The English works of Wyclif hitherto unprinted.Edited by F. D. Matthew.

[Capitulum 6^m.]

[page 127] Bvt siþ cloþinge of þis loue is myche loued of god, & more worþe to man þan al þis worldes richessis, man schuld ful bisily knowe propirtees of þis loue. but poule, þat was rauesched vnto þe þrid heuen, & herde derne wordes of god, [[2 Cor. xii. 2.]] þat ben not here leful vs forto speke, telliþ sixtene propirtes [[1 Cor. xiii. 4.]] þat suen þis charite. þe first is þat charite is patient of wronges. for al oure charite mut be ensaumpled of crist; but crist was so patient, as seynt petre seiþ, þat whan he was [[1 Peter ii. 23.]] mys-said he cursid not aȝen, ne when he suffrid wronges he manassid not aȝen. O what charite haþ he to suffre wronge for cristis loue þat wol not suffre a liȝt word, but ȝeld a worse aȝen? ¶ þe secounde propirte is þis: þat charite is benyngne. for it is not ynow to suffre, for so don þefis, but do good in soule aȝenus yuel suffrid; for þat is good loue of þe fire of charite, & is clepid benignite by propirte of word. and here-fore clerkis seyn þat þer ben þree lawes; þe first is lawe of oure good [omitted Q.] god to do good for yuyl; þe toþure is lawe of þe worlde, to do good for good & yuel for yuel, as mannus maner is; þe þrid is þe deuelis lawe, to do yuel for good, & þis is maner of men whan þei ben turned to deuelis. þe

þrid propirte þat sueþ þis secounde is þat charite haþe noon enuye to noon kyn þinge, for it loueþ wel god & alle goddis creatures. ¶ þe fourþe propirte þat sueþ of þis riche vertu is þat charite wiþ-outen forþe wirchiþ not schrewidly for as þis first ȝock bigynniþ wiþ paciens, & siþen goiþ into worchinge of a mannus soule, so mut þis oþur ȝoc forsake yuel wiþ-inne, & ¹also wiþ-oute¹ [1_1 siþ yuel dede wiþoute CC.] bi ordre of god. þe fyueþ maner of charite stondeþ in þis, þat it bolneþ not wiþ pride, syn it is þus patient. & þe sixte sueþ here-of, þat it coueitiþ not worldly worschip; for al worschipe of charite sche puttiþ oonly [hoolly CC.] in god. þe seueþ condicion þat sueþ þis [in Q.] charite is þat it sekiþ not propre godes to hir silf, but sekiþ worschip to god & profyte to his chirche. ¶ þe eyȝt propirte of charite stondiþ in þis, þat charite wrathiþ þer [omitted Q.] not al if it suffre wronge, and þerfore it is liȝt to men to stande with pees & charite. þe neynt propirte of charite is deppere þan þes oþere, þat it þenkiþ not yuel, for siche þouȝt turneþ to yuel; as iob maad couenaunt to þenke not on a virgyne. ¶ þe [page 127b] tenteþ propirte þat suiþ þis vertu of charite is þat sche ioyethe not of wickidnesse, as aungelus in heuen ioyen of payn of fendis but not of here wickidnesse. & þer-fore þis condicion sueþ after charite, þat it ioyeþ wiþ god of trowþe þat he loueþ. ¶ þe twelþe condicion þat sueþ þis charite is þat sche takeþ mekely what euere þing þat comeþ hir to. þe þrittente condicioun stondiþ in þis, þat charite trowiþ al þat euere god seiþ; and siþ no þinge is good but þat god seiþ, charite trowiþ alle good þing, [omitted Q.] ȝhe profyte of synnes. ffor men þat dreden god, if þei fallen in synne, þei ben more ware þat þei synnen not eft, [ofte Q.] & þanken more god of hijs gracious helpe, & alle medeful dedis haue þei part off. ¶ þe fourteneþ condicion þat sueþ after charite stondiþ in þis poynt, þat sche hopiþ alle þinge turneþ to good of goddis childur þat dreden him in loue. þe fiftente condicion

þat sueþ þis charite is þat sche susteyneþ wiþ wille alle harmes þat comeþ, ȝhe [ȝhit Q.] sche is not discounfortid if goddis helpe bidiþ longe. ¶ and so þe laste condicion þat sueþ þis blessid vertu is þat sche falliþ neuer doun, but lastiþ forþe for euere in þis world & in þe toþure, as loue of god failiþ not. & if a man knewe [koude CC.] no more of goddis lawe but þise sixtene condicions & bisyede him to kepe hem, he myȝt liȝtly come to heuen & wite who went amys. [only in CC.]

Expliciunt ffeiþ hope & charite.