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life　of　idleness　and　beggary　was　not　only　a　heavy　drain　upon　the　resources
of　the　people；　but　it　brought　useful　labor　into　contempt。　The　youth　were
demoralized　and　corrupted。　By　the　influence　of　the　friars　many　were　induced
to　enter　a　cloister　and　devote　themselves　to　a　monastic　life；　and　this　not
only　without　the　consent　of　their　parents；　but　even　without　their　knowledge
and　contrary　to　their　commands。　One　of　the　early　Fathers　of　the　Roman
Church；　urging　the　claims　of　monasticism　above　the　obligations　of　filial
love　and　duty；　had　declared：　〃Though　thy　father　should　lie　before　thy　door
weeping　and　lamenting；　and　thy　mother　should　show　the　body　that　bore　thee
and　the　breasts　that　nursed　thee；　see　that　thou　trample　them　underfoot；　and
go　onward　straightway　to　Christ。〃　By　this　〃monstrous　inhumanity；〃　as　Luther
afterward　styled　it；　〃savoring　more　of　the　wolf　and　the　tyrant　than　of　the
Christian　and　the　man；〃　were　the　hearts　of　children　steeled　against　their
parents。Barnas　Sears；　The　Life　of　Luther；　pages　70；　69。　Thus　did　the　papal

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leaders；　like　the　Pharisees　of　old；　make　the　commandment　of　God　of　none
effect　by　their　tradition。　Thus　homes　were　made　desolate　and　parents　were
deprived　of　the　society　of　their　sons　and　daughters。

Even　the　students　in　the　universities　were　deceived　by　the　false
representations　of　the　monks　and　induced　to　join　their　orders。　Many
afterward　repented　this　step；　seeing　that　they　had　blighted　their　own　lives
and　had　brought　sorrow　upon　their　parents；　but　once　fast　in　the　snare　it　was
impossible　for　them　to　obtain　their　freedom。　Many　parents；　fearing　the
influence　of　the　monks；　refused　to　send　their　sons　to　the　universities。
There　was　a　marked　falling　off　in　the　number　of　students　in　attendance　at
the　great　centers　of　learning。　The　schools　languished；　and　ignorance
prevailed。

The　pope　had　bestowed　on　these　monks　the　power　to　hear　confessions　and　to
grant　pardon。　This　became　a　source　of　great　evil。　Bent　on　enhancing　their
gains；　the　friars　were　so　ready　to　grant　absolution　that　criminals　of　all
descriptions　resorted　to　them；　and；　as　a　result；　the　worst　vices　rapidly
increased。　The　sick　and　the　poor　were　left　to　suffer；　while　the　gifts　that
should　have　relieved　their　wants　went　to　the　monks；　who　with　threats
demanded　the　alms　of　the　people；　denouncing　the　impiety　of　those　who　should
withhold　gifts　from　their　orders。　Notwithstanding　their　profession　of
poverty；　the　wealth　of　the　friars　was　constantly　increasing；　and　their
magnificent　edifices　and　luxurious　tables　made　more　apparent　the　growing
poverty　of　the　nation。　And　while　spending　their　time　in　luxury　and　pleasure；
they　sent　out　in　their　stead　ignorant　men；　who　could　only　recount　marvelous
tales；　legends；　and　jests　to　amuse　the　people　and　make　them　still　more
completely　the　dupes　of　the　monks。　Yet　the　friars　continued　to　maintain
their　hold　on　the　superstitious　multitudes　and　led　them　to　believe　that　all
religious　duty　was　comprised　in　acknowledging　the　supremacy　of　the　pope；
adoring　the　saints；　and　making　gifts　to　the　monks；　and　that　this　was
sufficient　to　secure　them　a　place　in　heaven。

