the great controversy-第30节

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of　Christ　to　the　world；　must　expect　death　at　every　moment。〃Ibid。；　b。　4；
ch。　4。

The　tidings　of　Luther's　arrival　at　Augsburg　gave　great　satisfaction　to　the
papal　legate。　The　troublesome　heretic　who　was　exciting　the　attention　of　the
whole　world　seemed　now　in　the　power　of　Rome；　and　the　legate　determined　that
he　should　not　escape。　The　Reformer　had　failed　to　provide　himself　with　a
safe…conduct。　His　friends　urged　him　not　to　appear　before　the　legate　without
one；　and　they　themselves　undertook　to　procure　it　from　the　emperor。　The
legate　intended　to　force　Luther；　if　possible；　to　retract；　or；　failing　in
this；　to　cause　him　to　be　conveyed　to　Rome；　to　share　the　fate　of　Huss　and
Jerome。　Therefore　through　his　agents　he　endeavored　to　induce　Luther　to
appear　without　a　safe…conduct；　trusting　himself　to　his　mercy。　This　the
Reformer　firmly　declined　to　do。　Not　until　he　had　received　the　document
pledging　him　the　emperor's　protection；　did　he　appear　in　the　presence　of　the
papal　ambassador。

As　a　matter　of　policy；　the　Romanists　had　decided　to　attempt　to　win　Luther　by
an　appearance　of　gentleness。　The　legate；　in　his　interviews　with　him；
professed　great　friendliness；　but　he　demanded　that　Luther　submit　implicitly
to　the　authority　of　the　church；　and　yield　every　point　without　argument　or
question。　He　had　not　rightly　estimated　the　character　of　the　man　with　whom　he
had　to　deal。　Luther；　in　reply；　expressed　his　regard　for　the　church；　his
desire　for

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the　truth；　his　readiness　to　answer　all　objections　to　what　he　had　taught；　and
to　submit　his　doctrines　to　the　decision　of　certain　leading　universities。　But
at　the　same　time　he　protested　against　the　cardinal's　course　in　requiring　him
to　retract　without　having　proved　him　in　error。

The　only　response　was：　〃Retract；　retract！〃　The　Reformer　showed　that　his
position　was　sustained　by　the　Scriptures　and　firmly　declared　that　he　could
not　renounce　the　truth。　The　legate；　unable　to　reply　to　Luther's　arguments；
overwhelmed　him　with　a　storm　of　reproaches；　gibes；　and　flattery；
interspersed　with　quotations　from　tradition　and　the　sayings　of　the　Fathers；
granting　the　Reformer　no　opportunity　to　speak。　Seeing　that　the　conference；
thus　continued；　would　be　utterly　futile；　Luther　finally　obtained　a　reluctant
permission　to　present　his　answer　in　writing。

〃In　so　doing；〃　said　he；　writing　to　a　friend；　〃the　oppressed　find　double
gain；　first；　what　is　written　may　be　submitted　to　the　judgment　of　others；　and
second；　one　has　a　better　chance　of　working　on　the　fears；　if　not　on　the
conscience；　of　an　arrogant　and　babbling　despot；　who　would　otherwise
overpower　by　his　imperious　language。〃Martyn；　The　Life　and　Times　of　Luther；
pages　271；　272。

At　the　next　interview；　Luther　presented　a　clear；　concise；　and　forcible
exposition　of　his　views；　fully　supported　by　many　quotations　from　Scripture。
This　paper；　after　reading　aloud；　he　handed　to　the　cardinal；　who；　however；
cast　it　contemptuously　aside；　declaring　it　to　be　a　mass　of　idle　words　and
irrelevant　quotations。　Luther；　fully　aroused；　now　met　the　haughty　prelate　on
his　own　groundthe　traditions　and　teachings　of　the　churchand　utterly
overthrew　his　assumptions。

When　the　prelate　saw　that　Luther's　reasoning　was　unanswerable；　he　lost　all
self…control；　and　in　a　rage　cried　out：　〃Retract！　or　I　will　send　you　to　Rome；
there　to　appear　before　the　judges　commissioned　to　take　cognizance　of　your
cause。　I　will　excommunicate　you　and　all　your　partisans；　and　all

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who　shall　at　any　time　countenance　you；　and　will　cast　them　out　of　the
church。〃　And　he　finally　declared；　in　a　haughty　and　angry　tone：　〃Retract；　or
return　no　more。〃D'Aubigne；　London　ed。；　b。　4；　ch。　8。

The　Reformer　promptly　withdrew　with　his　friends；　thus　declaring　plainly　that
no　retraction　was　to　be　expected　from　him。　This　was　not　what　the　cardinal
had　purposed。　He　had　flattered　himself　that　by　violence　he　could　awe　Luther
to　submission。　Now；　left　alone　with　his　supporters；　he　looked　from　one　to
another　in　utter　chagrin　at　the　unexpected　failure　of　his　schemes。

Luther's　efforts　on　this　occasion　were　not　without　good　results。　The　large
assembly　present　had　opportunity　to　compare　the　two　men；　and　to　judge　for
themselves　of　the　spirit　manifested　by　them；　as　well　as　of　the　strength　and
truthfulness　of　their　positions。　How　marked　the　contrast！　The　Reformer；
simple；　humble；　firm；　stood　up　in　the　strength　of　God；　having　truth　on　his
side；　the　pope's　representative；　self…important；　overbearing；　haughty；　and
unreasonable；　was　without　a　single　argument　from　the　Scriptures；　yet
vehemently　crying：　〃Retract；　or　be　sent　to　Rome　for　punishment。〃

