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08 - Luther Before the Diet - The Great Controversy · Philosophy and Faith

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Speaker 1: Chapter eight Luther. Before the Diet, a new emperor, Charles
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Speaker 1: the Fifth, had ascended the throne of Germany, and the
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Speaker 1: emissaries of Rome hastened to present their congratulations and induced
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Speaker 1: the monarch to employ his power against the Reformation. On
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Speaker 1: the other hand, the Elector of Saxony, to whom Charles
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Speaker 1: was in great degree indebted for his crown, entreated him
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Speaker 1: to take no step against Luther until he should have
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Speaker 1: granted him a hearing. The Emperor was thus placed in
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Speaker 1: a position of great perplexity and embarrassment. The Papists would
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Speaker 1: be satisfied with nothing short of an imperial edict sentencing
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Speaker 1: Luther to death. The Elector had declared firmly that neither
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Speaker 1: his Imperial Majesty nor any other person had shown that
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Speaker 1: Luther's writings had been refuted. Therefore, he requested that doctor
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Speaker 1: Luther should be furnished with a safe conduct, so that
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Speaker 1: he might appear before a tribunal of learned, pious and
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Speaker 1: impartial judges. The attention of all parties was now directed
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Speaker 1: to the Assembly of the German States, which convened at
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Speaker 1: Worms soon after the accession of Charles to the Empire.
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Speaker 1: There were important political questions and interests to be considered
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Speaker 1: by this national Council. For the first time, the princes
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Speaker 1: of Germany were to meet their youthful monarch in deliberative assembly.
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Speaker 1: From all parts of the fatherland had come the dignitaries
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Speaker 1: of church and state. Secular lords, high born, powerful and
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Speaker 1: jealous of their hereditary rights, Princely ecclesiastics flushed with their
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Speaker 1: conscious superiority in rank and power, courtly knights and their
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Speaker 1: armed retainers and ambassadors from foreign and distant lands all
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Speaker 1: gathered at Worms. Yet in that vast assembly, the subject
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Speaker 1: that excited the deepest interest was the cause of the
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Speaker 1: Saxon reformer. Charles had previously directed the Elector to bring
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Speaker 1: Luther with him to the Diet, assuring him of protection
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Speaker 1: and promising a free discus with competent persons of the
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Speaker 1: questions in dispute. Luther was anxious to appear before the Emperor.
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Speaker 1: His health was at this time much impaired, Yet he
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Speaker 1: wrote to the Elector, if I cannot go to Worms
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Speaker 1: in good health, I will be carried there sick as
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Speaker 1: I am. For if the Emperor calls me, I cannot
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Speaker 1: doubt that it is the call of God. Himself if
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Speaker 1: they desire to use violence against me, and that is
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Speaker 1: very probable, For it is not for their instruction that
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Speaker 1: they order me to appear. I place the matter in
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Speaker 1: the Lord's hands. He still lives and rains who preserved
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Speaker 1: the three young men in the burning fiery furnace. If
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Speaker 1: he will not save me, my life is of little consequence.
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Speaker 1: Let us only prevent the Gospel from being exposed to
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Speaker 1: the scorn of the wicked, and let us shed our
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Speaker 1: blood for it, for fear they should triumph. It is
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Speaker 1: not for me to decide whether my life or my
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Speaker 1: death will contribute most to the salvation of all. You
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Speaker 1: may expect everything from me except light and recant fly.
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Speaker 1: I cannot and still less retract. As the news was
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Speaker 1: circulated at Verns that Luther was to appear before the diet,
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Speaker 1: a general excitement was created. Aleander, the papal legate to
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Speaker 1: whom the case had been specially entrusted, was alarmed and enraged.
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Speaker 1: He saw that the result would be disastrous to the
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Speaker 1: papal cause to institute inquiry into a case in which
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Speaker 1: the Pope had already pronounced sentence of condemnation would be
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Speaker 1: to cast contempt upon the authority of the sovereign pontiff. Furthermore,
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Speaker 1: he was apprehensive that the eloquent and powerful arguments of
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Speaker 1: this man might turn away many of the princes from
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Speaker 1: the cause of the Pope. He therefore, in the most
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Speaker 1: urgent manner, remonstrated with Charles against Luther's appearance at Verns.
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Speaker 1: About this time, the bold declaring Luther's excommunication was published,
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Speaker 1: and this, coupled with the representations of the Legate, induced
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Speaker 1: the Emperor to yield. He wrote to the Elector that
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Speaker 1: if Luther was would not retract, he must remain at Wittenburg.
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Speaker 1: Not content with this victory, Aliander labored with all the
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Speaker 1: power and cunning at his command to secure Luther's condemnation
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Speaker 1: with a persistence worthy of a better cause. He urged
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Speaker 1: the matter upon the attention of princes, prelates and other
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Speaker 1: members of the Assembly, accusing the reformer of sedition, rebellion, impiety,
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Speaker 1: and blasphemy. But the vehemence and passion manifested by the
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Speaker 1: Legate revealed too plainly the spirit by which he was actuated.
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Speaker 1: He is moved by hatred and vengeance, was the general remark,
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Speaker 1: much more than by zeal and piety. The majority of
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Speaker 1: the Diet were more than ever inclined to regard Luther's
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Speaker 1: cause with favor. With redoubled zeal, Aliander urged upon the
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Speaker 1: Emperor the duty of executing the papal edicts, but under
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Speaker 1: the laws of Germany, this could not be done without
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Speaker 1: the concurrence of the princes. And, overcome at last by
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Speaker 1: the Leggate's importunity, Charles bade him present his case to
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Speaker 1: the Diet. It was a proud day for the Nuncio.
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Speaker 1: The assembly was a great one, the cause was even greater.
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Speaker 1: Aleander was to plead for Rome, the mother and Mistress
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Speaker 1: of all churches. He was to vindicate the Princedom of Peter,
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Speaker 1: before the assembled principalities of Christendom. He had the gift
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Speaker 1: of eloquence, and he rose to the greatness of the occasion.
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Speaker 1: Providence ordered it that Rome should appear and plead by
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Speaker 1: the ablest of her orators, in the presence of the
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Speaker 1: most Augusti tribunals, before she was condemned. With some misgivings,
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Speaker 1: those who favored the Reformer looked forward to the effect
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Speaker 1: of Aleander's speech. The Elector of Saxony was not present,
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Speaker 1: but by his direction some of his councilors attended to
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Speaker 1: take notes of the Nuncio's address. With all the power
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Speaker 1: of learning and eloquence, Aleander set himself to overthrow the truth.
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Speaker 1: Charge after charge he hurled against Luther as an enemy
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Speaker 1: of the Church and the state, the living and the dead,
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Speaker 1: clergy and laity, counsels and private crists. In Luther's errors,
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Speaker 1: there is enough, he declared to warrant the burning of
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Speaker 1: a hundred thousand heretics. In conclusion, he endeavored to cast
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Speaker 1: contempt upon the adherents of the Reformed Faith. What are
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Speaker 1: all these Lutherans? A crew of insolent pedagogues, corrupt priests,
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Speaker 1: dissolute monks, ignorant lawyers, and degraded nobles, But the common people,
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Speaker 1: whom they have misled and perverted. How far superior to
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Speaker 1: them is the Catholic party in number, ability and power.
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Speaker 1: A unanimous decree from this illustrious assembly will enlighten the simple,
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Speaker 1: warn the imprudent, decide the waverers, and give strength to
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Speaker 1: the weak. With such weapons, the advocates of truth in
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Speaker 1: every age have been attacked, the same arguments are still
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Speaker 1: urged against all who dare to present in opposition to
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Speaker 1: established errors, the plain and direct teachings of God's words.
