was without a single argument from the Scriptures , yet vehemently crying : " Retract , or be sent to Rome for punishment ." Notwithstanding Luther had secured a safe-conduct , the Romanists were plotting to seize and imprison him . His friends urged that as it was useless for him to prolong his stay , he should return to Wittenberg without delay , and that the utmost caution should be observed in order to conceal his intentions . He accordingly left Augsburg before day-break , on horseback , accompanied only by a guide furnished him by the magistrate .
With many forebodings he secretly made his way through the dark and silent streets of the city . Enemies , vigilant and cruel , were plotting his destruction . Would he escape the snares prepared for him ? Those were moments of anxiety and earnest prayer . He reached a small gate in the wall of the city . It was opened for him , and with his guide he passed through without hindrance . Once safely outside , the fugitives hastened their flight , and before the legate learned of Luther ' s departure , he was beyond the reach of his persecutors . Satan and his emissaries were defeated . The man whom they had thought in their power was gone , escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowler . At the news of Luther ' s escape the legate was overwhelmed with surprise and anger . He had expected to receive great honor for his wisdom and firmness in dealing with this disturber of the church ; but his hope was disappointed . He gave expression to his wrath in a letter to Frederick , the elector of Saxony , bitterly denouncing Luther and demanding that Frederick send the Reformer to Rome or banish him from Saxony .
In defense , Luther urged that the legate or the pope show him his errors from the Scriptures , and pledged himself in the most solemn manner to renounce his doctrines if they could be shown to contradict the word of God . And he expressed his gratitude to God that he had been counted worthy to suffer in so holy a cause . The elector had , as yet , little knowledge of the reformed doctrines , but he was deeply impressed by the candor , force , and clearness of Luther ' s words ; and until the Reformer should be proved to be in error , Frederick resolved to stand as his protector . In reply to the legate ' s demand he wrote : " Since Dr . Martin has appeared before you at Augsburg , you should be satisfied . We did not expect that you would endeavor to make him retract without having convinced him of his errors . None of the learned men in our principality have informed me that Martin ' s doctrine is impious , anti-christian , or heretical .' The prince refused , moreover , to send Luther to Rome , or to expel him from his states ." -- D ' Aubigne , b . 4 , ch . 10 .
The elector saw that there was a general breaking down of the moral restraints of society . A great work of reform was needed . The complicated and expensive arrangements to restrain and punish crime would be unnecessary if men but acknowledged and obeyed the requirements of God and the dictates of an enlightened conscience . He saw that Luther was laboring to
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