the great controversy-第17节

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this　haughty　potentate　expect　to　meet　those　words　again？　Did　he　know　that
they　were　registered　in　the　books　of　heaven；　to　confront　him　at　the
judgment？　〃Inasmuch　as　ye　have　done　it　unto　one　of　the　least　of　these　My
brethren；〃　said　Jesus；　〃ye　have　done　it　unto　Me。〃　Matthew　25：40。

This　bull　called　upon　all　members　of　the　church　to　join　the　crusade　against
the　heretics。　As　an　incentive　to　engage　in　this　cruel　work；　it　〃absolved
from　all　ecclesiastical　pains　and　penalties；　general　and　particular；　it
released　all　who　joined　the　crusade　from　any　oaths　they　might　have　taken；　it
legitimatized　their　title　to　any　property　they　might　have　illegally
acquired；　and　promised　remission　of　all　their　sins　to　such　as　should　kill
any　heretic。　It　annulled　all　contracts　made　in　favor　of　Vaudois；　ordered
their　domestics　to　abandon　them；　forbade　all　persons　to　give　them　any　aid
whatever；　and　empowered　all　persons　to　take　possession　of　their
property。〃Wylie；　b。　16；　ch。　1。　This　document　clearly　reveals　the　master
spirit　behind　the　scenes。　It　is　the　roar　of　the　dragon；　and　not　the　voice　of
Christ；　that　is　heard　therein。

The　papal　leaders　would　not　conform　their　characters　to　the　great　standard
of　God's　law；　but　erected　a　standard　to　suit　themselves；　and　determined　to
compel　all　to　conform　to　this　because　Rome　willed　it。　The　most　horrible
tragedies　were　enacted。　Corrupt　and　blasphemous　priests　and　popes　were　doing
the　work　which　Satan　appointed　them。　Mercy　had

78

no　place　in　their　natures。　The　same　spirit　that　crucified　Christ　and　slew
the　apostles；　the　same　that　moved　the　blood…thirsty　Nero　against　the
faithful　in　his　day；　was　at　work　to　rid　the　earth　of　those　who　were　beloved
of　God。

The　persecutions　visited　for　many　centuries　upon　this　God…fearing　people
were　endured　by　them　with　a　patience　and　constancy　that　honored　their
Redeemer。　Notwithstanding　the　crusades　against　them；　and　the　inhuman
butchery　to　which　they　were　subjected；　they　continued　to　send　out　their
missionaries　to　scatter　the　precious　truth。　They　were　hunted　to　death；　yet
their　blood　watered　the　seed　sown；　and　it　failed　not　of　yielding　fruit。　Thus
the　Waldenses　witnessed　for　God　centuries　before　the　birth　of　Luther。
Scattered　over　many　lands；　they　planted　the　seeds　of　the　Reformation　that
began　in　the　time　of　Wycliffe；　grew　broad　and　deep　in　the　days　of　Luther；
and　is　to　be　carried　forward　to　the　close　of　time　by　those　who　also　are
willing　to　suffer　all　things　for　〃the　word　of　God；　and　for　the　testimony　of
Jesus　Christ。〃　Revelation　1：9。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（79）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　5

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　John　Wycliffe


Before　the　Reformation　there　were　at　times　but　very　few　copies　of　the　Bible
in　existence；　but　God　had　not　suffered　His　word　to　be　wholly　destroyed。　Its
truths　were　not　to　be　forever　hidden。　He　could　as　easily　unchain　the　words
of　life　as　He　could　open　prison　doors　and　unbolt　iron　gates　to　set　His
servants　free。　In　the　different　countries　of　Europe　men　were　moved　by　the
Spirit　of　God　to　search　for　the　truth　as　for　hid　treasures。　Providentially
guided　to　the　Holy　Scriptures；　they　studied　the　sacred　pages　with　intense
interest。　They　were　willing　to　accept　the　light　at　any　cost　to　themselves。
Though　they　did　not　see　all　things　clearly；　they　were　enabled　to　perceive
many　long…buried　truths。　As　Heaven…sent　messengers　they　went　forth；　rending
asunder　the　chains　of　error　and　superstition；　and　calling　upon　those　who　had
been　so　long　enslaved；　to　arise　and　assert　their　liberty。

Except　among　the　Waldenses；　the　word　of　God　had　for　ages　been　locked　up　in
languages　known　only　to　the　learned；　but　the　time　had　come　for　the
Scriptures　to　be　translated　and　given　to　the　people　of　different　lands　in
their　native　tongue。　The　world　had　passed　its　midnight。　The　hours　of
darkness　were　wearing　away；　and　in　many　lands　appeared　tokens　of　the　coming
dawn。

80


In　the　fourteenth　century　arose　in　England　the　〃morning　star　of　the
Reformation。〃　John　Wycliffe　was　the　herald　of　reform；　not　for　England　alone；
but　for　all　Christendom。　The　great　protest　against　Rome　which　it　was
permitted　him　to　utter　was　never　to　be　silenced。　That　protest　opened　the
struggle　which　was　to　result　in　the　emancipation　of　individuals；　of
churches；　and　of　nations。

