and cursid, and þat he ȝet was not; for he blasfemid not, ne synnid, ne did no þing worþi curse; and þat Crist wold þole al þis schuld we be glad, and leren to þole wiþ him; and þan bi þat we schal be holdun of God þe more blessid, and be þe more blessid, and be so perceyuers of Cristis meritis.
V. Ich prest may vse the key.
An oþer is þis þat is put and askid, þat ilk prest may vse þe key in to ilk man. To þis, me þinkiþ, I may wel sey þus, syn al power is of God, and, as þe gospel seiþ, þer is no power but of God, ne man may do no þing, but if he ȝeue him þe miȝt; as Crist seiþ, ȝe may wiþ out me do no þing, þat onely a man vse his power in to [Joh. 15o.] ilk þing, as God werkiþ bi him, and lefiþ him to vse it vnblamfully, and no forþer, and fro þat may no man lette him. And þis is þat we sey, þat we may of riȝt so, if þer be ani vsing of power, or callid power, þat is not bi Crist, þat is no power, but fals pride, and presumid, and onli in name, and as to ȝend and effect is nowȝt. Neuerþeles, a man is seid to haue power, and leue to vse power, in many wyse, as sum bi lawe and ordre of kynd, sum bi lawe and ordre of grace, and some bi lawe and ordre made and writun. And so it is seid bi lawe þat is mad of þe kirk, þat ilk prest haþ þe same power to vse þe key in to ani man in þo poynt of deþ, as þe pope; but not ellis, not but autorite in special be ȝeuun to him of þe kirk þer to. But if it be askid, if ilk prest mai vse þe key in to ilk man, þat is to sey, to assoile him, or ellis to bind him fro grace, it semiþ opunly þat ilk prest may not asoile ilk to bring him to heuyn; for þe gospel seiþ, þat Crist in a coost of þe Jewis miȝt [Matt. 13o.] not do ani vertu þer, for þe vntrouþ, not but helid a few seek, þe handus leyd vpon, and he maruelid for þer vntrowþ; þan, wan Crist, þat is God Almiȝty, and of his absolut power may al þing, and no þing is vnpossible to him, nor no þing may aȝen stond him, and ȝet may not of his ordinat power ȝele þe folk for þer ontrowþ, and vndisposicoun, and vnabilite to reseyue, mich more ani oþer beneþ may not help, but after þe disposicoun of him þat receyuiþ.
