the great controversy-第21章

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commanding　immediate　and　decisive　measures　to　silence　the　teacher　of　heresy。
（Augustus　Neander；　General　History　of　the　Christian　Religion　and　Church；
period　6；　sec。　2；　pt。　1；　par。　8。　See　also　Appendix。）　Before　the　arrival　of
the　bulls；　however；　the　bishops；　in　their　zeal；　had　summoned　Wycliffe　before
them　for　trial。　But　two　of　the　most　powerful　princes　in　the　kingdom
accompanied　him　to　the　tribunal；　and　the　people；　surrounding　the　building
and　rushing　in；　so　intimidated　the　judges　that　the

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proceedings　were　for　the　time　suspended；　and　he　was　allowed　to　go　his　way　in
peace。　A　little　later；　Edward　III；　whom　in　his　old　age　the　prelates　were
seeking　to　influence　against　the　Reformer；　died；　and　Wycliffe's　former
protector　became　regent　of　the　kingdom。

But　the　arrival　of　the　papal　bulls　laid　upon　all　England　a　peremptory
command　for　the　arrest　and　imprisonment　of　the　heretic。　These　measures
pointed　directly　to　the　stake。　It　appeared　certain　that　Wycliffe　must　soon
fall　a　prey　to　the　vengeance　of　Rome。　But　He　who　declared　to　one　of　old；
〃Fear　not：　。　。　。　I　am　thy　shield〃　（Genesis　15：1）；　again　stretched　out　His
hand　to　protect　His　servant。　Death　came；　not　to　the　Reformer；　but　to　the
pontiff　who　had　decreed　his　destruction。　Gregory　XI　died；　and　the
ecclesiastics　who　had　assembled　for　Wycliffe's　trial；　dispersed。

God's　providence　still　further　overruled　events　to　give　opportunity　for　the
growth　of　the　Reformation。　The　death　of　Gregory　was　followed　by　the　election
of　two　rival　popes。　Two　conflicting　powers；　each　professedly　infallible；　now
claimed　obedience。　（See　Appendix　notes　for　pages　50　and
86。）　Each　called　upon　the　faithful　to　assist　him　in　making　war
upon　the　other；　enforcing　his　demands　by　terrible　anathemas　against　his
adversaries；　and　promises　of　rewards　in　heaven　to　his　supporters。　This
occurrence　greatly　weakened　the　power　of　the　papacy。　The　rival　factions　had
all　they　could　do　to　attack　each　other；　and　Wycliffe　for　a　time　had　rest。
Anathemas　and　recriminations　were　flying　from　pope　to　pope；　and　torrents　of
blood　were　poured　out　to　support　their　conflicting　claims。　Crimes　and
scandals　flooded　the　church。　Meanwhile　the　Reformer；　in　the　quiet　retirement
of　his　parish　of　Lutterworth；　was　laboring　diligently　to　point　men　from　the
contending　popes　to　Jesus；　the　Prince　of　Peace。

The　schism；　with　all　the　strife　and　corruption　which　it　caused；　prepared　the
way　for　the　Reformation　by　enabling　the　people　to　see　what　the　papacy　really
was。　In　a　tract　which　he　published；　On　the　Schism　of　the　Popes；　Wycliffe
called

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upon　the　people　to　consider　whether　these　two　priests　were　not　speaking　the
truth　in　condemning　each　other　as　the　anti…christ。　〃God；〃　said　he；　〃would　no
longer　suffer　the　fiend　to　reign　in　only　one　such　priest；　but　。　。　。　made
division　among　two；　so　that　men；　in　Christ's　name；　may　the　more　easily
overcome　them　both。〃R。　Vaughan；　Life　and　Opinions　of　John　de　Wycliffe；
vol。　2；　p。　6。

Wycliffe；　like　his　Master；　preached　the　gospel　to　the　poor。　Not　content　with
spreading　the　light　in　their　humble　homes　in　his　own　parish　of　Lutterworth；
he　determined　that　it　should　be　carried　to　every　part　of　England。　To
accomplish　this　he　organized　a　body　of　preachers；　simple；　devout　men；　who
loved　the　truth　and　desired　nothing　so　much　as　to　extend　it。　These　men　went
everywhere；　teaching　in　the　market　places；　in　the　streets　of　the　great
cities；　and　in　the　country　lanes。　They　sought　out　the　aged；　the　sick；　and
the　poor；　and　opened　to　them　the　glad　tidings　of　the　grace　of　God。

As　a　professor　of　theology　at　Oxford；　Wycliffe　preached　the　word　of　God　in
the　halls　of　the　university。　So　faithfully　did　he　present　the　truth　to　the
students　under　his　instruction；　that　he　received　the　title　of　〃the　gospel
doctor。〃　But　the　greatest　work　of　his　life　was　to　be　the　translation　of　the
Scriptures　into　the　English　language。　In　a　work；　On　the　Truth　and　Meaning　of
Scripture；　he　expressed　his　intention　to　translate　the　Bible；　so　that　every
man　in　England　might　read；　in　the　language　in　which　he　was　born；　the
wonderful　works　of　God。

