〃and　reduce　your　body　to　ashes；　as　they　did　with　John　Huss。〃　Luther
  answered；　〃Though　they　should　kindle　a　fire　all　the　way　from　Worms　to
  Wittenberg；　the　flames　of　which　reached　to　heaven；　I　would　walk　through　it
  in　the　name　of　the　Lord；　I　would　appear　before　them；　I　would　enter　the　jaws
  of　this　behemoth；　and　break　his　teeth；　confessing　the　Lord　Jesus
  Christ。〃Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　7。
  The　news　of　his　approach　to　Worms　created　great　commotion。　His　friends
  trembled　for　his　safety；　his　enemies　feared　for　the　success　of　their　cause。
  Strenuous　efforts　were　made　to　dissuade　him　from　entering　the　city。　At　the
  instigation　of　the　papists　he　was　urged　to　repair　to　the　castle　of　a
  friendly　knight；　where；　it　was　declared；　all　difficulties　could　be　amicably
  adjusted。　Friends　endeavored　to　excite　his　fears　by　describing　the　dangers
  that　threatened　him。　All　their　efforts　failed。　Luther；　still　unshaken；
  declared：　〃Even　should　there　be　as　many　devils　in　Worms　as　tiles　on　the
  housetops；　still　I　would　enter　it。〃Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　7。
  Upon　his　arrival　at　Worms；　a　vast　crowd　flocked　to　the　gates　to　welcome　him。
  So　great　a　concourse　had　not　assembled　to　greet　the　emperor　himself。　The
  excitement　was　intense；　and　from　the　midst　of　the　throng　a　shrill　and
  plaintive　voice　chanted　a　funeral　dirge　as　a　warning　to　Luther　of　the　fate
  that　awaited　him。　〃God　will　be　my　defense；〃　said　he；　as　he　alighted　from　his
  carriage。
  The　papists　had　not　believed　that　Luther　would　really　venture　to　appear　at
  Worms；　and　his　arrival　filled　them　with　consternation。　The　emperor
  immediately　summoned　his　councilors　to　consider　what　course　should　be
  pursued。　One　of　the　bishops；　a　rigid　papist；　declared：　〃We　have　long
  consulted　on　this　matter。　Let　your　imperial　majesty　get　rid　of　this　man　at
  once。　Did　not　Sigismund　cause　John　Huss　to　be　burnt？　We　are　not　bound　either
  to　give　or　to
  154
  observe　the　safe…conduct　of　a　heretic。〃　〃No；〃　said　the　emperor；　〃we　must
  keep　our　promise。〃Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　8。　It　was　therefore　decided　that　the
  Reformer　should　be　heard。
  All　the　city　were　eager　to　see　this　remarkable　man；　and　a　throng　of　visitors
  soon　filled　his　lodgings。　Luther　had　scarcely　recovered　from　his　recent
  illness；　he　was　wearied　from　the　journey；　which　had　occupied　two　full　weeks；
  he　must　prepare　to　meet　the　momentous　events　of　the　morrow；　and　he　needed
  quiet　and　repose。　But　so　great　was　the　desire　to　see　him　that　he　had　enjoyed
  only　a　few　hours'　rest　when　noblemen；　knights；　priests；　and　citizens
  gathered　eagerly　about　him。　Among　these　were　many　of　the　nobles　who　had　so
  boldly　demanded　of　the　emperor　a　reform　of　ecclesiastical　abuses　and　who；
  says　Luther；　〃had　all　been　freed　by　my　gospel。〃Martyn；　page　393。　Enemies；
  as　well　as　friends；　came　to　look　upon　the　dauntless　monk；　but　he　received
  them　with　unshaken　calmness；　replying　to　all　with　dignity　and　wisdom。　His
  bearing　was　firm　and　courageous。　His　pale；　thin　face；　marked　with　the　traces
