exclude　me。　I　am　resolved　to　do　what　is　right；　without　troubling　myself
  about　my　crown。　I　desire　to　confess　the　Lord。　My　electoral　hat　and　my　ermine
  are　not　so　precious　to　me　as　the　cross　of　Jesus　Christ。〃　Having　thus　spoken；
  he　wrote　down　his　name。　Said　another　of　the　princes　as　he　took　the　pen：　〃If
  the　honor　of　my　Lord　Jesus　Christ　requires　it；　I　am　ready　。　。　。　to　leave　my
  goods　and　life　behind。〃　〃I　would　rather　renounce　my　subjects　and　my　states；
  rather　quit　the　country　of　my　fathers　staff　in　hand；〃　he　continued；　〃than
  receive　any　other　doctrine　than　that　which　is　contained　in　this　Confession。〃
  Ibid。；　b。　14；　ch。　6。　Such　was　the　faith　and　daring　of　those　men　of　God。
  The　appointed　time　came　to　appear　before　the　emperor。　Charles　V；　seated　upon
  his　throne；　surrounded　by　the　electors　and　the　princes；　gave　audience　to　the
  Protestant　Reformers。　The　confession　of　their　faith　was　read。　In　that　august
  assembly　the　truths　of　the　gospel　were　clearly　set　forth；　and　the　errors　of
  the　papal　church　were　pointed　out。　Well　has　that　day　been　pronounced　〃the
  greatest　day　of　the　Reformation；　and　one　of　the　most　glorious　in　the　history
  of　Christianity　and　of　mankind。〃Ibid。；　b。　14；　ch。　7。
  But　a　few　years　had　passed　since　the　monk　of　Wittenberg　stood　alone　at　Worms
  before　the　national　council。　Now　in　his　stead　were　the　noblest　and　most
  powerful　princes　of　the　empire。　Luther　had　been　forbidden　to　appear　at
  Augsburg；　but　he　had　been　present　by　his　words　and　prayers。　〃I　am
  overjoyed；〃　he　wrote；　〃that　I　have　lived　until　this　hour；　in　which　Christ
  has　been　publicly　exalted　by　such　illustrious　confessors；　and　in　so　glorious
  an　assembly。〃Ibid。；　b。　14；　ch。
  7。　Thus　was　fulfilled　what　the　Scripture　says：　〃I　will　speak
  of　Thy　testimonies　。　。　。　before　kings。〃　Psalm　119：46。
  208
  In　the　days　of　Paul　the　gospel　for　which　he　was　imprisoned　was　thus　brought
  before　the　princes　and　nobles　of　the　imperial　city。　So　on　this　occasion；
  that　which　the　emperor　had　forbidden　to　be　preached　from　the　pulpit　was
  proclaimed　from　the　palace；　what　many　had　regarded　as　unfit　even　for
  servants　to　listen　to　was　heard　with　wonder　by　the　masters　and　lords　of　the
  empire。　Kings　and　great　men　were　the　auditory；　crowned　princes　were　the
  preachers；　and　the　sermon　was　the　royal　truth　of　God。　〃Since　the　apostolic
  age；〃　says　a　writer；　〃there　has　never　been　a　greater　work　or　a　more
  magnificent　confession。〃D'Aubigne；　b。　14；　ch。　7。
  〃All　that　the　Lutherans　have　said　is　true；　we　cannot　deny　it；〃　declared　a
  papist　bishop。　〃Can　you　refute　by　sound　reasons　the　Confession　made　by　the
  elector　and　his　allies？〃　asked　another　of　Dr。　Eck。　〃With　the　writings　of　the
  apostles　and　prophetsno！〃　was　the　reply；　〃but　with　those　of　the　Fathers
  and　of　the　councilsyes！〃　〃I　understand；〃　responded　the　questioner。　〃The
  Lutherans；　according　to　you；　are　in　Scripture；　and　we　are　outside。〃Ibid。；
  b。　14；　ch。　8。
  Some　of　the　princes　of　Germany　were　won　to　the　reformed　faith。　The　emperor
  himself　declared　that　the　Protestant　articles　were　but　the　truth。　The
