the great controversy-第19章

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him；　and　the　rich　dresses　of　the　cardinals　and　nobles　made　an　imposing
display。

Meanwhile　another　traveler　was　approaching　Constance。　Huss　was　conscious　of
the　dangers　which　threatened　him。

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He　parted　from　his　friends　as　if　he　were　never　to　meet　them　again；　and　went
on　his　journey　feeling　that　it　was　leading　him　to　the　stake。　Notwithstanding
he　had　obtained　a　safe…conduct　from　the　king　of　Bohemia；　and　received　one
also　from　the　emperor　Sigismund　while　on　his　journey；　he　made　all　his
arrangements　in　view　of　the　probability　of　his　death。

In　a　letter　addressed　to　his　friends　at　Prague　he　said：　〃My　brethren；　。　。　。
I　am　departing　with　a　safe…conduct　from　the　king　to　meet　my　numerous　and
mortal　enemies。　。　。　。　I　confide　altogether　in　the　all…powerful　God；　in　my
Saviour；　I　trust　that　He　will　listen　to　your　ardent　prayers；　that　He　will
infuse　His　prudence　and　His　wisdom　into　my　mouth；　in　order　that　I　may　resist
them；　and　that　He　will　accord　me　His　Holy　Spirit　to　fortify　me　in　His　truth；
so　that　I　may　face　with　courage；　temptations；　prison；　and；　if　necessary；　a
cruel　death。　Jesus　Christ　suffered　for　His　well…beloved；　and　therefore　ought
we　to　be　astonished　that　He　has　left　us　His　example；　in　order　that　we　may
ourselves　endure　with　patience　all　things　for　our　own　salvation？　He　is　God；
and　we　are　His　creatures；　He　is　the　Lord；　and　we　are　His　servants；　He　is
Master　of　the　world；　and　we　are　contemptible　mortalsyet　He　suffered！　Why；
then；　should　we　not　suffer　also；　particularly　when　suffering　is　for　us　a
purification？　Therefore；　beloved；　if　my　death　ought　to　contribute　to　His
glory；　pray　that　it　may　come　quickly；　and　that　He　may　enable　me　to　support
all　my　calamities　with　constancy。　But　if　it　be　better　that　I　return　amongst
you；　let　us　pray　to　God　that　I　may　return　without　stainthat　is；　that　I　may
not　suppress　one　tittle　of　the　truth　of　the　gospel；　in　order　to　leave　my
brethren　an　excellent　example　to　follow。　Probably；　therefore；　you　will
nevermore　behold　my　face　at　Prague；　but　should　the　will　of　the　all…powerful
God　deign　to　restore　me　to　you；　let　us　then　advance　with　a　firmer　heart　in
the　knowledge　and　the　love　of　His　law。〃Bonnechose；　vol。　1；　pp。　147；　148。

In　another　letter；　to　a　priest　who　had　become　a　disciple　of　the　gospel；　Huss
spoke　with　deep　humility　of　his　own　errors；　accusing　himself　〃of　having　felt
pleasure　in　wearing

106

rich　apparel　and　of　having　wasted　hours　in　frivolous　occupations。〃　He　then
added　these　touching　admonitions：　〃May　the　glory　of　God　and　the　salvation　of
souls　occupy　thy　mind；　and　not　the　possession　of　benefices　and　estates。
Beware　of　adorning　thy　house　more　than　thy　soul；　and；　above　all；　give　thy
care　to　the　spiritual　edifice。　Be　pious　and　humble　with　the　poor；　and
consume　not　thy　substance　in　feasting。　Shouldst　thou　not　amend　thy　life　and
refrain　from　superfluities；　I　fear　that　thou　wilt　be　severely　chastened；　as
I　am　myself。　。　。　。　Thou　knowest　my　doctrine；　for　thou　hast　received　my
instructions　from　thy　childhood；　it　is　therefore　useless　for　me　to　write　to
thee　any　further。　But　I　conjure　thee；　by　the　mercy　of　our　Lord；　not　to
imitate　me　in　any　of　the　vanities　into　which　thou　hast　seen　me　fall。〃　On　the
cover　of　the　letter　he　added：　〃I　conjure　thee；　my　friend；　not　to　break　this
seal　until　thou　shalt　have　acquired　the　certitude　that　I　am　dead。〃Ibid。；
vol。　1；　pp。　148；　149。

On　his　journey；　Huss　everywhere　beheld　indications　of　the　spread　of　his
doctrines　and　the　favor　with　which　his　cause　was　regarded。　The　people
thronged　to　meet　him；　and　in　some　towns　the　magistrates　attended　him　through
their　streets。