84


Men　of　learning　and　piety　had　labored　in　vain　to　bring　about　a　reform　in
these　monastic　orders；　but　Wycliffe；　with　clearer　insight；　struck　at　the
root　of　the　evil；　declaring　that　the　system　itself　was　false　and　that　it
should　be　abolished。　Discussion　and　inquiry　were　awakening。　As　the　monks
traversed　the　country；　vending　the　pope's　pardons；　many　were　led　to　doubt
the　possibility　of　purchasing　forgiveness　with　money；　and　they　questioned
whether　they　should　not　seek　pardon　from　God　rather　than　from　the　pontiff　of
Rome。　（See　Appendix　note　for　page　59。）　Not　a　few　were　alarmed　at　the
rapacity　of　the　friars；　whose　greed　seemed　never　to　be　satisfied。　〃The　monks
and　priests　of　Rome；〃　said　they；　〃are　eating　us　away　like　a　cancer。　God　must
deliver　us；　or　the　people　will　perish。〃D'Aubigne；　b。　17；　ch。　7。　To　cover
their　avarice；　these　begging　monks　claimed　that　they　were　following　the
Saviour's　example；　declaring　that　Jesus　and　His　disciples　had　been　supported
by　the　charities　of　the　people。　This　claim　resulted　in　injury　to　their
cause；　for　it　led　many　to　the　Bible　to　learn　the　truth　for　themselvesa
result　which　of　all　others　was　least　desired　by　Rome。　The　minds　of　men　were
directed　to　the　Source　of　truth；　which　it　was　her　object　to　conceal。

Wycliffe　began　to　write　and　publish　tracts　against　the　friars；　not；　however；
seeking　so　much　to　enter　into　dispute　with　them　as　to　call　the　minds　of　the
people　to　the　teachings　of　the　Bible　and　its　Author。　He　declared　that　the
power　of　pardon　or　of　excommunication　is　possessed　by　the　pope　in　no　greater
degree　than　by　common　priests；　and　that　no　man　can　be　truly　excommunicated
unless　he　has　first　brought　upon　himself　the　condemnation　of　God。　In　no　more
effectual　way　could　he　have　undertaken　the　overthrow　of　that　mammoth　fabric
of　spiritual　and　temporal　dominion　which　the　pope　had　erected　and　in　which
the　souls　and　bodies　of　millions　were　held　captive。

Again　Wycliffe　was　called　to　defend　the　rights　of　the　English　crown　against
the　encroachments　of　Rome；　and　being　appointed　a　royal　ambassador；　he　spent
two　years　in　the　Netherlands；　in　conference　with　the　commissioners　of　the
pope。　Here　he　was　brought　into　communication　with

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ecclesiastics　from　France；　Italy；　and　Spain；　and　he　had　an　opportunity　to
look　behind　the　scenes　and　gain　a　knowledge　of　many　things　which　would　have
remained　hidden　from　him　in　England。　He　learned　much　that　was　to　give　point
to　his　after　labors。　In　these　representatives　from　the　papal　court　he　read
the　true　character　and　aims　of　the　hierarchy。　He　returned　to　England　to
repeat　his　former　teachings　more　openly　and　with　greater　zeal；　declaring
that　covetousness；　pride；　and　deception　were　the　gods　of　Rome。

In　one　of　his　tracts　he　said；　speaking　of　the　pope　and　his　collectors：　〃They
draw　out　of　our　land　poor　men's　livelihood；　and　many　thousand　marks；　by　the
year；　of　the　king's　money；　for　sacraments　and　spiritual　things；　that　is
cursed　heresy　of　simony；　and　maketh　all　Christendom　assent　and　maintain　this
heresy。　And　certes　though　our　realm　had　a　huge　hill　of　gold；　and　never　other
man　took　thereof　but　only　this　proud　worldly　priest's　collector；　by　process
of　time　this　hill　must　be　spended；　for　he　taketh　ever　money　out　of　our　land；
and　sendeth　nought　again　but　God's　curse　for　his　simony。〃　John　Lewis；
History　of　the　Life　and　Sufferings　of　J。　Wiclif；　page　37。

Soon　after　his　return　to　England；　Wycliffe　received　from　the　king　the
appointment　to　the　rectory　of　Lutterworth。　This　was　an　assurance　that　the
monarch　at　least　had　not　been　displeased　by　his　plain　speaking。　Wycliffe's
influence　was　felt　in　shaping　the　action　of　the　court；　as　well　as　in　molding
the　belief　of　the　nation。

The　papal　thunders　were　soon　hurled　against　him。　Three　bulls　were　dispatched
to　England；to　the　university；　to　the　king；　and　to　the　prelates；all
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

86

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