Luther Before the Diet
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which I am well assured is just and right. If in my reply I do not use
the just ceremonial of a court, pardon me, for I am not familiar with its
usages. I am but a poor monk, a child of the cell, and I have labored
only for the glory of God.”
Then, proceeding to the question, he stated that his published
works were not all of the same character. In some he had treated of
faith and good works, and even his enemies declared them not only
harmless but profitable. To retract these would be to condemn truths
which all parties confessed. The second class consisted of writings
exposing the corruptions and abuses of the papacy. To revoke these
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works would strengthen the tyranny of Rome, and open a wider door
to many and great impieties. In the third class of his books he had
attacked individuals who had defended existing evils. Concerning
these he freely confessed that he had been more violent than was
becoming. He did not claim to be free from fault; but even these books
he could not revoke, for such a course would embolden the enemies of
truth, and they would then take occasion to crush God’s people with
still greater cruelty.
“But as I am a mere man, and not God,” he continued, “I will
defend myself as did Christ, who said, If I have spoken evil, bear
witness of the evil.’ By the mercy of God, I implore your imperial
majesty, or any one else who can, whoever he may be, to prove to me
from the writings of the prophets and apostles that I am in error. As
soon as I shall be convinced, I will instantly retract all my errors, and
will be the first to cast my books into the fire. What I have just said,
will show that I have considered and weighed the dangers to which I
am exposing myself; but far from being dismayed by them, I rejoice
exceedingly to see the gospel this day, as of old, a cause of trouble
and dissension. This is the character, the destiny, of God’s Word. Said
Christ, ‘I came not to send peace, but a sword.’ [
Matthew 10:34
.] God
is wonderful and terrible in his counsels. Let us have a care lest in
our endeavors to arrest discords we be found to fight against the holy
Word of God, and bring down upon our heads a frightful deluge of
inextricable dangers, present disaster, and everlasting desolation.... I
might cite examples drawn from the oracles of God. I might speak
of Pharaohs, of kings of Babylon, or of Israel, who were never more
contributing to their own ruin than when, by measures in appearance