_Of Imperial Diets and Assemblies in Causes of Religion_.
In the year 1518, the 9th of July, when I, said Luther, was cited and
summoned, I came and appeared: Frederick Prince Elector of Saxony having
appointed me a great and strong convoy and safe-conduct. I was warned in
any case not to have conversation with the Italians, nor to repose any
trust or confidence in them. I was three whole days in Augsburg without
the Emperor’s safe-conduct. In the mean time, an Italian came unto me,
and carried me to the Cardinal Cajetan; and by the way he earnestly
persuaded me to revoke and recant; I should, said he, need to speak but
only one word before the Cardinal, namely, _Revoco_, and then the
Cardinal would recommend me to the Pope’s favour so that with honour I
might return safely again to my master, the Prince Elector. After three
days the Bishop of Trier came, who, in the Emperor’s name, showed and
declared to the Cardinal my safe-conduct. Then I went unto him in all
humility, fell down first upon my knees; secondly, all along upon the
ground; thirdly, when I had remained awhile so lying, then the Cardinal
three times bade me arise; whereupon I stood up. This pleased him well,
hoping I would consider, and better bethink myself.
The next day, when I came before him again, and would revoke nothing at
all, then he said unto me, “What? thinkest thou that the Pope careth for
Germany? or dost thou think that the Princes will raise arms and armies
to maintain and defend thee? Oh, no; where wilt thou remain in safety?”
I said, Under Heaven. After this the Pope humbled himself, and wrote to
our church, yea, he wrote even to the Prince Elector’s chaplain, and to
one of his counsellors, Spalatine and Pfeffinger, that they would
surrender me into his hands, and procure that his pleasure and command
might be put in execution. And the Pope wrote also to the Prince Elector
himself after the following manner:
“Although, as touching my person, thou art to me unknown, yet I have seen
thy father, Prince Ernestus, at Rome, who was altogether an obedient son
to the Church; he visited and frequented our religion with great
devotion, and held the same in highest honour. I wish and would that thy
illustrious serenity would also tread in his footsteps,” etc.
But the Prince Elector well marked the Pope’s unaccustomed humility, and
his evil conscience; he was also acquainted with the power and operation
of the Holy Scriptures. Therefore he remained where he was, and returned
thanks to the Pope for his affection towards him.
My books, said Luther, in a short time went, yea, flew throughout Europe;
therefore the Prince Elector was confirmed and strengthened, insomuch
that he utterly refused to execute the Pope’s commands, but subjected
himself under the acknowledgment of the Scriptures.
If the Cardinal had handled me with more discretion at Augsburg, and had
dealt kindly with me when I fell at his feet, then it had never come thus
far; for at that time I saw very few of the Pope’s errors which now I
see. Had he been silent, so had I lightly held my peace. The style and
custom of the Romish court in dark and confused cases, was this: that the
Pope said, We by papal power do take these causes unto us; we quench them
out and destroy them. I am persuaded that the Pope willingly would give
three Cardinals, on condition that it were still in that vessel wherein
it was before he began to meddle with me.
_Of Luther’s Journey and Proceedings at the Imperial Diet at Worms_,
_Anno 1520_.
On Tuesday in the Passion week, said Luther, I was cited by the herald to
appear at the Diet; he brought with him a safe-conduct from the Emperor,
and many other Princes, but the safe-conduct was soon broken, even the
next day (Wednesday), at Worms, where I was condemned, and my books
burned. Now, when I came to Erfurt, I received intelligence that I was
cast and condemned at Worms, yea, and that in all cities and places
thereabout it was published and spread abroad; insomuch that the herald
asked me, whether I meant to go to Worms, or no?
Although I was somewhat astonished at the news, yet I answered the
herald, and said, although in Worms there were as many devils as there
are tiles on the houses, yet, God willing, I will go thither.
