[Postils, p. 93. Ibid. 2nd. [ts nature.]
[4 In pages 141, 142, 146, 176, 182, the papal schism, and in several places the papal crusades,]
[are distinctly mentioned. In page 163 is a farther allusion to Richard as reigning.]
offerings from the people, that liveth in lust and idleness, and profiteth not to his people? Certainly this were a fiend’s law to give God’s part to such men.” On the papal supremacy he did not scruple to speak thus—’ We suppose that Antichrist, the head of all these evil men, is the pope of Rome.”?
Section on the Remaining Writings of Wycliffe Still in Manuscript, and Including Such Works as Are Known Only by Their Titles
XXXII. CoNTRA MENDICITATEM VALIDAM. In English, and beginning — Most Worshipful and Gentlest Lord Duke of Glocester. It sets forth the substance of a discussion before the duke on questions at issue between a clergyman and a friar. The former half of it is occupied in giving a summary of the debate as it respected certain theological opinions; the latter presents some of the most plausible things to be said in favour of the begging practices of the friars, with the common arguments opposed to that usage. In the preliminary discussion Wycliffe states, “God is so good, that in each goodness he is before, and in each evil he cometh after the effect.” This is one of a collection of MSS. in Trinity College, Dublin. Class C. Tab. iii. No. 12. The volume containing it is thus described in the Catalogus Librorum Manuscrip-torum Anglie et Hibernie,” published in Oxford in 1697, as “Jo.
[Postils. In pages 10, 122, 126, 134, 151, 152, 159, are similar passages.]
[Ibid. p. 176. True men say, that so long as Christ is in heaven, the church has in him the]
[best pope, who is head of all saints, and distauce either more or less hindereth not Christ to do his]
[deeds as he promiseth, and he saith he is with his own always to the end of the world. It is granted]
[that the church beneath hath a head, that is Christ. head of angels and of men, all that are or shall]
[be saved, and we dare not put two heads lest the church be monstrous. Peter was not head of the]
[church, but captain of the church; and surely warriors would scorn the reasoning which saith that]
[ifa man is captain he is head. Peter was captain for a time, and afterwards Pau) was captain. But]
[these blind buzzards should first know what Christ’s church truly is. There are three churches of]
[Christ. One that hath vanquished and is above; another that sleepeth in purgatory; and neither of]
[these requireth such a pope. But the third is fighting here; and this, with the others, require Christ]
[as their head. And the man who is most meek, most poor, and most serviceable to the church, is its]
[captain, by the judgment of the Head above. If men seek well they shall find that it may not be]
[proved that it is reasonable to have such a pope, for nothing should prove it except of these three—]
[a right understanding of the words of Christ; evidence of man’s Jaw; or custom, with the opinion]
[of much people. But none of these may prove anything in this case,“—Postils, p. 181. Two pages]
[further on the preacher states, that the only authorised and rcquisite orders in the church are priests]
[and deacons.]
Catalogue of Manuscripts. 91
Wicliffe’s Works to the Duke of Lancaster in 1868.” But this description is by a modern hand, and is erroneous. Most of the pieces in that volume are manifestly of a much later date. There is no ground to suppose that any of them should be ascribed to a period so early as 1368, except the piece intitled, DE UrTIMA ZETATE EccLEsLe, of which mention wil be made in the section relating to works of the Reformer which have been printed. The mention of the year 1356 in that tract, has probably led to the error in respect to the date of the other pieces. We have no means of fixing the date of this piece addressed to the Duke of Glocester. It should not, I think, be placed among his earlier or his latest productions.
XXXII. De SATEANE ASTU CONTRA FipEM. This tract begins, The Jiend seeketh many ways to mar men in belief. It consists of two pages only, and is in the same volume with the preceding piece, in Trin. Coll. Dub. XXXIV. IN REGULAM MiNorITARUM. In English, in C.C.C. Cambridge. Sometimes described as the RULE or Sr. FRANCIS—THE TESTAMENT OF Br. Francis.