At the time of the Reformation the gospel-light broke in upon the church. It drove away the clouds of anti-Christian darkness that covered the church. The power of divine grace followed by the preaching of the Word so that it had visible success in the conversion and edification of souls. The blessed fruits appeared in the hearts and lives of its professors. That was one of “the days of the Son of man.” Then the exalted Redeemer rode forth in His glory and majesty on the white horse of the pure Gospel, “conquering and to conquer.” The bow in His hand was like that of Jonathan; it returned not empty.
Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God by Jonathan Edwards, Preface, 1741, Preface.
The Reformation was the inevitable and explosive consequence of the Word of God crashing like a massive tidal wave against the thin barricades of man-made tradition and hypocritical religion. As the common people of Europe gained access to the Scriptures in their own language, the Spirit of God used that timeless truth to convict their hearts and convert their souls. The result was utterly transformative, not only for the lives of individual sinners, but for the entire continent on which they resided.
Strange Fire, Copyright © John MacArthur, 2013, p. 213.
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The Reformation was not merely a Great Awakening; it was the Greatest Awakening to the true Gospel since the Apostolic Age.
R.C. Sproul The Spirit of Revival by Archie Parrish, Introduction, Copyright 2000, Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton Illinois 60187, www.crosswaybooks.org. p. 17.
