disserve bi mannis riȝtwisnesse, or evenhede [ony nede, C.] of ony chaffare [The meaning is, 'or according to the just understanding of any bargain.'] . And so God seiþ to ech seint þat he shulde take his mede by grace, and so go in to þe blisse of hevene where seintis shal ever dwelle in pees.
SEXAGESIME SONDAY GOSPEL.
[SERMON XXXVIII.]
Cum turba plurima.—LUC. viii. [4.]
ÞIS gospel telliþ in a parable hou þat holy Chirche growide bi graciouse sowynge of Crist, and growinge of þis holy seed; and in tyme of Sexagesime men sowen bodili seed. Þe storye of þe gospel telliþ, Whan myche puple was come to Crist, and þei hastiden of citeis to heere of him Goddis word, he seide bi a simili|tude; He wente out þat sowiþ ay to sowe his seed in his lond; but on foure maneres felle his seed upon his lond. Sum fellen bi side þe wey, and was defoulid, and foulis of heven ete it. And sum felle on a stone, and whan it was sprongen, it dryed up, for it hadde no moisture. Sum felle among þornes, and þornes grow|inge strangliden it. And sum felle in to good erþe, and þat sprong up, and made an hundrid fold fruyt. And Crist, seiyng þes wordis, cryede and seide to þe puple, He þat haþ eeres to heere, heere he, and undirstonde þis witt. And evermore, as seintis seyen, whan God biddiþ men heere þus, his sentence is presciouse and shulde be markid wel of men. And his disciplis axiden him what ment þis parable, and Crist seide unto hem, þat to hem was grauntid to knowe þe privyte of þe rewme of God, and to oþer men in parablis, þat þei, seynge wiþouten forþ, se not wiþynne in her soule, and þei heerynge þe wordis of þe parable undirstonden not þe witt of þem.
Crist seide þat þis is undirstonding of þis parable. Þe seed is Goddis word, þat felle to men on foure maneres.—Þis first seed is Goddis word, þat fell in sum biside þe wey; for sum ben
