Outlines of Ecclesiastical History

by B. H. Roberts

61. What reverses did the Protestants sustain in the conflict of arms?

62. What finally resulted from all this agitation?

63. Give the character of Luther? (Note 8.)

SECTION II.

1. Controversy on the Question of Grace.—It is now for us to consider the principles at issue in the Reformation. Luther at the first began his opposition to the pope by denouncing indulgences, and there can be no question but he and every other honest Christian had just cause of complaint and indignation against this infamous traffic, and against the church for permitting it. Yet it cannot be denied that there was a wide difference between the doctrine of the Catholic church respecting indulgences [see note 1, end of section] and the things taught by the infamous John Tetzel. This is evident from the fact that Tetzel with other agents of the pope were censured for their over zeal and excesses in dealing in indulgences.^[[19]] Miltitz, whom the pope had appointed to treat with Luther to bring about his reconciliation with the church, meeting with Tetzel at Leipsic, twice rebuked him with the greatest severity before the bishops of his province, on account of his iniquitous proceedings in the sale of indulgences, and he finally died neglected and alone—"deserted by all the world." [See note 2, end of section.]

2. These abuses in the sale of indulgences and the other corruptions which had crept into the church formed a just cause of complaint; but they were not the true point at issue in the controversy. Some time before he opposed indulgences, Luther—if we may believe D'Aubigne [Do-benya]—had imbibed ideas in respect to the part which the grace of God takes in the salvation of man that would have led him to oppose the church of Rome, if the abuses in the matter of indulgences had never existed. In order that the student may grasp this subject in its fullness, and the better understand this controversy between Luther and the Catholic church, we shall make a careful statement of the facts which enter into the question of God's grace and the free will of man.

1. Power of Deliberation—The mind is conscious of a power of deliberation, before the intellect passes the different motives of action, interests, passions, opinions, etc. The intellect considers, compares, estimates, and finally judges them. This is a preparatory work which precedes the act of will.

2. Liberty, Free Agency or Will.—When deliberation has taken place—when man has taken full cognizance of the motives which present themselves to him, he takes a resolution, of which he looks upon himself as the author, which arises because he wishes it, and which would not arise unless he did wish it—here the fact of agency is shown; it resides complete in the resolution which man makes after deliberation; it is the resolution which is the proper act of man, which subsists by him alone; a simple fact independent of all the facts which precede it or surround it.

3. Free Will, or Agency Modified—At the same time that man feels himself free, he recognizes the fact that his freedom is not arbitrary, that it is placed under the dominion of a law which will preside over it and influence it. What that law is will depend upon the education of each individual, upon his surroundings, etc. To act in harmony with that law is what man recognizes as his duty; it will be the task of his liberty. He will soon see, however, that he never fully acquits himself of his task, never acts in full harmony with his moral law. Morally capable of conforming himself to his law, he falls short of doing it. He does not accomplish all that he ought, nor all that he can. This fact is evident, one of which all may give witness; and it often happens that the best men, that is, those who have best conformed their will to reason, have often been the most struck with their insufficience.