safety.

able to protect him from the le-vered great concern for Luther's gate's power and resentment, that they prevailed on him secretly to The situation of our reformer, withdraw from Augsburg, where in the mean time, became daily he had attended the legate, and to more and more alarming. He return to his own country. But knew very well what were the before his departure, according to motives which induced the eleca form of which there had been tor to afford him protection, and some examples, he prepared a so- that he could by no means depend lemn appeal from the legate, ill-on a continuance of his friendinformed at that time concerning ship. If he should be obliged to his cause, to the pope, when he quit Saxony, he had no other asyshould receive more full intima- lum, and must stand exposed to tion with respect to it. Cajetan, whatever punishment the rage or enraged at Luther's abrupt re-bigotry of his enemies could intreat, and at the publication of his flict: and so ready were his adappeal, wrote to the elector of versaries to condemn him, that Saxony, complaining of both; and he had been declared a heretic at requiring him, as he regarded the Rome before the expiration of the peace of the church, or the au-sixty days allowed him in the cithority of its head, either to send tation for making his appearance. that seditious monk a prisoner to Notwithstanding all this, howRome, or to banish him out of ever, he discovered no symptoms his territories. Frederic had hi- of timidity or remissness; but contherto, from political motives, tinued to vindicate his own conprotected Luther, as thinking he duct and opinions, and to inveigh might be of use in checking the against those of his adversaries enormous power of the see of with more vehemence than ever. Rome; and though all Germany Being convinced, therefore, that resounded with his fame, the elec- the pope would soon proceed to tor had never yet admitted him the most violent measures against into his presence. But upon this him, he appealed to a general demand made by the cardinal, it council, which he affirmed to be became necessary to throw off the representative of the Catholic somewhat of his former reserve. church, and superior in power to He had been at great expence the pope, who, being a fallible and bestowed much attention on man, might err, as St. Peter, the founding a new university, an ob- most perfect of his predecessors, ject of considerable importance to had done. every German prince; and foreseeing how fatal a blow the re-ly moval of Luther would be to its reputation, he not only declined complying with either of the pope's requests, but openly dis

The court of Rome was equalassiduous, in the mean time to crush the author of these new doctrines, which gave them so much uneasiness. A bull was issued by the pope of a date prior to La

ther's appeal, in which he mag-place for eighteen months, though nified the virtues of indulgences, perpetual negotiations were carand subjected to the heaviest ec- ried on during this interval, in orclesiastical censures all who pre-der to bring the matter to an amisumed to teach a contrary doc- cable issue. The manner in which trine. Such a clear decision of the these were conducted having giv the sovereign pontiff against him en our reformer many opportunimight have been very fatal to Lu-ties of observing the corruption of ther's cause, had not the death of the court of Rome, its obstinacy in the emperor Maximilian, which adhering to established errors, and happened on January 17, 1519, its indifference about truth, howcontributed to give matters a dif-ever clearly proposed or strongly ferent turn. Both the principles proved, he began, in 1520, to utter and interest of Maximilian had some doubts with regard to the prompted him to support the au- divine original of the papal authority of the see of Rome; but, thority, which he publicly dispu in consequence of his death, theted with Eccius, one of his most vicariate of that part of Germany learned and formidable antagowhich is governed by the Saxon nists. The dispute was indecisive, laws devolved to the elector of both parties claiming the victory; Saxony; and, under the shelter but it must have been very mortiof his friendly administration, Lu-fying to the partizans of the Rother himself enjoyed tranquillity; mish church to hear such an esand his opinions took such root sential point of their doctrine pubin different places, that they could licly attacked. never afterwards be eradicated. The papal authority being once At the same time, as the election suspected, Luther proceeded to of an emperor was a point more push on his inquiries and attacks interesting to the pope (Leo X) from one doctrine to another, till than a theological controversy at last he began to shake the firmwhich he did not understand, and est foundations on which the of which he could not foresee the wealth and power of the church consequences, he was so extreme- were established. Leo then bely solicitous not to irritate a prince gan to perceive that there were no of such considerable influence in hopes of reclaiming such an inthe electoral college as Frederic, corrigible heretic, and therefore that he discovered a great unwil-prepared to pronounce the senlingness to pronounce the sentence tence of excommunication against of excommunication against Lu- him. The college of cardinals. ther, which his adversaries con- was often assembled, in order to tinually demanded with the most prepare the sentence with due declamorous importunity. liberation; and the ablest canonFrom the reason just now giv-ists were consulted how it might en, and Leo's natural aversion to be expressed with unexceptionasevere measures, a suspension of ble formality. At last it was isproceeding against Luther took sued on the 15th of June, 1520.

