REFORMATION. 



lustory of the reformation in Germany ; 

 observing 1 , that Luther and his adherents 

 Soon found most powerful auxiliaries in 

 the University of Wittemberg, and the 

 protection of Frederick, Elector of 

 Saxony. 



While the Saxon reformer was daily 

 making- inroads on the authority of the 

 Roman See, first by an opposition to the 

 promulgation of indulgences, and from 

 that, by a fearless exposure of the errors 

 and doctrines of the Catholic Church it- 

 self, the Pope and Cardinals at Rome 

 were asleep in the arms of luxury, and 

 insensible of their danger amidst the en- 

 joyments of polite literature, the mysti- 

 cisms of Plato, the glare of outward gran- 

 deur, and the stupefactions of sensuality. 

 It is true, the supineness of Leo was often 

 reproved by those who bad the interests 

 of the Church at heart ; but the natural 

 benevolence of that pontiff's disposition, 

 and his utter aversion to business, or so- 

 licitude, rendered it difficult to convince 

 him that the disputes in Saxony were any 

 thing besides the squabbles of restless 

 and ignorant monks, unworthy his re- 

 gard, and beneath his interference. And 

 when at length he was reminded by the 

 Emperor Maximilian, that his forbear- 

 ance or negligence began to be dan- 

 gerous, the matter had gone too far to be 

 easily arrested. 



Emboldened by success, encouraged 

 by the increasing number of his adhe- 

 rents, and above all, protected by the se- 

 cular power, Luther had already pro- 

 ceeded much farther in the work of 

 reformation, than it is probable he him- 

 self at first intended ; when, therefore, he 

 was summoned by the Pope to appear 

 before him at Rome, by the interference 

 of Frederick the Wise, he procured the 

 liberty of being heard in a conference to 

 be held in Germany. This indulgence 

 might possibly have somewhat abated the 

 zeal and opposition of Luther, had pro- 



Eer persons been chosen to give him a 

 earing. But, instead of this, the persons 

 appointed to this service were his avowed 

 enemies, the Bishop of Ascula, and Syl- 

 vestero Prierio. Poor and bare -footed, 

 Luther, having commended himself and 

 his cause to God, boldly repaired to Augs- 

 burg, after having written to his friend 

 and fellow reformer, Philip Melancthon, 

 to the following effect : " I know nothing 

 new or extraordinary here, except that 

 I am become the subject of conversation 

 throughout the whole city, and that every 

 one wishes to see the man who is to be 

 the victim of such a conflagration. You 

 VOL. V. 



will act your part properly, as you have 

 always done ; and teach the youth in- 

 trusted to your care. I go, for you, and 

 for them, to be sacrificed, if it should so 

 please God. I rather choose to perish, 

 and what is more afflicting, to be for 

 ever deprived even of your society, than 

 to retract what I have already asserted, 

 or to be the means of affording the stupid 

 adversaries of all liberal studies an op- 

 portunity of accomplishing their pur- 

 pose." 



With such sentiments and resolutions, 

 this fearless reformer proceeded to de- 

 fend himself and his doctrines against the 

 sense and authority of the Pope's legate, 

 and any whom that Cardinal might be 

 pleased to appoint for the purpose of 

 opposing- the reformation. 



At this memorable conference, every 

 thing that remonstrance, persuasion, and 

 condescension, on the part of the Cardi- 

 nal of Gaeta, could effect, were used, to 

 bring back this unruly reformer to an im- 

 plicit obedience to the authority and 

 practices of the holy see ; but all in vain. 

 Luther gained additional strength and 

 boldness by every encounter; and the 

 conference closed with an appeal to Leo 

 the Tenth, in which, after recapitulating 

 the proceedings which had already taken 

 place, Luther declares that he is not con- 

 scious of having advanced any thing* 

 against the holy scriptures, the ecclesias- 

 tical fathers, the decrees of the popes, or 

 right reason ; but that all which he has 

 said is catholic, proper, and true. Being, 

 however, a man, and therefore liable to 

 error, he submits himself to the church, 

 and offers himself personally, either there 

 or elsewhere, to adduce the reasons of 

 his belief, and reply to all objections that 

 may be made against it. This protest 

 not satisfying the mind of the Cardinal, 

 through the interference of some of Lu- 

 ther's friends, he procured from the re- 

 former a conciliatory letter, in which he 

 acknowledges that he has been indiscreet 

 in speaking in disrespectful terms of the 

 supreme pontiffs ; and promises even to 

 be silent in future respecting indul- 

 gences, provided, his adversaries were 

 also compelled to be silent, or were re- 

 strained in their abuse of him. With 

 these concessions, and an appeal from 

 Leo the Tenth, prejudiced and misled, 

 to Leo the Tenth, better informed on the 

 subject, Luther abruptly quitted the city 

 of Augsburg. Notwithstanding this dis- 

 respectful conduct, the Cardinal did not 

 avail himself of the powers with which he 

 had been entrusted, to excommunicate 



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