Before Luther’s captivity in the castle of Wartburg, a dispute had arisen between himself and Carlstadt on this very subject. It is recorded of Carlstadt that in the year 1520, “He published a treatise ‘Concerning the Canon of Scripture,’ which, although defaced by bitter attacks on Luther, was nevertheless an able work, setting forth the great principle of Protestantism, viz., the paramount authority of Scripture. He also at this time contended for the authority of the Epistle of St. James, against Luther. On the publication of the bull of Leo X. against the reformers, Carlstadt showed a real and honest courage in standing firm with Luther. His work on ‘Papal Sanctity’ (1520) attacks the infallibility of the pope on the basis of the Bible.”[987] Luther, as is well known, while returning from the Diet of Worms, was seized by the agents of the Elector of Saxony, and hidden from his enemies in Wartburg Castle. We read of Carlstadt at this time as follows:— “In 1521, during Luther’s confinement in the Wartburg, Carlstadt had almost sole control of the reform movement at Wittemberg, and was supreme in the university. He attacked monachism and celibacy in a treatise ‘Concerning Celibacy, Monachism, and Widowhood.’ His next point of assault was the Mass, and a riot of students and young citizens against the Mass soon followed. On Christmas, 1521, he gave the sacrament in both kinds to the laity, and in German; and in January, 1522, he married. His headlong zeal led him to do whatever he came to believe right, at once and arbitrarily. But he soon outran Luther, and one of his great mistakes was in putting the Old Testament on the same footing as the New. On Jan. 24, 1522, Carlstadt obtained the adoption of a new church constitution at Wittemberg, which is of interest only as the first Protestant organization of the Reformation.”[988] There were present at this time in Wittemberg certain fanatical teachers, who, from the town whence they came, were called “the prophets of Zwickau.” They brought Carlstadt for a time so far under their influence, that he concluded academical degrees to be sinful, and that, as the inspiration of the Spirit was sufficient, there was no need of human learning. He therefore advised the students of the university to return to their homes.[989] That institution was in danger of dissolution. Such was Carlstadt’s course in Luther’s absence. With the exception of this last movement, his acts were in themselves right. The changes made at Wittemberg during Luther’s absence, whether timely or not, are generally set down to Carlstadt’s account, and said to have been made by him on his individual responsibility, and in a fanatical manner. But this was quite otherwise. Dr. Maclaine thus states the case:—