Latest / Philosophy and Faith / 10 - Progress of Reform in Germany - The Great Controversy

Transcript

10 - Progress of Reform in Germany - The Great Controversy · Philosophy and Faith

0:00
Speaker 1: Chapter ten, Progress of Reform in Germany. Luther's mysterious disappearance
0:07
Speaker 1: excited consternation throughout all Germany. Inquiries concerning him were heard everywhere.
0:14
Speaker 1: The wildest rumors are circulated, and many believed that he
0:17
Speaker 1: had been murdered. There was great lamentation, not only by
0:22
Speaker 1: his avowed friends, but by thousands who had not openly
0:25
Speaker 1: taken their stand with the Reformation. Many bound themselves by
0:29
Speaker 1: a solemn oath to avenge his death. The Romish leaders
0:33
Speaker 1: saw with terror to what a pitch had risen the
0:36
Speaker 1: feeling against them. Though at first exultant at the supposed
0:40
Speaker 1: death of Luther, they soon desired to hide from the
0:43
Speaker 1: wrath of the people. His enemies had not been so
0:46
Speaker 1: troubled by his most daring acts, While among them, as
0:49
Speaker 1: they were at his removal, those who in their rage
0:53
Speaker 1: had sought to destroy the bold Reformer were filled with
0:56
Speaker 1: fear now that he had become a helpless captive. The
1:00
Speaker 1: only remaining way of saving ourselves, said one, is to
1:03
Speaker 1: light torches and hunt for Luther through the whole world,
1:06
Speaker 1: to restore him to the nation that is calling for him.
1:09
Speaker 1: The edict of the Emperor seemed to fall powerless. The
1:13
Speaker 1: papal legates were filled with indignation as they saw that
1:16
Speaker 1: it commanded far less attention than did the fate of Luther.
1:21
Speaker 1: The tidings that he was safe, though a prisoner, calmed
1:23
Speaker 1: the fears of the people, while it still further aroused
1:27
Speaker 1: their enthusiasm in his favor. His writings were read with
1:31
Speaker 1: greater eagerness than ever before. Increasing numbers joined the cause
1:35
Speaker 1: of the heroic man who had, at such fearful odds
1:38
Speaker 1: defended the word of God. The Reformation was constantly gaining
1:42
Speaker 1: in strength. The seed which Luther had son sprung up
1:46
Speaker 1: everywhere his absence accomplished a work which his presence would
1:50
Speaker 1: have failed to do. Other laborers felt a new responsibility
1:54
Speaker 1: now that their great leader was removed. With new faith
1:58
Speaker 1: and earnestness, they pressed forward to do all in their
2:01
Speaker 1: power that the work so nobly begun might not be hindered.
2:05
Speaker 1: But Satan was not idle. He now attempted what he
2:09
Speaker 1: has attempted in every other reformatory movement, to deceive and
2:13
Speaker 1: destroy the people by palming off upon them a counterfeit
2:16
Speaker 1: in place of the true work. As there were false
2:19
Speaker 1: Christs in the first century of the Christian Church, so
2:22
Speaker 1: there arose false prophets. In the sixteenth century, a few men,
2:27
Speaker 1: deeply affected by the excitement in the religious world, imagined
2:30
Speaker 1: themselves to have received special revelations from heaven, and claimed
2:35
Speaker 1: to have been divinely commissioned to carry forward to its
2:37
Speaker 1: completion the Reformation, which they declared had been but feebly
2:41
Speaker 1: begun by Luther. In truth, they were undoing the very
2:46
Speaker 1: work which he had accomplished. They rejected the great principle
2:49
Speaker 1: which was the very foundation of the Reformation, that the
2:52
Speaker 1: Word of God is the all sufficient rule of faith
2:55
Speaker 1: and practice, and for that unerring guide they substituted the
2:59
Speaker 1: changeable unsat certain standard of their own feelings and impressions.
