Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/535

 The Popes and the Councils 499 moost meke of alle othir. More foul pride and coveitise is in no Lord of the world. Go we to bishopis binethe thes, and riche abbotis, fadirs in coventis, and thes axen worldly worshipis, and bi this mai men knowe hem. Yif thou wil wite which of thes is more, loke which takith more worldly worship. And yif thou go doun to freris, that ben beggeris, and shulden be mekerste, more worship of their bretheren takith - no man in this world, as bi kneling and kissyng of feet ; take thou the ministre of ffreris and other service at mete and bedde, more than ony bishop doith. And so Cristis reule in thes preestis is more reversid than in worldli lordis. And sith thei professen and seien this gospel bothe in word and in oth, it is open that thes false ypocritis disseyve the peple, and harmen the Chirche. But on this men douten ofte how that thes shriftes [= con- fession] camen in. For Goddis lawe spekith not but of schrift maad to God, and of general shrifte to men, and to stire hem to leve ther synne ; and thes shriftes ben ofte betere for this than thes newe rownyngis. Here men seien, yif thei dursten, that noo shrifte that now is usid is good to man, but in as myche as it lettith man to synne. And so yif prestis prechiden faste as Crist hath ordeyned hem to preche, it semeth that this were ynow, with general confessioun. And so, al if it do good, netheles it doith myche harm, for con- fessores han her menes to spuyle the peple by symonye, and to foyle hem many weies by coveitise and lecherie. Thes ben to rude heretikes, that seien thei eten Crist bodili, and seien thei parten ech membre of him, nekke, bac, heed, and foot. And alle siche heresies springen, for thei witen not what this oost [= host] is. This cost is breed [= bread] in his kynde, as ben other oostes unsacrid, and sacramentaliche Goddis bodi; for Crist seith so, that mai not lye. And so, yif this sacrament be foulid in that it is breed or wyn, it may not thus be defoulid in thingis which it figurith. And so a man brekith not Goddis bodi, ne drynkith his blood with his mouth, alyif he ete and drynke the breed Arrogance oi the friars. 208. Wyc- liffe on auricular confession and tran- substantia- tion. Denial of transubstan- tiation.