"It is a commune lyf," quod Clergie, "On holy chirche to bileve, With alle the articles of the feith That falleth to be knowe; And that is to bileve lelly, Bothe lered and lewed, On the grete God That gynnyng hadde nevere, 6080 And on the soothfast Sone That saved mankynde Fro the dedly deeth And devel's power, Thorugh the help of the Holy Goost, The which goost is of bothe, Thre persones, ac noght In plurel nombre; For al is but oon God, And ech is God hymselve. 6090 _Deus pater, Deus filius, Deus spiritus sanctus._ = God the fader, God the sone, God holy goost of bothe, { 188} Makere of mankynde, And of beestes bothe.
"Austyn the olde Herof made bokes, And hymself ordeyned To sadde us in bileve. 6100 Who was his auctour? Alle the foure euvangelistes, And Crist cleped hymself so, The euvangelistes bereth witnesse.
"Alle the clerkes under Crist Ne koude this assoille; But thus it bi-longeth to bileve To lewed that willen do-wel. For hadde nevere freke fyn wit The feith to dispute, 6110 Ne man hadde no merite, Myghte it ben y-preved. _Fides non habet meritum, ubi humana ratio præbet experimentum._
"Thanne is Do-bet to suffre For the soules helthe, Al that the book bit Bi holi cherches techyng; And that is, man, bi thy myght, 6120 For mercies sake. Loke thow werche it in werk, That thi word sheweth, Swich as thow semest in sighte Be in assay y-founde. _Appare quod es, vel esto quod appares._ =
"And lat no body be { 189} By thi beryng bigiled, But be swich in thi soule 6130 As thow semest withoute.
"Thanne is Do-best to be boold To blame the gilty, Sythenes thow seest thiself As in soule clene; Ac blame thow nevere body, And thow be blame worthy. _Si culpare velis, Culpabilis esse cavebis; Dogma tuum sordet, 6140 Cum te tua culpa remordet._
"God in the Gospel Grevously repreveth Alle that lakketh any lif, And lakkes han hemselve. _Qui consideras festucam in oculo fratris tui, trabem in oculo tuo, etc._ =
"Why menestow thi mood for a mote In thi brotheres eighe, 6150 Sithen a beem in thyn owene A-blyndeth thiselve. _Ejice primo trabem in oculo tuo, etc._ = Which letteth thee to loke Lasse outher more.
"I rede ech a blynd bosarde Do boote to hymselve, For abbotes and for priours, And for alle manere prelates, 6160 As persons and parisshes preestes That preche sholde and teche { 190} Alle maner men to amenden Bi hire myghtes.