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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 4
stop thousands of streams now flowing into her treasury, and thus
greatly to curtail the extravagance and luxury of the Romish leaders.
Furthermore, to teach the people to think and act as responsible
beings, looking to Christ alone for salvation, would overthrow the
pontiff’s throne, and eventually destroy their own authority. For
this reason they refused the knowledge tendered them of God, and
arrayed themselves against Christ and the truth by their opposition
to the man whom he had sent to enlighten them.
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Luther trembled as he looked upon himself,—one man opposed
to the mightiest powers of earth. He sometimes doubted whether he
had indeed been led of God to set himself against the authority of the
church. “Who was I,” he writes, “to oppose the majesty of the pope,
before whom the kings of the earth and the whole world trembled?”
“No one can know what I suffered in those first two years, and into
what dejection and even despair I was sunk.” But he was not left to
become utterly disheartened. When human support failed, he looked
to God alone, and learned that he could lean in perfect safety upon
that all-powerful arm.
To a friend of the Reformation Luther wrote: “We cannot attain
to the understanding of Scripture either by study or strength of
intellect. Therefore your first duty must be to begin with prayer.
Entreat the Lord to deign to grant you, in his rich mercy, rightly to
understand his word. There is no other interpreter of the word but
the Author of that word himself. Even as he has said, ‘They shall
be all taught of God.’ Hope nothing from your study and strength of
intellect; but simply put your trust in God, and in the guidance of
his Spirit. Believe one who has made trial of this matter.” Here is
a lesson of vital importance to those who feel that God has called
them to present to others the solemn truths for this time. These truths
will stir the enmity of Satan, and of men who love the fables that he
has devised. In the conflict with the powers of evil, there is need of
something more than intellect and human wisdom.
When enemies appealed to custom and tradition, or to the asser-
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tions and authority of the pope, Luther met them with the Bible and
the Bible alone. Here were arguments which they could not answer;
therefore the slaves of formalism and superstition clamored for his
blood, as the Jews had clamored for the blood of Christ. “He is a
heretic,” cried the Roman zealots; “it is a sin to allow him to live an