From the Diet of Worms to the Augsburg Confession - James Aitken Wylie

faces; their looks, on the contrary, bespoke the
gladness and triumph of their spirits. Even the
inquisitors were deeply moved, and waited long
before applying the torch, in the hope of prevailing
with the youths to retract and save their lives. Their
entrearies could extort no answer but this–"We will
die for the name of Jesus Christ." At length the pile
was kindled, and even amid the flames the psalm
ascended from their lips, and joy continued to light
up their countenances. So died the first martyrs of
the Reformation–illustrious heralds of those
hundreds of thousands who were to follow them by
the same dreadful road–not dreadful to those who
walk by faith–to the everlasting mansion of the
sky.
Three confessors of the Gospel had the stake
consumed; in their place it had created hundreds.
"Wherever the smoke of their burning blew," sale!
Erasmus, "it bore with it the seeds of heretics."
Luther heard of their death with thanksgiving. A
cause which had produced martyrs bore the seal of
Divine authentication, and was sure of victory.
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