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Capitulum 21m.
ȝit it were to speke more of þis pastoure to ȝyue to þes sheep. for we shulen take as bileue þat goddis lawe passiþ alle oþere, boþe in autorite & in treuþe & in wit. first in autorite; for as god passiþ men, so goddis lawe mut passe in autorite mannus lawe, & herfore god bad his apostlis not to preche mannus lawe but for to preche þe gospel to al maner of men. & myche more ben þey to blame þat prechen iapis & gabbingis; for goddis word mut euere be trewe ȝif it be wel vndirstondun, & þis word is more hoolsum to men siþen it is bileue & it techiþ to sue crist, & þat mut ech man do þat shal be sauyd. & þerfore þenke we heronne nyȝt & day, boþe wakinge & slepinge, for whanne oþere lawis moten haue ende þanne it shal dwelle in blis; & þe herte of þis lawe is þe gospel of iesu crist. preche prestis þis herte to men & teche þey hem to loue crist; for he is cursid þat loueþ hym not & sueþ hym not, as poul seiþ. & certis þat prest is to blame þat shulde so frely haue þe gospel, & leeueþ þe preching þer-of & turnyþ hym to mannus fablis. for þe lawe of god dampnyþ hym þat chesiþ þe worse & þe heuyere & leeueþ þe betere & þe liȝtere, boþe to hym & to þe puple. & god axiþ not dyuysiouns ne rymes of hym þat shulde preche, but to telle euene goddis gospel & wordis to stire men þerby. & þus curatis ben not excusid þat leeuen to preche to þer sheep, for a man shulde not be curat but ȝif he koude vn [page 14] dirstonde þe gospel, & he haþ to myche wanting of wit þat can-not teche hem herby. & ȝif a curat falle a caas þat he be lettid of þis preching bi hap or defaute of kynde, whanne he prechide bifore wel, teche he his floc bi hooly lif & god wole haue hym excusid. þe secounde offiss þat falliþ to herdis is to kepe þer sheep fro woluys, as false freris, þat comen to men to robbe þer wolle & do hem harm, ben clepid of crist woluys of raueyn. and of þis perel shulden persouns warne men. & what oþere false prechouris þat
