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VOL. I.]

THE

CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE.

NOVEMBER, 1821.

For the Churchman's Magazine.

Wickliff

AMONG the great men who preceded the Reformation, and helped to prepare the way for that event, the name of John Wickliff holds a distinguished place. A brief notice of his life, therefore, and a sample of his translation of the Holy Scriptures, may be interesting to the readers of the Churchman's Magazine. Wickliff is supposed to have been born about the year 1324, in the parish of Wickliff, near Richmond, in Yorkshire History first notices him as a commoner of Queen's College, Oxford from whence he was removed to Merton College as a probationer. Here he distinguished himself by his attainments in all kinds of classical and scholastic learning. But besides the fashionable learning of his time, he rendered himself conspicuous by his study and knowledge of the Scriptures This was a rare accomplishment in his time, and procured him the title of the Evangelic Doctor.

There seems to have been a controversy of long standing between the mendicant friars, and the governors and scholars of the University, in relation to certain privileges. In the year 1360, on some crisis in this dispute, Wickliff stepped forth as the advocate of the University, and treat ed his opponents, and certain abuses of the authority of the Popes, with a freedom of speech to which they VOL. I. No. XI.

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were but little accustomed. dispute, while it procured for him the gratitude and favour of the University, brought upon him the hatred of the friars, and laid the foundation of those controversies on the abuses of ecclesiastical power, in which he was so frequently engaged.

In the following year Wickliff was raised to the dignity of Master of Baliol College. Shortly after this, he was presented with the living of Fullingham; and in the year 1365, he was appointed Warden of Canterbury Hall, Oxford. From this latter post he was ejected in the following year, on the elevation of Langham, Bishop of Ely, to the Archbishopric of Canterbury; who being a monk, thus took it upon him to revenge the affront which had been offered to his order. From this act of the Archbishop, Wickliff appealed to the court of Rome. But while the suit was pending, he engaged in a defence of the rights of the English monarchy against some pretensions of the Pope, which not only lost him his suit, but widened the breach between him and the Holy See.

In the year 1372, Wickliff was elected Professor of Divinity, by the Chancellor and Regents of the University. The methods of preaching then in common use, were by postillating, or declaring, as they were termed. The Postillalor took a large portion of scripture, and commented on the several sentences in order, making such reflections as he

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"A German University," says a late traveller, "is little more than a place where there is a good library, and a collection of professors. who read lectures to those who choose to attend them. They afford bare opportunities for study, with few facilities, no compulsion, no discipline, no subordination. The consequence is, the broken windows, riots and disturbances, with which the students annoy the citizens, are visited very lightly by the university magistrates, and they are not under the control of the ordinary police. At Heidleburg, where there are many of noble and respectable families, they are rather better behaved than usual; and a lady told me, she found them tolerably quiet, considering." These tolerably quiet youths are to be known in a crowd, by their swagger and their mustachois, their hair flowing on their shoulders, without cravats, their pipes in their mouths, and parading the streets with a rude impudence. The spirit of patriotism, and political follies, of the students, are the natural consequences of the same unbounded license, which often corrupts their morals. Finding themselves distinguished, by large privileges, from their fellow-citizens, in a despotick state, they become insolent, and set about reforming their country, with well meant, but childish extravagance. The professors seldom check, and often partake, the spirit, though not all the follies of the students.

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opinions the surd. But it nat his sentited, and that Conclusions are Ich he openly reason to bents were somehe errors of the : made a great Wickliff's time, rs and extravamany important riance with the But it is to the that we are to ct interpreters of ese, with a few im among the first nguished of the re

hat the Holy Scripthemselves the ont rules of faith and exclusion of all hu-He denied the suPope, his infallibilito interfere, in the ral matters. He rei doctrine of transubindemned the celibacy and the refusal of the up to the Laity; and unfeigned horror of the nes of pardons and inSuch a clear perception through the prevailing perstition and corruption led them, and so bold an these truths, are sufficient his character from a few rors of opinion, and to exn as one of the greatest lights age in which he lived, and one most distinguished benefactors inkind.

may not be uninteresting to the ders of the Magazine to subjoin a mple of Wickliff's translation of De Scriptures. The work is extremely rare, and affords an example of the purest written language of Britain at the time, I take for a speci

thought proper. The Declarer announced or declared his subject, with out taking any particular text. Both these methods of instruction might have been useful in their way, if they had been properly conducted. But instead of making their discourses the vehicles of rational instruction and salutary exhortation, it was the custom of the preacher to fill them with legendary tales, the traditions of men, or fictitious miracles, as repugnant to our reason as destitute of truth. Such of the school divines as deviated from these methods, resorted to a subtle logic, and divided and subdivided their discourses into endless particulars, with all the intricacies of the science, though without its solidity.

The new Professor soon extricated himself from all those trammels of style and manner, which priestly craft and a false taste had established; and inculcated the doctrines and duties of religion, with a simplicity and energy, which had been unthought of, and which raised him to the highest distinction for theological learning and eloquence.

