of episcopacy, but only on condition of the free preaching of the gospel. He deemed a reconciliation
in doctrine impossible, unless the Pope gave up popery.^956
On the 22d of September the Emperor announced the Recess of the Diet; that, after having
heard and refuted the Confession of the Protestants, and vainly conferred with them, another term
for consideration till April 15, 1531, be granted to them, as a special favor, and that in the mean
time they should make no new innovations, nor disturb the
Catholics in their faith and worship, and assist the Emperor in the suppression of the
Anabaptists and those who despised the holy sacrament. The Emperor promised to bring about a
general council within a year for the removal of ecclesiastical grievances.
The signers of the Augsburg Confession, the cities of Frankfurt, Ulm, Schwäbisch Hall,
Strassburg, Memmingen, Constance, Lindau, refused the recess. The Lutherans protested that their
Confession had never been refuted, and offered Melanchthon’s Apology of the same, which was
rejected. They accepted the proposed term for consideration.
The day after the announcement of the Recess, the Elector of Saxony returned home with
his theologians. The Emperor took leave of him with these words: "Uncle, uncle, I did not look for
this from you." The Elector with tears in his eyes went away in silence. He stopped on the journey
at Nürnberg and Coburg, and reached Torgau the 9th of October. The Landgrave of Hesse had left
Augsburg in disgust several weeks earlier (Aug. 6), without permission, and created fears of an
open revolt.
Luther was very indignant at the Recess, which was in fact a re-affirmation of the Edict of
Worms. To stop the progress of the gospel, he declared, is to crucify the Lord afresh; the Augsburg
Confession must remain as the pure word of God to the judgment day; the mass cannot be tolerated,
as it is the greatest abomination; nor can it be left optional to commune in one or both kinds. Let
peace be condemned to the lowest hell, if it hinder and injure the gospel and faith. They say, if
popery falls, Germany will go to ruin. It is terrible, but I cannot help it. It is the fault of the papists.^957
He published early in 1531 a book against the Edict of Augsburg, which he ascribes to Pope Clement
"the arch-villain," and Campeggi, rather than to the Emperor, and closes with the wish that
"blasphemous popery may perish in hell as John prophesies in Revelation (14:8; 18:2; 22:20); let
every Christian say, Amen."^958 In the same year he warned the Germans to be ready for defense,
although it did not become him as a minister to stir up war.^959
The Recess of the Diet was finally published Nov. 19; but its execution threatened to bring
on civil war, and to give victory to the Turks. The Emperor shrank from such consequences and
was seriously embarrassed. Only two of the secular princes, Elector Joachim of Brandenburg and
Duke George of Saxony, were ready to assist him in severe measures. The Duke of Bavaria was
dissatisfied with the Emperor’s efforts to have, his brother Ferdinand elected Roman king. The
archbishops of Mayence and Cologne, and the bishop of Augsburg, half sympathized with the
(^956) Summa, mihi in totum displicet tractatus de doctrinae concordia, ut quae plane sit impossibilis, nisi papa velit papatum suum
aboleri."Letter to Melanchthon, Aug. 26, in De Wette, IV. 147.
(^957) See his Exposition of John 6–8 (1530-32), Erl. ed. XLVIII. 342 sq.
(^958) "Glossen auf das vermeintliche kaiserliche Edict," in Walch, XVI. 2017 sqq.; Erl. ed. XXV. 51-88.
(^959) Warnung an seine lieben Deutschen, Erl. ed. XXV. 1-51. The Romanists regarded this as an incendiary call to open rebellion. He
defended himself against this charge, in Wider den Meuchler in Dresden, 1531 (Erl. ed. 89-109).