Their union in the work added strength to the Reformation and was a source of great encouragement to Luther . Augsburg had been fixed upon as the place of trial , and the Reformer set out on foot to perform the journey thither . Serious fears were entertained in his behalf . Threats had been made openly that he would be seized and murdered on the way , and his friends begged him not to venture . They even entreated him to leave Wittenberg for a time and find safety with those who would gladly protect him . But he would not leave the position where God had placed him . He must continue faithfully to maintain the truth , notwithstanding the storms that were beating upon him . His language was : " I am like Jeremiah , a man of strife and contention ; but the more their threats increase , the more my joy is multiplied . . . . They have already destroyed my honour and my reputation . One single thing remains ; it is my wretched body : let them take it ; they will thus shorten my life by a few hours . But as for my soul , they cannot take that . He who desires to proclaim the word of Christ to the world , must expect death at every moment ." -- Ibid ., b . 4 , ch . 4 .
The tidings of Luther ' s arrival at Augsburg gave great satisfaction to the papal legate . The troublesome heretic who was exciting the attention of the whole world seemed now in the power of Rome , and the legate determined that he should not escape . The Reformer had failed to provide himself with a safe-conduct . His friends urged him not to appear before the legate without one , and they themselves undertook to procure it from the emperor . The legate intended to force Luther , if possible , to retract , or , failing in this , to cause him to be conveyed to Rome , to share the fate of Huss and Jerome . Therefore through his agents he endeavoured to induce Luther to appear without a safeconduct , trusting himself to his mercy . This the Reformer firmly declined to do . Not until he had received the document pledging him the emperor ' s protection , did he appear in the presence of the papal ambassador .
As a matter of policy , the Romanists had decided to attempt to win Luther by an appearance of gentleness . The legate , in his interviews with him , professed great friendliness ; but he demanded that Luther submit implicitly to the authority of the church , and yield every point without argument or question . He had not rightly estimated the character of the man with whom he had to deal . Luther , in reply , expressed his regard for the church , his desire for the truth , his readiness to answer all objections to what he had taught , and to submit his doctrines to the decision of certain leading universities . But at the same time he protested against the cardinal ' s course in requiring him to retract without having proved him in error .
The only response was : " Retract , retract !" The Reformer showed that his position was sustained by the Scriptures and firmly declared that he could not renounce the truth . The legate , unable to reply to Luther ' s arguments , overwhelmed him with a storm of reproaches , gibes , and flattery , interspersed with quotations from tradition and the sayings of the Fathers , granting the Reformer no opportunity to speak . Seeing that the conference , thus continued , would be utterly
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