examine　and　judge　my　works；　but　on　one　condition；　that　they　take　the　word　of
  God　for　their　standard。　Men　have　nothing　to　do　but　to　obey　it。　Do　not　offer
  violence　to　my　conscience；　which　is　bound　and　chained　up　with　the　Holy
  Scriptures。〃　Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　10。
  To　another　appeal　he　said：　〃I　consent　to　renounce　my　safe…conduct。　I　place
  my　person　and　my　life　in　the　emperor's　hands；　but　the　word　of
  Godnever！〃Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　10。　He　stated　his　willingness　to　submit　to
  the　decision　of　a　general　council；　but　only　on　condition　that　the　council　be
  required　to　decide　according　to　the　Scriptures。　〃In　what　concerns　the　word
  of　God　and　the　faith；〃　he　added；　〃every　Christian　is　as　good　a　judge　as　the
  pope；　though　supported　by　a　million　councils；　can　be　for　him。〃Martyn；　vol。
  1；　p。　410。　Both　friends　and　foes　were　at　last　convinced　that　further　effort
  for　reconciliation　would　be　useless。
  Had　the　Reformer　yielded　a　single　point；　Satan　and　his　hosts　would　have
  gained　the　victory。　But　his　unwavering　firmness　was　the　means　of
  emancipating　the　church；　and　beginning　a　new　and　better　era。　The　influence
  of　this　one　man；　who　dared　to　think　and　act　for　himself　in　religious
  matters；　was　to　affect　the　church　and　the　world；　not　only　in　his　own　time；
  but　in　all　future　generations。　His　firmness　and　fidelity　would　strengthen
  all；　to　the　close　of　time；　who　should　pass　through　a　similar　experience。　The
  power　and　majesty　of　God　stood　forth　above　the　counsel　of　men；　above　the
  mighty　power　of　Satan。
  Luther　was　soon　commanded　by　the　authority　of　the　emperor　to　return　home；
  and　he　knew　that　this　notice　would　be　speedily　followed　by　his　condemnation。
  Threatening　clouds　overhung　his　path；　but　as　he　departed　from　Worms；　his
  167
  heart　was　filled　with　joy　and　praise。　〃The　devil　himself；〃　said　he；　〃guarded
  the　pope's　citadel；　but　Christ　has　made　a　wide　breach　in　it；　and　Satan　was
  constrained　to　confess　that　the　Lord　is　mightier　than　he。〃D'Aubigne；　b。　7；
  ch。　11。
  After　his　departure；　still　desirous　that　his　firmness　should　not　be　mistaken
  for　rebellion；　Luther　wrote　to　the　emperor。　〃God；　who　is　the　searcher　of
  hearts；　is　my　witness；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　am　ready　most　earnestly　to　obey
  your　majesty；　in　honor　or　in　dishonor；　in　life　or　in　death；　and　with　no
  exception　save　the　word　of　God；　by　which　man　lives。　In　all　the　affairs　of
  this　present　life；　my　fidelity　shall　be　unshaken；　for　here　to　lose　or　to
  gain　is　of　no　consequence　to　salvation。　But　when　eternal　interests　are
  concerned；　God　wills　not　that　man　should　submit　unto　man。　For　such
  submission　in　spiritual　matters　is　a　real　worship；　and　ought　to　be　rendered
  solely　to　the　Creator。〃Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　11。
  On　the　journey　from　Worms；　Luther's　reception　was　even　more　flattering　than
  during　his　progress　thither。　Princely　ecclesiastics　welcomed　the
  excommunicated　monk；　and　civil　rulers　honored　the　man　whom　the　emperor　had
  denounced。　He　was　urged　to　preach；　and；　notwithstanding　the　imperial
  prohibition；　he　again　entered　the　pulpit。　〃I　never　pledged　myself　to　chain
  up　the　word　of　God；〃　he　said；　〃nor　will　I。〃　Martyn；　vol。　1；　p。　420。
  He　had　not　been　long　absent　from　Worms；　when　the　papists　prevailed　upon　the
  emperor　to　issue　an　edict　against　him。　In　this　decree　Luther　was　denounced
  as　〃Satan　himself　under　the　form　of　a　man　and　dressed　in　a　monk's　frock。〃
  D'Aubigne；　b。　7；　ch。　11。　It　was　commanded　that　as　soon　as　his　safe…conduct
  should　expire；　measures　be　taken　to　stop　his　work。　All　persons　were
  forbidden　to　harbor　him；　to　give　him　food　or　drink；　or　by　word　or　act；　in
  public　or　private；　to　aid　or　abet　him。　He　was　to　be　seized　wherever　he　might
  be；　and　delivered　to　the　authorities。　His　adherents　also　were　to　be
  imprisoned　and　their　property　confiscated。　His　writings　were　to　be
  destroyed；　and；　finally；　all　who　should　dare　to　act　contrary　to　this　decree
  were　included　in　its　condemnation。
  168
  The　elector　of　Saxony　and　the　princes　most　friendly　to　Luther　had　left　Worms
  soon　after　his　departure；　and　the　emperor's　decree　received　the　sanction　of
  the　Diet。　Now　the　Romanists　were　jubilant。　They　considered　the　fate　of　the
  Reformation　sealed。
  God　had　provided　a　way　of　escape　for　His　servant　in　this　hour　of　peril。　A
  vigilant　eye　had　followed　Luther's　movements；　and　a　true　and　noble　heart　had
  resolved　upon　his　rescue。　It　was　plain　that　Rome　would　be　satisfied　with
  nothing　short　of　his　death；　only　by　concealment　could　he　be　preserved　from
