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[^ENGLISH WYCLIFFITE SERMONS, VOL. I.
ED. A. HUDSON.
OXFORD: CLARENDON PRESS, 1983.
PP. 236.1 - 239.90  (S.4)      (SAMPLE 1)
PP. 283.1 - 286.84  (S.16)
PP. 313.1 - 316.88  (S.23)
PP. 335.1 - 339.97  (S.28)
PP. 355.1 - 359.104 (S.32)
PP. 373.1 - 377.99  (S.36)
PP. 412.1 - 417.2   (S.43)

PP. 475.1 - 480.141 (E.S.1)    (SAMPLE 2)
PP. 521.1 - 524.93  (E.S.11)
PP. 588.1 - 592.3   (E.S.27)
PP. 643.1 - 647.4   (E.S.40)^]

<S SAMPLE 1>
<P I,236>
[} (\DOMINICA QUARTA [{POST FESTUM TRINITATIS.
EVANGELIUM.{] SERMO 4.\) }] 

[} (\ESTOTE MISERICORDES. LUCE 6.\) }]

This gospel meueth men to mercy a+gen +te ypocrisye of +tese    #
false
pharisees. And Crist byddith furst generally men (^to be        #
merciful 'as
+gowre Fadur is merciful'^) , for whan a general word ys seyd   #
by
hymself hit schal be taken for +te moste famous. Ther beth many
fadres, as fadur of kynde and fadur of lore, but +te moste      #
proper
fadur ys he +tat made men of noht, for he is fadur of mennys    #
body
and fadur of her sowles, and in vertu of hym worchen alle other
fadres. And +tis fadur schulde we suwe in alle oure werkys,     #
for, al
[{+gif{] we may not atteyne to +tis fadur, ner+teles +to        #
werkys be
noh+gtys +tat ben noht ensaumplyd and wroht bi +tis fadur. +Te
mercy of +tis fadur kan we not telle fully, for he ys +te moste
worchere +tat may ben in +tis world; and he can not worche but
+gif he medle mercy, for he wrohte by mercy wan he made +tis
world, sythe he dyde good to aungeles and made hem parfi+gt
and bro+gte hem to hey+ger stat withowten here desert. And so
whanne he doth good to ony creature, he makyth hit parfit of    #
his 
pure grace. Si+t God almi+gty, al witty and al goodly, kan not
<P I,237>
worche but +gif he worche by mercy, be we +tanne merciful for
goodnesse of God. +Te leste mercy of men ys among clerkys, +tat
wolen not +gyue goodus of grace but +gif +tei sullen hem. And  
+terfore +tis sinne is heresye byfor God, +te moste and +te     #
fyrste +tat
parti+t men fro God, for +tey weyen her wynnyng more +tan +ter
God. And herfore al +tat we doon schulde be doon in Godys 
name, to worchipe of oure God and profi+gt of his cherche.      #
+Ge, +gif
we be holden bothe to God and man by resoun of dette to don a
good dede, loke +tat +tis resoun be fyrst his in owre +towt.    #
And so
no man may excusen hym fro werkys of mercy, as no man may
wante werkys of a good wille for +tat werk ys +te furste and    #
hey+gest
in man. Furst schulde a man haue mercy of hymself, and mercy of
his moder +tat is holy cherche, and +tan hath he mercy of al    #
+te
ende of his kyn.
   The secounde word of Crist (^forbedyth fool iugement^) .     #
And resoun
of +tis stondeth herynne +tat God may not iuge folily ony man;
and so, as oure wille ha+t nede to be clo+tid wi+t mercy, so    #
oure
vndurstondyng hath nede to haue ri+gt iugement. For many men
wenen to be merciful to ypocrites, and +tei don harm to men to
whiche +tey wenen do profi+gt. And many men wenen to iuge +ter
bre+tren, and +get +tei iugen falsely and cruelly of many. And  #
yche
man schulde tempre such iugement aftyr God, for God in his
iugement may not faylen fro resoun.
<P I,238>
   The +tridde word (^biddyth cristen men be war of foly        #
dampnyng vppe
peyne of +ter dampnacion^) . And, al [{+gif{] +tis semeth no    #
comun sinne
among men, ner+teles alle maner of men synnen herinne, as
prelatys  +tat dampne men in maner of +ter cursyng and ofte
tymes +tei wyten not how +tei ben to God; and by reputacion     #
+tat
schulde be taken of Godes lawe +tes men don wel as God bidde+t
hem do. Lordes iugen ofte tymes +tat o+ter men don amys, whan
+tey displeson hem in +ter wrong wille, as we dampnen Clement
with his fautours and +tei dampnen vs, and o kyng dampnyth his
aduersary and he dampnyth hym a+gen, and comunes dampnon
prowde men and o+tur men to ben ypocrites. And comunly fool
iugement ys a +ting +tat men knowen not, for +tey ledon not     #
+ter wit 
aftyr Godes lawe, for +tei presumen as +te fend to connen +tat  #
+tei
knowen not.
   The fourthe and +te fi+te word (^biddeth men for+gyuen, and  #
+gyue sum
maner of goodys, and so schal God rewarden hem^) . And not al   #
only God,
but seyntes in heuene schal rewarde men after +tat +tey han     #
here
don to hem; for +tese fyue dedys alarged to alle men mute haue
summe men seyntys in heuene, and +tese seyntes schullen rewarde
men here in habundaunce of foure +tingus. Furst +tei schullen
rewarde men (^in a good mesure^) , for seyntys in heuene don    #
bettur to
men +tan +tei duden to hem here in +tis lif; and where men      #
dyden
scarsly good to +ter bre+tren, seyntes fullen trewe men with    #
alle
maner of goodys. And +tis fullyng ys not voydid but (^sadly
replenyched^) and at +te laste (^hit is hepid^) as myche as     #
hit wole take.
And sych metyng of corn, mele or o+ter +tyng wolde be preisud
<P I,239>
among men for largenesse of +te metere. And +tis +tyng men han
here in her bosim, but God fulleth +te substaunce. For certys,  #
(^in
such mesure as men mesuren^) to +ter bre+tren, (^schal hit be   #
mesurut to hem^)
by iugement of God +gif +te mesur be good +tei schal haue good
a+gen, and +gif +te mesur be vniust +tey schal haue peyne       #
a+gen.
   And, for defawte in al +tis comyth of ypocrisye of prelatys  #
+tat
schulden techen pleynly Godys lawe and not here er+tely
wynnyngus, +terfore seith Crist in his parable +tat (^+gif +te  #
blynde lede
+te blynde +tei fallen bo+te in +te dy+gk^) . But for Crist     #
schulde be oure
maystur, and we schulde not straunghe from hym, we schulden
leue +tese ypocrites and suwe lore of +tis goode maystur,       #
si+ten he
may not leue trew+te, ne faylen in techyng of trewthe. And +tus
schulde (^men ben parfi+gt^) and fle +te rote of falsehed. And  #
+tese
prelates han of +ter maistur comunly +tis maner +tat (^+tei     #
kan see a
mote in +ter brother y+ge, but a beem in +ter owne y+ge +tenke  #
+tey not on^) ; for +ter
wyt is set to spuyle and to acusen and not for to helpen hem ne
o+ture men, and herfore +ter coueytyse blendi+t hem +tus. But   #
by
lore of Crist men schulden seye to hem ' (^Ypocrite, cast       #
furst +te beem
owt of +tin owne y+ge, and +tanne maistow pyke betur +te mote   #
fro +ti bro+tur^) '.
Here may we see +tat sugetys schylden blame prelatys whan +tey
sen opynly greet defawtys in hem, as defawte of Godus lawe in
kepyng and techyng; for +tis is a beem by +te whyche +te fend
bynde+d his hows, and +tei schulden knowe +tis, as +tei         #
schulden fele
+te lore herof. 

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<P I,283>
[} (\DOMINICA XVI [{POST FESTUM TRINITATIS.
EVANGELIUM.{] SERMO 16.\) }]

[} (\IBAT IESUS IN CIVITATEM QUE VOCATUR NAYM. LUCE 7.\) }]

This gospel tellu+t of o miracle +tat Crist dude of a deed      #
body, +tat
was +te secounde of +tre +tat Crist reisude fro de+t to lyue.   #
And so
tellu+t +te gospel +tat (^Iesu wente into a citee +tat is       #
clepyd Naym wi+t hise
disciples and o+tur peple, and whan he cam ny+g +te +gate of    #
+te cytee, cam a cors
+tat was boren to be beryed, +tat was a child of a wydwe. And   #
myche peple of
+tis citee caam wi+t his wydwe^) and maden sorwe. (^And whanne  #
Crist saw
+tis wydwe, he hadde mercy vpon hyre and bad hire wepe not,     #
but went[{e{]
and towchide +te bere +tat +tey booren, and +tise men +tat      #
boore +tis beere stooden^)
stylle to see +te eende. (^And Cryst seyde to +te dede body     #
'+Gong mon, I bydde
+te arys'. And +tat +gong man +tat was deed sat vp and bygan    #
to speke.
And Crist +gaf hym to his modyr. And alle +te peple hadde       #
drede, and
preysuden God, and seyden +tat a gret prophete roos among hem   #
and +tat God
hadde visyted his peple^) for +tis myracle +tat +tei sawen.
   The gospel tellu+t of +tre deede bodyes +tat Crist reysude   #
froo
de+t to lyue. +Te fyrste was +te personys dowtyr, +tat he       #
reysude
wi+tynne in +te hows. +Te secownde was +tis wydwe sone, +tat he
<P I,284>
qwykede in +te +gate. +Te +trydde was +te stynkynde careyne,    #
+tat he
qwekude in +te graue. And +tis bytokne+t +tre synnes +tat God
for+gyue+t in +tis world. +Te fyrste bytokne+t ful concense     #
for to don
a+geynes Godus wille but hit come+t not owht in dede, as +te    #
mayde
lay in +te hows. +Te secownde bytokne+t +te secownde synne      #
whan a
man to wykkyd wille putti+t a wickyd dede, but he come+t not to
custoom as dyde Lazarus +tat was beryud in a graue; and +tis    #
is +te
+gonge man +tat we speken of stoondyng in +te +gate. +Te        #
+tridde
synne addi+t to +tese two a long custoom to lye in synne, and   #
+tis is
Lazar +tat ly+t stynkynde fowre dayes in his sepulcre.
   +Tis secownde is a wydwe sone for syche synnerus whanten     #
God,
and so +tey, faylyng of spowse of +te chyrche, may wel be       #
clepud a
wydwe; but +tei han sorwe of here synne and o+tur ney+geborwus
also. Crist byddi+t +te beere stonden whanne he sesu+t men of   #
her
synne; and he towchyth +te body whanne he +gyue+t hem
contricion; and he comawnde+t hit to rysen whanne he
comanwnde+t meedful werkys. And +tis man bygynne+t to speke
whan he +tanky+t God in grace; and Crist +gyue+t hym to hys
modur whanne he maky+t hym to helpon hys chyrche. And +tus
wente Crist into Naym whanne he entryde newe to hys chyrche,
for Naym is as myche to seyn as 'flowyng' of 'mouyng'; for +te
chyrche fyrst flowyde wi+t synne, and sy+t was meuyd to God by
bemys of +te Hooly Goost whan hit hadde grace to come to hym.
<P I,285>
Wi+t Crist wenten his disciples and a greet rowte of folk, for
manye wheren helperus of God to bryngon his chyrche to riht
stat. +Te +gate of +ti[{s{] cytee is entre to religioun of      #
Cristus chyrche,
in whyche +gate been manye +gong[{e{] men blynded and dede
gostly, for +tei knowen not Cristus religiown, how hit passu+t  #
alle
o+tre. And so in +tis +gate ben two maner of dede men; to summe
loki+t Crist and qwyku+t hem in grace and +gyue+t hem power and
wille to come clene to his ordre, and wyte +tat alle o+tre      #
ordres ben
charghows to men, as myche as +tei adden to Cristes religioun,  #
for
noon addicion is wor+t but +gif Godis lawe grounwde hit. Summe
ben dede in +tis +gate +tat Crist qwykeny+t not, but lasten in  #
+tere
olde errowrus to +ter de+t day, and ben +tese +tat taken a lyf
vngrowndid clene in Godis lawe; and +tese men lasten in +ter
errour owt of +te bowndis of Godis lawe, and ben boren fro +te  #
+gate
to be beryut in helle. But +ter is a pryue qwykyng +tat God     #
do+t ny
+te de+t +tat we cannot telle of, but +gif God wole schewon     #
hit vs,
and +terfore foly iugement schulde be fled in +tis mater. And   #
+tus
+tese men +tat beren +tis beere to putte +tis dede man in       #
eurthe ben
men +tat consenten and procuren to wyckydnesse. And so vpon
+tes +tresynnys ha+t God mercy here, but vpon +te fur+te synne  #
God
cesu+t neuere to punysche, for +tei synnen to +ter de+t and so  #
a+gen
+te Holy Gost - +tat God mut nede punysche wi+towten ende si+t
+tis synne may haue noon ende in helle.
   In +tis mater we schulde be war of perel of ypocrisye, for   #
monye
<P I,286>
feynen hem in statys and doon +te reuerse in her lyf. And +get  #
+tei
seyn +tei be+t parfyter in +ter lyf +tan were +te furste        #
clerkys of
Crist. And +tus enemyes to Cristys religioun chalanghen to ben  #
of
his ordre, al +gif +tei doon euene +te reuerse to name +tat     #
+tei
beren, as +te pope schulde be moste meke man, moste seruisable
and moste poore, as we ben tawte in seyn Petre +tat was pope    #
next
aftyr Crist. And now men seyn +tat +te pope mot nede reuerse    #
+tis
ordenaunce and haue more power for to do +tingus +tat towchen
excellence. And +tus byschopys, +tat schulde be clerkys and     #
poore
men as apostles weren, ben moste lordis of +tis world and       #
reuersen
apostles lif. Sum tyme monkys weren lewyde men, as seyntes in
Ierusaleem, and +tanne +tei kepton +tei hemself fro synne, as   #
seynt
Bernard beru+t witnesse. But now monkys ben turnes vnto
lordys of +tis world, moste ydel in Godus traueyle, and seyn    #
+tat
+tei ben betture monkys +tan were +te furste seyntys. And so    #
frerys,
+tat weren bre+tren in Crist and no+gt charghows to +te         #
chyrche,
ne+tur in nowmbre, ne in clo+ting, ne in mete, ne in howsyng,   #
ben
euene turned a+gen fro +te fyrste lif of hem. And +get by +ter
ypocrisye +tei blynde +te chirche many gatis. And +tus names of
offisys, and namus of vertewes also, ben chawnghed by           #
ypocrisye,
and cursyd men rewlen +te world. 