Forty-one propositions, extracted out of Luther's works, were therein condemned as heretical, scandalous, and offensive to pious ears; all persons were forbidden to read, his writings, upon pain of excommunication such as had any of them in their custody were commanded to commit them to the flames; he himself, if he did not within sixty days publicly recant his errors, and burn his books, was pronounced an obstinate heretic, excommunicated, and delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh; and all secular princes were required, under pain of incurring the same censure, to seize his person, that he might be punished as his crimes deserved.

pope's power, as well as the subordination of all secular jurisdiction to his authority, he published these with a commentary, pointing out the impiety of such tenets, and their evident tendency to subvert all civil government.

On the accession of Charles V to the empire, Luther found himself in a very dangerous situation. Charles, in order to secure the pope's friendship, had determined. to treat him with great severity. His eagerness to gain this point rendered him not averse to gratify the papal legates in Germany, who insisted, that, without any delay, or formal deliberation, the diet then sitting at Worms ought to condemn a man whom the pope had already excommunicated as an incorrigible heretic. Such an abrupt manner of proceeding, however, being deemed unprecedent

Luther was not in the least disconcerted by this sentence, which he had for some time expected. He renewed his appeal to his ge-ed and unjust by the members of neral council; declared the pope to be that antichrist or man of sin whose appearance is foretold in the New Testament; declaimed against his tyranny with greater vehemence than ever; and, at last, by way of retaliation, having assembled all the professors and students in the university of Wittemberg, with great pomp, and in the presence of a vast multitude of spectators, he cast the volumes of the canon law, together with the bull of excommunication, into the flames. The manner in which this action was justified gave still more offence than the action itself. Having collected from the canon law some of the most extravagant propositions with regard to the plenitude and omnipotence of the

the diet, they made a point of Luther's appearing in person, and declaring whether he adhered or not to those opinions which had drawn upon him the censures of the church. Not only the emperor, but all the princes through whose territories he had to pass, granted him a safe-conduct; and Charles wrote to him at the same time, requiring his immediate attendance on the diet, and renewing his promises of protection from any injury or violence. Luther did not hesitate one moment about yielding obedience; and set out for Worms, attended by the herald who had brought the emperor's letter and safe-conduct. While on his journey, many of his friends, whom the fate of Huss,

under similar circumstances, and pestilent heresy, who was now in notwithstanding the same security their power, to deliver the church of an imperial safe-conduct, fill-at once from such an evil. But ed with solicitude, advised and the members of the diet refusing intreated him not to rush wanton- to expose the German integrity to ly in the midst of danger. But fresh reproach by a second violaLuther, superior to such terrors, tion of public faith, and Charles silenced them with this reply: "I being no less unwilling to bring a am lawfully called," said he, "to stain upon the beginning of his adappear in that city; and thither I ministration by such an ignominiwill go in the name of the Lord, ous action, Luther was permitted though as many devils as there are to depart in safety. A few days tiles on the houses were there com-after he left the city, a severe edict bined against me."

