THE CONSIDERATION AND JUDGEMENT, Of the Divines of the Electoral Principality of Saxony, in the University of Wittenberg: they being required by the University of jena:  
Upon the Question:  
Whether a State of the Empire ought not well to consider, whether he be bound to aid and assist the Roman Emperor or no, in these Wars of Bohemia?  
Faithfully translated out of the High Dutch Tongue, according to the printed Copy.  
M. D.C.XX.   

Whether a State of the Empire ought to aid and assist the Roman Emperor in the Bohemian Wars.  
AFter the high and mighty Lord and Prince, Lord john Ernestus Duke of Saxony, Gulick, Cleve and Mont, Landgrave of Thuringia, marquis of Misnia, Earl of the Marck and of Ravensburg, Lord of Ravestein, our gracious Lord; hath graciously sent unto us the Doctors and Professors of Divinity in the Princely Electoral University of Wittemberge, the reverend and learned john Maior Superintendent, and john Gerhard, both Doctors and Professors in Divinity, in his Princely Grace's University at jena, with gracious Letters of Credence, bearing date at Weiumar the 20. of january 1620. for to speak and confer with us, concerning some great & weighty considerable causes, and to understand our good meaning therein: So have we with submissive, dutiful, and honourable respect unto his Princely Grace, the 24. of january, most willingly, and in all things sufficiently heard both the said Professors of jena, and thereby understood in what respect his highly remembered Princely Grace, so earnestly desireth to know our opinions upon the hereafter following Questions, which were in writing delivered into our hands. And thereupon have also at large in the name and fear of God, not only discoursed with them pro & contra, even the selfsame day, of those Questions they brought unto us; but also the next day following did withal, collegialiter, even in all our several Conuents and Meetings, so fare forth as was any way necessary, thoroughly debate the same, agreed upon an Answer, and upon the soresaid written gracious desire, have also (for the preventing of all misconceiving and doubtfulness) committed the same unto Paper, as it here followeth to be read. Namely:  
1 If the Emperor do assault them, who affirm and assure with solemn protestation, that they seek not any thing else, then only the maintenance of their Freedoms, Privileges, and the liberty of their Religion and Conscience, promised and confirmed unto them by sundry Grants and Covenants; and be therefore set upon and persecuted as Enemies.  
2 Amongst whom there are many good, zealous and faithful Protestant Christians, addicted to the true Lutherane Protestant Religion; whose suppression will be furthered, if a State shall aid and assist the Emperor's Majesty against them.  
3 Who are taken and received into the Peace of Religion.  
4 Are ready, and do offer themselves, to make an orderly and lawful acknowledgement thereof.  
5 With whom there have been sundry especial Agreements, Unions, and Confessions accorded and made.  
6 But now contrarily on the Emperor's side, a man should join himself with the Pope, with the Spaniards, with the Italians, and with the greatest and bitterest Enemies of the Gospel.  
7 And it is much to be feared, that if a man shall help to suppress and extirpate these Protestants, that the Pope will then also afterwards, by his Adherents and Instruments earnestly seek the Banishment, yea, the utter rooting out, and final destruction of the rest which remain, according to the Tridentine Counsels direct prescription.  
8 And it is also further to be feared, that by such actual assistance, their own Lands and Countries may be brought into uttermost peril and danger.  
9 And lastly, thereby should also foreign Soldiers be brought in, to manage & sway the whole business; a thing directly opposite and contrary to the Capitulations, and fundamental! Laws of the Empire.  
Question. Hereupon the Question now ariseth and is, whether (the case so standing) a State of the holy Roman Empire professing the true Religion, ought not well to consider and be advised, whether it ought or may give actual aid and assistance unto the Emperor's Majesty or no?  
Answer. Whereunto we say, that there is evident direction and apparent information hereunto, ready at hand to be found in God's Word; and that out of the same Direction, there is such a Declaration given, by the great Prophet of all Germany Doctor Luther, as that we cannot in our consciences either reject it, or yet know how to better it; but find it (in regard of common equity and reason) to be altogether agreeable and consonant unto Gods revealed holy Word.  
And although we with other Lutherane Divines could well have wished, and even from the bottom of our hearts, that it had not now at all been needful to have had this Question moved; and especially that we had been spared, and not been troubled therewith, according as we entered into the same very unwillingly, and would much rather that the matter had been elsewhere propounded, and the burden thereof laid upon others, then upon us: yet seeing it is as an high and weighty, yea, a leading Case of Conscience, laid upon our Consciences to answer, as being the Informers of men's Consciences; we would not use any dilatory excuse, (as also it is not meet we should) albeit we cannot otherwise expedite the preposed case, (De causa nobis aut Theologis proposita, iuxta principia Theologica, of a cause propounded unto us or unto Divines, according to the Principles of Divinity,) then that in such an exigent, a Protestant State of the Empire, ought justly, well to consider and bethink itself, whether it be to give aid and assistance to the Emperor's Majesty or no.  