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<P I,313> 
[} (\DOMINICA XXIII [{POST FESTUM TRINITATIS.
EVANGELIUM.{] SERMO 23.\) }]

[} (\ABEUNTES PHARISEI. MATHEI 22.\) }]

+Te storye of +tis gospel tellu+t how +te pharisees casten to   #
desseyue
Crist by wordis of ypocrisye. And so (^+te pharises, wendyng    #
owth^) fro +te
weye of trew+te, (^maden a cownseil by hemself to take Iesu in  #
speche^) ; and
fyrst +tei spoken fagyng wordys, as ypocrytes don, but +geet    #
(^+tei
senten here disciples^) and come not hemself, leste +tei weron  #
conuycte
by wisdam of Crist. +Tei senten to Crist two peples, (^Iewys    #
and
Herodyanes^) , to witnesse a+genys hym whateuere he hadde seyd,
o+tur a+gen +te Iewes or a+gen +te emperour. (^'Maister,' +tei  #
seiden, 'we
wyte wel +tat +tow art sad, trewe, and +te weye +tat ledi+t to  #
God +tow techist in 
trew+te, and +tow takist noon hed of man^) but boldly tellust   #
+te so+te, (^for
+tow reckist of noo man^) but puttist God byfore.' And aftyr    #
+tei axedon
+tis questioun of Crist, +tat he schulde tellen +tat hym        #
+towhte and
not by o+tur mennys witt, (^we+tur hit were leueful to +gyue    #
taliage to +te
emperour^) . Hem +towte +tat Crist schulde nede sey o+tur       #
'+ge' or
'nay'; +gif he seyde '+ge' he spak a+gen +te Iewys, for +tei    #
chalanghedon
of +ter fadris to be sughet to noo man, and +gif he seyde
'nay' he were a+genus +te emperour; and so on eche syde hem
<P I,314>
+towte +tat Crist was taken. But Crist schewyde furst +te       #
purpos of
+tese ypocrites. Whan Iesu knew +te wickidnesse of +tes false
men, he clepud hem ypocrytes and (^axede wharto +tey temptydon  #
hym^) ;
and eft Crist took a mene weye ano+tur +tan +tei +towten on.    #
(^'Schewe
+ge me' seyde Crist, '+te mone of +te taliage.' And +tei        #
schewedon hym a peny.
And Crist axede ouer, 'Whose ymage is +tis? and whose wrytyng   #
aboue?' +Tei
seyden hit was +te emperours.^) And Crist +gaf hem +tis         #
answer, general
and sotyl, (^'+Gyue +ge to +te emperour +tat is his, and to     #
God +tat is his'^) ; by 
whiche word hit seme+t +tat Crist approuede +te emperour and
subieccion to hym, in +tat +tat he maki+t Godis pees, and       #
seruyse
propre to God schulde be kept to hym. And so Cristys wordis
my+gte no man disproue.
   Heere may men towche +te malis of ypocrisye for +ter is no   #
werse
synne, ne more general, ne more venemows, for hit is more euyl
+tat his +tus contrarie+t to trew+te, si+t an ypocrite feyne+t  #
hym
hooly, and he is a false fend. And herfore repreuede Crist
ypocrisye of ordres, for he wiste wel +tat +tey schulden after  #
do
more harm in +te world. Furst suche ypocrytes lyon on hemself,
and seyn +tei don for holynesse whateuere +tat +tei don; and    #
so +tei
venyme furst hemself and afturward o+tur men. And hit is more
general +tan manye o+tre synnes, for eche stat of men is        #
blemschyd
wi+t +tis synne, but furst and moste religiows and clerkys.     #
For +ter is
no spedy cause why +tey vson syche habytes, but to dyuyden hem
in holynesse from +te comun peple; sy+t as meedful werkys       #
my+gte
+tei don in secler habytis and more pryuely, as Crist byddu+t   #
vs
ben holy. And herfore Crist biddu+t to be war wi+t sowrdow of   #
+te
<P I,315>
pharisees, si+t +ter is no resoun to ypocrisye but to schewe    #
mennys
synne, and to disseyuen on eche syde bo+te +te ypocrites        #
hemself
and o+tre men +tat dwellen wi+t hem. And so her religioun       #
serue+t
to crye +tat +tei ben holy, and to make diuision bytwixen hem   #
and
o+tre men; and, sy+t licnesse is cause of loue among men, sych
diuision is cause of hate and enuye. Godus lawe and kynde       #
techen
+tat eche beest loue+t beest lic to hym. And so experiens       #
techu+t
+tat oon ordre loue+t his bro+ter more +tan a straunge man,     #
a+gen +te
rewle of charyte. And sych gadrynge of lompys by sencible       #
sygnes
ha+t not auctorite of Crist, but ra+ter reprouyng, for vpon     #
Goode
Fryday Crist ordeyned hym to be clo+tud +tries a+genys sych
weddyng wi+t clo+tus of colour and schap. And, as Crist sei+t   #
in
repref of syche sectis, 'kynrede of hordam seki+t siche         #
signes'.
   Alle +te dedes +tat +tei doon sownen to ypocrisye, and       #
a+genys
noo men spak Crist scharplier. And, al +gif frerys seyn +tat    #
+tei
beggon for charite, whan +tei han prechid for such beggyng, and
+tat Crist beggude so and bad hem begge +tus, ner+teles al +tis
speche is powdret wi+t gabbyng. And, as ypocritys doon, +tei
sekon her owne auauntaghe, and not +te worshipe of Crist, ne
profi+gt of his chirche; for +gif +tei diden, +tei wolden sewe  #
Cristes
rewle and leue chargyng of +te peple, bo+te in nowmbre and
beggyng, and leuen her hi+ge howses +tat +tei propren vnto hem,
si+t Crist hadde no propre hows to reston ynne his hed. And, as
Macometis lawe taki+t myche of Cristis lawe, and medle+t o+tur
lawes, and +tere come+t in +te venym, so do+t antecrist in      #
+tese newe
<P I,316>
sectis. And so as +tey bryngon in bre+tren by falshede of       #
lesyngus,
so ben +ter ordres growndide in falsheed on eche syde. And      #
syche
men mute nede destorblen holy chirche.
   And +tus secler clerkis ben fulle of ypocrisye, bo+te popes  #
and
byschopes and clerkys vndyr hem. Crist forfendide to putte
miracles +tat he hadde doon to +te manhede of hym, for errour   #
in
byleue. But +te fend dredi+t not to feyne absolucionys and
indulgenses, wi+t o+tre +giftys +tat God grauntyde neuere, to   #
spuyle
men of here mone, and not for sowle hel+te for +tanne wolde     #
+tei
+gyue freely +tese +giftis, as Crist +gaf hymself and bad       #
o+tre do. And
+tus lowere clerkis trauelen by watyr and by londe for to haue
benefices and propre possessiounes, more +tan +tei don for      #
help of
mennys sowles. And howeuere +tei speke, +tei lyuen alle in
ypocrisye. And +tus whan men fi+gten, pledon or chiden,         #
charite is
not +ter eende, but pruyde and propre hauyng. And +tus hit is   #
of
seclers +tat ben weddyde men. And so charite of men is blyndis  #
by
ypocrisye, so +tat no synne of +tis world letti+t now more      #
charite;
and so ypocrisye is more general synne and more pryue synne to
bygyle men, and worse to destrye in comun peple. And al +tis
figuredon pharisees a+genys Iesu Crist.

