wealth. But in the elector of Saxony, the wisest prince at that time in Germany, it was not so much interest, as the love of truth and justice, to support and screen Luther from the violence of his enemies. No sooner had Luther given the signal of attack upon the overbearing power of the pope, than a general attention was excited throughout Germany, how the boldness of the measure would end. While popish sophists, as Eccius and Prierias, wrote against, others rose in support of Luther.

The court of Rome little regarded this controversy at first, but the progress of Luther's opinions soon appeared too serious to be despised; and Leo summoned him to appear at Rome: but Luther had his reasons to decline this invitation, and wished rather to be tried in Germany. The university, as well as the elector of Saxony, interceded in his behalf with the pope, who so far gratified them, as to empower his legate in Germany, cardinal Cajetan, a Dominican, to try the cause. It was strange, however, that in the pope's letter to Cajetan, Luther was already declared a heretick, and condemned before he was heard and tried.

Luther arrived at Augsburg, Oct. 8, 1518; and under the safe conduct of the emperor, but much more of his own native intrepidity and just cause, waited on the cardinal; who, in a haughty manner, insisted upon a simple recantation, and desired him to abstain for the future from the publication of new and dangerous doctrines; such as, that the merit and atonement of Christ did not belong to the treasury of the church, and had nothing to do with the sale of indulgences; and that faith was required in receiving the holy sacrament worthily. The cardinal declared in private, that if Luther was ready to recant in point of indulgences, the doctrine about faith was of no great matter; which is a plain proof that money was of higher value at Rome than faith.

Luther declared that he could not renounce opinions founded in reason, and derived from scripture; that he was willing to submit to the mediation of some universities; and at the same time delivering a formal protest, the cardinal asked-"What do you mean? Do you rely on the force of arms? When the just punishment, and the thunder of the pope's indignation break in upon you, where do you think to remain ?" His answer was, "either in Heaven, or under Heaven." At last the cardinal forbid his appearing again in his presence; and since there was strong reason to suspect that he was not safe, he was prevailed on to depart from Augsburg and return to Wittemberg.

The pope, as well as his legate Cajetan, did every thing to bring over the elector, his master, to their design; that he might be sent to Rome, and delivered up to their vindictive indignation: but that prince was too wise and cautious to comply with their request and when Luther was about to quit Saxony, not to give his sovereign any uneasiness, the latter, finding it his interest to keep such a man as an ornament to his university, assured him of his protection. The German reformer, however, was in a perilous situation still; and for his safety, published an appeal to a general council, which he maintained was superior to the pope; whose infallibility he began to call in question..

He continued his inquiries from one doctrine to another, and having till now little thought that his actions would have such an effect as to produce a revolution, he began to form higher ideas of his call, and that it was nothing less than to assert the berty of mankind.

Luther's excommunication, and perseverance.

THE Court of Rome published, with all formali

ties, a bull of excommunication against Luther, June 15, 1520; in which not only himself, but his followers and protectors, were outlawed and condemned as hereticks; which all the princes and subjects of the empire were called upon to seize and deliver into the hands of justice but Luther's undaunted spirit acquired additional fortitude from such an instance of opposition. He complained of the impiety and injustice of the pope, and boldly declared him to be the man of sin, or antichrist; and exhorted all christian princes to shake off his yoke.

Luther's books having been burnt in several places, he, by way of retaliation, in the presence of a vast number of spectators in a field near Wittemberg, with great pomp threw the pope's bull of excommunication and the canon law into the flames, with these words; Since thou hast grieved the Holy Ghost, may eternal fire grieve and devour thee! This action, which has been censured by his enemies with much severity, he has justified by a particular publication and the reasons he assigned for it were, because it was a custom to burn poisoned and hurtful writings; and that as a doctor of divinity, he was called to destroy the weed grown in the church of Christ; and because his enemies had done the same with his books.

It was not the design of Luther, at first, to overturn the whole system of papal arrogance and superstition; but the opposition with which he met, in questions where truth and justice were unquestionably on his side, urged him to proceed in the discussion of other subjects. The doctrine of justification, and our acceptance with God by faith, being once fixed, he was naturally led to inquire into the doctrines connected with it: and having overthrown the errors with respect to indulgences, he was soon convinced of the idolatry of worshipping saints; of the vain trust reposed in pilgrimages; of the delu

sive terrors of purgatory, and of other false doctrines and practices of the church.

Waldus, Wiclef, Huss, and other martyrs of religious truth, in the foregoing centuries, had indeed prepared the way; but they were too feeble lights, not to be extinguished by the power of darkness. Many grievous complaints had been made known in the diets of the empire; but the influence of papal authority had grown too strong to be resisted. The clergy indulged themselves in all the vices to which idleness and affluence naturally give birth. It was reserved for Luther to attack boldly the prevailing corruption. The circumstances under which he began and effected the reformation, the wonderful concatenation of so many causes, the seasonable preparations made for spreading his opinions and tenets, evince the intervention of a higher power, and that the same God who planted the gospel, was watchful to preserve it from utter destruction.

The invention of printing, half a century before, and the revival of learning, was extremely favourable to the progress of the reformation; and many learned men, as Melanchthon, Erasmus, and Reuchlin, who, on account of the timidity of their tempers, would not have ventured to wage the war with a powerful enemy, assisted Luther with their learning; who had a mind furnished with all the stores of solid and useful literature, united with the courage and boldness of an invincible champion.

Proceedings of the diet at Worms; with Luther's trial and concealment, 1521.

At the diet of Worms, after some deliberations. concerning the political affairs of the empire, the state of religion was taken into consideration; and Luther was summoned to appear, and give an account

of his writings and opinions. Some of his friends, being apprehensive of his safety, advised him not to go to a place, where, perhaps, like Huss, he would be burnt but his undaunted spirit was superior to the fears and terrors of danger; he thus replied to his friends: "I am lawfully called to that city, and thither will I go and defend the truth in the name of the Lord, though as many devils as there are tiles upon the houses were there combined against me. The same Lord is still living who preserved the three men in the fiery furnace." It appears to have been his firm resolution, rather to lose his life, than to recant.

Many princes and noblemen, together with a vast number of admiring spectators, left the town to meet him upon the road. Many of the popish legates and ecclesiasticks privately instigated the emperor, Charles V., to imitate the example of the council of Constance, and silence this incorrigible heretick with the flames of a pile, or by the hands of an executioner. But the emperor, as well as other members of the diet, would not consent to violate the publick faith, and stain the German name and history with such another ignominious action; by which, notwithstanding an imperial safe-conduct, Huss, a hundred years before, had been burnt.

There was, perhaps, never a trial before a higher court and more august assembly. It consisted of the emperor and his brother Ferdinand, six electors, many princes, dukes and states of the empire, bishops, abbots, ambassadors and officers. Luther appeared twice before this awful trib; the first time on the 17th of April, 1521, when, on account of the crowd of people, the herald conducted him through private apartments to the great hall, where to his great surprise and comfort, he heard a spectator repeat to him the words of our Saviour: "Ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my