was published in the emperor's The reception which he met name, and by authority of the diet, with at Worms was such as might depriving him, as an obstinate and have been reckoned a full reward excommunicated criminal, of all of all his labours, if vanity and the the privileges which he enjoyed as love of applause had been the prin- a subject of the empire; forbidciples by which he was influenced.ding any prince to harbour or proGreater crowds assembled to be tect him; and requiring all to seize hold him than had appeared at the his person as soon as the term speemperor's public entry; his apart-cified in his protection should be ments were daily filled with prin- expired. ces and personages of the highest But this rigorous decree had no rank; and he was treated with an considerable effect; the execution homage more sincere, as well as of it being prevented partly by the more flattering, than any which multiplicity of occupations which pre-eminence in birth or condition the commotions in Spain, together can command. At his appearance with the wars in Italy and the Low before the diet he behaved with Countries, created to the emperor; great decency and with equal firm-and partly by a prudent precauness. He readily acknowledged tion employed by the elector of an excess of acrimony and vehe-Saxony, Luther's faithful patron. mence in his controversial wri-As Luther, on his return from tings; but refused to retract his Worms, was passing near Altenopinions, unless he were convinced strain, in Thuringia, a number of of their falsehood, or to consent to horsemen, in masks, rushed sudtheir being tried by any other rule denly out of a wood, where the than the word of God. When elector had appointed them to lie neither threats nor intreaties could in wait for him, and, surrounding prevail on him to depart from this his company, carried him, after resolution, some of the ecclesias-dismissing all his attendants, to tics proposed to imitate the exam-Wortburg, a strong castle, not far ple of the council of Constance, distant. There the elector ordered and, by punishing the author of this him to be supplied with every

all which, though not against Luther's sentiments, was yet blamed by him, as being rashly and unseasonably done. Lutheranism was still confined to Germany; it was not got to France: and Henry VIII of England made the most rigorous acts to hinder it from invading his realm. Nay, he did something more; to shew his zeal for religion and the holy see, and perhaps his skill in theological learning, he wrote a treatise Of the Seven Sacraments, against Luther's book Of the Captivity of Babylon, which he presented to Leo X, in October, 1521. The

thing necessary or agreeable; but the place of his retreat was carefully concealed, until the fury of the present storm against him began to abate, upon a change in the political system of Europe. In this solitude, where he remained nine months, and which he frequently called his Patmos, after the name of that island to which the apostle John was banished, he exerted his usual vigour and industry in defence of his doctrines, or in confutation of his adversaries; publishing several treatises, which revived the spirit of his followers, astonished to a great degree, and disheartened at the sud-pope received it very favourably, den disappearance of their leader. Luther, weary at length of his retirement,appeared publicly again at Wittemberg, upon the 6th of March, 1522. He appeared, indeed, without the elector's leave; but immediately wrote him a letter to prevent his taking it ill. The edict of Charles V, severe as it was, had given little or no check to Luther's doctrine; for the emperor was no sooner gone into Flanders, than his edict was neg-plied to his answer, in behalf of lected and despised, and the doctrine seemed to spread even faster than before. Carolostadius, in Luther's absence had pushed things on faster than his leader, and had attempted to abolish the use of mass, to remove images out of the churches, to set aside auricular confession, invocation of saints, the abstaining from meats; had allowed the monks to leave the monasteries, to neglect their vows, and to marry; in short, had quite changed the doctrine and discipline of the church at Wittemberg;

and was so well pleased with the king of England, that he complimented him with the title of Defender of the Faith. Luther, however, paid no regard to his kingship, but answered him with great sharpness, treating both his person and performance in the most contemptuous manner. Henry complained of Luther's rude usage of him to the princes of Saxony: and Fisher, bishop of Rochester, re

Henry's treatise; but neither the king's complaint, nor the bishop's reply were attended with any visible effects.

Luther, though he had put a stop to the violent proceedings of Carolostadius, now made open war with the pope and bishops; and, that he might make the people despise their authority as much as possible,he wrote one book against the pope's bull, and another against the order falsely called the Order of Bishops. The same year, 1522, he wrote a letter, dated July the