From the Diet of Worms to the Augsburg Confession - James Aitken Wylie

It was well known how many places he had
taken from us since he was master of
Constantinople, how much Christian blood he had
shed, and into what straits he had reduced this part
of the world, that it ought rather to be lamented and
bewailed than enlarged on in discourse. If his fury
be not resisted with greater forces than hitherto, we
must expect no safety for the future, but one
province after another being lost, all at length, and
that shortly too, will fall under his power and
tyranny. The design of this most cruel enemy was
to make slaves of, nay, to sweep off all Christians
from the face of the earth."
The emperor having drawn this picture of the
Turk, who every year was projecting a longer
shadow over Christendom, proceeded next to
counsel his hearers to trample out that spirit which
alone was capable of coping with this enemy, by
commanding them to execute the Edict of Worms.
While the Diet is proceeding to business, let us
return to Luther, whom we left, as our readers will
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