Reading John Wycliffe
(1330-1384) biography is a very inspiring and up lifting for me. He was a philosopher,
theologian, lay preacher, reformer, university teacher at Oxford in England and
most known by all as – an English-Bible translator. Below is a lengthy quote
from his sermon How to Life Live:
“First, when you rise, or fully awake, think
upon the goodness of your God: how because of His own goodness, and not for
any need, He made all things out of nothing, both angels and men, and all other
creature.
Your second thought should be on the
great suffering and willing death that Christ endured for mankind. When no man might make payment for the guilt of Adam
and Eve, and many others, neither could any angel make payment, the Christ from
His endless love, suffered such great passion and painful death, that no
creature could suffer so much.
Think thirdly how God has saved you from
death and other mischief, and suffered many thousands to be lost the previous
night, some in water, and some in fire, and some by sudden death – and some to
be damned without end. And for this
goodness and mercy thank God with all your heart. And pray that He will give
you grace to spend in that day, and evermore, all the powers of thy soul, thy
mind, understanding, reason, and will, as well as all the powers of your body,
strength, beauty, and five senses, in His service and worship. Pray too that He
will empower you to do nothing against His commandments; but in willing
performance of His works of mercy, and in giving a good example of holy life,
both in word and deed to all men about you.
Next, be sure that you are well
occupied, with no idle time, because of the danger of temptation. Take meat and drink in moderation, not too costly,
and be not too particular about them. But such as God sends you with health,
take it in such amounts that you will be fresh in mind and understanding to
serve God. And always thank Him for such gifts. Besides this, be sure that you
do right and fairly to all men, thy superiors, equals, and subjects or
servants, and stir them all to love truth, and mercy, and true peace, and love.
Also, most of all fear God and His
wrath, love God and His Law, and His worship; and ask not principally for
worldly reward. In your heart desire
the bliss of heaven, in the mercy of God, and a holy life; and think much of
the dreadful doom of pains of hell, or order to keep you from sin.
At the end of the day think where you have offended God, and how much and how often, and
therefore be sorrowful, and amend your actions while you may. And think how
many God has allowed to perish that day, in many ways, and to be damned
everlastingly, and how graciously He has saved you, not for thy deserving, but
for His own mercy and goodness, and therefore thank Him with all your
heart. And pray for Him for grace that you may dwell and end in His true and
holy service and real love, and teach other men to do the same.
If you are a priest and especially one having the charge
of souls, live a holy life, surpassing
other men in holy prayer, desire, and thinking, in holy speaking, counselling,
and true teaching. And may God’s commands, His gospel, and virtues, be ever
in your mouth, despite sin, and seek to draw me from it, and may your deeds be
so rightful that no man shall blame them with reason, but may your open deeds
be a true book to all people and unlearned men, to serve God and do His
commands thereby. For an example of a good life, one that is open and lasting,
stirs men more than true preaching by word only. And waste not your goods in
great feasts of rich men, but live a humble
life, of poor men’s alms and goods, both in meat and drink and clothes. The
remainder give truly to poor men that have not their own, and may not labour
for feebleness or sickness, and thus, you shall be a true priest both to God
and man.
If you are a lord, ensure that you live a rightful life in
your own person, both in respect to God and man, keeping the commands of
God, doing the works of mercy, ruling well your five senses, and doing reason,
and equity, and good conscience to all men.
In the second place,
govern well your wife, children, and household attendants, in God’s Law, and
allow no sin among them, neither in word nor in deed, that they may be examples
of holiness and righteousness to all others. For you shall be condemned for
their evil life and their evil example unless you amend those as much as you
are able.
In the third place,
govern well your tenants, and maintain them in right and reason, and be
merciful to them in their tents. And chastise in good manner they that are
rebels against God’s commands and virtuous life, more than for rebellion
against your own cause. Otherwise you love your own cause more than God’s, and
yourself more than God Almighty, and you will then be a traitor to God. Love,
reward, praise, and cherish the true and virtuous of life more than if you
sought only your own profit.
And
reverence and maintain truly, according to your skill and might, God’s Law and
true preachers of it, and God’s servants, in rest and peace. You do wrong
against God if you maintain the Antichrist’s disciples in their errors against
Christ’s life and teaching, and help to slander and pursue true men that teach
Christ’s gospel and His life.
If you are a labourer, live in meekness, and truly and willingly do your labour, that your
lord or master, if he be a heathen man, by your meekness, willing and true
service, may not have a grudge against you, nor slander your God, nor your
Christian profession, but rather be stirred to come to Christianity.
And
serve not Christian lords with grudging, not only in their presence, but truly
and willingly, and in absence. Not only for worldly dread, or worldly reward,
but for dread of God and conscience, and for reward in heaven. For God, who has
put you in such service, knows what state is best for you, and will reward you
more than all earthly lords may, if you truly and willingly obey Him.
And in all things beware of grudging against God and the
trials sent by Him, in great labour, long or great sickness, and other
adversities. And beware of wrath, of cursing, of speaking evil of man or beast,
keeping patience, meekness, and love, both to God and man. Thus, each man in
the three states ought to live, to save himself, and to help others. And thus
should good life, rest, peace, and love be among Christian men, and they be
saved, and heathen men soon converted, and God magnified greatly.”
THINK BIG.
START SMALL. GO DEEP.
