dicted him for a year and a half from all communication beyond the monastery; allowing him neither to write nor to receive letters, and threatening him with perpetual imprisonment. Nevertheless, his hour of deliverance also arrived. Being subsequently appointed pastor of Zwickau, he was the first that openly expressed himself against the popedom in Thuringia. "Then," said he, "I could labour with my venerable father Luther, in the gospel harvest." Jonas has called him a man who could do what he would. 1

No doubt there were other souls, besides, for whom the theses of Luther were the signal of life. They kindled a new light in many cells, cabins, and palaces; and while those, says Mathesius, who came to monasteries looking for a good table, a life of nothingness, or of consideration and honours, loaded the name of Luther with insults, the religious who lived in prayer, fasting, and macerations, gave thanks to God for their having heard the cry of that eagle which John Huss had announced a century before. Even the common people, although they did not very well understand the theological part of the question, and knew only that this person rose against the empire of useless alms-beggars and monks, greeted him with bursts of joy. The sensation produced by these bold propositions was immense. Some few of the Reformer's cotemporaries nevertheless, foresaw to what serious results they might lead, and what numerous obstacles they were sure to encounter. These made no secret

of their fears, and rejoiced with trembling.

"I am much afraid," wrote the excellent canon of Augsburg, Bernard Adelman, to his friend Pirkheimer, “that this worthy man may yet be compelled to yield to the avarice and the power of the partizans of the indulgences. His representations have had so little effect, that the bishop of Augsburg, our primate and metropolitan, 3 has just given orders, in the pope's name, for new indulgences for behoof of St. Peter's church at Rome. Let him lose no time in procuring the aid of the princes; let him beware of tempting God; for a man must be wanting in common sense, not to perceive the imminent danger in which he

Qui potuit quod voluit.

2 Davon Magister Johann Huss geweissaget. (Math. 13.)

3

Totque uxorum vir, he adds. (Heumani Documenta litt. p. 167.)

SAYINGS OF ALBERT KRANZ AND AN OLD PRIEST.

259

is placed." Adelman was delighted when the report went abroad, that Henry VIII. had sent for Luther to come to England. "There," thought he, "he might teach the truth in peace." Many thus imagined that the doctrine of the gospel was about to be aided by the powers of the civil governments. They knew not that it advances independently of that power, and that when it is on its side, it often obstructs and enfeebles it.

The famous historian, Albert Kranz, happened to be at Hamburgh on his death-bed, when Luther's theses were brought to him. "You are in the right, brother Martin!" cried the dying man, "but you won't attain your object. Poor monk! go to your cell and cry: Have mercy upon me, O God! 1

An old priest at Hexter in Westphalia, having received and read the theses in his parsonage, shaking his head, said in low Dutch, "Dear brother Martin, should you succeed in subverting that purgatory and all these paper-mongers, truly you are a great gentleman;" under which words, Erbenius, who lived a century later, wrote this rhyme:

Quid vero nunc si viveret

Bonus iste clericus diceret? 2

Not only did many of Luther's friends entertain great apprehensions as to the course he was taking, but moreover, several signified to him their disapprobation.

Grieved at the thought of a quarrel of such consequence commencing in his diocese, the bishop of Brandenburg wished to smother it; and resolved to attempt this by gentle methods. He sent word to Luther by the Abbot of Lenin, saying: "In these theses upon the indulgences, I find nothing that is contrary to the catholic verity; I myself condemn these indiscreet proclamations; but for the love of peace, and out of regard for your bishop, write no more on the subject." Luther was confounded at finding so great an abbot, and so great a bishop, addressing him with so much humility, and so deeply was he affected by it, and so hurried away by his first emotions, as to reply:

1 Frater, abi in cellam et dic: Miserere mei. (Lindher in Luther's Leben, p. 93.)

2 What, were he living at this day,
Would the good German parson say?

"I consent to this: I would choose rather to obey than to work miracles, even were it in my power to work them."l

The elector beheld with pain the commencement of a struggle, legitimate no doubt, but of which it was impossible to foresee the end. No prince more than Frederick desired the maintenance of the public peace. Now, how immense the conflagration that this small fire might kindle? What disorders, what national convulsions, might not this quarrel among monks produce? The elector, accordingly, again and again sent word to Luther of the vexation it was costing him.2

Even in his own order, and in the very monastery at Wittemberg, Luther found persons who disapproved. The prior and subprior were intimidated by the loud tone in which Tetzel and his companions gave utterance to their wrath. Panic-struck and trembling, they repaired to friar Martin's little cell: "Mercy on us," said they, "do not bring disgrace upon our order! Already are the other orders, and especially the Dominicans, in a transport of joy, on finding that they no longer stand alone in bearing reproach." Luther was at first affected by this appeal, but soon recovering himself, he replied: "Dear Fathers, if the thing be not done in the name of God, it will come to nought; if otherwise, let it go on." The prior and subprior were silent. "It continues to advance," continued Luther, after relating this, "and if it please God, it will go on better and better to the end. Amen."3

This, however, was far from being the only attack that Luther had to sustain. He was accused at Erfurt of pride and violence in his manner of condemning the opinions of others; the common reproach brought against men who have the strong convictions inspired by the Word of God. He was charged, also, with being hasty and inconsiderate.

