#15 The German Nation’s Sin of Rejecting the Gospel at Worms

For you know that the sin committed at Worms, where the divine truth was so childishly scorned, publicly, wantonly, and consciously condemned without a hearing, is indeed a sin incurred by the entire German nation, since its leaders were involved in this and no one opposed them. That encumbered the nation with such a vast guilt before God that he might well withdraw the precious word entirely or permit such an offense to arise that no one would regard it as God’s word, and that they [the Germans] would, as they deserve, be impelled to blaspheme and persecute as the devil’s doctrine what they had first willfully and basely denied and condemned.  (Luther’s Works, v.43, p.66)

Picture: Art. VII  Das Allezeit eine Kirch seÿ welche ist eine versamlung d’ glaubigë.
“There is always a church where believers are gathered.”
Matt. 16, v. 18 ; “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
Eph. 5, v. 27 ; “that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

[All of the pictures for this year’s posts are from an etching entitled “Augsburg Confession” by Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677) and found in the Royal Collection Trust.]