the great controversy-第50部分

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for　zeal　or　piety　in　the　Romish　communion。　Their　opposition　to　the　papacy
was　the　result　of　their　knowledge　of　the　errors　of　the　〃holy　see。〃　Their
acquaintance　with　the　mysteries　of　Babylon　gave　greater　power　to　their
testimonies　against　her。

〃Now　I　would　ask　a　strange　question；〃　said　Latimer。　〃Who　is　the　most
diligent　bishop　and　prelate　in　all　England？　。　。　。　I　see　you　listening　and
hearkening　that　I　should　name　him。　。　。　。　I　will　tell　you：　it　is　the　devil。　。
。　。　He　is　never　out　of　his　diocese；　call　for　him　when　you　will；　he　is　ever
at　home；　。　。　。　he　is　ever　at　his　plow。　。　。　。　Ye　shall　never　find　him　idle；　I
warrant　you。　。　。　。　Where　the　devil　is　resident；　。　。　。　there　away　with　books；
and　up　with　candles；　away　with　Bibles；　and　up　with　beads；　away　with　the
light　of　the　gospel；　and　up　with　the　light　of　candles；　yea；　at　noondays；　。　。
。　down　with　Christ's　cross；　up　with　purgatory　pickpurse；　。　。　。　away　with
clothing　the　naked；　the　poor；　and　impotent；　up　with　decking　of　images　and
gay　garnishing　of　stocks　and　stones；　up　with　man's　traditions　and　his　laws；
down　with　God's　traditions　and　His　most　holy　word。　。　。　。　O　that　our　prelates
would　be　as　diligent　to　sow　the　corn　of　good　doctrine；　as　Satan　is　to　sow
cockle　and　darnel！〃Ibid。；　〃Sermon　of　the　Plough。〃

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The　grand　principle　maintained　by　these　Reformersthe　same　that　had　been
held　by　the　Waldenses；　by　Wycliffe；　by　John　Huss；　by　Luther；　Zwingli；　and
those　who　united　with　themwas　the　infallible　authority　of　the　Holy
Scriptures　as　a　rule　of　faith　and　practice。　They　denied　the　right　of　popes；
councils；　Fathers；　and　kings；　to　control　the　conscience　in　matters　of
religion。　The　Bible　was　their　authority；　and　by　its　teaching　they　tested　all
doctrines　and　all　claims。　Faith　in　God　and　His　word　sustained　these　holy　men
as　they　yielded　up　their　lives　at　the　stake。　〃Be　of　good　comfort；〃　exclaimed
Latimer　to　his　fellow　martyr　as　the　flames　were　about　to　silence　their
voices；　〃we　shall　this　day　light　such　a　candle；　by　God's　grace；　in　England；
as　I　trust　shall　never　be　put　out。〃　Works　of　Hugh　Latimer；　vol。　1；　p。
xiii。

In　Scotland　the　seeds　of　truth　scattered　by　Columba　and　his　colaborers　had
never　been　wholly　destroyed。　For　hundreds　of　years　after　the　churches　of
England　submitted　to　Rome；　those　of　Scotland　maintained　their　freedom。　In
the　twelfth　century；　however；　popery　became　established　here；　and　in　no
country　did　it　exercise　a　more　absolute　sway。　Nowhere　was　the　darkness
deeper。　Still　there　came　rays　of　light　to　pierce　the　gloom　and　give　promise
of　the　coming　day。　The　Lollards；　coming　from　England　with　the　Bible　and　the
teachings　of　Wycliffe；　did　much　to　preserve　the　knowledge　of　the　gospel；　and
every　century　had　its　witnesses　and　martyrs。

With　the　opening　of　the　Great　Reformation　came　the　writings　of　Luther；　and
then　Tyndale's　English　New　Testament。　Unnoticed　by　the　hierarchy；　these
messengers　silently　traversed　the　mountains　and　valleys；　kindling　into　new
life　the　torch　of　truth　so　nearly　extinguished　in　Scotland；　and　undoing　the
work　which　Rome　for　four　centuries　of　oppression　had　done。

