I had at first thought of making arrangements for the present publication with the English and Scotch booksellers who had translated the former portions. Relations that I had maintained with some of these publishers, and which had gained my esteem for them, induced me to adopt this course. They were consequently informed by letter of my purpose, and several months later I had an interview with some of them at Glasgow. I told them of my intentions, and desired to know theirs. They replied, that they could not communicate them immediately, since they would first have to come to an arrangement with their colleagues, in order to make me a proposal in common. It would appear that they did not succeed. However that may be, and although I allowed a sufficient period of time to elapse, I received no communication from the associated publishers. But at the same time, one of the first houses in Great Britain, Messrs. Oliver and Boyd of Edinburgh, who were introduced to me by my highly respected friend Dr. Chalmers, made me a suitable and precise offer. I could wait no longer; and on the very eve of my departure from London for the Continent, after a sojourn of three months in Scotland and in England, I made arrangements with them, which have since been definitively settled, and the Work is now their property.
The French laws are positive to protect literary property in France, even if it belongs to a foreigner. I am less familiar with the English laws; but I will not do England the injustice of believing that its legislation is surpassed by that of France in justice and in morality.
J. H. MERLE D'AUBIGNE.
Eaux-Vives, Geneva, January 1846.
CONTENTS.
BOOK XIII.—[Page 11.]
THE PROTEST AND THE CONFERENCE.
1526-1529.
Twofold Movement of Reform—Reform, the Work of God—First Diet of Spire—Palladium of Reform—Proceedings of the Diet—Report of the Commissioners—The Papacy described—Destruction of Jerusalem—Instructions of Seville—Change of Policy—The Holy League—Religious Liberty proposed—Crisis of the Reformation—Italian War—Emperor's Manifesto—Italian Campaign—March on Rome—Revolt of the Troops—Papal Army—The Assault—The Sack—German Humours—Violence of the Spaniards—Profitable Calm—Constitution of the Church—Philip of Hesse—The Monk of Marburg—Lambert's Paradoxes—Friar Boniface—Disputation at Homburg—Triumph of the Gospel in Hesse—Constitution of the Church—Synods—Two Elements in the Church—Luther on the Ministry—Organization of the Church—Evils of State Interference—Luther's Letter to the Elector—German Mass—Melancthon's Instructions—Disaffection—Visitation of the Reformed Churches—Important Results—The Reformation Advances—Elizabeth of Brandenburg—A Pious Princess—Edict of Ofen—Persecutions—Winckler and Carpenter—Persecutions—Keyser—Alarm in Germany—Pack's Forgery—League of the Reformed Princes—Advice of the Reformers—Luther's pacific Counsel—Surprise of the Papist Princes—Pack's Scheme not improbable—Vigour of the Reformation—Alliance between Charles and Clement—Omens—Hostility of the Papists—Arbitrary Proposition of Charles—The Schism completed—The Protest—Principles of the Protest—The Supremacy of the Gospel—Union of Truth and Charity—Ferdinand rejects the Protest—Joy of the Protestants—Exultation of the Papists—Peter Muterstatt—Christian Unity a Reality—Escape of Grynæus—Melancthon's Dejection—The Princes, the true Reformers—Germany and Reform—Union necessary to Reform—Difficulty of Union—A Lutheran Warning—Proposed Conference at Marburg—Melancthon and Zwingle—Zwingle's Departure—Rumours in Zurich—Hoc est Corpus Meum—The Discussion—Figures—Scripture explained by Scripture—The Spiritual Eating—Zwingle's Old Song—Agitation in the Conference—Metaphor—Christ's of the Conference—The Landgrave mediates—Their Last Meeting—Zwingle's Emotion—Sectarian Spirit of the Germans—Brotherhood Rejected—Christian Charity Prevails—The Real Presence—Luther's Dejection—State of Political Affairs—Luther's Battle Sermon.