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 ye contending? with an old
man on the brink of the grave? No! with Truth,--Truth which is stronger
than you, and will overcome you."(120) 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. 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,