beacon lights of history-iii-2-第37章

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that；　gave　power　to　the　early　preachers　of　Christianity；not

denunciations　of　imperialism　and　slavery；　and　ten　thousand　evils

which　disgraced　the　empire；　but　the　proclamation　of　the　ideas　of

Paul　as　to　the　grounds　of　hope　when　the　soul　should　leave　the　body；

the　salvation　of　the　Lord；　declared　to　a　world　in　bondage。　　Luther

kindled　the　same　religious　life　among　the　masses　that　the　apostles

did；　the　same　that　Wyclif　did；　and　by　the　same　means；the

declaration　of　salvation　by　belief　in　the　incarnate　Son　of　God；

shedding　his　blood　in　infinite　love。　　Why；　see　how　this　idea　spread

through　Germany；　Switzerland；　and　France；　and　took　possession　of

the　minds　of　the　English　and　Scotch　yeomanry；　with　all　their　stern

and　earnest　ruggedness。　　See　how　it　was　elaborately　expanded　by

Calvin；　how　it　gave　birth　to　a　new　and　strong　theology；　how　it

entered　into　the　very　life　of　the　people；　especially　among　the

Puritans；into　the　souls　of　even　Cromwell's　soldiers。　　What　made

〃The　Pilgrim's　Progress〃　the　most　popular　book　ever　published　in

England？　　Because　it　reflected　the　theology　of　the　age；　the

religion　of　the　people；　all　based　on　Luther's　theses；the　revival

of　those　old　doctrines　which　converted　the　Roman　provinces　from

Paganism。　　I　do　not　care　if　these　statements　are　denied　by

Catholics；　or　rationalists；　or　progressive　savants。　　What　is　it　to

me　that　the　old　views　have　become　unfashionable；　or　are　derided；　or

are　dead；　in　the　absorbing　materialism　of　this　Epicurean　yet

brilliant　age？　　I　know　this；　that　I　am　true　to　history　when　I

declare　that　the　glorious　Reformation　in　which　we　all　profess　to

rejoice；　and　which　is　the　greatest　movement；　and　the　best；　of　our

modern　time；susceptible　of　indefinite　application；　interlinked

with　the　literature　and　the　progress　of　England　and　America；took

its　first　great　spiritual　start　from　the　ideas　of　Luther　as　to

justification。　　This　was　the　voice　of　heaven's　messenger

proclaiming　aloud；　so　that　the　heavens　re…echoed　to　the　glorious

and　triumphant　annunciation；　and　the　earth　heard　and　rejoiced　with

exceeding　joy；　〃Behold；　I　send　tidings　of　salvation：　it　is　grace；

divine　grace；　which　shall　undermine　the　throne　of　popes　and　pagans；

and　reconcile　a　fallen　world　to　God！〃



Yes；　it　was　a　Christian　philosopher；　a　theologian；a　doctor　of

divinity；　working　out　in　his　cell　and　study；　through　terrible

internal　storm　and　anguish；　and　against　the　whole　teaching　of　monks

and　bishops　and　popes　and　universities；　from　the　time　of

Charlemagne；　the　same　truth　which　Augustine　learned　in　his

wonderful　experiences；who　started　the　Reformation　in　the　right

direction；　who　became　the　greatest　benefactor　of　these　modern

times；　because　he　based　his　work　on　everlasting　and　positive　ideas；

which　had　life　in　them；　and　hope；　and　the　sanction　of　divine

authority；　thus　virtually　invoking　the　aid　of　God　Almighty　to　bring

about　and　restore　the　true　glory　of　his　Church　on　earth；a　glory

forever　to　be　identified　with　the　death　of　his　Son。　　I　see　no　law

of　progress　here；　no　natural　and　necessary　development　of　nations；

I　see　only　the　light　and　power　of　individual　genius；　brushing　away

the　cobwebs　and　sophistries　and　frauds　of　the　Middle　Ages；　and

bringing　out　to　the　gaze　of　Europe　the　vital　truth　which；　with

supernatural　aid；　made　in　old　times　the　day　of　Pentecost。　　And　I

think　I　hear　the　emancipated　people　of　Saxony　exclaim；　from　the

Elector　downwards；　〃If　these　ideas　of　Doctor　Luther　are　true；　and

we　feel　them　to　be；　then　all　our　penances　have　been　worse　than

wasted；we　have　been　Pagans。　　Away　with　our　miserable　efforts　to

scale　the　heavens！　　Let　us　accept　what　we　cannot　buy；　let　us　make

our　palaces　and　our　cottages　alike　vocal　with　the　praises　of　Him

whom　we　now　accept　as　our　Deliverer；　our　King；　and　our　Eternal

Lord。〃



Thus　was　born　the　first　great　idea　of　the　Reformation；　out　of

Luther's　brain；　out　of　his　agonized　soul；　and　sent　forth　to