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<P I,335>
[} (\DOMINICA III ADUENTUS. [{EVANGELIUM.{]
SERMO [{28{] .\) }]

[} (\CUM AUDISSET IOHANNES IN VINCULIS. MATHEI 11.\) }]

This gospel tellu+t a story of Iohn Baptist, +tat touchi+t      #
alle +tre
aduentis of Crist but specially +te +tridde, to whom seruen two
byfore. Baptist was in prisoun wi+t Errowde Antipas, for he
repreuyd his auowtre wi+t his bro+tur wif. And (^Iohn, bownden  #
in
prisoun, herde of Cristis werkis^) , and he made myche ioye and
preisude myche Crist, as o+tur gospellys tellen and specially
Iohnys gospel. Somme men in +te cuntre heelden Iohn more +tan
Crist, and Iohnys disciplys weren in +tis errour; but +get +tei
trowedon +tat +te greete prophete byhi+gte in +te lawe, +tat    #
+tei
clepedon Messyas, was more +tan Iohn Baptyst. And herfore       #
(^sente
Baptist two of his disciples^) for to speke wi+t Crist and      #
purgen hem of
+tis errowr. And Iohn bad hem axe +tus Crist on his byhalue     #
' (^Art
+tow he +tat is to comen^) and to saue manys kynde, +tat +te    #
lawe speki+t
of, (^or we abyden ano+tur^) ?' We schullen supposen +tat       #
Baptist was 
stable in his trow+te, and coueyted +tat +te fei+t of Crist     #
and loue of
Crist growede, and byfor +tat he were deed, +tat he trowede
schulde come sone; for trewe men coueyten more +te honour of
<P I,336>
God +tan +ter owne honowr, for ellys +tei weren vnresonable.    #
And
+tus caste Iohn +tis weye to worschipe of Crist. And to +tis    #
entent of
Iohn spaak Crist and wro+gte in dede, (^'Go +ge and telle+t     #
a+gen to Iohn
what +ge han herd and seyn: blynde see, crokyde gon, meyselis   #
ben
helude, deue heren, dede ryson, poore men ben pre[{ch{]ud of    #
God; and blessyd
be he +tat schal not be sclawndrut in me'^) . And on two        #
manerys ben men
sclaundred in Crist. Somme men by worchyng putten errowrs in
hym, and +tis maner of sclawndryng is algatis euyl, si+t +tei   #
fallen
in heresye +tat +tus trowen of Crist; +tese men ben suffryngly
sclawndred in Crist +tat fallen fro byleue +tat +tei schulden   #
haue of
Crist. On +te +tridde maner we seyn +tat men ben sclaundryd
whanne +tei ben defamyd of any kynne +ting, +tat +tei han hem
amys abowten any such +ting; and +tus manye hooly men weren
sclawndred of Crist. And so of +tese seuene myraclis +te laste  #
is +te
moste. And alle +tese seuene miracles techen how we schulden
loue Crist. For we, +tat weren furst blynde by defawte of       #
fei+t, seen
aftyr in owre sowle what we schulden trowe. And so furst crokyd
in medful werkys wandren aftyr in holynesse of li+gt. And so    #
furst
leprows by heresye[{s{] of fei+t ben aftyr clansed of alle      #
+tese
heresyes. Deef men fro Godis word heren his lawe; and deede
men in sowle by costome of synne risen to spiritual lif of +ter
sowle. Men +tat weren pore byfore for +ter hooly werkis ben     #
seyde
goode lyuerys of hym +tat may not erre. And hit seme+t +tat     #
Iohnys
<P I,337>
disciples sayen somme of +tese miracles, or ellis hem alle in   #
fei+t
+tat Crist +gaf hem.
   (^And whanne +tei weren wente fro Crist^) he preysud Iohn    #
Baptist,
techyng +tat men schulde not preise a man in his presence, ne   #
in 
presence of hise, leste he were a faiour. Crist preysude        #
Baptist,
axyng of hym +tree +tingus so +tat +te puple were nedid to      #
graunte
+tat Iohn was hooly. (^'Whan +ge sayen Baptist in desert, what  #
wenten +gee
to see? sayen +ge +tanne a reed wawyng wi+t +te wynd?'^) Nay,   #
syche men ben
vnstable for louyng of muc; for Iohn was stable in +te loue of  #
God,
and soo was he growndyt in +te stoon of ri+gtwysnesse. ' (^Or   #
what wente
+ge owt to see^) , whanne +ge wente to see Ioohn? (^Whe+tur     #
+gee wenten to
see a man clad in softe clo+tus? Nay, loo, men +tat ben clo+tut #
+tus drawen hem
to kyngus hows^) , and ben tendyrley fed wi+t metis +tat        #
pleson +te
flesch.' For Iohn Baptist was contrarye to syche men in bo+te   #
+tese,
si+t he dwelte in desert and was fed wi+towte foode +tat was    #
maad
by mannys crafte; and so +te world and hys flesch ouercam he
parfi+gtly, and hit is noo drede to vs +te feend hadde          #
+tan noon
hold in hym. (^'But what wente +ge owht to see? Certys, to      #
see a prophete?
+Gee! I sey to +gow Iohn was moore +tan a prophete'^) , for     #
Iohn hadde offis of
God to see Crist and waschen hym, and to schewen hym atte
ey+ge, +tat is moore +tan a prophetes offis. ' (^And he is of   #
whom hyt is
wryton^) +tat +te Fadyr speki+t to +te Sone. " (^Loo! I sende   #
myn aungel^) , +tat 
ys myn owne messager, (^tofor +ti face, +tat schal make reedy   #
+t[{i{]
wey+ge tofor +te^) " ', for Iohn Baptist meuede men to trowen   #
in Crist
manye gaatis.
<P I,338>
   Here may men towche manye synnes +tat reignen among men,
and specially synne of clerkys, +tat lyuen in lustis of foode   #
and in
lustis of atyr contrarye to Iohn Baptist. And +tus, as +te      #
gospel sei+t,
+tei putten on Iohn +tat he hadde a feend and was lad in        #
desert by
+tis spyri+gt +tat susteynud hym, and he lyued not mannys lif,  #
ne +gaf
ensaumple to sewe hym. And in Crist +tei ben sclawndred, and
seyden he lyuede a lustful li+gf, and was freend to synful      #
men, and
+tus schulde not men lyue. And +tus +tese newe religious        #
fallen in
heresye of Iewys, for nei+tur +tei maken Baptist ne Iesu Crist  #
+ter
patroun, but cheesun hem a new patroun and a new religioun,
and seyn +tat Bapti+gst was to hard, and Cristus li+gf was to   #
large,
but +tei han founden a good mene and vertuows to lyuon inne.
And +tus bo+te clerkys seclerus, and +tese newe religious       #
forsake 
+tes two wey+ges and taken wey+ge of +te feend; for +tere is    #
noon o+tur
wey+ge but Cristus weye and +te feendys, sy+t no man may lyue   #
in
vertewes but +gif +tat he sewe Crist, and noo man may lyue in
synne byt +gif he sewe in +tat +te feend. Bo+te +tese eendys    #
been to
blame, but more +tese newe religious, for +tese ypocri+gtes     #
leuen
Crist and Iohn Baptist his prophete, and chesun hem a new weye
+tat mut ofte tymes be clowtid, and be dispensud wi+t by        #
antecrist,
as +te feend techu+t hem. +Te seculeris ben lasse ypocrites,    #
but +tei
<P I,339>
lyuen al amys, si+t +tei dwellen wi+t kyngus and lordis for to  #
getun
hem benefices, and in +te mene tyme +tei lyuen in lustis and    #
leuen
+te stat +tat +tei schulden kepe. And +tus blynde men lede +te  #
blynde
and bo+te fallen in +te lake. For +ter is noon o+tur wey+ge,    #
but ow+tur
wenden vpward aftyr Crist, or ellys to wende down aftyr +te     #
feend
into +te deppuste lake of alle. +Ge! +tese +tat seemen in       #
hey+gere stat
suen Petre in his errour, and seyen 'Syre, God forbede' - +tat  #
+tow
lyue +tus in +ti membris, for wytt and worschipe +tat +tow      #
schuldest
haue. And, certys, alle suche ben sathanas, for +tei wolen      #
reuerse
Crist, o+tur addyng to Cristys lawe or ellys wi+tdrawyng +tat   #
he 
bad. 

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<X X>
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<H X>
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<I X>
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<P I,355>
[} (\DOMINICA I POST OCTAVAM EPIPHANIE.
[{EUANGELIUM.{] SERMO 32.\) }]
     
[} (\CUM FACTUS ESSET IESUS. LUCE 2.\) }]

This gospel tellu+t a lore of Crist whanne he was twelue +ger   #
olde,
and +tis lore is ful of miracles, as o+tre dedis ben +tat he    #
dyde. +Te
story tellu+t +tat, (^whan Iesu was maad of twelue +ger old,    #
he wente wi+t
Ioseph and Marie vnto Ierusaleem, as +tei hadden custoom at     #
Pasc for to
make +tis pilgrymage. And whanne +te day+ges weren endyde^) of  #
makyng of
+tis pilgrymage, (^his fadyr and his modur wenten hoom and      #
Crist lefte
alone in +te cyte. And his fadyr and his modyr wyste not^)      #
+tat Iesu was left
byhynde, for children hadden in free custom to chesen we+tur    #
+tat
+tei wolden wende wi+t fadyr or wi+t modyr; and +tus Ioseph
wende +tat Crist hadde comen wi+t his modyr, and owre Lady
supposede +tat Crist hadde comen wi+t Ioseph. And among Iewes
was +tis religiou[{n{] kept +tat men schulde goo by hemself and
wymmen by hemself, for +tei kepten hem fro lecherye in sych
pilgrimage; but now pilgrimage is mene for to do lecherye. And
al +tis ordeynede owre Maister for to techen his chirche to
enforme +te prelatis aftyr general doyngis, for errour in hem   #
is
<P I,356>
more and more harmful to +te chirche. And whanne +tei weren
mette togedre and wantedon +te child Iesu, (^+tei wenden +tat   #
he hadde
ben in feleschipe wi+t som kyn of his frendis^) . And +tei      #
wenten a+geyn to
sekon hym among hem, and (^o day +tei wenton a+gen and fownden  #
hym
not^) in +te weye. +Te +tridde day +tei sowten in +te citee     #
and +tey
fownden hym not. (^And aftyr +te +tridde day +tei fownden hym   #
in +te
temple, syttyng among doctours, heryng and axynge hem^) . No    #
drede +tat
ne Crist kepte good ordre in his doyng, furst heryng and aftyr
axyng wordys of +te lawe. (^And alle +tat herden hym hadden     #
wondyr vpon
his wisdom and hise answerys^) ; and, seynge +te +gouk+te of    #
+te child, (^+tei
hadden wondyr of his dedis. And his modyr seyde to hym 'Sone,   #
why dedust
+tow +tus to vs? Loo! +ti fadyr and I bo+te sorwyng han sowt    #
+te.' And Crist
seyde vnto hem, 'Warto han +ge sowt me? Ne wiste +ge not +tat   #
I muste be in
+te nedys of my Fadyr?^) And here schulde prelatis lerne        #
furst to
worschipe +tere God and to seruen his chirche, byfor +tat +tei
bussyeden hem abowte worldly werkys. For eche man schulde
serue God, byfore +tat he seruede o+tur +ting, for his furste   #
entent
schulde be to worchype God whateuere he dide; and +tis mut
nede be in Crist, for he dide alle +ting as he schulde. (^But   #
+tei
vndyrstoden not +te word^) +tanne (^+tat Crist spak here to     #
hem. And Crist wente
doun wi+t hem^) fro Ierusaleem (^to Nazare+t, and he was suget  #
vnto hem^) in
+tingus +tat +tei beden hym do. (^And his modyr kepte alle      #
+tese wordis,
beryng hem in her herte. Iesu profi+gtede in wisdom, in age     #
and in grace
bo+te to God and to man^) . We schullen wyte +tat owre Iesu,    #
si+t he was
<P I,357>
+tis manhede and suget to o+tre men, and growyde in waxyng
[{and{] in elde, he profi+gtude in connyng wyche +tat cam of    #
his
wittes. But he hadde connyng of godhede and blessyde connyng
of man, by whiche he was in al his tyme ylyche wys and knew     #
alle
+ting.
   Here may holy chirche knowe bo+te religioun of Crist and
partis of +tis religioun, as obedience and mekenesse. For       #
Crist was
suget to his lesse and seruede hem ful mekely, for Goddis lawe
tawte hym +tat +tei weren enspiryd more +tan Crist was bodily.
And Godes rewle schulde suffice to men, al +gif +tei clowtede   #
not
newe rewlus. For Crist tawte parfi+gtly a ful rewle for alle    #
cristene
men; and hit is a fowl pruyde to clowten oure erroures to his
wisdam, for oold clo+t clowted to newe maki+t more hole, as     #
Crist
sei+t. And we ben certeyn of owre byleue +ta Crist ha+t mesured
his ordre in li+gtnesse and in fredom, more +tan o+tur men      #
konne
schape. How schulde blynde fooles aftyr amende +tis rewle +tat
Crist ha+t +gyuen? And so God enforme+t men of +tis pryuate     #
ordres
+tat +tre +tingus of here ordres ben ydele and noyows: furst    #
+ter
clowtyng of her rewle, and si+ten +ter obedience, and aftyr     #
+ter
obligacioun to +ter abytis and o+tre vses.
   Furst, Cristes rewle were fully sufficient to alle men, and  #
more
free and more li+gt and of more auctorite. How myhte +te feend  #
for
schame cumbre men wi+t sich clowtyng? +Gif a man schulde
wenden aweye, hit were no nede to chargen hym wi+t +tingus +tat
weren not profi+gtable, +gif he hadde ynow bysyde. And so, as   #
God
<P I,358>
forfende+t men for to adde to his lawe or for to drawe          #
+terfro, for
hit is maad in ful mesure, riht so we schulden holden his       #
rewle, by
whyche he teche+t alle cristene men, nei+tur adde to ne drawe
+ter fro leste we peyren Godes ordenaunce. And luytel errour    #
in
+tis byleue growe+t to more in long tyme, and +tis feendis
blasfemye in God distorble+t +te chirche more and more. 
   As anemptys obedience, hit is knowen +tat Cristys obedience
kept clene were sufficient to alle men here on lyue. And o+tur
obedience +tat is clowted do+t harm manye wey+ges, for hit
suppose+t +tat +tis prelat erru+t not in his comaundementis,    #
but
euermore bidde+t hise sugetis +te same +ting +tat God bidde+t.  #
And
+tus eche prelat schulde ben yliche wys and euene wi+t God. And
whanne +tei ben made prelatis by synful menus, as ofte          #
falli+t, God
schulde algatis +giuen hem wit and confermen hem in grace, for  #
+gif
+tei myhten aftyr do synne, +tei myhten be prowde in +ter       #
prelacye
and rewlen here sugetis amys a+gen +te comaundementis of God.
And +tanne were hit profi+gtable to wante siche blynde          #
lederis, si+t
affiaunce in God and preyng of hise gouernayle my+gte not       #
fayle to
men, but +gif +tei schal fayle furst. Lord! why ordeyned not    #
God
suche ordres in +te olde lawe, ne in stat of innocens, but      #
destruyde
newe +tat wer maade? Whe+tur God be not now as wys as he was
in +te olde lawe, and ordeyne now for his spouse as tendirly    #
as he
dide +tanne? And +tus alle +tese newe ordres be+t fulle of      #
heresye.
   And as anemptis +tese newe habites, certeynly +tei ben of    #
+te
feend, but +gif +ter be som nedful cawse by[{n{]dyng men +tus   #
to
hem; for ellis +tei weren superflu+g, and to of God but of +te  #
feend,
si+t +tei taryen mennys wittis and her kepyng from Godis        #
werkis. 
<P I,359>
But hit is knowen +ting to men +tat +tese habitis profi+gte     #
not to
werkis of vertewys, but huyden +tese ypocri+gtes, si+t +tei     #
may wi+t
suche habitis be qwike feendis in +tis world. And +gif +tei     #
profi+gten
by any cas, +tei do+t harm ofture, as do+t synne, and crien to  #
men
ypocrisie of suche ordris +tat vsen hem. And +gif +tese signes  #
ben
false, +tei maaken men false +tat vson hem. And so algatis,     #
si+t
vertewis my+gte be kepte wi+towten syche signes moore pryuely
and sicurly, +tei ben brow+gte in by +te feend, and specially   #
to
chargen hem more +tan counselis or maundementis of God. Eche
man mut haue som custom; but looke he wedde hym not +terwi+t,
ne bussye hym not +tat hit be kept of manye men, for +tei ben
dyuerse, and axen dyuerse customes aftyr +tat God moue+t        #
h[{e{]m. 

