10. Paul speaks with particular plainness to the fault-finding and
insolent cavilers against Christians and to other factious leaders
when he says, "Ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye
might be led." This class peremptorily judge and criticise the life
and doctrine of the Church because they see therein a measure of
defects, and even some divisions and disagreements; notwithstanding
the fact is plainly evident to them that the Church possesses the
Word of God in purity, a knowledge of Christ, an illumined
understanding of God's will and his grace, and true comfort for all
distress of conscience, and that, in addition to all these, the Holy
Spirit manifestly operates with them. At the same time, these same
uncalled-for and self-constituted critics would never have been able
to say anything about the Christian religion had they not witnessed
that religion in the little company of Christians who have the Word
of God and the Spirit's gifts.
11. These fault-finders were individuals who, undoubtedly to a
greater extent than others, suffered themselves to be blindly led in
whatever way was pointed out, and who gave credence to what was
taught and preached to them concerning the way to serve God, yet who
all the time were but worshipers of dumb idols, possessing not the
Word of God and having no witness to the truth of their faith and
their works. Each believed and followed the devices of his own
imagination or the popular choice. No man was able to teach anything
certain and steadfast, anything to give the heart satisfaction and
perfect security. They continually changed from one thing to another,
accepting every new thing presented as real worship and true
doctrine.
12. And the world, ever from the beginning, has had naught but dumb
idols in the countless forms of worship offered to the numerous
gods--gods which never existed, but of which images were made and to
which divine honors were shown. Worship has been rendered to the mere
names of misfortune, disaster and disease, of all sorts; yes, to
insects, and to garlic and onions even. Yet, in the practice of all
this idolatry, supposed to be evidence of great holiness, each one
sacrificing to the idol of his choice--in it all no one could have
the assurance of being heard and answered by his god. Men had no word
or sign of the divine will or work; they possessed naught but a vain
dream and delusion of the human imagination; man devised and made his
own idols.
13. And what did we under the papacy but walk blindly? We suffered
ourselves to be led just as we were directed by the names of God and
the saints. I was myself a pious monk and priest, holding mass daily,
wherein I worshiped St. Barbara, St. Anna, St. Christopher and
others--more saints than the calendar mentions, some of whom no one
knew anything about. I had no knowledge of Christ, I knew not why I
should find comfort in him nor what I should expect of him. I was as
much afraid of him as of the devil himself, regarding him more a
stern Judge than a Saviour. How many shameful pilgrimages were made
to dead idols of wood and stone, images of Mary and of the saints!
How many were the pilgrimages to the graves of the dead, and to bones
called "holy relics"! These relics were mere open deception, devised
by shameless impostors; yet such worship was established by popes and
bishops, and indulgences granted therefor.
14. How many new saints, new brotherhoods, new psalms to Mary, and
new rosaries and crowns did the monks daily invent? In fact,
everything each individual monk might dream of had to be a special
form of worship, and no one inquired whether or not it was at all
authorized by God's Word. When we had done all, we were uncertain
that we had pleased God. What was this sort of worship but a worship
of dumb idols in the place of the living God--idols which could not
talk with us and could not give any definite information or comfort,
but left the people fettered and ruined with eternal doubts?