The European Union in Prophecy The EU in Prophecy I | Page 183

The European Union in Prophecy
13. The Netherlands and Scandinavia
In The Netherlands the papal tyranny very early called forth resolute protest.
Seven hundred years before Luther's time the Roman pontiff was thus fearlessly
impeached by two bishops, who, having been sent on an embassy to Rome, had learned
the true character of the "holy see": God "has made His queen and spouse, the church,
a noble and everlasting provision for her family, with a dowry that is neither fading
nor corruptible, and given her an eternal crown and scepter; . . . all which benefits you
like a thief intercept. You set up yourself in the temple of God; instead of a pastor, you
are become a wolf to the sheep; . . . you would make us believe you are a supreme
bishop, but you rather behave like a tyrant. . . . Whereas you ought to be a servant of
servants, as you call yourself, you endeavour to become a lord of lords. . . . You bring
the commands of God into contempt. . . . The Holy Ghost is the builder of all churches
as far as the earth extends. . . . The city of our God, of which we are the citizens,
reaches to all the regions of the heavens; and it is greater than the city, by the holy
prophets named Babylon, which pretends to be divine, wins herself to heaven, and
brags that her wisdom is immortal; and finally, though without reason, that she never
did err, nor ever can."--Gerard Brandt, History of the Reformation in and About the
Low Countries, b. 1, p. 6.
Others arose from century to century to echo this protest. And those early
teachers who, traversing different lands and known by various names, bore the
character of the Vaudois missionaries, and spread everywhere the knowledge of the
gospel, penetrated to the Netherlands. Their doctrines spread rapidly. The
Waldensian Bible they translated in verse into the Dutch language. They declared
"that there was great advantage in it; no jests, no fables, no trifles, no deceits, but the
words of truth; that indeed there was here and there a hard crust, but that the marrow
and sweetness of what was good and holy might be easily discovered in it."-- Ibid., b.
1, p. 14. Thus wrote the friends of the ancient faith, in the twelfth century.
Now began the Romish persecutions; but in the midst of fagots and torture the
believers continued to multiply, steadfastly declaring that the Bible is the only
infallible authority in religion, and that "no man should be coerced to believe, but
should be won by preaching."--Martyn, vol. 2, p. 87. The teachings of Luther found a
congenial soil in the Netherlands, and earnest and faithful men arose to preach the
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