Luther’s Separation from Rome
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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 they increase their threatenings,
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the more they multiply my joy.... They have already torn to pieces my
honor and my good name. All I have left is my wretched body; let
them have it; they will then shorten my life by a few hours. But as to
my soul, they shall not have that. He who resolves to bear the word of
Christ to the world, must expect death at every hour.”
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 endeavored to induce Luther to appear without a
safe-conduct, 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 char-
acter 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 an-
swer all objections to what he had taught, and to submit his doctrines
to the decision of certain leading universities. But at the same time