Select English works of John Wyclif. Vol. 3. Miscellaneous works / edited from original mss. by Thomas Arnold.

TERTIA HERESIS.

Þe thrid heresie of þe thridde askyng sais, þat þai knowe þe [3. The third heresy pre∣tends to know the will of God, that He will certainly save those whom they pray for.] wille of oure Lord God to bringe a soule to heven by manere of hor preyyng. But certis we schul trowe, þat God may not be moved but as he has ordeyned bifore þe worlde was made;

and aftur a man deserves while he lyves here schal he be rewardid aftur his lyife, ouþer in blisse oþer in peyne, notwith∣stondynge oure preyere. But wel I wote þat God may helpe soulis in purgatorie, and make hom schortliere to dwelle þer∣inne, after þat þei have made hom worthi for þe tyme þat þei have lyved here. But we schal understonde þat God acceptis þe lyfe þat men lyven here wele, ande approves hit for soulis, and þeraftur hit is medefulle for soules þat bene in purgatorye. Ande if we knowe not þe privete of God, ȝit neverþoles we wote þat hit is fully riȝtwysenes, þat prayer of a man þat God hath ordeyned to blisse is more worthye þen a thowsande of hom þat schal be dampned. Ffor þe furst is Gods childe, and ordeyned to have his blis, þe secund is the fendus childe. And pray he never so muche, he getes not þe blisse of heven, for he makes hym not worthi. Ande þis faithe shulde move men not to selle hor prayers, but iche man life bisili, iche aftur þe lawe of God; ffor aftur þat a man deserves in his owne per∣soyne schal he be rewardid, in heven or in helle. But gode lyve of a man may helpe hym þat lyves wiþ hym, to amende his owne lyfe, and so come to blisse. And so private almes done syngulerlyche, þat Crist hymself tauȝt not, dos littel gode or none to donor of siche almes for to come to heven.