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.

An oþer poynt is þis; þat no man is Cristis disciple, but if he kepe Cristis counseil. Þis me þingiþ wel is soþ, bi diuerse resouns. And þerfor we schal first vnderstond, as boþ Goddis law, and experiens, and resoun techiþ, þat Cristis counseilis are callid in two wise, as sum tyme þing þat he counseiliþ to, and biddiþ not to ilk man as oþer comaundments; as are þeis, þat men kepen in þe gospel bodily pouert, and keping fro bodily weddingis, and suylk oþer. On oþer wyse is callid his counseil þus, as he steriþ oon to do þus, an oþer þus; as he seid to þe man, ȝif þu wilt be perfiȝt [Matt. xixo.] go selle alle þat þu hast, and ȝef to þe pore, and þu schalt haue mikil mede in heuen, and cum and folow me. And þus seiþ Poul, þat he gaf counseil to þingis as him þowt, but ilk man had his [1 Cor. uijo.] proper ȝeft of God, to go as God haþ callid him; and þus in ilk þingis men nedyn euer þe counseil of God, to led hem in al þingis to do as is leful and spedy and best, and þis is a ȝeft of þe Holy Goost. And þus is opun, þat non is Cristis disciple, but if he kep his counseil; for ellis he leriþ not at him, nor is not ȝeuen to his sciens, nor led þer by, nor fillid þerof, nor of þe sciens of God, but if he kepe his counseil; for þus seiþ Crist, and rehersiþ þe prophet, [Joh. ujo.] þat alle men able are taut of God. And God bi his prophet cursiþ þeis þat wirken not bi his counseil, for þus he seiþ bi Ysaye, Who [Isa. xxxo.] sonnis lifers, seiþ þe Lord, þat ȝe schuld mak a counseil and not of me, and wef a web and not bi mi Spirit, þat ȝe schuld adde syn vp on synne, þat ȝe go doun in til Egipt and axid not mi Spirit, þer for ȝe schal mak counseil and it schal be schaterid, and as he han [Prov. io.] left mi counseil and sett mi blamings at nout, I schal lawȝe in ȝour deþ, and bymowe ȝow wen þis schal cum to ȝow þat ȝe dred. And many are þe witnessis þat kenun vs to do alle þingis euer bi þe counseil of God. But neuerþeles ouer þis we schal vnderstond þat disciplis of Crist are seid in syndry maneris and degrees, as sum in general, sum in special. In general maner are al Cristis disciplis, þat after þe rewle of kynde folowiþ his lore. And