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Speaker 1: Who are these preachers of new doctrines? Exclaimed those who
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Speaker 1: desire a popular religion. They are unlearn few in numbers,
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Speaker 1: and of the poorer class. Yet they claim to have
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Speaker 1: the truth and to be the chosen people of God.
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Speaker 1: They are ignorant and deceived. How greatly superior in numbers
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Speaker 1: and influence is our church, How many great and learned
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Speaker 1: men are among us, How much more power is on
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Speaker 1: our side. These are the arguments that have a telling
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Speaker 1: influence upon the world. But they are no more conclusive
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Speaker 1: now than in the days of the Reformer. The Reformation
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Speaker 1: did not as many suppose, and with Luther it is
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Speaker 1: to be continued to the close of this world's history.
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Speaker 1: Luther had a great work to do in reflecting to
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Speaker 1: others the light which God had permitted to shine upon him.
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Speaker 1: Yet he did not receive all the light which was
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Speaker 1: to be given to the world. From that time to
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Speaker 1: this new light has been continually shining upon the scriptures,
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Speaker 1: and new truths have been constantly unfolding. The legate's address
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Speaker 1: made a deep impression upon the diet. There was no
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Speaker 1: Luther present with the clear and convincing Trus of God's
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Speaker 1: word to vanquish the papal champion. No attempt was made
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Speaker 1: to defend the reformer. There was manifest a general disposition
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Speaker 1: not only to condemn him and the doctrines which he taught,
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Speaker 1: but if possible, to uproot the heresy. Rome had enjoyed
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Speaker 1: the most favorable opportunity to defend her cause. All that
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Speaker 1: she could say in her own vindication had been said,
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Speaker 1: but the apparent victory was the signal of defeat. Henceforth,
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Speaker 1: the contrast between truth and error would be more clearly seen,
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Speaker 1: as they should take the field in open warfare. Never
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Speaker 1: from that day would Rome stand as secure as she
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Speaker 1: had stood. While most of the members of the Diet
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Speaker 1: would not have hesitated to yield up Luther to the
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Speaker 1: vengeance of Rome, many of them saw and deplored the
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Speaker 1: existing depravity in the Church and desired a suppression of
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Speaker 1: the abuses suffered by the German people in consequence of
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Speaker 1: the corruption and greed of the hierarchy. The Legate had
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Speaker 1: presented the papal rule in the most favorable life. Now
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Speaker 1: the Lord moved upon a member of the Diet to
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Speaker 1: give a true delineation of the effects of papal tyranny.
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Speaker 1: With noble firmness, Duke George of Saxony stood up in
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Speaker 1: that princely Assembly and specified with terrible exactness the deceptions
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Speaker 1: and abominations of popery and their dire results. In closing,
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Speaker 1: he said, these are some of the abuses that cry
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Speaker 1: out against Rome. All shame has been put aside, and
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Speaker 1: their only object is money, money, money, so that the
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Speaker 1: preachers who should teach the truth that are nothing but falsehoods,
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Speaker 1: and are not only tolerated, but rewarded, because the greater
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Speaker 1: their lives, the greater their gain. It is from this
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Speaker 1: foul spring that such tainted waters flow. Debauchery stretches out
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Speaker 1: the hand to avarice. Alas it is the scandal caused
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Speaker 1: by the clergy that hurls so many poor souls into
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Speaker 1: eternal condemnation. A general reform must be effected. A more
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Speaker 1: able and forcible denunciation of the papal abuses could not
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Speaker 1: have been presented by Luther himself, and the fact that
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Speaker 1: the speaker was a determined enemy of the reformer gave
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Speaker 1: greater influence to his words. Had the eyes of the
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Speaker 1: Assembly been opened, they would have beheld angels of God
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Speaker 1: in the midst of them, shedding beams of light athwart
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Speaker 1: the darkness of error, and opening minds and hearts to
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Speaker 1: the reception of truth. It was the power of the
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Speaker 1: God of truth and wisdom that controlled even the adversaries
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Speaker 1: of the Reformation, and thus prepared the way for the
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Speaker 1: great work about to be accomplished. Martin Luther was not present,
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Speaker 1: but the voice of one greater than Luther had been
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Speaker 1: heard in that assembly. A committee was at once appointed
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Speaker 1: by the diet to prepare an enumeration of the papal
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Speaker 1: oppressions that weighed so heavily on the German people. This list,
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Speaker 1: containing a hundred and one specifications, was presented to the
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Speaker 1: Emperor with a request that he would take immediate measures
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Speaker 1: for the correction of these abuses. What a loss of
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Speaker 1: Christian souls, said the petitioners, What des what extortions? On
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Speaker 1: account of the scandals by which the spiritual head of
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Speaker 1: Christendom is surrounded, it is our duty to prevent the
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Speaker 1: ruin and dishonor of our people. For this reason, we
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Speaker 1: most humbly, but most urgently entreat you to order a
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Speaker 1: general reformation and to undertake its accomplishment. The council now
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Speaker 1: demanded the reformer's appearance before them, Notwithstanding the entreaties, protests,
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Speaker 1: and threats of Aleander, the Emperor at last consented and
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Speaker 1: Luther was summoned to appear before the Diet. With the summons,
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Speaker 1: was issued a safe conduct ensuring his return to a
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Speaker 1: place of security. These were born to Wittenburg by a herald,
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Speaker 1: who was commissioned to conduct him to Verms. The friends
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Speaker 1: of Luther were terrified and distressed, knowing the prejudice and
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Speaker 1: enmity against him. They feared that even his safe conduct
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Speaker 1: would not be respected, and they entreated him not to
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Speaker 1: imperil his life. He replied, the papists do not desire
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Speaker 1: my coming to Verms, but my condemnation and my death.
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Speaker 1: It matters not Pray not for me, but for the
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Speaker 1: word of God. Christ will give me his spirit to
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Speaker 1: overcome these ministers of error. I despise them during my life.
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Speaker 1: I shall triumph over them by my death. They are
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Speaker 1: busy at Verms about compelling me to retract, and this
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Speaker 1: shall be my retraction. I said formerly that the Pope
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Speaker 1: was Christ's vicar. Now I assert that he is our
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Speaker 1: Lord's adversary and the devil's apostle. Luther was not to
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Speaker 1: make his perilous journey alone. Besides the Imperial Messenger, three
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Speaker 1: of his firmest friends determined to accompany him. Melanthon earnestly
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Speaker 1: desired to join them. His heart was knit to Luther's,
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Speaker 1: and he yearned to follow him if need be to
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Speaker 1: prison or to death, But his entreaties were denied. Should
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Speaker 1: Luther perish, the hopes of the Reformation must center upon
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Speaker 1: his youthful co laborer. Set the Reformer as he parted
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Speaker 1: from melancthon If if I do not return and my
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Speaker 1: enemies put me to death, continue to teach and stand
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Speaker 1: fast in the truth. Labor in my stead. If you survive,
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Speaker 1: my death will be of little consequence. Students and citizens
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Speaker 1: who had gathered to witness Luther's departure were deeply moved.
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Speaker 1: A multitude whose hearts had been touched by the gospel
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Speaker 1: bade him farewell with weeping. Thus the Reformer and his
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Speaker 1: companions set out from Wittenberg. On the journey, they saw
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Speaker 1: that the minds of the people were oppressed by gloomy forebodings.
