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this reason they refused the knowledge tendered them of God, and
arrayed themselves against Christ and the truth by their opposition
to the man whom he had sent to enlighten them.
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Luther trembled as he looked upon himself,—one man opposed
to the mightiest powers of earth. He sometimes doubted whether he
had indeed been led of God to set himself against the authority of the
church. “Who was I,” he writes, “to oppose the majesty of the pope,
before whom the kings of the earth and the whole world trembled?”
“No one can know what I suffered in those first two years, and into
what dejection and even despair I was sunk.” But he was not left to
become utterly disheartened. When human support failed, he looked
to God alone, and learned that he could lean in perfect safety upon
that all-powerful arm.
To a friend of the Reformation Luther wrote: “We ca
to the understanding of Scripture either by study or strength of
intellect. Therefore your first duty must be to begin with prayer.
Entreat the Lord to deign to grant you, in his rich mercy, rightly to
understand his word. There is no other interpreter of the word but
the Author of that word himself. Even as he has said, ‘They shall
be all taught of God.’ Hope nothing from your study and strength of
intellect; but simply put your trust in God, and in the guidance of
his Spirit. Believe one who has made trial of this matter.” Here is
a lesson of vital importance to those who feel that God has called
them to present to others the solemn truths for this time. These truths
will stir the enmity of Satan, and of men who love the fables that he
has devised. In the conflict with the powers of evil, there is need of
something more than intellect and human wisdom.
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When enemies appealed to custom and tradition, or to the asser-
tions and authority of the pope, Luther met them with the Bible and
the Bible alone. Here were arguments which they could not answer;
therefore the slaves of formalism and superstition clamored for his
blood, as the Jews had clamored for the blood of Christ. “He is a
heretic,” cried the Roman zealots; “it is a sin to allow him to live an
Luther’s Separation from Rome
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hour longer! Away with him at once to the scaffold!” But Luther
did not fall a prey to their fury. God had a work for him to do, and
angels of Heaven were sent to protect him. Many, however, who had
received from Luther the precious light, were made the objects of
Satan’s wrath, and for the truth’s sake fearlessly suffered torture and
death.
Luther’s teachings attracted the attention of thoughtful minds
throughout all Germany. From his sermons and writings issued
beams of light which awakened and illuminated thousands. A living
faith was taking the place of the dead formalism in which the church
had so long been held. The people were daily losing confidence
in the superstitions of Romanism. The barriers of prejudice were
giving way. The word of God, by which Luther tested every doctrine
and every claim, was like a two-edged sword, cutting its way to the
hearts of the people. Everywhere there was awakening a desire for
spiritual progress. Everywhere was such a hungering and thirsting
after righteousness as had not been known for ages. The eyes of the
people, so long directed to human rites and human mediators, were
now turning, in penitence and faith, to Christ and him crucified.
This wide-spread interest aroused still further the fears of the
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papal authorities. Luther received a summons to appear at Rome to
answer to the charge of heresy. The command filled his friends with
terror. They knew full well the danger that threatened him in that
corrupt city, already drunk with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
They protested against his going to Rome, and requested that he
receive his examination in Germany.
This arrangement was finally effected, and the pope’s legate was
appointed to hear the case. In the instructions communicated by the
pontiff to this official, it was stated that Luther had already been
declared a heretic. The legate was therefore charged to prosecute
and reduce him to submission without delay. If he should remain
steadfast, and the legate should fail to gain possession of his person,
he was empowered to proscribe him in all places in Germany, to
put away, curse, and excommunicate all who were attached to him.
And further, the pope called upon his legate, in order entirely to
root out the pestilent heresy, to excommunicate all, of whatever
dignity in Church or State, except the emperor, who should neglect
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The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4
to seize Luther and his adherents, and deliver them up to suffer the
vengeance of Rome.
Here is displayed the true spirit of popery. Not a trace of Chris-
tian principle, or even of common justice, is to be seen in the whole
document. Luther was at a great distance from Rome; he had had
no opportunity to explain or defend his position; yet before his case
had been investigated, he was summarily pronounced a heretic, and
in the same day, exhorted, accused, judged, and condemned; and
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all this by the self-styled holy father, the only supreme, infallible
authority in Church or State!
Augsburg had been fixed upon as the place of trial, and the
Reformer set out on foot to perform the journey thither. Serious fears
were entertained in his behalf. Threats had been made openly that he
would be waylaid and murdered on the way, and his friends begged
him not to venture. They even entreated him to leave Wittemberg
for a time, and find safety with those who would gladly protect him.
But he would not leave the position where God had placed him.
He must continue faithfully to maintain the truth, notwithstanding
the storms that were beating upon him. His language was: “I am
like Jeremiah, a man of strife and contention; but the more they
increase their threatenings, the more they multiply my joy.... They
have already torn to pieces my honor and my good name. All I have
left is my wretched body; let them have it; they will then shorten my
life by a few hours. But as to my soul, they shall not have that. He
who resolves to bear the word of Christ to the world, must expect
death at every hour.”
The tidings of Luther’s arrival at Augsburg gave great satisfaction
to the papal legate. The troublesome heretic who was exciting the
attention of the whole world seemed now in the power of Rome,
and the legate determined that he should not leave the city as he
had entered. The Reformer had failed to provide himself with a
safe-conduct. His friends urged him not to appear before the legate
without one, and they themselves undertook to procure it from the