The European Union in Prophecy The EU in Prophecy I | Page 64

The European Union in Prophecy
"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."--Wylie, b. 2, ch. 13. 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 honours, 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 honour….
"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 honour, 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
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