But his preaching was
wonderful! Methinketh I hear him yet, his voice so loud and
shrill, his learning less than mean. But whereas his matter was
much part against fasting and all affliction for any penance,
which he called men's inventions, he ever cried out upon them to
keep well the laws of Christ, let go their childish penance, and
purpose then to mend and seek nothing to salvation but the death
of Christ. "For he is our justice, and he is our Saviour and our
whole satisfaction for all our deadly sins. He did full penance
for us all upon his painful cross, he washed us there all clean
with the water of his sweet side, and brought us out of the
devil's danger with his dear precious blood. Leave therefore,
leave, I beseech you, these inventions of men, your foolish Lenten
fasts and your childish penance! Diminish never Christ's thanks
nor look to save yourselves! It is Christ's death, I tell you,
that must save us all--Christ's death, I tell you yet again, and
not our own deeds. Leave your own fasting, therefore, and lean to
Christ alone, good Christian people, for Christ's dear bitter
passion!" Now, so loud and shrill he cried "Christ" in their ears,
and so thick he came forth with Christ's bitter passion, and that
so bitterly spoken with the sweat dropping down his cheeks, that I
marvelled not that I saw the poor women weep.
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