Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/534

498 Readings in European History Englis, to lewide men [= laymen] ; and he pursueth a preest, for that he writith to men this Englishe, and somonith him and traveilith him, that it is hard to him to rowte. And thus he pursueth another preest by the helpe of Phariseis, for he prechide Cristis gospel freeli withouten fablis. O men that ben on Cristis half, helpe ye now agens Anti- crist ! for the perilous tyme is comen that Crist and Poul telden bifore. Butt oo confort is of knygttis, that thei savoren myche the gospel and han wille to rede in Englishe the gospel of Cristis liif. For aftirward, if God wole, this lordship shal be taken from preestis ; and so the staaff that makith hem hardi agens Crist and his lawe. For three sectis figten here, agens Cristene mennis secte. The firste is the pope and cardinals, bi fals lawe that thei han made ; the secounde is emperours [and] bishopis, whiche dispisen Cristis lawe ; the thridde is thes Pharisees possessioners and beg- geris. Alle thes three, Goddis enemyes, traveilen in ypoc- risie, and in worldli coveitise, and idilnesse in Goddis lawe. Crist helpe his Chirche from these fendis, for thei figten perilously. In another sermon Wycliffe speaks of the pride and arrogance of the clergy. And Crist sitting, clepide [= called] thes twelve, and seide, " yif ony of you wole be the firste, he shal be the laste of alle and servant of alle, for he must be moost meke of alle other." And Crist take a child, and putte him in the middil of hem ; the which child whanne Crist hadde biclippid, he seide thus to hem, " Who ever takith oon of thes children in my name resseyveth me, and whoever resseyveth me, res- seyveth not me, but my fadir." And, for this lore is profit- able to governaile of holy Chirche, therfore seith Crist, as he seith ofte, " He that hath eeris to heere, heere he." And in this point synnen specialy gretteste of the Chirche, for thei suen not Crist heere but Anticrist and the world. Loke the pope first and his cardinalis, where thei taken no worldli worship, but ben the laste. moost servisable, and