Then　the　blood　of　martyrs　gave　fresh　impetus　to　the　movement。　The　papist
leaders；　suddenly　awakening　to　the　danger　that　threatened　their　cause；
brought　to　the　stake　some　of　the

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noblest　and　most　honored　of　the　sons　of　Scotland。　They　did　but　erect　a
pulpit；　from　which　the　words　of　these　dying　witnesses　were　heard　throughout
the　land；　thrilling　the　souls　of　the　people　with　an　undying　purpose　to　cast
off　the　shackles　of　Rome。

Hamilton　and　Wishart；　princely　in　character　as　in　birth；　with　a　long　line　of
humbler　disciples；　yielded　up　their　lives　at　the　stake。　But　from　the　burning
pile　of　Wishart　there　came　one　whom　the　flames　were　not　to　silence；　one　who
under　God　was　to　strike　the　death　knell　of　popery　in　Scotland。

John　Knox　had　turned　away　from　the　traditions　and　mysticisms　of　the　church；
to　feed　upon　the　truths　of　God's　word；　and　the　teaching　of　Wishart　had
confirmed　his　determination　to　forsake　the　communion　of　Rome　and　join
himself　to　the　persecuted　Reformers。

Urged　by　his　companions　to　take　the　office　of　preacher；　he　shrank　with
trembling　from　its　responsibility；　and　it　was　only　after　days　of　seclusion
and　painful　conflict　with　himself　that　he　consented。　But　having　once
accepted　the　position；　he　pressed　forward　with　inflexible　determination　and
undaunted　courage　as　long　as　life　continued。　This　truehearted　Reformer
feared　not　the　face　of　man。　The　fires　of　martyrdom；　blazing　around　him；
served　only　to　quicken　his　zeal　to　greater　intensity。　With　the　tyrant's　ax
held　menacingly　over　his　head；　he　stood　his　ground；　striking　sturdy　blows　on
the　right　hand　and　on　the　left　to　demolish　idolatry。

When　brought　face　to　face　with　the　queen　of　Scotland；　in　whose　presence　the
zeal　of　many　a　leader　of　the　Protestants　had　abated；　John　Knox　bore
unswerving　witness　for　the　truth。　He　was　not　to　be　won　by　caresses；　he
quailed　not　before　threats。　The　queen　charged　him　with　heresy。　He　had　taught
the　people　to　receive　a　religion　prohibited　by　the　state；　she　declared；　and
had　thus　transgressed　God's　command　enjoining　subjects　to　obey　their
princes。　Knox　answered　firmly：

〃As　right　religion　took　neither　original　strength　nor　authority　from　worldly
princes；　but　from　the　eternal　God　alone；　so　are　not　subjects　bound　to　frame
their　religion

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according　to　the　appetites　of　their　princes。　For　oft　it　is　that　princes　are
the　most　ignorant　of　all　others　in　God's　true　religion。　。　。　。　If　all　the
seed　of　Abraham　had　been　of　the　religion　of　Pharaoh；　whose　subjects　they
long　were；　I　pray　you；　madam；　what　religion　would　there　have　been　in　the
world？　Or　if　all　men　in　the　days　of　the　apostles　had　been　of　the　religion　of
the　Roman　emperors；　what　religion　would　there　have　been　upon　the　face　of　the
earth？　。　。　。　And　so；　madam；　ye　may　perceive　that　subjects　are　not　bound　to
the　religion　of　their　princes；　albeit　they　are　commanded　to　give　them
obedience。〃

Said　Mary：　〃Ye　interpret　the　Scriptures　in　one　manner；　and　they　＇the　Roman
Catholic　teachers＇　interpret　in　another；　whom　shall　I　believe；　and　who　shall
be　judge？〃

〃Ye　shall　believe　God；　that　plainly　speaketh　in　His　word；〃　answered　the
Reformer；　〃and　farther　than　the　word　teaches　you；　ye　neither　shall　believe
the　one　nor　the　other。　The　word　of　God　is　plain　in　itself；　and　if　there
appear　any　obscurity　in　one　place；　the　Holy　Ghost；　which　is　never　contrary
to　Himself；　explains　the　same　more　clearly　in　other　places；　so　that　there
can　remain　no　doubt　but　unto　such　as　obstinately　remain　ignorant。〃David
Laing；　The　Collected　Works　of　John　Knox；　vol。　2；　pp。　281；　284。

