calmness。　His　words　had　been　free　from　pride；　passion；　and
  misrepresentation。　He　had　lost　sight　of　himself；　and　the　great　men
  surrounding　him；　and　felt　only　that　he　was　in　the　presence　of　One　infinitely
  superior　to　popes；　prelates；　kings；　and　emperors。　Christ　had　spoken　through
  Luther's　testimony　with　a　power　and　grandeur　that　for　the
  162
  time　inspired　both　friends　and　foes　with　awe　and　wonder。　The　Spirit　of　God
  had　been　present　in　that　council；　impressing　the　hearts　of　the　chiefs　of　the
  empire。　Several　of　the　princes　boldly　acknowledged　the　justice　of　Luther's
  cause。　Many　were　convinced　of　the　truth；　but　with　some　the　impressions
  received　were　not　lasting。　There　was　another　class　who　did　not　at　the　time
  express　their　convictions；　but　who；　having　searched　the　Scriptures　for
  themselves；　at　a　future　time　became　fearless　supporters　of　the　Reformation。
  The　elector　Frederick　had　looked　forward　anxiously　to　Luther's　appearance
  before　the　Diet；　and　with　deep　emotion　he　listened　to　his　speech。　With　joy
  and　pride　he　witnessed　the　doctor's　courage；　firmness；　and　self…possession；
  and　determined　to　stand　more　firmly　in　his　defense。　He　contrasted　the
  parties　in　contest；　and　saw　that　the　wisdom　of　popes；　kings；　and　prelates
  had　been　brought　to　nought　by　the　power　of　truth。　The　papacy　had　sustained　a
  defeat　which　would　be　felt　among　all　nations　and　in　all　ages。
  As　the　legate　perceived　the　effect　produced　by　Luther's　speech；　he　feared；
  as　never　before；　for　the　security　of　the　Romish　power；　and　resolved　to
  employ　every　means　at　his　command　to　effect　the　Reformer's　overthrow。　With
  all　the　eloquence　and　diplomatic　skill　for　which　he　was　so　eminently
  distinguished；　he　represented　to　the　youthful　emperor　the　folly　and　danger
  of　sacrificing；　in　the　cause　of　an　insignificant　monk；　the　friendship　and
  support　of　the　powerful　see　of　Rome。
  His　words　were　not　without　effect。　On　the　day　following　Luther's　answer；
  Charles　caused　a　message　to　be　presented　to　the　Diet；　announcing　his
  determination　to　carry　out　the　policy　of　his　predecessors　to　maintain　and
  protect　the　Catholic　religion。　Since　Luther　had　refused　to　renounce　his
  errors；　the　most　vigorous　measures　should　be　employed　against　him　and　the
  heresies　he　taught。　〃A　single　monk；　misled　by　his　own　folly；　has　risen
  against　the　faith　of　Christendom。　To　stay　such　impiety；　I　will　sacrifice　my
  kingdoms；　my　treasures；
  163
  my　friends；　my　body；　my　blood；　my　soul；　and　my　life。　I　am　about　to　dismiss
  the　Augustine　Luther；　forbidding　him　to　cause　the　least　disorder　among　the
  people；　I　shall　then　proceed　against　him　and　his　adherents　as　contumacious
  heretics；　by　excommunication；　by　interdict；　and　by　every　means　calculated　to
  destroy　them。　I　call　on　the　members　of　the　states　to　behave　like　faithful
  Christians。〃Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　9。　Nevertheless　the　emperor　declared　that
  Luther's　safe…conduct　must　be　respected；　and　that　before　proceedings　against
  him　could　be　instituted；　he　must　be　allowed　to　reach　his　home　in　safety。
  Two　conflicting　opinions　were　now　urged　by　the　members　of　the　Diet。　The
  emissaries　and　representatives　of　the　pope　again　demanded　that　the
  Reformer's　safe…conduct　should　be　disregarded。　〃The　Rhine；〃　they　said；
  〃should　receive　his　ashes；　as　it　had　received　those　of　John　Huss　a　century
  ago。〃Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　9。　But　princes　of　Germany；　though　themselves　papists
  and　avowed　enemies　to　Luther；　protested　against　such　a　breach　of　public
  faith；　as　a　stain　upon　the　honor　of　the　nation。　They　pointed　to　the
  calamities　which　had　followed　the　death　of　Huss；　and　declared　that　they
  dared　not　call　down　upon　Germany；　and　upon　the　head　of　their　youthful
  emperor；　a　repetition　of　those　terrible　evils。
  Charles　himself；　in　answer　to　the　base　proposal；　said：　〃Though　honor　and
  faith　should　be　banished　from　all　the　world；　they　ought　to　find　a　refuge　in
  the　hearts　of　princes。〃　Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　9。　He　was　still　further　urged　by
  the　most　bitter　of　Luther's　papal　enemies　to　deal　with　the　Reformer　as
  Sigismund　had　dealt　with　Hussabandon　him　to　the　mercies　of　the　church；　but
  recalling　the　scene　when　Huss　in　public　assembly　had　pointed　to　his　chains
  and　reminded　the　monarch　of　his　plighted　faith；　Charles　V　declared：　〃I
  should　not　like　to　blush　like　Sigismund。〃Lenfant；　vol。　1；　p。　422。
  Yet　Charles　had　deliberately　rejected　the　truths　presented　by　Luther。　〃I　am
  firmly　resolved　to　imitate　the　example　of　my　ancestors；〃　wrote　the
  monarch。D'Aubigne；　b。　7；　ch。　9。　He　had　decided　that　he　would　not　step　out
