While Luther's death was not only deeply moving Wittenberg and Saxony, but all the friends of the Gospel elsewhere, the religious discussion of Ratisbon, which had been commenced on the 27th of January, was in full operation, but not in a very encouraging manner. For the Spanish Ecclesiastic, MALVENDA, proved himself to be a proud and obstinate priest. He had proposed nine propositions in regard to the article on Justification, which were composed in such a way that it was altogether impossible for the Protestants to accept them. The latter, therefore, declared in a protest, that they intended to abide by the Augsburg Confession, and regarded this as the true Catholic and Christian doctrine. The Theologians of Wittenberg were of the same opinion; and, in a letter to the Elector of the 5th of March, declared: "Dr. Martinus has left a valuable jewel behind him, even the true meaning of Christian doctrine, which we wish to transmit, undefiled, to our posterity. May God grant us his Grace and Holy Spirit for this purpose!" But on the banks of the Danube, that is, in Ratisbon, the Imperial party would have nothing to do with this pure doctrine, and laid every difficulty in the way of the Protestants. Indeed, it appeared more and more, that the whole discussion was a mock-fight, and that the Emperor was determined to cut the Gordian knot with his sword. He indeed did not wish this to be made known, for he was a deceitful man, who well knew how to conceal his thoughts. But the Elector saw through his disguise, and ordered his Theologians to retire from the discussion at Ratisbon. They returned in the beginning of April. Melanchthon about this time prepared an opinion in the name of the Theologians, in which resistance against the Emperor is declared to be a duty: "If it is true that the Emperor intends to fall upon these States on account of religion, then it is doubtless right that these States should earnestly protect themselves and their subjects, with the help of God." When the Emperor, therefore, came to Ratisbon, and had opened the diet on the 5th of June, the Protestants were forced to ask him the reason of his warlike preparations.