While the councils of the great were thus agitated on the subject of Luther, there were many men in Worms who rejoiced that they were able at length to behold this illustrious servant of God. In the first rank among them was Capito, chaplain and counsellor to the Archbishop of Mentz. This remarkable man, who a short time before had preached the gospel in Switzerland with great freedom,[497] thought it due to the place which he then occupied to pursue a course which exposed him to a charge of cowardice from the Evangelists, and of dissimulation from the Romans.[498] He had, however, preached the doctrine of faith clearly at Mentz, and on his departure had succeeded in supplying his place by a young preacher full of zeal, named Hedio. In this town, the ancient see of the primate of the German Church, the word of God was not bound. The gospel was eagerly listened to: in vain did the monks strive to preach the gospel after their own way, and employ all the means in their power in order to arrest the general impulse; they had no success.[499] But Capito, even while he preached the new doctrine, laboured to continue in friendship with those who persecuted it. He flattered himself, with others of the same sentiments, that he would thus be of great utility to the Church. To hear them talk it might have been supposed that, if Luther was not burnt, if all the Lutherans were not excommunicated, it was owing entirely to Capito's influence over the Archbishop Albert.[500] Cochlœus, dean of Frankfort, arriving at Worms almost at the same time with Luther, immediately waited upon Capito, who being, apparently at least, on very good terms with Aleander, introduced Cochlœus to him, thus serving as a connecting link between the two greatest enemies of the Reformer.[501] Capito doubtless thought that he would do great service to the cause of Christ by all this management; but it cannot be said that any good resulted from it. The event almost always belies these calculations of human wisdom, and proves that a decided course, while it is the most frank, is also the most wise. [497] See Book viii. [498] Astutia plusquam vulpina vehementer callidum .... Lutherismum versutissime dissimulabat. (Cochlœus, p. 36) Exceedingly crafty having more cunning than a fox: he most astutely disguised his Lutheranism. [499] Evangelium audiunt avidissime, verbum Dei alligatum non est... (Caspar Hedio Zw. Ep., p. 157.) [500] "Lutherus in hoc districtu dudum esset combustus, Lutherani αποσυναγωγοι nisi Capito aliter persuasisset principi." (Ibid., 148.) [501] Hic (Capito) illum (Cochlœum) insinuavit Hieronymo Aleandro, nuncio Leonis X. (Cochlœus, p. 36) [Sidenote: CITATION TO THE DIET.]