impiety , I will sacrifice my kingdoms , my treasures , 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 honour 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 honour 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 Huss--abandon 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 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 .
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