ehension. Suspension deferred the execution of
penalties incurred by heresy, either for a term of years, or until a
council should decide. Thus it recognized the divorce of the two
religions, but limited it by time. Comprehension instead of recognizing
the divorce would strive to conceal the breach. It was a domestic
remedy, German and national, not European and papal. To become permanent
it must receive the sanction of pope and council, for the Roman emperor
could not set up a church of Germany. Yet the formula adopted might
conceivably be found to fall within the four corners of the faith, and
so obviate the necessity alike of force or council. Such were the
conditions of the emperor's task, and such the methods which he actually
pursued. He would advance now on one line, now on another, now on two or
three concurrently, but he never definitely abandoned any. This fusion
of obstinacy and versatility was a marked feature of his character.

Suspension was of course often accidental and involuntary. The two chief
stages of Lutheran growth naturally corresponded with the periods, each
of nine years, when Charles was absent. Deliberate suspension was
usually a consequence of the failure of comprehension. Thus at Augsburg
in 1530 the wide gulf between the Lutheran confession and the Catholic
confutation led to the definite suspensive treaty granted to the
Lutherans at Nuremberg (1532). Charles dared not employ the alternative
of force, because he needed their aid for the Turkish war. In 1541,
after a series of religious conferences, he personally presented a
compromise in the so-called Book of Regensburg, which was rejected by
both parties. He then proposed that the articles agreed upon should be
compulsory, while on others toleration should be exercised until a
national council should decide. Never before nor after did he go so far
upon the path of toleration, or so nearly accept a national settlement.
He was then burning to set sail for Algiers. His last formal suspensive
measure was that of Spires (Speyer) in 1544, when he was marching
against Francis. He promised a free and general council to be held in
Germany, and, as a preparation, a national religious congress. The
Lutherans were privately assured that a measure of comprehension should
be concluded with or without papal approval. Meanwhile all edicts
against heresy were suspended. No wonder that Charles afterwards
confessed that he could scarcely reconcile these conc