When I came to Oppenheim, in the Palatinate, not far from Worms, Bucer
came unto me, and dissuaded me from entering into the town; for, said he,
Sglapian, the Emperor’s confessor, had been with him, and had entreated
him to warn me not to go thither, for I should be burned; but rather that
I should go to a gentleman there near at hand, Francis Von Sickingen, and
remain with him, who willingly would receive and entertain me. This plot
the wicked wretches, said Luther, had devised against me, to the end I
should not appear; for if I had contracted the time, and staid away three
days, then my safe-conduct had been expired, and then they would have
locked the town-gates, and without hearing, I should have been condemned
and made away. But I went on in all simplicity, and when I saw the city,
I wrote presently to Spalatine, and gave him notice of my coming, and
desired to know where I should be lodged. Then they all wondered at my
coming, which was so far from their expectation; for they verily thought
I would have stayed away, as scared through their threatenings. There
were two worthy gentlemen (John Von Hirschfeld, and St. John Schott), who
received me by the Prince Elector’s command, and brought me to their
lodging.
No Prince came unto me, but only Earls and gentlemen, who earnestly
looked upon me, and who had exhibited four hundred articles to his
Imperial Majesty against those of the spirituality, and desired a redress
and a removing of those their grievances, otherwise they themselves
should be constrained to remedy the same; from all which grievances they
are now delivered through the Gospel, which I (God be praised) have
brought again to light. The Pope at that time wrote to the Emperor, that
he should not perform the safe-conduct; for which end all the Bishops
also pressed the Emperor; but the Princes and States of the Empire would
not consent thereunto: for they alleged that a great tumult thereupon
would arise. I received of them a great deal of courtesy, insomuch that
the Papists were more afraid of me than I was of them.
For the Landgrave of Hesse (being then but a young Prince) desired that I
might be heard, and he said openly unto me, “Sir, is your cause just and
upright, then I beseech God to assist you.” Now being in Worms, I wrote
to Sglapian, and desired him to make a step unto me, but he would not.
Then being called, I appeared in the Senate House before the Council and
State of the whole Empire, where the Emperor, and the Princes Electors in
person were assembled.
Then Dr. Eck (the Bishop of Trier’s fiscal) began, and said unto me,
“Martin, thou art called hither to give answer, whether thou
acknowledgest these writings to be thy books or no?” (The books lay on a
table which he showed unto me.) I answered and said, “I believe they be
mine.” But Hierome Schurfe presently thereupon said, “Let the titles of
them be read.” Now when the same were read, then I said, “Yea, they are
mine.” Then he said, “Will you revoke them?” I answered and said, “Most
gracious Lord and Emperor, some of my books are books of controversies,
wherein I touch my adversaries: some, on the contrary, are books of
doctrine; the same I neither can nor will revoke. But if in case I have
in my books of controversies been too violent against any man, then I am
content therein to be better directed, and for that end I desire respite
of time.” Then they gave me one day and one night. The next day I was
cited by the Bishops and others, who were appointed to deal with me
touching my revocation. Then I said, “God’s Word is not my word,
therefore I know not how to give it away; but in whatsoever is therein,
besides the same, I will show obedience.” Then Marquis Joachim said unto
me “Sir Martin, so far as I understand, you are content to be instructed,
excepting only what may concern the Holy Writ.” I said, “Yea;” then they
pressed me to refer the cause to His Imperial Majesty; I said, I durst
not presume so to do. Then they said, “Do you not think that we are also
Christians, who with all care and diligence would finish and end such
causes? You ought to put so much trust and confidence in us, that we
would conclude uprightly.” To that I answered and said, “I dare not
trust you so far, that you should conclude against yourselves, who even
now have cast and condemned me, being under safe-conduct; yet,
nevertheless, that ye may see what I will do, I will yield up into your
hands my safe-conduct, and do with me what ye please.” Then all the
Princes said, “Truly, he offereth enough, if not too much.” Afterwards
they said, “Yield unto us yet in some articles.” I said, “In God’s name,
such articles as concern not the Holy Scriptures I will not stand
against.” Presently hereupon, two Bishops went to the Emperor, and
showed him that I had revoked. Then the Emperor sent another Bishop unto
me, to know if I had referred the cause to him, and to the Empire. I
said, I had neither done it, nor intended so to do. In this sort, said
Luther, did I alone resist so many, insomuch that my Doctor, and divers
others of my friends, were much offended and vexed by reason of my
constancy; yea, some of them said, if I had referred the articles to
their consideration, they would have yielded, and given way to those
articles which in the council at Costnitz had been condemned. Then came
Cocleus upon me, and said, “Sir Martin, if you will yield up your
safe-conduct, then I will enter into dispute with you.” I, for my part,
said Luther, in my simplicity, would have accepted thereof. But
Hieronimus Schurfe earnestly entreated me not to do the same, and in
derision and scorn, answered Cocleus and said, “O brave offer, if a man
were so foolish as to entertain it!”
