Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse

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.

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. xxiijo.] 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.xijo.] Poul seiþ, Noiþer prepuce nor circumcicoun is out, nor out worþ, [Gal. uo.] 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. xixo.] 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. xiijo.] 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. xvo.] 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
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Title
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.
Author
Wycliffe, John, supposed author. d. 1384.
Canvas
Page 84
Publication
London,: Printed for the Camden Society, by J.B. Nichols,
1842.
Subject terms
Lollards

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"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." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/acm9160.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 19, 2025.
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