From the Diet of Worms to the Augsburg Confession - James Aitken Wylie

he had been a monk himself. Nuns, in many
instances, were left in their convents, and old
monks in their chimney- corners, with a sufficient
maintenance for the rest of their lives.
"Commended to God" was the phrase by which he
designated this class, and which showed that he left
to time and the teaching of the Spirit the
dissolution of the conventual vow, and the castingoff
of the monastic cowl. To expel the nun from
her cell, and strip the monk of his frock, while the
fetter remained on the soul, was to leave them
captives still. It was a Higher who had been
anointed to "proclaim liberty to the captive and the
opening of the prison to them that are bound."
Not less considerate were his instructions to
preachers. He counselled a moderate and wise
course in the pulpit, befitting the exigencies of the
age. They were to go forth into the wilderness that
Christendom had become with the doctrine of the
Baptist, "Repent." But in their preaching they were
never to disjoin Repentance from Faith. These
were two graces which worked together in a golden
yoke; in vain would the former pour out her tears,
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