Select English works of John Wyclif; edited from original mss. by Thomas Arnold.

ÞE GOSPEL ON ALLE HALEWEN DAY.

[SERMON CXXIII.]

Videns Jesus turbas ascendit.—MATT. V. [I.]

ÞIS gospel telliþ of eiȝte blessis þat answeren to eiȝte vertues in þe weie, and bi þes shulden Cristyne men dispose hem to come to blis. Jesus seying þe puple stiede in to an hil, and whanne he was sett his disciplis camen to him. And he openede his mouþ and tauȝte hem and seide, Blessid be pore men in spirit, for hern is þe rewme of hevene. Ech word of þis gospel is of greet wisdoom. For it is ful notable þat Jesus saw þis peple able to be lerned, and hadde mercy on hem, and ȝaf hem so plentenously þes ȝiftis of goostli mercy, for þes ȝiftis ben betere þan ȝiftis of bodili mercy. Crist wente into an hil, and his disciplis wenten wiþ him, to teche þat þei shulden be nyȝ hevene þat shulde teche or lerne þis lore. And þus molde-worpis þat wroten þe erþe ben unable to þis loore. Sitting of Crist in þe hil bitokeneþ stabilnes in þis lessoun. And herfore seintis writen mouche of þis sermoun of oure Lord in þe hil, for auctorite of þe doctour, and many circumstanciis of him, makiþ þis lore notable to alle Cristene men aftir. For what man of bileve trowiþ þat Crist openede þus his mouþ, (and he is wisdom of þe Fadir and þe same God wiþ him, and as he openede his mouþ to speke, so he openede hertis of men to heere and undir|stonde þes wordis, and teche hem men þat camen aftir), þat ne

he wolde forse him to knowe hem, boþe for worshipe and for profit?

Crist seiþ first, Blessid ben þo þat ben pore in spirit; and here Crist techiþ mekenesse, aȝens pride of worldli men. And here men seien soþli, þat Crist clepide povert in spirit, for bodili poverte is noȝt, but ȝif it have þis poverte. For boþe vertues and synnes ben first in þe spirit. And wanting of goodis standiþ wiþ a dampned man; as beggeris and þeves ben ofte porer þan Joob was; but poverte in spirit stondiþ in mekenes,—whanne a man knowiþ þe makere above, how he is riche wiþouten eende, and we ben pore beggeris,—and puttiþ hem mekeli in þe ordenaunce of God. How þat God wole ordeyne for his servaunt ouþer do or suffre, he holdiþ him wel paied; siþ God is a ferour and he is Goddis instrument, redi wher God wole make him hamer, or tongis, or a stiþie, to suffre howevere þat God wole. And certis noon comeþ to hevene but ȝif he be þus pliable; for a ferrour formeþ not his metal, but ȝif it wole be temperid, and þis vertue lastiþ boþe here and in hevene. And þerfore seiþ Crist, þat sich pore men have þe rewme of hevene. For þe blisse of hevene falliþ not to a creature but ȝif he be þus pore; as Crist, and aungels, and oþer blessid seintis have fulli þis poverte, and þerfore þei ben blessid. And no man myȝte here lerne more nedeful lessoun þan bigynne at þis poverte, and grounden him wel þerinne. And so shulden men note þe firste proude noumbre, and aȝen ech part of it grounden hem in mekenesse. Sum men ben proud for holynesse þat þei feynen; and þes men ben ypocritis moost perilous of alle oþere. Sum men ben proud for cunnyng þat þei have; as þe laste frend of Joob seide, his beli was ful as

a toune fillid wiþ must þat wantide aventing. And þus seien wise men, þat Crist, in þe firste word, undirstondiþ bi spirit þe wynd þat a man haþ, for it falliþ to meke men to be wiþouten bostyng, for sich proude bostours hav to mouche of sich wynd. But ȝit oþer proude men bosten of bodili strengþe; and summe of beute of bodi, as Roboam and Absolon. Þe fifþe pride, and þe laste, is pride of worldli richesse,—as þe gospel telliþ of bosting of a proude man, how he wolde reste in his goodis and alarge his bernes. And as many ȝiftis as man haþ of God may he be proud of but oonli of vertues. And so sum men tellen sixe þe secound proude noumbre, how sum men ben proud for nobley of her kyn. But povert of spirit is medecine for alle sich. Bigynne here þis poverte and ende it in hevene. For ȝif þou be þus pore, þou dispisist þis world.

