present collection. Many others were selected for the same purpose, but the limits of the work prevented their insertion.*

It is deeply to be regretted, that a complete edition of Wickliff's writings never has been printed. Such a monument is due to the illustrious individual to whom we perhaps are indebted more than to any other, for the gospel light and religious liberty we enjoy. Milton says, "A good book is the precious life blood of a master spirit, imbalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life." Surely the writings of Wickliff ought not to be suffered to perish. A much smaller sum than in many instances has been vainly expended in monumental attempts to preserve the remembrance of persons whose names in a few short years have been almost entirely forgotten, would suffice to complete a national memorial record of our great reformer, lasting than brass." But, blessed be the Most High, when we look around, in every circumstance which endears to us the protestant faith of our land, we are reminded of JOHN WICKLIFF. To use the words of Henry Wharton, Wickliff was a man than whom the christian world in these last ages has not produced a greater; and who seems to have been placed as much above praise as he is above envy."

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Doctrines taught by Wickliff.

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more

The doctrines taught by Wickliff have been continually misrepresented by papists, and often misunderstood by protestants. They may be stated as follows:

Wickliff's FAITH was derived from the scriptures. He considered them as a divine revelation, containing a sufficient and perfect rule of christian belief and practice. The authority of scripture he esteemed to be superior to any other writing, or to any tradition. He considered the canonical books alone as inspired. He urged that all truth is contained in scripture, and that no conclusion was to be allowed unless sanctioned by the sacred records.

The pope's authority, or right to interfere in temporal concerns, he wholly rejected, and considered that it was only to be admitted in other respects, when conformable to scripture. He maintained that the pope might err in doctrine as well as in life.

The church of Christ he considered to be the universal congregation of those predestinated to life eternal. The church of Rome he considered not to be superior in authority to any other. He did not allow that the pope was head of the church, and

* The result of this examination enables the writer of these remarks to bear testimony to the value of Vaughan's account of the writings of Wickliff. He would again acknowledge that the present compilation has been much facilitated by the work of Mr. V. as well as by his pointng out some of the pieces which proved most suitable for insertion.

opposed the extravagant authority claimed by the hierarchy, considering it as antichrist, whether usurped by the pope or the clergy at large, while he strongly urged the respect due to consistent and holy ministers of the word. He urged that the clergy ought not to be accounted lords over God's heritage, but as ministers and stewards of their heavenly Master.

He supported the king's supremacy over all persons, even ecclesiastics, in temporal matters. He never taught any doctrine contrary to the legal rights of property.

He sometimes mentions the sacraments as seven, but only lays stress upon two, baptism and the Lord's supper. Of the others he spoke so lightly, as to be accused by his enemies of rejecting them. His opinion of the Lord's supper is stated in his Wicket and his Confession. The doctrine of transubstantiation he wholly rejected.

He approved outward worship, and public assembling for that purpose, but condemned the superstitious rites of the Romish church. He disapproved the church music then esteemed, which was elaborate, often trifling, and opposed to devotional feeling.

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He admitted the doctrine of purgatory-that early error, but rejected the most corrupt and profitable part of the fable, that the sufferings of purgatory may be shortened by the prayers of men or the intercessions of saints. According to his statements, it was rather the doctrine of an intermediate state, than the popish purgatory, which he condemns as pious falsehood." As he advanced in life, his views on this subject became more clear and scriptural. (See extract from Dr. James, p. 109). In Wickliff's tract, Of the church of Christ, her members, and her governance, he says, "The second part of the church are saints in purgatory, and these sin not anew, but purge their old sins; and many errors are fallen in praying for these saints. And since they are all dead in body, Christ's words may be taken of them, Let us follow Christ in our life, and let the dead bury the dead." This widely differs from the doctrine of the church of Rome, thus determined by the council of Trent; "The souls detained in purgatory are assisted by the suffrages (prayers) of the faithful, and most especially by the acceptable sacrifice of the altar."

He allowed the memory of the saints to be honoured, but only that men might be excited to imitate their example, not as objects of worship. He denied the efficacy of their mediation, asserting that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Mediator. Pilgrimages he wholly disapproved, and the worship of images he frequently condemns.

The doctrines of papal indulgences and pardons he condemned in the strongest terms, as encouragements to sin. He also objected to sanctuaries, as affording impunity to crime. He held that absolution or forgiveness of sins belonged to God only. He condemned the celibacy imposed by the church of Rome upon

its clergy. His opinions respecting the papacy are stated at p. 184.

Wickliff is accused of wishing to deprive the church of its property, by what he has said upon the subject of tythes. His views were simply these. It is reasonable that the priest should have a suitable provision, besides the mere necessaries of food and raiment. He allowed that dymes (or tythes) and offerings are God's part, and that priests should live on them, but he urges "that the principal cause for which tythes and offerings should be paid, was curates teaching their parishioners in word and examples." When, however, the curates were wicked and neglected their duty, he considered that the tythes might be withheld from them, though they ought to be devoted to the service of God. It should not be forgotten, that the priesthood then taught that men should have the divine blessing in this life, and heaven hereafter, if they duly paid their tythes and offerings. The reader who wishes a fuller account of Wickliff's opinions upon this subject may refer to his biographers.*

He condemned the blasphemous adjurations then so common this has occasioned his being misrepresented as asserting that judicial oaths were unlawful, whereas he expressly declares that it is lawful to make oath by God Almighty in a needful

case.

Of the election of grace he thus speaks in his Trialogus: "We are predestinated, that we may obtain divine acceptance, and become holy; having received that grace through Christ's taking human nature, whereby we are rendered finally pleasing to God. And it appears that this grace, which is called the grace of predestination, or the charity of final perseverance, cannot by any means fail."

