Chapter XVI: Book XIV: The Augsburg Confession. 1530 (7)

Thus spoke the primate of the German Church, and even the choice of his messenger was significant: Dr. Ruhel was Luther's brother-in-law. John begged him to thank his master.

As this envoy retired, there arrived one of the gentlemen of Duke Henry of Brunswick, a zealous Romanist. He was at first refused admittance on account of the departure, but returned hastily, just as Brück's carriage was leaving the court-yard of the hotel. Approaching the carriage-door, he said: "The Duke informs the Elector that he will endeavour to put things in a better train, and will come this winter to kill a wild boar with him."[826] Shortly after, the terrible Ferdinand himself declared that he would seek every means of preventing an outbreak.[827] All these manifestations of the affrighted Roman-catholics showed on which side was the real strength.

[826] Ein Sawe fahen helfen. (Ibid. 211.)

[827] Corp. Ref. ii. p. 397.

At three o'clock in the afternoon the Elector of Saxony, accompanied by the Dukes of Luneburg and the Princes of Anhalt, quitted the walls of Augsburg. "God be praised," said Luther, "that our dear prince is at last out of hell."[828]

[828] Ein mal aus de Hölle los ist. (L. Epp. iv. p. 175.)

[Sidenote: RESTORATION OF POPERY.]

As he saw these intrepid princes thus escaping from his hands, Charles the Fifth gave way to a violence that was not usual with him.[829] "They want to teach me a new faith," cried he: "but it is not with the doctrine that we shall finish this matter: we must draw the sword, and we shall then see who is the strongest."[830] There was a concert of indignation around him. They were astonished at the audacity of Brück, who had dared call the Romanists--heretics![831] But nothing irritated them so much as the spirit of proselytism which in those glorious days characterized Evangelical Germany; and the anger of the Papists was particularly directed against the Chancellor of Luneburg, "who," said they, "had sent more than a hundred ministers into different places to preach the new doctrine, and who had even publicly boasted of it."[832]--"Our adversaries thirst for our blood," wrote, as they heard these complaints, the deputies of Nuremberg, who remained almost alone at Augsburg.

[829] Der Kaiser ist fast hitzig im Handel. (Corp. Ref. ii. 591.)

[830] Es gehören die Fauste dar zu. (Ibid. p. 592; Urkund. ii. p.
710.)

[831] Fur ketzer angezogen. (Ibid.)

[832] Bis in die Hundert Prediger in andere Lande Schiken helfen
daselbst die neue Lehre zu predigen. (Urkund. ii. p. 646.)

On the 4th October, Charles the Fifth wrote to the Pope; for it was from Rome that the new crusade was to set out. "The negotiations are broken off; our adversaries are more obstinate than ever; and I am resolved to employ my strength and my person in combating them. For this reason I beg your holiness will demand the support of all christian princes."

[Sidenote: TUMULT IN THE CHURCH.]

The enterprise began in Augsburg itself. The day on which he wrote to the Pope, Charles, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast it was, re-established the Cordeliers in that city, and a monk ascending the pulpit said: "All those who preach that Jesus Christ alone has made satisfaction for our sins, and that God saves us without regard to our works, are thorough scoundrels. There are, on the contrary, two roads to salvation: the common road, namely, the observance of the commandments; and the perfect road, namely, the ecclesiastical state." Scarcely was the sermon finished ere they began to remove the benches placed in the church for the Evangelical preaching, breaking them violently (for they were fixed with chains), and throwing them one upon another. Within these consecrated walls two monks, in particular, armed with hammers and pincers, tossed their arms, and shouted like men possessed. "From this frightful uproar," exclaimed some, "one would say they were pulling down a house."[833] It was in truth the house of God that they wished to begin destroying.

[833] Ein alt Haus abbrechen. (Corp. Ref. ii. p. 400.)

After the tumult was appeased, they sang Mass; then a Spaniard desiring to recommence breaking the benches, and being prevented by one of the citizens, they began to hurl chairs at each other; one of the monks, leaving the choir, ran up to them and was soon dragged into the fray; at length the captain of police arrived with his men, who distributed their well-directed blows on every side. Thus recommenced in Germany the restoration of Roman-catholicism: popular violence has often been one of its most powerful allies.

On the 13th October the _recess_ was read to all the Romish states, and on the same day they concluded a Roman league.[834]

[834] Ratschlag, &c. (Urkund. ii. 737-740.)

