The English works of Wyclif hitherto unprinted.Edited by F. D. Matthew.

See now þe secunde wheel in þis deuelis wayn; þei bere vpon austyn þat he seiþ þus, [page 212a] þat he wolde not bileue to þe gospel but ȝif þe chirche seide it. so trewe men answeren þus: suppose [suppo X.] þat austyn seiþ þis word, he seide to þis entente, þat but ȝif crist, heuyd of holy chirche, & seyntis in heuene & þe apostlis of crist, þat ben holy chirche, seiden & approueden þis gospel, ellis he wolde not bileue þer-to; & þis vnderstondynge is ful trewe & resonable & accordynge to þe lettere of austyn. but þei vnderstonden þus, but ȝif þe multitude of cursed worldly clerkis approue þis for þe gospel, ellis austyn wolde not bileue to þe gospel of ihū crist; & siþ austyn was & is so gret a doctour of holy chirche, no man schulde bileue to þe gospel but ȝif þe chirche of þes prelatis confermen þat þis is þe gospel of crist. Þanne [ȝan X.] ȝif þe multitude of anticristis clerkis approuen not þe gospel ne treuþe of holy writt, no man schulde holde [olde X.] þe gospel ne ony comaundement of god, ne meyntene ony treuþe aȝenst anti|crist & his worldely prelatis. but what heresie myȝtte soonere distroie cristene mennus bileue? & god forbede þat austyn were in þis [omitted X.] perilous heresie, or ony cristene man. Þer-fore it is cursed lesynge to sclaund[r]e seynt austin wiþ þis cursed errour, to [omitted X.] coloure here owene false vnderstondynge & heresie bi þis holy doctour. for bi þis cursed wheel, ȝif anticristis clerkis dampne cristene mennus feiþ & þe comaundementis of god & poyntis of charite, & bryngen in here owen weiward lawis to holden vp here pride & coueitise, & to curse men for þei don werkis of charite, men moten vp peyne of dampnacion receyue here cursed dedis as bileue, & forsake þe gospel of ihū crist, & take fendis lesyngis in stede of goddis lore; & moo cursednesse to distroie cristene feiþ þan wole sue of þis cursed vnderstondynge may no man ne fend ymagyne til þe day of dom. Þerfore cristen men [omitted X.] schulden stonde to þe deþ