But　suddenly　his　labors　were　stopped。　Though　not　yet　sixty　years　of　age；
unceasing　toil；　study；　and　the　assaults　of　his　enemies　had　told　upon　his
strength　and　made　him　prematurely　old。　He　was　attacked　by　a　dangerous
illness。　The　tidings　brought　great　joy　to　the　friars。　Now　they　thought　he
would　bitterly　repent　the　evil　he　had　done　the　church；　and　they　hurried　to
his　chamber　to　listen　to　his　confession。　Representatives　from　the　four
religious　orders；　with　four　civil　officers；　gathered　about　the　supposed
dying　man。　〃You

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have　death　on　your　lips；〃　they　said；　〃be　touched　by　your　faults；　and　retract
in　our　presence　all　that　you　have　said　to　our　injury。〃　The　Reformer　listened
in　silence；　then　he　bade　his　attendant　raise　him　in　his　bed；　and；　gazing
steadily　upon　them　as　they　stood　waiting　for　his　recantation；　he　said；　in
the　firm；　strong　voice　which　had　so　often　caused　them　to　tremble：　〃I　shall
not　die；　but　live；　and　again　declare　the　evil　deeds　of　the
friars。〃D'Aubigne；　b。　17；　ch。　7。　Astonished　and　abashed；　the　monks　hurried
from　the　room。

Wycliffe's　words　were　fulfilled。　He　lived　to　place　in　the　hands　of　his
countrymen　the　most　powerful　of　all　weapons　against　Rometo　give　them　the
Bible；　the　Heaven…appointed　agent　to　liberate；　enlighten；　and　evangelize　the
people。　There　were　many　and　great　obstacles　to　surmount　in　the
accomplishment　of　this　work。　Wycliffe　was　weighed　down　with　infirmities；　he
knew　that　only　a　few　years　for　labor　remained　for　him；　he　saw　the　opposition
which　he　must　meet；　but；　encouraged　by　the　promises　of　God's　word；　he　went
forward　nothing　daunted。　In　the　full　vigor　of　his　intellectual　powers；　rich
in　experience；　he　had　been　preserved　and　prepared　by　God's　special
providence　for　this；　the　greatest　of　his　labors。　While　all　Christendom　was
filled　with　tumult；　the　Reformer　in　his　rectory　at　Lutterworth；　unheeding
the　storm　that　raged　without；　applied　himself　to　his　chosen　task。

At　last　the　work　was　completedthe　first　English　translation　of　the　Bible
ever　made。　The　word　of　God　was　opened　to　England。　The　Reformer　feared　not
now　the　prison　or　the　stake。　He　had　placed　in　the　hands　of　the　English
people　a　light　which　should　never　be　extinguished。　In　giving　the　Bible　to
his　countrymen；　he　had　done　more　to　break　the　fetters　of　ignorance　and　vice；
more　to　liberate　and　elevate　his　country；　than　was　ever　achieved　by　the　most
brilliant　victories　on　fields　of　battle。

The　art　of　printing　being　still　unknown；　it　was　only　by　slow　and　wearisome
labor　that　copies　of　the　Bible　could　be　multiplied。　So　great　was　the
interest　to　obtain　the　book；　that

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many　willingly　engaged　in　the　work　of　transcribing　it；　but　it　was　with
difficulty　that　the　copyists　could　supply　the　demand。　Some　of　the　more
wealthy　purchasers　desired　the　whole　Bible。　Others　bought　only　a　portion。　In
many　cases；　several　families　united　to　purchase　a　copy。　Thus　Wycliffe's
Bible　soon　found　its　way　to　the　homes　of　the　people。

The　appeal　to　men's　reason　aroused　them　from　their　passive　submission　to
papal　dogmas。　Wycliffe　now　taught　the　distinctive　doctrines　of
Protestantismsalvation　through　faith　in　Christ；　and　the　sole　infallibility
of　the　Scriptures。　The　preachers　whom　he　had　sent　out　circulated　the　Bible；
together　with　the　Reformer's　writings；　and　with　such　success　that　the　new
faith　was　accepted　by　nearly　one　half　of　the　people　of　England。

The　appearance　of　the　Scriptures　brought　dismay　to　the　authorities　of　the
church。　They　had　now　to　meet　an　agency　more　powerful　than　Wycliffean
agency　against　which　their　weapons　would　avail　little。　There　was　at　this
time　no　law　in　England　prohibiting　the　Bible；　for　it　had　never　before　been
published　in　the　language　of　the　people。　Such　laws　were　afterward　enacted
and　rigorously　enforced。　Meanwhile；　notwithstanding　the　efforts　of　the
priests；　there　was　for　a　season　opportunity　for　the　circulation　of　the　word
of　God。

Again　the　papal　leaders　plotted　to　silence　the　Re