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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 4
work. As there were false christs in the first century of the Christian
church, so there arose false prophets in the sixteenth century.
A few men, deeply affected by the excitement in the religious
world, imagined themselves to have received special revelations
from Heaven, and claimed to have been divinely commissioned to
carry forward to its completion the Reformation but feebly begun
by Luther. In truth, they were undoing the very work which he
had accomplished. They rejected the fundamental principle of the
Reformation,—the word of God as the all-sufficient rule of faith and
practice; and for that unerring guide they substituted the changeable,
uncertain standard of their own feelings and impressions. By this
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act of setting aside the great detector of error and falsehood, the way
was opened for Satan to control minds as best pleased himself.
One of these prophets claimed to have been instructed by the
angel Gabriel. A student who united with him abandoned his studies,
declaring that he had received from God himself the ability to explain
the Scriptures. Others who were naturally inclined to fanaticism
united with them. The proceedings of these enthusiasts created no
little excitement. The preaching of Luther had aroused the people
everywhere to feel the necessity of reform, and now some really
honest persons were misled by the pretensions of the new prophets.
The leaders of the movement repaired to Wittemberg, and urged
their claims upon Melancthon and his co-laborers. Said they: “We
are sent by God to teach the people. We have received special
revelations from God himself, and therefore know what is coming
to pass. We are apostles and prophets, and appeal to Doctor Luther
as to the truth of what we say.”
The Reformers were astonished and perplexed. This was such
an element as they had never before encountered, and they knew not
what course to pursue. Said Melancthon: “There are indeed spirits
of no ordinary kind in these men; but what spirits?” “On the one
hand, let us beware of quenching the Spirit of God, and on the other,
of being seduced by the spirit of Satan.”
The fruit of the new teaching soon became apparent. The minds
of the people were diverted from the word of God, or decidedly
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prejudiced against it. The schools were thrown into confusion.
Students, spurning all restraint, abandoned their studies. The men
who thought themselves competent to revive and control the work of