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The Great Controversy
apparent. A thorough acquaintance with the speculative philosophy of
his time enabled him to expose its errors; and by his study of national
and ecclesiastical law he was prepared to engage in the great struggle
for civil and religious liberty. While he could wield the weapons drawn
from the word of God, he had acquired the intellectual discipline of
the schools, and he understood the tactics of the schoolmen. The
power of his genius and the extent and thoroughness of his knowl-
edge commanded the respect of both friends and foes. His adherents
saw with satisfaction that their champion stood foremost among the
leading minds of the nation; and his enemies were prevented from
casting contempt upon the cause of reform by exposing the ignorance
or weakness of its supporter.
While Wycliffe was still at college, he entered upon the study of
the Scriptures. In those early times, when the Bible existed only in
the ancient languages, scholars were enabled to find their way to the
fountain of truth, which was closed to the uneducated classes. Thus
already the way had been prepared for Wycliffe’s future work as a
Reformer. Men of learning had studied the word of God and had found
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the great truth of His free grace there revealed. In their teachings they
had spread a knowledge of this truth, and had led others to turn to the
living oracles.
When Wycliffe’s attention was directed to the Scriptures, he en-
tered upon their investigation with the same thoroughness which had
enabled him to master the learning of the schools. Heretofore he had
felt a great want, which neither his scholastic studies nor the teaching
of the church could satisfy. In the word of God he found that which he
had before sought in vain. Here he saw the plan of salvation revealed
and Christ set forth as the only advocate for man. He gave himself
to the service of Christ and determined to proclaim the truths he had
discovered.
Like after Reformers, Wycliffe did not, at the opening of his work,
foresee whither it would lead him. He did not set himself deliberately
in opposition to Rome. But devotion to truth could not but bring him
in conflict with falsehood. The more clearly he discerned the errors
of the papacy, the more earnestly he presented the teaching of the
Bible. He saw that Rome had forsaken the word of God for human
tradition; he fearlessly accused the priesthood of having banished the
Scriptures, and demanded that the Bible be restored to the people