it　was　not　the　fear　of　personal　suffering；　a　dread　of　torture　or　death；
  which　seemed　immediately　impending；　that　overwhelmed　him　with　its　terror。　He
  had　come　to　the　crisis；　and　he　felt　his　insufficiency　to　meet　it。　Through
  his　weakness　the　cause　of　truth　might　suffer　loss。　Not　for　his　own　safety；
  but　for　the　triumph　of　the　gospel　did　he　wrestle　with　God。　Like　Israel's；　in
  that　night　struggle　beside　the　lonely　stream；　was　the　anguish　and　conflict
  of　his　soul。　Like　Israel；　he　prevailed　with　God。　In　his　utter　helplessness
  his　faith　fastened　upon　Christ；　the　mighty　Deliverer。　He　was　strengthened
  with　the　assurance　that　he　would　not　appear　alone　before　the　council。　Peace
  returned　to　his　soul；　and　he　rejoiced　that　he　was　permitted　to　uplift　the
  word　of　God　before　the　rulers　of　the　nations。
  With　his　mind　stayed　upon　God；　Luther　prepared　for　the　struggle　before　him。
  He　thought　upon　the　plan　of　his　answer；　examined　passages　in　his　own
  writings；　and　drew　from　the　Holy　Scriptures　suitable　proofs　to　sustain　his
  positions。　Then；　laying　his　left　hand　on　the　Sacred　Volume；　which　was　open
  before　him；　he　lifted　his　right　hand　to　heaven　and　vowed　〃to　remain　faithful
  to　the　gospel；　and
  158
  freely　to　confess　his　faith；　even　should　he　seal　his　testimony　with　his
  blood。〃Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　8。
  When　he　was　again　ushered　into　the　presence　of　the　Diet；　his　countenance
  bore　no　trace　of　fear　or　embarrassment。　Calm　and　peaceful；　yet　grandly　brave
  and　noble；　he　stood　as　God's　witness　among　the　great　ones　of　the　earth。　The
  imperial　officer　now　demanded　his　decision　as　to　whether　he　desired　to
  retract　his　doctrines。　Luther　made　his　answer　in　a　subdued　and　humble　tone；
  without　violence　or　passion。　His　demeanor　was　diffident　and　respectful；　yet
  he　manifested　a　confidence　and　joy　that　surprised　the　assembly。
  〃Most　serene　emperor；　illustrious　princes；　gracious　lords；〃　said　Luther；　〃I
  appear　before　you　this　day；　in　conformity　with　the　order　given　me　yesterday；
  and　by　God's　mercies　I　conjure　your　majesty　and　your　august　highnesses　to
  listen　graciously　to　the　defense　of　a　cause　which　I　am　assured　is　just　and
  true。　If；　through　ignorance；　I　should　transgress　the　usages　and　proprieties
  of　courts；　I　entreat　you　to　pardon　me；　for　I　was　not　brought　up　in　the
  palaces　of　kings；　but　in　the　seclusion　of　a　convent。〃Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　8。
  Then；　proceeding　to　the　question；　he　stated　that　his　published　works　were
  not　all　of　the　same　character。　In　some　he　had　treated　of　faith　and　good
  works；　and　even　his　enemies　declared　them　not　only　harmless　but　profitable。
  To　retract　these　would　be　to　condemn　truths　which　all　parties　confessed。　The
  second　class　consisted　of　writings　exposing　the　corruptions　and　abuses　of
  the　papacy。　To　revoke　these　works　would　strengthen　the　tyranny　of　Rome　and
  open　a　wider　door　to　many　and　great　impieties。　In　the　third　class　of　his
  books　he　had　attacked　individuals　who　had　defended　existing　evils。
  Concerning　these　he　freely　confessed　that　he　had　been　more　violent　than　was
  becoming。　He　did　not　claim　to　be　free　from　fault；　but　even　these　books　he
  could　not　revoke；　for　such　a　course　would　embolden　the　enemies　of　truth；　and
  they　would　then　take　occasion　to　crush　God's　people　with　still　greater
  cruelty。
  159
  〃Yet　I　am　but　a　mere　man；　and　not　God；〃　he　continued；　〃I　shall　therefore
  defend　myself　as　Christ　did：　'If　I　have　spoken　evil；　bear　witness　of　the
  evil。'　。　。　。　By　the　mercy　of　God；　I　conjure　you；　most　serene　emperor；　and
  you；　most　illustrious　princes；　and　all　men　of　every　degree；　to　prove　from
  the　writings　of　the　prophets　and　apostles　that　I　have　erred。　As　soon　as　I　am
  convinced　of　this；　I　will　retract　every　error；　and　be　the　first　to　lay　hold
  of　my　books　and　throw　them　into　the　fire。
  〃What　I　have　just　said　plainly　shows；　I　hope；　that　I　have　carefully　weighed
  and　considered　the　dangers　to　which　I　expose　myself；　but　far　from　being
  dismayed；　I　rejoice　to　see　that　the　gospel　is　now；　as　in　former　times；　a
  cause　of　trouble　and　dissension。　This　is　the　character；　this　is　the　destiny；
  of　the　word　of　God。　'I　came　not　to　send　peace　on　earth；　but　a　sword；'　said
  Jesus　Christ。　God　is　wonderful　and　terrible　in　His　counsels；　beware　lest；　by
  presuming　to　quench　dissensions；　you　should　persecute　the　holy　word　of　God；
  and　draw　down　upon　yourselves　a　frightful　deluge　of　insurmountable　dangers；
  of　present　disasters；　and　eternal　desolation。　。　。　。　I　might　quote　many
  examples　from　the　oracles　of　God。　I　might　speak　of　the　Pharaohs；　the　kings
  of　Babylon；　and　those　of　Israel；　whose　labors　never　more　effectually
