Page 41 - 07 Luther's Separation from Rome
P. 41
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.