Two cities had signed the Confession, and two others had assented to it; the Imperialists hoped, however, that these powerless municipalities, affrighted at the imperial authority, would withdraw from the Protestant union. But on the 17th October, instead of two or four cities, sixteen imperial cities, among which were the most important in Germany, declared it was impossible to grant any support against the Turks, so long as public peace was not secured in Germany itself.[835]

[835] Wo sie nicht einen gemeinen Friedensversichert. (Corp. Ref. ii.
pp. 411, 416.)

[Sidenote: UNION OF THE CHURCHES.]

An event more formidable to Charles had just taken place. The unity of the Reformation had prevailed. "We are one in the fundamental articles of faith," had said the Zwinglian cities, "and in particular (notwithstanding some disputes about words among our theologians), we are _one_ in the doctrine of the communion in the body and blood of our Lord. Receive us." The Saxon deputies immediately gave their hands. Nothing unites the children of God so much as the violence of their adversaries. "Let us unite," said all, "for the consolation of our brethren and the terror of our enemies."[836]

[836] Diesem Theil desto mehr Freude und Trost und dem gegentheil
Erschrecken. (Urkund. ii. p. 728.)

In vain did Charles, who was intent on keeping up the division among the Protestants, convoke the deputies of the Zwinglian cities; in vain, desiring to render them odious, had he accused them of fastening a consecrated wafer to a wall and firing bullets at it;[837] in vain did he overwhelm them with fierce threats;--all his efforts were useless. At length the Evangelical party was one.

[837] An eine Wand geheftet und dazu geschossen. (Corp. Ref. ii. p.
423.)

The alarm increased among the Roman party, who resolved on fresh concessions. "The Protestants call for public peace," said they: "well then, let us draw up articles of peace." But, on the 29th October, the Protestants refused these offers, because the Emperor enjoined peace to all the world, without binding himself. "An Emperor has the right to command peace to his subjects," haughtily answered Charles; "but it has never been heard that he commanded it to himself."[838]

[838] These negotiations will be found in Forstermann's Urkunden, pp.
750-793.

Nothing remained but to draw the sword; and for that Charles made every preparation. On the 25th October, he wrote to the cardinals at Rome: "We inform you that we shall spare neither kingdoms nor lordships; and that we shall venture even our soul and our body to complete things so necessary."

[Sidenote: CLOSE OF THE DIET.]

Scarcely had Charles's letter been received, before his major-domo, Pedro de la Cueva, arrived in Rome by express. "The season is now too far advanced to attack the Lutherans immediately," said he to the Pope; "but prepare everything for this enterprise. His majesty thinks it his duty to prefer before all things the accomplishment of your designs." Thus Clement and the Emperor were also united, and both sides began to concentrate their forces.

On the evening of the 11th November, the _recess_ was read to the Protestant deputies, and on the 12th they rejected it, declaring that they did not acknowledge the Emperor's power to command in matters of faith.[839] The deputies of Hesse and of Saxony departed immediately after, and on the 19th November the _recess_ was solemnly read in the presence of Charles the Fifth, and of the princes and deputies who were still in Augsburg. This report was more hostile than the project communicated to the Protestants. It bore, among other things (this is only a sample of the urbanity of this official doctrine), that "to deny free-will was the error not of a man, but of a brute."--"We beg his majesty," said the Elector Joachim, after it was read, "not to leave Germany, until by his cares one sole and same faith be re-established in all the Empire."

[839] Urkunden, ii. p. 823; Corp. Ref. ii. p. 437.

The Emperor replied, that he would not go farther than his states of the Low Countries. They desired deeds should follow close upon words. It was then nearly seven in the evening; a few torches, lighted here and there by the ushers, and casting a pale light, alone illuminated this assembly: they separated without seeing each other; and thus ended, as it were by stealth, that diet so pompously announced to the christian world.

On the 22d November, the _recess_ was made public, and two days after Charles the Fifth set out for Cologne. The ruler of two worlds had seen all his power baffled by a few Christians; and he who had entered the imperial city in triumph, now quitted it gloomy, silent, and dispirited. The mightiest power of the earth was broken against the power of God.

[Sidenote: ATTACK ON GENEVA.]

But the Emperor's ministers and officers, excited by the Pope, displayed so much the more energy. The states of the Empire were bound to furnish Charles for three years, 40,000 foot, 8000 horse, and a considerable sum of money;[840] the Margrave Henry of Zenete, the Count of Nassau, and other nobles, made considerable levies on the side of the Rhine; a captain going through the Black Forest called its rude inhabitants to his standard, and there enrolled six companies of lansquenets; King Ferdinand had written to all the knights of the Tyrol and of Wurtemberg to gird on their cuirasses and to seize their swords; Joachim of Talheim collected the Spanish bands in the Low Countries, and ordered them towards the Rhine; Peter Scher solicited from the Duke of Lorraine the aid of his arms; and another chief hastily moved the Spanish army of Florence in the direction of the Alps. There was every reason to fear that the Germans, even the Roman-catholics, would take Luther's part; and hence principally foreign troops were levied.[841] Nothing but war was talked of in Augsburg.

