ordre, and wan he is made ȝe mak him a son of helle double as ȝour silf.
XXIII. Ilk man is holden to do the better.
An oþer point is her put þus and axid, þat ilk man is holden to do þing þat is þe better. And me þinkiþ þat ilk man is holden to do þe better; and for þe clerar vnderstonding of þis, I suppose, þat as Goddis byddyng and comyn speche boþe, and as men vnder|stondyn þat bettar or best is seid by þre resouns, or moo, or ellis vp on þre maneris, as sum þing is seid better, or best, þan an oþer in his kynd, form, and vertu; and þus is God seid þe best ouer alle oþer; and þus gostly createris are seid better þan oþer; and þus bi diuers resouns is on seid better þan an oþer. In þe secounde maner is on seid better þan an oþer, for þe maner and þe forme; and þus of þis is oft o þing seid better þan an oþer. And þus if two men do a þing, þe ton is oft seid to do better þan þe toþer. And þus is a man of harmis seid better þan an oþer, and a prest better þan an oþer, and a religious man better þan an oþer, and a housbond better þan an oþer, for he can better, and doþ better þan þe toþer. In þe þrid maner is a þing seid better þan an oþer, in þis, as it helpiþ better by sum wey and mene to þe ȝend of a þing, þan an oþer doþ. And þus sum tyme a þing þat is seid to be warst to sum man, is bi an oþer resoun sed best for sum aȝenword. And þus seknes, and foul weder, and pouert is to sum men best, wan þei are menis to him to kepe Goddis biddingis, and to geyt blis; and so þei are better to him þan riches, or fair wedur, or hele, wen he schuld tak occasioun by hem to do synne, and displece God, and deserue peyn. And þus aȝenword wan þeis þingis are to man in to cause and help to plese God, þan are þei þe better to him. And þus þow it be better in heuen to seyntis to not traueyl, nor be peynid, as we are here, neuerþeles it is better as for þis tyme; for þus seiþ Poule, forsoþ I am constreynid of two þingis, hauing desir [Phil. io.] to be dissoluid, and be wiþ Crist, mikil better, certis to dwel in flesche is profit necessary for ȝow. Also men seyn, þow contem|platif
