112
The Great Controversy
admiration and esteem. The brilliancy of his talents was not more
marked than his gentleness of disposition. He soon became an earnest
disciple of the gospel, and Luther’s most trusted friend and valued
supporter; his gentleness, caution, and exactness serving as a comple-
ment to Luther’s courage and energy. 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 Re-
former 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
[135]
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 honor 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 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.