The European Union in Prophecy The EU in Prophecy I | Page 122

The European Union in Prophecy
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.
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