The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 164

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 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