  of　toil　and　illness；　wore　a　kindly　and　even　joyous　expression。　The　solemnity
  and　deep　earnestness　of　his　words　gave　him　a　power　that　even　his　enemies
  could　not　wholly　withstand。　Both　friends　and　foes　were　filled　with　wonder。
  Some　were　convinced　that　a　divine　influence　attended　him；　others　declared；
  as　had　the　Pharisees　concerning　Christ：　〃He　hath　a　devil。〃
  On　the　following　day　Luther　was　summoned　to　attend　the　Diet。　An　imperial
  officer　was　appointed　to　conduct　him　to　the　hall　of　audience；　yet　it　was
  with　difficulty　that　he　reached　the　place。　Every　avenue　was　crowded　with
  spectators　eager　to　look　upon　the　monk　who　had　dared　resist　the　authority　of
  the　pope。
  As　he　was　about　to　enter　the　presence　of　his　judges；　an　old　general；　the
  hero　of　many　battles；　said　to　him　kindly：　〃Poor　monk；　poor　monk；　thou　art
  now　going　to　make　a　nobler　stand　than　I　or　any　other　captains　have　ever　made
  in　the　bloodiest　of　our　battles。　But　if　thy　cause　is　just；　and　thou　art　sure
  of　it；　go　forward　in　God's　name；　and　fear
  155
  nothing。　God　will　not　forsake　thee。〃D'Aubigne；　b。　7；　ch。　8。
  At　length　Luther　stood　before　the　council。　The　emperor　occupied　the　throne。
  He　was　surrounded　by　the　most　illustrious　personages　in　the　empire。　Never
  had　any　man　appeared　in　the　presence　of　a　more　imposing　assembly　than　that
  before　which　Martin　Luther　was　to　answer　for　his　faith。　〃This　appearance　was
  of　itself　a　signal　victory　over　the　papacy。　The　pope　had　condemned　the　man；
  and　he　was　now　standing　before　a　tribunal　which；　by　this　very　act；　set
  itself　above　the　pope。　The　pope　had　laid　him　under　an　interdict；　and　cut　him
  off　from　all　human　society；　and　yet　he　was　summoned　in　respectful　language；
  and　received　before　the　most　august　assembly　in　the　world。　The　pope　had
  condemned　him　to　perpetual　silence；　and　he　was　now　about　to　speak　before
  thousands　of　attentive　hearers　drawn　together　from　the　farthest　parts　of
  Christendom。　An　immense　revolution　had　thus　been　effected　by　Luther's
  instrumentality。　Rome　was　already　descending　from　her　throne；　and　it　was　the
  voice　of　a　monk　that　caused　this　humiliation。〃Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　8。
  In　the　presence　of　that　powerful　and　titled　assembly　the　lowly　born　Reformer
  seemed　awed　and　embarrassed。　Several　of　the　princes；　observing　his　emotion；
  approached　him；　and　one　of　them　whispered：　〃Fear　not　them　which　kill　the
  body；　but　are　not　able　to　kill　the　soul。〃　Another　said：　〃When　ye　shall　be
  brought　before　governors　and　kings　for　My　sake；　it　shall　be　given　you；　by
  the　Spirit　of　your　Father；　what　ye　shall　say。〃　Thus　the　words　of　Christ　were
  brought　by　the　world's　great　men　to　strengthen　His　servant　in　the　hour　of
  trial。
  Luther　was　conducted　to　a　position　directly　in　front　of　the　emperor's
  throne。　A　deep　silence　fell　upon　the　crowded　assembly。　Then　an　imperial
  officer　arose　and；　pointing　to　a　collection　of　Luther's　writings；　demanded
  that　the　Reformer　answer　two　questionswhether　he　acknowledged　them　as　his；
  and　whether　he　proposed　to　retract　the　opinions　which　he　had　therein
  advanced。　The　titles　of　the　books　having
  156
