HERE BEGINNETH THE SIX AND FIFTIETH CHAPTER
How they be deceived that lean more to the curiosity of
natural wit, and of clergy learned in the school of men, than to the common
doctrine and counsel of Holy
Church.
SOME there be, that although they be not deceived with this error as it is set
here, yet for pride and curiosity of natural wit and letterly cunning leave the
common doctrine and the counsel of Holy Church. And these with all their
favourers lean over much to their own knowing: and for they were never grounded
in meek blind feeling and virtuous living, therefore they merit to have a false
feeling, feigned and wrought by the ghostly enemy. Insomuch, that at the last
they burst up and blaspheme all the saints, sacraments, statutes,
and ordinances of Holy Church. Fleshly living men of the world, the which think
the statutes of Holy Church over hard to be amended by, they lean to these
heretics full soon and full lightly, and stalwartly maintain them, and all
because them think that they lead them a softer way than is ordained of Holy
Church.
Now truly I trow, that who that will not go
the strait way to heaven, that they shall go the soft way to hell. Each man
prove by himself, for I trow that all such heretics, and all their favourers,
an they might clearly be seen as they shall on the last day, should be seen
full soon cumbered in great and horrible sins of the world in their foul flesh,
privily, without their open presumption in maintaining of error: so that they
be full properly called Antichrist's disciples. For it is said of them, that
for all their false fairness openly, yet they should be full foul lechers
privily.