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<A X>
<C M3>
<O 1350-1420>
<M 1350-1420>
<K CONTEMP>
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<V PROSE>
<T SERMON>
<G X>
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<W X>
<X X>
<Y X>
<H X>
<U X>
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<J X>
<I X>
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<P I,373>
[} (\DOMINICA QUINTA [{POST OCTAVAM EPIPHANIE.
EUANGELIUM.{] SERMO 36.\) }]

[} (\SIMILE EST REGNUM CELORUM HOMINI QUI SEMINAUIT. MATHEI     #
13.\) }]

Crist in +tis parable tellu+t +te stat of his chirche, and      #
sey+t +tat (^+te
kyndam of heuene is ly+gk to a man +tat sew good seed in his    #
feld^) . +Te
kyndam of heuene tellu+t bo+te togydre, Crist and his meyne,    #
but
Crist pryncipally; and herfore Crist is often clepyd +te        #
kyndam of
heuene, and +te chirche, +tat is his wif, is o persone wi+t     #
hym. And
+tus +te kyngdam of heuene sey+t +tis spowse and +tis wif. But  #
here ys
+te kyngdam take for Iesu Crist, +tat is bo+te God and man, and
ordeynu+t wel for his chirche. (^+Tis man sew furst good seed   #
in +te feeld^) of
+tis chirche, for he prentide good fei+t in herte of hise       #
seruauntis;
and +tis seed is Godis woord, as Crist hymself sei+t. Furst     #
+tis seed
growide clene and browte for+t good fruyt, but +te feend hadde
enuye +tat +tis seed growide +tus; (^and +tis man, +tat is      #
enemye^) to Crist
and his chirche, (^caam and sew tarus whan men weren            #
aslepe^) . For, by +te
dowyng of +te chirche and neclygence of prelatis, is mannys     #
lawe
medlud wi+t Godys lawe, and +tese dowble mennys lawes, +te
<P I,374>
popis and +te emperowres, letten Godis lawe to growe, and gnare
+te chirche as taris gnaren corn and lettu+t hit to +tryue.     #
And +te
fend wente awey and cesude somwhat to tempte men, for he was
syker of +tis tare +tat hit schulde myche lette +te chirche.    #
And +tis is
+te cautel of +te feend: to wi+tdrawen his malice, and schewe   #
signes
as myraclis whan he ha+t sowen euyl seed, as +gif God were wel
payed wi+t sowyng of sych seed; and, as wete somerus norischen
siche taris, so lustful lyf of men +tat schulden florischen in  #
vertewis
bryngu+t in syche lawes bysyde wordis of byleue. And +tis       #
lettu+t
trewe men to telle Godis lawe, and lettu+t +te chirche to       #
growe in
fei+t and o+tre vertewis. And furst, whan +te chirche growede   #
wi+t
+tis tare, +gif hit was hyd longe aftur +te dowyng, but si+t    #
was +tis
tare schewyd and Godis lawe hid, for manye wete someris ben
come to +te chirche; and so mannys lawe growe+t and Godus lawe
is lettyd, and specially by lawis of +tese newe ordres. But     #
whan
malice of +tese lawes was knowen to trewe men, +tanne +tei and
aungelis speke to God and preyden hym +tat +tei myhten gedren
awey +tese tares, so +tat Godis lawe myhte renne frely as hit   #
furst
dyde. (^But Crist denye+t +tis to hem^) for harm +tat myhte     #
come, for
good corn myhte be drawen vp byfore +tat hit were ripe, as      #
trewe
men in God myhten be sone cullyde +gif +tei schewedon to myche
+tis cause of clennesse of Godis lawe. But God ha+t ordeynet    #
his
seed to growe til hit be rype, as God ha+t ordeyned his         #
membris to
helpon a+geyn +te fendys lymes, as long[{e{] as hit is good     #
+tat +te
chirche profi+gte heere by hem. And +tus +gif sowyng of +te     #
feend
<P I,375>
tarie+t here Cristis chirche, and maki+t Cristis corn here ful  #
+tinne,
and maki+t +ticke +te feendis lymes, ner+teles +tis good corn   #
growe+t
more medily to +te chirche for +tei han moore lettyng. But wel  #
is
hym +tat may stoonde!
   And herfore bydde+t Crist +tat (^men schullen suffre bo+te   #
+tese t[{w{]o
growe til +te tyme of repyng, and +tanne schal he seye to +te   #
reperis 'Gedre +ge
furst +tes tarys togydre, and bynde+t hem in knychys to brenne; #
but gedre
+ge +te goode corn to my berne.'^) Tyme of +tis repyng is       #
cleput +te day of
doom or ellis tyme nyh hit, and +tese reperis ben goode         #
aungelis,
+tat gedren partis of Cristis chirche, and +tese goode aungelis
schullen bynde Cristis enemyes in knycchenys, and aftyr +tei
schulle brennen in helle by +te ri+gtful doom of God, and trewe
seruauntis of Crist schullen be gedrede by goode aungelis and
come to heuene as Godis berne. And heere supposen somme men,
si+t hit is nyh doomes day, +tat sone heraftyr schal be         #
destruyet
bo+te mannys lawe and here makeris; and so, +gif God wole,      #
bo+te
ypocrites and tyrauntis schullen be destruyed, as +te antipope  #
wi+t
his cowrt and +tese newe religiouse, and +tan schal Godis lawe
reygne wi+t +te trewe partis of his chirche. For, as +tis       #
gospel telli+t,
+tese taares schul be gedrid furst, but at +te day of doom      #
Cristis
lymes schulle furst be counfortid. And so hit semu+t +tat Crist
speki+t here of tyme byfore +te day of dom. And +tus he meue+t
manye men for to trete +tis mater now; and prey+ge we alle
deuoutly +tat God doo here as hym liku+t, and stonde we stif in
Godis lawe, and preyse we hit byfore +tis taare.
<P I,376>
   Manye men musen of +te vndirstondyng of +tis gospel and
+tenkon +tat hit ys folye to spekon a+genus anticrist, si+t     #
trew+te of
Godis lawe tellu+t +tat he schal vencusche cristene men for a   #
tyme;
and we may see +tis atte y+ge. And +tus tellu+t +te gospel      #
+tat [{God{]
wole +tat tare growe tyl +te day of doom among good corn; but
who schulde reuerse God and don a+geynes his wille? Here        #
schulle
we suppose comun byleue and comun distinccions +tat ben seyde
in Latyn. And +tanne me +tinku+t +tat we schulden preye +tat    #
Godis
wille be don, as hit is in heuene so here in er+te; and ouer    #
+tis we
schulden stonde sad in byleue of God and lyuen in vertewys, as
Godis lawe bydde+t vs, and assente not to synne of anticrist    #
+tat
reigne+t now, but haue sorwe +terfore, si+t Crist hadde sorwe   #
for
synne and wepte neuere but +tryes for synne, as Godis lawe      #
teche+t
vs, and resoun acorde+t herwi+t si+t synne is moste euel. And   #
so we
schilden more haue sorwe for synne +tan for any o+ter euel.
And +tus, +gif we myhten lette synne, we schulden be Godis
procuratours, al +gif we dyen +terfore and profi+gten here no   #
more.
But lyue we wel, and God faylu+t not to counselen vs how we
schullen do. And +tus assente we not to synne, but profi+gte    #
we as
God biddi+t vs. And herby may we answere to +te feendis
argument: suppose we +tat anticrist schal vencusche trewe men
for a tyme, but +tis is in bodily victorie, and not in          #
vencuschyng of
trew+te, for +tus he vencusche+t no man but euere is ouercomen
<P I,377>
hymself. And +tus trewe men schillen euere haue matere for to
fi+gte goostly bo+te wi+t +te feend and his membris +tat ben    #
wickede
men of +tis world. And so wi+t [{+tis{] vndirstondyng fi+gte    #
we wisly
wi+t +tis world; but algatis looke +tat we ben armed wi+t       #
pacience
and charite, and +tanne +te fi+gtyng of +te feend may no weye   #
don vs
harm. And +gif +tis skyle schulde meue men to parforme Godis
wille, neuere schulde man fi+gte wi+t synne, for God wole +tat
synne profi+gte. But what wyten we wher tyme be come +tat God
wole +tat +tis tare be destruyed? And herfore worche we wisly,  #
and
fi+gte we a+geynes +te feend, si+t +tis stonde+t wi+t Godis     #
lawe and wi+t
fullyng of Godis wylle. 

