History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century, Volume 3Merle d'Aubigné, J. H. (Jean Henri)
History
History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century, Volume 3
Merle d'Aubigné, J. H. (Jean Henri)
Reformation
The Swiss Reformation here presents itself under an aspect somewhat
different from that of the German Reformation. Luther had risen up
against the excesses of those who had broken the images in the
churches of Wittemberg; and in Zwingle's presence the idols fell in
the temples of Zurich. This difference is explained by the different
lights in which the two reformers viewed the same object. Luther
desired to maintain in the Church all that was not expressly contrary
to the Scriptures, and Zwingle to abolish all that could not be proved
by them. The German reformer wished to remain united to the Church of
the preceding ages, and was content to purify it of all that was
opposed to the Word of God. The Zurich reformer passed over these
ages, returned to the apostolic times, and, carrying out an entire
transformation of the Church, endeavoured to restore it to its
primitive condition.
Zwingle's Reformation was therefore the more complete. The work that
Providence had confided to Luther, the restoration of the doctrine of
justification by faith, was doubtless the great work of the
Reformation; but when this was accomplished, others remained to be
done, which, although secondary, were still important; and to these
Zwingle's exertions were more especially directed.
In fact, two mighty tasks had been imposed on the reformers. Christian
Catholicism, born in the midst of Jewish pharisaism and Greek
paganism, had gradually felt the influence of these two religions,
which had transformed it into Roman-catholicism. The Reformation that
was called to purify the Church, was destined to purge it alike from
the Jewish and the pagan element.
The Jewish element prevailed chiefly in that part of the christian
doctrine which relates to man. Catholicism had received from Judaism
the pharisaical ideas of self-righteousness, of salvation by human
strength or works.
The pagan element prevailed especially in that part of the christian
doctrine which relates to God. Paganism had corrupted in the catholic
church the idea of an infinite Deity, whose power, being perfectly
all-sufficient, is at work in all times and in all places. It had
established in the Church the reign of symbols, images, and
ceremonies; and the saints had become the demigods of popery.
[Sidenote: LUTHER AND ZWINGLE.]
Luther's reform was directed essentially against the Jewish element.
It was against this element that he had been compelled to struggle,
when an impudent monk on behalf of the pope was making a trade of the
salvation of souls.
Zwingle's reform was particularly directed against the pagan element.
It was this element with which he had come in contact at the temple of
our Lady of Einsidlen, when a crowd, gathered together from every
side, fell down blindly before a gilded idol, as of old in the temple
of the Ephesian Diana.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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