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or a woman； or any layman； and cannot the priest； armed with the
terrors and the frauds of the Middle Ages； shut up his soul in a
gloomy dungeon； as noisome and funereal as your Mediaeval crypts？
And will you； ye boasted intellectual guides of the people；
extinguish reason in this world in reference to the most momentous
interests？ What other guide has a man but his reason？ And you
would prevent this very reason from being enlightened by the
Gospel！ You would obscure reason itself by your traditions； O ye
blind leaders of the blind！ O ye legal and technical men；
obscuring the light of truth！ O ye miserable Pharisees； ye bigots；
ye selfish priests； tenacious of your power； your inventions； your
traditions；will ye withhold the free redemption； God's greatest
boon； salvation by the blood of Christ； offered to all the world？
Yea； will you suffer the people to perish； soul and body； because
you fear that； instructed by God himself； they will rebel against
your accursed despotism？ Have you considered what a mighty crime
you thus commit against God； against man？ Ye rule by an infernal
appeal to the superstitious fears of men； but how shall ye
yourselves； for such crimes； escape the damnation of that hell into
which you would push your victims unless they obey YOU？
〃No； I say； let the Scriptures be put into the hands of everybody；
let every one interpret them for himself； according to the light he
has； let there be private judgment； let spiritual liberty be
revived； as in Apostolic days。 Then only will the people be
emancipated from the Middle Ages； and arise in their power and
majesty； and obey the voice of enlightened conscience； and be true
to their convictions； and practise the virtues which Christianity
commands； and obey God rather than man； and defy all sorts of
persecution and martyrdom； having a serene faith in those blessed
promises which the Gospel unfolds。 Then will the people become
great； after the conflicts of generations； and put under their feet
the mockeries and lies and despotisms which grind them to despair。〃
Thus was born the third great idea of the Reformation； out of
Luther's brain； a logical sequence from the first idea；the right
of private judgment； religious liberty； call it what you will； a
great inspiration which in after times was destined to march
triumphantly over battle…fields； and give dignity and power to the
people； and lead to the reception of great truths obscured by
priests for one thousand years； the motive of an irresistible
popular progress； planting England with Puritans； and Scotland with
heroes； and France with martyrs； and North America with colonists；
yea； kindling a fervid religions life； creating such men as Knox
and Latimer and Taylor and Baxter and Howe； who owed their
greatness to the study of the Scriptures；at last put into every
hand； and scattered far and wide； even to India and China。 Can
anybody doubt the marvellous progress of Protestant nations in
consequence of the translation and circulation of the Scriptures？
How these are bound up with their national life； and all their
social habits； and all their religious aspirations； how they have
elevated the people； ten hundred millions of times more than the
boasted Renaissance which sprang from apostate and infidel and
Pagan Italy； when she dug up the buried statues of Greece and Rome；
and revived the literature and arts which soften； but do not save
for private judgment and religious liberty mean nothing more and
nothing less than the unrestricted perusal of the Scriptures as the
guide of life。
This right of private judgment； on which Luther was among the first
to insist； and of which certainly he was the first great champion
in Europe； was in that age a very bold idea； as well as original。
It flattered as well as stimulated the intellect of the people； and
gave them dignity； it gave to the Reformation its popular
character； it appealed to the mind and heart of Christendom。 It
gave consolation to the peasantry of Europe； for no family was too
poor to possess a Bible； the greatest possible boon and treasure；
read and pondered in the evening； after hard labors and bitter
insults； read aloud to the family circle； with its inexhaustible
store of moral wealth； its beautiful and touching narratives； its
glorious poetry； its awful prophecies； its supernal counsels； its
consoling and emancipating truths；so tender and yet so exalting；
raising the soul above the grim trials of toil and poverty into the
realms of seraphic peace and boundless joy。 The Bible even gave
hope to heretics。 All sects and parties could take shelter under
it； all could stand on the broad platform of religion； and survey
from it the wonders and glories of God。 At last men might even
differ on important points of doctrine and worship； and yet be
Protestants。 Religious liberty became as wide in its application
as the unity of the Church。 It might create sects； but those sects
would be all united as to the value of the Scriptures and their
cardinal declarations。 On this broad basis John Milton could shake
hands with John Knox； and John Locke with Richard Baxter； and
Oliver Cromwell with Queen Elizabeth； and Lord Bacon with William
Penn； and Bishop Butler with John Wesley； and Jonathan Edwards with
Doctor Channing。
This idea of private judgment is what separates the Catholics from
the Protestants； not most ostensibly； but most vitally。 Many are
the Catholics who would accept Luther's idea of grace； since it is
the idea of Saint Augustine； and of the supreme authority of the
Scriptures； since they were so highly valued by the Fathers： but
few of the Catholic clergy have ever tolerated religious liberty；
that is； the interpretation of the Scriptures by the people；for
it is a vital blow to their supremacy； their hierarchy； and their
institutions。 They will no more readily accept it than William the
Conqueror would have accepted the Magna Charta； for the free
circulation and free interpretation of the Scriptures are the
charter of human liberties fought for at Leipsic by Gustavus
Adolphus； at Ivry by Henry IV。 This right of worshipping God
according to the dictates of conscience； enlightened by the free
reading of the Scriptures； is just what the 〃invincible armada〃 was
sent by Philip II。 to crush； just what Alva； dictated by Rome；
sought to crush in Holland； just what Louis XIV。； instructed by the
Jesuits； did crush out in France； by the revocation of the Edict of
Nantes。 The Satanic hatred of this right was the cause of most of
the martyrdoms and persecutions of the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries。 It was the declaration of this right which emancipated
Europe from the dogmas of the Middle Ages； the thraldom of Rome；
and the reign of priests。 Why should not Protestants of every
shade cherish and defend this sacred right？ This is what made
Luther the idol and oracle of Germany； the admiration of half
Europe； the pride