Foxe - The Book of Martyrs
The mystery of history is not completely dark, since it is a veil which only partially conceals the creative activity and spiritual forces and the operation of spiritual laws. It is commonplace to say that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church yet what we are asserting is simply that individual acts of spiritual decision bear social fruit …For the great cultural changes and historic revolutions that decide the fate of nations or the character of an age is the cumulative result of a number of spiritual decisions … the faith and insight, or the refusal and blindness, of individuals. No one can put his finger on the ultimate spiritual act that tilts the balance, and makes the external order of society assume a new form… Persecution, powerless to destroy or even to shake this new community, made it only the more sensible of its own strength, and pressed it into a more compact body.
The mystery of history is not completely dark, since it is a veil which only partially conceals the creative activity and spiritual forces and the operation of spiritual laws. It is commonplace to say that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church yet what we are asserting is simply that individual acts of spiritual decision bear social fruit …For the great cultural changes and historic revolutions that decide the fate of nations or the character of an age is the cumulative result of a number of spiritual decisions … the faith and insight, or the refusal and blindness, of individuals. No one can put his finger on the ultimate spiritual act that tilts the balance, and makes the external order of society assume a new form… Persecution, powerless to destroy or even to shake this new community, made it only the more sensible of its own strength, and pressed it into a more compact body.
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<strong>Foxe</strong>’s <strong>Book</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Martyrs</strong><br />
and comparing the sayings and examples <strong>of</strong> the prophets and apostles, with continual<br />
invocation <strong>of</strong> God, and the excitation <strong>of</strong> faith by force <strong>of</strong> prayer, he perceived that doctrine<br />
most evidently. Thus continued he his study at Erfurt the space <strong>of</strong> four years in the convent<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Augustines.<br />
In 1512, seven convents <strong>of</strong> his order having a quarrel with their vicar-general, Luther was<br />
chosen to go to Rome to maintain their cause. At Rome he saw the pope and the court, and<br />
had an opportunity <strong>of</strong> observing also the manners <strong>of</strong> the clergy, whose hasty, superficial, and<br />
impious way <strong>of</strong> celebrating Mass, he has severely noted. As soon as he had adjusted the<br />
dispute which was the business <strong>of</strong> his journey, he returned to Wittenberg, and was created<br />
doctor <strong>of</strong> divinity, at the expense <strong>of</strong> Frederic, elector <strong>of</strong> Saxony; who had <strong>of</strong>ten heard him<br />
preach, was perfectly acquainted with his merit, and reverenced him highly.<br />
He continued in the University <strong>of</strong> Wittenberg, where, as pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> divinity, he<br />
employed himself in the business <strong>of</strong> his calling. Here then he began in the most earnest manner<br />
to read lectures upon the sacred books: he explained the Epistle to the Romans, and the<br />
Psalms, which he cleared up and illustrated in a manner so entirely new, and so different from<br />
what had been pursued by former commentators, that "there seemed, after a long and dark<br />
night, a new day to arise, in the judgment <strong>of</strong> all pious and prudent men."<br />
Luther diligently reduced the minds <strong>of</strong> men to the Son <strong>of</strong> God: as John the Baptist<br />
demonstrated the Lamb <strong>of</strong> God that took away the sins <strong>of</strong> the world, even so Luther, shining<br />
in the Church as the bright daylight after a long and dark night, expressly showed that sins<br />
are freely remitted for the love <strong>of</strong> the Son <strong>of</strong> God, and that we ought faithfully to embrace this<br />
bountiful gift.<br />
His life was correspondent to his pr<strong>of</strong>ession; and it plainly appeared that his words were<br />
no lip-labour, but proceeded from the very heart. This admiration <strong>of</strong> his holy life much allured<br />
the hearts <strong>of</strong> his auditors.<br />
<strong>The</strong> better to qualify himself for the task he had undertaken, he had applied himself<br />
attentively to the Greek and Hebrew languages; and in this manner was he employed, when<br />
the general indulgences were published in 1517.<br />
Leo X who succeeded Julius II in March, 1513, formed a design <strong>of</strong> building the<br />
magnificent Church <strong>of</strong> St. Peter's at Rome, which was, indeed, begun by Julius, but still<br />
required very large sums to be finished. Leo, therefore, in 1517 published general indulgences<br />
throughout all Europe, in favour <strong>of</strong> those who contribute any sum to the building <strong>of</strong> St. Peter's;<br />
and appointed persons in different countries to preach up these indulgences, and to receive<br />
money for them. <strong>The</strong>se strange proceedings gave vast <strong>of</strong>fence at Wittenberg, and particularly<br />
inflamed the pious zeal <strong>of</strong> Luther; who, being naturally warm and active, and in the present<br />
case unable to contain himself, was determined to declare against them at all adventures.<br />
Upon the eve <strong>of</strong> All-saints, therefore, in 1517, he publicly fixed up, at the church next to<br />
the castle <strong>of</strong> that town, a thesis upon indulgences; in the beginning <strong>of</strong> which he challenged<br />
any one to oppose it either by writing or disputation. Luther's propositions about indulgences<br />
were no sooner published, than Tetzel, the Dominican friar, and commissioner for selling<br />
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