<Q M3 IR SERM WSERM43>
<N WSERM I/S43>
<A X>
<C M3>
<O 1350-1420>
<M 1350-1420>
<K CONTEMP>
<D EML>
<V PROSE>
<T SERMON>
<G X>
<F X>
<W X>
<X X>
<Y X>
<H X>
<U X>
<E X>
<J X>
<I X>
<Z INSTR REL>
 
<P I,412>
[} (\DOMINICA IIII QUADRAGESIME. [{EUANGELIUM.{]
SERMO 43.\) }]

[} (\ABIIT IESUS TRANS MARE. IOHANNIS 6.\) }]

This gospel tellu+t +te furste feeste +tat Crist maade to +te   #
puple by
multiplyyng of mete, as +tre gospellis tellen. +Te story        #
tellu+t +tat
(^Iesu wente ouer +te watyr of Galilee, +tat is clepud          #
Tyberyadis^) and monye
o+tre names for townes and cuntrees +tat hit +gede bytwyxen.    #
(^And a
greet multitude sewede Crist herfore +tat +tei say+gen +te      #
signes +tat Crist dide
on syke men.^) And Iesus, whan he cam ouur +tis watur of        #
Galilee, (^he
wente into an hyl and sat +tere wi+t hise disciples. And Pasch  #
was ful ny+g, a
greet feeste among Iewes. And whan Iesu caste vp hise ei+gen,   #
and saw a ful
greet multitude was comen to hym, he seyde vnto Philip 'Wherof  #
schulle we
bugghe loues +tat +tese men ete?' And +tis seyde Crist to       #
tempte Philip, for he
wiste what he was to do. And Philip seyde to Crist +tat loues   #
of two hundret
pens suffisede not to hem, +tat eche man take a luytelwhat.     #
And on of Cristis
disciples, Andrew, Petres bro+tur, seyde to Crist '+Ter was a   #
child +tat hadde
fyue barly looues and two fysches, but what ben +tese among so  #
manye men?'
And Iesu seyde to hem to maken hem sytte down to +te mete, for  #
+tere was
myche hey+g in +te same place. And so +tei sat to +te mete, as  #
fyue +towsande
men. And Iesu took +tese fyue loues, and +gaf +tankyng to God,  #
and delude
<P I,413>
among +tese syttynge men, and also of +te fysches, as myche as  #
+tei wolden. 
And whanne +tei weren fyllude, Crist seyde to hise disciples,   #
'Gedre +ge +tat
ben laft, releues, +tat +tei perysche not.' And so +tei         #
gedreden, and fulden
twelue cophynes of relef of fyue barly loues and two fyschis    #
+tat weren lefte of
hem +tat hadden eton. And +tese men, whan +tei hadden seyn +te  #
syngne +tat
Crist hadde don, +tei seyden^) +tus of hym (^'+Tis a verrey     #
prophete +tat is to
comen into +tis world.'^)
   +Tis bodily foode by whiche Crist fedde +te folc bytokne+t   #
gostly
fode, by whiche he fedi+t mankynde. His passyng ouer +tis watur
wi+t hise disciples is passyng ouer worldly perelis to take     #
Godis
loore. Cristus syttyng in +tis hul is rysyng to spiritual lyf,  #
and
Cristes lookyng on +te puple is gostly mercy do to hem. And
steiyng into +te hul of Iesu wi+t hise disciples is takyng of   #
goostly
ly+gf for to lerne Cristes lawe. Axsyng of Philip, +tat was     #
maad to
schewe +te myracle more, and for to haue betture in muynde, is
fullyng of Godes word in deede. +Tese fyue loues +tat Andrew
schewede ben hard lyf, +tat men mote lyue byfore +tei konnen
Cristus lore. And two fysches ben +tenkyng of God and heuene.
Syttyng down in +te hey+g is meeke +towt of mannys frelte. And  #
so
Andrew vndurstod more +tan Philip +tat God, +tat                #
mult[{i{]plyede
mete as +te lawe tellu+t by Helisee, my+gte li+gtly multiplye   #
+tis
mete, and so feden al +tis puple; but wi+towten myracle my+gte  #
not
<P I,414>
so myche puple be fed of Crist. And +tese fyue +towsande of men
wi+towte wymmen and children ben +te nowmbre +tat schal be
sauyd by +tis spirytual foode, for fyue is a rownde nowmbre     #
+tat
turne+t wi+towten eende into hymself; and so not alle +tat ben  #
fed
+tus schullen come to +te blisse of heuene. +Te twelue          #
cophynes of
relif ben alle +te seyntis gloses +tat ben gedered of Godis     #
lawe to
feede +te puple afterward. And goostly loore ha+t proprete to   #
be
multiplyed in men, for of o lore come+t ano+tur, and al is +te  #
same
trew+te. And by +tis fode men +tanken God, and seyn +tat Crist  #
is
+tat greete prophete +tat is to comen into +tis world and       #
fullen hit of
heuenely lore. For of o+tre myracles of Crist +tis myracle is   #
on of +te
meste: +tat so fewe disciples of hise fylledon +te world in so  #
schort
tyme wi+t +te same gospel of Crist; and he hit was +tat dide    #
+tis
myracle.
   And here men meuon +tre dowtis. Furst how Crist absentyde
hem fro Ierusaleem at +tis pasc, si+t Baptist hertly repreuede
Herowde, and Crist was more hardy +tan Iohn for to suffre
passioun for +te loue of mankynde. But here we trowen +tat Iesu
Crist, si+t he is bo+te God and man, dide alle hise dedis at    #
poynt
deuys, and myhte no wey+ge ben amendyd. And +tus he absentede
hym now to profi+gte more to his chirche, for his tyme was not
come to dyen at +te Pasc +tat he hadde ordeynot. For, as men    #
seyn
comunly, Crist muste passe +tis secounde Pasch, and in +te      #
+tridde
Pasch dye gladly for mankynde. And so Crist suffrede more       #
freely
+tan Baptist or o+tre martires, but he was more nedid by        #
wisdam to
suffren as hymself hadde cast. And so, as Crist hymself hadde
ordeyned, Baptist schulde dye byfore, and so go to purgatorye,
<P I,415>
and be taken owt by Crist. And +tus Crist +gaf ensaumple to vs  #
to
flee de+t whanne he meue+t vs, as al his lyf was ensaumple to   #
teche
men how +tei schulde lyue. 
   The secounde dowte is axsed here, why Crist wolde not take   #
+te
rewme of Iude +tat was owyd to hym, si+t +te puple profrede hit
hym anon aftyr +tis myracle +tat Crist hadde fed +tus +te       #
folc. But
here men seyn as to +te furste +tat hit were a maner of bigyng  #
to haue
+te rewme for such a feeste, and of puple +tat was so symple.   #
Also,
al +gif Crist was kyng, he wolde not +tus reigne worldlily, ne  #
hym
was owed no sych rewme, si+t God wolde not +tat hit were so.    #
Also
Crist ordeyned hymself to lyue wi+towte wrong of anye man, and
so he wolde not reigne +tus wi+towte +te emperowres leue, +tat  #
men
schulden wyte +tat his lyf no weye reuersude +te emperowr; and  #
so
wytnesses +tat acusodon hym in tyme of his de+t weren oponly
false. And +tus, as owre Lord forsok to be looued of +te        #
feendis, so
he forsok now to take +tis rewme +tus of +tis puple.
   The +tridde dowte +tat sewe+t +tese two is how Crist my+gte
disseruen in suffryng of his passioun, si+t he was nedud to     #
suffre
+tus. But here we wyton, as Crist was nedud to suffre and dyen  #
as
he hadde ordeynot, so he was nedyt to haue blisse for +tis      #
willeful
passioun, si+t al +tis passioun of Crist was more willeful      #
+tan o+tur
my+gte be; and for so myche wilfulnesse was his passioun more
medful. And here +tese blynde heretykes wanton wyt as ydiotes,
whan +tei seyn +tat Petur synnede not in smytyng of Malcus      #
here,
<P I,416>
but +gaf ensaumple to preestis to fi+gte, and +tus Crist lettud #
hym
to fi+gte more; for hadde Petre and o+tre apostles fowten +tus,
+tanne +tei hadden lettud +te passion of Iesu Crist and sauyng  #
of
mankynde. But here +tese blynde heretykes, +tat ben vnable to
conceyue sutilte of holy writ, schulden furst lerne +ter owne
wordis. So+t hit is +tat alle +tingus mote nede come as God     #
ha+t
ordeyned, and so eche dede of Crist mut nede be doon as he dide
hyt. And +tus, +gif men schulde not sewe Crist her, fore he     #
muste
neede suffre, noo cristene man schulde sewe Crist in noo +ting  #
+tat
he dyde, for alle +te +tingus +tat Crist dide musten nedly      #
comen as
+tei cam. And so suche heretykes musten nede sewen anticrist    #
and
be dampned wi+t hym for defawte of here byleue. And +gif +tei   #
seyn
+tat +tis is false, +tat alle +tingus mute +tus nedely come -   #
Lord! how 
dremyden +tese foolys +tanne +tat, +gif Petur hadde fowte for+t
+tanne, Crist schulde not haue suffred de+t ne haue bowt mannys
kynde? Certes +tese ydiotis kan not schewe how +tis schulde     #
sewen
of any trew+te, but +gif +tei supposen here +tat +tus hit       #
muste nedis
be. And +gif we schulden herfore lette to take ensawmple to     #
sewe
Crist, we schulden lette euermore to sewe Crist and take his    #
lore.
But, si+t Crist reprouede Petre, and seyde a cause general +tat
'whoeuere smyte+t +tus wi+t swerd, he schal perische by Godis
<P I,417>
word', hit is knowe +ting +tat Petre synnede in +tis fi+gtyng;  #
and
more schulden preestes fi+gte not for a cause of lasse valu. 


<S SAMPLE 2>

<Q M3 IR SERM WESERM1>
<N WSERM I/ES1>
<A X>
<C M3>
<O 1350-1420>
<M 1350-1420>
<K CONTEMP>
<D EML>
<V PROSE>
<T SERMON>
<G X>
<F X>
<W X>
<X X>
<Y X>
<H X>
<U X>
<E X>
<J X>
<I X>
<Z INSTR REL>

<P I,475>
[} [\II. SERMONS ON 
THE SUNDAY EPISTLES\] }] 

[} (\DOMINICA PRIMA ADUENTUS DOMINI. [{EPISTOLA.  
SERMO 1.{] \) }]

[} (\SCIENTES QUIA HORA EST. ROMANOS 13.\) }]

