that he threw down his office and hastened to join the enemy.

Amid the perils which surrounded Luther powerful knights offered to
defend him by force of arms; but he answered, "_No_; by _the Word_ the
world was conquered, by _the Word_ the Church was saved, and by _the
Word_ it must be restored." The thoughts of his 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.