HOW THE BENEFAYTTE WHICHE IS DONE FOR THE LOUE OF GOD IS RENDRED OF GOD AN C TYME GRETTER THAN IT IS.
NOTHER ensample I shall reherce vnto yow vpon this faytte. It befelle that in the Towne of Iherico was a woman whiche was named Raab,and the which was blamed, but charytable she was, wherfor it befelle that certayne good men whiche were come there for to preche to the peple of that toune euylle & cruell there duellyng, wherfore they lefte and wente and hyded them in the sayd woman's hows. She casted ouer them beddes and fardels of lynencloth, in so moche that the peple coude not fynde them, for they wold haue put them to dethe. And at nyght the sayd woman had them oute of her hows with a cord oute of a wyndowe, and saued them, wherfor it befell that she therfore was wel guerdoned after the deserte. For the towne was soone after take and alle the men and women put to dethe, sauf this Raab and her meyny, whiche god wold haue saued by cause she had saued his mynystres and sergeans. And therfore sayth the holy Euangely, where god sayth that the good and seruyce that one shal doo to hym or to his seruaunts for the loue of hym, he shalle rendre it a C double. Wherfor I wold ye wyst thexample of saynte Anastasye, whiche was putte in pryson. But god made her to be delyuerd oute, and made her to wete that hit was by cause that she susteyned of her owne good the prysoners whiche were in the prysons and chartres where as she wyst that ony were putte in wrongly and by enuye or for somme debte. And she gaf so moche of her good that she had them oute. And therfor god guerdoned her to double. And also the swete Ihesu Cryste sayd in the theuangely that at the daye of his grete Iugement he shalle haue mercy on them whiche shalle haue vysyted and comforted them that were emprysoned, and the seke, and also the poure wymmen that lay
