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。　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　especially　unto　the　bishop　of　Rome：　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　suppose　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　is　the　vicar　of
  Christ　here　on　earth；　to　be　most　bound；　of　all　other　men；　unto　that　law　of
  the　gospel。　For　the　greatness　among　Christ's　disciples　did　not　consist　in
  worldly　dignity　or　honors；　but　in　the　near　and　exact　following　of　Christ　in
  His　life　and　manners。。。。　Christ；　for　the　time　of　His　pilgrimage　here；　was　a
  most　poor　man；　abjecting　and　casting　off　all　worldly　rule　and　honor。　。　。　。
  〃No　faithful　man　ought　to　follow　either　the　pope　himself　or　any　of　the　holy
  men；　but　in　such　points　as　he　hath　followed　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　for　Peter
  and　the　sons　of　Zebedee；　by　desiring　worldly　honor；　contrary　to　the
  following　of　Christ's　steps；　did　offend；　and　therefore　in　those　errors　they
  are　not　to　be　followed。　。　。　。
  〃The　pope　ought　to　leave　unto　the　secular　power　all　temporal　dominion　and
  rule；　and　thereunto　effectually　to　move　and　exhort　his　whole　clergy；　for　so
  did　Christ；　and　especially　by　His　apostles。　Wherefore；　if　I　have　erred　in
  any　of　these　points；　I　will　most　humbly　submit　myself　unto　correction；
  92
  even　by　death；　if　necessity　so　require；　and　if　I　could　labor　according　to　my
  will　or　desire　in　mine　own　person；　I　would　surely　present　myself　before　the
  bishop　of　Rome；　but　the　Lord　hath　otherwise　visited　me　to　the　contrary；　and
  hath　taught　me　rather　to　obey　God　than　men。〃
  In　closing　he　said：　〃Let　us　pray　unto　our　God；　that　He　will　so　stir　up　our
  Pope　Urban　VI；　as　he　began；　that　he　with　his　clergy　may　follow　the　Lord
  Jesus　Christ　in　life　and　manners；　and　that　they　may　teach　the　people
  effectually；　and　that　they；　likewise；　may　faithfully　follow　them　in　the
  same。〃John　Foxe；　Acts　and　Monuments；　vol。　3；　pp。　49；　50。
  Thus　Wycliffe　presented　to　the　pope　and　his　cardinals　the　meekness　and
  humility　of　Christ；　exhibiting　not　only　to　themselves　but　to　all　Christendom
  the　contrast　between　them　and　the　Master　whose　representatives　they
  professed　to　be。
  Wycliffe　fully　expected　that　his　life　would　be　the　price　of　his　fidelity。
  The　king；　the　pope；　and　the　bishops　were　united　to　accomplish　his　ruin；　and
  it　seemed　certain　that　a　few　months　at　most　would　bring　him　to　the　stake。
  But　his　courage　was　unshaken。　〃Why　do　you　talk　of　seeking　the　crown　of
  martyrdom　afar？〃　he　said。　〃Preach　the　gospel　of　Christ　to　haughty　prelates；
  and　martyrdom　will　not　fail　you。　What！　I　should　live　and　be　silent？　。　。　。
  Never！　Let　the　blow　fall；　I　await　its　coming。〃D'Aubigne；　b。　17；　ch。　8。
  But　God's　providence　still　shielded　His　servant。　The　man　who　for　a　whole
  lifetime　had　stood　boldly　in　defense　of　the　truth；　in　daily　peril　of　his
  life；　was　not　to　fall　a　victim　of　the　hatred　of　its　foes。　Wycliffe　had　never
  sought　to　shield　himself；　but　the　Lord　had　been　his　protector；　and　now；　when
  his　enemies　felt　sure　of　their　prey；　God's　hand　removed　him　beyond　their
  reach。　In　his　church　at　Lutterworth；　as　he　was　about　to　dispense　the
  communion；　he　fell；　stricken　with　palsy；　and　in　a　short　time　yielded　up　his
  life。
  God　had　appointed　to　Wycliffe　his　work。　He　had　put　the
  93
  word　of　truth　in　his　mouth；　and　He　set　a　guard　about　him　that　this　word
  might　come　to　the　people。　His　life　was　protected；　and　his　labors　were
  prolonged；　until　a　foundation　was　laid　for　the　great　work　of　the
  Reformation。
  Wycliffe　came　from　the　obscurity　of　the　Dark　Ages。　There　were　none　who　went
  before　him　from　whose　work　he　could　shape　his　system　of　reform。　Raised　up
  like　John　the　Baptist　to　accomplish　a　special　mission；　he　was　the　herald　of
  a　new　era。　Yet　in　the　system　of　truth　which　he　presented　there　was　a　unity
  and　completeness　which　Reformers　who　followed　him　did　not　exceed；　and　which
  some　did　not　reach；　even　a　hundred　years　later。　So　broad　and　deep　was　laid
  the　foundation；　so　firm　and　true　was　the　framework；　that　it　needed　not　to　be
  reconstructed　by　those　who　came　after　him。
  The　great　movement　that　Wycliffe　inaugurated；　which　was　to　liberate　the
  conscience　and　the　intellect；　and　set　free　the　nations　so　long　bound　to　the
