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 , 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 , 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 .
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