beacon lights of history-iii-2- 第30部分

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　ground。　　The　Church　was　not　prepared　openly　to　deny

the　authority　of　Saint　Paul　or　Saint　Peter；　and　Luther；　if　he　did

not　gain　his　case；　was　far　from　being　beaten；　andwhat　was　of

vital　importance　to　his　successhe　had　the　Elector　and　the　people

with　him。



Thus　was　born　the　second　great　idea　of　the　Reformation；the

supreme　authority　of　the　Scriptures；　to　which　Protestants　of　every

denomination　have　since　professed　to　cling。　　They　may　differ　in　the

interpretation　of　texts；and　thus　sects　and　parties　gradually

arose；　who　quarrelled　about　their　meaning；but　none　of　them　deny

their　supreme　authority。　　All　the　issues　of　Protestants　have　been

on　the　meaning　of　texts；　on　the　interpretation　of　the　Scriptures；

to　be　settled　by　learning　and　reason。　　It　was　not　until　rationalism

arose；　and　rejected　plain　and　obvious　declarations　of　Scripture；　as

inconsistent　with　reason；　as　interpolations；　as　uninspired；　that

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　g