We takon as byleue +tat epistlis of apostlis ben gospelis of    #
Crist, for
he spac hem alle in hem, and Crist may not erre; and alle +te 
gospelis spekon goode ti+tingus of ioye of +te blisse of        #
heuene.
And, al +gif +te Hooly Goost speku+t eche word of hooly writ,
ne+teles Crist spac in Poule more plenteuously and sutelly. And
+tis meue+t somme men to tellon in Englisch Poulis pistelis,    #
for
somme men may betture wyte herby what God mene+t by Poul.
   This epistle of Poul tellu+t how +tat men schulden byge      #
+ter 
tyme. For al +gif God +giue frely tyme, as ly+gt and o+tre      #
+giftus of 
kynde, ne+teles by synne of man tyme is lost to come to heuene;
and not only by synne of Adam, but by synne of yche man +tat 
wole not in vertu of Crist byge +te tyme +tat Crist +gyue+t     #
for to
wynne +te blisse of heuene. And +tis marchaundise schulde eche
man do specially for +tis cause: for +te dayes for synne ben    #
yuele, 
and maken monye to leese +ter tyme. Poul bygynne+t to sture     #
+tus 
to take heed to Godus tyme, and to leese not +tis tyme,         #
leeuynge to
disserue blisse. Bre+tren, (^we schulen be wytynge +tat our is  #
now us to ryse
<P I,476>
fro sleepe, for now is oure hel+te neer +tan it was whanne we   #
byleuedon.^) Yche
man coueytu+t kyndely to haue blisse +tat God ha+t ordeyned to 
mankynde to reston inne. But monye men contraryen hemself,
for +tei coueyton comunly to haue +tis blis, but +ter lust and  #
fleschly 
wyt letton hem to wynne +tis blis, and bryngon reson aslepe,    #
and
make men to contrarye hemself. For yche man schulde furst
coueyte his beture and fle his yuel, and so a man schulde more
wylle blisse +ten any sensible lif here. And +tis taku+t Poul   #
as byleue
whonne he biddu+t men rise fro slep. And Poul mene+t by +tis    #
sleep 
synne +tat foolis lyuon ynne; for, ry+gt as man whon he slepu+t
wanti+t wyt to kepe hym and is ner deed +ten a beest, so it is  #
of
synful m[{a{]m, for what deede euere he do+t, hyt lettu+t       #
+tanne to
disserue blisse, and disposu+t hym to +te peyne of helle, +tat  #
is 
worse +tan bestis de+t. And for men schulden rise on morwe and  #
do
+ter werkis aftur resoun, and men han now luytul tyme to regard
of oolde fadris, +terfore sei+t Poule here +tat our is now to   #
rise from
slep; an our is a luytul tyme, and sunne of ri+gtwisnesse       #
is vppe.
   The secounde word +tat Poul sei+t sture+t to +te wyt of +te  #
formere
word, whonne he sei+t +tat now is oure hel+te more ny+g +tan
whonne we byleuedon. It is knowon by kyndely skyle +tat +to
+tingus +tat mouen kyndely mouen fastere toward +te ende. And   #
it
is also knowon by skyle +tat, as tyme passu+t to men, so it     #
come+t
ny+g domesday, whonne men schullen haue fully +ter hel+te;      #
for, al
+gif Crist be mennys hel+te, +get he maki+t not hel+te in man   #
but as
reson of tyme axsu+t. And herfore to +te day of doom schal not  #
al
Cristus chirche be in ful hel+te, ne slepe in blisse wi+t hyre  #
spouse.
To +tis entent speki+t Poul in +te persone of al hooly chirche  #
+tat
now, whon +te tyme is passud to byleue +tat +te incarnacion is  #
to 
<P I,477>
come, but +tat +te incarnacion is passud, as +te chirche        #
see+t
ascencion, it mot nedis now be neer to +te ful hel+te of +te    #
chirche
+tan it was byfore tyme, whan +te chirche only byleuede. For    #
now
+te chirche passu+t byleue of +te incarnacion of Crist, si+t    #
it wot wel
in heuene +tat Crist ha+t longe be +tere man. And +tis schulde  #
moue
cristene men to disserue hastly blisse, si+t +tei be neer +te   #
ende +tat
+tei coueyton kyndely. 
   And to +tis wyt speku+t Poul aftur, (^+te ny+gt^) , he       #
sei+t, (^ha+t gon byfore,
and certis +te day schal come ny+g. And +terfore caste we awey  #
+te werkis of 
derknesses, and be we clo+tude wi+t armys of ly+gt. Walke we    #
honestly as in 
day.^) Here men vndurstonden ofte by +tis ny+gt +te ny+gt of    #
synne.
For as aungelis were not confermede, but euere stoden in ny+gt  #
of 
grace, so mankynde, si+t it was maad, stoot sumwhat in ny+gt
of synne tyl +tat Crist was maad man. And he is sunne of
ri+gtwisnesse, and he may not falle to synne si+t he is         #
ri+gtwisnesse
hymself. And herfore seyon grete men +tat Moyses in book of
Genesis was moued by God to sey+ge +tus +tat 'euon and morwon
was maad o day'. And by +tis ordre of +tese wordis God techu+t
how synne wente byfore. But be we war and trowe we not +tat
God hymself made synne. But bo+te in aungel and in man was a
maner of derknesse byfore +tat God confermede hem; and +tis
confermyng was by his Sone. And aftur +te furste tyme of +te    #
world
Adam and Eue synnedon, and not in +te furste tyme in etyng of   #
+te
forfendyd appul. But +get byfore God confermede hem +tei hadden
a derknesse of euyn, and wantyng of Godus grace +tat cam
whonne +tei weron confermede. And +tus, al +gif Adam was
confermyd as sone as he was maad of God (for Godus ordynaunce
<P I,478>
was +tanne vpon hym +tat he schulde +tanne come to blisse),
ne+teles Adam was kyndely byfore +tat he was confermed of God.
+Tis day +tat schal come aftur is vndurstonden +te day of       #
doom. But
somme men +tenkon more sutely +tat +tis day of ordre, bytwixe
+te kynde +tat man hadde furst and grace +tat he ha+t of        #
Crist. And
to +tis wyt speku+t Poul +tat, si+t +tis ordre is reuersud by   #
grace of
Crist +tat furst ys li+gt, and si+ten schyne+t vpon kyndely     #
euyn, we
schulden caston awey werkis +tat ben of derknesse of synne, and
furst in +tis goostly gendrure be clo+tude wi+t armys of +te    #
furste
ly+gt. And +tis dyuysion in mannys kynde, and priorite in       #
li+gt of
grace, ben tolde here bi wordis of Poul, whon he clepu+t        #
'werkis of
derknesses' but synglerly 'armys of ly+gt'. And +tus in +tis    #
heuenly
gendrure schulde we wandren in day of grace and flee derknesse
of synne, for ellis we kepe not Cristus ordre. It is knowon to
experte men +tat man schame+t kyndely to do monye synnys in
ly+gt, +tat he wolde do in derknesse, as ben lecherye and       #
+tefte and
monye o+tre syche synnys +tat man do+t in derknesse of ny+gt,   #
and
schame+t of hem in ly+gt of day. And herfore Poule byddu+t men
walke honestly as in day, +tat men schulde kepe hemself in      #
grace
by goode werkis, and fle synne; for ydelnesse in goode werkis
sture+t monye men to synne. And herfore Poul byddu+t us
walke - and not stonde ne ligge in +tis weye.
   And +get Poule specifie+t more of sixe synnes +tat men don.
(^Dwelle we not in ofte etyngis and drunkenesse[{s{] ^) +tat    #
sue+t aftur. Monye
men han a maner to ete ofte for to drynke, and +tis mete is an  #
ale
spore to sture hem ofte to drynke; and suche ofte etyngus of    #
men
ben clepude 'comessaciones', and ofte aftur suche etyngus sue+t
drunkenesse in men. But, for men in +tis lif reuerson +te       #
ordre of
God, +terfore in +tis secounde +gok Poule rykene+t synnys +tat
comen byfore. Suche men +tat synnen +tus liggen ofte to longe   #
in 
+ter beddis, and so +tei han vnchastnesse in +tou+gt, in word   #
and in
<P I,479>
dede. And herfore sei+t Poul aftur +tat we schulde (^not^)      #
reste (^in
beddis, ne in vnchastite^) +tat sue+t ofte aftur +tis reste.    #
For monye ben
temptude of fleschly synnes by suche cowchyngus in +ter beddis;
and, +gif +tei ryson and wakedon byfore, +tei schulden flee     #
such
vnchastite. And herfore monye men vson wel to come not in
bedde wi+t schetis, but be hulude aboue +te bed, and rison anon
whonne +tei ben temptude, and +tis seme+t Poule to teche more
+tan to rise at mydnyt. +Te +tridde +goc +tat Poule forfendi+t  #
is (^chydyng
and enuye^) , for +tese foure sustris byfore bryngon in         #
li+gtly +tese two;
for ydelnesse in +tis lif maki+t men to stryue aftur, and for   #
strif wi+t
yuele wordis ben men growndude in long enuye. But medicyne
for alle such synne is to (^be clo+tud in Iesu Crist^) . And    #
+tat man is
clo+tud in Crist +tat ha+t fresch muynde of his lif, and        #
clo+tu+t his
wille to sue hym, leste his soule be coold in loue. And +tis    #
were a
general medycyn to fle synnes and sue vertuwes, for no man may
synne in +tes but in defau+gte of clo+ting of Crist.
   And for +tis alle cristene men han nede to knowe byleue of   #
+te
gospel, and so to knowe +te lif of Crist, and +te wisdam of     #
hise
wordis. And so cristene men schulden wyte +tat Poulus wordis
passon o+tre writyngus in two +tingus: +tei ben pure, sutel,    #
and
plenteuous to preche +te puple. +Te sutilte of Poulis wordis    #
may
make me and foolis schame, whenne we konnen not vndurstonde
sutilte of his schorte wordis. +Tei ben also plenteuous, for
eche trew+te +tat Poul speku+t is knyttud wi+t eche poynt of    #
byleue;
and so aftur speche of oon may come speche of ano+tur, aftur    #
+tat
it profi+gtu+t to +te hereris, as +te laste word of +tis        #
epistle biddu+t us
be clo+tud wi+t Iesu Crist. And, si+t +tis is gostly clo+ting,  #
in whiche
mannys soule schulde be clo+tud, alle +te vertues of Iesu       #
Crist may
sittyngly be bro+gt hereinne. And, si+t alle vertuwes ben       #
hise, alle
vertuwes may heere be tau+gt; and vices +tat ben contrarye to
<P I,480>
vertues may be declarude to fle hem, as men +tat takon pryuate
sectis, or putte not Cristus secte aboue, (si+t +tis clo+t by   #
hitself
wolde suffise) faylon of +te clo+t of charite. And so it is to  #
drede to
hem +tat, in tyme of +te laste soper, +tei schullon be doumbe   #
for
defau+gte +tat +tei han in bride clo+t. +Tei schulde not be     #
clo+tude in
wollen and lynnene, ne putte secte of Crist byne+te, but putte  #
+tis
lordis clo+t aboue, and charge hem not wi+t o+tre clo+tis,      #
si+t Crist
byddi+t men of his suyt +tat +tei schulde not haue two cotis. 

<Q M3 IR SERM WESERM11>
<N WSERM I/ES11>
<A X>
<C M3>
<O 1350-1420>
<M 1350-1420>
<K CONTEMP>
<D EML>
<V PROSE>
<T SERMON>
<G X>
<F X>
<W X>
<X X>
<Y X>
<H X>
<U X>
<E X>
<J X>
<I X>
<Z INSTR REL>

<P I,521>
[} (\DOMINICA IIIJ POST [{OCTAVAM{] EPIPHANIE.
[{EPISTOLA.{] SERMO 1 [{1{] .\) }]

[} (\NEMINI QUICQUAM DEBEATIS. ROMANOS 13.\) }]

