The principle for which the disciples stood so fearlessly when, in answer to the command not to speak any more in the name of Jesus, they declared, "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye," is the same that the adherents of the gospel struggled to maintain in the days of the Reformation. When in 1529 the German princes assembled at the Diet of Spires, there was presented the emperor's decree restricting religious liberty, and prohibiting all further dissemination of the reformed doctrines. It seemed that the hope of the world was about to be crushed out. Would the princes accept the decree? Should the light of the gospel be shut out from the multitudes still in darkness? Mighty issues for the world were at stake. Those who had accepted the reformed faith met together, and their unanimous decision was, "Let us reject this decree. In matters of conscience the majority has no power."--Merle d'Aubigne,

Det princip, for hvilket disciplene så frygtløst gik ind, da de som svar på befalingen om ikke mere at prædike i Jesu navn, svarede: "Døm selv, om det i Guds øjne er ret at lyde jer mere end Gud," er det samme, evangeliets tilhængere på reformationstiden kæmpede for. Da de tyske fyrster i 1529 forsamledes ved rigsdagen i Speyer, blev de stillet overfor kejserens dekret om indskrænket religionsfrihed og forbud mod al videre udspredning af de reformerte lærdomme. Det så ud til, at verdens håb var ved at skulle slukkes. Ville fyrsterne antage dette dekret? Skulle evangeliets lys lukkes ude fra de mange, der endnu levede i mørket? Vældige værdier stod på spil for verden. De, som havde antaget den reformerte tro, mødtes, og deres enstemmige afgørelse blev: "Lad os forkaste dette dekret. I samvittighedsanliggender betyder majoriteten intet!"