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their claims to divine inspiration, but had pronounced them rebels
against the civil authority. In retaliation they denounced him as a base
pretender. He seemed to have brought upon himself the enmity of both
princes and people.
The Romanists exulted, expecting to witness the speedy downfall
of the Reformation; and they blamed Luther, even for the errors which
he had been most earnestly endeavoring to correct. The fanatical
party, by falsely claiming to have been treated with great injustice,
succeeded in gaining the sympathies of a large class of the people, and,
as is often the case with those who take the wrong side, they came to
be regarded as martyrs. Thus the ones who were exerting every energy
in opposition to the Reformation were pitied and lauded as the victims
of cruelty and oppression. This was the work of Satan, prompted by
the same spirit of rebellion which was first manifested in heaven.
Satan is constantly seeking to deceive men and lead them to call
sin righteousness, and righteousness sin. How successful has been his
work! How often censure and reproach are cast upon God’s faithful
servants because they will stand fearlessly in defense of the truth! Men
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who are but agents of Satan are praised and flattered, and even looked
upon as martyrs, while those who should be respected and sustained
for their fidelity to God, are left to stand alone, under suspicion and
distrust.
Counterfeit holiness, spurious sanctification, is still doing its work
of deception. Under various forms it exhibits the same spirit as in
the days of Luther, diverting minds from the Scriptures and leading
men to follow their own feelings and impressions rather than to yield
obedience to the law of God. This is one of Satan’s most successful
devices to cast reproach upon purity and truth.
Fearlessly did Luther defend the gospel from the attacks which
came from every quarter. The word of God proved itself a weapon
mighty in every conflict. With that word he warred against the usurped
authority of the pope, and the rationalistic philosophy of the school-
men, while he stood firm as a rock against the fanaticism that sought
to ally itself with the Reformation.
Each of these opposing elements was in its own way setting aside
the Holy Scriptures and exalting human wisdom as the source of
religious truth and knowledge. Rationalism idolizes reason and makes
this the criterion for religion. Romanism, claiming for her sovereign