On the same day, or on the morrow, Jerome Wehe, chancellor of Baden, and Count Truchses on the one side; Chancellor Brück and Melancthon on the other, met at six in the morning in the church of St. Maurice.[804]
Charles, notwithstanding his threats, could not decide on employing force. He could no doubt by a single word to his Spanish bands or to his German lansquenets have seized on these inflexible men, and treated them like Moors. But how could Charles, a Netherlander, a Spaniard, who had been absent ten years from the Empire, dare, without raising all Germany, offer violence to the favourites of the nation? Would not the Roman-catholic princes themselves see in this act an infringement of their privileges? War was unseasonable. "Lutheranism is extending already from the Baltic to the Alps," wrote Erasmus to the legate: "You have but one thing to do: tolerate it."[805]
The negotiation begun in the Church of St. Maurice was continued between the Margrave of Brandenburg and Count Truchses. The Roman party only sought to save appearances, and did not hesitate, besides, to sacrifice everything. It asked merely for a few theatrical decorations—that the Mass should be celebrated in the sacerdotal garment, with chanting, reading, ceremonies, and its two canons.[806] All the rest was referred to the next council, and the Protestants, till then, should conduct themselves so as to render account to God, to the council, and to his majesty.
LUTHER'S EXHORTATION.
But on the side of the Protestants the wind had also changed. Now they will no longer have peace with Rome: the scales had at last fallen from their eyes, and they discovered with affright the abyss into which they had so nearly plunged. Jonas, Spalatin, and even Melancthon were agreed. "We have hitherto obeyed the commandment of St. Paul, Be at peace with all men," said they; "now we must obey this commandment of Christ, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. On the side of our adversaries is nothing but cunning and perfidy, and their only aim is to stifle our doctrine, which is truth itself.[807] They hope to save the abominable articles of Purgatory, Indulgences, and the Papacy, because we have passed them by in silence.[808] Let us beware of betraying Christ and his Word in order to please antichrist and the devil."[809]
Luther at the same time redoubled his entreaties to withdraw his friends from Augsburg. "Return, return," cried he to them; "return, even if it must be so, cursed by the Pope and the Emperor.[810] You have confessed Jesus Christ, offered peace, obeyed Charles, supported insults, and endured blasphemies. I will canonize you, I, as faithful members of Jesus Christ. You have done enough, and more than enough: now it is for the Lord to act, and he will act! They have our Confession, they have the Gospel; let them receive it, if they will; and if they will not, let them go——. If a war should come, let it come! We have prayed enough; and we have discussed enough. The Lord is preparing our adversaries as the victim for the sacrifice; he will destroy their magnificence, and deliver his people. Yes! he will preserve us even from Babylon, and from her burning walls."
THE ELECTOR OF SAXONY.
XII. Thus Luther gave the signal of departure. They replied to the Reformer's appeal, and all prepared to quit Augsburg on Saturday, 17th September. At ten at night Duke Ernest of Luneburg assembled the deputies of Nuremberg and the ministers of the Landgrave in his hotel, and announced to them that the Elector was determined to leave the next morning, without informing any one, and that he would accompany him. "Keep the secret," said he to them, "and know that, if peace cannot be preserved, it will be a trifling matter for me to lose, combating with you, all that God has given me."[811]