3:03
Speaker 1: By this act of setting aside the great detector of
3:06
Speaker 1: error and falsehood, the way was opened for Satan to
3:09
Speaker 1: control minds as best pleased himself. One of these prophets
3:13
Speaker 1: claimed to have been instructed by the angel Gabriel. A
3:17
Speaker 1: student who united with him forsook his studies, declaring that
3:20
Speaker 1: he had been endowed by God himself with wisdom to
3:23
Speaker 1: expound his word. Others who were naturally inclined to fanaticism
3:27
Speaker 1: united with them. The proceedings of these enthusiasts created no
3:32
Speaker 1: little excitement. The preaching of Luther had aroused the people
3:35
Speaker 1: everywhere to feel the necessity of reform, and now some
3:39
Speaker 1: really honest persons were misled by the pretensions of the
3:42
Speaker 1: new prophets. The leaders of the movement proceeded to Wittenberg
3:47
Speaker 1: and urged their claims upon Melanchthon and his co laborers.
3:51
Speaker 1: Said they, we are sent by God to instruct the people.
3:54
Speaker 1: We have held familiar conversations with the Lord. We know
3:58
Speaker 1: what will happen. In a word, we are our apostles
4:00
Speaker 1: and prophets, and appeal to doctor Luther. The reformers were
4:04
Speaker 1: astonished and perplexed. This was such an element as they
4:08
Speaker 1: had never before encountered, and they knew not what course
4:11
Speaker 1: to pursue. Said Melanchthon, There are indeed extraordinary spirits in
4:15
Speaker 1: these men, but what spirits. On the one hand, let
4:19
Speaker 1: us beware of quenching the spirit of God, and on
4:22
Speaker 1: the other of being led astray by the spirit of Satan.
4:26
Speaker 1: The fruit of the new teaching soon became apparent. The
4:30
Speaker 1: people were led to neglect the Bible or to cast
4:32
Speaker 1: it wholly aside. The schools were thrown into confusion. Students,
4:38
Speaker 1: spurning all restraint, abandoned their studies and withdrew from the university.
4:43
Speaker 1: The men who thought themselves competent to revive and control
4:46
Speaker 1: the work of the Reformation succeeded only in bringing it
4:49
Speaker 1: to the verge of ruin. The Romanists now regained their
4:53
Speaker 1: confidence and exclaimed exultingly one last struggle and all will
4:57
Speaker 1: be ours. Luther, at the Burg, hearing of what had occurred, said,
5:02
Speaker 1: with deep concern, I always expected that Satan would send
5:05
Speaker 1: us this plague. He perceived the true character of those
5:09
Speaker 1: pretended prophets and saw the danger that threatened the cause
5:12
Speaker 1: of truth. The opposition of the Pope and the Emperor
5:16
Speaker 1: had not caused him so great perplexity and distress as
5:18
Speaker 1: he now experienced from the professed friends of the Reformation
5:23
Speaker 1: had risen its worst enemies. The very truths which had
5:27
Speaker 1: brought him so great joy and consolation were being employed
5:29
Speaker 1: to stir up strife and create confusion in the Church.
5:34
Speaker 1: In the work of reform, Luther had been urged forward
5:36
Speaker 1: by the spirit of God and had been carried beyond himself.
5:40
Speaker 1: He had not purpose to take such positions as he
5:43
Speaker 1: did or to make so radical changes. He had been
5:46
Speaker 1: but the instrument in the hand of infinite power. Yet
5:50
Speaker 1: he often trembled for the result of his work. He
5:53
Speaker 1: had once said, if I knew that my doctrine injured
5:56
Speaker 1: one man, one single man, however lowly and obscure, which
6:00
Speaker 1: it cannot, for it as the Gospel itself, I would
6:03
Speaker 1: rather die ten times than not retract it. And now
6:07
Speaker 1: Wittenberg itself, the very center of the Reformation, was fast
6:10
Speaker 1: falling under the power of fanaticism and lawlessness. This terrible
6:15
Speaker 1: condition had not resulted from the teachings of Luther, but
6:18
Speaker 1: throughout Germany his enemies were charging it upon him. In
6:22
Speaker 1: bitterness of soul, he sometimes asked, can such then be
6:26
Speaker 1: the end of this great work of the Reformation? Again,
6:29
Speaker 1: as he wrestled with God in prayer, peace flowed into
6:32
Speaker 1: his heart. The work is not mine but thine own,
6:35
Speaker 1: he said, Thou wilt not suffer it to be corrupted
6:38
Speaker 1: by superstition or fanaticism. But the thought of remaining longer
6:43
Speaker 1: from the conflict in such a crisis became insupportable. He
6:46
Speaker 1: determined to return to Wittenburg without delay. He set out
6:51
Speaker 1: on his perilous journey. He was under the ban of
6:54
Speaker 1: the empire. Enemies were at liberty to take his life.
