Select English works of John Wyclif. Vol. 3. Miscellaneous works / edited from original mss. by Thomas Arnold.

POINT VII.

Also prelatis ande freris beren upon symple men þat þai [7. That neither papal nor epi∣scopal anathe∣mas are bind∣ing.] sayne, þat nouþer cursynge of pope ne of bischop byndes.

Here Cristen men witnessen hardily þat no wrongeful curse of ony prelate in erthe byndis aneyntys God. But when þai cursen wrongefully, stondynge pacience and charite in hym þat is cursid of hem, he is blessed of Almyȝtty God in Trinite and alle his seintis. And no creature of God may harme þis mannes soule þus stondynge, ne pyne his body no but to his sovereyn glory, ande blis wiþouten ende. Over þis we seyne, þat no man schuld bere fals wittenessynge ageynus his broþer, seyynge hym cursid whom God and alle his aungellis blessen, by evydence of man, for kepyng of his lawe, þof a synneful a [dele a.] prelate openly reverse Gods dome by his lettre cursynge hym. Ffor no faith∣ful

Cristen man may wiþdrawe charitable commynyng and helpe in Gods cause for blaspheme lettres of covetouse prelatis, when he knowis no notable defaute in his broþer, but perceyves pleyne treuth and gode resoun, þat his broþer spekis and mayntenys. Þerfore no trewe Cristen man schortly wil renne into Goddis curse for a blaste of Sathanas, ne for worldly þanke and flat∣eryng of Anticristis clerkis.