II. CHAP. tion to whatever may promote their faith in the grace of the Saviour, and obedience to his will. From motives thus enlightened, did Wycliffe prosecute his translation of the Bible. How far he was assisted in this great work is unknown. There is a notice attached to one of his Bibles, which attributes a translation of a portion of Baruch to Nicholas Hereford. The statement is written in less durable ink than the volume itself, and in a different hand, but is probably correct. We know that copies of the whole, or of parts, of the scriptures, in the language of the people, were now multiplied with surprising rapidity.19 Among the manuscripts which have escaped 19 MS. Speculum Secularium Dominorum. Usser. De Script. 160. c. v. Lewis, o. v. Baber's Historical Account, 69. When certain objections were urged against translating the scriptures into English, it was remarked that the same might be said of rendering them from the Greek into Latin, since it was certain that the Latins had not always used their version without abusing it. And men there were, who did not hesitate to go the length of affirming, that evil must result from submitting the scriptures to an indiscriminate inspection in any. language. It is thus that William Butler, a Franciscan, and an opponent of Wycliffe, writes on this point: "The prelates ought not to allow that any "person should read the scriptures "translated into Latin, at pleasure ; because, as experience proves, this "has been the occasion of many falling "into heresies and errors. It is not, "therefore, wise that any one, whenso"ever and wheresoever he will, should "be left to the eager study of the "scriptures."-Usser. De Script. 163. Lewis, c. v. Such was the danger apprehended from this source, that some twenty years after Wycliffe's decease, it was made a law of the university of Oxford "that no man should learn di vinity, neither holy writ, except he "had done his form in art; that is, "that hath commenced in art, and bath "been regent two years after, which "would be nine years, or ten, before "he would learn holy writ!"-Elucidarium Bibliorum, c. xiii. Previous to the decision of the council of Trent on that subject, many sound catholics discarded the apocryphal writings, which had become appended to the Old Testament. (Cosin, on the Canon.) Wycliffe was guided chiefly by the authority of Jerome, and retained only such books in the sacred canon as are at present received by the protestant churches. "Satis est (ecclesiam) pro suâ militiâ "habere 22 libros de veteri testamento "authenticos *** Non oportet eccle"siam militantem illis libris credere "tanquam authenticis. MS. DeVeritate II. the destroying hand of our native inquisitors, are CHAP. several which appear to have been completed before the decease of the reformer. The effect we learn from other sources besides the invectives of Knighton. It was at no mean cost of labour, reproach, and danger; and with a view, evidently, to the accomplishment of the most important ends, that this service was performed. The achievement, indeed, is one, which of itself must vest the name of Wycliffe with a peculiar halo, in the recollections of every man regarding the dissolution of the papal thraldom in this island, as the fall of ignorance, oppression, and impiety. of the com mons But while the reformer was employed in this Insurrection master-effort to enlighten the piety of his countrymen, an insurrection broke out among the populace, and one which appeared to threaten the overthrow of every established authority. The event fills a prominent place in the general history of this period, and the enemies of Wycliffe cease not to insinuate, that the violence of the insurgents arose, in no small degree, from the tendency of his projected innovations. Had the name of our reformer been wholly unconnected with this memorable occurrence, a distinct notice of its causes and character would not have been foreign from the design of the present work. The zeal of his adversaries has rendered this indispensable. The inquiry, however, would interrupt our narrative very considerably, and I have therefore thought it proper to place the substance of what may be known on this subject, in a note at the end of the volume.20 20 See Note A. CHAPTER III. СНАР. Transub OF HIS "WICKET." OF DEFENDED BY LANFRANC, AND ESPOUSED BY THE ANGLO-NORMAN CLERGY. Ir has appeared, that until the middle of the ninth century, the manner in which the body and stantiation. the blood of Christ are present in the eucharist, was the subject of debate, or rather of a peaceful difference of sentiment, among persons holding the chief dignities of the hierarchy. The same may be said of a considerable interval afterwards. But from that period, and from causes which have also been explained,' the advocates of the mysterious dogma, which in the twelfth century began to be designated transubstantiation, rapidly Berenga. increased. Its progress, however, was far from being uninterrupted; and among its opponents the most distinguished place must be allotted to Berengarius, a gallic prelate, who about the middle of the eleventh century brought his genius Opposed by rius. 1 Prelim. View, c. i. sect. 3. III. and learning, which were both greatly above the CHAP. character of the age, to an investigation of its claims. His doctrine was strictly that of the primitive church, and of the existing protestant communities. The zeal and ability with which it was supported, diffused his name through Europe, and attracted the enmity or admiration of the clergy through the western nations. In the cause of his opinions, the disputant patiently submitted to the spiritual censures of the pontiff, and of a council assembled at Paris; and the displeasure of his sovereign, which his zeal had provoked, was followed by the forfeiture of his episcopal revenues. The burden of such evils was probably lightened by remembering that his disciples in France, in Italy, in England, and particularly in the states of Germany, were numerous and increasing. But such, it appears, was the extent of the suffering, which this advocate of truth and reason was prepared to endure in defence of his tenets. Thrice was he compelled to appear at Rome; and as often was his doctrine formally renounced, only to be again avowed, as the prospect of impunity returned. Toward the close of life, he retired from the agitated scenes which for more than thirty years had been familiar to him; and the remembrance of the indecision, which had been allowed to sully his character, is said to have embittered his seclusion. But he died with the reputation of sanctity, and his followers never became extinct.2 The Vaudois and Albigenses, who had never And by the embraced the marvellous theory adverted to, were Albigenses. Mosheim, ii. 558-569, where this subject is fully and luminously treated. Vaudois and III. CHAP. invigorated in their opposition to it by the labours of Berengarius and his partisans. That the sectaries had adopted the heresy of that prelate, was often urged as their reproach; and it is evident from certain fragments of their reasoning on this subject, which their enemies have preserved, that, had the assertion been correct, the disciple must have been frequently acknowledged as by no means unworthy of his master. From one of their adversaries, we learn, that they were accustomed to appeal to the Apostles' Creed, and to that of Nice, and Athanasius, as including every important article of christian doctrine; expressing their surprise, that in these summaries of religious truth, no reference should be made to the matter of transubstantiation, though a doctrine so greatly needing the aid of external evidence to counteract, in some degree, its intrinsic, and surpassing difficulties. These perplexities, also, the same fraternities are described as exposing with a severity of criticism, which must often have bewildered their antagonists; urging with fluency almost every question tending to involve the subject in mystery, contradiction, or absurdity.' 3 See Prelim. View, c. i. sec. ii. The celebrated schoolman Alanus Magnus, thus describes the manner in which these contemporary heretics opposed this dogma of the church. "If the "bread should be changed every day "into the body of Christ, it would be "infinitely increased. They inquire "also whether the bread ceaseth to be, "and if it ceaseth to be, then it is anni“bilated, and so it is spoiled. Also they "ask, how a body of so great a bulk can "enter into the mouth of a man? Whe"ther the body of Christ be eaten, |