The Protestants, availing themselves of the emperor’s declaration that it was his intention to hear the sentiments of all, drew up a confession of their faith, which they presented to the emperor in German and in Latin.  This celebrated creed is known in history as the Confession of Augsburg.  The emperor was quite embarrassed by this document, as he was well aware of the argumentative powers of the reformers, and feared that the document, attaining celebrity, and being read eagerly all over the empire, would only multiply converts to their views.  At first he refused to allow it to be read.  But finding that this only created commotion which would add celebrity to the confession, he adjourned the diet to a small chapel where but two hundred could be convened.  When the Chancellor of Saxony rose to read the confession, the emperor commanded that he should read the Latin copy, a language which but few of the Germans understood.

“Sire,” said the chancellor, “we are now on German ground.  I trust that your majesty will not order the apology of our faith, which ought to be made as public as possible, to be read in a language not understood by the Germans.”

The emperor was compelled to yield to so reasonable a request.  The adjacent apartments, and the court-yard of the palace, were all filled with an eager crowd.  The chancellor read the creed in a voice so clear and loud that the whole multitude could hear.  The emperor was very uneasy, and at the close of the reading, which occupied two hours, took both the Latin and the German copies, and requested that the confession should not be published without his consent.  Luther and Melancthon drew up this celebrated document.  Melancthon was an exceedingly mild and amiable man, and such a lover of peace that he would perhaps do a little violence to his own conscience in the attempt to conciliate those from whom he was constrained to differ.  Luther, on the contrary, was a man of great force, decision and fearlessness, who would speak the truth in the plainest terms, without softening a phrase to conciliate either friend or foe.  The Confession of Augsburg being the joint production of both Melancthon and Luther, did not exactly suit either.  It was a little too uncompromising for Melancthon, a little too pliant and yielding for Luther.  Melancthon soon after took the confession and changed it to bring it into more entire accordance with his spirit.  Hence a division which, in oblivion of its origin, has continued to the present day.  Those who adhered to the original document which was presented to the emperor, were called Lutherans; those who adopted the confession as softened by Melancthon, were called German Reformed.

The emperor now threw off the mask, and carrying with him the majority of the diet, issued a decree of intolerance and menace, in which he declared that all the ceremonies, doctrines and usages of the papal church, without exception, were to be reestablished, married priests deposed, suppressed convents restored, and every innovation, of whatever kind, to be revoked.  All who opposed this decree were to be exposed to the ban of the empire, with all its pains and penalties.