them。〃Ibid。；　b。　5；　ch。　1。　Yet　at　this　time　Luther　was　still　a　supporter　of
  the　Roman　Church；　and　had　no　thought　that　he　would　ever　separate　from　her
  communion。
  The　Reformer's　writings　and　his　doctrine　were　extending　to　every　nation　in
  Christendom。　The　work　spread　to　Switzerland　and　Holland。　Copies　of　his
  writings　found　their　way　to　France　and　Spain。　In　England　his　teachings　were
  received　as　the　word　of　life。　To　Belgium　and　Italy　also　the　truth　had
  extended。　Thousands　were　awakening　from　their　deathlike　stupor　to　the　joy
  and　hope　of　a　life　of　faith。
  140
  Rome　became　more　and　more　exasperated　by　the　attacks　of　Luther；　and　it　was
  declared　by　some　of　his　fanatical　opponents；　even　by　doctors　in　Catholic
  universities；　that　he　who　should　kill　the　rebellious　monk　would　be　without
  sin。　One　day　a　stranger；　with　a　pistol　hidden　under　his　cloak；　approached
  the　Reformer　and　inquired　why　he　went　thus　alone。　〃I　am　in　God's　hands；〃
  answered　Luther。　〃He　is　my　strength　and　my　shield。　What　can　man　do　unto
  me？〃Ibid。；　b。　6；　ch。
  2。　Upon　hearing　these　words；　the　stranger　turned　pale　and
  fled　away　as　from　the　presence　of　the　angels　of　heaven。
  Rome　was　bent　upon　the　destruction　of　Luther；　but　God　was　his　defense。　His
  doctrines　were　heard　everywhere〃in　cottages　and　convents；　。　。　。　in　the
  castles　of　the　nobles；　in　the　universities；　and　in　the　palaces　of　kings；〃
  and　noble　men　were　rising　on　every　hand　to　sustain　his　efforts。Ibid。；　b。
  6；　ch。　2。
  It　was　about　this　time　that　Luther；　reading　the　works　of　Huss；　found　that
  the　great　truth　of　justification　by　faith；　which　he　himself　was　seeking　to
  uphold　and　teach；　had　been　held　by　the　Bohemian　Reformer。　〃We　have　all；〃
  said　Luther；　〃Paul；　Augustine；　and　myself；　been　Hussites　without　knowing
  it！〃　〃God　will　surely　visit　it　upon　the　world；〃　he　continued；　〃that　the
  truth　was　preached　to　it　a　century　ago；　and　burned！〃Wylie；　b。　6。　ch。　1
  In　an　appeal　to　the　emperor　and　nobility　of　Germany　in　behalf　of　the
  reformation　of　Christianity；　Luther　wrote　concerning　the　pope：　〃It　is　a
  horrible　thing　to　behold　the　man　who　styles　himself　Christ's　vicegerent；
  displaying　a　magnificence　that　no　emperor　can　equal。　Is　this　being　like　the
  poor　Jesus；　or　the　humble　Peter？　He　is；　say　they；　the　lord　of　the　world！　But
  Christ；　whose　vicar　he　boasts　of　being；　has　said；　'My　kingdom　is　not　of　this
  world。'　Can　the　dominions　of　a　vicar　extend　beyond　those　of　his　superior？〃
  D'Aubigne；　b。　6；　ch。　3。
  He　wrote　thus　of　the　universities：　〃I　am　much　afraid　that　the　universities
  will　prove　to　be　the　great　gates　of　hell；
  141
  unless　they　diligently　labor　in　explaining　the　Holy　Scriptures；　and
  engraving　them　in　the　hearts　of　youth。　I　advise　no　one　to　place　his　child
  where　the　Scriptures　do　not　reign　paramount。　Every　institution　in　which　men
  are　not　unceasingly　occupied　with　the　word　of　God　must　become　corrupt。〃
  Ibid。；　b。　6；　ch。　3。
  This　appeal　was　rapidly　circulated　throughout　Germany　and　exerted　a　powerful
  influence　upon　the　people。　The　whole　nation　was　stirred；　and　multitudes　were