Þe secounde vertue in þis weie nedeful to us here, is myldenes in beryng, þat sueþ of þe firste; for whoever is pore in spirit is mylde to his neiȝbore, boþe in word and in dede, and not fel as a lioun. And as pride is quenchid bi poverte of spirit, so bi þes two vertues ben quenchid envie and ire. And Crist seiþ wiseli þat mede of þis vertue shal after be, havyng of þe lond of lyf. And þis is for to come, as þis myldenes is here; for in hevene mai no man be austerne to oþer. And alȝif sich myldenes makiþ men here lordis, neþeles bi þis lond Crist undirstondiþ þe lond of blisse. For alle þes eiȝte vertues have for her mede þe blisse of hevene by diverse resouns.

Þe þridde word of þis eiȝte is seid in þis maner: Blessid be þei þat weilen, for þei shal be confortid. Ȝif a man avise him how Goddis wille is reversid by synne þat rengneþ in þe world, in persones and comynetees, he shal have mater to morne, and litil to be glad. For, siþ ech man is holden to confourme his wille to Goddis, he is not on Goddis side þat is glad of sich synne. For alȝif God sorew not as men maken sorowe, neþeles, bi Goddis lawe, God is seid to be ireful, and algatis wiþ sovereyne joie God ordeyneþ for peyne; and þis is mater to morne to men þat ben in charite. And ȝif a man be glad for

sich synne, wiþ oþer men of his lond, for him þinkiþ þat hardynesse or worldli profite comeþ þerof, he assentiþ on two maners to þe synne of hem. And for sich assenting God poneshiþ juste men wiþ shrewis, boþe in pestilence and werris, and oþer comyne veniauncis. For fewe or noon ben in þe rewmes þat ne þei assenten þus, ouþer faillinge in helpe to distrye siche synnes, or faillinge in repreef of men þat synnen þus. But in blisse, where we shal see þat God doiþ al for þe beste, and men shal be confortid boþe of joie and peyne, men shal be fulli confortid for sich weiling here. And þis mooveþ many men to seien her Pater nosters, and preie in þe þrid word þat Goddis wille be done. And so of þe same þing men mornen and have joie. And so, ȝif we þenken of weiling of oure owne synne, and mournyng of oure neiȝboris synne þat we dwellen wiþ, and tariyng of oure blisse þat we shal have in hevene, we have litil mater for to lauȝhe, but raþer for to morne. For companies and castelis maken us not syker here.

Crist seiþ in þe ferþe word: Blessid be þei þat hungren and þirsten riȝtwisnesse, for þei shal be fullid in þe blisse of hevene. And as þe nexte, mornyng, lettiþ slouþe in Goddis service, so þis fourþe, hungring, lettiþ men fro coveitise. For ȝif we þenken on Goddis lawe, and speciali of preestis, how þei de|foulen Cristis ordenaunce, turnynge aȝen to synne of fleishe þe world and þe fend, a just man shulde hungre and þirste þe riȝtwisnesse of sich men. And more desire þat man shulde have to perfourme þis riȝtwisnesse can Y not see here, þan wille þat Cristis ordenaunce were fillid in mesure and noumbre and weiȝte þat Crist haþ ordeyned for his Chirche; and algatis in poverte of spirit þat his prestis shulden have. For ȝif þe state of preestis be more worldli þan knyȝtis state, who drediþ þat ne pride wole sue, wiþ averice and lecherie, and leevyng of þe office þat Crist bad his preestis do? And so, in stede of heerdis þat shulden teche þe weie to hevene, þe Chirche is ful of wolves þat sinken and drawun men to helle. For Cristis ordenaunce was riȝtwise, and speciali of preestis poverte; alȝif newe sectis seien now þat Cristis ordenaunce were now ful of venym. Þis