6:58
Speaker 1: Friends were forbidden to aid or alter him. The imperial
7:02
Speaker 1: government was adopting the most stringent measures against his adherents.
7:07
Speaker 1: But he saw that the work of the Gospel was imperiled,
7:09
Speaker 1: and in the name of the Lord, he went out
7:11
Speaker 1: fearlessly to battle for the truth. In a letter to
7:15
Speaker 1: the Elector, after stating his purpose to leave the Vortburg,
7:19
Speaker 1: Luther said, be it known to your Highness that I
7:21
Speaker 1: am going to Wittenburg under a protection far higher than
7:24
Speaker 1: that of princes and electors. I think not of soliciting
7:28
Speaker 1: your Highness's support, and far from desiring your protection, I
7:32
Speaker 1: would rather protect you myself. If I knew that your
7:35
Speaker 1: Highness could or would protect me, I would not go
7:38
Speaker 1: to Wittenburg at all. There is no sword that can
7:41
Speaker 1: further this cause. God alone must do everything without the
7:45
Speaker 1: help or concurrence of man. He who has the greatest
7:49
Speaker 1: faith is he who is most able to protect. In
7:53
Speaker 1: a second letter, written on the way to Wittenberg, Luther added,
7:57
Speaker 1: I am ready to incur the displeasure of your Highness
8:00
Speaker 1: and the anger of the whole world are not the
8:03
Speaker 1: Wittenburghers my sheep. Has not God entrusted them to me,
8:07
Speaker 1: and ought I not, if necessary, to expose myself to
8:11
Speaker 1: death for their sakes. Besides, I fear to see a
8:14
Speaker 1: terrible outbreak in Germany by which God will punish our nation.
8:20
Speaker 1: With great caution and humility, yet with decision and firmness,
8:23
Speaker 1: he entered upon his work by the word, said he
8:27
Speaker 1: must we overthrow and destroy what has been set up
8:29
Speaker 1: by violence. I will not make use of force against
8:33
Speaker 1: the superstitious and unbelieving. No one must be constrained. Liberty
8:38
Speaker 1: is the very essence of faith. It was soon noised
8:41
Speaker 1: through Witttenburg that Luther had returned, and that he was
8:44
Speaker 1: to preach. The people flocked from all directions, and the
8:48
Speaker 1: church was filled to overflowing. Ascending the pulpit, he with
8:52
Speaker 1: great wisdom and gentleness, instructed, exhorted, and reproved, touching the
8:57
Speaker 1: course of some who had resorted to violent measures in
9:00
Speaker 1: abolishing the mass, he said, the mass is a bad thing.
9:04
Speaker 1: God is opposed to it. It ought to be abolished,
9:07
Speaker 1: and I would that throughout the whole world it were
9:09
Speaker 1: replaced by the Supper of the Gospel. But let no
9:12
Speaker 1: one be torn from it by force. We must leave
9:15
Speaker 1: the matter in God's hands. His word must act, and
9:18
Speaker 1: not we. And why so you will ask, Because I
9:22
Speaker 1: do not hold men's hearts in my hand, as the
9:24
Speaker 1: potter holds the clay. We have a right to speak,
9:28
Speaker 1: we have not the right to act. Let us preach.
9:31
Speaker 1: The rest belongs unto God. Were I to employ force,
9:35
Speaker 1: what should I gain? Grimace, formality, apings, human ordinances, and hypocrisy.
9:41
Speaker 1: But there would be no sincerity of heart, nor faith,
9:44
Speaker 1: nor charity where these three are wanting, all us wanting.
9:48
Speaker 1: And I would not give a pear stock for such
9:50
Speaker 1: a result. God does more by his word alone than
9:53
Speaker 1: you and I and all the world by our united strength.