Such　were　the　truths　that　the　fearless　Reformer；　at　the　peril　of　his　life；
spoke　in　the　ear　of　royalty。　With　the　same　undaunted　courage　he　kept　to　his
purpose；　praying　and　fighting　the　battles　of　the　Lord；　until　Scotland　was
free　from　popery。

In　England　the　establishment　of　Protestantism　as　the　national　religion
diminished；　but　did　not　wholly　stop；　persecution。　While　many　of　the
doctrines　of　Rome　had　been　renounced；　not　a　few　of　its　forms　were　retained。
The　supremacy　of　the　pope　was　rejected；　but　in　his　place　the　monarch　was
enthroned　as　the　head　of　the　church。　In　the　service　of　the　church　there　was
still　a　wide　departure　from　the　purity　and　simplicity　of　the　gospel。　The
great　principle　of　religious　liberty　was　not　yet　understood。　Though　the

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horrible　cruelties　which　Rome　employed　against　heresy　were　resorted　to　but
rarely　by　Protestant　rulers；　yet　the　right　of　every　man　to　worship　God
according　to　the　dictates　of　his　own　conscience　was　not　acknowledged。　All
were　required　to　accept　the　doctrines　and　observe　the　forms　of　worship
prescribed　by　the　established　church。　Dissenters　suffered　persecution；　to　a
greater　or　less　extent；　for　hundreds　of　years。

In　the　seventeenth　century　thousands　of　pastors　were　expelled　from　their
positions。　The　people　were　forbidden；　on　pain　of　heavy　fines；　imprisonment；
and　banishment；　to　attend　any　religious　meetings　except　such　as　were
sanctioned　by　the　church。　Those　faithful　souls　who　could　not　refrain　from
gathering　to　worship　God　were　compelled　to　meet　in　dark　alleys；　in　obscure
garrets；　and　at　some　seasons　in　the　woods　at　midnight。　In　the　sheltering
depths　of　the　forest；　a　temple　of　God's　own　building；　those　scattered　and
persecuted　children　of　the　Lord　assembled　to　pour　out　their　souls　in　prayer
and　praise。　But　despite　all　their　precautions；　many　suffered　for　their
faith。　The　jails　were　crowded。　Families　were　broken　up。　Many　were　banished
to　foreign　lands。　Yet　God　was　with　His　people；　and　persecution　could　not
prevail　to　silence　their　testimony。　Many　were　driven　across　the　ocean　to
America　and　here　laid　the　foundations　of　civil　and　religious　liberty　which
have　been　the　bulwark　and　glory　of　this　country。

Again；　as　in　apostolic　days；　persecution　turned　out　to　the　furtherance　of
the　gospel。　In　a　loathsome　dungeon　crowded　with　profligates　and　felons；　John
Bunyan　breathed　the　very　atmosphere　of　heaven；　and　there　he　wrote　his
wonderful　allegory　of　the　pilgrim's　journey　from　the　land　of　destruction　to
the　celestial　city。　For　over　two　hundred　years　that　voice　from　Bedford　jail
has　spoken　with　thrilling　power　to　the　hearts　of　men。　Bunyan's　Pilgrim's
Progress　and　Grace　Abounding　to　the　Chief　of　Sinners　have　guided　many　feet
into　the　path　of　life。

Baxter；　Flavel；　Alleine；　and　other　men　of　talent；　education；　and　deep
Christian　experience　stood　up　in　valiant　defense　of

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the　faith　which　was　once　delivered　to　the　saints。　The　work　accomplished　by
these　men；　proscribed　and　outlawed　by　the　rulers　of　this　world；　can　never
perish。　Flavel's　Fountain　of　Life　and　Method　of　Grace　have　taught　thousands
how　to　commit　the　keeping　of　their　souls　to　Christ。　Baxter's　Reformed　Pastor
has　proved　a　blessing　to　many　who　desire　a　revival　of　the　work　of　God；　and
his　Saints'　Everlasting　Rest　has　done　its　work　in　leading　souls　to　the
〃rest〃　that　remaineth　for　t