He at this time also received the sad tidings that one of his best friends, the celebrated Jerome Baumgartner, of Nuremberg, had been captured by the robber-knight, Albert von Rosenberg, when he was returning from the Diet of Spire. We cannot deny ourselves the pleasure to communicate some parts of the letter of consolation, addressed to Baumgärtner's wife by Melanchthon: "We pray God that he will not permit you to sink in this great distress, but would by his Holy Spirit grant you comfort and strength, as he has often promised that he is a God who dwelleth with the sorrowful, as I have often experienced in no slight afflictions. And may you particularly console yourself with these three considerations: first, that what our Saviour said is certainly true, that all our hairs are numbered by God; that is, that God regards and preserves us, although we may be in danger. Therefore, even as he preserved Daniel among the lions, so he will also comfort and preserve your lord in the midst of the robbers who have captured him. In the second place, that this also is certainly true, that the Divine Majesty has promised, and pledged itself, to be with the troubled and terrified who call upon him, as it is written in the 37th chapter of the Prophet Isaiah. Therefore you should not doubt that the Eternal God is with your lord and you, and will strengthen and save you from this great distress. In the third place, it is certain that it is God's will that we should acknowledge him by calling upon him, and that he will manifest his presence by those gifts for which we pray, as he has said, 'Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.' Therefore you should not doubt that God will hear you, and the many Christians who are praying that the Lord would restore your husband to you with joy. May the Eternal God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, do this for his own glory, and at all times comfort and protect you and your husband. Amen."
He wrote this on the 9th July, 1544; but, with many other sympathizing friends, was obliged to wait an entire year, until the prisoner regained his liberty, and could return to his family.
CHAPTER XXIII.
WORMS AND RATISBON AGAIN.
When the just-mentioned Baumgärtner attended the Diet of Spire, in 1544, as the deputy from Nuremberg, the Emperor demanded the assistance of the states of the Empire against the Turks, who were giving his brother Ferdinand much trouble in Hungary. The Protestants took advantage of this opportunity, and before all demanded a fixed peace, and equal rights with the Catholics. The Emperor made many promises, and appointed a new diet to be held at Worms. He would have a Plan of Reformation prepared by learned and peaceable men, and the Protestants should also present their plans. In the meantime there should be a general peace, and no party persecute the other because of religion. Law-suits and proscriptions, on account of religion, should be abolished. These were pleasing prospects for the Protestants, but did not last very long; for the Emperor now made peace with the king of France, and did not find any difficulty in using force of arms in Germany, as he had long ago intended. The Pope also summoned a General Council of the Church, to meet in Trent in the spring of 1545, so that it was easy to see that the affairs of the Church would be disposed of there, and not at the Diet. Melanchthon says, in a letter written January 11th, 1545, to Duke Albert, of Prussia: "The hope was entertained that the Emperor would call a National Synod, or would cause religion to be further discussed; but the Pope could not bear this. On this account the Council has been summoned for the 8th of April. Yesterday I received a letter from Worms, showing the violent feelings of the Emperor."
However, the Elector caused a writing to be prepared for the Diet, called "The Reformation of Wittenberg," composed by Melanchthon. The Theologians of Wittenberg sent this work to the Elector, together with a letter, in which they say: "We have with due submission placed together our humble opinion, and have shown by what we intend to abide to the last." The work itself was divided into five parts, treating of the pure doctrine, the true use of the sacraments, of the ministry, of the maintenance of proper discipline, of the support of needful studies and schools, and also adds one article concerning bodily protection and support. It was a mild and simple confession of the truth. At the same time, they also delivered an opinion in regard to one of Bucer's works, which had been sent to them for this purpose by the Elector. Bucer had proposed that at the Diet, the Evangelical states should unite in a complaint against the Pope, and refuse to acknowledge that he is the regular ecclesiastical power; and therefore they should labor to bring about a general reformation. But, as it was generally said that the Emperor and the King of France intended to bring about the General Council, those at Wittenberg had good reason for declaring that the Emperor would reject such proposals on the part of the States. They should only wait until the meeting of the Council, for it would propose articles which would enable well-meaning men to see the folly of the Pope and bishops. They did not, therefore, agree with the Opinion of Strasburg, and the Elector was perfectly satisfied with their judgment, for he said: "If the states on our side should accuse the Pope and his adherents before the Emperor, they would by this acknowledge his Majesty to be a judge in this matter."
