great men were the auditory , crowned princes were the preachers , and the sermon was the royal truth of God . " Since the apostolic age ," says a writer , " there has never been a greater work or a more magnificent confession ." --D ' Aubigne , b . 14 , ch . 7 .
" All that the Lutherans have said is true ; we cannot deny it ," declared a papist bishop . " Can you refute by sound reasons the Confession made by the elector and his allies ?" asked another of Dr . Eck . " With the writings of the apostles and prophets--no !" was the reply ; " but with those of the Fathers and of the councils--yes !" " I understand ," responded the questioner . " The Lutherans , according to you , are in Scripture , and we are outside ." -- Ibid ., b . 14 , ch . 8 . Some of the princes of Germany were won to the reformed faith . The emperor himself declared that the Protestant articles were but the truth . The Confession was translated into many languages and circulated through all Europe , and it has been accepted by millions in succeeding generations as the expression of their faith .
God ' s faithful servants were not toiling alone . While principalities and powers and wicked spirits in high places were leagued against them , the Lord did not forsake His people . Could their eyes have been opened , they would have seen as marked evidence of divine presence and aid as was granted to a prophet of old . When Elisha ' s servant pointed his master to the hostile army surrounding them and cutting off all opportunity for escape , the prophet prayed : " Lord , I pray Thee , open his eyes , that he may see ." 2 Kings 6:17 . And , lo , the mountain was filled with chariots and horses of fire , the army of heaven stationed to protect the man of God . Thus did angels guard the workers in the cause of the Reformation .
One of the principles most firmly maintained by Luther was that there should be no resort to secular power in support of the Reformation , and no appeal to arms for its defense . He rejoiced that the gospel was confessed by princes of the empire ; but when they proposed to unite in a defensive league , he declared that " the doctrine of the gospel should be defended by God alone . . . . The less man meddled in the work , the more striking would be God ' s intervention in its behalf . All the politic precautions suggested were , in his view , attributable to unworthy fear and sinful mistrust ." -- D ' Aubigne , London ed ., b . 10 , ch . 14 .
When powerful foes were uniting to overthrow the reformed faith , and thousands of swords seemed about to be unsheathed against it , Luther wrote : " Satan is putting forth his fury ; ungodly pontiffs are conspiring ; and we are threatened with war . Exhort the people to contend valiantly before the throne of the Lord , by faith and prayer , so that our enemies , vanquished by the Spirit of God , may be constrained to peace . Our chief want , our chief labour , is prayer ; let the people know that they are now exposed to the edge of the sword and to the rage of Satan , and let them pray ." -- D ' Aubigne , b . 10 , ch . 14 .
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