9:57
Speaker 1: God lays hold upon the heart, and when heart is taken,
10:01
Speaker 1: all is won. I will preach, discuss, and write, but
10:05
Speaker 1: I will constrain none, for faith is voluntary act. See
10:09
Speaker 1: what I have done. I stood up against the pope,
10:13
Speaker 1: indulgences and papists, but without violence or tumult, I put
10:17
Speaker 1: forward God's word, I preached and wrote. This was all
10:20
Speaker 1: I did. And yet while I was asleep, the word
10:23
Speaker 1: that I had preached over through popery, so that neither
10:26
Speaker 1: prince nor emperor has done it so much harm. And
10:30
Speaker 1: yet I did nothing. The Word alone did all. If
10:33
Speaker 1: I had wished to appeal to force, the whole of
10:36
Speaker 1: Germany would perhaps have been deluged with blood. But what
10:39
Speaker 1: would have been the result, ruin and desolation both to
10:43
Speaker 1: body and soul. I therefore kept quiet and left the
10:47
Speaker 1: Word to run through the world alone. Day after day
10:51
Speaker 1: for a whole week, Luther continued to preach to eager crowds.
10:55
Speaker 1: The word of God broke the spell of fanatical excitement
10:59
Speaker 1: the power of the Goths, while brought back the misguided
11:01
Speaker 1: people into the way of truth. Luther had no desire
11:05
Speaker 1: to encounter the fanatics, whose course had been productive of
11:08
Speaker 1: so great evil. He knew them to be men of
11:11
Speaker 1: unsound judgment and undisciplined passions, who, while claiming to be
11:14
Speaker 1: especially illuminated from Heaven, would not endure the slightest contradiction
11:19
Speaker 1: or even the kindest reproof or counsel. Arrogating to themselves
11:23
Speaker 1: supreme authority, they required everyone, without a question to acknowledge
11:27
Speaker 1: their claims. But as they demanded an interview with him,
11:32
Speaker 1: he consented to meet them, and so successfully did he
11:35
Speaker 1: expose their pretensions that the impostors at once departed from Wittenberg.
11:40
Speaker 1: The fanaticism was checked for a time, but several years
11:43
Speaker 1: later it broke out with greater violence and more terrible results,
11:48
Speaker 1: said Luther concerning the leaders in this movement. To them,
11:51
Speaker 1: the Holy Scriptures were but a dead letter, and they
11:53
Speaker 1: all began to cry the spirit, the spirit. But most assuredly,
11:58
Speaker 1: I will not follow where their spirit leads. May God
12:01
Speaker 1: of his mercy preserve me from a church in which
12:04
Speaker 1: there are none but saints. I desire to dwell with
12:07
Speaker 1: the humble, the feeble, the sick, who know and feel
12:10
Speaker 1: their sins, and who groan and cry continually to God
12:13
Speaker 1: from the bottom of their hearts to obtain his consolation
12:17
Speaker 1: and support. Thomas Munzer, the most active of the Fanatics,
12:22
Speaker 1: was a man of considerable ability, which rightly directed, would
12:25
Speaker 1: have enabled him to do good. But he had not
12:28
Speaker 1: learned the first principles of true religion. He was possessed
12:32
Speaker 1: with the desire of reforming the world, and forgot, as
12:35
Speaker 1: all enthusiasts do, that the reformation should begin with himself.
12:39
Speaker 1: He was ambitious to obtain position and influence, and was
12:43
Speaker 1: unwilling to be second even to Luther. He declared that
12:47
Speaker 1: the reformers, in substituting the authority of scripture for that
12:50
Speaker 1: of the pope, were only establishing a different form of popery.
12:55
Speaker 1: He himself, he claimed, had been divinely commissioned to introduce
12:58
Speaker 1: the true reform. He who possesses this spirit, said Munsir,
13:03
Speaker 1: possesses the true faith, although he should never see the
13:06
Speaker 1: scriptures in his life. The fanatical teachers gave themselves up
13:11
Speaker 1: to be governed by impressions, regarding every thought and impulse
13:14
Speaker 1: as the voice of God. Consequently, they went to great extremes.
13:19
Speaker 1: Some even burned their Bibles, exclaiming the letter killeth, but
13:22
Speaker 1: the spirit giveth life. Munsr's teaching appealed to men's desire
13:27
Speaker 1: for the marvelous, while it gratified their pride by virtually
13:31
Speaker 1: placing human ideas and opinions above the word of God.