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Speaker 1: At some towns, no honors or proffered them. As they
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Speaker 1: stopped for the night, a friendly priest expressed his fears
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Speaker 1: by holding up before Luther the portrait of an Italian
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Speaker 1: reformer who had suffered martyrdom. The next day, they learned
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Speaker 1: that Luther's writings had been condemned. At Burn's, Imperial messengers
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Speaker 1: were proclaiming the emperor's decree and calling upon the people
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Speaker 1: to bring the proscribed works to the magistrates. The Herald,
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Speaker 1: fearing for Luther's safety of the council and thinking that
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Speaker 1: already his resolution might be shaken, asked if he still
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Speaker 1: wished to go forward. He answered, although interdicted in every city,
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Speaker 1: I shall go on. At Herfort, Luther was received with honor.
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Speaker 1: Surrounded by admiring crowds, he passed through the streets that
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Speaker 1: he had often traversed with his beggar's wallet. He visited
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Speaker 1: his convent cell and thought upon the struggles through which
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Speaker 1: the light now flooding Germany had been shed upon his soul.
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Speaker 1: He was urged to preach this he had been forbidden
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Speaker 1: to do, but the Herald granted him permission, and the friar,
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Speaker 1: who had once been made the drudge of the convent,
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Speaker 1: now entered the pulpit to a crowded assembly. He spoke
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Speaker 1: from the words of Christ, Peace be unto you. Philosophers,
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Speaker 1: doctors and writers, he said, have endeavored to teach men
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Speaker 1: the way to obtain everlasting life, and they have not succeeded.
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Speaker 1: I will now tell it to you. God has raised
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Speaker 1: one man from the dead, the Lord Jesus Christ, that
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Speaker 1: he might destroy death, extra hat sin, and shut the
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Speaker 1: gates of hell. This is the work of salvation. Christ
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Speaker 1: has vanquished. This is the joyful news. And we are
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Speaker 1: saved by His work and not by our own. Our
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Speaker 1: Lord Jesus Christ said, peace be unto you. Behold my hands.
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Speaker 1: That is to say, behold, o man. It is I
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Speaker 1: I alone who have taken away thy sin and ransom thee.
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Speaker 1: And now thou hast peace, saith the Lord. He continued,
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Speaker 1: showing that true faith will be manifested by a holy life.
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Speaker 1: Since God has saved us, Let us so order our
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Speaker 1: works that they may be acceptable to him. Art thou rich,
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Speaker 1: let thy goods administer to the necessities of the poor.
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Speaker 1: Art thou poor, Let thy services be acceptable to the rich.
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Speaker 1: If thy labor is useful to thyself alone. The service
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Speaker 1: that thou pretendest to render unto God is a lie.
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Speaker 1: The people listened as if spellbound. The bread of life
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Speaker 1: is broken to these starving souls. Christ is lifted up
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Speaker 1: before them as above popes, leggates, emperors and kings. Luther
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Speaker 1: made no reference to his own perilous position. He did
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Speaker 1: not seek to make himself the object of thought or sympathy.
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Speaker 1: In the contemplation of Christ. He had lost sight of self.
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Speaker 1: He hid behind the Man of Calvary, seeking only to
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Speaker 1: present Jesus as the sinner's redeemer. As the Reformer proceeded
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Speaker 1: on his journey, he was everywhere regarded with great interest.
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Speaker 1: An eager multitude thronged about him, and friendly voices warned
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Speaker 1: him of the purpose of the Romanists. They will burn you,
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Speaker 1: said some, and reduce your body to ashes, as they
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Speaker 1: did with John huss Luther answered, though they should kindle
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Speaker 1: a fire all the way from Verms to Wittenburg, the
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Speaker 1: flames of which reached to heaven, I would walk through
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Speaker 1: it in the name of the Lord. I would appear
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Speaker 1: before them. I would enter the jaws of this behemoth
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Speaker 1: and break his teeth, confessing the Lord Jesus Christ the
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Speaker 1: news of his approach to Verms created great commotion. His
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Speaker 1: friends trembled for his safety, his enemies feared for the
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Speaker 1: success of their cause. Strenuous efforts were made to dissuade
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Speaker 1: him from entering the city. At the instigation of the Papists,
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Speaker 1: he was urged to repair to the castle of a
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Speaker 1: friendly knight, where it was declared all difficulties could be
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Speaker 1: amicably adjusted. Friends endeavored to excite his fears by describing
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Speaker 1: the dangers that threatened him. All their efforts failed. Luther,
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Speaker 1: still unshaken, declared, even should there be as many devils
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Speaker 1: in Verms as tiles on the housetops, still I would
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Speaker 1: enter it. Upon his arrival at Verns, a vast crowd
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Speaker 1: flocked to the gates to welcome him. So great a
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Speaker 1: concourse had not assembled to greet the Emperor himself. The
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Speaker 1: excitement was intense, and from the midst of the throng,
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Speaker 1: a shrill and plaintive voice chanted a funeral dirge as
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Speaker 1: a warning to Luther of the fate that awaited him.
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Speaker 1: God will be my defense, said he as he alighted
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Speaker 1: from his carriage. The Papists had not believed that Luther
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Speaker 1: would really venture to appear at Vern's, and his arrival
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Speaker 1: filled them with consternation. The Emperor immediately summoned his counselors
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Speaker 1: to consider what course should be pursued. One of the bishops,
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Speaker 1: a rigid papist, declared, we have long consulted on this matter.
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Speaker 1: Let your Imperial Majesty get rid of this man. At once.
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Speaker 1: Did not Sigismund, cause John has to be burnt. We
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Speaker 1: are not bound either to give or to observe the
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Speaker 1: safe conduct of a heretic. No, said the Emperor. We
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Speaker 1: must keep our promise. It was therefore decided that the
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Speaker 1: reformer should be heard. All the city were eager to
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Speaker 1: see this remarkable man, and a throng of visitors soon
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Speaker 1: filled his lodgings. Luther had scarcely recovered from his recent illness.
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Speaker 1: He was wearied from the journey which had occupied two
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Speaker 1: full weeks. He must prepare to meet the momentous events
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Speaker 1: of the morrow, and he needed quiet and repose. But
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Speaker 1: so great was the desire to see him that he
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Speaker 1: had enjoyed only a few hours rest when noblemen, knights, priests,
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Speaker 1: citizens gathered eagerly about him. Among these were many of
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Speaker 1: the nobles who had so boldly demanded of the Emperor
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Speaker 1: a reform of ecclesiastical abuses, and who says Luther, had
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Speaker 1: all been freed by my gospel. Enemies as well as friends,
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Speaker 1: came to look upon the dauntless monk, but he received
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Speaker 1: them with unshaken calmness, replying to all with dignity and wisdom.
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Speaker 1: His bearing was firm and courageous, his pale, thin face
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Speaker 1: marked with the traces of toil and illness more a
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Speaker 1: kindly and even joyous expression. The solemnity and deep earnestness
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Speaker 1: of his words gave him a power that even his
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Speaker 1: enemies could not wholly withstand. Both friends and foes were
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Speaker 1: filled with wonder. Some were convinced that a divine influence
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Speaker 1: attended him. Others declared, as had the Pharisees concerning Christ,
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Speaker 1: he hath a devil. On the following day, Luther was
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Speaker 1: summoned to attend the Diet. An imperial officer was appointed
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Speaker 1: to conduct him to the hallow audience. Yet it was
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Speaker 1: with difficulty that he reached the place. Every avenue was
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Speaker 1: crowded with spectators, eager to look upon the monk who
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Speaker 1: had dared resist the authority of the pope. As he
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Speaker 1: was about to enter the presence of his judges, an
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Speaker 1: old general, the hero of many battles, said to him, kindly,
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Speaker 1: poor monk, Poor monk, thou art now going to make
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Speaker 1: a nobler stand than I or any other captains have
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Speaker 1: ever made in the bloodiest of our battles. But if
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Speaker 1: thy causes just, and thou art sure of it, go
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Speaker 1: forward in God's name, and fear nothing. God will not
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Speaker 1: forsake thee. At length, Luther stood before the council. The
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Speaker 1: Emperor occupied the throne. He was surrounded by the most
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Speaker 1: illustrious personages in the Empire. Never had any man appeared
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Speaker 1: in the presence of a more imposing assembly than that
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Speaker 1: before which Martin Luther was to answer for his faith.
