October 30, 2011

• Erasmus, the Reformation and "the heavenly word" ~ "If the ship of the church is to be saved"

    
  From the "History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century, Volume Fifth" by Jean Henri Merle d'Aubigné, trans. by H. White, 151, 153-157 (italics original; boldface mine):

  Shall we be told that a reform effected by any other principle than the established authorities, both in church and state, would have been a revolution? But has God, the lawful sovereign of the church, forbidden all revolution in a sinful world? A revolution is not a revolt. The fall of the first man was a great revolution: the restoration of man by Jesus Christ was a counter-revolution. The corruption occasioned by popery was allied to the fall: the reformation accomplished in the sixteenth century was connected therefore with the restoration. There will no doubt be other interventions of the Deity, which will be revolutions in the same direction as the Reformation. When God creates a new heaven and a new earth, will not that be one of the most glorious of revolutions? The Reformation by the word alone gives truth, alone gives unity; but more than that, it alone bears the marks of true legitimacy; for the church belongs not unto men, even though they be priests. God alone is its lawful sovereign.

  And yet the human elements which we have enumerated were not wholly foreign to the work that was accomplishing in England. Besides the word of God, other principles were in operation, and although less radical and less primitive, they still retain the sympathy of eminent men of that nation.

  And in the first place, the intervention of the king's authority was necessary to a certain point. Since the supremacy of Rome had been established in England by several usages which had the force of law, the intervention of the temporal power was necessary to break the bonds which it had previously sanctioned. But it was requisite for the monarchy, while adopting a negative and political action, to leave the positive, doctrinal, and creative action to the word of God. . .

  The great work of the 16th century was about to begin. A volume fresh from the presses of Basle had just crossed the channel. Being transmitted to London, Oxford, and Cambridge, this book, the fruit of Erasmus's vigils, soon found its way wherever there were friends of learning. It was the New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ, published for the first time in Greek with a new Latin translation— an event more important for the world than would have been the landing of the pretender in England, or the appearance of the chief of the Tudors in Italy. This book, in which God has deposited for man's salvation the seeds of life, was about to effect alone, without patrons and without interpreters, the most astonishing revolution in Britain.

  When Erasmus published this work, at the dawn, so to say, of modern times, he did not see all its scope. Had he foreseen it, he would perhaps have recoiled in alarm. He saw indeed that there was a great work to be done, but he believed that all good men would unite to do it with common accord. "A spiritual temple must be raised in desolated Christendom," said he. "The mighty of this world will contribute towards it their marble, their ivory, and their gold; I who am poor and humble offer the foundation stone," and he laid down before the world his edition of the Greek Testament. Then glancing disdainfully at the traditions of men, he said: "It is not from human reservoirs, fetid with stagnant waters, that we should draw the doctrine of salvation; but from the pure and abundant streams that flow from the heart of God." And when some of his suspicious friends spoke to him of the difficulties of the times, he replied: "If the ship of the church is to be saved from being swallowed up by the tempest, there is only one anchor that can save it: it is the heavenly word, which, issuing from the bosom of the Father, lives, speaks, and works still in the gospel."

  

  These noble sentiments served as an introduction to those blessed pages which were to reform England. Erasmus like Caiaphas, prophesied without being aware of it.

  The New Testament in Greek and Latin had hardly appeared when it was received by all men of upright mind with unprecedented enthusiasm. Never had any book produced such a sensation. It was in every hand: men struggled to procure it, read it eagerly, and would even kiss it. The words it contained enlightened every heart. But a reaction soon took place. Traditional catholicism uttered a cry from the depths of its noisome pools (to use Erasmus's figure). Franciscans and Dominicans, priests and bishops, not daring to attack the educated and well-born, went among the ignorant populace, and endeavoured by their tales and clamours to stir up susceptible women and credulous men. "Here are horrible heresies," they exclaimed, "here are frightful antichrists! If this book be tolerated it will be the death of the papacy!"— "We must drive this man from the university," said one. "We must turn him out of the church," added another. "The public places re-echoed with their howlings," said Erasmus. The firebrands tossed by their furious hands were raising fires in every quarter; and the flames kindled in a few obscure convents threatened to spread over the whole country.

  This irritation was not without a cause. The book, indeed, contained nothing but Latin and Greek; but this first step seemed to augur another—the translation of the Bible into the vulgar tongue. Erasmus loudly called for it. "Perhaps it may be necessary to conceal the secrets of kings," he remarked, "but we must publish the mysteries of Christ. The Holy Scriptures, translated into all languages, should be read not only by the Scotch and Irish, but even by Turks and Saracens. The husbandman should sing them as he holds the handle of his plough, the weaver repeat them as he plies his shuttle, and the wearied traveller, halting on his journey, refresh him under some shady tree by these godly narratives." These words prefigured a golden age after the iron age of popery. A number of Christian families in Britain and on the continent were soon to realize these evangelical forebodings, and England after three centuries was to endeavour to carry them out for the benefit of all the nations on the face of the earth.

  The priests saw the danger, and by a skilful manoeuvre, instead of finding fault with the Greek Testament, attacked the translation and the translator. "He has corrected the Vulgate," they said, "and puts himself in the place of Saint Jerome. He sets aside a work authorized by the consent of ages and inspired by the Holy Ghost. What audacity!" and then, turning over the pages, they pointed out the most odious passages: "Look here! this book calls upon men to repent, instead of requiring them, as the Vulgate does, to do penance!" (Matt. iv. 17.) The priests thundered against him from their pulpits :f "This man has committed the unpardonable sin," they asserted; "for he maintains that there is nothing in common between the Holy Ghost and the monks—that they are logs rather than men!" These simple remarks were received with a general laugh, but the priests, in no wise disconcerted, cried out all the louder:  "He's a heretic, an heresiarch, a forger! he's a goose ...... what do I say? he's a very antichrist!"