13:35
Speaker 1: His doctrines were received by thousands. He soon denounced all
13:39
Speaker 1: order in public worship and declared that to obey princes
13:42
Speaker 1: was to attempt to serve both God and Bilial. The
13:46
Speaker 1: minds of the people, already beginning to throw off the
13:49
Speaker 1: yoke of the papacy, were also becoming impatient under the
13:52
Speaker 1: restraints of civil authority. Munsr's revolutionary teachings, claiming divine sanction
13:58
Speaker 1: led them to break away from all control and give
14:01
Speaker 1: the rein to their prejudices and passions. The most terrible
14:06
Speaker 1: scenes of sedition and strife followed, and the fields of
14:08
Speaker 1: Germany were drenched with blood. The agony of soul, which
14:13
Speaker 1: Luther had so long before experienced at effort, now pressed
14:16
Speaker 1: upon him with redoubled power as he saw the results
14:19
Speaker 1: of fanaticism charged upon the Reformation. The papist princes declared,
14:24
Speaker 1: and many were ready to credit the statement that the
14:27
Speaker 1: rebellion was the legitimate fruit of Luther's doctrines. Although this
14:32
Speaker 1: charge was without the slightest foundation, it could not but
14:35
Speaker 1: cause the reformer great distress. That the cause of truth
14:39
Speaker 1: should be thus disgraced by being ranked with the basest
14:42
Speaker 1: fanaticism seemed more than he could endure. On the other hand,
14:47
Speaker 1: the leaders in the revolt hated Luther because he had
14:50
Speaker 1: not only opposed their doctrines and denied their claims to
14:52
Speaker 1: divine inspiration, but had pronounced them rebels against the civil authority.
14:58
Speaker 1: In retaliation, they did denounced him as a base pretender,
15:02
Speaker 1: he seemed to have brought upon himself the enmity of
15:05
Speaker 1: both princes and people. The Romanists exalted, expecting to witness
15:10
Speaker 1: the speedy downfall of the Reformation, and they blamed Luther
15:14
Speaker 1: even for the errors which he had been most earnestly
15:16
Speaker 1: endeavoring to correct the fanatical party by falsely claiming to
15:21
Speaker 1: have been treated with great injustice, succeeded in gaining the
15:24
Speaker 1: sympathies of a large class of the people, And, as
15:27
Speaker 1: is often the case with those who take the wrong side,
15:30
Speaker 1: they came to be regarded as martyrs. Thus, the ones
15:34
Speaker 1: who were exerting every energy and opposition to the Reformation
15:38
Speaker 1: were pitied and lauded as the victims of cruelty and oppression.
15:42
Speaker 1: This was the work of Satan, prompted by the same
15:45
Speaker 1: spirit of rebellion which was first manifested in heaven. Satan
15:50
Speaker 1: is constantly seeking to deceive men and lead them to
15:53
Speaker 1: call sin righteousness and righteousness sin. How successful has been
15:58
Speaker 1: his work, how often censure and reproach are cast upon
16:02
Speaker 1: God's faithful servants, because they will stand fearlessly in defense
16:05
Speaker 1: of the truth. Men who are but agents of Satan
16:09
Speaker 1: are praised and flattered, and even looked upon as martyrs,
16:13
Speaker 1: while those who should be respected and sustained for their
16:15
Speaker 1: fidelity to God are left to stand alone under suspicion
16:19
Speaker 1: and distrust. Counterfeit holiness, spurious sanctification is still doing its
16:25
Speaker 1: work of deception under various forms. It exhibits the same
16:30
Speaker 1: spirit as in the days of Luther, diverting minds from
16:33
Speaker 1: the scriptures and leading men to follow their own feelings
16:36
Speaker 1: and impressions rather than to yield obedience to the law
16:39
Speaker 1: of God. This is one of Satan's most successful devices
16:44
Speaker 1: to cast reproach upon purity and truth. Fearlessly did Luther
16:49
Speaker 1: defend the Gospel from the attacks which came from every quarter.