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Speaker 1: This appearance was of itself a signal victory over the papacy.
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Speaker 1: The Pope had condemned the man, and he was now
20:57
Speaker 1: standing before a tribunal which, by this very act set
21:00
Speaker 1: itself above the Pope. The Pope had laid him under
21:03
Speaker 1: an interdict and cut him off from all human society,
21:07
Speaker 1: and yet he was summoned in respectful language and received
21:10
Speaker 1: before the most august assembly in the world. The Pope
21:13
Speaker 1: had condemned him to perpetual silence, and he was now
21:16
Speaker 1: about to speak before thousands of attentive hearers, drawn together
21:20
Speaker 1: from the farthest parts of Christendom. An immense revolution had
21:25
Speaker 1: thus been effected by Luther's instrumentality. Rome was already descending
21:29
Speaker 1: from her throne, and it was the voice of a
21:31
Speaker 1: monk that caused this humiliation. In the presence of that
21:36
Speaker 1: powerful and titled assembly, the lowly born reformer seemed awed
21:39
Speaker 1: and embarrassed. Several of the princes, observing his emotion, approached him,
21:44
Speaker 1: and one of them whispered, fear not them which kill
21:47
Speaker 1: the body, but are not able to kill the soul.
21:50
Speaker 1: Another said, when ye shall be brought before governors and
21:53
Speaker 1: kings for my sake, it shall be given you by
21:56
Speaker 1: the spirit of your Father what ye shall say. Thus,
21:59
Speaker 1: the words of Christ were brought by the world's great
22:02
Speaker 1: men to strengthen his servant. In the hour of trial.
22:06
Speaker 1: Luther was conducted to a position directly in front of
22:08
Speaker 1: the emperor's throne. A deep silence fell upon the crowded assembly.
22:13
Speaker 1: Then an imperial officer arose, and, pointing to a collection
22:17
Speaker 1: of Luther's writings, demanded that the reformer answer two questions
22:21
Speaker 1: whether he acknowledged them as his, and whether he proposed
22:24
Speaker 1: to retract the opinions which he had therein advanced the
22:29
Speaker 1: titles of the books having been read. Luther replied that
22:32
Speaker 1: as to the first question, he acknowledged the books to
22:34
Speaker 1: be his. As to the second, he said, seeing that
22:38
Speaker 1: it is a question which concerns faith in the salvation
22:41
Speaker 1: of souls, and in which the Word of God, the
22:43
Speaker 1: greatest and most precious treasure, either in Heaven or Earth,
22:46
Speaker 1: is interested, I should act imprudently. Were I to reply
22:50
Speaker 1: without reflection, I might affirm less than the circumstance demands,
22:55
Speaker 1: more more than truth requires, and so sin against the
22:58
Speaker 1: saying of Christ. Whosoever or shall deny me before men him,
23:02
Speaker 1: while I also deny before my Father, which is in Heaven.
23:06
Speaker 1: For this reason, I entreat your Imperial Majesty with all humility,
23:10
Speaker 1: to allow me time that I may answer without offending
23:12
Speaker 1: against the word of God. In making this request, Luther
23:17
Speaker 1: moved wisely. His course, convinced the Assembly that he did
23:20
Speaker 1: not act from passion or impulse. Such calmness and self command,
23:25
Speaker 1: unexpected in one who had shown himself bold and uncompromising,
23:28
Speaker 1: added to his power and enabled him afterward to answer
23:32
Speaker 1: with a prudence, decision, wisdom, and dignity that surprised and
23:36
Speaker 1: disappointed his adversaries, and rebuked their insolence and pride. The
23:41
Speaker 1: next day he was to appear to render his final answer.
23:45
Speaker 1: For a time, his heart sunk within him as he
23:47
Speaker 1: contemplated the forces that were combined against the truth. His
23:52
Speaker 1: faith faltered, fearfulness and trembling came upon him, and horror
23:56
Speaker 1: overwhelmed him. Dangers multiplied before him. His enemies seemed about
24:01
Speaker 1: to triumph, and the powers of darkness to prevail. Clouds
24:06
Speaker 1: gathered about him and seemed to separate him from God.
24:09
Speaker 1: He longed for the assurance that the Lord of hosts
24:12
Speaker 1: would be with him. In anguish of spirit, he threw
24:15
Speaker 1: himself with his face upon the earth and poured out
24:18
Speaker 1: those broken, heartrending cries which none but God can fully understand. Oh,
24:23
Speaker 1: Almighty and Everlasting God, He pleaded, how terrible is this world?
24:28
Speaker 1: Behold it openeth its mouth to swallow me up, and
24:31
Speaker 1: I have so little trust in me. If it is
24:34
Speaker 1: only in the strength of this world that I must
24:36
Speaker 1: put my trust, all is over. My last hour is come,
24:40
Speaker 1: my condemnation has been pronounced. O God, do thou help
24:44
Speaker 1: me against all the wisdom of the world. Do this
24:48
Speaker 1: thou alone, For this is not my work, but thine.
24:51
Speaker 1: I have nothing to do here, nothing to contend for
24:54
Speaker 1: with these great ones of the world. But the cause
24:57
Speaker 1: is Thine, and it is a righteous and eternal cause.
25:00
Speaker 1: O Lord, help me, faithful and unchangeable God, in no
25:04
Speaker 1: man do I place my trust. All that is of
25:07
Speaker 1: man is uncertain, all that cometh of man fails. Thou
25:11
Speaker 1: hast chosen me for this work. Stand at my side
25:14
Speaker 1: for the sake of thy well beloved Jesus Christ, who
25:17
Speaker 1: is my defense, my shield, and my strong tower. An
25:21
Speaker 1: all wise providence had permitted Luther to realize his peril,
25:25
Speaker 1: that he might not trust to his own strength and
25:27
Speaker 1: rush presumptuously into danger. Yet it was not the fear
25:31
Speaker 1: of personal suffering, a dread of torture or death, which
25:34
Speaker 1: seemed immediately impending, that overwhelmed him with its terror. He
25:38
Speaker 1: had come to the crisis, and he felt his insufficiency
25:41
Speaker 1: to meet it. Through his weakness. The cause of truth
25:44
Speaker 1: might suffer loss. Not for his own safety, but for
25:48
Speaker 1: the triumph of the Gospel. Did he wrestle with God.
25:51
Speaker 1: Like Israel's in that night's struggle beside the lonely stream,
25:55
Speaker 1: was the anguish and conflict of his soul. Like Israel,
25:59
Speaker 1: he prevailed with God in his utter helplessness. His faith
26:03
Speaker 1: fastened upon Christ, the Mighty Deliverer. He was strengthened with
26:07
Speaker 1: the assurance that he would not appear alone before the council.