  been　read；　Luther　replied　that　as　to　the　first　question；　he　acknowledged　the
  books　to　be　his。　〃As　to　the　second；〃　he　said；　〃seeing　that　it　is　a　question
  which　concerns　faith　and　the　salvation　of　souls；　and　in　which　the　word　of
  God；　the　greatest　and　most　precious　treasure　either　in　heaven　or　earth；　is
  involved；　I　should　act　imprudently　were　I　to　reply　without　reflection。　I
  might　affirm　less　than　the　circumstance　demands；　or　more　than　truth
  requires；　and　so　sin　against　this　saying　of　Christ：　'Whosoever　shall　deny　Me
  before　men；　him　will　I　also　deny　before　My　Father　which　is　in　heaven。'
  ＇Matthew　10：33。＇　For　this　reason　I　entreat　your　imperial　majesty；　with　all
  humility；　to　allow　me　time；　that　I　may　answer　without　offending　against　the
  word　of　God。〃　D'Aubigne；　b。　7；　ch。　8。
  In　making　this　request；　Luther　moved　wisely。　His　course　convinced　the
  assembly　that　he　did　not　act　from　passion　or　impulse。　Such　calmness　and
  self…command；　unexpected　in　one　who　had　shown　himself　bold　and
  uncompromising；　added　to　his　power；　and　enabled　him　afterward　to　answer　with
  a　prudence；　decision；　wisdom；　and　dignity　that　surprised　and　disappointed
  his　adversaries；　and　rebuked　their　insolence　and　pride。
  The　next　day　he　was　to　appear　to　render　his　final　answer。　For　a　time　his
  heart　sank　within　him　as　he　contemplated　the　forces　that　were　combined
  against　the　truth。　His　faith　faltered；　fearfulness　and　trembling　came　upon
  him；　and　horror　overwhelmed　him。　Dangers　multiplied　before　him；　his　enemies
  seemed　about　to　triumph；　and　the　powers　of　darkness　to　prevail。　Clouds
  gathered　about　him　and　seemed　to　separate　him　from　God。　He　longed　for　the
  assurance　that　the　Lord　of　hosts　would　be　with　him。　In　anguish　of　spirit　he
  threw　himself　with　his　face　upon　the　earth　and　poured　out　those　broken；
  heart…rending　cries；　which　none　but　God　can　fully　understand。
  〃O　almighty　and　everlasting　God；〃　he　pleaded；　〃how　terrible　is　this　world！
  Behold；　it　openeth　its　mouth　to　swallow　me　up；　and　I　have　so　little　trust　in
  Thee。　。　。　。　If　it　is
  157
  only　in　the　strength　of　this　world　that　I　must　put　my　trust；　all　is　over。　。
  。　。　My　last　hour　is　come；　my　condemnation　has　been　pronounced。　。　。　。　O　God；
  do　Thou　help　me　against　all　the　wisdom　of　the　world。　Do　this；　。　。　。　Thou
  alone；　。　。　。　for　this　is　not　my　work；　but　Thine。　I　have　nothing　to　do　here；
  nothing　to　contend　for　with　these　great　ones　of　the　world。　。　。　。　But　the
  cause　is　Thine；　。　。　。　and　it　is　a　righteous　and　eternal　cause。　O　Lord；　help
  me！　Faithful　and　unchangeable　God；　in　no　man　do　I　place　my　trust。　。　。　。　All
  that　is　of　man　is　uncertain；　all　that　cometh　of　man　fails。　。　。　。　Thou　hast
  chosen　me　for　this　work。　。　。　。　Stand　at　my　side；　for　the　sake　of　Thy
  well…beloved　Jesus　Christ；　who　is　my　defense；　my　shield；　and　my　strong
  tower。〃Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　8。
  An　all…wise　Providence　had　permitted　Luther　to　realize　his　peril；　that　he
  might　not　trust　to　his　own　strength　and　rush　presumptuously　into　danger。　Yet
  it　was　not　the　fear　of　personal　suffering；　a　dread　of　torture　or　death；
  which　seemed　immediately　im