ÞE GOSPEL IN VIGIL OF APOSTLE.
[SERMON LV.]
Ego sum vitis vera.—JOON XV. [I.]
As comune þing is betere and bifore oþer þingis, so þis gospel þat is red in comun story shulden men knowe sum what, and speciali preestis, for it is a foul þing þat prestis speken as pies, and knowun not her owne vois more þan doumbe beestis, and speciali whanne þei reden bileve of holi Chirche, for þes men ben to ferre to preche þis to þe peple. Þis gospel of Joon telliþ a parable of Crist, bi which he tauȝte his disciplis for to dwelle in him, and for to love him, for ellis þei ben nouȝt. Crist seiþ þus: I am a verri vyne and my Fadir is tylyer of þis vyneȝerde. For Crist bi hise twoo kyndis is a good herde; as anentis his godhede, he is þe same tilier wiþ his Fadir, and as anentis his manhede he is heed of holi Chirche. And for þis seiþ Crist þat, ech braunche þat is in him, and beriþ not fruyt, his Fadir shal take awey, for keper of a vyneȝerde falliþ þus to clense it, and algatis kepe þe vynes þat þei beren grapis. And, for alle þe Fadir dedis doiþ also þe Sone, þerfore seiþ Crist þat ech braunche of þe Chirche þat beriþ fruyt, his Fadir shal purge þat it bere more fruyt; and so doiþ Crist, for he sendiþ water of wisdom to hise braunchis, and herof comeþ grapis to preche to