Then came a Doctor unto me, belonging to the Marquis of Baden, essaying,
with a strain of high-carried words, to move me, admonished me, and said:
“Truly, Sir Martin, you are bound to do much, and to yield for the sake
of fraternal love, and to the end that peace and tranquillity among the
people may be preserved, lest tumults and insurrections should be
occasioned and raised. Besides, it were also greatly befitting you to
show obedience to the Imperial Majesty, and diligently to beware of
causing offences in the world; therefore I would advise you to revoke.”
Whereupon, said Luther, I said: “For the sake of brotherly love and amity
I could and would do much, so far as it were not against the faith and
honour of Christ.” When all these had made their vain assaults, then the
Chancellor of Trier said unto me, “Martin Luther, you are disobedient to
the Imperial Majesty; therefore you have leave and licence to depart
again with your safe-conduct.” In this sort I again departed from Worms
with a great deal of gentleness and courtesy, to the wondering of the
whole Christian world, insomuch that the Papists wished they had left me
at home. After my departure, that abominable edict of proscribing was
put in execution at Worms, which gave occasion to every man to revenge
himself upon his enemies, under the name and title of Protestant heresy.
But the tyrants, not long after, were constrained to recall the same
again.
_Of the Imperial Diet at Augsburg_, _Anno 1530_.
The Imperial Diet held at Augsburg, 1530, is worthy of all praise; for
then and from thence came the Gospel among the people in other countries,
contrary to the wills and expectations both of Emperor and Pope;
therefore, said Luther, what hath been spent there should be grievous to
no man. God appointed the Imperial Diet at Augsburg, to the end the
Gospel should be spread further abroad and planted. They over-climbed
themselves at Augsburg, for the Papists openly approved there of our
doctrine. Before that Diet was held, the Papists had made the Emperor
believe that our doctrine was altogether frivolous; and when he came to
the Diet, he should see that they would put us all to silence, insomuch
that none of us should be able to speak a word in defence of our
religion; but it fell out far otherwise; for we openly and freely
confessed the Gospel before the Emperor and the whole Empire. And at
that Diet we confounded our adversaries in the highest degree. The
Imperial Diet at Augsburg was invaluable, by reason of the Confession of
Faith, and of God’s Word, which on our part was there performed: for
there the adversaries were constrained to confess that our Confession was
upright and true.
_Of the Confession and Apology which at Augsburg was exhibited to the
emperor_.
The Emperor, said Luther, censured understandingly and discreetly, and
carried himself princely in this cause of religion; he found our
Confession to be far otherwise than the Papists had informed him—namely,
that we were most ungodly people, and led most wicked and detestable kind
of lives; and that we taught against the first and second tables of the
Ten Commandments of God. For this cause, the Emperor sent our Confession
and Apology to all the universities; his council also delivered their
opinions, and said: “In case their doctrine were against the holy
Christian faith, then they thought fitting that His Imperial Majesty
should seek to suppress it with all his power. But if it be only against
ceremonies and abuses (as now it appeareth to be) then to refer it to the
consideration and censure of learned people,” etc. This, said Luther,
was good and wise counsel.
