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

herby worldly name & temperal goodis, þei lesen charite & here soule þat ben worþi a þousand [page 183] fold betre þan alle erþely tresour. ¶ God seiþ it is mercy & charite to suffre men mekely & wisly whanne þei ben out of reson as wroþ & malencolious; þe fend & his seyn þat þis is [omitted X.] couwardise & leesynge of worldly name & boldynge of euyl doeris; & þerfore for o schrewed word a man mot quyte anoþer or moo, & so of euyl dedis comeþ hate & strif, & fiȝttynge & pledynge be reised & witt & reson & charite exilid, & many men perischid in bodi & soule. god comaundiþ vs to loue oure enemys of oure herte & doo good to men þat hatiþ [haten AA.] vs & preie for men þat pursuen vs wrongfully & falsly; þe deuyl & his seyn þat it is riȝtful to hate oure enemys & don heuyl & harm to hem þat haten vs & falsly pursuen vs, & axe vengaunce of oure enemys & false pursueris, for ellis we schullen norische oure enemys in here synne & ouerrenne vs & distroie vs, oure wifis & children & goodis, & þerfore we willen defende vs þe while þat we may. trewe men seyn to þe fend & his disciplis þat ȝif we kepen goddis hestis oure god wole fiȝten for vs & maken oure enemys afferd, & bi oure goode pacience & charite & herty preiynge for oure enemys [synnys AA.] þei schulden be goddis grace cesse of here wrong & turne to pees & charite; & þis is liȝttere & betere þan to conquere al þe erþe bi dynt of swerid. & ȝif oure enemys ben endurid in synne, as was pharaoo, oure godde wolde ordeyne þe beste for vs boþe for body & soule ȝif we kepen mekenesse, pacience & charite; & siþ werris comen to men for synnys let men leue here cursed synne & god of mercy & pees wole ȝeue vs reste & pees of alle erþely enemyes. bi þes cautelis & many moo the fend & his disciplis distroien werkis of mercy & fallen in-to loos of þingis þat þei coueiten mochel & in-to endelis myschefes þat þei wolen to askape, for þei wolen not be reulid bi goddis lawe & reson but bi hire wille, & þer-fore alle þingis schal turne aȝenst hem at þe laste.