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Luther and the Reformation: - The Life-Springs of Our Liberties by Joseph A. Seiss
page 54 of 154 (35%)
he consent to retract what he believed to be the Gospel truth till
shown wherein it was at variance with the divine Word. Cajetan's
arguments tripped and failed at every point, and he could only
reiterate that he had been sent to receive a retraction, not to debate
the questions. Luther as often promised this when shown from the
Scriptures to be in the wrong, but not till then.


CAJETAN'S MORTIFICATION.

Foiled and disappointed in his designs, and astounded and impatient
that a poor monk should thus set at naught all the prayers and powers
of the sovereign of Christendom, the cardinal bade him see his face
no more until he had repented of his stubbornness.

At this the friends of the Reformer, fearing for his safety,
clandestinely hurried him out of Augsburg, literally grappling him up
from his bed only half dressed, and brought him away to his
university. He had answered the pope's summons, and yet was free!

Cajetan was mortified at the result, and was upbraided for his
failure. In his chagrin he wrote angrily to the Elector not to soil
his name and lineage by sheltering a heretic, but to surrender Luther
at once, on pain of an interdict. The Elector was troubled. Luther had
not been proven a heretic, neither did he believe him to be one; but
he feared collision with the pope.

Luther said if he were in the Elector's place he would answer the
cardinal as he deserved for thus insulting an honest man; but, not to
be an embarrassment to his prince, he agreed to leave the Elector's
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