The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology - Saint Mary ...

its primary object; in a certain sense it was not its object at all. Its object
was to establish truth, no matter what might rise or fall in the effort. Had
the Reformation assumed the form which some who have since borne the
name of Protestants would have given it, it would. not even have been a
splendid failure; the movement which has shaken and regenerated a world
would have ended in few miserable squabbles, a few autos da fe; and the
record of a history, which daily makes the hearts of thousands burn within
them, would have been exchanged for some such brief notice as this: that
an irascible monk, named Luder, or Luther, and a few insane coadjutors,
having foolishly attempted to overthrow the holy Roman See, and
remaining obstinate in their pernicious and detestable heresies, were
burned alive, to the glory of God and the Virgin Mary, and to the
inexpressible satisfaction of all the faithful. The mightiest weapon which
the Reformation employed against Rome was, not Rome's errors, but
Rome's truths. It professed to make no discoveries, to find no unheard-of
interpretations; but taking, the Scriptures in that very sense to which the
greatest of her writers had assented, uncovering the law and the gospel of
God which she retained, applying them as her most; distinguished and
most honored teachers had applied them, though she had made them of
none effect by her traditions, the Reformation took into its heart the lifestream
of sixteen centuries, and came forth in the stature and strength of a
Christianity, grown from the infancy of primitive ages, to the ripened
manhood of that maturer period. There was no fear of truth, simply
because Rome held it, and no disposition to embrace error, because it
might be employed with advantage to Rome's injury. While it established
broadly; and deeply the right of private judgment, it did not make that
abuse of it which has since been so common. From the position, that the
essential truths of the word of God are clear to any Christian mind that
examines them properly, it did not leap to the conclusion, that a thousand
generations or a thousand examiners were as likely, or more likely, to be
wrong than one. They allowed no authority save to the word of God, but
they listened respectfully to the witness of believers of all time.