The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 198

Chap. 11 - Protest of the Princes
One of the noblest testimonies ever uttered for the Reformation was
the Protest offered by the Christian princes of Germany at the Diet of
Spires in 1529. The courage, faith, and firmness of those men of God
gained for succeeding ages liberty of thought and of conscience. Their
Protest gave to the reformed church the name of Protestant; its principles
are “the very essence of Protestantism.”—D’Aubigne, b. 13, ch. 6.
A dark and threatening day had come for the Reformation.
Notwithstanding the Edict of Worms, declaring Luther to be an outlaw
and forbidding the teaching or belief of his doctrines, religious toleration
had thus far prevailed in the empire. God’s providence had held in check
the forces that opposed the truth. Charles V was bent on crushing the
Reformation, but often as he raised his hand to strike he had been forced
to turn aside the blow. Again and again the immediate destruction of all
who dared to oppose themselves to Rome appeared inevitable; but at the
critical moment the armies of the Turk appeared on the eastern frontier,
or the king of France, or even the pope himself, jealous of the increasing
greatness of the emperor, made war upon him; and thus, amid the strife
and tumult of nations, the Reformation had been left to strengthen and
extend.
At last, however, the papal sovereigns had stifled their feuds, that
they might make common cause against the Reformers. The Diet of
Spires in 1526 had given each state full liberty in matters of religion
until the meeting of a general

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