the great controversy-第55节

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shall　not　the　gospel　speak　the　language　of　England　among　us？　。　。　。　Ought　the
church　to　have　less　light　at　noonday　than　at　the　dawn？　。　。　。　Christians　must
read　the　New　Testament　in　their　mother　tongue。〃　The　doctors　and　teachers　of
the　church　disagreed　among　themselves。　Only　by　the　Bible　could　men　arrive　at
the　truth。　〃One　holdeth　this　doctor；　another　that。　。　。　。　Now　each　of　these
authors　contradicts　the　other。　How　then　can　we　distinguish　him　who　says
right　from　him　who　says　wrong？　。　。　。　How？　。　。　。　Verily　by　God's
word。〃Ibid。；　b。　18；　ch。　4。

It　was　not　long　after　that　a　learned　Catholic　doctor；　engaging　in
controversy　with　him；　exclaimed：　〃We　were　better　to　be　without　God's　laws
than　the　pope's。〃　Tyndale　replied：　〃I　defy　the　pope　and　all　his　laws；　and　if
God　spare　my　life；　ere　many　years　I　will　cause　a　boy　that　driveth　the　plow
to　know　more　of　the　Scripture　than　you　do。〃Anderson；　Annals　of　the　English
Bible；　page　19。

The　purpose　which　he　had　begun　to　cherish；　of　giving　to

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the　people　the　New　Testament　Scriptures　in　their　own　language；　was　now
confirmed；　and　he　immediately　applied　himself　to　the　work。　Driven　from　his
home　by　persecution；　he　went　to　London；　and　there　for　a　time　pursued　his
labors　undisturbed。　But　again　the　violence　of　the　papists　forced　him　to
flee。　All　England　seemed　closed　against　him；　and　he　resolved　to　seek　shelter
in　Germany。　Here　he　began　the　printing　of　the　English　New　Testament。　Twice
the　work　was　stopped；　but　when　forbidden　to　print　in　one　city；　he　went　to
another。　At　last　he　made　his　way　to　Worms；　where；　a　few　years　before；　Luther
had　defended　the　gospel　before　the　Diet。　In　that　ancient　city　were　many
friends　of　the　Reformation；　and　Tyndale　there　prosecuted　his　work　without
further　hindrance。　Three　thousand　copies　of　the　New　Testament　were　soon
finished；　and　another　edition　followed　in　the　same　year。

With　great　earnestness　and　perseverance　he　continued　his　labors。
Notwithstanding　the　English　authorities　had　guarded　their　ports　with　the
strictest　vigilance；　the　word　of　God　was　in　various　ways　secretly　conveyed
to　London　and　thence　circulated　throughout　the　country。　The　papists
attempted　to　suppress　the　truth；　but　in　vain。　The　bishop　of　Durham　at　one
time　bought　of　a　bookseller　who　was　a　friend　of　Tyndale　his　whole　stock　of
Bibles；　for　the　purpose　of　destroying　them；　supposing　that　this　would
greatly　hinder　the　work。　But；　on　the　contrary；　the　money　thus　furnished；
purchased　material　for　a　new　and　better　edition；　which；　but　for　this；　could
not　have　been　published。　When　Tyndale　was　afterward　made　a　prisoner；　his
liberty　was　offered　him　on　condition　that　he　would　reveal　the　names　of　those
who　had　helped　him　meet　the　expense　of　printing　his　Bibles。　He　replied　that
the　bishop　of　Durham　had　done　more　than　any　other　person；　for　by　paying　a
large　price　for　the　books　left　on　hand；　he　had　enabled　him　to　go　on　with
good　courage。

Tyndale　was　betrayed　into　the　hands　of　his　enemies；　and　at　one　time　suffered
imprisonment　for　many　months。　He　finally　witnessed　for　his　faith　by　a
martyr's　death；　but　the　weapons　which　he　prepared　have　enabled　other
soldiers

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to　do　battle　through　all　the　centuries　even　to　our　time。

Latimer　maintained　from　the　pulpit　that　the　Bible　ought　to　be　read　in　the
language　of　the　people。　The　Author　of　Holy　Scripture；　said　he；　〃is　God
Himself；〃　and　this　Scripture　partakes　of　the　might　and　eternity　of　its
Author。　〃There　is　no　king；　emperor；　magistrate；　and　ruler　。　。　。　but　are
bound　to　obey　。　。　。　His　holy　word。〃　〃Let　us　not　take　any　bywalks；　but　let
God's　word　direct　us：　let　us　not　walk　after　。　。　。　our　forefathers；　nor　seek
not　what　they　did；　but　what　they　should　have　done。〃Hugh　Latimer；　〃First
Sermon　Preached　Before　King　Edward　VI。〃

Barnes　and　Frith；　the　faithful　friends　of　Tyndale；　arose　to　defend　the
truth。　The　Ridleys　and　Cranmer　followed。　These　leaders　in　the　English
Reformation　were　men　of　learning；　and　most　of　them　had　been　highly　esteemed
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　de