  the　jaws　of　the　lion。　God　gave　wisdom　to　Frederick　of　Saxony　to　devise　a
  plan　for　the　Reformer's　preservation。　With　the　co…operation　of　true　friends
  the　elector's　purpose　was　carried　out；　and　Luther　was　effectually　hidden
  from　friends　and　foes。　Upon　his　homeward　journey　he　was　seized；　separated
  from　his　attendants；　and　hurriedly　conveyed　through　the　forest　to　the　castle
  of　Wartburg；　an　isolated　mountain　fortress。　Both　his　seizure　and　his
  concealment　were　so　involved　in　mystery　that　even　Frederick　himself　for　a
  long　time　knew　not　whither　he　had　been　conducted。　This　ignorance　was　not
  without　design；　so　long　as　the　elector　knew　nothing　of　Luther's　whereabouts；
  he　could　reveal　nothing。　He　satisfied　himself　that　the　Reformer　was　safe；
  and　with　this　knowledge　he　was　content。
  Spring；　summer；　and　autumn　passed；　and　winter　came；　and　Luther　still
  remained　a　prisoner。　Aleander　and　his　partisans　exulted　as　the　light　of　the
  gospel　seemed　about　to　be　extinguished。　But　instead　of　this；　the　Reformer
  was　filling　his　lamp　from　the　storehouse　of　truth；　and　its　light　was　to
  shine　forth　with　brighter　radiance。
  In　the　friendly　security　of　the　Wartburg；　Luther　for　a　time　rejoiced　in　his
  release　from　the　heat　and　turmoil　of　battle。　But　he　could　not　long　find
  satisfaction　in　quiet　and　repose。　Accustomed　to　a　life　of　activity　and　stern
  conflict；　he　could　ill　endure　to　remain　inactive。　In　those　solitary　days　the
  condition　of　the　church　rose　up　before　him；　and
  169
  he　cried　in　despair。　〃Alas！　there　is　no　one　in　this　latter　day　of　His　anger；
  to　stand　like　a　wall　before　the　Lord；　and　save　Israel！〃Ibid。；　b。　9；　ch。　2。
  Again；　his　thoughts　returned　to　himself；　and　he　feared　being　charged　with
  cowardice　in　withdrawing　from　the　contest。　Then　he　reproached　himself　for
  his　indolence　and　self…indulgence。　Yet　at　the　same　time　he　was　daily
  accomplishing　more　than　it　seemed　possible　for　one　man　to　do。　His　pen　was
  never　idle。　While　his　enemies　flattered　themselves　that　he　was　silenced；
  they　were　astonished　and　confused　by　tangible　proof　that　he　was　still
  active。　A　host　of　tracts；　issuing　from　his　pen；　circulated　throughout
  Germany。　He　also　performed　a　most　important　service　for　his　countrymen　by
  translating　the　New　Testament　into　the　German　tongue。　From　his　rocky　Patmos
  he　continued　for　nearly　a　whole　year　to　proclaim　the　gospel　and　rebuke　the
  sins　and　errors　of　the　times。
  But　it　was　not　merely　to　preserve　Luther　from　the　wrath　of　his　enemies；　nor
  even　to　afford　him　a　season　of　quiet　for　these　important　labors；　that　God
  had　withdrawn　His　servant　from　the　stage　of　public　life。　There　were　results
  more　precious　than　these　to　be　secured。　In　the　solitude　and　obscurity　of　his
  mountain　retreat；　Luther　was　removed　from　earthly　supports　and　shut　out　from
  human　praise。　He　was　thus　saved　from　the　pride　and　self…confidence　that　are
  so　often　caused　by　success。　By　suffering　and　humiliation　he　was　prepared
  again　to　walk　safely　upon　the　dizzy　heights　to　which　he　had　been　so　suddenly
  exalted。
  As　men　rejoice　in　the　freedom　which　the　truth　brings　them；　they　are　inclined
  to　extol　those　whom　God　has　employed　to　break　the　chains　of　error　and
  superstition。　Satan　seeks　to　divert　men's　thoughts　and　affections　from　God；
  and　to　fix　them　upon　human　agencies；　he　leads　them　to　honor　the　mere
  instrument　and　to　ignore　the　Hand　that　directs　all　the　events　of　providence。
  Too　often　religious　leaders　who　are　thus　praised　and　reverenced　lose　sight
  of　their　dependence　upon　God　and　are　led　to　trust　in　themselves。　As
  170
  a　result　they　seek　to　control　the　minds　and　consciences　of　the　people；　who
  are　disposed　to　look　to　them　for　guidance　instead　of　looking　to　the　word　of
  God。　The　work　of　reform　is　often　retarded　because　of　this　spirit　indulged　by
  its　supporters。　From　this　danger；　God　would　guard　the　cause　of　the
  Reformation。　He　desired　that　work　to　receive；　not　the　impress　of　man；　but
  that　of　God。　The　eyes　of　men　had　been　turned　to　Luther　as　the　expounder　of
  the　truth；　he　was　removed　that　all　eyes　might　be　directed　to　the　eternal
  Author　of　truth。
  （171）
  Chapter　9
  The　Swiss　Reformer
  In　the　choice　of　instrumentalities　for　the　reforming　of　the　church；　the　same
  divine　plan　is　seen　as　in　that　for　the　planting　of　the　church。　The　heavenly
  Teacher　passed　by　the　great　men　of　the　earth；　the　titled　and　wealthy；　who
  were　accustomed　to　receive　praise　and　homage　as　leaders　of　the　people。　They
  were　so　proud　and　self…confident　in　their　boasted　superiority　that　they
  could　not　be　molded