ON the 7th of October, Luther arrived and at once sent to the pope’s Legate—by name Thomas De Vio, surnamed Cajetan, a cardinal of the church—notice of his arrival. He also sent to his friend Staupitz.
On the next day a stranger visited Luther—he came from Cajetan to "sound" Luther. His name was Serra Longa. He was a wily Italian, and hoped to have the credit of bringing Luther to recant. But Luther said he must be proved to be wrong, and unless they could do that he would not submit; but if they could prove him wrong he would be humble and obedient. With this, Serra Longa left him, full of hope.
But the friends, to whom the Elector Frederick had commended Luther, now came to him and persuaded him that it would be madness on his part to appear before the Legate before he had obtained from the Emperor a safe-conduct. Luther said he did not think it necessary, but they insisted and set to work to obtain it.
In the mean time Serra Longa returned to him with the message, "Come, the cardinal is waiting for you," and then he told Luther how to behave in the cardinal's presence. "You must prostrate yourself with your face to the ground. When he tells you to rise you must kneel before him; and you must not stand erect till he orders you to do so. Remember it is before a prince of the church you are about to appear." Alas! surely the apostle Paul would not have required or allowed such degradation from a fellow Christian! If the Legate required this, what would the pope want?
Luther refused to go without the safe-conduct, because of the advice of his friends. The next day was Sunday. On the Monday Serra Longa came again, declaring Luther had nothing to fear. A word of six letters, said he, would settle all. That word was Revoca, Latin for retract. But that was just what Luther could not say unless they proved him wrong.
“Where will you take refuge when all forsake you?" said Serra Longa.
“Under heaven," said Luther, looking upwards.
At length the safe—conduct arrived, and Luther appeared before the Legate. The reception was cold in the extreme, though Luther followed his instructions of falling, kneeling, and standing.
Luther broke the silence by saying that he appeared at the request of the pope, and the desire of his prince the Elector.
The Cardinal determined to assume a kind tone. He said, "My dear son, you have filled all Germany with commotion by your dispute concerning indulgences." He then told Luther that he must retract his error must abstain from spreading his opinions, and must not again disturb the peace of the church.
Luther asked to be permitted to see the writing of the pope that appointed the cardinal to hear him.
This request greatly astonished Serra Longa and the many other Italians with him. They were so used to see persons filled with fear before the pope's legates that the boldness of Luther greatly astonished them.
De Vio told Luther he could not see the pope's brief.
“Deign then," said Luther, "to inform me wherein I have erred.”
Again the Italians stared in astonishment. De Vio said, "My beloved son, there are two propositions put forward by you which you must before all retract. 1st, ‘The treasure of indulgences does not consist of the merits and sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ' 2nd, ‘The man who receives the holy sacrament must have faith in the grace offered to him.'”
De Vio said he would prove them wrong from scripture; yet did not attempt that, but quoted what certain persons in the church had said.
Luther objected.
“The pope has authority and power over all things," said De Vio.
“Save the scriptures," said Luther.
They then came to the second point, the necessity of faith. On this Luther was very firm. "I will not yield that point, and by God's help I will hold to it to the end.”
“You must this very day retract that very article," said De Vio,.... "or I will proceed to reject and condemn all your doctrine.”
“I have no will but the Lord's," said Luther. "He will do with me what seemeth good in His sight. But had I a hundred heads I would rather lose them all than retract the testimony I have borne to the holy Christian faith.”
“I am not come here to argue with you," replied De Vio. "Retract, or prepare to endure the punishment you have deserved.”
Luther saw it was no use continuing the discussion, and thought it best to answer in writing. "Do you wish," said De Vio, "that I should give you a safe-conduct to Rome?”
Luther took care to decline this. It would have been putting his head in the lion's mouth. He left the hall. On his reaching his lodging he was agreeably surprised to find his friend Staupitz had arrived. He advised Luther to answer in writing.
Staupitz, who was Vicar-General of the order of Augustines, proposed to Luther to disconnect him from that fellowship. This was for two reasons; one, that if Luther was condemned, it would save disgrace to the whole; and secondly, if the cardinal commanded Staupitz to insist on Luther's silence, he could now say that he had no control over him.
On the next day, again Luther appeared before the Cardinal. The Elector had sent two of his councilors—the knight Philip Von Feilitzsch and Dr. Ruhel—with instructions for them to see well after the safety of Luther.
Luther had written out his answer. He read, "What I have taught, I, to this hour, regard as right, true, and Christian. Nevertheless I am but a man, and I may be mistaken. I am therefore willing to be instructed and corrected wherever I may have erred ... . But I solemnly protest against.... that strange assumption which would oblige me to retract, without having convicted me of error.”
“My dear friend," said De Vio, "I beseech you to abandon this useless design.... retract: such is the pope's will. Whether it be your will or not matters little.”
Luther said plainly "I cannot retract.”
De Vio, however, would not let it appear that he could not refute Luther, especially before the respectable witnesses then present; so he began to talk, and argue, and quote opinions of others as fast as he could, without giving Luther the least opportunity to reply. Again and again Luther tried to speak, but on went the Cardinal as fast as ever. Staupitz now begged him to allow Luther to speak; but he would not, on he went with his harangue.
Luther saw it was no use attempting to reply, and at length he begged that he might be permitted to reply in writing. Luther's friends joined in the request, and at length the Cardinal consented.
