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

[Capitulum primum.]

For it is seide in holdynge of oure haly-day þat we schulde ocupie þe tyme in prechynge ²and preiynge² [2_2 omitted CC.] and deuoute herynge of þe lawe of god, and ouer þis [omitted CC.] many freris, as bastardis to goddis lawe, tellen iapes or lesyngis & leeuen þe gospel; herfore schulden men lerne of þre good [goddis CC.] vertues, þat þe gospel of poule clepiþ feiþ, hope, & charite. ffeiþ is þe ground of alle oþer vertues; & þer-fore poule clepiþ it schelde of alle [omitted CC.] cristen men. ffor amonge sixe armures noon is more nedeful. but feiþ may be taken on manye maneres. ¶ Sum tyme feiþ is clepid þe truthe þat men [we CC.] trowen, & so þer is a comune feiþ to alle cristen men. ¶ Sum tyme feiþ is clepid vertu þat maken [makiþ CC.] trewe men, & so eche trewe man haþ diuerse feiþ. and sum tyme feiþ is clepid oure trowynge in werkys. and by þes þre membris may [maist CC.] þou knowe goddis lawe þat spekiþ of feiþ on [in CC.] diuerse maneres. seynt poule clepiþ feiþ ground of goostly þingis þat men schulden hope to haue in heuen; and here men ¹⁰seen hem not, but trowen bi word of god, if þei¹⁰ [10_10 omitted CC.] seruen him treuly, to haue hem in heuen. and so specialye by feiþ ben men made trewe [page 124b] to god; and whos[o] fayliþ in feiþ he is fals to god, & tristiþ not to hijs treuthe, as heþen men don not. and herfore seith seynt poule þat cristen mennus feiþ is mene of alle here gode werkis [werlkis Q, vertues CC.] þat þei here don. ffor seyntis by feiþ discoumfiteden rewmes, ȝhe þe rewmes of þe fende; & [[Heb. xi. 33.]] þat is more maistri þan wyn rewmes of men, for enemyes ben moo & more koynte [queynt CC.] in þer dedis bi wylis of here capteyns.

¹& þus seyntis han wrouȝt faire & iust dedis,¹ [1_1 omitted Q.] for noman may laste in harde lif for god but if he haue feiþ, bi whiche he lastiþ so; ne noman may serue blis of god but if he haue feiþ, bi whiche he seruiþ it; and schortly noman synniþ aȝenus god but if [omitted Q.] he fayle in feiþ, þat groundiþ goddis werkis. ¶ as if þou haddist a lettre þat þi kynge sent þee seelid wiþ hijs priuey seele, & worschipid þee myche & hiȝt þee greet eritage to be at [omitted Q.] hijs retenu & serue hym treuly, þou woldest don of þin hoode and kisse hijs seel for hope of rewarde. god is miche more þan any lord of erthe; he sent a lettre to man by moyses hijs messangere, þat is more worþ þan any pope or cardynal. hijs lettre is hijs mawndementis, & grace in moyses soule is hijs priue seel, better þen eny kyngis signe. ¶ hijs seruice is liȝt & hijs eritage is myche, for it is þe blis of heuen lastynge ⁴wiþ-outen ende,⁴ [4_4 for euere CC.] and here-of schulden men not fayle wiþ-outen greet forfeture. take [Q. inserts we.] hed to mennus feiþ how bisily þei traueylen for godes & worschip of þe worlde, & leeue traueyle to god, & þou mayst wel see þat feiþ feiliþ hem.