  It was not sufficient for the papal janissaries to make war in the plain, they must carry it to the higher ground. Was not the king a friend of Erasmus? If he should declare himself a patron of the Greek and Latin Testament, what an awful calamity!......After having agitated the cloisters, towns, and universities, they resolved to protest against it boldly, even in Henry's presence. They thought: "If he is won, all is won." It happened one day that a certain theologian (whose name is not given) having to preach in his turn before the king, he declaimed violently against the Greek language and its new interpreters. Pace, the king's secretary, was present, and turning his eyes on Henry, observed him smiling good humouredly. On leaving the church, every one began to exclaim against the preacher. "Bring the priest to me," said the king; and then turning to More, he added: "You shall defend the Greek cause against him, and I will listen to the disputation." The literary tribunal was soon formed, but the sovereign's order had taken away all the priest's courage. He came forward trembling, fell on his knees, and with clasped hands exclaimed: "I know not what spirit impelled me." — "A spirit of madness," said the king, "and not the spirit of Jesus Christ." He then added: "Have you ever read Erasmus ?" — "No, Sire." — "Away with you then, you are a blockhead." — "And yet," said the preacher in confusion, "I remember to have read something about Moria" (Erasmus's treatise on Folly.) -— "A subject, your majesty, that ought to be very familiar to him," wickedly interrupted Pace. The obscurant could say nothing in his justification. "I am not altogether opposed to the Greek," he added at last, "seeing that it is derived from the Hebrew." This was greeted with a general laugh, and the king impatiently ordered the monk to leave the room, and never appear before him again.

  Erasmus was astonished at these discussions. He had imagined the season to be most favourable. "Everything looks peaceful," he had said to himself; "now is the time to launch my Greek Testament into the learned world." As well might the sun rise upon the earth, and no one see it! At that very hour God was raising up a monk at Wittemberg who would lift the trumpet to his lips, and proclaim the new day. "Wretch that I am!" exclaimed the timid scholar, beating his breast, "who could have foreseen this horrible tempest!"

  Nothing was more important at the dawn of the Reformation than the publication of the Testament of Jesus Christ in the original language. Never had Erasmus worked so carefully. "If I told what sweat it cost me, no one would believe me." He had collated many Greek MSS. of the New Testament, and was surrounded by all the commentaries and translations, by the writings of Origen, Cyprian, Ambrose, Basil, Chrysostom, Cyril, Jerome, and Augustine. Sic sum in campo meo! he exclaimed as he sat in the midst of his books. He had investigated the texts according to the principles of sacred criticism. . . He had corrected the amphibologies, obscurities, hebraisms, and barbarisms of the Vulgate; and had caused a list to be printed of the errors in that version.

  "We must restore the pure text of the word of God," he had said; and when he heard the maledictions of the priests, he had exclaimed: " I call God to witness I thought I was doing a work acceptable to the Lord and necessary to the cause of Christ." || Nor in this was he deceived.

  * * *

  
  From the Preface to the History...:

  The Reformation is Jesus Christ.

  "Lord, to whom shall we go, if not unto thee?"

  Let others follow the devices of their imaginations,

  or prostrate themselves before traditional superstitions,

  or kiss the feet of a sinful man......

  O King of glory, we desire but Thee alone!

  * * *

  ecclesia reformata semper reformanda secundum verbum Dei
  [the church reformed, always being reformed, according to the word of God]

  But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
  Acts 6:4

  ---

  Sic sum in campo meo! = Here I am in my field!

  Please note: If you are distressed and burdened over the current state of the Church today, if you have had your eyes opened to how she is so far from her Biblical moorings, please do not panic, but rather look back to and embrace the ordained means God has already provided for us for reformation and revival of His Church: prayer and the ministry of the Word. Psalm 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

  I would encourage you to read my post, Ministry of the Word & Prayer and visit my other sites: tent of meeting (devoted to prayer for revival) and deerlife (ministry encouragement). Also, please feel free to comment below and/or message me.

  Related posts:
  
  The church reformed, always being reformed, lest we become deformed
  492 years later: You say you want a reformation? (my theses and a call to prayer)
  Reformation Rebels: Are you willing to be a rebel for the sake of the Church?
  Reformation Sunday: Luther-"Just an individualist who never co-operated" or Contender for the truth?
  O, Church, to whom are we listening: the frogs or the nightingale
  Combatting the creepy guys (Sola Scriptura + priesthood of believers)
  the shepherds' confession: may Christ and His Gospel become a joy and delight to us once more
  dedication 2010 (reflections on God's Word & God's grace)
  Here I stand & from here I cast (devoted to prayer & the ministry of the Word)
  God uses men with "no outstanding abilities"
  Postcards from England: do you care?
  postcards from England: "The Burden for Revival" (ML-J)
  postcards from England: are we excited over a dead fish and a car wreck?
  Revival resources, etc.
  More revival resources: opportunity and eyes to see the ruins, a burden from God
  the lost treasures of Christianity & the call to pray for revival (Bible reading: Ezra 1)
  
  Labor Day: Do you know the blessedness of not working? (Romans 4:1-8) (about penance)
  Reformation Day: Martin Luther on "How One is Justified before God, and of Good Works"
  

  Photo credits:

  Porträt des Erasmus von Rotterdam am Schreibpult (1523) by Hans Holbein the Younger (1498-1543) found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hans_Holbein_d._J._047.jpg - {{PD-Art|PD-old-100}}

  Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aivasovsky_Ivan_Constantinovich_storm_on_sea_1899_IBI.jpg  / CC BY-SA 3.0 - {{PD-Art|PD-old-100}}

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