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　same
  disposition　to　accept　the　theories　and　traditions　of　men　instead　of　the　word
  of　God　as　in　former　ages。　Those　who　present　the　truth　for　this　time　should
  not　expect　to　be　received　with　greater　favor　than　were　earlier　reformers。
  The　great　controversy　between　truth　and　error；　between　Christ　and　Satan；　is
  to　increase　in　intensity　to　the　close　of　this　world's　history。
  Said　Jesus　to　His　disciples：　〃If　ye　were　of　the　world；　the　world　would　love
  his　own：　but　because　ye　are　not　of　the　world；　but　I　have　chosen　you　out　of
  the　world；　therefore　the　world　hateth　you。　Remember　the　word　that　I　said
  unto　you；　The　servant　is　not　greater　than　his　Lord。　If　they　have　persecuted
  Me；　they　will　also　persecute　you；　if　they　have　kept　My　saying；　they　will
  keep　yours　also。〃　John　15：19；　20。　And　on　the　other　hand　our　Lord　declared
  plainly：　〃Woe　unto　you；　when　all　men　shall　speak　well　of　you！　for　so　did
  their　fathers　to　the　false　prophets。〃　Luke　6：26。　The　spirit　of　the　world　is
  no　more　in　harmony　with　the　spirit　of　Christ　today　than　in　earlier　times；
  and　those　who　preach　the　word　of　God　in　its　purity　will　be　received　with　no
  greater　favor　now　than　then。　The　forms　of　opposition　to　the　truth　may
  change；　the　enmity　may　be　less　open　because　it　is　more　subtle；　but　the　same
  antagonism　still　exists　and　will　be　manifested　to　the　end　of　time。
  （145）
  Chapter　8
  Luther　Before　the　Diet
  A　new　emperor；　Charles　V；　had　ascended　the　throne　of　Germany；　and　the
  emissaries　of　Rome　hastened　to　present　their　congratulations　and　induce　the
  monarch　to　employ　his　power　against　the　Reformation。　On　the　other　hand；　the
  elector　of　Saxony；　to　whom　Charles　was　in　great　degree　indebted　for　his
  crown；　entreated　him　to　take　no　step　against　Luther　until　he　should　have
  granted　him　a　hearing。　The　emperor　was　thus　placed　in　a　position　of　great
  perplexity　and　embarrassment。　The　papists　would　be　satisfied　with　nothing
  short　of　an　imperial　edict　sentencing　Luther　to　death。　The　elector　had
  declared　firmly　that　〃neither　his　imperial　majesty　nor　any　other　person　had
  shown　that　Luther's　writings　had　been　refuted；〃　therefore　he　requested　〃that
  Dr。　Luther　should　be　furnished　with　a　safe…conduct；　so　that　he　might　appear
  before　a　tribunal　of　learned；　pious；　and　impartial　judges。〃D'Aubigne；　b。
  6；　ch。　11。
  The　attention　of　all　parties　was　now　directed　to　the　assembly　of　the　German
  states　which　convened　at　Worms　soon　after　the　accession　of　Charles　to　the
  empire。　There　were　important　political　questions　and　interests　to　be
  considered　by　this　national　council；　for　the　first　time　the　princes　of
  Germany　were　to　meet　their　youthful　monarch　in　deliberative　assembly。　From
  all　parts　of　the　fatherland　had　come　the　dignitaries　of　church　and　state。
  Secular　lords；　highborn；　powerful；　and　jealous　of　their　hereditary　rights；
  princely
  146
  ecclesiastics；　flushed　with　their　conscious　superiority　in　rank　and　power；
  courtly　knights　and　their　armed　retainers；　and　ambassadors　from　foreign　and
  distant　lands；all　gathered　at　Worms。　Yet　in　that　vast　assembly　the　subject
  that　excited　the　deepest　interest　was　the　cause　of　the　Saxon　Reformer。
  Charles　had　previously　directed　the　elector　to　bring　Luther　with　him　to　the
  Diet；　assuring　him　of　protection；　and　promising　a　free　discussion；　with
  competent　persons；　of　the　questions　in　dispute。　Luther　was　anxious　to　appear
  before　the　emperor。　His　health　was　at　this　time　much　impaired；　yet　he　wrote
  to　the　elector：　〃If　I　cannot　go　to　Worms　in　good　health；　I　will　be　carried
  there；　sick　as　I　am。　For　if　the　emperor　calls　me；　I　cannot　doubt　that　it　is
  the　call　of　God　Himself。　If　they　desire　to　use　violence　against　me；　and　that
  is　very　probable　（for　it　is　not　for　their　instruction　that　they　order　me　to
  appear）；　I　place　the　matter　in　the　Lord's　hands。　He　still　lives　and　reigns
  who　preserved　the　three　young　men　in　the　burning　fiery　furnace。　If　He　will
  not　save　me；　my　life　is　of　little　consequence。　Let　us　only　prevent　the
  gospel　from　being　exposed　to　the　scorn　of　the　wicked；　and　let　us　shed　our
  blood　for　it；　for　fear　they　should　triumph。　It　is　not　for　me　to　decide
  whether　my　life　or　my　death　will　contribute　most　to　the　salvation　of　all。　。
  。　。　You　may　expect　everything　from　me。　。　。　except　flight　and　recantation。
  Fly　I　cannot；　and　still　less　retract。〃Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　1。
  As　the　news　was　circulated　at　Worms　that　Luther　was　to　appear　before　the
