Luther's calmness was not of long duration. Seated in loneliness on the ramparts of the Wartburg, he remained whole days lost in deep meditation. At one time the Church appeared before him, displaying all her wretchedness;[25] at another, directing his eyes hopefully towards heaven, he could exclaim: "Wherefore, O Lord, hast thou made all men in vain?" (Psalm lxxxix. 48.) And then, giving way to despair, he cried with dejection: "Alas! there is no one in this latter day of his anger, to stand like a wall before the Lord, and save Israel!" [25] Ego hic sedens tota die faciem Ecclesiæ ante me constituo. L. Epp. ii. 1. Then recurring to his own destiny, he feared lest he should be accused of deserting the field of battle;[26] and this supposition weighed down his soul. "I would rather," said he, "be stretched on coals of fire, than lie here half-dead."[27] [26] Verebar ego ne aciem deserere viderer. Ibid. [27] Mallem inter carbones vivos ardere, quam solus semivivus, atque utinam non mortuus putere. Ibid. 10. Transporting himself in imagination to Worms and Wittemberg, into the midst of his adversaries, he regretted having yielded to the advice of his friends, that he had quitted the world, and that he had not presented his bosom to the fury of men.[28] "Alas!" said he, "there is nothing I desire more than to appear before my cruelest enemies."[29] [28] Cervicem esse objectandam publico furori. Ibid. 89. [29] Nihil magis opto, quam furoribus adversariorum occurrere, objecto jugulo. Ibid. 1. [Sidenote: HOPE--SICKNESS.] Gentler thoughts, however, brought a truce to such anxiety. Everything was not storm and tempest for Luther; from time to time his agitated mind found tranquillity and comfort. Next to the certainty of God's help, one thing consoled him in his sorrows; it was the recollection of Melancthon. "If I perish," wrote he, "the Gospel will lose nothing:[30] you will succeed me as Elisha did Elijah, with a double portion of my spirit." But calling to mind Philip's timidity, he exclaimed with energy: "Minister of the Word! keep the walls and towers of Jerusalem, until you are struck down by the enemy. As yet we stand alone upon the field of battle; after me, they will aim their blows at you."[31] [30] Etiam si peream, nihil peribit Evangelio. L. Epp. ii. 10. [31] Nos soli adhuc stamus in acie: te quærent post me. Ibid. 2.