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As fre men, and not as hauynge fredom the keuering of malice, but as the seruauntis of God.

Seruauntis, be ye sugetis in al drede to lordis, not oneli to good and to mylde, but also to tyrauntis.

For what grace is it, if ye synnen, and ben buffatid, and suffren? But if ye don wel, and suffren pacientli, this is grace anentis God.

And whanne he was cursid, he curside not; whanne he suffride, he manasside not; but he bitook hym silf to hym, that demyde hym vniustli.

For ye weren as scheep errynge, but ye ben now turned to the schipherde, and bischop of youre soulis.

but thilke that is the hid man of herte, in vncorrupcioun, and of mylde spirit, which is riche in the siyt of God.

not yeldinge yuel for yuel, nether cursing for cursing, but ayenward blessinge; for in this thing ye ben clepid, that ye welde blessinge bi eritage.

For the iyen of the Lord ben on iust men, and hise eris on the preieris of hem; but the cheer of the Lord is on men that don yuels.

But also if ye suffren ony thing for riytwisnesse, ye ben blessid; but drede ye not the drede of hem, that ye be not disturblid.

But halewe ye the Lord Crist in youre hertis, and euermore be ye redi to satisfaccioun to ech man axynge you resoun of that feith and hope that is in you,

but with myldenesse and drede, hauynge good conscience; that in that thing that thei bacbiten of you, thei ben confoundid, whiche chalengen falsly youre good conuersacioun in Crist.

For also Crist onys diede for oure synnes, he iust for vniust, that he schulde offre to God vs, maad deed in fleisch, but maad quik in spirit.

And so baptym of lijk forme makith vs saaf; not the puttyng awei of the filthis of fleisch, but the axyng of a good conscience in God, bi the ayenrysyng of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, that is in the riyt half of God,

that that is left now in fleisch lyue not now to the desiris of men, but to the wille of God.

but comyne ye with the passiouns of Crist, and haue ye ioye, that also ye be glad, and haue ioye in the reuelacioun of his glorie.

But no man of you suffre as a mansleere, ethir a theef, ether cursere, ethir a disirere of othere mennus goodis;

but if as a cristen man, schame he not, but glorifie he God in this name.

that ben among you, fede ye the flok of God, that is among you, and puruey ye, not as constreyned, but wilfulli, bi God; not for loue of foule wynnyng,

but wilfulli, nether as hauynge lordschip in the clergie, but that ye ben maad ensaumple of the floc, of wille.

Also, ye yonge men, be ye suget to eldre men, and alle schewe ye togidere mekenesse; for the Lord withstondith proude men, but he yyueth grace to meke men.