s soul were not on human
power, but centred on the throne of Him who lives for ever. It was
Christ's Gospel that was in peril, and he was sure Jehovah would not
abandon his own cause.

Germany waited to see what he would do. Nor was it long kept in
suspense.

FOOTNOTES:

[10] The Bull was issued June 15, 1520. It specified forty-one
propositions out of Luther's works which it condemned as heretical,
scandalous, and offensive to pious ears. It forbade all persons to
read his writings, upon pain of excommunication. Such as had any of
his books in their possession were commanded to burn them. He himself,
if he did not publicly recant his errors and burn his books within
sixty days, was pronounced an obstinate heretic, excommunicated and
delivered over to Satan. And it enjoined upon all secular princes,
under pain of incurring the same censure, to seize his person and
deliver him up to be punished as his crimes deserved; that is to be
burnt as a heretic.

LUTHER AND THE POPE'S BULL.

In a month he discharged a terrific volley of artillery upon the
Papacy by his book _Against the Bull of Antichrist_.

In thirteen days later he brought formal charges against the
pope--_first_, as an unjust judge, who condemns without giving a
hearing; _second_, as a heretic and apostate, who requires denial that
faith is necessary; _third_, as an Antichrist, who sets himself
against the Holy Scriptures and usurps their authority; and _fourth_,
as a blasphemer of the Church and its free councils, who declares them
nothing without himself.

This was carrying the war into Africa. Appealing to a future general
council and the Scriptures as superior to popes, he now called upon
the emperor, electors, princes, and all classes and estates in the
whole German empire, as they valued the Gospel and the favor of
Christ, to stand by him in this demonstration.

And, that all might be certified in due form, he called a notary and
five witnesses to hear and attest the same as verily the solemn act
and deed of Martin Luther, done in behalf of himself and all who stood
or should stand with him.

Rome persisted in forcing a schism, and this was Luther's bill of
divorcement.

Nay, more; as Rome had sealed its condemnation of him by burning his
books, he built a stack of fagots on the refuse piles outside the
Elster Gate of Wittenberg, invited thither the whole university, and
when the fires were kindled and the flames were high, he cast into
t