And first of all, for the better informing of men's consciences, we neither can, nor ought now, or at any time will forbear to remember, how that all high and low Estates (whether they be of Spiritual or Temporal calling) ought with the greatest and most diligence possible, to endeavour, that the Roman Emperor's Honour, Reputation, Authority, and Majesty, (although he be not of our Religion) and especially in this present dangerous time of Commotion, and flocking together of Soldiers, may be wholly without all impeachment, supported, preserved and maintained in safety. And that besides the daily pouring out of fervent Prayers for him, there may also be given unto him all due Reverence, Obedience, Submission and Tribute, in regard that it is God's Ordinance; and for that the Son of God was borne into the World under the Roman Emperor, as under a Monarchy, which Daniel in his Vision conceived, that it should abide until the Day of the great Glory of jesus Christ, when he shall come again to judge the Quick and the Dead and for that, the high justice of God, hath at all times severely punished the Despisers of Magistrates, as Gods, (as holy Writ calls them) and as them, by whom he in God's stead ruleth and governeth the World; and therefore hath forbidden that any should presume to curse the King, no not in the heart and thought, and the rich not in his Bedchamber. For the Bird of the Air shall carry up the sound of the voice, 
Ettles. 10.20.  and that which hath wings shall tell the matter, as it is written in the tenth of the Preacher.  
And that therefore we ought ever to give all honour unto, and faithfully pray not only for the good and gentle, but also for the froward and wicked Kings and Princes set over us of God; that so we may seed a quiet and peaceable life under them in all godliness and honesty.  
Now secondly, for so much as concerneth the fundamental main point of this our  Answer, unto the propounded Question in case of Conscience; albeit the same might be very largely handled, and much be alleged for it; yet we will now at this time let it rest, and content ourselves only with that which is contained in the Commandment of the love of God, and the love of our Neighbour; as upon which two (according to Christ's own Doctrine) dependeth the whole Law and the Prophets: And therein consider, whether the abovesaid aid and assistance will not fall out, to be as well against the love of God, as against the love of our Neighbour?  
And touching the love of God, like as the Roman Emperors high name and pre-eminence, 
It is against the jove of God to aid them that persecute the Gospel.  shall of all men in the holy Empire be honoured without impeachment, upon the avoiding of the heaviest and severest, both Divine and Humane punishments: So is it never a whit the less, but much more befitting, that also the Honour of the Almighty high God, and of his beloved Son jesus Christ, the Truth of his holy sacred Word, the pure Religion, and the enlarging of the Christian Church, should be taken into consideration and care, to the uttermost that all humane reason by advice and action is possibly able to provide for: As being the very means, whereby the everlasting salvation of many and innumerable souls, is to be wrought and effected; the Kingdom of Heaven to be planted; and a perpetual Church to be builded and increased; by whom with all holy Angels he shall be for evermore praised and blessed, the King of all Kings, the Lord of all Lords, even God the holy and indivisible Trinity blessed for ever.  
And when here it concerneth the Honour of God, and the honour of men, as whether is to be preferred before the other; then that belongeth hereunto, which once Saint Peter, and the other Apostles said in the like case, Act. 5. God must be more obeyed then men. Whereunto also well agreeth Doctor Luther's Meditations, Tom. 6. at jena in Dutch. fol. 282. in his Admonition to his beloved Countrymen of Germany, where he thus saith.  
The first reason, that thou in such a case shalt not obey the Emperor, and go on warfare with him, is, that thou (even so well as the Emperor) hast sworn in thy Baptism, to hold and maintain the Gospel, and not to persecute it, nor to fight against it. Now thou canst not but know, that the Emperor is herein stirred up and set on by the Pope, and is by him deceived and seduced to fight against the Gospel of Christ, seeing that our Doctrine was openly found at Ausburg, to be the true Gospel of Christ, and agreeable to the holy Scripture. And therefore thou shalt thus answer and say, upon any Summons which the Emperor, or thy Prince shall make; Yea honoured Emperor, honoured Prince, If thou hold & keep thy Oath, and Vow made in Baptism; then shalt thou be my honoured Lord, and I will be obedient unto thee, to go to war whensoever thou wilt. But if thou wilt not hold and keep thy Vow in Baptism and Christian Covenant made with Christ, but persecute the same; then let a Knave if he will, obey thee in my stead. I will not for thy sake blaspheme my God, and persecute his Word, and so desperately run and cast myself headlong with thee into the deepest bottom of Hell.  
