An apology for Lollard doctrines, attributed to Wicliffe. Now first printed from a manuscript in the library of Trinity College, Dublin. With an introduction and notes by James Henthorn Todd.

XXIII. Ilk man is holden to do the better.

An oþer point is her put þus and axid, þat ilk man is holden to do þing þat is þe better. And me þinkiþ þat ilk man is holden to do þe better; and for þe clerar vnderstonding of þis, I suppose, þat as Goddis byddyng and comyn speche boþe, and as men vnder|stondyn þat bettar or best is seid by þre resouns, or moo, or ellis vp on þre maneris, as sum þing is seid better, or best, þan an oþer in his kynd, form, and vertu; and þus is God seid þe best ouer alle oþer; and þus gostly createris are seid better þan oþer; and þus bi diuers resouns is on seid better þan an oþer. In þe secounde maner is on seid better þan an oþer, for þe maner and þe forme; and þus of þis is oft o þing seid better þan an oþer. And þus if two men do a þing, þe ton is oft seid to do better þan þe toþer. And þus is a man of harmis seid better þan an oþer, and a prest better þan an oþer, and a religious man better þan an oþer, and a housbond better þan an oþer, for he can better, and doþ better þan þe toþer. In þe þrid maner is a þing seid better þan an oþer, in þis, as it helpiþ better by sum wey and mene to þe ȝend of a þing, þan an oþer doþ. And þus sum tyme a þing þat is seid to be warst to sum man, is bi an oþer resoun sed best for sum aȝenword. And þus seknes, and foul weder, and pouert is to sum men best, wan þei are menis to him to kepe Goddis biddingis, and to geyt blis; and so þei are better to him þan riches, or fair wedur, or hele, wen he schuld tak occasioun by hem to do synne, and displece God, and deserue peyn. And þus aȝenword wan þeis þingis are to man in to cause and help to plese God, þan are þei þe better to him. And þus þow it be better in heuen to seyntis to not traueyl, nor be peynid, as we are here, neuerþeles it is better as for þis tyme; for þus seiþ Poule, forsoþ I am constreynid of two þingis, hauing desir [Phil. i^o.] to be dissoluid, and be wiþ Crist, mikil better, certis to dwel in flesche is profit necessary for ȝow. Also men seyn, þow contem|platif

lif be þe fairar, actif lif is þe profitabler; and al þing as Crist did it so it was best, for he did ay þe best, and all þingis wiþ out defaut. And it is not to sey of alle þe warkis of God, þis is wars þan þat, and if any þing þat Crist dede miȝt haue be don better, þan were not he best and wisest, nor þe miȝtyest; and þis were grete synne to sey; þerfor þe best þing þat ani man may do is to do þat he biddiþ and counseyliþ to do, and to þat ende þat he biddiþ and steriþ; and þis is generaly ilk man holdyn to do, vndre gret peyn, ȝhe boþ of synne, and of punisching, and better þing may no man do, nor in better maner, nor to better ende. For þus is writun in Goddis law, No þing is better þan to drede God and [Ecclus. xxiij^o.] kepe his biddingis, nor þing more helfular þan lok in his biddyngis. And eft þus, Dred God and kep his biddingis, þat is ilk man. And [Eccles.xij^o.] Poul seiþ, Noiþer prepuce nor circumcicoun is out, nor out worþ, [Gal. u^o.] not but keping of þe biddingis of God; and ani þing schal not profit to hem but in þis þat God biddiþ him, or counseyliþ him to do it, and as he doþ it for þat bidding and counseyl; and þus is bidun in þe gospel, If þu wil enter in to lif kep Goddis biddingis, [Matt. xix^o.] þat are þeis, þu schalt luf þi Lord God wiþ al þin hart, in al þin soul, of al þi mynd, and þi neȝbor as þi silf; and þis is more þan alle brend offryngis and sacrifice, for in þis hangiþ al þe law and prophetis. An syn þis is bidding of God, man is holden generaly for to do þis, for ellis he may not be saue, as Poule prouiþ, for no penaunce, ne purnes, ne chastite, ne oþer þing þat he may do. And wiþ out swilk oþer dedis many han comyn to heuen. Also [Heb. xiij^o.] þus seiþ Poule, þat it is better to stable þe hert in grace þan in meytis, þat han not profitid to hem þat gon in hem. Also þus is writun, Obedience is better þan slayn offring, and for to assent is [1 Sam. xv^o.] better þan for to offer þe fatnes of schep; for it is os þe synne of wychis to repungne, and as þe synne of idolatrie to not assent; and to obey to Cristis biddingis is man euer holden, and not ay to offer. And many moo witnes are how a man is holdun to do þe

best. Al so þus seiþ Jerom, He erriþ not menly þat of two good [Jerom.] þingis puttiþ þe lesse good be fore, and leuiþ þe better; and of þis it semiþ þat he is holdun to do þe better.