shulden lordis þenken on, and traveilen to amende þis; for ellis þei shal not be fillid in hevene bi blisse of þe lymes of Crist. For whoso seiþ þat þei consenten not to þis synne, þat is rote of oþir, he disseyveþ þes lordis in lore þat schulde be her soulis helþe. But alȝif sum men mornen, and crien of þis defaute in þe Chirche, ȝit þe fendis part is so strong þat grete and harde gobetis wolen laste to þe tyme of þe laste dome. And so we shal hungir here and after drynke softeli riȝtwisnesse. For after domes dai, we witen wel þat þe fendis part shal not be þus strong.

Þe fifþe word of Crist is þis: Blessid be merciful men, for þei shal sue mercy, þat shal be comyn to al þe Chirche. And here þe fend bindiþ men, and telliþ hem þat mercy axiþ ȝyving of riches and of worldli þingis þat mooven men to do aȝens God. Þese heretikes þenken not how Crist ponishiþ here his children, which he wole be pore here, to be riche after in hevene. And þis vertue serveþ aȝens al synne, but alȝatis aȝens averise.

Þe sixte word þat Crist seide stondiþ in þis forme: Blessid be men of clene herte, for þei shal see God. And þis vertue is bridil aȝens fleishli synnes, and alȝatis aȝens leccherie. For love of sich men, which ben as beestis, is fer from þe love of God. And alȝif men changen her willis after her eldis, neþeles þree willis ben here to oure purpos. Sum men have childis wille, þat feden her wittis wiþ sensible þingis and ȝaping of childis gamen, as ȝif þei weren foolis, and after þis comen to mannis witt þat holdiþ al þis foli. But þei ȝyven hem to justing and sheeting and wrastling; and þes suen ofte more foli þan doiþ

þe firste elde. In þe þridde eelde men have fleishli willis, and wille of worldli goodis to maynteyne hem longe. And þis lastiþ in worldeli men wel nyȝ to her eende. But sum men, after þes þre, have good wille or yvel, as men þat delitin hem in riȝtwisnes of God, or ellis in þe fendis synne, þat ben calendis to þe toþer liif. And peril in þis liif is moost for to flee. For whanne fleishli likyngis passen from a man, ȝif he shulde be dampned, he haþ pride, envie, and ire, and coveitise of worldli goodis lastiþ ever wiþ him; and þis he beriþ in his soule aftir þat he be deed. And men of sich unclene hert ben leed in to tempting. And liif þat men shulde lede evere is begunne in þis eelde; and þus it were ful nedeful to lyve wel in þis laste elde. For as worldli lustis ben fer from aungels, so worldli desiris ben passid fro þis eelde. Lovynge of clenenesse and riȝtwisnesse for þis tyme shulde occupie mannis soule, as it doiþ in hevene: for ellis he haþ a fendis liif, and occupieþ him in þes foure,—in pride, envie, and ire, and coveitise, þat never is fillid.

Þe sevenþe vertue þat man haþ is for to make pees, or to procure pees, or ellis to preie for pees, or to lyve riȝtli for to procure men to pees. And of þes pesible men, Crist seiþ, þat þei ben blessid, for þei shal be clepid aftir Goddis children. And meede of alle þes sixe is markid for to come, for eende of hem

alle is first in þe toþer world. But it is ful myche to be clepid þanne Goddis child; for þanne a man is eire of Crist, and so confermed in blis; for alle þes vertues ben not fulle, but ȝif blisse sue hem.

