the great controversy-第42部分

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labor；　is　prayer；　let　the　people　know　that　they　are　now　exposed　to　the　edge
of　the　sword　and　to　the　rage　of　Satan；　and　let　them　pray。〃　D'Aubigne；　b。
10；　ch。　14。

Again；　at　a　later　date；　referring　to　the　league　contemplated　by　the　reformed
princes；　Luther　declared　that　the　only　weapon　employed　in　this　warfare
should　be　〃the　sword　of　the　Spirit。〃　He　wrote　to　the　elector　of　Saxony：　〃We
cannot　on　our　conscience　approve　the　proposed　alliance。　We　would　rather　die
ten　times　than　see　our　gospel　cause　one　drop　of　blood　to　be　shed。　Our　part
is　to　be　like　lambs　of　the　slaughter。　The　cross　of　Christ　must　be　borne。　Let
your　highness　be　without　fear。　We　shall　do　more　by　our　prayers　than　all　our
enemies　by　their　boastings。　Only　let　not　your　hands　be　stained　with　the
blood　of　your　brethren。　If　the　emperor　requires　us　to　be　given　up　to　his
tribunals；　we　are　ready　to　appear。　You　cannot　defend　our　faith：　each　one
should　believe　at　his　own　risk　and　peril。〃Ibid。；　b。　14；　ch。　1。

210


From　the　secret　place　of　prayer　came　the　power　that　shook　the　world　in　the
Great　Reformation。　There；　with　holy　calmness；　the　servants　of　the　Lord　set
their　feet　upon　the　rock　of　His　promises。　During　the　struggle　at　Augsburg；
Luther　〃did　not　pass　a　day　without　devoting　three　hours　at　least　to　prayer；
and　they　were　hours　selected　from　those　the　most　favorable　to　study。〃　In　the
privacy　of　his　chamber　he　was　heard　to　pour　out　his　soul　before　God　in　words
〃full　of　adoration；　fear；　and　hope；　as　when　one　speaks　to　a　friend。〃　〃I　know
that　Thou　art　our　Father　and　our　God；〃　he　said；　〃and　that　Thou　wilt　scatter
the　persecutors　of　Thy　children；　for　Thou　art　Thyself　endangered　with　us。
All　this　matter　is　Thine；　and　it　is　only　by　Thy　constraint　that　we　have　put
our　hands　to　it。　Defend　us；　then；　O　Father！〃Ibid。；　b。　14；　ch。　6。

To　Melanchthon；　who　was　crushed　under　the　burden　of　anxiety　and　fear；　he
wrote：　〃Grace　and　peace　in　Christin　Christ；　I　say；　and　not　in　the　world。
Amen。　I　hate　with　exceeding　hatred　those　extreme　cares　which　consume　you。　If
the　cause　is　unjust；　abandon　it；　if　the　cause　is　just；　why　should　we　belie
the　promises　of　Him　who　commands　us　to　sleep　without　fear？　。　。　。　Christ　will
not　be　wanting　to　the　work　of　justice　and　truth。　He　lives；　He　reigns；　what
fear；　then；　can　we　have？〃Ibid。；　b。　14；　ch。　6。

God　did　listen　to　the　cries　of　His　servants。　He　gave　to　princes　and
ministers　grace　and　courage　to　maintain　the　truth　against　the　rulers　of　the
darkness　of　this　world。　Saith　the　Lord：　〃Behold；　I　lay　in　Zion　a　chief
cornerstone；　elect；　precious：　and　he　that　believeth　on　Him　shall　not　be
confounded。〃　1　Peter　2：6。　The　Protestant　Reformers　had　built　on　Christ；　and
the　gates　of　hell　could　not　prevail　against　them。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（211）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　12

