he had been forced to turn
aside the blow. Again and again the immediate destruction of all who dared
to oppose themselves to Rome appeared inevitable; but at the critical
moment the armies of the Turk appeared on the eastern frontier, or the
king of France, or even the pope himself, jealous of the increasing
greatness of the emperor, made war upon him; and thus, amid the strife and
tumult of nations, the Reformation had been left to strengthen and extend.

At last, however, the papal sovereigns had stifled their feuds, that they
might make common cause against the Reformers. The Diet of Spires in 1526
had given each state full liberty in matters of religion until the meeting
of a general council; but no sooner had the dangers passed which secured
this concession, than the emperor summoned a second Diet to convene at
Spires in 1529 for the purpose of crushing heresy. The princes were to be
induced, by peaceable means if possible, to side against the Reformation;
but if these failed, Charles was prepared to resort to the sword.

The papists were exultant. They appeared at Spires in great numbers, and
openly manifested their hostility toward the Reformers and all who favored
them. Said Melanchthon, "We are the execration and the sweepings of the
world; but Christ will look down on His poor people, and will preserve
them."(284) The evangelical princes in attendance at the Diet were
forbidden even to have the gospel preached in their dwellings. But the
people of Spires thirsted for the word of God, and notwithstanding the
prohibition, thousands flocked to the services held in the chapel of the
elector of Saxony.

This hastened the crisis. An imperial message announced to the Diet that
as the resolution granting liberty of conscience had given rise to great
disorders, the emperor required that it be annulled. This arbitrary act
excited the indignation and alarm of the evangelical Christians. Said one,
"Christ has again fallen into the hands of Caiaphas and Pilate." The
Romanists became more violent. A bigoted papist declared: "The Turks are
better than the Lutherans; for the Turks observe fast-days, and the
Lutherans violate them. If we must choose between the Holy Scriptures of
God 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."(285)

Religious toleration had been legally established, and the evangelical
states we