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

[Capitulum] 2^m.

siþen a prest shulde be a mene bitwixe god & þe puple & teche þe puple þe wille of god, it is knowen þing bi skile þat whanne he erriþ in þis offiss he sinneþ more þan oþere men; & þus synnede scarioth more þan oþere comyn men. it is knowun bi bileue þat a man shulde not synne for to wynne al þis world, were it neuere so liȝt a synne; for ellis þis man synnede wel, & synnede not in synnynge þus. & þus a man shulde not synne al ȝif god bade hym synne, but god may not bidde man synne, as god hym silf may not synne. & siþen it mut nedis be synne to fayle fro suynge of crist, man shulde not fayle in þis suyt for god ne for ony creature. & it is knowun bi opyn skile þat it mut nedis be synne to fayle in suynge of crist for many resouns þer ben herof. for suynge of crist in vertues is so good þat it may not be yuel; and it is so liȝt a suyt þat no man is excuside bi noun power; & crist chees siche a lif to teche men to sue hym, & no man may come to heuene but ȝif he sue crist on sum maner. & þus al synne of man-kynde stondiþ in defaute of suyt of crist; & þus siþ ech cristenman haþ power of god to sue crist, he dissusiþ to myche his power þat vsiþ it not to sue þis lord. & heere men shulden be ware wiþ þe fend þat þey be not blyndid bi hym to seye who may be euene wiþ crist, & þus to allegge crist is but foly. Þis is þe lewiderste fendis skile þat euere cam out of his leesingis; for men wolen not be euene wiþ crist ne go bifore hym as petre wolde, but sue crist neer or ferrere, & ellis þey moten go amys. & þis may ech man do oþer more nyȝ or ferrere. & þus summe gon bifore crist & summe contrarien hym in þer weye. Þes men

gon bifore crist þat feynen hem an hid power for pride or for couetyise, alȝif þis power be not groundid in crist, & þus don prelatis nou-a-dayes in asoyling & priuylegies. & oþere men gon bifore crist þat trowen þat þey ben mouyd bi pite to stire a man to do a dede, & ȝit it is aȝenus goddis wille; & þus it semyþ þat petre was mouyd to lette crist to die for men, & herfore was petre clepid satanas & bedun go bihynde crist; for no drede petre hadde be dampnyd ȝif he hadde not sorowid for þis synne. Þes men reuersen crist bi his godhed & his manhed þat han power of cristis godhed to do a þing vpon resoun, & ȝit þey letten to do it, doynge [page 2] þe contrarye her-of. & siþen god is þe firste resoun many men in omissioun synne aȝenus crist, & þey moten nedis contrarie to hym. & þus men of þes newe ordris reuersen crist as satanas, for þey leeuen þat crist biddiþ & don newe biddingis vndir his power.