Thus the mighty Charles, instead of marching with the Pope against the Reform, as he had threatened at Seville, marches with the Reform against the Pope. A few days had sufficed to produce this change of direction: there are few such in history in which the hand of God is more plainly manifested. Charles immediately assumed all the airs of a reformer. On the 17th September, he addressed a manifesto to the Pope,[40] in which he reproaches him for behaving not like the father of the faithful, but like an insolent and haughty man;[41] and declares his astonishment that, being Christ's vicar, he should dare to shed blood to acquire earthly possessions, "which," added he, "is quite contrary to the evangelical doctrine."[42] Luther could not have spoken better. "Let your holiness," continued Charles the Fifth, "return the sword of St. Peter into the scabbard, and convoke a holy and universal council." But the sword was much more to the pontiff's taste than the council. Is not the Papacy, according to the Romish doctors, the source of the two powers? Can it not depose kings, and consequently fight against them?[43] Charles prepared to requite "eye for eye, and tooth for tooth."[44] [40] Caroli Imperat. Rescriptum ad Clementis Septimi criminationes.--(Goldasti, Constitut. Imperiales, i. p. 479.) [41] Non jam pastoris seu communis patris laudem, sed superbi et insolentis nomen.--(Ibid. p. 487.) [42] Cum id ab evangelica doctrina, prorsus alienum videtur.--(Ibid. p. 489.) [43] Utriusque potestatis apicem Papa tenet--(Turrecremata de Potestate Papali.) [44] Exod. xxi. 24. [Sidenote: ITALIAN CAMPAIGN.] Now began that terrible campaign during which the storm burst on Rome and on the Papacy that had been destined to fall on Germany and the Gospel. By the violence of the blows inflicted on the pontifical city, we may judge of the severity of those that would have dashed in pieces the reformed churches. While we retrace so many scenes of horror, we have constant need of calling to mind that the chastisement of the seven-hilled city had been predicted by the Divine Scriptures.[45] [45] Revel. xviii. We should not, however, restrict this prediction to the incomplete sack of 1527, and from which the city soon recovered. [Sidenote: MARCH ON ROME.]