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　French　Reformation


The　Protest　of　Spires　and　the　Confession　at　Augsburg；　which　marked　the
triumph　of　the　Reformation　in　Germany；　were　followed　by　years　of　conflict
and　darkness。　Weakened　by　divisions　among　its　supporters；　and　assailed　by
powerful　foes；　Protestantism　seemed　destined　to　be　utterly　destroyed。
Thousands　sealed　their　testimony　with　their　blood。　Civil　war　broke　out；　the
Protestant　cause　was　betrayed　by　one　of　its　leading　adherents；　the　noblest
of　the　reformed　princes　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　emperor　and　were　dragged
as　captives　from　town　to　town。　But　in　the　moment　of　his　apparent　triumph；
the　emperor　was　smitten　with　defeat。　He　saw　the　prey　wrested　from　his　grasp；
and　he　was　forced　at　last　to　grant　toleration　to　the　doctrines　which　it　had
been　the　ambition　of　his　life　to　destroy。　He　had　staked　his　kingdom；　his
treasures；　and　life　itself　upon　the　crushing　out　of　the　heresy。　Now　he　saw
his　armies　wasted　by　battle；　his　treasuries　drained；　his　many　kingdoms
threatened　by　revolt；　while　everywhere　the　faith　which　he　had　vainly
endeavored　to　suppress；　was　extending。　Charles　V　had　been　battling　against
omnipotent　power。　God　had　said；　〃Let　there　be　light；〃　but　the　emperor　had
sought　to　keep　the　darkness　unbroken。　His　purposes　had　failed；　and　in
premature　old　age；　worn　out　with　the　long　struggle；　he　abdicated　the　throne
and　buried　himself　in　a　cloister。

In　Switzerland；　as　in　Germany；　there　came　dark　days　for　the　Reformation。
While　many　cantons　accepted　the　reformed

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faith；　others　clung　with　blind　persistence　to　the　creed　of　Rome。　Their
persecution　of　those　who　desired　to　receive　the　truth　finally　gave　rise　to
civil　war。　Zwingli　and　many　who　had　united　with　him　in　reform　fell　on　the
bloody　field　of　Cappel。　Oecolampadius；　overcome　by　these　terrible　disasters；
soon　after　died。　Rome　was　triumphant；　and　in　many　places　seemed　about　to
recover　all　that　she　had　lost。　But　He　whose　counsels　are　from　everlasting
had　not　forsaken　His　cause　or　His　people。　His　hand　would　bring　deliverance
for　them。　In　other　lands　He　had　raised　up　laborers　to　carry　forward　the
reform。

In　France；　before　the　name　of　Luther　had　been　heard　as　a　Reformer；　the　day
had　already　begun　to　break。　One　of　the　first　to　catch　the　light　was　the　aged
Lefevre；　a　man　of　extensive　learning；　a　professor　in　the　University　of
Paris；　and　a　sincere　and　zealous　papist。　In　his　researches　into　ancient
literature　his　attention　was　directed　to　the　Bible；　and　he　introduced　its
study　among　his　students。

Lefevre　was　an　enthusiastic　adorer　of　the　saints；　and　he　had　undertaken　to
prepare　a　history　of　the　saints　and　martyrs　as　given　in　the　legends　of　the
church。　This　was　a　work　which　involved　great　labor；　but　he　had　already　made
considerable　progress　in　it；　when；　thinking　that　he　might　obtain　useful
assistance　from　the　Bible；　he　began　its　study　with　this　object。　Here　indeed
he　found　saints　brought　to　view；　but　not　such　as　figured　in　the　Roman
calendar。　A　flood　of　divine　light　broke　in　upon　his　mind。　In　amazement　and
disgust　he　turned　away　from　his　self…appointed　task　and　devoted　himself　to
the　word　of　God。　The　precious　truths　which　he　there　discovered　he　soon　began
to　teach。

In　1512；　before　either　Luther　or　Zwingli　had　begun　the　work　of　reform；
Lefevre　wrote：　〃It　is　God　who　gives　us；　by　faith；　that　righteousness　which
by　grace　alone　justifies　to　eternal　life。〃Wylie；　b。　13；　ch。　1。　Dwelling
upon　the　mysteries　of　redemption；　he　exclaimed：　〃Oh；　the　unspeakable
greatness　of　that　exchange；the　Sinless　One　is　condemned；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　213

and　he　who　is　guilty　goes　free；　the　Blessing　bears　the　curse；　and　the　cursed
is　brought　into　blessing；　the　Life　dies；　and　the　dead　live；　the　Glory　is
whelmed　in　darkness；　and　he　who　knew　nothing　but　confusion　of　face　is
clothed　with　glory。〃　D'Aubigne；　London　ed。；　b。　12；　ch。　2。

