"Urban summoned him for this to Rome: he replied, that an attack of palsy rendered him incapable of performing the journey. A second attack, which seized him in his church, proved fatal, when he was about sixty years of age

Wycliffe terminated his mortal career on the last day of December, A. D. 1384.

Wycliffe held for his own salvation, and maintained as a reformer of the Christian church, all those great principles, which were restored at the Protestant Reformation. His faith included the doctrine of the Holy Trinity — the divinity and incarnation of the Son of God-salvation only by his righteousness and atonement, through the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, and personal holiness — and, with the rejection of the popish traditions, the exclusive authority and perfect sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures, in all matters of faith and practice. As a specimen of his evangelical sentiments, we have already given one passage, in agreement with which his writings generally will be found. Various doctrinal errors have been attributed to this great man, by those who have been but imperfectly acquainted with his works. Those, however, who would learn correctly the opinions of that honoured minister of Christ, and see a worthy portrait of his extraordinary character and labours, must read the masterly volumes of his "Life and Opinions," by Robert Vaughan t.

We must, however, give one passage, expressing Wycliffe's judgment concerning the "Orders" of Christian ministers. "By the ordinance of Christ, priests and bishops were all one: but afterwards, the emperor divided them, and made bishops lords, and priests their servants; and this was the cause of envy, and quenched much charity."-"I boldly assert one thing, viz. that in the primitive church, or in the time of Paul, two orders of the clergy were sufficient; that is, a priest and a deacon. In like manner I affirın, that, in the Southey, vol. i, p. 347.

The Life and Opinions of John de Wycliffe, D. D., illustrated principally from his unpublished Manuscripts; with a Preliminary View of the Papal System, &c., by Robert Vaughan. 2 vols. 8vo.

time of Paul, presbyter and bishop were names of the same office. This appears from the third chapter of the First Epistle to Timothy, and in the first chapter of the Epistle to Titus. And the same is testified by that profound theologian, Jerome."-"From the faith of the Scriptures, it seems to me to be sufficient, that there should be presbyters and deacons, holding that state and office which Christ has imposed on them; since it appears certain, that these degrees and orders have their origin in the pride of Cæsar. If, indeed, they were necessary to the church, Christ and his apostles would not have been silent respecting them; as those impious pretend, who magnify the papal laws above those of Christ. Every catholic should judge of the office of the clergy, from what is taught in Scripture, especially in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus *."

The learning, patriotism, and piety of Wycliffe, equalled the greatness of his intellectual character, and his apostolic courage; but, for a review of the whole, we must refer to Vaughan. That learned biographer remarks, "In the school of the Reformers, the precedence in honour has generally been given to Martin Luther; and perhaps there is not another individual in that distinguished class of men, who may be compared with him to so little disadvantage as John de Wycliffe. Both were nursed in the superstitions which they were destined to oppose; and both passed, by slow and unanticipated steps, to the adoption of their final sentiments. They were also devout men from their youth; and before meditating any hostile movement with respect to the hierarchy, were in some degree aware of its abuses. But the claim to originality and enterprise, must certainly be awarded to the Englishman. There was an advance in the cause of civil liberty, and a revival of learning, observable in the fourteenth century, which were highly favourable to the formation of the character of Wycliffe; but, two centuries later, the same causes did much more towards inspiring the genius of Luther. The court of Cæsar had been for ages the retreat

* Vaughan, vol. ii, p. 275, 276.

of men, who had most successfully assailed the secular ambition of the pontiffs; and while the living admirers of the Greek and Roman classics, who had everywhere multiplied, were, with few exceptions, impatient to effect a reformation of the established system, the councils of Basle, Constance, and Pisa, had exposed its departing strength. Upon the whole, therefore, we may perhaps venture to conclude, that, while there certainly were some points of dissimilarity between the two great leaders of the English and German reformations, the difference between them is more apparent than real; and such as will not be found in the elements of their character, so much as in the circumstances of their history. Nor is it altogether mysterious, that a more qualified estimate should have so far prevailed respecting the character of Wycliffe, than has generally obtained in reference to that of Luther. The bold antagonist of Tetzil laboured, as we have seen, under better auspices, and with more success; and whatever Protestant learning or genius could do, has been generously done, towards vindicating his conduct and opinions from the aspersions of his enemies. But in the annals of this country, there are hundreds of men, whose names should not be repeated with that of Wycliffe, to the illustration of whose history a much larger share of industry and talent has been applied *."