  roused　to　rally　around　the　standard　of　reform。　Luther's　opponents；　burning
  with　a　desire　for　revenge；　urged　the　pope　to　take　decisive　measures　against
  him。　It　was　decreed　that　his　doctrines　should　be　immediately　condemned。
  Sixty　days　were　granted　the　Reformer　and　his　adherents；　after　which；　if　they
  did　not　recant；　they　were　all　to　be　excommunicated。
  That　was　a　terrible　crisis　for　the　Reformation。　For　centuries　Rome's
  sentence　of　excommunication　had　struck　terror　to　powerful　monarchs；　it　had
  filled　mighty　empires　with　woe　and　desolation。　Those　upon　whom　its
  condemnation　fell　were　universally　regarded　with　dread　and　horror；　they　were
  cut　off　from　intercourse　with　their　fellows　and　treated　as　outlaws；　to　be
  hunted　to　extermination。　Luther　was　not　blind　to　the　tempest　about　to　burst
  upon　him；　but　he　stood　firm；　trusting　in　Christ　to　be　his　support　and
  shield。　With　a　martyr's　faith　and　courage　he　wrote：　〃What　is　about　to　happen
  I　know　not；　nor　do　I　care　to　know。　。　。　。　Let　the　blow　light　where　it　may；　I
  am　without　fear。　Not　so　much　as　a　leaf　falls；　without　the　will　of　our
  Father。　How　much　rather　will　He　care　for　us！　It　is　a　light　thing　to　die　for
  the　Word；　since　the　Word　which　was　made　flesh　hath　Himself　died。　If　we　die
  with　Him；　we　shall　live　with　Him；　and　passing　through　that　which　He　has
  passed　through　before　us；　we　shall　be　where　He　is　and　dwell　with　Him
  forever。〃Ibid。；
  3d　London　ed。；　Walther；　1840；　b。　6；　ch。　9。
  When　the　papal　bull　reached　Luther；　he　said：　〃I　despise　and　attack　it；　as
  impious；　false。　。　。　。　It　is　Christ　Himself　who
  142
  is　condemned　therein。　。　。　。　I　rejoice　in　having　to　bear　such　ills　for　the
  best　of　causes。　Already　I　feel　greater　liberty　in　my　heart；　for　at　last　I
  know　that　the　pope　is　antichrist；　and　that　his　throne　is　that　of　Satan
  himself。〃D'Aubigne；　b。　6；　ch。　9。
  Yet　the　mandate　of　Rome　was　not　without　effect。　Prison；　torture；　and　sword
  were　weapons　potent　to　enforce　obedience。　The　weak　and　superstitious
  trembled　before　the　decree　of　the　pope；　and　while　there　was　general　sympathy
  for　Luther；　many　felt　that　life　was　too　dear　to　be　risked　in　the　cause　of
  reform。　Everything　seemed　to　indicate　that　the　Reformer's　work　was　about　to
  close。
  But　Luther　was　fearless　still。　Rome　had　hurled　her　anathemas　against　him；
  and　the　world　looked　on；　nothing　doubting　that　he　would　perish　or　be　forced
  to　yield。　But　with　terrible　power　he　flung　back　upon　herself　the　sentence　of
  condemnation　and　publicly　declared　his　determination　to　abandon　her　forever。
  In　the　presence　of　a　crowd　of　students；　doctors；　and　citizens　of　all　ranks
  Luther　burned　the　pope's　bull；　with　the　canon　laws；　the　decretals；　and
  certain　writings　sustaining　the　papal　power。　〃My　enemies　have　been　able；　by
  burning　my　books；〃　he　said；　〃to　injure　the　cause　of　truth　in　the　minds　of
  the　common　people；　and　destroy　their　souls；　for　this　reason　I　consumed　their
  books　in　return。　A　serious　struggle　has　just　begun。　Hitherto　I　have　been
  only　playing　with　the　pope。　I　began　this　work　in　God's　name；　it　will　be
