[Sidenote: For if he should, he would not be self-sufficient.]
for ellys yif he had[de] nede of any helpe. he ne sholde not haue [no] ful suffisau{ n}ce. [gh]is þus it mot nedes be q{ uo}d I.
[Sidenote: And he directs all things by himself alone?]
¶ þan ordeyneþ he by hym self al oon alle þinges q{ uo}d 2920 she.
[Sidenote: _P._ I have shown that God is the chief good; God must, therefore, direct and order all things by _good_, since he governs them by himself, whom we have proved to be the _supreme good_, and he is that helm and rudder, by which this machine of the world is steadily and securely conducted.]
¶ And I haue shewed þat god is þe same good. ¶ It reme{ m}breþ me wel q{ uo}d I. ¶ þan ordeineþ he alle þinges by þilke goode q{ uod} she. Syn he whiche we han accorded to 2924 ben good gouerneþ alle þi{ n}g{ us} by hym self. { and} he is a keye { and} a stiere by whiche þat þe edifice of þis worlde is ykept stable { and} wiþ oute corumpynge
[Sidenote: _B._ I entirely agree to this, and partly anticipated your remarks.]
¶ I accorde me gretly q{ uod} I. { and} I ap{ er}ceiuede a litel here byforn 2928 þat þou woldest seyne þus. Al be it so þat it were by a þinne suspeciou{ n}.
[Sidenote: _P._ I believe it; for your eyes are now more intent upon these great truths relating to true felicity; but what I am going to say is not less open to your view.]
I trowe it wel q{ uo}d she. ¶ For as I trowe þou leedest nowe more ententifly þine eyen to loken þe verray goodes ¶ but naþeles þe þinges þat I 2932 shal telle þe [gh]it ne sheweþ nat lasse to loken.
[Sidenote: _P._ As we believe that God governs all things by his goodness, and that all things have a natural tendency towards the _good_, can it be doubted but that they all voluntarily submit to the will and control of their ruler?]
¶ So as men trowen q{ uo}d she { and} þat ry[gh]tfully þat god gouerneþ alle þinges by þe keye of his goodnesse. ¶ And alle þise same þinges as I [haue] 2936 tau[gh]t þe. hasten hem by naturel ente{ n}c{ i}ou{ n} to comen to goode þer may no man doute{ n}. þat þei ne ben gouerned uoluntariely. { and} þat þei ne conuerten [hem] nat of her owe{ n} wille to þe wille of hire ordeno{ ur}. 2940
[Linenotes: 2912 _han_--ha 2913 _seid_--MS. seide, C. seyd 2916 _worlde_--world 2917 _none helpe_--non help 2918 _had[de]_--hadde _helpe_--help 2919 [_no_]--from C. 2920 _al oon_--allone 2921 _ben denied_--be denoyed 2924, 2926 _whiche_--which 2925 _ben_--be 2926 _worlde_--world 2928 _gretly_--gretely _here_--her 2929 _seyne_--seye 2931 _nowe_--now 2932 _naþeles_--nat[h]les 2935 _ry[gh]tfully_--MS. on ry[gh]tfully 2936 [_haue_]--from C. 2938 _goode_--good 2939 [_hem_]--from C. 2940 _nat_--omitted _her_--hir _owen_--owne _wille_ (_both_)--wil _hire_--hyr]