ting to God and the salvation of man. In
this matter his conscience was bound.

And the trial thus offered for his endurance was not yet over. On the
morning of the 19th the Emperor sent word to the estates that he would
now send Luther back in safety to Wittenberg, but treat him as a
heretic. The majority insisted on attempting further negotiations with
him through a committee specially appointed. These were conducted
accordingly by the Elector of Treves. The friendliness and the visible
interest in his cause with which Luther now was urged were more
calculated to move him than Eck's behavior at the diet. He himself bore
witness afterward how the Archbishop had shown himself more than
gracious to him and would willingly have arranged matters peaceably.
Instead of being urged simply to retract all his propositions condemned
by the Pope, or his writings directed against the papacy, he was
referred in particular to those articles in which he rejected the
decisions of the Council of Constance. He was desired to submit in
confidence to a verdict of the Emperor and the empire when his books
should be submitted to judges beyond suspicion. After that he should at
least accept the decision of a future council, unfettered by any
acknowledgment of the previous sentence of the Pope.

So freely and independently of the Pope did this committee of the German
Diet, including several bishops and Duke George of Saxony, proceed in
negotiating with a papal heretic. But everything was shipwrecked on
Luther's firm reservation that the decision must not be contrary to the
Word of God; and on that question his conscience would not allow him to
renounce the right of judging for himself. After two days'
negotiations, he thus, on April 25th, according to Spalatin, declared
himself to the Archbishop: "Most gracious Lord, I cannot yield; it must
happen with me as God wills," and continued: "I beg of your grace that
you will obtain for me the gracious permission of his imperial majesty
that I may go home again, for I have now been here for ten days and
nothing yet has been effected." Three hours later the Emperor sent word
to Luther that he might return to the place he came from, and should be
given a safe-conduct for twenty-one days, but would not be allowed to
preach on the way.

Free residence, however, and protection at Wittenberg, in case Luther
were condemned by the empire, was more than even Frederick the Wise
would be able to assure him.