26:11
Speaker 1: Peace returned to his soul, and he rejoiced that he
26:14
Speaker 1: was permitted to uplift the word of God before the
26:16
Speaker 1: rulers of the nation. With his mind stayed upon God,
26:20
Speaker 1: Luther prepared for the struggle before him. He thought upon
26:24
Speaker 1: the plan of his answer, examined passages in his own writings,
26:28
Speaker 1: and drew from the Holy Scripture suitable proofs to sustain
26:31
Speaker 1: his positions. Then, laying his left hand on the sacred
26:35
Speaker 1: volume which was open before him, he lifted his right
26:37
Speaker 1: hand to Heaven and vowed to remain faithful to the
26:40
Speaker 1: Gospel and freely to confess his faith, even should he
26:44
Speaker 1: seal his testimony with his blood. When he was again
26:48
Speaker 1: ushered into the presence of the diet, his countenance bore
26:51
Speaker 1: no trace of fear or embarrassment. Calm and peaceful, yet grandly, brave,
26:56
Speaker 1: and noble. He stood as God's witness among the great
26:59
Speaker 1: ones of the earth. The imperial officer now demanded his
27:02
Speaker 1: decision as to whether he desired to retract his doctrines.
27:06
Speaker 1: Luther made his answer in a subdued and humble tone,
27:09
Speaker 1: without violence or passion. His demeanor was diffident and respectful,
27:15
Speaker 1: Yet he manifested a confidence and joy that surprised the assembly.
27:19
Speaker 1: Most serene Emperor, illustrious princes, gracious lords, said Luther, I
27:24
Speaker 1: appear before you this day in conformity with the order
27:27
Speaker 1: given me yesterday, and by God's mercies, I conjure your
27:30
Speaker 1: majesty and your august highnesses to listen graciously to the
27:34
Speaker 1: defense of a cause which I am assured is just
27:36
Speaker 1: and true. If through ignorance I should transgress the usages
27:41
Speaker 1: and proprieties of courts, I entreat you to pardon me,
27:44
Speaker 1: for I was not brought up in the palaces of kings,
27:47
Speaker 1: but in the seclusion of a convent. Then, proceeding to
27:51
Speaker 1: the question, he stated that his published works were not
27:54
Speaker 1: all of the same character. In some he had treated
27:57
Speaker 1: of faith and good works, and even his enemies declared
27:59
Speaker 1: them not only harmless but profitable. To retract these would
28:03
Speaker 1: be to condemn truths which all parties confessed. The second
28:07
Speaker 1: class consisted of writings exposing the corruptions and abuses of
28:10
Speaker 1: the papacy. To revoke these works would strengthen the tyranny
28:15
Speaker 1: of Rome and open a wider door to many and
28:17
Speaker 1: great impieties. In the third class of his books, he
28:21
Speaker 1: had attacked individuals who had defended existing evils. Concerning these,
28:26
Speaker 1: he freely confessed that he had been more violent than
28:28
Speaker 1: was becoming. He did not claim to be free from fault.
28:32
Speaker 1: But even these books he could not revoke, for such
28:34
Speaker 1: a course would embolden the enemies of truth, and they
28:37
Speaker 1: would then take occasion to crush God's people with still
28:40
Speaker 1: greater cruelty. Yet I am but a mere man and
28:43
Speaker 1: not God, he continued. I shall therefore defend myself as
28:47
Speaker 1: Christ did. If I have spoken evil, bear witness of
28:50
Speaker 1: the evil by the mercy of God. I conjure you
28:53
Speaker 1: most serene Emperor, and you most illustrious Princes, and all
28:57
Speaker 1: men of every degree, to prove from the writing of
29:00
Speaker 1: the prophets and apostles that I have erred. As soon
29:03
Speaker 1: as I am convinced of this, I will retract every error,
29:06
Speaker 1: and be the first to lay hold of my books
29:08
Speaker 1: and throw them into the fire. What I have just
29:11
Speaker 1: said plainly shows I hope that I have carefully weighed
29:14
Speaker 1: and considered the dangers to which I exposed myself. But
29:17
Speaker 1: far from being dismayed, I rejoice to see that the
29:20
Speaker 1: Gospel is, now, as in former times, a cause of
29:23
Speaker 1: trouble and dissension. This is the character, this is the
29:27
Speaker 1: destiny of the Word of God. I came not to
29:30
Speaker 1: send peace on earth, but a sword, said Jesus Christ.
29:34
Speaker 1: God is wonderful and terrible in his counsels. Beware lest
29:38
Speaker 1: by presuming to quench dissensions, you should persecute the Holy
29:41
Speaker 1: Word of God and draw down upon yourselves a frightful delusion,
29:45
Speaker 1: insurmountable dangers of present disasters and eternal desolation. I might
29:51
Speaker 1: quote many examples from the oracles of God. I might
29:54
Speaker 1: speak of the Pharaohs, the kings of Babylon, and those
29:56
Speaker 1: of Israel, whose labors never more effectually contribut to their
30:00
Speaker 1: own destruction than when they sought by counsels to all appearance,
30:04
Speaker 1: most wise to strengthen their dominion. God removeth mountains, and
30:08
Speaker 1: they know it not. Luther had spoken in German, he
30:12
Speaker 1: was now requested to repeat the same words in Latin.
30:16
Speaker 1: Though exhausted by the previous effort, he complied and again
30:19
Speaker 1: delivered his speech with the same clearness and energy as
30:22
Speaker 1: at the first. God's providence directed in this matter. The
30:27
Speaker 1: minds of many of the princes were so blinded by
30:30
Speaker 1: error and superstition that at the first delivery they did
30:33
Speaker 1: not see the force of Luther's reasoning, But the repetition
30:36
Speaker 1: enabled them to perceive clearly the points presented. Those who
30:40
Speaker 1: stubbornly closed their eyes to the light and determined not
30:43
Speaker 1: to be convinced of the truth were enraged at the
30:46
Speaker 1: power of Luther's words. As he ceased speaking, the spokesman
30:50
Speaker 1: of the diet said angrily, you have not answered the
30:53
Speaker 1: question put to you. You are required to give a
30:56
Speaker 1: clear and precise answer. Will you or will you not retract?
31:00
Speaker 1: The reformer answered, Since your most serene majesty and your
31:04
Speaker 1: high mightinesses require from me a clear, simple and precise answer,
31:09
Speaker 1: I will give you one. And it is this. I
31:11
Speaker 1: cannot submit my faith either to the Pope or to
31:14
Speaker 1: the councils, because it as clear as the day that
31:17
Speaker 1: they have frequently erred and contradicted each other. Unless therefore,
31:21
Speaker 1: I am convinced by the testimony of scripture, or by
31:24
Speaker 1: the clearest reasoning, unless I am persuaded by means of
31:27
Speaker 1: the passages I have quoted, and unless they thus render
31:30
Speaker 1: my conscience bound by the Word of God, I cannot
31:33
Speaker 1: and I will not retract, For it is unsafe for
31:36
Speaker 1: a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand,
31:40
Speaker 1: I can do no other. May God help me Amen.
31:45
Speaker 1: Thus stood this righteous man upon the sure foundation of
31:48
Speaker 1: the Word of God. The light of Heaven illuminated his countenance.
31:52
Speaker 1: His greatness and purity of character, His peace and joy
31:56
Speaker 1: of heart were manifest to all as he testified against
31:59
Speaker 1: the power error, and witness to the superiority of that
32:03
Speaker 1: faith that overcomes the world. The whole assembly were for
32:07
Speaker 1: a time speechless with amazement at his first answer. Luther
32:11
Speaker 1: had spoken in a low tone, with a respectful, almost
32:14
Speaker 1: submissive bearing. The Romanists had interpreted this as evidence that
32:19
Speaker 1: his courage was beginning to fail. They regarded the request
32:22
Speaker 1: for delay as merely the prelude to his recantation. Charles
32:27
Speaker 1: himself noting half contemptuously the Monk's warm frame, his plain
32:31
Speaker 1: attire and the simplicity of his address had declared, this
32:34
Speaker 1: monk will never make a heretic of me. The courage
32:38
Speaker 1: and firmness which he now displayed, as well as the
32:40
Speaker 1: power and clearness of his reasoning, filled all parties with surprise.
