THE edict which was passed against Luther declared "that it belonged to the duty of the emperor to advance religion, and to extinguish heresies which began to spring up; . . .. that friar Martin Luther endeavored to stain Germany with that contagion, so that if he were not hindered all that nation would fall into a horrible ruin; that Pope Leo had fatherly admonished him, and after that the assembly of cardinals, and other excellent men, had condemned his writings and decreed him a heretic if within a certain term he revoked not his errors; and had sent by Girolamo Aleander, his nuncio, a copy of that bull of condemnation to him, the emperor, as protector of the Church, desiring him it might be put in execution in the empire, his kingdoms, dominions, and provinces; that notwithstanding this, Martin amended not himself; yea, multiplied his books daily, full not only of new heresies, but even of those which have been long since condemned by holy councils, and not only in the Latin tongue, but in the German also, naming in particular many of his errors; he concluded that there was no writing of his where there was not to be found some contagion or deadly sting, so that it might be said that every word was a poison; that these things being considered by him, the emperor, and his counselors of all nations subject unto him, treading in the steps of the Roman emperors, his predecessors, having conferred in that Diet of Worins with the electors, and many of other states of the

empire by their counsel and assent, (though it was not fit to hear a man condemned by the pope, obstinate in his perverseness, and a notorious heretic, notwithstanding to take away all occasion of cavil, many saying it was necessary to hear the man before the pope's decree was executed,) he resolved to send to fetch him by one of his heralds."*

This specimen is sufficient to convey an idea of what the whole document was.

Thus condemned, Luther left Worms to go home. He had not gone far when a band of armed and masked horsemen surrounded and seized him. He was carried by them to the Castle of Wartburg.

Was he then so soon to meet his fate? Was the Protestant cause so soon to be deprived of their courageous and eloquent defender? Thank God, no.

These armed men were the soldiers of the elector Frederic, his friend, and they seized him for the purpose of protecting him from those who would seek his life. He continued in this retreat about ten months, and there, besides other valuable works, conceived the design, and commenced the translation of the Bible, which, with the help of Melancthon, he completed in the year 1523.

It was about this time that Henry VIII. unintentionally conferred a great benefit on the advancing cause of truth. Entering the theological arena, by his kingly dignity he attracted the notice of all sides, and by writing against Luther led men to read Luther's writings. By publishing his celebrated work on the seven sacraments in defense of popery, and for which the Roman pontiff conferred on him the title of "Defender of the Faith," he brought forward the Romanist doctrines for examination. Luther seized the pen to * History of the Council of Trent, by Father Paul, published in 1676.

defend his principles, and as if the high position of his royal adversary called forth his sharpest invective, his reply was not only convincing and forcible, but one of great severity.

In the mean time Luther's writings were fast spreading, not only over his own land, but throughout Europe. A great many of the Churches of Germany were taking important steps toward reform. Some were removing the pictures; some threw from their shrines the images; some were giving the cup to the laity; some abolishing auricular confession, and some doing all of these at once.

Luther returned from the Castle of Wartburg to Wittemburg, and notwithstanding the pope's anathema and charge to capture him, no one was found to execute the order.

While these events are passing we behold the justly renowned Melancthon commencing his career as a Reformer in the University of Wittemburg as Greek Professor. At this time (1521) he had been three years associated with Luther, and was now twentyfour years of age. Philip Melancthon was fourteen years younger than his great cotemporary, yet so tempered was he with mildness and caution, that he was just the person necessary to stand by the side of the impetuous Reformer in the war he waged against the doctrines of Romanism. There is no doubt but that Providence placed them together in this work. At the same time the zeal of Melancthon was always steadfast. His "Loci Theologici" opened the way to a clear exposition of the doctrines of the Reformers, and itself became a model to them.. His name soon became known throughout Europe. He was invited to England, and even to France, by the persecuting Francis I.; but political reasons prevented him from

It was Melancthon who

going to either country. drew up the Confession of Augsburg, and the apology for it. Sometimes he was accused of being too moderate, and sometimes suffered from Luther's vehemence; but when we consider the turbulence of the times, we can hardly overrate the value of such a spirit to the cause he advocated. He continued united with Luther in close bonds of friendship until they were broken by the death of the latter. Above all other praise is that accorded to Melancthon of being a pureminded, humble, gentle, faithful Christian.

It was in this year also (1521) that John Bugenhagius, at the age of thirty-six, met with Luther's treatise on the Babylonish captivity.

"He is the most pestilent heretic that ever infested the Church of Christ," he cried.

He took it up again and read it more attentively, and then said:

"The whole world is blind, walking in Cimmerian darkness; this man alone sees the truth."

He had received some first impressions from a tract written by Erasmus, but now avowed the principles of the reform so boldly that he was forced to leave his place of residence. He came to Wittemberg, where he became pastor of the Reformed Church, and continued at his post, preaching and writing, for thirty-six years.

Hist. Reformation.

12

CHAPTER XI.

THE DIET OF NUREMBERG THE POPE URGES THE EXECUTION OF LUTHER.

THE printing-press now took up the works of the Reformers and spread them with great rapidity. It is wonderful how the number of religious publications increased after Luther's writings began to appear.

In Germany thirty-five publications were issued during the year 1513; in the year 1517, thirty-seven. But in the year 1518 there were seventy-one; in 1519, one hundred and eleven; in 1520, two hundred and eight; in 1521, two hundred and eleven; in 1522, three hundred and forty-seven; and in 1523, four hundred and ninety-eight. And these books were written almost all by Luther and his friends, and the majority published at Wittemburg.*

And they were carried by men whom we now call colporteurs into every corner of the empire; some of them were men who had once been monks and priests, who had read them until their own hearts were fired by their spirit; some were men who had worked upon their farms and at their trades, who for the love of Christ left their homes to spread the Gospel; and some who could not read themselves, sold them, and listened to their contents as they stopped a night on the road, or exhibited them in the open highway to some one more learned than themselves.

In the year 1522 the Diet of Nuremberg was held. It was now to be seen whether the edict of Worms

* D'Aubigné, vol. iii, p. 103.