16:53
Speaker 1: The Word of God proved itself a weapon mighty in
16:56
Speaker 1: every conflict. With that word. He wore against the usurped
17:00
Speaker 1: authority of the Pope and the rationalistic philosophy of the schoolmen,
17:05
Speaker 1: while he stood firm as a rock against the fanaticism
17:07
Speaker 1: that sought to ally itself with the Reformation. Each of
17:11
Speaker 1: these opposing elements was, in its own way, setting aside
17:14
Speaker 1: the holy scriptures and exalting human wisdom as the source
17:18
Speaker 1: of religious truth and knowledge. Rationalism idolizes reason and makes
17:23
Speaker 1: this the criterion for religion. Romanism, claiming for her sovereign
17:28
Speaker 1: pontiff and inspiration descended an unbroken line from the Apostles
17:32
Speaker 1: and unchangeable through all time, gives ample opportunity for every
17:36
Speaker 1: species of extravagance and corruption to be concealed under the
17:39
Speaker 1: sanctity of the Apostolic commission. The inspiration claimed by Munser
17:44
Speaker 1: and his associates proceeded from no higher source than the
17:47
Speaker 1: vagaries of the imagination, and its influence was subversive of
17:51
Speaker 1: all authority, human or divine. True Christianity receives the Word
17:56
Speaker 1: of God as the great treasure house of inspired truth
18:00
Speaker 1: and the test of all inspiration. Upon his return from
18:04
Speaker 1: the Vartburg, Luther completed his translation of the New Testament,
18:09
Speaker 1: and the Gospel was soon after given to the people
18:11
Speaker 1: of Germany in their own language. This translation was received
18:15
Speaker 1: with great joy by all who loved the truth, but
18:18
Speaker 1: it was scornfully rejected by those who chose human traditions
18:21
Speaker 1: and the commandments of men. The priests were alarmed at
18:25
Speaker 1: the thought that the common people would now be able
18:27
Speaker 1: to discuss with them the precepts of God's Word, and
18:30
Speaker 1: that their own ignorance would thus be exposed. The weapons
18:34
Speaker 1: of their carnal reasoning were powerless against the sword of
18:37
Speaker 1: the spirit. Rome summoned all her authority to prevent the
18:41
Speaker 1: circulation of the scriptures, but decrees, anathemas, and tortures were
18:45
Speaker 1: alike in vain. The more she condemned and prohibited the Bible,
18:50
Speaker 1: the greater was the anxiety of the people to know
18:52
Speaker 1: what it really taught. All who could read were eager
18:55
Speaker 1: to study the Word of God for themselves. They carried
18:59
Speaker 1: it about with them, and read and re read, and
19:01
Speaker 1: could not be satisfied until they had committed large portions
19:04
Speaker 1: to memory. Seeing the favor with which the New Testament
19:08
Speaker 1: was received, Luther immediately began the translation of the Old
19:12
Speaker 1: and published it in parts as fast as completed. Luther's
19:17
Speaker 1: writings were welcomed alike in city and in hamlet. What
19:20
Speaker 1: Luther and his friends composed others circulated. Monks, convinced of
19:25
Speaker 1: the unlawfulness of monastic obligations, desirous of exchanging a long
19:29
Speaker 1: life of slothfulness for want of active exertion, but too
19:33
Speaker 1: ignorant to proclaim the Word of God, traveled through the
19:35
Speaker 1: provinces visiting hamlets and cottages where they sold the books
19:39
Speaker 1: of Luther and his friends. Germany soon swarmed with these
19:43
Speaker 1: bold coalporters. These writings were studied with deep interest by
19:48
Speaker 1: rich and poor, the learned and the ignorant. At night,
19:52
Speaker 1: the teachers of the village schools read them aloud to
19:54
Speaker 1: little groups gathered at the fireside. With every effort, some
19:59
Speaker 1: souls would be convicted the truth, and, receiving the word
20:02
Speaker 1: with gladness, would in their turn tell the good news
20:04
Speaker 1: to others. The words of inspiration were verified. The entrance
20:09
Speaker 1: of thy words giveth light, that giveth understanding to the simple.