He carefully prepared his answer. Luther denied that "the treasure of indulgences is the merit of the Lord Jesus Christ and the saints," which the Roman Catholics maintained. Neither could indulgences consist in the merits of Christ alone; for they excused men from good works; whereas God quickened us to perform them.
On the second point, he maintained that there could be no justification but by faith. This was really Luther's great theme; nay more, his one great work was, as we have seen, to bring out clearly the truth of justification by faith. Therefore he could by no means give up faith. His opponents held that it was by works, and penances, indulgences, absolutions, and anything and almost everything but faith. Now Luther declared it was by faith alone.
One might perhaps ask, Why all this ado about one man preaching this truth. Why? The reason is that it entirely destroyed their system. If justification is by faith in Christ, there was no need of indulgences; and if there was no need of indulgences, there was no money coming for them. Besides it told in another way. If scripture was the first and last appeal as to what is truth, then the pope lost his influence, for he must be judged by the scripture the same as any other man.
This will account for why Luther could not be permitted to go on. In a word, he must be put down and silenced, or the pope and the whole system would be shaken to the foundation. Therefore De Vio must not give up the contest easily.
The Cardinal read Luther's reply, but told him that it was all in vain—he must retract.
Luther then showed the Cardinal that even the constitution of pope Clement VI did not say what the Catholics said it did, and in which they boasted. But it was all to no purpose. The Cardinal only called out "Retract, retract.”
Luther asked that his reply might be sent to the pope. This caused a moment's respite, when the Cardinal exclaimed, "Retract, or return no more.”
Luther was struck with the words "return no more." He bowed and retired.
Peace filled his soul. By God's grace he had stood firm to the truth; he could leave results to God. Apart from this inward peace there was indeed enough to trouble him. All sorts of rumors were being reported to him, some declaring that if he did not retract he was to be seized and thrown into prison. But he trusted in God, and was at rest.
The Cardinal, on the other hand, was much disturbed. He saw no way out of the difficulty, and he was now sorry that he had not used milder means with Luther. So he sent off a messenger for Staupitz. "Try now," said De Vio to the Vicar-General, "to prevail upon your monk and induce him to retract. Really I am pleased with him on the whole, and he has no better friend than myself.”
“I have already used my endeavors," said Staupitz, "and I will now again advise him humbly to submit to the church.”
“You must give him," said De Vio, "proper answers from the scriptures.”
“I must confess that that is beyond my power," replied Staupitz.
Staupitz then returned to Luther and begged him to make some concession.
“Refute the scripture I have brought forward," urged Luther.
“That is beyond my power," confessed Staupitz.
“Very well," replied Luther, "my conscience will not allow me to retract.”
Luther then wrote to the Elector through Spalatin, "I have neither hope nor confidence in the Legate. I am resolved not to retract a single syllable.”
He also wrote to Wittenberg, telling them the state of affairs; and stating how peaceful he felt amidst it all, feeling that his cause was that of "the faith of Jesus Christ, and of the grace of God," adding the memorable words, "I seem to feel that prayer is being made for me.”
The Cardinal had promised to send to Luther in writing, stating definitely what he requested him to retract. As this did not arrive, Luther asked Dr. Link to visit the Cardinal. He did so, and found that the Cardinal had despatched Luther's answer to Rome by a swift messenger, and he was waiting the messenger's return.
These tidings filled the friends of Luther with alarm: they feared they would all be seized and imprisoned. Staupitz and Link left the town, and traveled by different routes, leaving poor Luther in the jaws of the lion as they feared.
The next day Luther did not hear from the Cardinal, so he wrote a humble letter to him, confessing that he had not conducted his case so meekly as he might have done. He asked that his cause might be submitted to the pope, for the church to decide what was to be retracted.
To this letter Luther received no reply, and his friends strongly urged Luther to draw up an appeal to the pope, and leave the town. For four days he had waited uselessly, he therefore resolved to write the Cardinal another letter, telling him that he should leave the place, reminding him of his orders to retract or not to appear in his presence again. This letter was not to be delivered to the Cardinal till after Luther had left. He also wrote an appeal to the pope which a friend promised to have posted up at the door of the Cathedral two or three days after his departure.
Thus all was prepared, and early before daybreak (being urged by his friends to use every precaution) he mounted a horse brought to the monastery without boots, spurs, or sword. Accompanied by a mounted guide, they proceeded in the dark through the city. An official, named Lange-mantel, had ordered one of the gates to be opened for them. They passed quietly through and were free. Once out of the city, they put spurs to their horses and were soon out of sight.
When the Cardinal heard of Luther's departure, he was greatly incensed. He had hoped to have brought the matter to some sort of a conclusion, but now all his expectations were banished. That Luther had thus escaped filled the Italians with rage. Such a thing as a monk being brought before a prince of the church, and not being humbled, or condemned, had never before been heard of. The Roman Catholic Church was powerful in those days; but God and His truth were more powerful. This fact they had not yet learned.
To buy the truth and sell it not,
Is God's own word to us;
He freely sells, and sells to all,
Though empty be their purse.
Come buy the wine and milk, He says.
Without a price or cost:
Why buy ye that which is not bread,
By which your toil is lost?
Yet truth God gives, for it is far
Too precious to be bought:
It cost our Lord His life, and now
To us with life is fraught.
Then let us keep it-sell it not,
It is of heavenly birth:
To Him we owe our lives, ourselves,
And all we have of worth.