7, 1529, the papal party secured a majority vote in the
Diet for a resolution providing that: In all places where the Edict of
Worms could not be enforced, there should be no new reform; the
reformers should not touch any controverted point; they should not
oppose any celebration of the mass; they should not permit any
Catholic to embrace the doctrines of Luther; they should
acknowledge the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic church;
and should not tolerate any Anabaptists nor any Sacramentarians.
This on its face was a proposal for the positive smothering of the
Reformation; for it stopped every activity of the reformers, and
gave full scope to every activity of the Catholics. The evangelical
Princes contended that "This Diet is incompetent to do more than
to preserve the religious liberty agreed upon in the former Diet,
until the council shall meet according to the original agreement.
Therefore we reject this decree. We reject it also because, in
matters of faith the majority have no power."
The evangelicals were then ordered to submit to the majority.
They
3
retired, according to custom, to deliberate. In their absence the
imperial commissioners adjourned the meeting, declaring, "All is
over. It is a settled affair. Submission is all that remains." When the
evangelicals returned from their deliberation, to present their
answer, and found the meeting adjourned, and the whole matter
decided against them, and all in their absence, then, from this
arbitrary and unjust course, those true Princes decided to "appeal
to the Word of God, and from the Emperor Ch