Upon　arriving　at　Constance；　Huss　was　granted　full　liberty。　To　the　emperor's
safe…conduct　was　added　a　personal　assurance　of　protection　by　the　pope。　But；
in　violation　of　these　solemn　and　repeated　declarations；　the　Reformer　was　in
a　short　time　arrested；　by　order　of　the　pope　and　cardinals；　and　thrust　into　a
loathsome　dungeon。　Later　he　was　transferred　to　a　strong　castle　across　the
Rhine　and　there　kept　a　prisoner。　The　pope；　profiting　little　by　his　perfidy；
was　soon　after　committed　to　the　same　prison。　Ibid。；　vol。　1；　p。　247。　He　had
been　proved　before　the　council　to　be　guilty　of　the　basest　crimes；　besides
murder；　simony；　and　adultery；　〃sins　not　fit　to　be　named。〃　So　the　council
itself　declared；　and　he　was　finally　deprived　of　the　tiara　and　thrown　into
prison。　The　antipopes　also　were　deposed；　and　a　new　pontiff　was　chosen。

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Though　the　pope　himself　had　been　guilty　of　greater　crimes　than　Huss　had　ever
charged　upon　the　priests；　and　for　which　he　had　demanded　a　reformation；　yet
the　same　council　which　degraded　the　pontiff　proceeded　to　crush　the　Reformer。
The　imprisonment　of　Huss　excited　great　indignation　in　Bohemia。　Powerful
noblemen　addressed　to　the　council　earnest　protests　against　this　outrage。　The
emperor；　who　was　loath　to　permit　the　violation　of　a　safe…conduct；　opposed
the　proceedings　against　him。　But　the　enemies　of　the　Reformer　were　malignant
and　determined。　They　appealed　to　the　emperor's　prejudices；　to　his　fears；　to
his　zeal　for　the　church。　They　brought　forward　arguments　of　great　length　to
prove　that　〃faith　ought　not　to　be　kept　with　heretics；　nor　persons　suspected
of　heresy；　though　they　are　furnished　with　safe…conducts　from　the　emperor　and
kings。〃Jacques　Lenfant；　History　of　the　Council　of　Constance；　vol。　1；　p。
516。　Thus　they　prevailed。

Enfeebled　by　illness　and　imprisonment；for　the　damp；　foul　air　of　his
dungeon　had　brought　on　a　fever　which　nearly　ended　his　life；Huss　was　at
last　brought　before　the　council。　Loaded　with　chains　he　stood　in　the　presence
of　the　emperor；　whose　honor　and　good　faith　had　been　pledged　to　protect　him。
During　his　long　trial　he　firmly　maintained　the　truth；　and　in　the　presence　of
the　assembled　dignitaries　of　church　and　state　he　uttered　a　solemn　and
faithful　protest　against　the　corruptions　of　the　hierarchy。　When　required　to
choose　whether　he　would　recant　his　doctrines　or　suffer　death；　he　accepted
the　martyr's　fate。

The　grace　of　God　sustained　him。　During　the　weeks　of　suffering　that　passed
before　his　final　sentence；　heaven's　peace　filled　his　soul。　〃I　write　this
letter；〃　he　said　to　a　friend；　〃in　my　prison；　and　with　my　fettered　hand；
expecting　my　sentence　of　death　tomorrow。　。　。　。　When；　with　the　assistance　of
Jesus　Christ；　we　shall　again　meet　in　the　delicious　peace　of　the　future　life；
you　will　learn　how　merciful　God　has　shown　Himself　toward　me；　how　effectually
He　has　supported　me　in　the　midst　of　my　temptations　and　trials。〃Bonnechose；
vol。　2；　p。　67。

108


In　the　gloom　of　his　dungeon　he　foresaw　the　triumph　of　the　true　faith。
Returning　in　his　dreams　to　the　chapel　at　Prague　where　he　had　preached　the
gospel；　he　saw　the　pope　and　his　bishops　effacing　the　pictures　of　Christ
which　he　had　painted　on　its　walls。　〃This　vision　distressed　him：　but　on　the
next　day　he　saw　many　painters　occupied　in　restoring　these　figures　in　greater
number　and　in　brighter　colors。　As　soon　as　their　task　was　ended；　the
painters；　who　were　surrounded　by　an　immense　crowd；　exclaimed；　'Now　let　the
popes　and　bishops　come；　they　shall　never　efface　them　more！'〃　Said　the
Reformer；　as　he　related　his　dream：　〃I　maintain　this　for　certain；　that　the
image　of　Christ　will　never　be　effaced。　They　have　wished　to　destroy　it；　but
it　shall　be　painted　afresh　in　all　hearts　by　much　better　preachers　than
myself。〃D'Aubigne；　b。　1；　ch。　6。