32:44
Speaker 1: The Emperor moved to admiration, exclaimed, this monk speaks with
32:48
Speaker 1: an intrepid heart and unshaken courage. Many of the German
32:52
Speaker 1: princes looked with pride and joy upon this representative of
32:55
Speaker 1: their nation. The partisans of Rome had been worsted, their
33:00
Speaker 1: cause appeared in a most unfavorable light. They sought to
33:04
Speaker 1: maintain their power, not by appealing to the scriptures, but
33:07
Speaker 1: by a resort to threats. Rome's unfailing argument, said the
33:11
Speaker 1: spokesman of the diet. If you do not retract, the
33:14
Speaker 1: Emperor and the states of the Empire will consult what
33:17
Speaker 1: course to adopt against an incorrigible heretic. Luther's friends, who
33:21
Speaker 1: had with great joy listened to his noble defense, trembled
33:24
Speaker 1: at these words. But the doctor himself said, calmly, may
33:28
Speaker 1: God be my helper, or I can retract nothing. He
33:32
Speaker 1: was directed to withdraw from the diet, while the princes
33:35
Speaker 1: consulted together. It was felt that a great crisis had come.
33:39
Speaker 1: Luther's persistent refusal to submit might affect the history of
33:43
Speaker 1: the Church for ages. It was decided to give him
33:46
Speaker 1: one more opportunity to retract. For the last time. He
33:50
Speaker 1: was brought into the Assembly again. The question was put
33:54
Speaker 1: whether he would renounce his doctrines. I have no other
33:57
Speaker 1: reply to make, he said, than that which I have already.
34:01
Speaker 1: It was evident that he could not be induce to,
34:03
Speaker 1: either by promises or threats, to yield to the mandate
34:07
Speaker 1: of Rome. The papal leaders were chagrined that their power,
34:11
Speaker 1: which had caused kings and nobles to tremble, should be
34:14
Speaker 1: thus despised by a humble monk. They longed to make
34:17
Speaker 1: him feel their wrath by torturing his life away. But Luther,
34:21
Speaker 1: understanding his danger, had spoken to all with Christian dignity
34:24
Speaker 1: and calmness. His words had been free from pride, passion,
34:29
Speaker 1: and misrepresentation. He had lost sight of himself and of
34:33
Speaker 1: the great men surrounding him, and felt only that he
34:36
Speaker 1: was in the presence of one infinitely superior to popes, prelates, kings,
34:40
Speaker 1: and emperors. Christ had spoken through Luther's testimony with a
34:45
Speaker 1: power and grandeur that for the time inspired both friends
34:48
Speaker 1: and foes with awe and wonder. The spirit of God
34:51
Speaker 1: had been present in that council, impressing the hearts of
34:54
Speaker 1: the chiefs of the empire. Several of the princes boldly
34:58
Speaker 1: acknowledged the justice of Luther's cause. Many were convinced of
35:02
Speaker 1: the truth, but with some the impressions received were not lasting.
35:06
Speaker 1: There was another class who did not at the time
35:08
Speaker 1: express their convictions, but who, having searched the scriptures for
35:12
Speaker 1: themselves at a future time, became fearless supporters of the Reformation.
35:17
Speaker 1: The Elector Frederick had looked forward anxiously to Luther's appearance
35:21
Speaker 1: before the diet, and with deep emotion he listened to
35:23
Speaker 1: his speech with joy and pride. He witnessed the Doctor's courage, firmness,
35:28
Speaker 1: and self possession, and determined to stand more firmly in
35:32
Speaker 1: his defense. He contrasted the parties in contest and saw
35:36
Speaker 1: that the wisdom of popes, kings, and prelates had been
35:39
Speaker 1: brought to naught by the power of truth. The papacy
35:42
Speaker 1: had sustained a defeat which would be felt among all
35:44
Speaker 1: nations and in all ages. As the Legate perceived the
35:48
Speaker 1: effect produced by Luther's speech, he feared as never before
35:52
Speaker 1: for the security of the Romish power, and resolved to
35:55
Speaker 1: employ every means at his command to effect the reformer's overthrow.
36:00
Speaker 1: With all the eloquence and diplomatic skill for which he
36:02
Speaker 1: was so eminently distinguished, he represented to the youthful Emperor
36:06
Speaker 1: the folly and danger of sacrificing in the cause of
36:09
Speaker 1: an insignificant monk, the friendship and support of the powerful
36:13
Speaker 1: See of Rome. His words were not without effect. On
36:17
Speaker 1: the day following Luther's answer, Charles caused a message to
36:20
Speaker 1: be presented to the Diet announcing his determination to carry
36:24
Speaker 1: out the policy of his predecessors to maintain and protect
36:27
Speaker 1: the Catholic religion. Since Luther had refused to renounce his errors,
36:32
Speaker 1: the most vigorous measures should be employed against him and
36:35
Speaker 1: the heresies he taught. A single monk, misled by his
36:39
Speaker 1: own folly, has risen against the faith of Christendom. To
36:42
Speaker 1: stay such impiety, I will sacrifice my kingdoms, my treasures,
36:47
Speaker 1: my friends, my body, my blood, my soul, and my life.
36:51
Speaker 1: I am about to dismiss the Augustine Luther, forbidding him
36:55
Speaker 1: to cause the least disorder among the people. I shall
36:58
Speaker 1: then proceed against him and his adherents as contumacious heretics,
37:02
Speaker 1: by excommunication, by interdict, and by every means calculated to
37:06
Speaker 1: destroy them. I call on the members of the states
37:10
Speaker 1: to behave like faithful Christians. Nevertheless, the Emperor declared that
37:14
Speaker 1: Luther's safe conduct must be respected, and that before proceedings
37:18
Speaker 1: against him could be instituted, he must be allowed to
37:21
Speaker 1: reach his home in safety. Two conflicting opinions were now
37:25
Speaker 1: urged by the members of the diet. The emissaries and
37:28
Speaker 1: representatives of the Pope again demanded that the reformer safe
37:32
Speaker 1: conduct should be disregarded. The Rhine, they said, should receive
37:36
Speaker 1: his ashes as it had received those of John hass
37:38
Speaker 1: a century ago. But princes of Germany, though themselves papists
37:43
Speaker 1: and avowed enemies to Luther, protested against such a breach
37:47
Speaker 1: of public faith as a stain upon the honor of
37:49
Speaker 1: the nation. They pointed to the calamities which had followed
37:53
Speaker 1: the death of huss and declared that they dared not
37:55
Speaker 1: call down upon Germany and upon the head of their
37:58
Speaker 1: youthful emperor. A repetition of those terrible evils. Charles himself,
38:03
Speaker 1: in answer to the base proposal, said, though honor and
38:07
Speaker 1: faith should be banished from all the world, they ought
38:09
Speaker 1: to find a refuge in the hearts of princes. He
38:12
Speaker 1: was still further urged by the most bitter of Luther's
38:15
Speaker 1: papal enemies to deal with the reformer as Sigismund had
38:18
Speaker 1: dealt with Hus, abandon him to the mercies of the church.