Poul teche+t here Romayns, and so alle cristene men, how +tei
schulden kepe charite +tat God +gyue+t; and +gif +tis vertu be  #
wel
kept of man tyl +tat tyme +tat he dye, oure byleue teche+t      #
+tanne
+tat +tis clo+t bryngu+t hym to blisse. Poule biddu+t at +te    #
furste +tis
word of myche wyt (^to no man owe +ge ony +ting, but +tat +ge   #
loue togydere^) .
Poul forfendu+t not dette of money, ne goode werkis of o+tre
vertuwis; but Poul wole +tat alle +tese dettis drawe to +tis    #
ende: to
loue togydere. And so eche man by +tis lawe is holdon ay to     #
loue
eche bro+tur. And so monye men in +tis world ben byhynde of
dette of loue; but God mot euere come byfore, to loue men +tat
haton hym. Take hed to ocur and o+tre synnes +tat sowne not in
charite, and counte not +tis anoon for dette by Poulis rewle of
byleue. And so +tis word wel vndurstondon dampne+t alle         #
errouris
in +te chirche. And so +tis o word of Poul axsu+t myche special
declaryng. And excusyng of ypocritis, +tat +tei kepon +tus      #
charite,
schal be dampned by +te hierste iuge, whanne noo synne may
asterte hym. Men of werre seyon comynly +tat +tei fy+gton for
charite, for so schulden +ter enemyes loue hem in such a caas;  #
and
+tus seyn plederis and pursuweris +tat +tei don +tus al for     #
loue. But
<P I,522>
+tis excusacion mot be iuged by Crist hymself; and +tis Lord is
charite, and knowe+t al resoun and al gabbyng.
   And so eche man here in er+te schulde lyue so iustly to his
bro+tur, bo+te in herte, in word and dede, +tat it sownede al   #
in
charite, For +gif he passe +tis rewle of Poul, he renne+t in    #
dette
a+genys his bro+tur. And Crist teche+t men to prey+ge hym +tat  #
he
for+gyue hem +tis dette, but ri+gt as +tei for+gyuon here       #
dettouris.
And +tus men byddon a+genus hemself +tat faylon in mercy to     #
+ter
bre+tren, for charite is vniustly knyttud. Muse +tow not how    #
God
biddu+t +tat +tou schuldust loue eche man, si+t monye men ben
vnknowone of +tee, and noon may loue but +tat he knowe+t; God
teche+t to knowe generally, and to loue aftur +tis knowyng. Do  #
no
wrong to +ti bre+tren, and +tow fullust +tis lore of Poul,      #
(^for whoeuere
loue+t his ney+gebore ha+t fulfullud +te lawe^) of God. +Gif    #
+tou sey+ge +tow
louest o man, and doost wrong to ano+tur, +tow gabbust to God
vpon +tiself, and hatust +tin furste frend. As, +gif monye men  #
baron
a wey+gte, and eche schulde helpe o+tur +terto, he +tat         #
faylu+t to
helpe oon, mut nedys fayle a+genys hem alle. And Poul tellu+t
afturward how +tis o word of loue comprehendi+t al +te lawe,    #
as he
schewe+t by fyue lawis. For +tis maundement of God +tat biddu+t
(^+tow schalt not be a lechour^) ; +te secounde maundement      #
+tat byddu+t
+tat (^+tow schalt not sle +ti bro+tur^) ; +te +tridde          #
maundement +tat biddu+t
+tat (^+tow schalt not stele his goodis^) ; +te four+te         #
maundement +tat
biddu+t +tat (^+tow schalt not seye false witnesse^) ; +te      #
fyue+te maundement
also (^+tow schalt not coueyte +ti ney+geborus good; and, +gif  #
+ter be ony o+tur
maundement, in +tis word it is instorud, +tow schalt loue +ti   #
ney+gebore as 
<P I,523>
+tiself^) . As monye pens ben closude in o tresour comynly, so  #
in +tis o
word of God ben comunly o+tre vndurstonden. He +tat ha+t +tis o
lawe, and kepu+t it wel as he schulde, ha+t fulfullud al +te    #
lawe, as
Poul sei+t and Iamys bo+te. And +tis (^loue of +ti ney+gebore   #
worchu+t no 
synne^) a+genys hym; and (^+terfore fulnesse of +te lawe is     #
loue^) , +gif it be wel 
takon.
   +Tis schort tresor of word of loue schulde be takon owt,     #
whanne
it is nede. For +tis tresour may not fayle, +gif it be          #
groundud in +te
furste loue; for +tat loue is wi+towton ende, and loue is +te   #
more +tat
it be vsud. Poule speku+t not here of fleschly loue ne of       #
worldli
loue, but of loue in God; for +tes two loues ben more hate, and
schendon loue +tat man schulde haue. For loue of God is ful of
resoun and holdu+t no +ting a+genys resoun; for, +gif it helde  #
a+genys
resoun, +tanne it were a+genys God. And +tus clene loue puttu+t #
owt
alle synne. And in +tis lore schulden men studye, and +tis      #
charite
schulde moue men to speke stabully herof. 
   And among alle men +tat synnon a+genys charite, +tes foure
sectis +tat newe ben comen wi+towton auctorite of Crist, semon
more stefly to synne a+geyn +te lawe of charite. And heere is
somwhat to speke a+genys +te furste of +tes foure. +Te furste   #
hed of
+tis secte is +te pope wi+t hise clerkis, and +ter maner of     #
lordly lif
a+genys +te lore +tat Crist tau+gte Petre. +Tis aggregat of     #
+tes alle ben
+te furste secte newe comen in; and alle +tes foure sectis ben
armede wi+t armure of ypocrisye. And somme clepon +tis furste
heed anticrist, for his lif. +Gif he sue his patroun as he      #
feyne+t he
suwe+t Crist, he suwe+t more +te emperour +tan o+tur Crist or
seynte Petre; for +te world is his patroun, and +te fadur of    #
prude
<P I,524>
also. Furst it seme+t +tat he synne+t in charite, +tat Poul     #
speku+t of,
for he disseyue+t mennys wyt by +tis foule ypocrisy. +Gif       #
Petre in his
lif was passynge o+tre apostlis, +tat weron his felowis in      #
pouerte
and mekenesse and in trauele for +te chyrche, +tanne he mut     #
haue
a successour contrarye to hym in alle +tes +tre. Certis a fend  #
of helle
schulde schame to disseyue men by such a skyle. And whanne
men ben +tus blyndude, he disseyue+t hem afturward of fredom
+tat Crist ha+t +gouen, and maki+t hem +tral by his lawis.      #
Petre ne
ony o+tre apostle durste not seye +tat he was so nedful, +tat
wi+towten his gouernayle moste +te chyrche nedis perische, and
by +tis blasfeme gabbyng sle monye +tousynde men. He is not on
Cristus syde, +tat puttude his soule for his schep, but on
anticristus syde, +tat putti+t monye soulis for his pruyde.     #
+Tis man
fedu+t not Cristus schep as Crist bad +tries to Petre, but      #
spuylu+t
hem, and sle+t hem, and ledu+t hem in monye wronge weyus. +Gif
he louyde Cristus schep, he schulde lede hem by Cristus lawe, 
and wature hem and make hem reste by +te lesewis, and by +te
watres +tat Crist ha+t ordeyned for hys schep. +Tis man +tat    #
+tus
hatu+t God, mot aftur nedys hate hymself, and alle his bre+tren
+tat he sei+t ben his schep, for his ri+gt cure. It seme+t      #
+tat no men
here in er+te reuersu+t more +tis lore of Poul. 

<Q M3 IR SERM WESERM27>
<N WSERM I/ES27>
<A X>
<C M3>
<O 1350-1420>
<M 1350-1420>
<K CONTEMP>
<D EML>
<V PROSE>
<T SERMON>
<G X>
<F X>
<W X>
<X X>
<Y X>
<H X>
<U X>
<E X>
<J X>
<I X>
<Z INSTR REL>

<P I,588>
[} (\ [{DOMINICA V POST PASCHAM. EPISTOLA. SERMO 27.{] \) }]

[} (\ESTOTE FACTORES UERBI. IACOBI PRIMO.\) }]

Iames teche+t in +tis epistle how +te religion of Crist         #
schulde be
clene kept of men wi+towten ordre of mannys fyndyng. And he
bygynne+t of +tis maner: (^be +gee doerys of Godus word and     #
not only
hereris, for +tanne +ge disseyuon +goureself^) by medelyng of   #
mannys ordre.
For alle +tes foure newe ordris moten be lernyng al +ter lif    #
of +te
rewle +tat +tei han foundon, bysyde +te rewle +tat Crist +gaf;  #
and by
+ter rewlus +tei ben tyede, as a bole by a stake, to dwelle at  #
home in
+ter cloystre, or to loue yuele +ter owne ordre. A+genys +tis   #
speku+t
Iamys heere wi+t o+tre auctores of hooly wryt. And Poul sei+t   #
to
Tymothe of +tes veyne newe ordris +tat +tei ben euermore
lernyng, and neuere comynge to fruyt +terof. It is knowon by
Godus lawe +tat heryng [{and lernyng{] of Godus word is schapon
of God for +tis ende, to teche it and do it in deede. So, +gif  #
a man
hadde ful knowyng of +tis word as Crist hadde, it were but      #
foly
and veyn to here and lerne more of +tis word. As +gif a lond    #
wolde
bere good corn wi+towte tylyng and donghyng +terof, it were     #
but 
ydel to traueyle +terfore, whonne it encresu+t not +te fruyt.
   And herfore sei+t Iames heere +tat +tes men disseyuon        #
hemself, as
<P I,589>
doon monye traueyloris in scole. (^For, +gif a man be herere    #
of^) Godus
(^word and no doere, +tis man schal be likned to man +tat       #
byholdu+t +te face of
his +gow+te in a myrour^) . And no drede +tes wordis of Iames   #
ben sutyl
and ful of wyt. And by techyng of God spekon somme men +tus of
+tes wordis, as tellon men of perspectif. +Ter ben +tre         #
maneris of
bodyly si+gt: +te furste si+gt is euene si+gt, as man see+t     #
+ting +tat is
byfore hym; +te secounde si+gt is reflectid, whanne it is       #
turned a+gen
by myrour; +te +tridde si+gt is reflexud, whanne it come+t by
dyuerse menys, and +tei ben of dyuerse kyndis, as +te mone is   #
seyn
a+genes ny+gt. And +tus men seen a peny in a dysch by heldyng   #
in of
watur, and ellys not; and by +tis si+gt may men see ful luytul  #
+ting
by fer space. +Te furste of +tese +tre si+gtus is moste cler    #
and mooste
certeyn. We schulden wyte ouer +tis for Iamys wordis +tat +tis  #
man,
+tat euere lerne+t and do+t not in deede Godis word, stonde+t
euermore in +te mene, and neuere come+t to +te fruyt +terof.    #
And
+tus he faru+t as a man +tat my+gte wel bettre se a +ting       #
wi+towte
myrour +tan wi+t myrour, and +geet he taku+t in veyn a          #
myrour;
and +tus he fallu+t in monye errouris of place and quantite of  #
+tat
+ting. And +tus +tes men +tat euere lernon and leuon to do      #
aftir +tis
lore, ben as lokeris in a myrour of fisege +tat +tei hadden in  #
+gow+te.
For +tis lore of Godus word schulde be a new lore and           #
vnparfi+gt
sy+gt, for +te ende in dede schulde come aftur +tat schulde be  #
euene
as +te furste si+gt. (^And +tus +tis^) man +tat (^loku+t hym    #
+tus +tow+gte^) on his
sowle (^for a tyme, but wente for+t^) by curyouste (^and        #
for+gat sone^) to worche
<P I,590>
+terfore. +Tus don men +tat stondon in science and worche not   #
aftur
by +tes science. And +tus ben men of veyn religioun, as Iames
teche+t oponly, for worche we here in good lif, as ende of      #
lore of
Godus word, and +tanne we schulen se in heuene myche bettre
vsself and alle o+tre +tingus. On +te +tridde maner of si+gt,   #
wi+t
curyouste +tat li+t +terynne, for we schulon se in Godus word   #
alle
+te +tingus +tat God ha+t maad, in a more cler kynde +tan is    #
+te
kynde +tat +tei han wi+towten. And clerkis clepon +tis          #
'intuicion' in
cler si+gt in God and blisse; and +tis +ting +tat we seen       #
+tere is in
substaunce God hymself, and in a maner +te same +ting +tat God
ha+t maad wi+towtefor+t. And +tus sei+t Iohn in his gospel      #
'+tat +ting
+tat is maad of God was lif in hym wi+towton ende', for it was
Godus kynde.
   And +tus sei+t Iames of Cristus religion +tat (^he +tat      #
loku+t in^) Godus
(^lawe^) , +tat is lawe (^of parfi+gt fredom, and dwellu+t      #
parfi+gtly in +tis lawe^) by
al his lif, wi+towton medelyng of mannys lawe +tat is derk,     #
(^and is not
maad for+getful herere, but makere of +te dede^) +tat he ha+t   #
herd, (^+tis man
schal be blessud in his deede^) . And +tis is +te beste fruyt   #
+tat may folwe
mannys lif here. God +towte not only on +tingus but made hem
wi+towton in +ter kynde; and so he wole not +tat men konnen     #
only, 
but +tat men do in deede +teraftur. And +tus +te +tridde        #
gospel of
Iohn my+gte be teeld on +Gol day. And of +tis declaru+t Iames   #
+tat
(^certis, +gif ony man gesse +tat he is a religious man, and    #
+geet refreyne[{+t{] not
his tonge, but disseyue+t his herte, his is a veyn              #
religioun^) . On monye
maneris oure religious disseyon hemself in vanyte. Furst +tei
refreyne not +ter mou+t in prey+geris, but for+geton to         #
worche; as +gif
<P I,591>
preyeris weron +te beste +ting by whiche men seruon and plesen
to God. On +te to+tur maner religious ben veyn, whanne +tei
lernon +ter owne rewlis and leuon +te rewle +tat God +gaf, and
ocupyon hem in +tis lore, to seye and synge wi+towte book; as   #
+gif
+tis plesude moost to God. On +te +tridde maner +tes ordris ben
veyn +tat prechon iapis to begge betture, and to susteyne hem
cloystres and howsus, and o+tre goodis +tat +tei coueyton. And
certis +tes lompus faylon here, as mowon gras +tat were         #
vnteddid;
for +tat gras mot nedis rote and fade in colour and swetnesse.
   But Iames tellu+t +tat (^clene religion, and religion        #
wi+towten wem
anentis God +te Fadyr^) of al, is religion +tat lyue+t +tus:    #
(^it visitu+t moderles
children and wydewys in +ter tribulacion, and kepu+t it         #
wi+towte wem fro^)
coueytise of (^+tis world^) . Lord! si+t Iames and o+tre        #
apostlis knewe
not +tes newe ordris and +tes cloystres, wi+t newe howsis and   #
o+tre
rytis +tat +tei han fowndon, what schulde moue to loue hem +tus
and leeue religion +tat God ha+t +gouon? It is blasfeme         #
vnbyleue,
howeuere +tat men spekon here. +Te apostlis weron tawt of +te   #
Holy
Goost for to wandre in +te world, and teche men bo+te by word
and deede, - for +tat lore is best to men, - and not to gedere  #
in
weete lompis, as doon owre newe ordris now. We schulden +tenke,
as dydon apostlis, how men ben now wi+towton help of +ter modyr
hooly chyrche, for prelatis and preestis ben turnyde amys fro   #
+te
ordre +tat Crist +gaf. And si+t men ben wi+towton help of oure
modyr hooly chyrche, +tei schulden visite more bussyly by +te
forme +tat Crist ha+t +gouen. And for +tis folye of nouelrye    #
God mot
<P I,592>
nedis forsake men. And so +tis chyrche is a wydwe, forsakon of
hyre spouse for hyre vnkyndenesse; and to counfort[{e{] men in  #
+tis
tribulacion were a greet almys deede. 