  Confession　was　translated　into　many　languages　and　circulated　through　all
  Europe；　and　it　has　been　accepted　by　millions　in　succeeding　generations　as
  the　expression　of　their　faith。
  God's　faithful　servants　were　not　toiling　alone。　While　principalities　and
  powers　and　wicked　spirits　in　high　places　were　leagued　against　them；　the　Lord
  did　not　forsake　His　people。　Could　their　eyes　have　been　opened；　they　would
  have　seen　as　marked　evidence　of　divine　presence　and　aid　as　was　granted　to　a
  prophet　of　old。　When　Elisha's　servant　pointed　his　master　to　the　hostile　army
  surrounding　them　and　cutting　off　all　opportunity　for　escape；　the　prophet
  prayed：　〃Lord；　I　pray　Thee；　open　his　eyes；　that　he　may　see。〃　2　Kings　6：17。
  And；　lo；　the　mountain　was　filled　with　chariots　and　horses　of　fire；　the　army
  of　heaven　stationed　to　protect　the　man　of　God。　Thus　did　angels　guard　the
  workers　in　the　cause　of　the　Reformation。
  209
  One　of　the　principles　most　firmly　maintained　by　Luther　was　that　there　should
  be　no　resort　to　secular　power　in　support　of　the　Reformation；　and　no　appeal
  to　arms　for　its　defense。　He　rejoiced　that　the　gospel　was　confessed　by
  princes　of　the　empire；　but　when　they　proposed　to　unite　in　a　defensive
  league；　he　declared　that　〃the　doctrine　of　the　gospel　should　be　defended　by
  God　alone。　。　。　。　The　less　man　meddled　in　the　work；　the　more　striking　would
  be　God's　intervention　in　its　behalf。　All　the　politic　precautions　suggested
  were；　in　his　view；　attributable　to　unworthy　fear　and　sinful　mistrust。〃
  D'Aubigne；　London　ed。；　b。　10；　ch。　14。
  When　powerful　foes　were　uniting　to　overthrow　the　reformed　faith；　and
  thousands　of　swords　seemed　about　to　be　unsheathed　against　it；　Luther　wrote：
  〃Satan　is　putting　forth　his　fury；　ungodly　pontiffs　are　conspiring；　and　we
  are　threatened　with　war。　Exhort　the　people　to　contend　valiantly　before　the
  throne　of　the　Lord；　by　faith　and　prayer；　so　that　our　enemies；　vanquished　by
  the　Spirit　of　God；　may　be　constrained　to　peace。　Our　chief　want；　our　chief
  labor；　is　prayer；　let　the　people　know　that　they　are　now　exposed　to　the　edge
  of　the　sword　and　to　the　rage　of　Satan；　and　let　them　pray。〃　D'Aubigne；　b。
  10；　ch。　14。
  Again；　at　a　later　date；　referring　to　the　league　contemplated　by　the　reformed
  princes；　Luther　declared　that　the　only　weapon　employed　in　this　warfare
  should　be　〃the　sword　of　the　Spirit。〃　He　wrote　to　the　elector　of　Saxony：　〃We
  cannot　on　our　conscience　approve　the　proposed　alliance。　We　would　rather　die
  ten　times　than　see　our　gospel　cause　one　drop　of　blood　to　be　shed。　Our　part
  is　to　be　like　lambs　of　the　slaughter。　The　cross　of　Christ　must　be　borne。　Let
  your　highness　be　without　fear。　We　shall　do　more　by　our　prayers　than　all　our
  enemies　by　their　boastings。　Only　let　not　your　hands　be　stained　with　the
  blood　of　your　brethren。　If　the　emperor　requires　us　to　be　given　up　to　his
  tribunals；　we　are　ready　to　appear。　You　cannot　defend　our　faith：　each　one
  should　believe　at　his　own　risk　and　peril。〃Ibid。；　b。　14；　ch。　1。
  210
