108 The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan
[ 109 ] more!’” Said the Reformer, as he related his dream,“ I maintain this for certain, that the image of Christ will never be effaced. They have wished to destroy it, but it shall be painted afresh in all hearts by much better preachers than myself.” 139
For the last time, Huss was brought before the council. It was a vast and brilliant assembly,— the emperor, the princes of the empire, the royal deputies, the cardinals, bishops, and priests, and an immense crowd who had come as spectators of the events of the day. From all parts of Christendom had been gathered the witnesses of this first great sacrifice in the long struggle by which liberty of conscience was to be secured. Being called upon for his final decision, Huss declared his refusal to abjure, and fixing his penetrating glance upon the monarch whose plighted word had been so shamelessly violated, he declared,“ I determined, of my own free will, to appear before this council, under the public protection and faith of the emperor here present.” 140 A deep flush crimsoned the face of Sigismund as the eyes of all in the assembly turned upon him.
Sentence having been pronounced, the ceremony of degradation began. The bishops clothed their prisoner in the sacerdotal habit, and as he took the priestly robe, he said,“ Our Lord Jesus Christ was covered with a white robe, by way of insult, when Herod had Him conducted before Pilate.” 141 Being again exhorted to retract, he replied, turning toward the people:“ With what face, then, should I behold the heavens? How should I look on those multitudes of men to whom I have preached the pure gospel? No; I esteem their salvation more than this poor body, now appointed unto death.” The vestments were removed one by one, each bishop pronouncing a curse as he performed his part of the ceremony. Finally“ they put on his head a cap or pyramidal-shaped mitre of paper, on which were painted frightful
139 D ' Aubigné, b. 1, ch. 6. 140 Bonnechose, Vol. II, p. 84. 141 Bonnechose, Vol. II, p. 86.