The result would be bad, for the Emperor was greatly influenced by the Spanish bishops and priests, "and we have not been able to permit or approve of men being judges of the word of God." He also thought it would be best simply to abide by the Augsburg Confession, "for in it nothing is withheld from the Pope and his party," and there is no complaint made. But although he considered the work of his Theologians too mild, the chancellor defended it in a lengthy report of the 20th of January, in which he proves that it agrees fully with the Augsburg Confession and Apology, "which have, by the grace of God, accomplished much good." "God willing, this Reformation will do the same, and will serve to destroy and to disgrace the venomous priests before the world, and his Imperial Majesty also. And your Grace will observe that Martin and the rest agree fully with him in this." To the wish expressed by the Elector, that Luther should write something against the Pope, the prudent chancellor replied: "May it please your Electoral Grace to spare Martin, until we see that the Papal Council still carries on this villany. Then it will be necessary for him to use the axe valiantly, for which he has been gifted by God's grace with a more valiant spirit than other men." This axe Luther not long after wielded with destructive force, in his publication called, "The Papacy at Rome, founded by the Devil." The Landgrave of Hesse did not find much to object to in the Wittenberg Reformation.
But at the Diet of Worms, which began at the end of March, it was not brought into notice at all, the Protestants themselves not insisting upon its delivery. The Emperor's great object at the Diet of Worms was to induce the Protestants to send delegates to the Council of Trent, which was to be actually convened during the same year. This, however, they refused to do in the most decided manner. He then appointed another Diet, to be held in Ratisbon, January 6th, 1546, at which a religious discussion should take place. They saw very plainly that the Emperor contemplated violent measures, and therefore the Protestants met at the end of the year 1545, in order to renew the League of Smalkald. The Theologians of Wittenberg also advised this League, and said: "We pray that Almighty God may incline the princes and rulers to a cordial, lasting, and inseparable union." But this union was the very thing that was wanting. They resolved to accept the religious discussion at Ratisbon, but to protest against the Council of Trent, which began at last on the 7th of January, 1546. Melanchthon drew up a memorial to this effect.
As the Protestants had declared that they would send representatives to the discussion at Ratisbon, it was now necessary to elect these delegates. We may suppose that the Court of the Elector had fixed upon Melanchthon, who had given such repeated evidences of his capability. But Luther appealed to the Elector with the words, "As it will be a useless and ineffectual council, of which we can hope nothing, Philip, who is indeed very ill, should be spared." In order to prevent Melanchthon's journey to Ratisbon, he even went to Brück, and explained the state of things to him. Of Melanchthon, he said: "He is a faithful man, who fears or shuns no one, and besides this he is weak and sick. He had no little difficulty in getting him home alive from Mansfeld, for he would not eat or drink. If we should lose this man from the University, it is likely that half the University would leave on his account. He would not advise, but most faithfully dissuade them from sending him." They should send Dr. Zoch and Dr. Maior, who was at least more learned than the Emperor's ass. Cruciger also begged that he should be excused from this discussion and journey. "However, if I knew," said the chancellor in his report, "that Melanchthon would not be excused from the disagreeable affairs at Mansfeld, I would rather advise and urge that he should be sent to Ratisbon. And Philip himself said that he would rather do the last than the first." The Elector yielded, but first summoned Melanchthon to Torgau, in order to consult with him about the discussion at Ratisbon. He here, on the 11th of January, published an Opinion, in which he said that it is not known whether the Emperor will again present one of Groper's books, or whether the Augsburg Confession would be discussed, article upon article. The Emperor was accompanied by a Spanish ecclesiastic, called Malvenda. Melanchthon thought that he would not fail to oppose the article on Justification. If they desired to destroy the whole discussion, it would be most useful to begin with this article, which is now known and highly esteemed throughout Germany, and among all the godly. This would soon bring matters to a close, and the Protestants could then publish a protest, that the opposite party would not be convinced, and that it would evidently be entirely useless to carry on further negotiations.