The Ayenbite of Inwyt (Remorse of Conscience) / A Translation of Parts into Modern English

Univ. Corr. Coll. Tutorial Series.
(REMORSE OF CONSCIENCE.)
A TRANSLATION OF PARTS INTO MODERN ENGLISH.
BY A. J. WYATT, M.A., TUTOR OF UNIVERSITY CORRESPONDENCE COLLEGE.
London: W. B. CLIVE & CO. UNIV. CORR. COLLEGE PRESS WAREHOUSE, Booksellers Row, Strand, W.C.
Almighty God gave ten behests in the law of the Jews, that Moses received in the hill of Sinai in two tables of stone, that were written with God’s finger. And (Moses) himself, after his burial, commanded in his story to each man that will be saved to keep and observe them. And whoso sinneth in any of the same behests, shall repent thereof, and be shriven, and pray for God’s mercy, if he will be saved.
This book is written for Englishmen, that they may know how they shall shrive themselves and make them clean in this life. This book is called by him who writes Ayenbite of Inwyt. First are the ten behests that all men shall observe.
The first behest that God made and commanded is this: ‘Thou shalt not have many gods;’ that is to say, ‘Thou shalt neither have, nor worship, nor serve any God but Me. And thou shalt not put thy trust but in Me.’ For the same that puts his trust chiefly in a creature, sinneth deadly and acts against this behest. Such are they that worship the idols and make their god of a creature, whatsoever it be.
Against this behest sin those that love their goods too much, gold or silver, or other earthly things. Whosoever sin in these things set their heart and their hope so much that they forget their Creator, and forsake Him who lends them all these goods. And therefore they should serve and thank, and love and worship Him above all things, as this first behest teaches thee.
The second behest is as follows: ‘Thou shalt not take God’s name in vain;’ that is to say, ‘Thou shalt not swear for naught and without good reason,’ which our Lord Himself forbids us in His Gospel, that one should not swear, neither by the heaven, nor by the earth, nor by other creature. Yet from good cause one may swear without sin, as in judgment, where one demands oath of truth, or out of judgment from other good cause, and with purity and reason. In no other manner is it right to swear. And, therefore, whosoever swears without reason the name of our Lord, and for naught, if he wittingly swears false he forswears himself, and acts against this behest, and swears deadly, for he swears against conscience, that is to say (understand), when he forswears himself by thought and by long thinking. But he that swears true wittingly, and always for naught or for some bad reason, not wickedly, but lightly and without slander, swears venially. Nevertheless the habit is sinful, and may well turn to deadly sin unless he beware. But he that swears horribly by God or by His saints, and breaks him in pieces, and says slanders about him that are not to be said, the same sins deadly. Nor can he have reason, that he may excuse himself. And he that accustoms himself to swear most, sins most.