  contributed　to　their　own　destruction　than　when　they　sought　by　counsels；　to
  all　appearance　most　wise；　to　strengthen　their　dominion。　'God　removeth
  mountains；　and　they　know　it　not。'〃Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　8。
  Luther　had　spoken　in　German；　he　was　now　requested　to　repeat　the　same　words
  in　Latin。　Though　exhausted　by　the　previous　effort；　he　complied；　and　again
  delivered　his　speech；　with　the　same　clearness　and　energy　as　at　the　first。
  God's　providence　directed　in　this　matter。　The　minds　of　many　of　the　princes
  were　so　blinded　by　error　and　superstition　that　at　the　first　delivery　they
  did　not　see　the　force　of　Luther's　reasoning；　but　the　repetition　enabled　them
  to　perceive　clearly　the　points　presented。
  160
  Those　who　stubbornly　closed　their　eyes　to　the　light；　and　determined　not　to
  be　convinced　of　the　truth；　were　enraged　at　the　power　of　Luther's　words。　As
  he　ceased　speaking；　the　spokesman　of　the　Diet　said　angrily：　〃You　have　not
  answered　the　question　put　to　you。　。　。　。　You　are　required　to　give　a　clear　and
  precise　answer。　。　。　。　Will　you；　or　will　you　not；　retract？〃
  The　Reformer　answered：　〃Since　your　most　serene　majesty　and　your　high
  mightinesses　require　from　me　a　clear；　simple；　and　precise　answer；　I　will
  give　you　one；　and　it　is　this：　I　cannot　submit　my　faith　either　to　the　pope　or
  to　the　councils；　because　it　is　clear　as　the　day　that　they　have　frequently
  erred　and　contradicted　each　other。　Unless　therefore　I　am　convinced　by　the
  testimony　of　Scripture　or　by　the　clearest　reasoning；　unless　I　am　persuaded
  by　means　of　the　passages　I　have　quoted；　and　unless　they　thus　render　my
  conscience　bound　by　the　word　of　God；　I　cannot　and　I　will　not　retract；　for　it
  is　unsafe　for　a　Christian　to　speak　against　his　conscience。　Here　I　stand；　I
  can　do　no　other；　may　God　help　me。　Amen。〃　Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　8。
  Thus　stood　this　righteous　man　upon　the　sure　foundation　of　the　word　of　God。
  The　light　of　heaven　illuminated　his　countenance。　His　greatness　and　purity　of
  character；　his　peace　and　joy　of　heart；　were　manifest　to　all　as　he　testified
  against　the　power　of　error　and　witnessed　to　the　superiority　of　that　faith
  that　overcomes　the　world。
  The　whole　assembly　were　for　a　time　speechless　with　amazement。　At　his　first
  answer　Luther　had　spoken　in　a　low　tone；　with　a　respectful；　almost　submissive
  bearing。　The　Romanists　had　interpreted　this　as　evidence　that　his　courage　was
  beginning　to　fail。　They　regarded　the　request　for　delay　as　merely　the　prelude
  to　his　recantation。　Charles　himself；　noting；　half　contemptuously；　the　monk's
  worn　frame；　his　plain　attire；　and　the　simplicity　of　his　address；　had
  declared：　〃This　monk　will　never　make　a　heretic　of　me。〃　The　courage　and
  firmness　which　he　now　displayed；　as　well　as　the　power　and　clearness　of　his
  reasoning；　filled　all　parties　with　surprise。
  161
  The　emperor；　moved　to　admiration；　exclaimed：　〃This　monk　speaks　with　an
  intrepid　heart　and　unshaken　courage。〃　Many　of　the　German　princes　looked　with
  pride　and　joy　upon　this　representative　of　their　nation。
  The　partisans　of　Rome　had　been　worsted；　their　cause　appeared　in　a　most
  unfavorable　light。　They　sought　to　maintain　their　power；　not　be　appealing　to
  the　Scriptures；　but　by　a　resort　to　threats；　Rome's　unfailing　argument。　Said
  the　spokesman　of　the　Diet：　〃If　you　do　not　retract；　the　emperor　and　the
  states　of　the　empire　will　consult　what　course　to　adopt　against　an
  incorrigible　heretic。〃
  Luther's　friend；　who　had　with　great　joy　listened　to　his　noble　defense；
  trembled　at　these　words；　but　the　doctor　himself　said　calmly：　〃May　God　be　my
  helper；　for　I　can　retract　nothing。〃Ibid。；　b。　7；　ch。　8。
  He　was　directed　to　withdraw　from　the　Diet　while　the　princes　consulted
  together。　It　was　felt　that　a　great　crisis　had　come。　Luther's　persistent
  refusal　to　submit　might　affect　the　history　of　the　church　for　ages。　It　was
  decided　to　give　him　one　more　opportunity　to　retract。　For　the　last　time　he
  was　brought　into　the　assembly。　Again　the　question　was　put；　whether　he　would
  renounce　his　doctrines。　〃I　have　no　other　reply　to　make；〃　he　said；　〃than　that
  which　I　have　already　made。〃　It　was　evident　that　he　could　not　be　induced；
  either　by　promises　or　threats；　to　yield　to　the　mandate　of　Rome。
  The　papal　leaders　were　chagrined　that　their　power；　which　had　caused　kings
  and　nobles　to　tremble；　should　be　thus　despised　by　a　humble　monk；　they　longed
  to　make　him　feel　their　wrath　by　torturing　his　life　away。　But　Luther；
  understanding　his　danger；　had　spoken　to　all　with　Christian　dignity　and
  calmness。　His　words　had　been　free　from　pride；　passion；