Notwithstanding　Luther　had　secured　a　safe…conduct；　the　Romanists　were
plotting　to　seize　and　imprison　him。　His　friends　urged　that　as　it　was　useless
for　him　to　prolong　his　stay；　he　should　return　to　Wittenberg　without　delay；
and　that　the　utmost　caution　should　be　observed　in　order　to　conceal　his
intentions。　He　accordingly　left　Augsburg　before　day…break；　on　horseback；
accompanied　only　by　a　guide　furnished　him　by　the　magistrate。　With　many
forebodings　he　secretly　made　his　way　through　the　dark　and　silent　streets　of
the　city。　Enemies；　vigilant　and　cruel；　were　plotting　his　destruction。　Would
he　escape　the　snares　prepared　for　him？　Those　were　moments　of　anxiety　and
earnest　prayer。　He　reached　a　small　gate　in　the　wall　of　the　city。　It　was
opened　for　him；　and　with　his　guide　he　passed　through　without　hindrance。　Once
safely　outside；　the　fugitives　hastened　their　flight；　and　before

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the　legate　learned　of　Luther's　departure；　he　was　beyond　the　reach　of　his
persecutors。　Satan　and　his　emissaries　were　defeated。　The　man　whom　they　had
thought　in　their　power　was　gone；　escaped　as　a　bird　from　the　snare　of　the
fowler。

At　the　news　of　Luther's　escape　the　legate　was　overwhelmed　with　surprise　and
anger。　He　had　expected　to　receive　great　honor　for　his　wisdom　and　firmness　in
dealing　with　this　disturber　of　the　church；　but　his　hope　was　disappointed。　He
gave　expression　to　his　wrath　in　a　letter　to　Frederick；　the　elector　of
Saxony；　bitterly　denouncing　Luther　and　demanding　that　Frederick　send　the
Reformer　to　Rome　or　banish　him　from　Saxony。

In　defense；　Luther　urged　that　the　legate　or　the　pope　show　him　his　errors
from　the　Scriptures；　and　pledged　himself　in　the　most　solemn　manner　to
renounce　his　doctrines　if　they　could　be　shown　to　contradict　the　word　of　God。
And　he　expressed　his　gratitude　to　God　that　he　had　been　counted　worthy　to
suffer　in　so　holy　a　cause。

The　elector　had；　as　yet；　little　knowledge　of　the　reformed　doctrines；　but　he
was　deeply　impressed　by　the　candor；　force；　and　clearness　of　Luther's　words；
and　until　the　Reformer　should　be　proved　to　be　in　error；　Frederick　resolved
to　stand　as　his　protector。　In　reply　to　the　legate's　demand　he　wrote：　〃Since
Dr。　Martin　has　appeared　before　you　at　Augsburg；　you　should　be　satisfied。　We
did　not　expect　that　you　would　endeavor　to　make　him　retract　without　having
convinced　him　of　his　errors。　None　of　the　learned　men　in　our　principality
have　informed　me　that　Martin's　doctrine　is　impious；　anti…christian；　or
heretical。'　The　prince　refused；　moreover；　to　send　Luther　to　Rome；　or　to
expel　him　from　his　states。〃　D'Aubigne；　b。　4；　ch。　10。

The　elector　saw　that　there　was　a　general　breaking　down　of　the　moral
restraints　of　society。　A　great　work　of　reform　was　needed。　The　complicated
and　expensive　arrangements　to　restrain　and　punish　crime　would　be　unnecessary
if　men　but　acknowledged　and　obeyed　the　requirements　of　God　and　the　dictates
of　an　enlightened　conscience。　He　saw　that

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Luther　was　laboring　to　secure　this　object；　and　he　secretly　rejoiced　that　a
better　influence　was　making　itself　felt　in　the　church。

He　saw　also　that　as　a　professor　in　the　university　Luther　was　eminently
successful。　Only　a　year　had　passed　since　the　Reformer　posted　his　theses　on
the　castle　church；　yet　there　was　already　a　great　falling　off　in　the　number
of　pilgrims　that　visited　the　church　at　the　festival　of　All　Saints。　Rome　had
been　deprived　of　worshipers　and　offerings；　but　their　place　was　filled　by
another　class；　who　now　came　to　Wittenberg；　not　pilgrims　to　adore　her　relics；
but　students　to　fill　her　halls　of　learning。　The　writings　of　Luther　had
kindled　everywhere　a　new　interest　in　the　Holy　Scriptures；　and　not　only　from
all　parts　of　Germany；　but　from　other　lands；　students　flocked　to　the
university。　Young　men；　coming　in　sight　of　Wittenberg　for　the　first　time；
〃raised　their　hands　to　heaven；　and　praised　God　for　having　caused　the　light
of　truth　to　shine　forth　from　this　city；　as　from　Zion　in　times　of　old；　and
whence　it　spread　even　to　the　most　distant　countries。〃Ibid。；　b。　4；　ch。　10。

Luther　was　as　yet　but　partially　converted　from　the　errors　of　Romanism。　But
as　he　compared　the　Holy　Oracles　with　the　papal　decrees　and　constitutions；　he
was　filled　with　wonder。　〃I　am　reading；〃　he　wrote；　〃the　decrees　of　the
pontiffs；　and　。　。　。　I　do　not　know　whether　the　pope　is　antichrist　himself；　or
his　apostle；　so　greatly　is　Christ　misrepresented　and　crucified　in
them。〃Ibid。；　b。　5；　ch。　1。　Yet　at　this　time　Luther　was　still　a　supporter　of