Þe eiȝtiþe word and þe laste þat Crist spekiþ in þis mater is seid, þat þei ben blessid þat suffren pursuyng for riȝt, for hern is þe rewme of hevene, as it is of þe first men. For he þat is pursuid to deþ for defence of riȝtwisnesse haþ here sum siȝt of blis, and sum telling of sikirnesse, and so he haþ here in eernes oþer wise blisse þan þes oþer; and as men seien comunli, þei passen to hevene wiþouten peyne. And, for þis is a nedeful vertue, and more hard þan þes oþer, þerfore mede of þis vertue is wel þus joyned to it. For certis, ȝif men wolden stifli stonde, and many togidir, for riȝtwisnesse, þe fendis part shulde be ful feble, and pees, wiþ welfare, shulde men have. And so it were ful nedeful to moove many to þis vertue. And siþ wanting of þis vertue bringiþ in contrarie synne, drede of cowardise hereof shulde meeve men to þis vertue. For many ben traitours to God, and proctours to þe fend,—ouþer privy or apert,—þat wolen not stonde for Goddis lawe. And þus Crist applieþ his wordis speciali to hise apostlis, and techiþ hem how pursuyng þat men dreden here moost, shulde be confortable to hem þat stonden for Cristis lawe. Blessid shal ȝe be, seiþ Crist, whanne þat men shal curse ȝou, and whanne men shal pursue ȝou, and shal seie al maner of yvel aȝens ȝou; lying, for me. Joie ȝee and be glad; for ȝour hire is mouche in hevenes. And þis word confortiþ men to stonde aȝens Anticrist, for he wole faste curse men and pursue hem as eretikis; but he is cursid þat leveþ herfore to telle Goddis lawe and his wille.

Notes

• mollis, E.
• bisyen, E.
• putten bym, E.
• ferrour, E.
• The number 2 is probably meant by the 'firste proude noum|bre.' The Pythagoreans called it … among other things, and assigned to it various revolutionary attributes. But no author that I have consulted speaks of the num|ber 6 otherwise than as synonymous with perfection, as symbolizing ma|trimony, creation, and a hundred other excellent things. The num|ber 9 on the other hand was treated with great indignity; Peter Bungus says that it denotes the ruin of the angels, who fell through pride, and of whom there were nine orders, that it embraces all heretics, and charac|terizes infidels and idolaters, &c., &c. See the Denarius Pythagoricus of Meursius in Gronovius' Thesaurus, vol. IX, and the Numerorum Mys|teria of Petrus Bungus.
• So E; om. A.
• See note on preceding page.
• om. E.
• þridde, E.
• servauntis, E.
• So E; þrest, A.
• So E; shulden, A.
• have, E.
• japing, E.
• ȝaping or japing is trickery. Chaucer says of his Pardoner (Pro|logue to Canterbury Tales),—

  'And thus with fained flattering and japes, He made the persone and the peple his apes.'

  And we read in Gower (Confessio Amantis, lib. II),—

  'This Geta forth bejaped went, And yet ne wist he what it ment.'
• scheting, E.
• to justing, sheeting, and wrastling; in other words, to the favourite pastimes of the upper, the middle, and the lower class respectively. With regard to the first, it must be remembered that our author wrote but a few years after the death of Edward III, the reviver of the Round Table, and the founder of the order of the Garter, whose reign was the culminating period in England of the spirit of Chivalry. Justing was then, and continued to be for a century and a half after|wards, the favourite amusement of persons of condition. It was usually practised with 'arms of courtesy,' that is, headless lances, and blunted swords without points; but some|times, as when certain knights un|dertook to maintain the honour of their country in a foreign land, wea|pons à l'outrance were, though under regulations, employed, and most often with deadly effect. Chaucer gives us the whole order and regulation of a tournament in the Knight's Tale. (See Scott's Essay on Chivalry among his Miscellaneous Prose Works.)

  Shooting with the bow was an out-door occupation which was well-nigh universal among the mid|dle and lower classes in the four|teenth and fifteenth centuries. The men exercised in shooting regularly, to keep their hands in as archers. Even ladies, as the illustrations of old MSS. shew, were much given to the use of the bow, both with the sharp-headed arrow in the pur|suit of deer, and with the blunt arrow in bird-bolting.

  Wrestling was a popular amuse|ment with our forefathers as far back as the Saxon times; in the Middle Ages it is mentioned along with bull and bear baiting, putting the stone, throwing the bar, foot|ball, and the like. It does not ap|pear that they were sufficiently brutalized at that time to enjoy boxing. See Wright's Domestic Manners in England during the Mid|dle Ages.
• kalendis, E.
• led, E.
• riȝtwisly for to stire men, E.
• ernes, E.