And　while　teaching　that　the　glory　of　salvation　belongs　solely　to　God；　he
also　declared　that　the　duty　of　obedience　belongs　to　man。　〃If　thou　art　a
member　of　Christ's　church；〃　he　said；　〃thou　art　a　member　of　His　body；　if　thou
art　of　His　body；　then　thou　art　full　of　the　divine　nature。　。　。　。　Oh；　if　men
could　but　enter　into　the　understanding　of　this　privilege；　how　purely；
chastely；　and　holily　would　they　live；　and　how　contemptible；　when　compared
with　the　glory　within　them；　that　glory　which　the　eye　of　flesh　cannot
see；would　they　deem　all　the　glory　of　this　world。〃Ibid。；　b。　12；　ch。　2。

There　were　some　among　Lefevre's　students　who　listened　eagerly　to　his　words；
and　who；　long　after　the　teacher's　voice　should　be　silenced；　were　to　continue
to　declare　the　truth。　Such　was　William　Farel。　The　son　of　pious　parents；　and
educated　to　accept　with　implicit　faith　the　teachings　of　the　church；　he
might；　with　the　apostle　Paul；　have　declared　concerning　himself：　〃After　the
most　straitest　sect　of　our　religion　I　lived　a　Pharisee。〃　Acts　26：5。　A
devoted　Romanist；　he　burned　with　zeal　to　destroy　all　who　should　dare　to
oppose　the　church。　〃I　would　gnash　my　teeth　like　a　furious　wolf；〃　he
afterward　said；　referring　to　this　period　of　his　life；　〃when　I　heard　anyone
speaking　against　the　pope。〃Wylie；　b。　13；　ch。
2。　He　had　been　untiring　in　his　adoration　of　the　saints；　in
company　with　Lefevre　making　the　round　of　the　churches　of　Paris；　worshipping
at　the　altars；　and　adorning　with　gifts　the　holy　shrines。　But　these
observances　could　not　bring　peace　of　soul。　Conviction　of　sin　fastened　upon
him；　which　all　the　acts　of　penance　that　he　practiced　failed　to　banish。　As　to
a　voice　from　heaven　he　listened　to　the　Reformer's　words：　〃Salvation　is　of
grace。〃　〃The　Innocent　One　is　condemned；　and　the　criminal　is　acquitted。〃　〃It
is　the　cross　of　Christ　alone　that

214

openeth　the　gates　of　heaven；　and　shutteth　the　gates　of　hell。〃　Ibid。；　b。
13；　ch。　2。

Farel　joyfully　accepted　the　truth。　By　a　conversion　like　that　of　Paul　he
turned　from　the　bondage　of　tradition　to　the　liberty　of　the　sons　of　God。
〃Instead　of　the　murderous　heart　of　a　ravening　wolf；〃　he　came　back；　he　says；
〃quietly　like　a　meek　and　harmless　lamb；　having　his　heart　entirely　withdrawn
from　the　pope；　and　given　to　Jesus　Christ。〃D'Aubigne；　b。　12；　ch。　3。

While　Lefevre　continued　to　spread　the　light　among　his　students；　Farel；　as
zealous　in　the　cause　of　Christ　as　he　had　been　in　that　of　the　pope；　went
forth　to　declare　the　truth　in　public。　A　dignitary　of　the　church；　the　bishop
of　Meaux；　soon　after　united　with　them。　Other　teachers　who　ranked　high　for
their　ability　and　learning　joined　in　proclaiming　the　gospel；　and　it　won
adherents　among　all　classes；　from　the　homes　of　artisans　and　peasants　to　the
palace　of　the　king。　The　sister　of　Francis　I；　then　the　reigning　monarch；
accepted　the　reformed　faith。　The　king　himself；　and　the　queen　mother；
appeared　for　a　time　to　regard　it　with　favor；　and　with　high　hopes　the
Reformers　looked　forward　to　the　time　when　France　should　be　won　to　the
gospel。

But　their　hopes　were　not　to　be　realized。　Trial　and　persecution　awaited　the
disciples　of　Christ。　This；　however；　was　mercifully　veiled　from　their　eyes。　A
time　of　peace　intervened；　that　they　might　gain　strength　to　meet　the　tempest；
and　the　Reformation　made　rapid　progress。　The　bishop　of　Meaux　labored
zealously　in　his　own　diocese　to　instruct　both　the　clergy　and　the　people。
Ignorant　and　immoral　priests　wer