ÞE GOSPEL WHANNE ÞE MASSE IS SEID FOR BRIÞEREN AND SISTRIS AND FOR HEELÞE OF PEPLE.

[SERMON CCXXXV.]

ÞIS gospel telliþ in what staat þe puple of Crist is more sikir. *. [The widow's two mites.] Mark telliþ how, Jesus sate aȝens þe tresorie in þe temple, and Jesus biheld how þe puple caste moneye into þis tresorie, and many riche men castiden myche. And whanne þer was comen a litil pore womman, she caste two mitis, þat ben a ferþing. And Jesus callide his disciplis togidere, and seide to hem; Soþeli I seie to ȝou, þat þis widewe, litil and pore, ȝaf more in mede þan alle þat senten into þis tresorie. For alle oþer senten of þat þat was aboundant to hem, but she þis of her myschif sente alle þingis þat she hadde, and so she sente al hir lyveloode, and for love putte her in disese; but so diden not þes oþer men, þat hadden mo þingis þan hem nedide.

And here may we see opinly, ȝif we trowen to Cristis wordis, *. [Commentary.] þat merit of a mannis ȝifte is not after þat it is myche, for þis widewe ȝaf more worþ þan alle þes men þat here offriden. And siþ þe puple shulde have noo good but for to wynne þe blisse of hevene, and þis falliþ comunlier in poverte þan in richessis of þes goodis, þe heele 1. [helþe, E.] of þe pore puple is more sikir þan it is in siche riche men. And on þis sentence shulde prelatis þenke, whanne þei seyen þis masse in þe chirche, and spoile not þe pore puple for to make þer state greet.