In a month he discharged a terrific volley of artillery upon the
Papacy by his book _Against the Bull of Antichrist_.
In thirteen days later he brought formal charges against the
pope--_first_, as an unjust judge, who condemns without giving a
hearing; _second_, as a heretic and apostate, who requires denial that
faith is necessary; _third_, as an Antichrist, who sets himself
against the Holy Scriptures and usurps their authority; and _fourth_,
as a blasphemer of the Church and its free councils, who declares them
nothing without himself.
This was carrying the war into Africa. Appealing to a future general
council and the Scriptures as superior to popes, he now called upon
the emperor, electors, princes, and all classes and estates in the
whole German empire, as they valued the Gospel and the favor of
Christ, to stand by him in this demonstration.
And, that all might be certified in due form, he called a notary and
five witnesses to hear and attest the same as verily the solemn act
and deed of Martin Luther, done in behalf of himself and all who stood
or should stand with him.
Rome persisted in forcing a schism, and this was Luther's bill of
divorcement.
Nay, more; as Rome had sealed its condemnation of him by burning his
books, he built a stack of fagots on the refuse piles outside the
Elster Gate of Wittenberg, invited thither the whole university, and
when the fires were kindled and the flames were high, he cast into
them, one by one, the books of the canon law, the Decretals, the
Clementines, the Papal Extravagants, and all that lay at the base of
the religion of the hierarchy! And when these were consumed he took
Leo's Bull of excommunication, held it aloft, exclaiming with a loud
voice, "Since thou hast afflicted the saints of God, be thou consumed
with fire unquenchable!" and dashed the impious document into the
flames.
Well done was that! Luther considered it the best act of his life. It
was a brave heart, the bravest then living in this world, that dared
to do it. But it was done then and for ever. Wittenberg looked on
with shoutings. The whole modern world of civilized man has ever since
been looking on with thrilling wonder. And myriads of the sons of God
and liberty are shouting over it yet.
The miner's son had come up full abreast with the triple-crowned
descendant of the Medici. The monk of Wittenberg had matched the
proudest monarch in the world. Henceforth the question was, Which of
them should sway the nations in the time to come?