Introduction
God is able to get good from bad, since its action is naturally merciful. Quotation of the Easter hymn: O felix culpa (here attributed to Gregory the Great). Key point of the introduction: "Ordinavit enim deus malum reproborum ad quadruplex bonum electorum".
First part
To contemplate the glory of Christ (as the three apostles) needs to renunce to all heartly things ("Moraliter: qui desiderat in beatitudine Christum glorificatum videre, mundum et omnia terrena debet relinquere"; X.F). The sermon presents a subdivision of the three reasons why "debemus ergo mundum et omnia terrena transitoria spernere et relinquere, quia habent: 1) Infidelitatem in acquirendo; 2) Instabilitatem in retinendo; 3) Anxietatem in reliquendo" (X.G).
1.1. To acquire richness, people deceive parents, friends, relatives, and neighbours. Manual workers deceive people, and citizens become rich by means of usury and frauds («Sic etiam hodie mechanici seipsos in laboribus suis depiciunt, cives et burgenses per usuram et mendatia divitias acquirunt»). Particular emphasis is on usuary, saying that now Christians are worse than Jews: «Et specialter ibi notat usuram, que ut pro dolor valde communis est Christiano et Iudeo, plus hodie Chrstiani quam Iudei usuram rapiunt. Nam iudeus de libra denarium vel duos per septimanam sumpsit, tu autem false Christiane vix in solido contentaris, et usuram nomine census baptizas» (X.G). Not only the one who does, but the city that accepts this behaviour is condemned. Brief discussion about usury and its exceptions.
1.2. About the instability of earthly good, the sermon refers to the Wheel of fortune, with quite an extensive comment that quotes at lenght Boethius, some didactic verses, and a symbolic anthropomorfic/theriomorphic symbol of fortune (X.I)
1.3. Sorrows in leaving things (at the moment of death). Among other quotations, this idea is explained quoting a passage of AristotlePoetica, which presents fabulose the reply of an old palace to a poet that interrogated it about the destiny of the people that lived there in joy and splendour. Second part
... of earthly good, the sermon refers to the Wheel of
fortune
, with quite an extensive comment that quotes at lenght...