and　the　old　errors　of　the　church；　we　should　reject　the　former。〃　Said
  Melanchthon：　〃Every　day；　in　full　assembly；　Faber　casts　some　new　stone　at　us
  gospelers。〃Ibid。；　b。　13；　ch。　5。
  Religious　toleration　had　been　legally　established；　and　the　evangelical
  states　were　resolved　to　oppose　the　infringement　of　their　rights。　Luther；
  being　still　under　the　ban　imposed　by　the　Edict　of　Worms；　was　not　permitted
  to　be　present　at　Spires；　but　his　place　was　supplied　by　his　colaborers　and
  the　princes　whom　God　had　raised　up　to　defend　His　cause　in　this　emergency。
  The　noble　Frederick　of　Saxony；　Luther's
  199
  former　protector；　had　been　removed　by　death；　but　Duke　John；　his　brother　and
  successor；　had　joyfully　welcomed　the　Reformation；　and　while　a　friend　of
  peace；　he　displayed　great　energy　and　courage　in　all　matters　relating　to　the
  interests　of　the　faith。
  The　priests　demanded　that　the　states　which　had　accepted　the　Reformation
  submit　implicitly　to　Romish　jurisdiction。　The　Reformers；　on　the　other　hand；
  claimed　the　liberty　which　had　previously　been　granted。　They　could　not
  consent　that　Rome　should　again　bring　under　her　control　those　states　that　had
  with　so　great　joy　received　the　word　of　God。
  As　a　compromise　it　was　finally　proposed　that　where　the　Reformation　had　not
  become　established；　the　Edict　of　Worms　should　be　rigorously　enforced；　and
  that　〃in　those　where　the　people　had　deviated　from　it；　and　where　they　could
  not　conform　to　it　without　danger　of　revolt；　they　should　at　least　effect　no
  new　reform；　they　should　touch　upon　no　controverted　point；　they　should　not
  oppose　the　celebration　of　the　mass；　they　should　permit　no　Roman　Catholic　to
  embrace　Lutheranism。〃　Ibid。；　b。　13；　ch。　5。　This　measure　passed　the　Diet；
  to　the　great　satisfaction　of　the　popish　priests　and　prelates。
  If　this　edict　were　enforced；　〃the　Reformation　could　neither　be　extended　。　。
  。　where　as　yet　it　was　unknown；　nor　be　established　on　solid　foundations　。　。　。
  where　it　already　existed。〃　Ibid。；　b。　13；　ch。　5。　Liberty　of　speech　would　be
  prohibited。　No　conversions　would　be　allowed。　And　to　these　restrictions　and
  prohibitions　the　friends　of　the　Reformation　were　required　at　once　to　submit。
  The　hopes　of　the　world　seemed　about　to　be　extinguished。　〃The
  re…establishment　of　the　Romish　hierarchy　。　。　。　would　infallibly　bring　back
  the　ancient　abuses；〃　and　an　occasion　would　readily　be　found　for　〃completing
  the　destruction　of　a　work　already　so　violently　shaken〃　by　fanaticism　and
  dissension。Ibid。；　b。　13；　ch。　5。
  As　the　evangelical　party　met　for　consultation；　one　looked　to　another　in
  blank　dismay。　From　one　to　another　passed　the　inquiry：　〃What　is　to　be　done？〃
  Mighty　issues　for　the　world　were　at　stake。　〃Shall　the　chiefs　of　the
  Reformation
  200
  submit；　and　accept　the　edict？　How　easily　might　the　Reformers　at　this　crisis；
  which　was　truly　a　tremendous　one；　have　argued　themselves　into　a　wrong
  course！　How　many　plausible　pretexts　and　fair　reasons　might　they　have　found
  for　submission！　The　Lutheran　princes　were　guaranteed　the　free　exercise　of
  their　religion。　The　same　boon　was　extended　to　all　those　of　their　subjects
  who；　prior　to　the　passing　of　the　measure；　had　embraced　the　reformed　views。
  Ought　not　this　to　content　them？　How　many　perils　would　submission　avoid！　On
  what　unknown　hazards　and　conflicts　would　opposition　launch　them！　Who　knows
  what　opportunities　the　future　may　bring？　Let　us　embrace　peace；　let　us　seize
  the　olive　branch　Rome　holds　out；　and　close　the　wounds　of　Germany。　With
  arguments　like　these　might　the　Reformers　have　justified　their　adoption　of　a
  course　which　would　have　assuredly　issued　in　no　long　time　in　the　overthrow　of
  their　cause。
  〃Happily　they　looked　at　the　principle　on　which　this　arrangement　was　based；
  and　they　acted　in　faith。　What　was　that　principle？　It　was　the　right　of　Rome
  to　coerce　conscience　and　forbid　free　inquiry。　But　were　not　themselves　and
  their　Protestant　subjects　to　enjoy　religious　freedom？　Yes；　as　a　favor
  specially　stipulated　for　in　the　arrangement；　but　not　as　a　right。　As　to　all
  outside　that　arrangement；　the　great　principle　of　authority　was　to　rule；
  conscience　was　out　of　court；　Rome　was　infallible　judge；　and　must　be　obeyed。
  The　acceptance　of　the　proposed　arrangement　would　have　been　a　virtual
  admission　that　religious　liberty　ought　to　be　confined　to　reformed　Saxony；
  and　as　to　all　the　rest　of　Christendom；　free　inquiry　and　the　profession　of
  the　reformed　faith　were　crimes；　and　must　be　visited　with　the　dungeon　and　the
  stake。　Could　they　consent　to　localize　religious　liberty？　to　have　it
