holden trewe feithful lyuers according with the lawe of God.
This iiije. opinioun, as y weene, thei trowen be groundid in the textis now to be rehercid. The firste is writun Iohun viije. capitulum. thus: Iesus seid to hem of the Iewis, whiche bileeueden to him: If ȝe schulen dwelle in my word ȝe schulen be my very disciplis, and ȝe schulen knowe trouthe, and trouthe schal delyuere ȝou. The ije. text is writun Iohun xiiije. capitulum. thus: He that loueth me schal be loued of my Fadir, and y schal loue him, and y schal schewe my silf to him. The iije. text is writen Iohun xve. capitulum. thus: I schal not now clepe ȝou seruauntis or bond men, for the seruaunt woot not what his lord schal do; but y haue clepid ȝou freendis, for alle thingis what euer y herde of my Fadir y mad knowun to ȝou.
This iiije. opinioun may ful liȝtli be improued. For|whi aȝens him is had the grettist certeinte which mai be had in oure knowing, and it is clepid expe|rience: ȝhe, such experience is aȝens him had, that the holders of him kunnen not and mowe not aȝens thilk experience seie nay, and therfore needis fro this iiije. opinioun thei musten falle. As for the seid experience had aȝens the seid iiije. opinioun, sotheli y haue mad inquisicioun therto sufficient and diligent, and y am certified at fulle that among the holders of this same iiije. opinioun summe ben founde and knowun openli among hem silf and of othere neiȝboris to be greet lecchouris, summe to be avoutreris in greet haunt and contynuaunce, summe to be theefis, euen aȝens her owne leernyng and aȝens her owne holding and doctrine. Ȝhe, thei that han be and ben riȝt grete in auctorite of teching among hem han be and ben suche, and in other wise miche viciose per|soones, so that thei mowe not here aȝens seie nay, for y can make it vndoutabili be proued. And alle men witen that these ben grete synnes and miche
