![America in Prophecy by Ellen White [Modern Version]](https://img.yumpu.com/55888668/143/500x640/america-in-prophecy-by-ellen-white-modern-version.jpg)
America in Prophecy by Ellen White [Modern Version]
America’s peculiar origins and hegemonic impact in world affairs stand undisputed. As a superpower birthed from Europe, her eminent history has been celebrated. Foretold since antiquity, a myriad of repressions, revolutions and reforms inspired the first band of pilgrims to settle on a new promised land of liberty. This book enables the reader to understand America’s unique destiny and commanding role while besieged by gross spiritual and political machinations. Clearly, this reading lifts the veil from past events molding America and presaging her cooperation to undermine the very values once cherished. America’s peculiar origins and hegemonic impact in world affairs stand undisputed. As a superpower birthed from Europe, her eminent history has been celebrated. Foretold since antiquity, a myriad of repressions, revolutions and reforms inspired the first band of pilgrims to settle on a new promised land of liberty. This book enables the reader to understand America’s unique destiny and commanding role while besieged by gross spiritual and political machinations. Clearly, this reading lifts the veil from past events molding America and presaging her cooperation to undermine the very values once cherished.
11. Princely Protest One of the noblest testimonies ever uttered for the Reformation was the Protest offered by the Christian princes of Germany at the Diet of Spires in 1529. The courage, faith, and firmness of those men of God gained for succeeding ages liberty of thought and of conscience. Their Protest gave to the reformed church the name of Protestant; its principles are "the very essence of Protestantism."--D'Aubigne, b. 13, ch. 6. A dark and threatening day had come for the Reformation. Notwithstanding the Edict of Worms, declaring Luther to be an outlaw and forbidding the teaching or belief of his doctrines, religious toleration had thus far prevailed in the empire. God's providence had held in check the forces that opposed the truth. Charles V was bent on crushing the Reformation, but often as he raised his hand to strike he had been forced to turn aside the blow. Again and again the immediate destruction of all who dared to oppose themselves to Rome appeared inevitable; but at the critical moment the armies of the Turk appeared on the eastern frontier, or the king of France, or even the pope himself, jealous of the increasing greatness of the emperor, made war upon him; and thus, amid the strife and tumult of nations, the Reformation had been left to strengthen and extend. At last, however, the papal sovereigns had stifled their feuds, that they might make common cause against the Reformers. The Diet of Spires in 1526 had given each state full liberty in matters of religion until the meeting of a general council; but no sooner had the dangers passed which secured this concession, than the emperor summoned a second Diet to convene at Spires in 1529 for the purpose of crushing heresy. The princes were to be induced, by peaceable means if possible, to side against the Reformation; but if these failed, Charles was prepared to resort to the sword. The papists were exultant. They appeared at Spires in great numbers, and openly manifested their hostility toward the Reformers and all who favoured them. Said Melanchthon: "We are the execration and the sweepings of the world; but Christ will look down on His poor people, and will preserve them."-- Ibid., b. 13, ch. 5. The evangelical princes in attendance at the Diet were forbidden even to have the gospel preached in their dwellings. But the people of Spires thirsted for the word of God, and, notwithstanding the prohibition, thousands flocked to the services held in the chapel of the elector of Saxony. 141
This hastened the crisis. An imperial message announced to the Diet that as the resolution granting liberty of conscience had given rise to great disorders, the emperor required that it be annulled. This arbitrary act excited the indignation and alarm of the evangelical Christians. Said one: "Christ has again fallen into the hands of Caiaphas and Pilate." The Romanists became more violent. A bigoted papist declared: "The Turks are better than the Lutherans; for the Turks observe fast days, and the Lutherans violate them. If we must choose between the Holy Scriptures of God and the old errors of the church, we should reject the former." Said Melanchthon: "Every day, in full assembly, Faber casts some new stone at us gospelers."-- Ibid., b. 13, ch. 5. Religious toleration had been legally established, and the evangelical states were resolved to oppose the infringement of their rights. Luther, being still under the ban imposed by the Edict of Worms, was not permitted to be present at Spires; but his place was supplied by his colaborers and the princes whom God had raised up to defend His cause in this emergency. The noble Frederick of Saxony, Luther's former protector, had been removed by death; but Duke John, his brother and successor, had joyfully welcomed the Reformation, and while a friend of peace, he displayed great energy and courage in all matters relating to the interests of the faith. The priests demanded that the states which had accepted the Reformation submit implicitly to Romish jurisdiction. The Reformers, on the other hand, claimed the liberty which had previously been granted. They could not consent that Rome should again bring under her control those states that had with so great joy received the word of God. As a compromise it was finally proposed that where the Reformation had not become established, the Edict of Worms should be rigorously enforced; and that "in those where the people had deviated from it, and where they could not conform to it without danger of revolt, they should at least effect no new reform, they should touch upon no controverted point, they should not oppose the celebration of the mass, they should permit no Roman Catholic to embrace Lutheranism." -- Ibid., b. 13, ch. 5. This measure passed the Diet, to the great satisfaction of the popish priests and prelates. 142
- Page 91 and 92: hearers that it was by looking away
- Page 93 and 94: of the pope, before whom ... the ki
- Page 95 and 96: Their union in the work added stren
- Page 97 and 98: unreasonable, was without a single
- Page 99: God's hands," answered Luther. "He
- Page 102 and 103: Said Jesus to His disciples: "If ye
- Page 104 and 105: exposed to the scorn of the wicked,
- Page 107 and 108: immediate measures for the correcti
- Page 109 and 110: As the Reformer proceeded on his jo
- Page 111 and 112: Another said: "When ye shall be bro
- Page 113 and 114: your majesty and your august highne
- Page 115 and 116: The emperor, moved to admiration, e
- Page 117 and 118: the Reformer as Sigismund had dealt
- Page 119 and 120: my person and my life in the empero
- Page 121 and 122: thoughts returned to himself, and h
- Page 123 and 124: favor. This they endeavoured to sec
- Page 125: "Do not imagine," he said, "that Go
- Page 128 and 129: immediately set out to oppose him.