20:14
Speaker 1: The study of the scriptures was working a mighty change
20:17
Speaker 1: in the minds and hearts of the people. The papal
20:20
Speaker 1: rule had placed upon its subjects an iron yoke which
20:23
Speaker 1: held them in ignorance and degradation. A superstitious observance of
20:28
Speaker 1: forms had been scrupulously maintained, but in all their service
20:32
Speaker 1: the heart and intellect had little part. The preaching of Luther,
20:36
Speaker 1: setting forth the plain truths of God's Word, and then
20:40
Speaker 1: the Word itself placed in the hands of the common people,
20:43
Speaker 1: had aroused their dormant powers, not only purifying and ennobling
20:47
Speaker 1: the spiritual nature, but imparting new strength and vigor to
20:50
Speaker 1: the intellect. Persons of all ranks were to be seen
20:54
Speaker 1: with the Bible in their hands, defending the doctrines of
20:57
Speaker 1: the Reformation. The papists, who had left the study of
21:00
Speaker 1: the scriptures to the priests and monks, now called upon
21:03
Speaker 1: them to come forward and refute the new teachings. But
21:07
Speaker 1: ignorant alike of the scriptures and of the power of God,
21:10
Speaker 1: priests and friars were totally defeated by those whom they
21:13
Speaker 1: had denounced as unlearned and heretical. Unhappily, said a Catholic writer,
21:18
Speaker 1: Luther had persuaded his followers to put no faith in
21:21
Speaker 1: any other oracle than the Holy Scriptures. Crowds would gather
21:25
Speaker 1: to hear the truth advocated by men of little education,
21:29
Speaker 1: and even discussed by them with learned and eloquent theologians.
21:33
Speaker 1: The shameful ignorance of these great men was made apparent
21:36
Speaker 1: as their arguments were met by the simple teachings of
21:39
Speaker 1: God's word. Laborers, soldiers, women, and even children were better
21:44
Speaker 1: acquainted with the Bible teachings than were the priests and
21:47
Speaker 1: learned doctors. The contrast between the disciples of the Gospel
21:52
Speaker 1: and the upholders of Popish superstition was no less manifest
21:56
Speaker 1: in the ranks of scholars than among the common people.
22:00
Speaker 1: Opposed to the old champions of the hierarchy, who had
22:03
Speaker 1: neglected the study of languages and the cultivation of literature,
22:06
Speaker 1: were generous, minded youths, devoted to study, investigating scripture and
22:11
Speaker 1: familiarizing themselves with the masterpieces of antiquity. Possessing an active mind,
22:17
Speaker 1: an elevated soul, and intrepid heart, these young men soon
22:20
Speaker 1: acquired such knowledge that for a long period none could
22:23
Speaker 1: compete with them. Accordingly, when these youthful defenders of the
22:27
Speaker 1: Reformation met the Romish doctors in any assembly, they attacked
22:31
Speaker 1: them with such ease and confidence that these ignorant men hesitated,
22:35
Speaker 1: became embarrassed, and fell into a contempt merited in the
22:38
Speaker 1: eyes of all. As the Romish clergy saw their congregations diminishing,
22:44
Speaker 1: they invoked the aid of the magistrates, and by every
22:47
Speaker 1: means in their power, endeavored to bring back their hearers.
22:51
Speaker 1: But the people had found in the new teachings that
22:53
Speaker 1: which supplied the wants of their souls, and they turned
22:56
Speaker 1: away from those who had so long fed them with
22:59
Speaker 1: the worthless husks of superstitious rights and human traditions. When
23:04
Speaker 1: persecution was kindled against the teachers of the truth, they
23:08
Speaker 1: gave heed to the words of Christ. When they persecute
23:11
Speaker 1: you in this city, flee ye into another. The light
23:15
Speaker 1: penetrated everywhere the fugitives would find somewhere a hospitable door
23:20
Speaker 1: opened to them and their abiding. They would preach Christ,
23:23
Speaker 1: sometimes in the church, or, if denied that privilege, in
23:26
Speaker 1: private houses or in the open air. Wherever they could
23:30
Speaker 1: obtain a hearing was a consecrated temple. The truth, proclaimed
23:35
Speaker 1: with such energy and assurance, spread with irresistible power. In Vain.
23:40
Speaker 1: Both ecclesiastical and civil authorities were invoked to crush the heresy.
23:46
Speaker 1: In Vain, they resorted to imprisonment, torture, fire and sword.
23:51
Speaker 1: Thousands of believers sealed their faith with their blood, and
23:54
Speaker 1: yet the work went on. Persecution served only to extend
23:58
Speaker 1: the truth, and the fine saticism which Satan endeavored to
24:01
Speaker 1: unite with it resulted in making more clear the contrast
24:05
Speaker 1: between the work of Satan and the work of God.
24:10
Speaker 1: End of Chapter ten