144 The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan
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But Luther was fearless still. Rome had hurled her anathemas against him, and the world looked on, nothing doubting that he would perish or be forced to yield. But with terrible power he flung back upon herself the sentence of condemnation, and publicly declared his determination to abandon her forever. In the presence of a crowd of students, doctors, and citizens of all ranks, Luther burned the pope ' s bull, with the canon laws, the decretals, and certain writings sustaining the papal power.“ My enemies have been able, by burning my books,” he said,“ to injure the cause of truth in the minds of the common people, and destroy their souls; for this reason I consumed their books in return. A serious struggle has just begun. Hitherto I have been only playing with the pope. I began this work in God ' s name; it will be ended without me, and by His might.” 193
To the reproaches of his enemies who taunted him with the weakness of his cause, Luther answered:“ Who knows if God has not chosen and called me, and if they ought not to fear that, by despising me, they despise God Himself? Moses was alone at the departure from Egypt; Elijah was alone in the reign of King Ahab; Isaiah alone in Jerusalem; Ezekiel alone in Babylon.... God never selected as a prophet either the high priest or any other great personage; but ordinarily He chose low and despised men, once even the shepherd Amos. In every age, the saints have had to reprove the great, kings, princes, priests, and wise men, at the peril of their lives.... I do not say that I am a prophet; but I say that they ought to fear precisely because I am alone and that they are many. I am sure of this, that the word of God is with me, and that it is not with them.” 194
Yet it was not without a terrible struggle with himself that Luther decided upon a final separation from the church. It was about this time that he wrote:“ I feel more and more every day how difficult it is to lay aside the scruples which one has imbibed
193 D ' Aubigné, b. 6, ch. 10. 194 D ' Aubigné, b. 6, ch. 10.