Dr. Eck confessed openly, and said: “The Protestants cannot be confuted
and opposed out of Holy Scriptures.” Therefore the Bishop of Mainz said
unto him, “Oh, how finely our learned Divines do defend us and our
doctrine!” “The Bishop of Mainz,” said Luther, “holdeth our doctrine to
be upright and true, but he only courteth the Pope, otherwise long before
this time he would have played strange pranks with his Holiness.”
_Of the Strength and Profit of the Confession and Apology of Augsburg_.
God’s Word is powerful; the more it is persecuted the more and further it
spreadeth itself abroad. Behold the Imperial Diet at Augsburg, which
doubtless is the last trumpet before the dreadful Day of Judgment. How
raged the world there against the Word! Oh, said Luther, how were we
there fain to pray the Pope and Papists, that they would be pleased to
permit and suffer Christ to live quietly in heaven! There our doctrine
broke through into the light in such sort, that by the Emperor’s strict
command the same was sent to all Kings, Princes, and Universities. This
our Doctrine forthwith enlightened many excellent people, dispersed here
and there in Princes’ courts, among whom some of God were chosen to take
hold on this our doctrine, like unto tinder, and afterwards kindled the
same also in others.
Our Apology and Confession with great honour came to light; the Papists’
confutations are kept in darkness, and do stink. Oh, said Luther, how
willingly would I that their confutations might appear to the world; then
I would set upon that old torn and tattered skin, and in such sort would
baste it, that the flitches thereof should fly about here and there; but
they shun the light. This time twelvemonths no man would have given a
farthing for the Protestants, so sure the ungodly Papists were of us.
For, said Luther, when my most gracious Lord and master, the Prince
Elector of Saxony, before other Princes came to the Diet, the Papists
marvelled much thereat, for they verily believed that he would not have
appeared, by reason (as they imagined) his cause was too bad and foul to
be brought before the light. But what fell out? Even this, that in
their greatest security they were overwhelmed with the greatest fear and
affrightments. Because the Prince Elector, like an upright Prince,
appeared so early at Augsburg, then the other Popish princes swiftly
posted away from Augsburg to Innsbruck, where they held serious counsel
with Prince George and the Marquis of Baden, all of them wondering what
the Prince Elector’s so early approach to the Diet should mean, insomuch
that the Emperor himself thereat was astonished, and doubted whether he
might come and go in safety or not. Whereupon the princes were
constrained to promise, that they would set up body, goods, and blood by
the Emperor, the one offering to maintain 6,000 horse, another so many
thousands of foot-soldiers, etc., to the end His Majesty might be the
better secured. There was a wonder among wonders to be seen, in that God
struck with fear and cowardliness the enemies of the truth. And although
at that time the Prince Elector of Saxony was alone, and but only the
hundredth sheep, while the others were ninety-and-nine, yet,
notwithstanding, it so fell out that they all trembled and were afraid.
Now when they came to the point, and began to take the business in hand,
then there appeared but a very small heap that stood by God’s Word.
But, said Luther, we brought with us a strong and mighty King, a King
above all Emperors and Kings, namely, Christ Jesus, the powerful Word of
God. Then all the Papists cried out, and said, “Oh, it is insufferable
that so small and silly a heap should set themselves against the Imperial
power.” But, said Luther, the Lord of Hosts frustrateth the councils of
Princes. Pilate had power to put our blessed Saviour to death, but
willingly he would not; Annas and Caiaphas willingly would have done it,
but could not.
The Emperor, for his own part, is good and honest; but the Popish Bishops
and Cardinals are undoubtedly knaves. And forasmuch as the Emperor now
refuseth to bathe his hands in innocent blood, therefore the frantic
Princes do bestir themselves, do scorn and contemn the good Emperor in
the highest degree. The Pope also for anger is ready to burst in pieces,
because the Diet, in this sort, without shedding of blood, should be
dissolved; therefore he sendeth the sword to the Duke of Bavaria, to
proceed therewith, and intendeth to take the crown from the Emperor’s
head, and to set it upon the head of Bavaria; but he shall not accomplish
it. In this manner ordered God the business, that Kings, Princes, yea,
and the Pope himself, fell from the Emperor, and that we joined with him,
which was a great wonder of God’s providence, in that he whom the devil
intended to use against us, even the same, God taketh, maketh and useth
for us. Oh, wonder, said Luther, above all wonders!
