66 Romish priesthood arrayed against the Bible. They tried their utmost to keep the knowledge of it from the laity, as they felt that if they knew it, their absolute power would then be gone; for so Bishop Gardiner admitted: Once open that door, and all is lost." Therefore they described it as most dangerous for the people, and set forth the clergy and the doctrines of the Church as the only way of salvation; and from their own ignorance of the Bible on the one hand, and the superstitious system of the so-called Christian religion on the other, they persecuted the readers of Holy Scripture in just the same way as the pagan priests of ancient heathen Rome persecuted the early Christians. How are we to account for this? Simply by remembering that the barbarous tribes of Europe, when they received Christianity, retained much of their innate barbarity, and as the light of Scripture failed or was withdrawn, there was wanting that light which can alone bring salvation and "is able to save the soul." The lovers of Holy Scripture were therefore a standing protest against the evil passions of men and the claims of a system which encouraged or tolerated so much superstition, and they were persecuted as the early Christians, misrepresented, and accused of crimes of which they were innocent, regarded as seditious men and enemies of God. He who read Wycliffe's Bible was termed a " Wycliffite" or "Lollard." He who read Tyndale's New Testament, and rejoiced to hear of Luther's plea for an open Bible, was scornfully called a Lutheran, or, in later days, a contemptible Calvinist. In short, as the Jews of old said to St. Paul in Rome, "As for this sect, we know it is everywhere spoken against." Thirdly, the result of the struggle was to vindicate the right of every man, woman, and child to have the full liberty to read and follow the Word of God without any hindrance or opposition from any source, even though it be a portion of the Church of Christ. The Holy Scriptures should be as accessible to all as the gifts of air and the light of day; they are as necessary spiritually and morally, and not to be withheld or overridden by any human authority whatsoever. The gains of the Reformation are great and glorious, and have been enjoyed for many years, and now a new and daring attempt is made to rob the people of them. The new Oxford teachers follow the old lines of error when they depreciate the Bible and exalt the Church, saying the living Word is a "dumb teacher and cannot remonstrate," "obscure and unsafe" when alone. Let us learn from history the peril of this path, and ask again for the old path-the path trod by Apostles and prophets. "Thy Word is a light to my feet and a lamp to my paths." VERSES INSERTED IN CERTAIN BIBLES PUBLISHED IN LONDON, 1575, in THE REIGN OF QUEEN ELIZABETH. 5 "Read not this Book in any case Read not, but first desire God's grace 6 "Pray still in faith with this respect To fructify therein, That knowledge may bring this effect To mortify thy sin. 7 "Then happy thou in all thy life 183 PART THE SECOND THE OXFORD REFORMERS: EXTRACTS FROM THEIR WRITINGS CHAPTER I TESTIMONY CONCERNING THE FAITH "Let the Papists go with their long faith; be you content with the short faith of the Saints, which is revealed unto us in the Word of God written. Adieu to all Popish fantasies. Amen' (Latimer to Ridley in prison at Oxford). " "The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul ” (Ps. cxix.). "This having learn'd, thou hast attained the sum Of Wisdom.. Only add ... Deeds to thy knowledge answerable, add faith, MILTON. To bring out distinctly the peculiar features of the Church of England and show the Protestant system of Divinity, we cannot do better than take a question raised by the venerable Latimer in one of his sermons: "How shall I know that I am in the Book of Life ?" For if this question be settled, all minor points will fall into their proper places. 66 How shall I know that I am in the Book of Life ?" I answer: There are three special notes whereby you may know the same. "The first note is, if you know your sin and feel your own wretchedness, which is a great matter; for the most part of people are so drowned in sin that they no more feel the same . . . but when you know your sins and feel the same, then are they heavy with you, and grieve you. "The second point is, faith in Christ—that is, when you believe most steadfastly and undoubtedly that God our Heavenly Father, through His Son, will deliver you from your sins-when you believe, I say, that the blood of our Saviour is shed for you for the cleansing and putting away of your sins, and believing this most steadfastly with an unfeigned heart, then you have the second point. "The third point is, when you have an earnest desire to amendment and hatred against your sin, study to live after God's will and commandments as much as is possible for you to do, then you have the third point. "And when these three points be in you-namely, first, when you know your sin and be sorry for the same; and afterwards believe to be saved through the Passion of Jesus Christ; and, thirdly, have an earnest desire to leave sin and to fly the same-t -then you may be sure that your names are written in the Book, and you may be sure that you are elect and predestinate to everlasting life" ("Latimer's Sermons," January 24, 1552). Such is Latimer's "Short Faith of the Saints," which, under the three heads of Repentance, Faith, and Obedience, comprehends the essentials of Christianity, or, in other words, includes Regeneration, Justification, and Sanctification. The necessity of these is acknowledged alike by Romanists and Protestants; they differ only in the way by which they are to be obtained. Let us briefly compare them, and in so doing aim to exhibit "In essentials, Unity; In non-essentials, Liberty; |