were blynde in ſoule thoruȝ malice.
¶ Alſo ofte ſithes oure lorde Jeſu wrouȝte myracles vppon the ſabbot dayes / that weren goddes haly dayes to the Jewes as ben the ſondayes now to criſten men· and that he didde to confuſioun and reproue of the Jewes that kepten ſtreiȝtly the lawe in bodily obſeruaunces and not in gooſtly vndirſtondynge / as his wille was: for he bad not the haliday forto leue therynne good worchynge and dedes of charite / bot forto ceſe and abſteyne fro ſynne and bodily werkes. Wherfore they weren greetly ſclaundred / that is to ſaie token occaſioun of ſclaundre aȝenſt hym / and conſpired into his dethe and ſeiden: That that man was not on goddes halue that kepte noȝt the Sabbott daye. But oure lorde lafte not therfore to worche myracles and doo dedes of charite in tho dayes· bot meche more dide hem forto deſtroye the Jewes errour forſeide.
¶ Another tyme alſo whan he tauȝte in the ſynagoge goſtly lore / and ſeide that he was the brede of lyf that came fro heuene / and how it byhoued to eten his fleſche and drinken his blode who ſo ſchulde be ſauf and haue euerlaſtynge lyf· they vnderſtondynge his wordes fleſchely and not gooſtely gruccheden aȝenſt hym and token occaſioun of grete ſclaundre. And many of his diſciples thoruȝPage 147 that myſvndirſtondynge fleſchely forſoken hym / bot petre in the name of the xij apoſtles anſwered that they wolde not leuen hym· for he hadde the wordes of euerelaſtynge lyf: and ſo that was ſclaundre to the badde was vertues to the gode.
¶ In the forſeide wordes and dedes of oure lord Jeſu we haue enſaumple that we ſchulle not lette to do gode werkes for occaſioun of ſclaundre vnſkilfully taken of othere / or for enuy and yuel wille of hem / and ſpecially of that dede that is neceſſarie to ſoule hele we ſchulle not ceſe for eny ſclaundre. Wherfore ſeynt gregorye ſeith / that a man ſchal rathere ſuffre ſclaundre forto ariſe than he ſchal leue the trewthe / that is to ſeie in thre maneres after the comoun ſentence of doctoures: firſt / of the trewthe of good lyf man ſchal not ceſſe for ſclaundre / that is to ſaie he ſchal not doo dedely ſynne for puttynge away of eny ſclaundre· alſo / a doctour or a prechour ſchal not teche or preche falſe for eny ſclaundre / bot in caſe he may holde his pees of a certeyne trewthe / as what tyme he knoweth that the hereres ben obſtynate in errour and ſchulle be the worſe if that trewthe were ſeide: the thridde is trewthe of riȝtwiſneſſe that ſchal not be lafte for ſclaundre / that is to ſay a domeſman ſchal not ȝeue falſe dome / ne a witteneſſe bere falſe recorde for any ſclaundre. Bot of othere certeyne dedes that nowe be lafte with outen perile of ſoule a man ſchal otherwhile ceſe / thouȝ they ben goode in hem ſelfe / forto putte away occaſioun of ſclaundre· as the apoſtle poule ſeith: That he wolde rathere neuere ete fleſche than he wolde there thoruȝ ȝeue occaſioun of ſclaundre to his brother.
¶ Alſo in the forſeide proceſſe of oure lorde Jeſu we ben tauȝte forto charge more the clanneſſe of ſoule / and that diſpoſith to vertues / than bodily clanneſſe and honeſte withPage 148 outeforth / that is no vertu ynne. Neuertheleſſe honeſte and bodily clenneſſe is good ſo that it diſpoſe not to veyne glorie / or curioſite / or leccherie / or othere ſynnes· and ſo ben good coſtomes that ben grounded vppon reſoun forto ben kepte: bot the biddinges of god and the ordynaunces of ſouereynes in holy chirche ben myche more forto charge. Wherfore in this poynt erren many criſten men / and ſpecially religious / that chargen more bodily obſeruaunces and cuſtomes / thouȝ they diſpoſe to none vertue and ofte ben aȝenſt reſoun / than thei done the biddinges of god and the doctrine of holy fadres touchinge charite / mekeneſſe / pacience / deuocioun in prayere / deſcrete abſtinence and othere vertues: wherfore they mowe drede the reproue of oure lorde Jeſu priuely / that he reproued the phariſees openly / as it is ſeide bifore.