  Diet；　a　general　excitement　was　created。　Aleander；　the　papal　legate　to　whom
  the　case　had　been　specially　entrusted；　was　alarmed　and　enraged。　He　saw　that
  the　result　would　be　disastrous　to　the　papal　cause。　To　institute　inquiry　into
  a　case　in　which　the　pope　had　already　pronounced　sentence　of　condemnation
  would　be　to　cast　contempt　upon　the　authority　of　the　sovereign　pontiff。
  Furthermore；　he　was　apprehensive　that　the　eloquent　and　powerful　arguments　of
  this　man　might　turn　away　many　of　the　princes　from　the　cause　of　the　pope。　He
  therefore；　in　the　most
  147
  urgent　manner；　remonstrated　with　Charles　against　Luther's　appearance　at
  Worms。　About　this　time　the　bull　declaring　Luther's　excommunication　was
  published；　and　this；　coupled　with　the　representations　of　the　legate；　induced
  the　emperor　to　yield。　He　wrote　to　the　elector　that　if　Luther　would　not
  retract；　he　must　remain　at　Wittenberg。
  Not　content　with　this　victory；　Aleander　labored　with　all　the　power　and
  cunning　at　his　command　to　secure　Luther's　condemnation。　With　a　persistence
  worthy　of　a　better　cause；　he　urged　the　matter　upon　the　attention　of　princes；
  prelates；　and　other　members　of　the　assembly；　accusing　the　Reformer　of
  〃sedition；　rebellion；　impiety；　and　blasphemy。〃　But　the　vehemence　and　passion
  manifested　by　the　legate　revealed　too　plainly　the　spirit　by　which　he　was
  actuated。　〃He　is　moved　by　hatred　and　vengeance；〃　was　the　general　remark；
  〃much　more　than　by　zeal　and　piety。〃Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　1。　The　majority　of　the
  Diet　were　more　than　ever　inclined　to　regard　Luther's　cause　with　favor。
  With　redoubled　zeal　Aleander　urged　upon　the　emperor　the　duty　of　executing
  the　papal　edicts。　But　under　the　laws　of　Germany　this　could　not　be　done
  without　the　concurrence　of　the　princes；　and；　overcome　at　last　by　the
  legate's　importunity；　Charles　bade　him　present　his　case　to　the　Diet。　〃It　was
  a　proud　day　for　the　nuncio。　The　assembly　was　a　great　one：　the　cause　was　even
  greater。　Aleander　was　to　plead　for　Rome；　。　。　。　the　mother　and　mistress　of
  all　churches。〃　He　was　to　vindicate　the　princedom　of　Peter　before　the
  assembled　principalities　of　Christendom。　〃He　had　the　gift　of　eloquence；　and
  he　rose　to　the　greatness　of　the　occasion。　Providence　ordered　it　that　Rome
  should　appear　and　plead　by　the　ablest　of　her　orators　in　the　presence　of　the
  most　august　of　tribunals；　before　she　was　condemned。〃　Wylie；　b。　6；　ch。　4。
  With　some　misgivings　those　who　favored　the　Reformer　looked　forward　to　the
  effect　of　Aleander's　speech。　The　elector　of　Saxony　was　not　present；　but　by
  his　direction　some　of　his　councilors　attended　to　take　notes　of　the　nuncio's
  address。
  148
  With　all　the　power　of　learning　and　eloquence；　Aleander　set　himself　to
  overthrow　the　truth。　Charge　after　charge　he　hurled　against　Luther　as　an
  enemy　of　the　church　and　the　state；　the　living　and　the　dead；　clergy　and
  laity；　councils　and　private　Christians。　〃In　Luther's　errors　there　is
  enough；〃　he　declared；　to　warrant　the　burning　of　〃a　hundred　thousand
  heretics。〃
  In　conclusion　he　endeavored　to　cast　contempt　upon　the　adherents　of　the
  reformed　faith：　〃What　are　all　these　Lutherans？　A　crew　of　insolent
  pedagogues；　corrupt　priests；　dissolute　monks；　ignorant　lawyers；　and　degraded
  nobles；　with　the　common　people　whom　they　have　misled　and　perverted。　How　far
  superior　to　them　is　the　Catholic　party　in　number；　ability；　and　power！　A
  unanimous　decree　from　this　illustrious　assembly　will　enlighten　the　simple；
  warn　the　imprudent；　decide　the　waverers；　and　give　strength　to　the　weak。〃
  D'Aubigne；　b。　7；　ch。　3。
  With　such　weapons　the　advocates　of　truth　in　every　age　have　been　attacked。
  The　same　arguments　are　still　urged　against　all　who　dare　to　present；　in
  opposition　to　established　errors；　the　plain　and　direct　teachings　of　God's
  word。　〃Who　are　these　preachers　of　new　doctrines？〃　exclaim　those　who　desire　a
  popular　religion。　〃They　are　unlearned；　few　in　numbers；　and　of　the　poorer
  class。　Yet　they　claim　to　have　the　truth；　and　to　be　the　chosen　people　of　God。
  They　are　ignorant　and　deceived。　How　greatly　superior　in　numbers　and
  influence　is　our　church！　How　many　great　and　learned　men　are　among　us！　How
  much　more　power　is　on　our　side！〃　These　are　the　arguments　that　have　a　telling
  influence　upon　the　world；　but　they　are　no　more　conclusive　now　than　in　the
  days　of　the　Reformer。
  The　Reformation　did　not；　as　many　suppose；　end　with　Luther。　It　is　to　be
  continued　to　the　close　of　this　world's　history。　Luther　had　a　great　work　to
  do　in　reflecting　to　others　the　light　which　God　had　permitte