CHAP. 1. effect the proposed accommodation between the parties failed. Had it been accomplished, it must have been by concessions which would have proved eventually, if not immediately, dangerous to the protestant cause. Luther well observes: "If mutual concessions are made, they will take our's largely, more largely, most largely; and make their own sparingly, more sparingly, most sparingly."1 Seckendorf seems also with good reason jealous of leaving the Roman catholic prelates in possession of that full jurisdiction, which Melancthon, and even Luther, would have conceded to them. It might have been kept in check while such men as the first reformers presided over the protestant societies, but, when they were removed, and less powerful and less watchful pastors succeeded, it might have gone far towards carrying things gradually back to their former state. Here too the finger of providence is probably to be acknowledged and adored. But we turn now to the means by which it pleased that gracious providence still to screen the reformation, and for many years longer to frustrate the effect of the decree of Augsburg, as it had done that of the edict of Worms. 1 "Large, largius, largissime... stricte, strictius, strictissime." Ep. to Melanc. in Melch. Adam. vita Luth. 68. 2 Seck. ii. 176, 196, 212, 213. CHAPTER II. FROM THE DIET OF AUGSBURG TO THE PACIFICATION OF NUREMBERG. 1 THE decree of the diet of Augsburg, so formally promulgated, after long and full deliberation, and bearing so severe a character; supported moreover by a combination of the catholic princes, in which even Charles himself concurred; naturally excited the most serious apprehensions of all the members of the protestant body: and they accordingly proceeded to form such plans, and to adopt such measures, as appeared most likely to avert its effects, and protect them against the rising storm. to the Dec. 1530. Luther, sensible how greatly the minds of Luther's the German people would be agitated on the Admonition occasion, and how much those, in particular, who Germans, favoured his cause, might need both encouragement and counsel; with his wonted promptitude and vigour, published, before the close of the year, his "Warning to his beloved Countrymen." In this work he complains loudly of the inexorable spirit of his adversaries, especially the ecclesiastics, "whom, in the late diet, no submissions, no entreaties, no considerations whatever could soften; and whom, therefore, he concludes that God had given up to be hardened. Their threats, however, he is confident, would be vain and impotent. They were 1 Robertson iii. 51. Seck. ii. 200, iii. 11. CHAP. II. even in danger of raising popular seditions " The Hussites, Milner iv. 279. (259.) which he says, was openly made in the hearing 1" Apertè, audientibus nostris." emperor "Injusta præciperet." It will be seen that Luther's sentiments were such as to warrant this translation. The continual repetition of such exposures was perfectly natural under existing circumstances: yet nothing could be more politic and effective. Whatever gave occasion to them was a fresh advantage afforded to the cause of the reformation. Seck. iii. 5-7. A. D. 1530. CHAP. and other publications. A. D. 1531. For this publication, Luther is charged by Cochlæus and Maimbourg with inciting the Germans to take arms against the emperor. But his object evidently was, only to deter the opposite party from aggression, not to instigate his own adherents to it. He soon after published " Animadversions on the Edict of Augsburg," and a "Defence" of this and the preceding work against an anonymous censurer of them, who wrote from Dresden.1 In the former of these two publications, he asserts the doctrine, which he had uniformly maintained, of justification by faith alone, in the following extraordinary tone of confident defiance: "I, Doctor Martin Luther, the unworthy evangelist of our Lord Jesus Christ, thus think, and thus affirm; That this article, namely, that faith alone without works, justifies us before God, can never be overthrown, neither by the Roman emperor, nor by the Turk, nor by the Tartar, nor by the Persian, nor by the pope, with all his cardinals, bishops, priests, monks, nuns; nor by kings, and princes, and potentates; nor by all the powers of the world, and all devils. This article, whether they will or not, they shall leave to me unshaken; and shall moreover receive for their pains, not the favour of God, but the reward of hell-fire. I, Doctor Luther, affirm under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This is the true gospel.... Christ alone, the Son of God, has died for our sins: but, if he alone takes away our sins, all men, with all their works, are to excluded from all concurrence (or coöperation) in procuring the pardon of sin and justification. Nor can I embrace Christ otherwise than by faith 1 Seck. iii. 7-10. So |