<Q M3 IR SERM WESERM40>
<N WSERM I/ES40>
<A X>
<C M3>
<O 1350-1420>
<M 1350-1420>
<K CONTEMP>
<D EML>
<V PROSE>
<T SERMON>
<G X>
<F X>
<W X>
<X X>
<Y X>
<H X>
<U X>
<E X>
<J X>
<I X>
<Z INSTR REL>

<P I,643>
[} (\DOMINICA X POST TRINITATEM. EPISTOLA. [{SERMO 40.{] \) }]

[} (\SCITIS QU[{ONIAM{] CUM GENTES ESSETIS. PRIMA CORINTHEOS    #
12.\) }]

Poule moueue+t in +tis epistele for former kyndenesse of Crist  #
to be
kynde to hym a+geen. For clerkis seien, and soo+t it is, +tat   #
bo+te
God and kynde haten +tat a man dwelle vnkynde aftir greet
kyndenesse +tat he ha+t takun; for soo+t it is +tat alle synne  #
turne+t
to vnkyndenesse to God. And +tus Poul bryngi+t to +tes mennus
mynde hou myche kyndenesse Crist ha+t don hem. (^+Gee wetyn^)   #
he
sei+t, (^whan +gee weren he+tene, +gee weren ledde to doumbe    #
maumetis, goyng^)
as beestis from oon to ano+ter, as +gif +gee hadden no soule    #
of man.
And si+t mannus God shulde be a +tyng +tat were +te fairest     #
and +te
beste, in whiche shulde lye +te hele+te of men, and make mennus
soule like to hym, +te fouleste +tyng +tat falli+t to man, and  #
most
perelus to his soule, is to haue a fals god, as hauen men +tat
worshipen maumetis; for +tei maken +ter soule foul to greet     #
perel
of +ter soule. And +tus it is a foul +tyng to be led as a       #
beere to a stake
bi vntrew+te of a feend, to loue ou+gt as it were god, +te      #
whiche
+tyng is not god; for alle suche ben false goddis. 
   And +tus sei+t Poule aftir +tat (^noon +tat speki+t in       #
Goddis spiry+gt
putti+t cursidnesse to Crist^) , si+t al +te Trynyte approued   #
hym, and
bo+te his dedis and his wordis weren hooly and ful of resoun    #
and
loue. And +tus men seien comynli +tat false men on +tre maneris
putten cursednesse to Crist, and alle +tes ben dampnable.       #
First,
<P I,644>
whan men bi opun synne ben not kyndeli to Crist, as alle synful
men done for tyme +tat +ter wille is turned amys. +Te secounde
seyyng of cursidnesse +tat false men puttyn vnto Crist is to    #
seye
wi+t herte and word +tat Crist was a fals prophete, and curse   #
hym
be vnbileue, as diden Iewis long tyme. +Te +tridde cursyng and  #
+te
werste +tat false men putten to Crist is +tat +tei feynen +te   #
name of
Crist, and his goodnesse wi+t his lawe; and +git +tei falsen    #
+tis in
dede, and seien +tat o+tir lawe is beter. As men of +tes foure  #
sectis
+tat puttyn bihynde Cristis lawe, and takun hem a newe patroun
and newe reule wi+toute Crist: +tes men ben ypocritis +tat      #
Crist
hati+t most of alle.
   And +tus sei+t Poul aftir, as treu+te suyng of his wordis,   #
+tat (^noon
may seye 'Lord Iesu' but in +te Hooli Goost^) . And Poul        #
speki+t heere of
seyyng +tat is seiyng fulli formed, as is seiyng of trewe men   #
in
herte, in word and in dede, +tat seien ry+gtli to Goddis        #
worshipe in
+te name of +te Trynyte. What men trowen we may +tus seye 'Lord
Iesu is oure lord, and oure sauyour fro +te feend', but +gif    #
+te Holi
Goost teche hym? - for +tanne he maki+t no departyng fro        #
Cristis
godhed and his manhed. But whateuere Crist ha+t ordeyned or
seid was don to his chirche at poynt deuys. And in +tis cursyng
fallen +tes sectis +tat dispisen Cristis lawe; as +gif his      #
ordynaunce
faylede, but +ter ordynaunce is myche betere. For what man
shulde chese ano+ter lawe, but +gif +tat lawe were betere +tan
Cristis? For he is fool of alle foolis +tat +tus chesi+t +te    #
worse weye,
and leeue+t +te beter weye to heuene, more ly+gt and more redy.
For he putti+t to Iesu Crist bo+de cursyng and dissey+gt, whan  #
he
sei+t bi his dede +tat Crist hidde +te betere weye, and         #
tau+gte +te
<P I,645>
vnparfitere weye, til +tat God hadde sent +tes sectis. And      #
+tes sectis
camen not fully out til +tat Sathanas was vnbounden. Among
alle blasphemes +tat euere sprungen, +tis is +te mooste         #
cursed; for
+tei techen opunli in dede +tat +tus it is, houeuere men        #
glosen. But,
al +gif +tes two kyndis of Crist ben dyurse in hemself, +git    #
+tes two
ben o God and +ter ben no mo goddis.
   And +tus men shulden in +ter +tou+gt +tenken how dyuysioun   #
of
+tyngis come+t of +tis oo God, +te whiche God is a spiry+gt.    #
And
herfore sei+t Poule aftir +tat (^+ter ben dyuysiones of Grace,  #
but^) certis (^it is
+te same spiry+gt^) of whom camen alle +tes gracis, as of o     #
welle comen
many strondis. And +tus of +tis same spiry+gt moten come        #
(^dyuysiones
of seruysis^) ; for +tis (^o God^) mot haue seruauntis aftir    #
+te grace +tat he
+geue+t, si+t +tis Lord loue+t degrees in his seruauntis as it  #
falli+t. And
+tus in +te +tridde tyme (^+ter ben dyuysiones of worchyngis,   #
and +git it is +te
same God +tat worchi+t al in alle +tyngis^) . Who shulde        #
grucche for +tes
dyuysiones, si+t +tei ben +tus ordeyned of God? as eche part    #
of a
man mot haue +tes +tre dyuerse in ordre: as first he ha+t an    #
hid
power, and of +tis power comen his willis, and of +tis power    #
and +tis
wille comen worchyngis to mennus profi+gt. And +tus, as it is   #
in
man, so it is in hooli chirche; and ioye we of +tis ordynaunce  #
of
God, si+t it is bo+te fayr and good.
   And +tus Poul declari+t aftir nyne degrees of mennus         #
worchyngis
+tat God ha+t ordeyned in +te chirche, as +ter ben +tre         #
ierachies,
for (^eche^) membre of hooli chirche ha+t sum shewyng of +tis
(^spiri+gt^) , bo+te to (^profy+gt^) of it and to profy+gt of   #
+te chirche. As to
summe bi +gifte of God is +gouen (^+te word of wisdom^) , for   #
summe haue
sum knowyng heere of treu+tis of +te hey+ge Trynyte. And        #
(^ano+tir
ha+t word of witt aftir +tis same spiry+gt^) ; for summe men    #
haue
knowyng of God, bo+te of aungelis and of heuenes, and hou +tis
<P I,646>
world come+t of God bi fair ordre +tat he ha+t ordeyned.        #
(^O+tir men
haue bileue^) of hid +tyngis and of heye; and alle +tes +tre    #
comen of
God +tat +gyue+t +tes to his chirche. (^Summe haue grace of     #
hele+tis^) , bo+te
bodili and goostli, bo+te to haue hem in hemsilf, and to +gyue  #
hem
to o+tir bre+teren. And God is +tat (^ilke spiry+gt^) of whom   #
alle +tes
gracis comen. (^God +gyue+t ano+tir to worche uertues^) , and   #
speciali to
knowe Goddis uertu, and how God of his gracious uertu ha+t
+gouen men power to worche uertues, as in departyng of +te see,
and in stondyng of +te sunne, and in many o+tir wondris +tat    #
God
ha+t doon for mannus sake. And +git +te wisdom of God +gyue+t   #
for
profy+gt of his chirche (^prophecie^) to sum men, to sue good   #
and flee
euel, as Ioon hadde in Apocalips, and sum men aftir hym haue
lesse. And +tis secounde ierachie answeri+t to +te secounde     #
persone.
(^To o+tere is +gouen^) +te seue+te tyme (^discrecioun to       #
knowe spiritis^) , and +tis
is a greet +gifte +tat come+t of +te Hooli Goost. For no drede  #
siche
spiritis moeuen men to dyuerse werkis, and it is a good +gifte  #
of
God to knowe goode spiritis fro yuel; for goode spiritis moeuen
euere men to uertuous dedis, and yuel spiritis moeuen men to
yuel and to bigile men. +Tis same Spiry+gt +geue+t to men       #
(^dyuerse
manere of langagis^) , as +tis Goost +gaf apostelis witt and    #
tungis on
Wittsunday. And at +te laste +tis Goost +geue+t men (^to        #
vndirstonde
witt of wordis^) , as +tis Goost +geue+t many men witt to       #
knowe what
holi writ mene+t. And alle +tes +tre +giftis of God ben         #
proprid to +te
Hooli Goost. But +git si+t alle +tes +tre persones ben o God    #
and o 
<P I,647>
Spiry+gt, noon of hem +geue+t ony of +tes, but +gif +tei alle   #
+tre +gyuen
hem. For (^oo God do+t alle goodis; and he departi+t +tes       #
+tyngis to men^) aftir
his power, witt and wille; and +tus he departi+t not amys, al   #
+gif +te
resoun be hid fro vs. 