  proclaimed　that　the　Reformation　had　made　its　last　convert？　had　subjugated
  its　last　acre？　and　that　wherever　Rome　bore　sway　at　this　hour；　there　her
  dominion　was　to　be　perpetuated？　Could　the　Reformers　have　pleaded　that　they
  were　innocent　of　the　blood　of　those　hundreds　and　thousands　who；　in　pursuance
  of　this　arrangement；　would　have　to　yield　up　their
  201
  lives　in　popish　lands？　This　would　have　been　to　betray；　at　that　supreme　hour；
  the　cause　of　the　gospel　and　the　liberties　of　Christendom。〃Wylie；　b。　9；　ch。
  15。　Rather　would　they　〃sacrifice　everything；　even　their　states；　their
  crowns；　and　their　lives。〃D'Aubigne；　b。　13；　ch。　5。
  〃Let　us　reject　this　decree；〃　said　the　princes。　〃In　matters　of　conscience　the
  majority　has　no　power。〃　The　deputies　declared：　〃It　is　to　the　decree　of　1526
  that　we　are　indebted　for　the　peace　that　the　empire　enjoys：　its　abolition
  would　fill　Germany　with　troubles　and　divisions。　The　Diet　is　incompetent　to
  do　more　than　preserve　religious　liberty　until　the　council　meets。〃Ibid。；　b。
  13；　ch。　5。　To　protect　liberty　of　conscience　is　the　duty　of　the　state；　and
  this　is　the　limit　of　its　authority　in　matters　of　religion。　Every　secular
  government　that　attempts　to　regulate　or　enforce　religious　observances　by
  civil　authority　is　sacrificing　the　very　principle　for　which　the　evangelical
  Christian　so　nobly　struggled。
  The　papists　determined　to　put　down　what　they　termed　〃daring　obstinacy。〃　They
  began　by　endeavoring　to　cause　divisions　among　the　supporters　of　the
  Reformation　and　to　intimidate　all　who　had　not　openly　declared　in　its　favor。
  The　representatives　of　the　free　cities　were　at　last　summoned　before　the　Diet
  and　required　to　declare　whether　they　would　accede　to　the　terms　of　the
  proposition。　They　pleaded　for　delay；　but　in　vain。　When　brought　to　the　test；
  nearly　one　half　their　number　sided　with　the　Reformers。　Those　who　thus
  refused　to　sacrifice　liberty　of　conscience　and　the　right　of　individual
  judgment　well　knew　that　their　position　marked　them　for　future　criticism；
  condemnation；　and　persecution。　Said　one　of　the　delegates：　〃We　must　either
  deny　the　word　of　God；　or　be　burnt。〃Ibid。；　b。　13；　ch。　5。
  King　Ferdinand；　the　emperor's　representative　at　the　Diet；　saw　that　the
  decree　would　cause　serious　divisions　unless　the　princes　could　be　induced　to
  accept　and　sustain　it。　He　therefore　tried　the　art　of　persuasion；　well
  knowing　that　to　employ　force　with　such　men　would　only　render　them　the　more
  determined。　He　〃begged　the　princes　to　accept　the　decree；
  202
  assuring　them　that　the　emperor　would　be　exceedingly　pleased　with　them。〃　But
  these　faithful　men　acknowledged　an　authority　above　that　of　earthly　rulers；
  and　they　answered　calmly：　〃We　will　obey　the　emperor　in　everything　that　may
  contribute　to　maintain　peace　and　the　honor　of　God。〃Ibid。；　b。　13；　ch。　5。
  In　the　presence　of　the　Diet　the　king　at　last　announced　to　the　elector　and
  his　friends　that　the　edict　〃was　about　to　be　drawn　up　in　the　form　of　an
  imperial　decree；〃　and　that　〃their　only　remaining　course　was　to　submit　to　the
  majority。〃　Having　thus　spoken；　he　withdrew　from　the　assembly；　giving　the
  Reformers　no　opportunity　for　deliberation　or　reply。　〃To　no　purpose　they　sent
  a　deputation　entreating　the　king　to　return。〃　To　their　remonstrances　he
  answered　only：　〃It　is　a　settled　affair；　submission　is　all　that
  remains。〃Ibid。；　b。　13；　ch。　5。
  The　imperial　party　were　convinced　that　the　Christian　princes　would　adhere　to
  the　Holy　Scriptures　as　superior　to　human　doctrines　and　requirements；　and
  they　knew　that　wherever　this　principle　was　accepted；　the　papacy　would
  eventually　be　overthrown。　But；　like　thousands　since　their　time；　looking　only
  〃at　the　things　which　are　seen；〃　they　flattered　themselves　that　the　cause　of
  the　emperor　and　the　pope　was　strong；　and　that　of　the　Reformers　weak。　Had　the
  Reformers　depended　upon　human　aid　alone；　they　would　have　been　as　powerless
  as　the　papists　supposed。　But　though　weak　in　numbers；　and　at　variance　with
  Rome；　they　had　their　strength。　They　appealed　〃from　the　report　of　the　Diet　to
  the　word　of　God；　and　from　the　emperor　Charles　to　Jesus　Christ；　the　King　of
  kings　and　Lord　of　lords。〃Ibid。；　b。　13；　ch。　6。
  As　Ferdinand　had　refused　to　regard　their　conscientious　convictions；　the
  princes　decided　not　to　heed　his　absence；　but　to　bring　their　Protest　before
  the　national　council　without　delay。　A　solemn　declaration　was　therefore　drawn
  up　and　presented　to　the　Diet：
  〃We　protest　by　these　presents；　before　God；　our　only　Creator；　Preserver；
  Redeemer；　and　Saviour；　and　who　will　one　day　be　our　Judge；　as　well　as　before
  all　men　and　all　creatures；