[840] 40,000 zu Fuss und 8000 zu Ross. (Corp. Ref. ii. p. 399.)

[841] Legati Norinb. ad Senatum, 11th October. (Corp. Ref. ii. p.
402); Legati Sax. ad Electorem, 10th October. (Urkund. ii. p. 711.)

[Sidenote: JOY OF THE EVANGELICALS.]

On a sudden a strange rumour was heard.[842] The signal is given, said every one. A free city, lying on the confines of the Germanic and Roman world,--a city at war with its bishop, in alliance with the Protestants, and which passes for reformed even before really being so, has been suddenly attacked. A courier from Strasburg brings this news to Augsburg, and it circulates throughout the town with the rapidity of lightning. Three days after Michaelmas, some armed men, sent by the Duke of Savoy, pillaged the suburbs of Geneva, and threatened to take possession of the city, and put all to the edge of the sword. Every one in Augsburg was amazed. "Ho!" exclaimed Charles the Fifth, in French, "the Duke of Savoy has begun too soon."[843] It was reported that Magaret, governor of the Low Countries, the Pope, the Dukes of Lorraine and Guelders, and even the King of France, were directing their troops against Geneva. It was there that the army of Rome intended fixing its _point d'appui_. The avalanche was gathering on the first slopes of the Alps, whence it would rush over all Switzerland, and then roll into Germany, burying the Gospel and the Reformation under its huge mass.[844]

[842] Shortly before the close of the diet.

[843] Hatt der Kayser unter andern in Franzosisch geredet. (Ibid. p.
421.)

[844] Geneva expugnata, bellum etiam urbibus Germaniæ Superioris
inferretur. (Corp. Ref. ii. p. 402.)

Never had this sacred cause appeared to be in such great danger, and never in reality had it gained so noble a triumph. The _coup de main_ attempted on those hills, where six years later Calvin was to take his station, and plant the standard of Augsburg and of Nazareth, having failed, all fears were dispelled, and the victory of the confessors of Christ, for an instant obscured, shone forth anew in all its splendour.

While the Emperor Charles, surrounded by a numerous train of princes, was approaching the banks of the Rhine sad and dispirited, the Evangelical Christians were returning in triumph to their homes. Luther was the herald of the victory gained at Augsburg by Faith. "Though our enemies should have around them, beside them, with them, not only that puissant Roman Emperor, Charles, but still more the Emperor of the Turks and his Mahomet," said he, "they could not intimidate, they could not frighten me. It is I who in the strength of God am resolved to frighten and overthrow them. They shall yield to me--they shall fall! and I shall remain upright and firm. My life shall be their headsman, and my death their hell![845]......God blinds them and hardens their hearts; he is driving them towards the Red Sea: all the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen, cannot escape their inevitable destiny. Let them go then, let them perish, since they will it so![846] As for us, the Lord is with us."

[845] Mein leben soll ihr Henker seyn. (L. Opp. xx. p. 304.)

[846] Vadant igitur et pereant, quomodo sic volunt. (L. Epp. iv. p.
167.)

[Sidenote: ESTABLISHMENT OF PROTESTANTISM.]

Thus the Diet of Augsburg, destined to crush the Reformation, was what strengthened it for ever. It has been usual to consider the peace of Augsburg (1555) as the period when the Reform was definitively established. That is the date of legal Protestantism; Evangelical Christianity has another--the autumn of 1530. In 1555 was the victory of the sword and of diplomacy; in 1530 was that of the Word of God and of Faith; and this latter victory is in our eyes the truest and the firmest. The evangelical history of the Reformation in Germany is nearly finished at the epoch we have reached, and the diplomatic history of legal Protestantism begins. Whatever may be done now, whatever may be said, the Church of the first ages has reappeared; and it has reappeared strong enough to show that it will live. There will still be conferences and discussions; there will still be leagues and combats; there will even be deplorable defeats; but all that is a secondary movement. The great movement is accomplished: the cause of Faith is won by Faith. The effort has been made: the Evangelical doctrine has taken root in the world, and neither the storms of men, nor the powers of hell, will ever be able to tear it up.