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Luther’s Separation from Rome
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to close. The weak and superstitious trembled before the decree of
the pope, and while there was general sympathy for Luther, many
felt that life was too dear to be risked in the cause of reform.
But Luther proceeded to publicly burn the pope’s bull, with the
canon laws, the decretals, and certain writings sustaining the papal
power. By this action he boldly declared his final separation from the
Roman Church. He accepted his excommunication, and proclaimed
to the world that between himself and the pope there must hereafter
be war. The great contest was now fully entered upon. Soon after,
a new bull appeared, and the excommunication which had before
been threatened, was finally pronounced against the Reformer and
all who should receive his doctrines.
Opposition is the lot of all whom God employs to present truths
specially applicable to their time. There was a present truth,—a truth
at that time of special importance,—in the days of Luther; there is a
present truth for the church today. But truth is no more desired by
the majority today than it was by the papists who opposed Luther.
There is the same disposition to accept the theories and traditions
of men for the word of God as in former ages. Those who present
truth for this time should not expect to be received with greater favor
than were earlier reformers. The great controversy between truth
and error, between Christ and Satan, is to increase in intensity to the
close of this world’s history.
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