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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 4
pope, say they, is the Lord of the world! But Christ, whose vicar he
boasts of being, said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world.’ Can the
dominions of a vicar extend beyond those of his superior?”
He wrote thus of the universities: “I fear much that the univer-
sities will be found to be great gates leading down to hell, unless
they take diligent care to explain the Holy Scriptures, and to engrave
them in the hearts of youth. I advise no one to place his child where
the Holy Scriptures are not regarded as the rule of life. Every insti-
tution where the word of God is not diligently studied, must become
corrupt.”
[117]
This appeal was rapidly circulated throughout Germany, and
exerted a powerful influence upon the people. The whole nation was
roused to rally around the standard of reform. Luther’s opponents,
burning with a desire for revenge, urged the pope to take decisive
measures against him. It was decreed that his doctrines should be
condemned immediately. Sixty days were granted the Reformer and
his adherents, after which, if they did not recant, they were all to be
excommunicated.
That was a terrible crisis for the Reformation. For centuries
Rome’s sentence of excommunication had been swiftly followed by
the stroke of death. Luther was not blind to the tempest about to
burst upon him; but he stood firm, trusting in Christ to be his support
and shield. With a martyr’s faith and courage he wrote: “What is
about to happen I know not, and I care not to know.” “Wherever the
blow may reach me, I fear not. Not so much as a leaf falls without
the will of our Father; how much rather will he care for us! It is a
little matter to die for the Word, since his Word, that was made flesh
for us, hath himself died. If we die with him, we shall live with him;
and, passing through that which he has passed through before us,
we shall be where he is, and dwell with him forever.”
When the papal bull reached Luther, he said: “I despise it, and
resist it, as impious and false. It is
Christ
himself who is condemned
therein.” “I glory in the prospect of suffering for the best of causes.
Already I feel greater liberty; for I know now that the pope is an-
tichrist, and that his throne is that of Satan himself.”
[118]
Yet the word of the pontiff of Rome still had power. Prison,
torture, and sword were weapons potent to enforce submission.
Everything seemed to indicate that the Reformer’s work was about