  From　the　secret　place　of　prayer　came　the　power　that　shook　the　world　in　the
  Great　Reformation。　There；　with　holy　calmness；　the　servants　of　the　Lord　set
  their　feet　upon　the　rock　of　His　promises。　During　the　struggle　at　Augsburg；
  Luther　〃did　not　pass　a　day　without　devoting　three　hours　at　least　to　prayer；
  and　they　were　hours　selected　from　those　the　most　favorable　to　study。〃　In　the
  privacy　of　his　chamber　he　was　heard　to　pour　out　his　soul　before　God　in　words
  〃full　of　adoration；　fear；　and　hope；　as　when　one　speaks　to　a　friend。〃　〃I　know
  that　Thou　art　our　Father　and　our　God；〃　he　said；　〃and　that　Thou　wilt　scatter
  the　persecutors　of　Thy　children；　for　Thou　art　Thyself　endangered　with　us。
  All　this　matter　is　Thine；　and　it　is　only　by　Thy　constraint　that　we　have　put
  our　hands　to　it。　Defend　us；　then；　O　Father！〃Ibid。；　b。　14；　ch。　6。
  To　Melanchthon；　who　was　crushed　under　the　burden　of　anxiety　and　fear；　he
  wrote：　〃Grace　and　peace　in　Christin　Christ；　I　say；　and　not　in　the　world。
  Amen。　I　hate　with　exceeding　hatred　those　extreme　cares　which　consume　you。　If
  the　cause　is　unjust；　abandon　it；　if　the　cause　is　just；　why　should　we　belie
  the　promises　of　Him　who　commands　us　to　sleep　without　fear？　。　。　。　Christ　will
  not　be　wanting　to　the　work　of　justice　and　truth。　He　lives；　He　reigns；　what
  fear；　then；　can　we　have？〃Ibid。；　b。　14；　ch。　6。
  God　did　listen　to　the　cries　of　His　servants。　He　gave　to　princes　and
  ministers　grace　and　courage　to　maintain　the　truth　against　the　rulers　of　the
  darkness　of　this　world。　Saith　the　Lord：　〃Behold；　I　lay　in　Zion　a　chief
  cornerstone；　elect；　precious：　and　he　that　believeth　on　Him　shall　not　be
  confounded。〃　1　Peter　2：6。　The　Protestant　Reformers　had　built　on　Christ；　and
  the　gates　of　hell　could　not　prevail　against　them。
  （211）
  Chapter　12
  The　French　Reformation
  The　Protest　of　Spires　and　the　Confession　at　Augsburg；　which　marked　the
  triumph　of　the　Reformation　in　Germany；　were　followed　by　years　of　conflict
  and　darkness。　Weakened　by　divisions　among　its　supporters；　and　assailed　by
  powerful　foes；　Protestantism　seemed　destined　to　be　utterly　destroyed。
  Thousands　sealed　their　testimony　with　their　blood。　Civil　war　broke　out；　the
  Protestant　cause　was　betrayed　by　one　of　its　leading　adherents；　the　noblest
  of　the　reformed　princes　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　emperor　and　were　dragged
  as　captives　from　town　to　town。　But　in　the　moment　of　his　apparent　triumph；
  the　emperor　was　smitten　with　defeat。　He　saw　the　prey　wrested　from　his　grasp；
  and　he　was　forced　at　last　to　grant　toleration　to　the　doctrines　which　it　had
  been　the　ambition　of　his　life　to　destroy。　He　had　staked　his　kingdom；　his
  treasures；　and　life　itself　upon　the　crushing　out　of　the　heresy。　Now　he　saw
  his　armies　wasted　by　battle；　his　treasuries　drained；　his　many　kingdoms
  threatened　by　revolt；　while　everywhere　the　faith　which　he　had　vainly
  endeavored　to　suppress；　was　extending。　Charles　V　had　been　battling　against
  omnipotent　power。　God　had　said；　〃Let　there　be　light；〃　but　the　emperor　had
  sought　to　keep　the　darkness　unbr