the people to their services and increasing the revenues of their order . By deceit and flattery they endeavoured to induce Zwingli to enter their convent . Luther , while a student at school , had buried himself in a convent cell , and he would have been lost to the world had not God ' s providence released him . Zwingli was not permitted to encounter the same peril . Providentially his father received information of the designs of the friars . He had no intention of allowing his son to follow the idle and worthless life of the monks . He saw that his future usefulness was at stake , and directed him to return home without delay .
The command was obeyed ; but the youth could not be long content in his native valley , and he soon resumed his studies , repairing , after a time , to Basel . It was here that Zwingli first heard the gospel of God ' s free grace . Wittembach , a teacher of the ancient languages , had , while studying Greek and Hebrew , been led to the Holy Scriptures , and thus rays of divine light were shed into the minds of the students under his instruction . He declared that there was a truth more ancient , and of infinitely greater worth , than the theories taught by schoolmen and philosophers . This ancient truth was that the death of Christ is the sinner ' s only ransom . To Zwingli these words were as the first ray of light that precedes the dawn .
Zwingli was soon called from Basel to enter upon his lifework . His first field of labour was in an Alpine parish , not far distant from his native valley . Having received ordination as a priest , he " devoted himself with his whole soul to the search after divine truth ; for he was well aware ," says a fellow Reformer , " how much he must know to whom the flock of Christ is entrusted ." --Wylie , b . 8 , ch . 5 . The more he searched the Scriptures , the clearer appeared the contrast between their truths and the heresies of Rome . He submitted himself to the Bible as the word of God , the only sufficient , infallible rule . He saw that it must be its own interpreter . He dared not attempt to explain Scripture to sustain a preconceived theory or doctrine , but held it his duty to learn what is its direct and obvious teaching . He sought to avail himself of every help to obtain a full and correct understanding of its meaning , and he invoked the aid of the Holy Spirit , which would , he declared , reveal it to all who sought it in sincerity and with prayer .
" The Scriptures ," said Zwingli , " come from God , not from man , and even that God who enlightens will give thee to understand that the speech comes from God . The word of God . . . cannot fail ; it is bright , it teaches itself , it discloses itself , it illumines the soul with all salvation and grace , comforts it in God , humbles it , so that it loses and even forfeits itself , and embraces God ." The truth of these words Zwingli himself had proved . Speaking of his experience at this time , he afterward wrote : " When . . . I began to give myself wholly up to the Holy Scriptures , philosophy and theology ( scholastic ) would always keep suggesting quarrels to me . At last I came to this , that I thought , `Thou must let all that lie , and learn the meaning of God purely out of His own simple word .' Then I began to ask God for His light , and the Scriptures began to be much easier to me ." -- Ibid ., b . 8 , ch . 6 .
102