conquer；　and　produce　changes　most　marvellous　to　behold。



It　is　not　my　object　to　discuss　the　truth　or　error　of　this

fundamental　doctrine。　　There　are　many　who　deny　it；　even　among

Protestants。　　I　am　not　a　controversialist；　or　a　theologian：　I　am

simply　an　historian。　　I　wish　to　show　what　is　historically　true　and

clear；　and　I　defy　all　the　scholars　and　critics　of　the　world　to

prove　that　this　doctrine　is　not　the　basal　pillar　of　the　Reformation

of　Luther。　　I　wish　to　make　emphatic　the　statement　that

JUSTIFICATION　BY　FAITH　was；　as　an　historical　fact；　the　great　primal

idea　of　Luther；　not　new；　but　new　to　him　and　to　his　age。



I　have　now　to　show　how　this　idea　led　to　others；　how　they　became

connected　together；　how　they　produced　not　only　a　spiritual

movement；　but　political；　moral；　and　intellectual　forces；　until　all

Europe　was　in　a　blaze。



Thus　far　the　agitation　under　Luther　had　been　chiefly　theological。

It　was　not　a　movement　against　popes　or　institutions；　it　was　not

even　the　vehement　denunciation　against　sin　in　high　places；　which

inflamed　the　anger　of　the　Pope　against　Savonarola。　　To　some　it

doubtless　seemed　like　the　old　controversy　between　Augustine　and

Pelagius；　like　the　contentions　between　Dominican　and　Franciscan

monks。　　But　it　was　too　important　to　escape　the　attention　of　even

Leo　X。；　although　at　first　he　gave　it　no　thought。　　It　was　a

dangerous　agitation；　it　had　become　popular；　there　was　no　telling

where　it　would　end；　or　what　it　might　not　assail。　　It　was　deemed

necessary　to　stop　the　mouth　of　this　bold　and　intellectual　Saxon

theologian。



So　the　voluptuous；　infidel；　elegant　Popeaccomplished　in　manners

and　pagan　arts　and　literaturesent　one　of　the　most　learned　men　of

the　Church　which　called　him　Father；　to　argue　with　Doctor　Luther；

confute　him；　conquer　him；deeming　this　an　easy　task。　　But　the

doctor　could　not　be　silenced。　　His　convictions　were　grounded　on　the

rock；　not　on　Peter；　but　on　the　rock　from　which　Peter　derived　his

name。　　All　the　papal　legates　and　cardinals　in　the　world　could

neither　convince　nor　frighten　him。　　He　courted　argument；　he

challenged　the　whole　Church　to　refute　him。



Then　the　schools　took　up　the　controversy。　　All　that　was　imposing　in

names；　in　authority；　in　traditions；　in　associations；　was　arrayed

against　him。　　They　came　down　upon　him　with　the　whole　array　of

scholastic　learning。　　The　great　Goliath　of　controversy　in　that　day

was　Doctor　Eck；　who　challenged　the　Saxon　monk　to　a　public

disputation　at　Leipsic。　　All　Germany　was　interested。　　The　question

at　issue　stirred　the　nation　to　its　very　depths。



The　disputants　met　in　the　great　hall　of　the　palace　of　the　Elector。

Never　before　was　seen　in　Germany　such　an　array　of　doctors　and

theologians　and　dignitaries。　　It　rivalled　in　importance　and　dignity

the　Council　of　Nice；　when　the　great　Constantine　presided；　to　settle

the　Trinitarian　controversy。　　The　combatants　were　as　great　as

Athanasius　and　Arius；as　vehement；　as　earnest；　though　not　so

fierce。　　Doctor　Eck　was　superior　to　Luther　in　reputation；　in

dialectical　skill；　in　scholastic　learning。　　He　was　the　pride　of　the

universities。　　Luther；　however；　had　deeper　convictions；　more

genius；　greater　eloquence；　and　at　that　time　he　was　modest。



The　champion　of　the　schools；　of　sophistries　and　authorities；　of

dead…letter　literature；　of　quibbles；　refinements；　and　words；　soon

overwhelmed　the　Saxon　monk　with　his　citations；　decrees　of　councils；

opinions　of　eminent　ecclesiastics；　the　literature　of　the　Church；

its　mighty　authority。　　He　was　on　the　eve　of　triumph。　　Had　the

question　been　settled；　as　Doctor　Eck　supposed；　by　authorities；　as

lawyers　and　pedants　would　settle　the　question；　Luther　would　have

been　beaten。　　But　his　genius　came　to　his　aid；　and　the　consciousness

of　truth。



He　swept　away　the　premises　of　the　argument。　　He　denied　the　supreme

authority　of　popes　and　councils　and　universities。　　He　appealed　to

the　Scriptures；　as　the　only　ultimate　ground　of　authority。　　He　did

not　deny　authority；　but　appealed　to　it　in　its　highest　form。　　This

was　unexpected