On the great doctrines of Justification and Merit, Dr. James quotes passages, which prove Wickliff to have taught "That faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, is sufficient for salvation, and that without faith it is impossible to please God; that the merit of Christ is able, by itself, to redeem all mankind from hell, and that this sufficiency is to be understood without any other cause concurring; he persuaded men therefore to trust wholly to Christ, to rely altogether upon his sufferings, not to seek to be justified but by his righteousness; and that by participation in his righteousness, all men are righteous." Dr. James adds, " In the doctrine of merits, Wickliff was neither pelagian nor papist; he beateth down all these proud pharisees, who say that God did not all for them but think that their merits help. Wickliff says, 'Heal us, Lord, for nought; that is, no merit of ours; but for The reader would also do well to examine the disputations of Huss upon this subject, in the university of Prague. (See Fox.) What was said of Luther by Erasmus, may also be applied to Wickliff as the great cause of the vehement opposition he experienced; "He touched the pope on the crown, and the monks on the belly." The English reformer perhaps went further than the German in the latter respect.

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thy mercy, Lord, not to our merits, but to thy mercy, give thy joy. Give us grace to know that all thy gifts are of thy goodness. Our flesh, though it seem holy, yet it is not holy. We all are originally sinners, as Adam, and in Adam; his leprosy cleaveth faster to us than Naaman's did to Gehazi. For accord

ing to his teaching, we all are sinners, not only from our birth, but before, so that we cannot so much as think a good thought unless Jesus the Angel of great counsel send it; nor perform a good work unless it be properly his good work. His mercy comes before us that we receive grace, and followeth us, helping us, and keeping us in grace. So then it is not good for us to trust in our merits, in our virtues, in our righteousness, but to conclude this point, good it is only to trust in God.

The foregoing summary of doctrines taught by Wickliff, is taken from the statements of Baber, Vaughan, James, and Lewis, who quote passages confirmatory of every point. In their works the reader will find those references; the limits of these pages do not allow them to be inserted here in any form which could be useful. The reader should also again be reminded that he must not expect to find all these opinions clearly set forth in every part of Wickliff's writings. Dr. James, speaking of the countenance some passages give to prayer to saints and the virgin, observes, I am persuaded that he retracted these opinions in his latter and more learned works. If ever it be God's pleasure that his works, which were cut and mangled, and scattered worse than Absyrtus' limbs were in the poet, may be brought forth and set together again, that we may have the whole body of his learned and religious works, and be able to distinguish the time and order wherein he wrote, then, I say, we should receive due satisfaction on this point." Vaughan has done much to settle the dates of Wickliff's writings, and has thereby shown his gradual and satisfactory progress on several points.

We must not expect to find in Wickliff's writings a finished system of doctrine. Many of his statements taken separately perhaps will appear incorrect, but take them as a whole, and we shall be convinced that he well merited his glorious title, "The gospel doctor." For the variations which exist, as Dr. James observes," considering the times wherein, and the persons with whom he lived, he may easily obtain pardon of any impartial reader. H. Wharton justly observes, these variations do not detract from him; they show that his opposition to Romish errors was directed by a matured judgment; and that he should not detect them all at once cannot be matter of surprise.

Vaughan also has ably cleared the reformer from the charge of inconsistency, or wavering; he has " fairly vindicated Wycliffe from the long reiterated accusation of having concealed his opinions to escape the terrors of power."

Upon the great and leading doctrine of the christian faith, Vaughan well observes, that Melancthon could have known but little of Wickliff's theological productions when he described

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'ignorant of the righteousness of faith.'

He adds,

him as "If by that doctrine Melancthon meant a reliance on the atonement of Christ, as the only, and the certain medium for the guilty, it is unquestionable that this truth was the favourite, and the most efficient article in the faith of the English, as well as in that of the German reformer. It must be acknowledged that this tenet is more frequently adverted to in the writings of Luther, than in those of Wycliffe; and his notices respecting it, are also frequently more definite, because distinguishing more commonly between the acceptance of offenders in virtue of the Saviour's death, and the growth of devout affections in the heart, under the influence of the divine Spirit. But that such was the design of the Redeemer's sacrifice, was not more distinctly apprehended by the professor of Wittemberg, than by the rector of Lutterworth; nor was this truth the source of a more permanent confidence with the one than with the other."

In the history of the reformation, there are perhaps no two characters more nearly allied than Wickliff and Luther. Both looked to the holy scriptures as the standard of truth: for human instruction each learned much from the writings of Augustine. The boldness of the German professor was perhaps manifested at an earlier period of life, and the situation in which he was placed more favourable to the permanency of the work wherein he was called to labour; but Wickliff's sun shone brightest when setting, and the decided manner in which he rejected the errors of popery respecting the sacrament, while Luther never was wholly freed from their fatal influence, directed the efforts of his followers with undivided attention against the church of Rome. Thus, when the doctrines of the gospel, as taught by the German reformers, were made known in England, the soil was found well prepared. Many among the lower and middle classes were informed on these points, and already had received the truth. The bishops' registers prove how extensive were the results of Wickliff's labours. The records of bishop Longland's persecutions in 1521, (see Fox) show their effect was not evanescent.

This sketch of the life of Wickliff may be closed with "The Dublic testimony given by the university of Oxford, touching the commendation of his great learning and good life."

"Unto all and singular the children of our holy mother the church, to whom this present letter shall come, the vice-chancellor of the university of Oxford, with the whole congregation of the masters, wish perpetual health in the Lord. Forsomuch as it is not commonly seen, that the acts and monuments of valiant men, nor the praise and merits of good men should be passed over and hidden with perpetual silence, but that true report and fame should continually spread abroad the same in strange and far distant places, both for the witness of the same, and example of others forsomuch also as the provident discretion of man's nature being recompensed with cruelty, hath devised and