"They require me to show modesty," replied Luther, "and they themselves trample modesty under foot in the judgment they pass upon me! We are ever beholding the mote that is in another's eye, and consider not the beam that is in

1 Bene sum contentus: malo obedire quam miracula facere, etiam si possem. (Epp. i. 71.)

2 Suumque dolorem sæpe significavit, metuens discordias majores. (Melancht. Vita. Luth.)

3 L. Opp. (L.) vi. p. 518.

our own.

LUTHER'S REPLY TO OBJECTORS AT ERFURT.

261

The truth will not gain more by my modesty than it will lose by my rashness." "I should like to know," he continues, addressing himself to Lange, "what errors you and your theologians have discovered in my theses? Who knows not that a man can seldom put forth a new idea, without appearing proud and being accused of seeking a quarrel? Were humility itself to undertake something new, she would instantly be subjected to the charge of pride by men thinking differently! 1 Why was it that Christ, and all the martyrs, were put to death? Because they seemed to be proud despisers of the wisdom of their day, and put forth novelties, without first humbly taking counsel from the organs of old opinions.

"Let not, then, the sages of the present day look for so much humility from me, or rather for so much hypocrisy, as to ask their advice before publishing what duty requires me to say. What I do, is not to be done by the prudence of men but by the counsel of God. If the work be from God, who shall hinder it? if it be not from God, who can make it go on? Neither my will, nor theirs; not ours, but thy will, O holy Father, who art in heaven!" What courage, what a noble enthusiasm, what confidence in God, and, above all, what truth in these words, and what truth for all times! 2

Nevertheless, the reproaches and accusations now showered upon Luther from all quarters, failed not so far to affect his mind. He was baulked in his expectations. He had hoped for the public adhesion of the heads of the Church, and of the most distinguished men of learning in the nation; but it turned out otherwise. A single word of approval which escaped their lips at the first moment of excitement, was all that he received from the best disposed; and many, on the contrary, of those

1 Finge enim ipsam humilitatem nova conari, statim superbiæ subjicietur ab iis qui aliter sapiunt. (L. Epp. i. p. 73.)

2 So it is! Yet nothing is more usual than to charge a man with pride when he refuses to submit to the common opinion. And no accusation is more likely to unnerve the courage of those whose only object it is to defend the truth and to place it in a clearer light, being worse even than the dread of persecution, were it unto death, in as much as in proportion as humility is felt to be the highest of the virtues, are men deterred from pursuing a particular course by the dread of being thought proud. Thank God, Luther saw through the cunning of this artifice, intended as it was to embarrass the resolute maintenance of the truth, and would not allow it by any means to deter him from doing his duty.-L. R.

whom he had previously venerated the most, now loudly blamed him. He felt that he stood absolutely alone in the Church; alone against Rome; alone at the base of that ancient and formidable edifice whose foundation went deep into the bowels of the earth, whose walls lifted themselves to the clouds, yet to which he had dealt so audacious a blow. This at once perplexed and distressed him. Doubts which he thought he had overcome, returned upon him with augmented force. He trembled at the thought of being opposed by the authority of the whole Church: to withdraw from under that authority, to turn away from that voice which nations had for ages humbly obeyed, to place himself in opposition to that Church which he had been wont, from very infancy, to venerate as the mother of the faithful . he, a paltry monk . it was an effort beyond human power. 2 No step cost him more than this, and it was this, also, which decided the Reformation.

None could describe better than himself the struggle that now commenced in his soul: "I entered on this affair," he says, "with great fear and great trembling. Who was I at that time-me, a poor, wretched, despicable friarling, liker to a dead body than a man,-who was I to oppose the majesty of the pope, in whose presence not only the kings of the earth and the entire world,- but farther, if I may so speak, heaven and earth trembled, and were constrained to obey his nod?

None can know what my heart suffered during those two first years, and in what depression, I might say, in what despair, I was often plunged. No idea can be formed of it by those haughty spirits who have attacked the pope with such hardihood since; although, with all their ability, they could not have done him the smallest harm, had not Jesus Christ already inflicted on him, through me, his weak unworthy instrument, a wound from which he will never recover.

But while they were content to look on, and left me to meet the danger singly, I was not so joyous, so much at my ease, and so confident of the affair succeeding; for I was not then aware of many things which, thanks be to God, I now know. There were, it is true, many pious Christians who were greatly

1 Solus primo eram. (L. Opp. lat. in præf.)

2 Concilium immanis audaciæ plenum. (Pallavicini, 1, 17.)