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From the Diet of Worms to the Augsburg Confession - James Aitken Wylie

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monopolized all blessings, and <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs were<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir deb<strong>to</strong>rs for such gifts as <strong>the</strong>y chose <strong>to</strong> dole out<br />

<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>m.<br />

The two ex-monks, Lu<strong>the</strong>r and Lambert, put an<br />

end <strong>to</strong> this state <strong>of</strong> things. They abolished <strong>the</strong> one<br />

priest, plucking from his brow his impious mitre,<br />

and from his hands his blasphemous sacrifice, and<br />

<strong>the</strong>y put <strong>the</strong> one Eternal Priest in heaven in his<br />

room. Instead <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hierarchy whose reservoir <strong>of</strong><br />

power was on <strong>the</strong> Seven Hills, whence it was<br />

conveyed downward through a mystic chain that<br />

linked all o<strong>the</strong>r priests <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pope, much as <strong>the</strong><br />

cable conveys <strong>the</strong> electric spark from continent <strong>to</strong><br />

continent, <strong>the</strong>y res<strong>to</strong>red <strong>the</strong> universal priesthood <strong>of</strong><br />

believers. Their fountain <strong>of</strong> power is in heaven;<br />

faith like a chain links <strong>the</strong>m <strong>to</strong> it; <strong>the</strong> Holy Spirit is<br />

<strong>the</strong> oil with which <strong>the</strong>y are anointed; and <strong>the</strong><br />

sacrifices <strong>the</strong>y present are not those <strong>of</strong> expiation,<br />

which has been accomplished once for all by <strong>the</strong><br />

Eternal Priest, but <strong>of</strong> hearts purified by faith, and<br />

lives which <strong>the</strong> same divine grace makes fruitful in<br />

holiness. This was a great revolution. An ancient<br />

and established order was abolished; an entirely<br />

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