Now this first reason comprehends in it, many other very great and fearful reasons. For he that striveth and fighteth against the Gospel, he must likewise needs fight against God, against jesus Christ, against the Holy Ghost, against the precious Blood of Christ, against his Death, against God's Word, against all the Articles of the Christian Faith, against the Sacraments; against all the Doctrine which is given, established, confirmed, kept and nourished by the Gospel, as that of the Magistrate, and of a temporal Peace and State; & briefly, against all the Angels and Saints, against Heaven, and against Earth, and all Creatures. For who so striveth and fighteth against God, he must also needs fight against all that is Gods, or that holds with God: and what end that will have at the last, thou shalt (though too late) find by thy own over-deare bought experience. And that which is yet worst of all, such striving and warring is done of knowledge wittingly: for men know and acknowledge, that this our Doctrine, is the Gospel indeed; whereas the Turks and Tartars know not that it is God's Word. And therefore there cannot any be so bad, as thou art; nor shall any be so grievously punished, as thou shalt be. For thou shalt be ten thousand times more deeply damned, than all Turks, Tartars, Heathen and jews. Hactenus verba Lutheri: Hitherunto are the words of Luther.  
Yea and for so much as the children of Darkness, who are learned Catholics, will not cease nor be weary to restore again, to spread abroad, to propagate, & to defend their Religion, with goods and blood, with body and life, thereby to honour God (as they think;) which Religion of theirs notwithstanding, is not any thing else then the very damned Babylon already begun to fall; the very Antichristianisme, and as james Herbran (a well experienced learned Divine) writeth in the Preface to his Theological Disputations; Sentina & cloaca Satanae, in qua omnes suas sordes, abominationes, impietates, & idolatrias, quot quot excogitari possunt, ingessit; The very sink and jakes of Satan, whereinto he hath cast all his filth, abominations, impieties, and idolatries, that can possibly be devised.  
How much more than will it become us, as the Children of the Light, not any way to hinder, but by all means to propagate the said holy Truth, which out of God's unspeakable mercy and goodness, he would have first commended even from Heaven above an hundred years since, not unto any others, then even unto us Germans, and especially unto us Saxons by Doctor Luther, and from his hand unto our faithful hands.  
As for the second point, it standeth herein, 
Such aid is against the love of our Neighbour.  that such aid and assistance will extend itself against the love of our Neighbour, if that the Lutherane States of the holy Empire, in the Case propounded, shall and will run and join with the Soldiers of the Pope of Rome, and of the King of Spain, as the extremest and mortalest enemies of the Gospel; against such Protestant Christians, as are mentioned in the propounded Question, to the destroying and rooting out of it, and them. Yet so that the word Neighbour, be not taken most generally, but in particular for them, who most earnestly take part with us, and hold the unity of the Spirit, by the bond of Peace, in the only true Faith, as the same cometh nearest unto the Prophetical and Apostolic Writings, contained in the unaltered Augsburg Confession, and in the Book of Christian Concord; that have with us one God, and Father of our Lord jesus Christ, and one Lord Christ jesus; one Baptism, one whole unmangled Lords Supper, in the true Body, and the true Blood of jesus Christ; who in that respect are one Body with us, and we altogether the Members of one Body: of which the Apostles rich and spiritual Exhortation is well known; and according to the same, every understanding man useth to take heed unto himself, that wittingly he do not with his own hands, any hurt unto his own Members. How much more then, should all good and religious true Christians well foresee and duly consider Christ his mystical Body, (which is the right faith full true Church;) that they persecute and hurt it not at all, no not in any few and small Members thereof? According as also the very style both of the holy Lords Praver, Our Father; & of the holy Creed of the Apostles in the words, The Communion of Saints, doth even daily put us in mind of, and that we Christians should both strive and pray one with another. And who can tell for whethers Prayers sake, our Lord hath many times hitherunto been moved, to stay and keep back many fierce incursions, and cruel invasions of the Turk, and other furious invading people? Whereunto also in some sort the words of the Apostle agree, 1. Cor. 12.21. etc. to 27. and as it further followeth, saying: The eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you: Nay much more, these members of the body which seem to be more feeble, are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honourable, upon those we bestow more abundant honour, and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: But God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism or division in the body: but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer, or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. And that Christians in such an accident for love sake towards their fellow Christians, should also not be discouraged for any inconvenience, yea or any peril whatsoever (that may thence arise unto themselves) to stand as one man for their brethren, against their enemies; Christ would expressly have us to learn it, by that saying of his beloved Disciple, 1. john 3.16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lines for the brethren. 