  triumphal　car　of　Rome；　had　its　spring　in　the　Bible。　Here　was　the　source　of
  that　stream　of　blessing；　which；　like　the　water　of　life；　has　flowed　down　the
  ages　since　the　fourteenth　century。　Wycliffe　accepted　the　Holy　Scriptures
  with　implicit　faith　as　the　inspired　revelation　of　God's　will；　a　sufficient
  rule　of　faith　and　practice。　He　had　been　educated　to　regard　the　Church　of
  Rome　as　the　divine；　infallible　authority；　and　to　accept　with　unquestioning
  reverence　the　established　teachings　and　customs　of　a　thousand　years；　but　he
  turned　away　from　all　these　to　listen　to　God's　holy　word。　This　was　the
  authority　which　he　urged　the　people　to　acknowledge。　Instead　of　the　church
  speaking　through　the　pope；　he　declared　the　only　true　authority　to　be　the
  voice　of　God　speaking　through　His　word。　And　he　taught　not　only　that　the
  Bible　is　a　perfect　revelation　of　God's　will；　but　that　the　Holy　Spirit　is　its
  only　interpreter；　and　that　every　man　is；　by　the　study　of　its　teachings；　to
  learn　his　duty　for　himself。　Thus　he　turned　the　minds　of　men　from　the　pope
  and　the　Church　of　Rome　to　the　word　of　God。
  94
  Wycliffe　was　one　of　the　greatest　of　the　Reformers。　In　breadth　of　intellect；
  in　clearness　of　thought；　in　firmness　to　maintain　the　truth；　and　in　boldness
  to　defend　it；　he　was　equaled　by　few　who　came　after　him。　Purity　of　life；
  unwearying　diligence　in　study　and　in　labor；　incorruptible　integrity；　and
  Christlike　love　and　faithfulness　in　his　ministry；　characterized　the　first　of
  the　Reformers。　And　this　notwithstanding　the　intellectual　darkness　and　moral
  corruption　of　the　age　from　which　he　emerged。
  The　character　of　Wycliffe　is　a　testimony　to　the　educating；　transforming
  power　of　the　Holy　Scriptures。　It　was　the　Bible　that　made　him　what　he　was。
  The　effort　to　grasp　the　great　truths　of　revelation　imparts　freshness　and
  vigor　to　all　the　faculties。　It　expands　the　mind；　sharpens　the　perceptions；
  and　ripens　the　judgment。　The　study　of　the　Bible　will　ennoble　every　thought；
  feeling；　and　aspiration　as　no　other　study　can。　It　gives　stability　of
  purpose；　patience；　courage；　and　fortitude；　it　refines　the　character　and
  sanctifies　the　soul。　An　earnest；　reverent　study　of　the　Scriptures；　bringing
  the　mind　of　the　student　in　direct　contact　with　the　infinite　mind；　would　give
  to　the　world　men　of　stronger　and　more　active　intellect；　as　well　as　of　nobler
  principle；　than　has　ever　resulted　from　the　ablest　training　that　human
  philosophy　affords。　〃The　entrance　of　Thy　words；〃　says　the　psalmist；　〃giveth
  light；　it　giveth　understanding。〃　Psalm　119：130。
  The　doctrines　which　had　been　taught　by　Wycliffe　continued　for　a　time　to
  spread；　his　followers；　known　as　Wycliffites　and　Lollards；　not　only　traversed
  England；　but　scattered　to　other　lands；　carrying　the　knowledge　of　the　gospel。
  Now　that　their　leader　was　removed；　the　preachers　labored　with　even　greater
  zeal　than　before；　and　multitudes　flocked　to　listen　to　their　teachings。　Some
  of　the　nobility；　and　even　the　wife　of　the　king；　were　among　the　converts。　In
  many　places　there　was　a　marked　reform　in　the　manners　of　the　people；　and　the
  idolatrous　symbols　of　Romanism　were　removed　from　the　churches。　But　soon　the
  pitiless　storm　of　persecution　burst　upon　those　who　had　dared　to　accept　the
  Bible　as　their
  95
  guide。　The　English　monarchs；　eager　to　strengthen　their　power　by　securing　the
  support　of　Rome；　did　not　hesitate　to　sacrifice　the　Reformers。　For　the　first
  time　in　the　history　of　England　the　stake　was　decreed　against　the　disciples
  of　the　gospel。　Martyrdom　succeeded　martyrdom。　The　advocates　of　truth；
  proscribed　and　tortured；　could　only　pour　their　cries　into　the　ear　of　the
  Lord　of　Sabaoth。　Hunted　as　foes　of　the　church　and　traitors　to　the　realm；
  they　continued　to　preach　in　secret　places；　finding　shelter　as　best　they
  could　in　the　humble　homes　of　the　poor；　and　often　hiding　away　even　in　dens
  and　caves。
  Notwithstanding　the　rage　of　persecution；　a　calm；　devout；　earnest；　patient
  protest　against　the　prevailing　corruption　of　religious　faith　continued　for
  centuries　to　be　uttered。　The　Christians　of　that　early　time　had　only　a
  partial　knowledge　of　the　truth；　but　they　had　learned　to　love　and　obey　God's
  word；　and　they　patiently　suffered　for　its　sake。　Like　the　disciples　in
  apostolic　days；　m