Dr. Southey testifies “A great and admirable man he was: his fame, high as it is, is not above his deserts; and it suffers no abatement, upon comparison with the most illustrious of those who have followed in the path which he opened. His writings were carried into Bohemia, by one of the natives of that country, whom the marriage of their princess with Richard II brought into England. From the perusal of them, John Huss imbibed those opinions concerning the papal church, for which he suffered heroically at the stake, to his eternal honour, and to the perpetual infamy of the council which condemned him, and of the emperor who suffered the safe conduct which he had given him to be broken; and Huss prepared the way for Luther †.” That

* Ibid. vol. ii, p. 339-347.

† Book of the Church, vol. i, p. 348.
P

distinguished writer declares — "It is a reproach to this country, that no statue has been erected in his honour; and that his translation of the Old Testament should never have been printed *.”

CHAPTER II.

WYCLIFFE'S DISCIPLES.

Activity of the Lollards-Londoners Lollards — Popish Opposition to the Scriptures-Dr. Lingard's Testimony-Lord Mayor-Knighton's Testimony "The Ploughman's Tale"- Wycliffe's "Poor Priests" - Reinher's Testimony · Queen Anne's Piety - Dr. Crump-John de Trevisa-William of Wickham. WYCLIFFE died in peace, leaving his various writings, and his Translation of the Holy Scriptures, as a rich inheritance to the church. His decease was a joyful event to the Romish clergy; but his principles could not descend into the grave with him. His doctrines, being the essential truths of Christianity, were imperishable. With amazing success they were propagated through the nation by his numerous followers, who were called LOLLARDS, a name adopted from those condemned as heretics in Germany. These itinerated through the country on foot, in a plain dress, vehemently declaiming against the gross corruptions of the church, and the manifest vices of the clergy. Many of these preachers were not only indefatigable in their home-missionary labours; but, as is testified by their enemies, they became exceedingly eloquent and powerful disputants on the subjects of religion. Yet their talents were ascribed to the assistance of the devil, by whom it was said they were possessed as soon as they became Lollards. They were gladly heard, however, not only by the common people, but by many of the great and noble, in whom they found powerful protectors. Among these were the duke of Lancaster, and the lords Clifford, Hilton, Latimer, and Percy.

Sharon Turner informs us, from the contemporary authorities, that "preachers imbued with the opinions of Wycliffe started up in many places; and several knights, lords, and even dukes, espoused them. The citizens of London

became, for the most part, Lollards, as the new reformers were called. The sermons of the mendicant friars, formerly so admired, were undervalued; and the preaching from the NEW SCRIPTURES made a universal impression." Three years after the death of Wycliffe, we find the bishop of Worcester complaining, that "the eternally-damned sons of antichrist, the disciples and followers of Mahomet, conspiring with a diabolical instigation, confederating together under the name of Lollards, and actuated by insanity, were pouring out their poison from their honeyed mouths, under the veil of great sanctity." "From which," says a judicious writer, 86 we may infer, that these reformers were men of virtuous lives and mild manners, as well as of intelligent minds *."

Romish writers contemporary with the Lollards reprobate the translation and circulation of the Scriptures as a grievous evil. Knighton, a canon of Leicester, says, "Christ committed the Gospel to the clergy and doctors of the church, that they might minister it to the laity and weaker persons, according to the exigency of times and persons' wants; but this Master John Wycliffe translated it out of Latin into English; and by that means laid it more open to the laity and to women who could read, than it used to be to the most learned of the clergy, and those of them who had the best understanding. And so the Gospel pearl is cast abroad and trodden under swine; and that which used to be precious to both clergy and laity is made, as it were, the common jests of both; and the jewel of the church is turned into the sport of the laity t.'

Dr. Lingard, a Roman-catholic historian of our times, in the spirit of Knighton, bears a remarkable testimony to the effects of our reformer's labours. He says, Wycliffe made a new translation, multiplied the copies with the aid of transcribers, and, by his 'poor priests,' recommended it to the perusal of their hearers. In their hands it became an engine of wonderful power. Men were flattered by the appeal to their private judgment; the new doctrines insensibly acquired

Fry's History of the Christian Church, vol. i, p. 250. + Milner's Church History, vol. iv, p. 153.