按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the authority of the Scriptures was weakened； and these
rationalistsand the land of Luther became full of themhave gone
infinitely beyond the Catholics in undermining the Bible。 The
Catholics never have taken such bold ground as the rationalists
respecting the Scriptures。 The Catholic Church still accepts the
Bible； but explains away the meaning of many of its doctrines； the
rationalists would sweep away its divine authority； extinguish
faith； and leave the world in night。 Satan came into the
theological school of the Protestants； disguised in the robes of
learned doctors searching for truth； and took away the props of
religious faith。 This was worse than baptizing repentance with the
name of penance。 Better have irrational fears of hell than no
fears at all； for this latter is Paganism。 Pagan culture and Pagan
philosophy could not keep society together in the old Roman world；
but Mediaeval appeals to the fears of men did keep them from crimes
and force upon them virtues。
The triumph of Luther at Leipsic was； however； incomplete。 The
Catholics rallied after their stunning blow。 They said； in
substance： 〃We； too； accept the Scriptures； we even put them above
Augustine and Thomas Aquinas and the councils。 But who can
interpret them？ Can peasants and women； or even merchants and
nobles？ The Bible； though inspired； is full of difficulties； there
are contradictory texts。 It is a sealed book； except to the
learned； only the Church can reconcile its difficulties。 And what
we mean by the Church is the clergy；the learned clergy；
acknowledging allegiance to their spiritual head； who in matters of
faith is also infallible。 We can accept nothing which is not
indorsed by popes and councils。 No matter how plain the Scriptures
seem to be； on certain disputed points only the authority of the
Church can enlighten and instruct us。 We distrust reason；that
is； what you call reason；for reason can twist anything； and
pervert it； but what the Church says； is true；its collective
intelligence is our supreme law ＇thus putting papal dogmas above
reason； above the literal and plain declarations of Scripture＇。
Moreover； since the Scriptures are to be interpreted only by
priests； it is not a safe book for the people。 We； the priests；
will keep it out of their hands。 They will get notions from it
fatal to our authority； they will become fanatics： they will； in
their conceit； defy us。
Then Luther rose； more powerful； more eloquent more majestic than
before； he rose superior to himself。 〃What；〃 said he； 〃keep the
light of life from the people； take away their guide to heaven；
keep them in ignorance of what is most precious and most exalting；
deprive them of the blessed consolations which sustain the soul in
trial and in death； deny the most palpable truths； because your
dignitaries put on them a construction to bolster up their power！
What an abomination！ what treachery to heaven！ what peril to the
souls of men！ Besides； your authorities differ。 Augustine takes
different ground from Pelagius； Bernard from Abelard； Thomas
Aquinas from Dun Scotus。 Have not your grand councils given
contradictory decisions？ Whom shall we believe？ Yea； the popes
themselves； your infallible guides；have they not at different
times rendered different decisions？ What would Gregory I。 say to
the verdicts of Gregory VII。？
〃No； the Scriptures are the legacy of the early Church to universal
humanity； they are the equal and treasured inheritance of all
nations and tribes and kindreds upon the face of the earth； and
will be till the day of judgment。 It was intended that they should
be diffused； and that every one should read them； and interpret
them each for himself； for he has a soul to save； and he dare not
intrust such a precious thing as his soul into the keeping of
selfish and ambitious priests。 Take away the Bible from a peasant；
or a woman； or any layman； and cannot the priest； armed with the
terrors and the frauds of the Middle Ages； shut up his soul in a
gloomy dungeon； as noisome and funereal as your Mediaeval crypts？
And will you； ye boasted intellectual guides of the people；
extinguish reason in this world in reference to the most momentous
interests？ What other guide has a man but his reason？ And you
would prevent this very reason from being enlightened by the
Gospel！ You would obscure reason itself by your traditions； O ye
blind leaders of the blind！ O ye legal and technical men；
obscuring the light of truth！ O ye miserable Pharisees； ye bigots；
ye selfish priests； tenacious of your power； your inventions； your
traditions；will ye withhold the free redemption； God's greatest
boon； salvation by the blood of Christ； offered to all the world？
Yea； will you suffer the people to perish； soul and body； because
you fear that； instructed by God himself； they will rebel against
your accursed despotism？ Have you considered what a mighty crime
you thus commit against God； against man？ Ye rule by an infernal
appeal to the superstitious fears of men； but how shall ye
yourselves； for such crimes； escape the damnation of that hell into
which you would push your victims unless they obey YOU？
〃No； I say； let the Scriptures be put into the hands of everybody；
let every one interpret them for himself； according to the light he
has； let there be private judgment； let spiritual liberty be
revived； as in Apostolic days。 Then only will the people be
emancipated from the Middle Ages； and arise in their power and
majesty； and obey the voice of enlightened conscience； and be true
to their convictions； and practise the virtues which Christianity
commands； and obey God rather than man； and defy all sorts of
persecution and martyrdom； having a serene faith in those blessed
promises which the Gospel unfolds。 Then will the people become
great； after the conflicts of generations； and put under their feet
the mockeries and lies and despotisms which grind them to despair。〃
Thus was born the third great idea of the Reformation； out of
Luther's brain； a logical sequence from the first idea；the right
of private judgment； religious liberty； call it what you will； a
great inspiration which in after times was destined to march
triumphantly over battle…fields； and give dignity and power to the
people； and lead to the reception of great truths obscured by
priests for one thousand years； the motive of an irresistible
popular progress； planting England with Puritans； and Scotland with
heroes； and France with martyrs； and North America with colonists；
yea； kindling a fervid religions life； creating such men as Knox
and Latimer and Taylor and Baxter and Howe； who owed their
greatness to the study of the Scriptures；at last put into every
hand； and scattered far and wide； even to India and China。 Can
anybody doubt the marvellous progress of Protestant nations in
consequence of the translation and circulation of the Scriptures？
How these are bound up with their national life； and all their
social habits； and all their religious aspirations； how they have
elevated the people； ten hundred millions of times more than the
boasted Renaissance which sprang from apostate and infidel and
Pagan Italy； when she dug up the buried statues of Greece and Rome；
and revived the literature and arts which soften； but do not save
for private judgment and religious liberty mean nothing more and
nothing less than the unrestricted perusal of the Scriptures as the
guide of life。
This right of private judgment； on which Luther was among the first
to insist； and of which certainly he was the first great champion
in Europe； was in that age a very bold idea； as well as original。
It flattered as well as stimulated the intellect of the people； and
gave them dignity； it gave to the Reformation its popular
character； it appealed to the mind and heart of Christendom。 It
gave consolation to the peasantry of Europe； for no family was too
poor to possess a Bible； the greatest possible boon and treasure；
read and pondered in the evening； after hard labors and bitter
insults； read aloud to the family circle； with its inexhaustible
store of moral wealth； its beautiful and touching narratives； its
glorious poetry； its awful prophecies； its supernal counsels； its
consoling and emancipating truths；so tender and yet so exalting；
raising the soul above the grim trials of toil and poverty into the
realms of seraphic peace and boundless joy。 The Bible even gave
hope to heretics。 All sects and parties could take shelter under
it； all could stand on the broad platform of religion； and survey
from it the wonders and glories of God。 At last men might even
differ on important points of doctrine and worship； and yet be
Protestants。 Religious liberty became as wide in its application
as the unity of the Church。 It might create sects； but those sects
would be all united as to the value of the Scriptures and thei