þerfore þei forsaken cristis scole of [& AA.] treuþe & magnyfien þe deuelis scole of lesyngis; as þei first token lesyng of lif, so þei meyntenen now lesyng in word to coloure þer-bi here olde cursed lif, þat no man may bryngen hem out þer-of.
Capitulum 4m.
See nowe þe þridde heresie þat may hoold of olde synnys. [AA reads þat maþ hoord of olde synnes. I suspect both readings are corrupt.] Þes worldly prelatis & peyntid religious, beried in here olde synne, [omitted AA.] symonye, coueitise & pride & robberie, seyn þat it is aȝenst charite to crie opynly here cursed disceitis to lordis & comyn peple, & namely in here absence. but see þe waiward|nesse & cursednesse of þes deuelis ypocrisie & sheld of synne. Almyȝtty god, ful of charite, comaundiþ to þe prophete ysaie [Isaiah lviii. 1.] to crie & cesse not, & to schewe to his peple here grete synnes. synne of comyns is grete, synne of lordis & myȝtty men & wise is more, but synne of prelatis is most, & most blyndeþ þe peple. Þan treue men ben holden bi goddis heste to crie most aȝenst þe synne of prelatis, siþ it is most & harmeþ most þe peple. Also crist seiþ who [wo AA.] to hym þat [Luke xvii. 1.] sclaundriþ a litel child of hem þat ben cristene. but prelatis of þe world & peyntid foolis of religion, bi here opyn pride, coueitise, glotonye, lecherie, extorsions & meyntenynge of synne, sclaundren most þe peple; for her-bi þei ben bolde to walwe in synne preue & apert; þanne aȝenst þis synne schulden trewe men crie most. ¶ Also god seiþ bi þe prophete ezechiel þat ȝif a synful man lie in synne & þe prophete [Ezekiel iii. 18.] schewe hym not þe peril of his synne ne vengaunce of god, þer-fore þe synful man schal die in his synne & þe prophete schal answere for hym, & so boþe schullen be dampnyd. & siþ eche prest is an angel & prophete bi his presthod, [page 219] as seynt gregory seiþ, eche prest is in dette to telle synful men here synnes þat þei may amende hem. ¶ Also god seiþ bi þe
