142 The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan
[ 141 ] and convents,... in the castles of the nobles, in the universities, and in the palaces of kings;” and noble men were rising on every hand to sustain his efforts.
It was about this time that Luther, reading the works of Huss, found that the great truth of justification by faith, which he himself was seeking to uphold and teach, had been held by the Bohemian Reformer.“ We have all,” said Luther,“ Paul, Augustine, and myself, been Hussites without knowing it!”“ God will surely visit it upon the world,” he continued,“ that the truth was preached to it a century ago, and burned!” 188
In an appeal to the emperor and nobility of Germany in behalf of the Reformation of Christianity, Luther wrote concerning the pope:“ It is a horrible thing to behold the man who styles himself Christ ' s vicegerent, displaying a magnificence that no emperor can equal. Is this being like the poor Jesus, or the humble Peter? He is, say they, the lord of the world! But Christ, whose vicar he boasts of being, has said,‘ My kingdom is not of this world.’ Can the dominions of a vicar extend beyond those of his superior?” 189
He wrote thus of the universities:“ I am much afraid that the universities will prove to be the great gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures, and engraving them in the hearts of youth. I advise no one to place his child where the Scriptures do not reign paramount. Every institution in which men are not unceasingly occupied with the word of God must become corrupt.” 190
This appeal was rapidly circulated throughout Germany, and exerted a powerful influence upon the people. The whole nation was stirred, and multitudes were roused to rally around the standard of reform. Luther ' s opponents, burning with a desire for revenge, urged the pope to take decisive measures against him. It was decreed that his doctrines should be immediately
188 Wylie, b. 6, ch, 1. 189 D ' Aubigné, b. 6, ch. 3. 190 D ' Aubigné. b. 6, ch. 3.