  ended　without　me；　and　by　His　might。〃　Ibid。；　b。　6；　ch。　10。
  To　the　reproaches　of　his　enemies　who　taunted　him　with　the　weakness　of　his
  cause；　Luther　answered：　〃Who　knows　if　God　has　not　chosen　and　called　me；　and
  if　they　ought　not　to　fear　that；　by　despising　me；　they　despise　God　Himself？
  Moses　was　alone　at　the　departure　from　Egypt；　Elijah　was　alone　in　the　reign
  of　King　Ahab；　Isaiah　alone　in　Jerusalem；　Ezekiel　alone　in　Babylon。　。　。　。　God
  never　selected　as　a　prophet　either　the　high　priest　or　any　other　great
  personage；　but　ordinarily　He　chose　low　and　despised　men；　once　even
  143
  the　shepherd　Amos。　In　every　age；　the　saints　have　had　to　reprove　the　great；
  kings；　princes；　priests；　and　wise　men；　at　the　peril　of　their　lives。　。　。　。　I
  do　not　say　that　I　am　a　prophet；　but　I　say　that　they　ought　to　fear　precisely
  because　I　am　alone　and　that　they　are　many。　I　am　sure　of　this；　that　the　word
  of　God　is　with　me；　and　that　it　is　not　with　them。〃Ibid。；　b。　6；　ch。　10。
  Yet　it　was　not　without　a　terrible　struggle　with　himself　that　Luther　decided
  upon　a　final　separation　from　the　church。　It　was　about　this　time　that　he
  wrote：　〃I　feel　more　and　more　every　day　how　difficult　it　is　to　lay　aside　the
  scruples　which　one　has　imbibed　in　childhood。　Oh；　how　much　pain　it　has　caused
  me；　though　I　had　the　Scriptures　on　my　side；　to　justify　it　to　myself　that　I
  should　dare　to　make　a　stand　alone　against　the　pope；　and　hold　him　forth　as
  antichrist！　What　have　the　tribulations　of　my　heart　not　been！　How　many　times
  have　I　not　asked　myself　with　bitterness　that　question　which　was　so　frequent
  on　the　lips　of　the　papists：　'Art　thou　alone　wise？　Can　everyone　else　be
  mistaken？　How　will　it　be；　if；　after　all；　it　is　thyself　who　art　wrong；　and
  who　art　involving　in　thy　error　so　many　souls；　who　will　then　be　eternally
  damned？'　'Twas　so　I　fought　with　myself　and　with　Satan；　till　Christ；　by　His
  own　infallible　word；　fortified　my　heart　against　these　doubts。〃Martyn；
  pages　372；　373。
  The　pope　had　threatened　Luther　with　excommunication　if　he　did　not　recant；
  and　the　threat　was　now　fulfilled。　A　new　bull　appeared；　declaring　the
  Reformer's　final　separation　from　the　Roman　Church；　denouncing　him　as
  accursed　of　Heaven；　and　including　in　the　same　condemnation　all　who　should
  receive　his　doctrines。　The　great　contest　had　been　fully　entered　upon。
  Opposition　is　the　lot　of　all　whom　God　employs　to　present　truths　specially
  applicable　to　their　time。　There　was　a　present　truth　in　the　days　of
  Luther；a　truth　at　that　time　of　special　importance；　there　is　a　present
  truth　for　the　church　today。
  144
  He　who　does　all　things　according　to　the　counsel　of　His　will　has　been　pleased
  to　place　men　under　various　circumstances　and　to　enjoin　upon　them　duties
  peculiar　to　the　times　in　which　they　live　and　the　conditions　under　which　they
  are　placed。　If　they　would　prize　the　light　given　them；　broader　views　of　truth
  would　be　opened　before　them。　But　truth　is　no　more　desired　by　the　majority
  today　than　it　was　by　the　papists　who　opposed　Luther。　There　is　the　sa