quarrel arose
between the pope and the emperor, during which Rome was twice taken, and
the pope imprisoned. While the princes were thus employed in quarrelling
with each other, Luther persisted in carrying on the work of the
reformation, as well by opposing the papists, as by combating the
Anabaptists and other fanatical sects; which, having taken the advantage
of his contest with the church of Rome, had sprung up and established
themselves in several places.

In 1527, Luther was suddenly seized with a coagulation of the blood
about the heart, which had like to have put an end to his life. The
troubles of Germany being not likely to have any end, the emperor was
forced to call a diet at Spires, in 1529, to require the assistance of
the princes of the empire against the Turks. Fourteen cities, viz.
Stratsburg, Nuremberg, Ulm, Constance, Retlingen, Windsheim, Memmingen,
Lindow, Kempten, Hailbron, Isny, Weissemburg, Nortlingen, S. Gal, joined
against the decree of the diet protestation, which was put into writing,
and published the 19th of April, 1529. This was the famous protestation,
which gave the name of Protestants to the reformers in Germany.

After this, the protestant princes laboured to make a firm league and
enjoined the elector of Saxony and his allies to approve of what the
diet had done; but the deputies drew up an appeal, and the protestants
afterwards presented an apology for their "Confession"--that famous
confession which was drawn up by the temperate Melancthon, as also the
apology. These were signed by a variety of princes, and Luther had now
nothing else to do, but to sit down and contemplate the mighty work he
had finished: for that a single monk should be able to give the church
of Rome so rude a shock, that there needed but such another entirely to
overthrow it, may be well esteemed a mighty work.

In 1533, Luther wrote a consolatory epistle to the citizens of Oschatz,
who had suffered some hardships for adhering to the Augsburg confession
of faith: and in 1534, the Bible translated by him into German was first
printed, as the old privilege, dated at Bibliopolis, under the elector's
own hand, shows; and it was published in the year after. He also
published this year a book "against masses and the consecration of
priests." In February, 1537, an assembly was held at Smalkald about
matters of religion, to which Luther and Melancthon were called. At this
meeting Luther was seized with so grievous an il