38:22
Speaker 1: But recalling the scene when Hauss in public assembly had
38:25
Speaker 1: pointed to his chains and reminded the monarch of his
38:28
Speaker 1: plighted faith, Charles the fifth declared, I should not like
38:31
Speaker 1: to blush like Sigismund. Yet Charles had deliberately rejected the
38:36
Speaker 1: truth presented by Luther. I am firmly resolved to imitate
38:40
Speaker 1: the example of my ancestors, wrote the monarch. He had
38:44
Speaker 1: decided that he would not step out of the path
38:46
Speaker 1: of custom, even to walk in the ways of truth
38:48
Speaker 1: and righteousness, because his fathers did. He would uphold the
38:52
Speaker 1: papacy with all its cruelty and corruption. Thus he took
38:57
Speaker 1: his position, refusing to accept any light in as of
39:00
Speaker 1: what his fathers had received, or to perform any duty
39:03
Speaker 1: that they had not performed. There are many at the
39:07
Speaker 1: present day thus clinging to the customs and traditions of
39:10
Speaker 1: their fathers. When the Lord sends them additional light, they
39:13
Speaker 1: refuse to accept it, because, not having been granted to
39:17
Speaker 1: their fathers, it was not received by them. We are
39:20
Speaker 1: not placed where our fathers were. Consequently, our duties and
39:24
Speaker 1: responsibilities are not the same as theirs. We shall not
39:28
Speaker 1: be approved of God in looking to the example of
39:30
Speaker 1: our fathers to determine our duty, instead of searching the
39:33
Speaker 1: word of truth for ourselves. Our responsibility is greater than
39:38
Speaker 1: was that of our ancestors. We are accountable for the
39:41
Speaker 1: light which they received and which was handed down as
39:44
Speaker 1: an inheritance for us, And we are accountable also for
39:47
Speaker 1: the additional light which is now shining upon us from
39:49
Speaker 1: the word of God, said Christ of the unbelieving Jews.
39:54
Speaker 1: If I had not come and spoken unto them, they
39:56
Speaker 1: had not had sin. But now they have no cloak
39:59
Speaker 1: for their sin. The same divine power had spoken through
40:03
Speaker 1: Luther to the Emperor and princes of Germany. And as
40:06
Speaker 1: the light shone forth from God's word, his spirit pleaded
40:09
Speaker 1: for the last time with many in that assembly, as
40:12
Speaker 1: pilot centuries before, permitted pride and popularity to close his
40:16
Speaker 1: heart against the world's redeemer. As the trembling Felix bade
40:19
Speaker 1: the messenger of truth go thy way. For this time,
40:22
Speaker 1: when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
40:26
Speaker 1: As the proud Agrippa confessed, almost thou persuadest me to
40:29
Speaker 1: be a Christian, yet turned away from the heaven sent message.
40:33
Speaker 1: So had Charles the Fifth, yielding to the dictates of
40:36
Speaker 1: worldly pride and policy, decided to reject the light of truth.
40:40
Speaker 1: Rumors of the designs against Luther were widely circulated, causing
40:44
Speaker 1: great excitement throughout the city. The reformer had made many friends, who,
40:49
Speaker 1: knowing the treacherous cruelty of Rome toward all who dared
40:52
Speaker 1: expose her corruptions, resolved that he should not be sacrificed.
40:56
Speaker 1: Hundreds of nobles pledged themselves to protect him. Not a
41:00
Speaker 1: few openly denounced the royal message as evincing a week's
41:03
Speaker 1: submission to the controlling power of Rome. On the gates
41:07
Speaker 1: of houses and in public places, placards were posted, some
41:11
Speaker 1: condemning and others sustaining Luther. On one of these were
41:15
Speaker 1: written merely the significant words of the wise man, woe
41:18
Speaker 1: to thee o land when thy king is a child.
41:22
Speaker 1: The popular enthusiasm in Luther's favor throughout all Germany convinced
41:26
Speaker 1: both the Emperor and the diet that any injustice shown
41:29
Speaker 1: him would endanger the peace of the empire and even
41:32
Speaker 1: the stability of the throne. Frederick of Saxony maintained a
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Speaker 1: studied reserve, carefully concealing his real feelings toward the Reformer,
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Speaker 1: while at the same time he guarded him with tireless vigilance,
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Speaker 1: watching all his movements and all those of his enemies.
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Speaker 1: But there were many who made no attempt to conceal
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Speaker 1: their sympathy with Luther. He was visited by princes, counts, barons,
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Speaker 1: and other persons of distinction, both lay and ecclesiastical. The
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Speaker 1: doctor's little room, wrote Svelatin, could not contain all the
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Speaker 1: visitors who presented themselves. The people gazed upon him as
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Speaker 1: if he were more than human. Even those who had
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Speaker 1: no faith in his doctrines could not but admire that
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Speaker 1: lofty integrity which led him to brave death rather than
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Speaker 1: violate his conscience. Earnest efforts were made to obtain Luther's
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Speaker 1: consent to a compromise with Rome. Nobles and princes represented
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Speaker 1: to him that if he persisted in setting up his
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Speaker 1: own judgment against that of the Church and the councils,
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Speaker 1: he would soon be banished from the Empire, and then
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Speaker 1: would have no defense. To this appeal, Luther answered, the
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Speaker 1: Gospel of Christ cannot be preached with that offense. Why then,
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Speaker 1: should the fear or apprehension of danger separate me from
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Speaker 1: the Lord and from that divine Word, which alone is truth. No,
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Speaker 1: I would rather give up my body, my blood, and
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Speaker 1: my life. Again, he was urged to submit to the
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Speaker 1: judgment of the Emperor, and then he would have nothing
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Speaker 1: to fear. I consent, said he in reply with all
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Speaker 1: my heart, that the Emperor, the princes, and even the
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Speaker 1: meanest Christian should examine and judge my works, but on
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Speaker 1: one condition that they take the word of God for
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Speaker 1: their standard. Men have nothing to do but to obey it.
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Speaker 1: Do not offer violence to my conscience, which is bound
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Speaker 1: and chained up with the Holy scriptures. To another appeal,
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Speaker 1: he said, I consent to renounce my safe conduct. I
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Speaker 1: place my person and my life in the Emperor's hands,
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Speaker 1: But the word of God never he stated his willingness
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Speaker 1: to submit to the decision of a general council, but
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Speaker 1: only on condition that the council be required to decide
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Speaker 1: according to the scriptures in what concerns the Word of
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Speaker 1: God and the faith. He added, every Christian is as
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Speaker 1: good a judge as the Pope, though supported by a
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Speaker 1: million councils, can be for him. Both friends and foes
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Speaker 1: were at last convinced that further effort for reconciliation would
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Speaker 1: be useless. Had the reformer yielded a single point, Satan
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Speaker 1: and his hosts would have gained the victory. But his
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Speaker 1: unwavering firmness was the means of emancipating the Church and
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Speaker 1: beginning a new and better era. The influence of this
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Speaker 1: one man, who dared to think an act for himself
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Speaker 1: in religious matters, was to affect the Church and the world,
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Speaker 1: not only in his own time, but in all future generations.