  of　the　path　of
  164
  custom；　even　to　walk　in　the　ways　of　truth　and　righteousness。　Because　his
  fathers　did；　he　would　uphold　the　papacy；　with　all　its　cruelty　and
  corruption。　Thus　he　took　his　position；　refusing　to　accept　any　light　in
  advance　of　what　his　fathers　had　received；　or　to　perform　any　duty　that　they
  had　not　performed。
  There　are　many　at　the　present　day　thus　clinging　to　the　customs　and
  traditions　of　their　fathers。　When　the　Lord　sends　them　additional　light；　they
  refuse　to　accept　it；　because；　not　having　been　granted　to　their　fathers；　it
  was　not　received　by　them。　We　are　not　placed　where　our　fathers　were；
  consequently　our　duties　and　responsibilities　are　not　the　same　as　theirs。　We
  shall　not　be　approved　of　God　in　looking　to　the　example　of　our　fathers　to
  determine　our　duty　instead　of　searching　the　word　of　truth　for　ourselves。　Our
  responsibility　is　greater　than　was　that　of　our　ancestors。　We　are　accountable
  for　the　light　which　they　received；　and　which　was　handed　down　as　an
  inheritance　for　us；　and　we　are　accountable　also　for　the　additional　light
  which　is　now　shining　upon　us　from　the　word　of　God。
  Said　Christ　of　the　unbelieving　Jews：　〃If　I　had　not　come　and　spoken　unto
  them；　they　had　not　had　sin：　but　now　they　have　no　cloak　for　their　sin。〃　John
  15：22。　The　same　divine　power　had　spoken　through　Luther　to　the　emperor　and
  princes　of　Germany。　And　as　the　light　shone　forth　from　God's　word；　His　Spirit
  pleaded　for　the　last　time　with　many　in　that　assembly。　As　Pilate；　centuries
  before；　permitted　pride　and　popularity　to　close　his　heart　against　the
  world's　Redeemer；　as　the　trembling　Felix　bade　the　messenger　of　truth；　〃Go
  thy　way　for　this　time；　when　I　have　a　convenient　season；　I　will　call　for
  thee；〃　as　the　proud　Agrippa　confessed；　〃Almost　thou　persuadest　me　to　be　a
  Christian〃　（Acts　24：25；　26：28）；　yet　turned　away　from　the　Heaven…sent
  messageso　had　Charles　V；　yielding　to　the　dictates　of　worldly　pride　and
  policy；　decided　to　reject　the　light　of　truth。
  Rumors　of　the　designs　against　Luther　were　widely　circulated；　causing　great
  excitement　throughout　the　city。　The
  165
  Reformer　had　made　many　friends；　who；　knowing　the　treacherous　cruelty　of　Rome
  toward　all　who　dared　expose　her　corruptions；　resolved　that　he　should　not　be
  sacrificed。　Hundreds　of　nobles　pledged　themselves　to　protect　him。　Not　a　few
  openly　denounced　the　royal　message　of　evincing　a　weak　submission　to　the
  controlling　power　of　Rome。　On　the　gates　of　houses　and　in　public　places；
  placards　were　posted；　some　condemning　and　others　sustaining　Luther。　On　one
  of　these　were　written　merely　the　significant　words　of　the　wise　man：　〃Woe　to
  thee；　O　land；　when　thy　king　is　a　child。〃　Ecclesiastes　10：16。　The　popular
  enthusiasm　in　Luther's　favor　throughout　all　Germany　convinced　both　the
  emperor　and　the　Diet　that　any　injustice　shown　him　would　endanger　the　peace
  of　the　empire　and　even　the　stability　of　the　throne。
  Frederick　of　Saxony　maintained　a　studied　reserve；　carefully　concealing　his
  real　feelings　toward　the　Reformer；　while　at　the　same　time　he　guarded　him
  with　tireless　vigilance；　watching　all　his　movements　and　all　those　of　his
  enemies。　But　there　were　many　who　made　no　attempt　to　conceal　their　sympathy
  with　Luther。　He　was　visited　by　princes；　counts；　barons；　and　other　persons　of
  distinction；　both　lay　and　ecclesiastical。　〃The　doctor's　little　room；〃　wrote
  Spalatin；　〃could　not　contain　all　the　visitors　who　presented　themselves。〃
  Martyn；　vol。　1；　p。　404。　The　people　gazed　upon　him　as　if　he　were　more　than
  human。　Even　those　who　had　no　faith　in　his　doctrines　could　not　but　admire
  that　lofty　integrity　which　led　him　to　brave　death　rather　than　violate　his
  conscience。
  Earnest　efforts　were　made　to　obtain　Luther's　consent　to　a　compromise　with
  Rome。　Nobles　and　princes　represented　to　him　that　if　he　persisted　in　setting
  up　his　own　judgment　against　that　of　the　church　and　the　councils　he　would
  soon　be　banished　from　the　empire　and　would　have　no　defense。　To　this　appeal
  Luther　answered：　〃The　gospel　of　Christ　cannot　be　preached　without　offense。　。
  。　。　Why　then　should　the　fear　or　apprehension　of　danger　separate　me　from　the
  Lord；　and　from　that　divine　word　which　alone　is　truth？　No；　I
  166
  would　rather　give　up　my　body；　my　blood；　and　my　life。〃　D'Aubigne；　b。　7；　ch。
  10。
  Again　he　was　urged　to　submit　to　the　judgment　of　the　emperor；　and　then　he
  would　have　nothing　to　fear。　〃I　consent；〃　said　he　in　reply；　〃with　all　my
  heart；　that　the　emperor；　the　princes；　and　even　the　meanest　Christian；　should
  examine　and　judge　my　works；　but　on　one　condition；　that　they　take　the　word　of
  God　for　their　standa