_Of the Assembly of the Princes at Brunswick_, _1531_.
When the Princes (professing the Augustinian Confession) held an assembly
at Brunswick, then Luther received three letters, wherein was shown that
the Prince Elector of Saxony journeyed five days through the Marquisate
of Brandenburg, whereas Prince Henry of Brunswick would neither give him
convoy nor permit him to go through his country. But the Prince Elector
of Brandenburg, in his country, gave him princely entertainment in every
place, and many went out of Brunswick to meet and to receive him. But
the Landgrave of Hessen went on the other side, through Goslar, without a
convoy. Christianus, King of Denmark, the second day of the assembly,
delivered up the Confession of his Faith, and was held and esteemed a
second David. Whereupon Luther said, God of his mercy assist him for the
sanctifying of his name. But, said he, the pride of the Duke of
Brunswick may easily redound to his own hurt and prejudice, who, contrary
to all law and equity, denied a safe convoy to one of his best and truest
friends. Moses likewise desired a safe convoy to the King of the
Amorites; but being denied, he thereby took occasion to raise war against
him. The Lord of Heaven grant us peace. The same day other letters came
to Luther from Brunswick, showing that the King of Denmark in person, the
Ambassadors of England and France, and of many Imperial cities, were
arrived there, among whom, some carried themselves very strangely towards
those of the Protestant League. Luther said, under the name and colour
of the Gospel, they seek their own particular advantages, but in the
least danger they are afraid. These politic and terrestrial leagues and
unions have no hand nor share in the Gospel: God alone preserveth and
defendeth the same in times of persecution. Let us put trust and
confidence in him, and with him; let us erect and establish an
everlasting league, for the world is the world, and will remain the
world.
_Of the Convention and Assembly of the Protestant State at
Frankfort-on-the-Main_, _1539_.
God, of his infinite mercy, said Luther, assist them at
Frankfort-on-the-Main, that they may Christian-like consult and conclude,
to the end that God’s honour, the good and profit of the commonwealth may
be furthered. Indeed, it is a very small assembly; it hath a strange
aspect to be held in an Imperial city; but forasmuch as they are
thereunto constrained by the adversaries, they must be content.
The Papists, void of shame, do unwisely undertake to possess themselves
of the cities, and by fraud to draw thereunto their adherents; then they
make show of keeping peace, but in the meantime they contrive how to
separate and confuse the whole body, and of the members to make a
massacre; they secretly fall upon Hamburg, upon Minden, and Frankfort.
They might more wisely go to work, if by open wars they assailed us. At
Augsburg they openly condemned us; and if those of our party had not been
patient, it had presently gone on at that time. Anno 1539, the 16th of
February, Luther commanded public prayers to be made for the day at
Frankfort, that peace might be confirmed. For if the Landgrave be
incensed, then all resistance will be in vain. The Landgrave neither
provoketh nor giveth occasion to wars; but, on the contrary, when he is
provoked, he still seeketh peace; whereas, notwithstanding, he is better
furnished and provided for wars than his adversary is, by 2,000 horse,
for Hessen and Saxon are horsemen; when they are set in the saddle, they
are then not so easily hoisted out again. As for the high-country
horsemen, they, said Luther, are dancing gentlemen. God preserve the
Landgrave; for a valiant man and Prince is of great importance. Augustus
Cæsar was wont to say, “I would rather be in an army of stags, where a
lion is general, than to be in an army of lions where a stag is general.”
The 25th of February, Luther prayed again with great devotion for peace,
and for the day at Frankfort, that through civil wars (which are most
hurtful), the religion, policy, and God’s Word might not be sophisticated
and torn in pieces. Wars are pleasing to those that have had no trial or
experience of them; God bless us from wars.