90 The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan
[ 091 ] cil-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 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
120 Wylie, b. 2, ch. 13.