An apologie for Iohn Wickliffe shewing his conformitie with the now Church of England; with answere to such slaunderous obiections, as haue beene lately vrged against him by Father Parsons, the apologists, and others. Collected chiefly out of diuerse works of his in written hand, by Gods especiall providence remaining in the publike library at Oxford, of the honorable foundation of Sr. Thomas Bodley Knight: by Thomas James keeper of the same.

The Answere.

STill our aduersaries plaie the notable Sophisters, First wee wil see the occasion ministred vnto him. of speaking these or the like words, then wee wil consider the manner of speaking of them, & lastly con∣sider the words themselues, and the consequence or il∣lation. The occasion giuen vnto him, of inueying so sharply and eagerly against the manifest and manifold abuses of the wicked Prelates of the Church, was this. He liued in a very corrupt time, when the tares had so far ouer-growne the good corne, that he stood doubt∣full where to begin his reformation: whether with the

head, or with the taile, with the inferiour sort of Cler∣gie men, or with the Superiours: but he resolued with himselfe in the end, that it was best to begin with the Prelats and Heads of the Church, whom he saw as al ••he world besides, positos in maligno altogether for the most part, set vpon wickednes, admonishing them e∣very where of their duties, which they had so cleane forgotten, that whereas the Holy Ghost had made thē overseers ouer the flocke, they did as it were so manie woolues, or mastie curs, woorie them, or els fleese thē, nothing caring for to feed them, by leading them into the pleasant pastures of Gods word; yea, as it maie ap∣peare by his writings) they did altogither b 1.1 refuse to preach vnto them, c 1.2 persecuting & prosecuting the true Preachers of Gods word, and they did not only offende them selues, but incouraged others of the inferior sort, to do the like, by their wicked examples: d 1.3 giving Holy orders, vnto men of vnholy life, & vnable for their skill and knowledge to governe the people, committed to their charge, in peace and godlines; bestowing their benefices for e 1.4 carnal respects, not for mens worthines, or me∣rits, defrauding the poore of their almes. Whē he saw (•• saie) this Canker or spiritual Gangrene, fretting and festring the soundest parts of the Church, what could he do lesse then he did? to exhort them, to t••ke avvaie these scandals, our of church, to reforme these abuses. His words of exhortation (which is the 2. point, that we are to obserue) are these, mistaken by the aduersa∣rie, for they are no other, then such as are frequent in the works of the Holy Fathers; that f 1.5 it is not the name, but the life that makes a Bishop; that g 1.6 if a man haue the

name of a Prelat, and do not answere the reason thereof in sinceritie of doctrine, and integritie of life; but liue scandalously and in mortal sin, that he is but a nomine∣tenus Sacerdos a Bishop or Priest in'name, not in truth; but that hereby wee should inferre a contempt of the Cleargy in general, and condemne al Bishops & Pre∣lats, is not the meaning (I am sure) of Iohn VVickliffe, if his h 1.7writings may be credited against their false surmi∣ses, and improbable coniectures: Reformation is that which he sought, which God (evermore blessed be his name) did afterwardes so establish in this kingdome, that the like againe, is not to bee shewed for discipline and doctrine, throughout all the reformed Churches in Christendome; by taking awaie, not the things thē∣selues (i 1.8 for that were to cut downe al the vines, for some few dro••ken men sakes) or as the wise man spea∣keth, to wring the nose of the Church too hard, till the bloud come againe; but by taking away the abuses from the things▪ or from the persons, which is the happiest kinde of Reformation.

Notes

• b 1.1

  They held that a Byshop needed notto preach see Lib. de Verit. Scr••pt p. 331.
• c 1.2

  They pur∣sue t••ue men for preaching Christs Gos∣pel. Lib. Misc. pag. 35.
• d 1.3

  De Verit. Scrip. p. 351 & in Expos. Decal p. 34.
• e 1.4

  Ab ista sen∣tentia nimis coecatur: Ec∣clesia, & Prae∣la••i confere∣tes beneficia. De Verit. Scr. pag.
• f 1.5

  Nomen non facit Episcopū sed vita. De Verit. Scr. pag. 443.
• g 1.6

  Quicun{que} nomine tenus Sacerdos, vel Episcopus qui non compen∣sat illi nomi∣n••ipsius no∣minis rationē non est ve••e Episcopus, vel Sacerdos. De Verit Script. pag. 443.
• h 1.7

  He writeth against them that wil not honour their Prelats. Lib. Mi••cel p. 260.
• i 1.8

  Abusus non tollit rei v••um