n 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 in childhood. O, how much pain it
has caused me, though I had the Scriptures on my side, to justify it to
myself that I should dare to make a stand alone against the pope, and hold
him forth as antichrist! What have the tribulations of my heart not been!
How many times have I not asked myself with bitterness that question which
was so frequent on the lips of the papists: 'Art thou alone wise? Can
every one else be mistaken? How will it be, if, after all, it is thyself
who art wrong, and who art involving in thy error so many souls, who will
then be eternally damned?' 'Twas so I fought with myself and with Satan,
till Christ, by His own infallible word, fortified my heart against these
doubts."(195)

The pope had threatened Luther with excommunication if he did not recant,
and the threat was now fulfilled. A new bull appeared, declaring the
Reformer's final separation from the Roman Church, denouncing him as
accursed of Heaven, and including in the same condemnation all who should
receive his doctrines. The great contest had been fully entered upon.

Opposition is the lot of all whom God employs to present truths specially
applicable to their time. There was a present truth in the days of
Luther,--a truth at that time of special importance; there is a present
truth for the church to-day. He who does all things according to the
counsel of His will, has been pleased to place men under various
circumstances, and to enjoin upon them duties peculiar t