- Page 130 and 131: The victories gained by the Reforma
- Page 132 and 133: 10. Reform in Germany Luther's myst
- Page 134 and 135: The opposition of the pope and the
- Page 136 and 137: lood. But what would have been the
- Page 138 and 139: Satan is constantly seeking to dece
- Page 140 and 141: Persons of all ranks were to be see
- Page 144 and 145: If this edict were enforced, "the R
- Page 146 and 147: In the presence of the Diet the kin
- Page 148 and 149: to confess energetically, freely, a
- Page 151 and 152: "The Lutherans, according to you, a
- Page 153 and 154: 12. The French Reformation The Prot
- Page 155 and 156: "Salvation is of grace." "The Innoc
- Page 157 and 158: Berquin was repeatedly warned of th
- Page 159 and 160: During the persecution of Meaux, th
- Page 161 and 162: however, at last won his consent. "
- Page 163 and 164: found favor. Persons of all classes
- Page 165 and 166: character. The cruelties that were
- Page 167 and 168: good evil, till they had fallen vic
- Page 169 and 170: abble and beaten almost to death. Y
- Page 171 and 172: of all the champions of popery. Cut
- Page 173 and 174: 13. The Netherlands and Scandinavia
- Page 175 and 176: greater, and persecuting edicts fol
- Page 177 and 178: papists to overthrow the work resul
- Page 180 and 181: language of England among us? . . .
- Page 182 and 183: The grand principle maintained by t
- Page 184 and 185: Knox, vol. 2, pp. 281, 284. Such we
- Page 186 and 187: subdue the evils of the natural hea
- Page 188 and 189: atoning blood of Christ, and the re
- Page 190 and 191: The Methodists of those early days-
This hastened the crisis. An imperial message announced to the Diet that as the<br />
resolution grant<strong>in</strong>g liberty of conscience had given rise to great disorders, the emperor<br />
required that it be annulled. This arbitrary act excited the <strong>in</strong>dignation and alarm of the<br />
evangelical Christians. Said one: "Christ has aga<strong>in</strong> fallen <strong>in</strong>to the hands of Caiaphas and Pilate."<br />
The Romanists became more violent. A bigoted papist declared: "The Turks are better than<br />
the Lutherans; for the Turks observe fast days, and the Lutherans violate them. If we must<br />
choose between the Holy Scriptures of God and the old errors of the church, we should reject<br />
the former." Said Melanchthon: "Every day, <strong>in</strong> full assembly, Faber casts some new stone at<br />
us gospelers."-- Ibid., b. 13, ch. 5.<br />
Religious toleration had been legally established, and the evangelical states were<br />
resolved to oppose the <strong>in</strong>fr<strong>in</strong>gement of their rights. Luther, be<strong>in</strong>g still under the ban imposed<br />
<strong>by</strong> the Edict of Worms, was not permitted to be present at Spires; but his place was supplied<br />
<strong>by</strong> his colaborers and the pr<strong>in</strong>ces whom God had raised up to defend His cause <strong>in</strong> this<br />
emergency. The noble Frederick of Saxony, Luther's former protector, had been removed <strong>by</strong><br />
death; but Duke John, his brother and successor, had joyfully welcomed the Reformation, and<br />
while a friend of peace, he displayed great energy and courage <strong>in</strong> all matters relat<strong>in</strong>g to the<br />
<strong>in</strong>terests of the faith.<br />
The priests demanded that the states which had accepted the Reformation submit<br />
implicitly to Romish jurisdiction. The Reformers, on the other hand, claimed the liberty which<br />
had previously been granted. They could not consent that Rome should aga<strong>in</strong> br<strong>in</strong>g under her<br />
control those states that had with so great joy received the word of God.<br />
As a compromise it was f<strong>in</strong>ally proposed that where the Reformation had not become<br />
established, the Edict of Worms should be rigorously enforced; and that "<strong>in</strong> those where the<br />
people had deviated from it, and where they could not conform to it without danger of revolt,<br />
they should at least effect no new reform, they should touch upon no controverted po<strong>in</strong>t,<br />
they should not oppose the celebration of the mass, they should permit no Roman Catholic<br />
to embrace Lutheranism." -- Ibid., b. 13, ch. 5. This measure passed the Diet, to the great<br />
satisfaction of the popish priests and prelates.<br />
142
Change language