Wycliffe　received　a　liberal　education；　and　with　him　the　fear　of　the　Lord　was
the　beginning　of　wisdom。　He　was　noted　at　college　for　his　fervent　piety　as
well　as　for　his　remarkable　talents　and　sound　scholarship。　In　his　thirst　for
knowledge　he　sought　to　become　acquainted　with　every　branch　of　learning。　He
was　educated　in　the　scholastic　philosophy；　in　the　canons　of　the　church；　and
in　the　civil　law；　especially　that　of　his　own　country。　In　his　after　labors
the　value　of　this　early　training　was　apparent。　A　thorough　acquaintance　with
the　speculative　philosophy　of　his　time　enabled　him　to　expose　its　errors；　and
by　his　study　of　national　and　ecclesiastical　law　he　was　prepared　to　engage　in
the　great　struggle　for　civil　and　religious　liberty。　While　he　could　wield　the
weapons　drawn　from　the　word　of　God；　he　had　acquired　the　intellectual
discipline　of　the　schools；　and　he　understood　the　tactics　of　the　schoolmen。
The　power　of　his　genius　and　the　extent　and　thoroughness　of　his　knowledge
commanded　the　respect　of　both　friends　and　foes。　His　adherents　saw　with
satisfaction　that　their　champion　stood　foremost　among　the　leading　minds　of
the　nation；　and　his　enemies　were　prevented　from　casting　contempt　upon　the
cause　of　reform　by　exposing　the　ignorance　or　weakness　of　its　supporter。

While　Wycliffe　was　still　at　college；　he　entered　upon　the　study　of　the
Scriptures。　In　those　early　times；　when　the　Bible　existed　only　in　the　ancient
languages；　scholars　were　enabled　to　find　their　way　to　the　fountain　of　truth；
which　was　closed　to　the　uneducated　classes。　Thus　already　the　way　had　been
prepared　for　Wycliffe's　future　work　as　a　Reformer。　Men

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　81

of　learning　had　studied　the　word　of　God　and　had　found　the　great　truth　of　His
free　grace　there　revealed。　In　their　teachings　they　had　spread　a　knowledge　of
this　truth；　and　had　led　others　to　turn　to　the　living　oracles。

When　Wycliffe's　attention　was　directed　to　the　Scriptures；　he　entered　upon
their　investigation　with　the　same　thoroughness　which　had　enabled　him　to
master　the　learning　of　the　schools。　Heretofore　he　had　felt　a　great　want；
which　neither　his　scholastic　studies　nor　the　teaching　of　the　church　could
satisfy。　In　the　word　of　God　he　found　that　which　he　had　before　sought　in
vain。　Here　he　saw　the　plan　of　salvation　revealed　and　Christ　set　forth　as　the
only　advocate　for　man。　He　gave　himself　to　the　service　of　Christ　and
determined　to　proclaim　the　truths　he　had　discovered。

Like　after　Reformers；　Wycliffe　did　not；　at　the　opening　of　his　work；　foresee
whither　it　would　lead　him。　He　did　not　set　himself　deliberately　in　opposition
to　Rome。　But　devotion　to　truth　could　not　but　bring　him　in　conflict　with
falsehood。　The　more　clearly　he　discerned　the　errors　of　the　papacy；　the　more
earnestly　he　presented　the　teaching　of　the　Bible。　He　saw　that　Rome　had
forsaken　the　word　of　God　for　human　tradition；　he　fearlessly　accused　the
priesthood　of　having　banished　the　Scriptures；　and　demanded　that　the　Bible　be
restored　to　the　people　and　that　its　authority　be　again　established　in　the
church。　He　was　an　able　and　earnest　teacher　and　an　eloquent　preacher；　and　his
daily　life　was　a　demonstration　of　the　truths　he　preached。　His　knowledge　of
the　Scriptures；　the　force　of　his　reasoning；　the　purity　of　his　life；　and　his
unbending　courage　and　integrity　won　for　him　general　esteem　and　confidence。
Many　of　the　people　had　become　dissatisfied　with　their　former　faith　as　they
saw　the　iniquity　that　prevailed　in　the　Roman　Church；　and　they　hailed　with
unconcealed　joy　the　truths　brought　to　view　by　Wycliffe；　but　the　papal
leaders　were　filled　with　rage　when　they　perceived　that　this　Reformer　was
gaining　an　influence　greater　than　their　own。

82


Wycliffe　was　a　keen　detector　of　error；　and　he　struck　fearlessly　against　many
of　the　abuses　sanctioned　by　the　authority　of　Rome。　While　acting　as　chaplain
for　the　king；　he　took　a　bold　stand　against　the　payment　of　tribute　claimed　by
the　pope　from　the　English　monarch　and　showed　that　the　papal　assumption　of
authority　over　secular　rulers　was　contrary　to　both　reason　and　revelation。
The　demands　of　the　pope　had　excited　great　indignation；　and　Wycliffe's
teachings　exerted　an　influence　upon　the　leading　minds　of　the　nation。　The
king　and　the　nobles　united　in　denying　the　pontiff's　claim　to　temporal
authority　and　in　refusing　the　payment　of　the　tribute。　Thus　an　effectual　blow
was　struck　against　the　papal　supremacy　in　England。

Another　evil　against　which　the　Reformer　waged　long　and　resolute　battle　was
the　institution　of　the　orders　of　mendicant　friars。　These　friars　swarmed　in
England；　casting　a　blight　upon　the　greatness　and　prosperity　of　the　nation。
Industry；　education；　morals；　all　felt　the　withering　influence。　The　monk's
life　of　idleness　and　beggary　was　not　only　a　heavy　drain　upon　the　resources
of　the　people；