Wickliff was now appointed by the King, in conjunction with the Bishop of Bangor and others, to treat with the Pope concerning the liberties of the Church of England. In these negociations he was engaged more than two years, when he returned from abroad with increased abhorrence of the abuses and corruptions of the Romish hierarchy. On his return to his college, he began to unfold these abuses and corruptions, and to hold them up in all their enormity, both in his lectures in the schools,and in his discourses from the pulpit. He inveighed against the profligate lives of the clergy, their gross ignorance, and the unscriptural doctrines they inculcated But the weight of his indignation was directed against those base practices which were resorted to for the purpose of enriching the Apostolic See, and a

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corrupt hierarchy, at the expense of the everlasting welfare of the souls of men. In these discourses he made no scruple to call the Pope Antichrist-the worldly priest of Rome"

and the mendicant monks, "the most cursed of clippers and pursekervers."

In such an age it is not wonderful that such doctrines and such language should bring down upon him the wrath of the ecclesiastical arm. Articles extracted from his various writings (often unfairly) were censured or condemned by the ecclesiastical tribunals. Before these tribunals he was often cited in personsometimes to confute his accusers, and sometimes to be borne down by the prejudices of his judges, and the weight of their authority. Whenever the controversy turned upon the questions at issue between the court of Rome and the rights of the English government, he was sure to be supported by the 'secular power; but whenever he attempted to advocate his great plans of reformation, in relation to theological errors, and ecclesiastical corruptions, he was constantly admonished by his politic friends in power, to submit to his ecclesiastical superiors: And then admonitions, injunctions, and deprivations, were sure to be dealt out to him with an unsparing hand.

It was during these troubles and controversies, that he became convinced of the necessity of a transla tion of the Scriptures into the national language, that he might appeal to them for his justification in the eyes of his countrymen, who were profoundly ignorant of them

The version of the Scriptures heretofore in use throughout Europe, was the Latin. This was originally received as a matter of necessity, since no other written language was generally understood by Europeans. But when the Latin became a dead language, the Romish hierarchy were too crafty to encourage any transla

tion of the sacred volume, which would place the key of divine knowledge in the power of the people. They plainly saw that so long as they had the key of the treasure in their own hands, they could impose upon mankind for doctrines of revelation, whatever articles of faith they pleased; and thus pursue their schemes of interest and influence, without the fear of contradiction. Wickliff saw the advantages they enjoyed, and perceived the abuse of them. And he was firmly persuaded, that if the superstitions and errors which they had fastened upon mankind, were ever to be removed, it must be by laying the Bible before them in their native language. Impressed with these ideas, he devoted himself to the translation of the Holy Scriptures, and in due time had the glory of giving to the world the first entire version of the Bible in the English language.

Wickiiff died in the year 1384, at his living of Lutterworth, which he had been permitted to retain after his other deprivations; and was buried in the chancel of his Church. In the year 1415, the Council of Constance pronounced him to have died an obstinate heretic-ordered his writings to be burnt, and his bones, if they could be distinguished from those of the faithful, to be disinterred and cast upon a dunghill. This pitiful sentence was afterwards carried into execution.

But Wickliff's doctrines were neither buried with him, nor perished with his bones. They spread with great rapidity, both at home and a broad, and formed the most fruitful topics of discussion among the learned. Their effect on the world had a most important influence in preparing the way for the Reformation; and for this great benefit his memory is entitled to the warmest gratitude of posterity.

The early historians of Wickliff are his bitter enemies. According

to them, he held many opinions the But it most erroneous and absurd. is not to be doubted that his sentiments are often misstated, and that most unwarrantable conclusions are drawn from those which he openly professed. There is reason to believe that his sentiments were somewhat tinctured with the errors of the Lollards. This sect made a great figure in England in Wickliff's time, and with many errors and extravagaucies, propagated many important truths, greatly at variance with the Romish doctrines. But it is to the writings of Wickliff that we are to look, as the correct interpreters of These, with a few his opinions. abatements, rank him among the first and the most distinguished of the reformers.

He contended that the Holy Scriptures contained in themselves the only, and sufficient rules of faith and practice-to the exclusion of all human traditions.-He denied the supremacy of the Pope, his infallibility, and his right to interfere, in the least, in temporal matters. He refuted the absurd doctrine of transubstantiation; condemned the celibacy of the clergy, and the refusal of the sacramental cup to the Laity; and expressed his unfeigned horror of the baleful doctrines of pardons and indulgencies. Such a clear perception of truths, through the prevailing clouds of superstition and corruption that concealed them, and so bold an avowal of these truths, are sufficient to redeem his character from a few minor errors of opinion, and to exhibit him as one of the greatest lights of the age in which he lived, and one of the most distinguished benefactors of mankind.

It may not be uninteresting to the readers of the Magazine to subjoin a sample of Wickliff's translation of The work is exthe Scriptures.

tremely rare, and affords an example of the purest written language of Britain at the time, I take for a speci

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