For　the　last　time；　Huss　was　brought　before　the　council。　It　was　a　vast　and
brilliant　assemblythe　emperor；　the　princes　of　the　empire；　the　royal
deputies；　the　cardinals；　bishops；　and　priests；　and　an　immense　crowd　who　had
come　as　spectators　of　the　events　of　the　day。　From　all　parts　of　Christendom
had　been　gathered　the　witnesses　of　this　first　great　sacrifice　in　the　long
struggle　by　which　liberty　of　conscience　was　to　be　secured。

Being　called　upon　for　his　final　decision；　Huss　declared　his　refusal　to
abjure；　and；　fixing　his　penetrating　glance　upon　the　monarch　whose　plighted
word　had　been　so　shamelessly　violated；　he　declared：　〃I　determined；　of　my　own
free　will；　to　appear　before　this　council；　under　the　public　protection　and
faith　of　the　emperor　here　present。〃Bonnechose；　vol。　2；　p。
84。　A　deep　flush　crimsoned　the　face　of　Sigismund　as　the　eyes
of　all　in　the　assembly　turned　upon　him。

Sentence　having　been　pronounced；　the　ceremony　of　degradation　began。　The
bishops　clothed　their　prisoner　in　the　sacerdotal　habit；　and　as　he　took　the
priestly　robe；　he　said：　〃Our　Lord　Jesus　Christ　was　covered　with　a　white
robe；　by　way　of

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insult；　when　Herod　had　Him　conducted　before　Pilate。〃　Ibid。；　vol。　2；　p。　86。
Being　again　exhorted　to　retract；　he　replied；　turning　toward　the　people：
〃With　what　face；　then；　should　I　behold　the　heavens？　How　should　I　look　on
those　multitudes　of　men　to　whom　I　have　preached　the　pure　gospel？　No；　I
esteem　their　salvation　more　than　this　poor　body；　now　appointed　unto　death。〃
The　vestments　were　removed　one　by　one；　each　bishop　pronouncing　a　curse　as　he
performed　his　part　of　the　ceremony。　Finally　〃they　put　on　his　head　a　cap　or
pyramidal…shaped　miter　of　paper；　on　which　were　painted　frightful　figures　of
demons；　with　the　word　'Archheretic'　conspicuous　in　front。　'Most　joyfully；'
said　Huss；　'will　I　wear　this　crown　of　shame　for　Thy　sake；　O　Jesus；　who　for
me　didst　wear　a　crown　of　thorns。'〃

When　he　was　thus　arrayed；　〃the　prelates　said；　'Now　we　devote　thy　soul　to　the
devil。'　'And　I；'　said　John　Huss；　lifting　up　his　eyes　toward　heaven；　'do
commit　my　spirit　into　Thy　hands；　O　Lord　Jesus；　for　Thou　hast　redeemed
me。'〃Wylie；　b。　3；　ch。　7。

He　was　now　delivered　up　to　the　secular　authorities　and　led　away　to　the　place
of　execution。　An　immense　procession　followed；　hundreds　of　men　at　arms；
priests　and　bishops　in　their　costly　robes；　and　the　inhabitants　of　Constance。
When　he　had　been　fastened　to　the　stake；　and　all　was　ready　for　the　fire　to　be
lighted；　the　martyr　was　once　more　exhorted　to　save　himself　by　renouncing　his
errors。　〃What　errors；〃　said　Huss；　〃shall　I　renounce？　I　know　myself　guilty　of
none。　I　call　God　to　witness　that　all　that　I　have　written　and　preached　has
been　with　the　view　of　rescuing　souls　from　sin　and　perdition；　and；　therefore；
most　joyfully　will　I　confirm　with　my　blood　that　truth　which　I　have　written
and　preached。〃Ibid。；　b。　3；　ch。　7。　When　the　flames　kindled　about　him；　he
began　to　sing；　〃Jesus；　Thou　Son　of　David；　have　mercy　on　me；〃　and　so
continued　till　his　voice　was　silenced　forever。

Even　his　enemies　were　struck　with　his　heroic　bearing。　A　zealous　papist；
describing　the　martyrdom　of　Huss；　and　of

110

Jerome；　who　died　soon　after；　said：　〃Both　bore　themselves　with　constant　mind
when　their　last　hour　approached。　They　prepared　for　the　fire　as　if　they　were
going　to　a　marriage　feast。　They　uttered　no　cry　of　pain。　When　the　flames
rose；　they　began　to　sing　hymns；　and　scarce　could　the　vehemency　of　the　fire
stop　their　singing。〃Ibid。；　b。　3；　ch。　7。

When　the　body　of　Huss　had　been　wholly　consumed；　his　ashes；　with　the　soil
upon　which　they　rested；　were　gathered　up　and　cast　into　the　Rhine；　and