John Wycliffe
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their purpose, Wycliffe would be forced to abjure his doctrines, or
would leave the court only for the flames.
But Wycliffe did not retract; he would not dissemble. He fearlessly
maintained his teachings, and repelled the accusations of his perse-
cutors. Losing sight of himself, of his position, of the occasion, he
summoned his hearers before the divine tribunal, and weighed their
sophistries and deceptions in the balances of eternal truth. The power
of the Holy Spirit was felt in the council room. A spell from God
was upon the hearers. They seemed to have no power to leave the
place. As arrows from the Lord’s quiver, the reformer’s words pierced
their hearts. The charge of heresy, which they had brought against
him, he with convincing power threw back upon themselves. Why, he
demanded, did they dare to spread their errors?—For the sake of gain,
to make merchandise of the grace of God.
“With whom, think you,” he finally said, “are you contending?
With an old man on the brink of the grave?—No! with truth,—truth
which is stronger than you, and will overcome you.” So saying, he
withdrew from the assembly, and not one of his adversaries attempted
to prevent him.
Wycliffe’s work was almost done, the banner of truth which he had
so long borne was soon to fall from his hand; but once more he was
to bear witness for the gospel. The truth was to be proclaimed from
the very stronghold of the kingdom of error. Wycliffe was summoned
for trial before the papal tribunal at Rome, which had so often shed
the blood of the saints. He was not blind to the danger that threatened
him, yet he would have obeyed the summons, had not a shock of palsy
made it impossible for him to perform the journey. But though his
voice was not to be heard at Rome, he could speak by letter, and this
he determined to do.
[91]
From his rectory the reformer wrote to the pope a letter, which,
while respectful in tone and Christian in spirit, was a keen rebuke to the
pomp and pride of the papal see. “Verily I do rejoice,” he said, “to open
and declare unto every man the faith which I do hold, and specially
unto the bishop of Rome; the which forasmuch as I do suppose to be
sound and true, he will most willingly confirm my said faith, or if it be
erroneous, amend the same. First, I believe that the gospel of Christ is
the whole body of God’s law.... I do give and hold the bishop of Rome,
forasmuch as he be the vicar of Christ here on earth, to be bound