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Speaker 1: His firmness and fidelity would strengthen all to the close
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Speaker 1: of time who should pass through a similar experience. The
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Speaker 1: power and majesty of God stood forth above the council
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Speaker 1: of men, above the mighty power of Satan. Luther was
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Speaker 1: soon commanded by the authority of the Emperor to return home,
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Speaker 1: and he knew that this notice would be speedily followed
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Speaker 1: by his condemnation. Threatening clouds overhung his path, But as
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Speaker 1: he departed from Burms, his heart was filled with joy
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Speaker 1: and praise. The devil himself said he guarded the pope citadel,
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Speaker 1: but Christ has made a wide breach in it, and
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Speaker 1: Satan was constrained to confess that the Lord is mightier
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Speaker 1: than he. After his departure, still desirous that his firmness
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Speaker 1: should not be mistaken for rebellion, Luther wrote to the Emperor, God,
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Speaker 1: who is the searcher of hearts, is my witness. He
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Speaker 1: said that I am ready most earnestly to obey your
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Speaker 1: majesty in honor or in dishonor in life or in death,
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Speaker 1: and with no exception save the word of God by
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Speaker 1: which man lives. In all the affairs of this present life,
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Speaker 1: my fidelity shall be unshaken. For here to lose or
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Speaker 1: to gain is of no consequence to salvation. But when
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Speaker 1: eternal interests are concerned, God wills not that man should
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Speaker 1: submit unto man, for such submission in spiritual matters is
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Speaker 1: a real worship and ought to be rendered solely to
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Speaker 1: the Creator. On the journey from Verns, Luther's reception was
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Speaker 1: even more flattering than during his progress. Thither, princely ecclesiastics
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Speaker 1: welcomed the excommunicated monk, and civil rulers honored the man
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Speaker 1: whom the emperor had denounced. He was urged to preach, and,
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Speaker 1: notwithstanding the imperial prohibition, he again entered the pulpit. I
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Speaker 1: never pledged myself to chain up the word of God,
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Speaker 1: he said, nor will I. He had not been long
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Speaker 1: absent from Urns when the papists prevailed upon the Emperor
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Speaker 1: to issue an edict against him. In this decree, Luther
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Speaker 1: was denounced as Satan himself under the form of a
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Speaker 1: man undressed in a monk's frock. It was commanded that,
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Speaker 1: as soon as his safe conduct should expire, measures be
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Speaker 1: taken to stop his work. All persons were forbidden to
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Speaker 1: harbor him, to give him food or drink, or by
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Speaker 1: word or act in public or private, to aid or
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Speaker 1: abet him. He was to be seized wherever he might
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Speaker 1: be and delivered to the authorities. His adherents also were
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Speaker 1: to be imprisoned and their property confiscated. His writings were
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Speaker 1: to be destroyed, and finally, all who should dare to
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Speaker 1: act contrary to this decree were included in its condemnation.
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Speaker 1: The Elector of Saxony and the princes most friendly to
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Speaker 1: Luther had left Verns soon after his departure, and the
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Speaker 1: Emperor's decree received the sanction of the diet. Now the
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Speaker 1: Romanists were jubilant. They considered the fate of the Reformation sealed.
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Speaker 1: God had a way of escape for his servant in
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Speaker 1: this hour of peril. A vigilant eye had followed Luther's movements,
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Speaker 1: and a true and noble heart had resolved upon his rescue.
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Speaker 1: It was plain that Rome would be satisfied with nothing
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Speaker 1: short of his death. Only by concealment could he be
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Speaker 1: preserved from the jaws of the lion. God gave wisdom
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Speaker 1: to Frederick of Saxony to devise a plan for the
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Speaker 1: reformer's preservation. With the co operation of true friends, the
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Speaker 1: Elector's purpose was carried out, and Luther was effectually hidden
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Speaker 1: from friends and foes. Upon his homeward journey, he was seized,
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Speaker 1: separated from his attendants, and hurriedly conveyed through the forest
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Speaker 1: to the castle of Vortberg, an isolated Mountain fortress. Both
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Speaker 1: his seizure and his concealment were so involved in mystery
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Speaker 1: that even Frederick himself, for a long time, knew not
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Speaker 1: whither he had been conducted. This ignorance was not without design.
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Speaker 1: So long as the Elector knew nothing of Luther's whereabouts,
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Speaker 1: he could reveal nothing. Satisfied himself that the Reformer was safe,
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Speaker 1: and with this knowledge he was content. Spring, summer, and
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Speaker 1: autumn passed, and winter came, and Luther still remained a prisoner.
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Speaker 1: Aliander and his partisans exalted as the light of the
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Speaker 1: Gospel seemed about to be extinguished. But instead of this,
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Speaker 1: the Reformer was filling his lamp from the storehouse of truth,
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Speaker 1: and its light was to shine forth with brighter radiance
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Speaker 1: in the friendly security of the Vorteburg. Luther for a
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Speaker 1: time rejoiced in his release from the heat and turmoil
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Speaker 1: of battle, but he could not long find satisfaction in
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Speaker 1: quiet and repose. Accustomed to a life of activity and
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Speaker 1: stern conflict, he could ill endure to remain inactive in
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Speaker 1: those solitary days. The condition of the church rose up
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Speaker 1: before him, and he cried in despair. Alas there is
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Speaker 1: no one In this latter day of his anger to
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Speaker 1: stand like a wall before the Lord and save Israel again,
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Speaker 1: his thoughts returned to himself, and he feared being charged
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Speaker 1: with cowardice and withdrawing from the contest. Then he reproached
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Speaker 1: himself for his indolence and self indulgence. Yet at the
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Speaker 1: same time he was daily accomplishing more than it seemed
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Speaker 1: possible for one man to do. His pen was never idle.
49:12
Speaker 1: While his enemies flattered themselves that he was silenced, they
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Speaker 1: were astonished and confused by tangible proof that he was
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Speaker 1: still active. A host of tracts issuing from his pen
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Speaker 1: circulated throughout Germany. He also performed a most important service
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Speaker 1: for his countrymen by translating the New Testament into the
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Speaker 1: German tongue from his rocky patmos. He continued for nearly
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Speaker 1: a whole year to proclaim the Gospel and rebuke the
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Speaker 1: sins and errors of the times. But it was not
49:41
Speaker 1: merely to preserve Luther from the wrath of his enemies,
49:44
Speaker 1: nor even to afford him a season of quiet. For
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Speaker 1: these important labors that God had withdrawn his servant from
49:49
Speaker 1: the stage of public life, there were results more precious
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Speaker 1: than these to be secured. In the solitude and obscurity
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Speaker 1: of his mountain retreat, Luther was removed from earthly supports
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Speaker 1: and shut out from human praise. He was thus saved
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Speaker 1: from the pride and self confidence that are so often
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Speaker 1: caused by success. By suffering and humiliation, he was prepared
50:11
Speaker 1: again to walk safely upon the dizzy heights to which
50:14
Speaker 1: he had been so suddenly exalted. As men rejoice in
50:18
Speaker 1: the freedom which the truth brings them, they are inclined
50:21
Speaker 1: to extol those whom God has employed to break the
50:24
Speaker 1: chains of error and superstition. Satan seeks to divert men's
50:28
Speaker 1: thoughts and affections from God and to fix them upon
50:31
Speaker 1: human agencies. He leads them to honor the mere instrument
50:35
Speaker 1: and to ignore the hand that directs all the events
50:38
Speaker 1: of providence. Too often, religious leaders who are thus praised
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Speaker 1: and reverenced lose sight of their dependence upon God and
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Speaker 1: are led to trust in themselves. As a result, they
50:48
Speaker 1: seek to control the minds and consciences of the people
50:52
Speaker 1: who are disposed to look to them for guidance instead
50:54
Speaker 1: of looking to the word of God. The work of
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Speaker 1: reform is often retarded because of this spear indulged by
51:00
Speaker 1: its supporters. From this danger, God would guard the cause
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Speaker 1: of the Reformation. He desired that work to receive not
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Speaker 1: the impressive man, but that of God. The eyes of
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Speaker 1: men had been turned to Luther as the expounder of
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Speaker 1: the truth. He was removed that all eyes might be
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Speaker 1: directed to the eternal author of truth. End of Chapter
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Speaker 1: eight