〈◊〉. john 3.17.  But who hath this World's goods, and seethe his brother hath need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? Whence doubtless came the meaning of the old Proverb: Si non pavisti, occidisti: si non defendisti, obruisti: If thou hast not fed, thou hast killed: if thou hast not defended, thou hast overthrown and destroyed. The great and high God could indeed of himself without others help, speak and send down hither the Word from Heaven, for the deliverance and safety of the afflicted and distressed Christians, against their Enemy's fury: But he will hereby try and prove the rest of other Christians, whether they will more obey his Commandment, or the commands of men. And Christ will amongst other things, say thus also at the Day of judgement, unto his true Servants that did partake with his children's afflictions: I was persecuted, and by force of Arms fought against for the Faith's sake, and ye had then a fellow-feeling, and suffered with me.  
We will not at this time say any thing, whether there must not needs by such aiding and assisting, offence arise amongst others, both friends and enemies, when they shall see those of the same profession of Faith, one to strive and make war against the other, & that even for matters of Faith; whence it may also easily come to pass, that some weak Christians shall hereby be moved and occasioned, though of weakness, to forsake the old Lutheran Faith, and so making relapse, fall again unto Popery.  
And it is not concealed but manifest, how that in regard of giving of offence in the World, the Son of God hath cried out his heavy Woe; and, which is the more offensive and worse, if that hereby the enemies shall be so much the more by us strengthened and hardened in their errors.  
Now as concerning what was the judgement in this point, of that our great Prophet, D. Martin Luther: It is recorded that Master Luther in the year 1529. upon the Question moved unto him, whether a man might defend himself against the Emperor's Majesty, in case he should by force indenour to overrun any man for the Gospel's sake, answered generally; That no man that will be a true Christian, shall rise up, or oppose himself against the Magistrate, whether he doth justly or unjustly; seeing that Sins deprive not the Magistrate of his Office and Calling; and seeing also, that the Subjects of all Lords and Princes within the Empire, are also the Emperor's Subjects, yea, and more than they be their Princes. Wherefore men ought to let their people and Countries stand open to the Emperor, and be faithful unto him, even to the hazarding of body and life; and not to hold or take part with the greedy Cormorants, who under pretence of defending the Gospel, will for their own advantage, set and band themselves against the Magistrate.  
This his saying is to be found in his 6. Tom. in Dutch, printed at jena, sub Anno 1533. but doth indeed belong unto the year 1530. But yet after this, in his 5. Tom. in that his excellent Book, whose Title is; A warning to his beloved Countrymen of Germany, he sets down three strong reasons, and also proceeds so in amplifying of them, that it may well make a man's hair that reads it, stare and stand upright at the horrible loathsomeness or ugliness of Popery; and therewithal concludes: That if the Emperor suffer himself to be induced, to make wars for the Pope's behoof and benefit; then should not any man obey him. And seeing that Treatise is very excellent, forcible and necessary; but is withal overlong to be here transcribed and inserted: We do therefore earnestly entreat and desire all wellminded and honest hearts, that (in regard of the dangerous times whereinto we are fallen) they would wholly read it through out, and often over. And amongst other things he there showeth, that by such a proceeding, men shall draw down upon themselves, all the abominations that are done and committed in and under the Papacy; and shall as much as in them lieth, overthrow and destroy all the excellent good, that is now restored and again erected by the holy Gospel.  
The like is also to be read in his 7. Tom. Title of Resistance, for the space of ten leaves together; where he distinguisheth between the Emperor, as Emperor; and between the Emperor, as being set on and stirred up by the Pope to make war. And even so concludes in respect of aid and assistance to be given or not, as we have above concluded.  
Now if men shall lay all this which hath been here proved and alleged, (although it be but very short) on the golden balance of their Conscience, then will the matter itself teach them, that they are to follow the Apostles Rule, as it is to be read in the 2. Cor. 6.14. Be ye not unequally yoked together. Wherefore according to the same we conclude: That as the Case now standeth, a Lutherane Prince is justly occasioned well to consider, that in case his Imperial Majesty be incited and stirred up by the haters of Peace and Quietness, to make war against God's pure Religion, than he is not bound to aid and assist him therein. But he is much rather bound to mediate for those that be oppressed, by interceding, and by admonishing, and by beseeching; yea and in a word, to use all the possible good means, that humane Reason can device and think upon, for the procuring of their assured ease, liberty, peace and quietness.  
And this is that which we thought ourselves bound in duty, humbly to answer unto our gracious Lord Duke john Ernestus, as unto a right worthy Lord, and true Lutherane Prince, upon his gracious desire and command. And we do beseech the most high God, that he will be pleased for Christ jesus his sake, so to enlighten his Imperial Majesty by his holy Spirit, that he may with all his heart and soul (for the salvation of his own soul) truly more love God then himself; And that he may hold and esteem them for godly and honest Christians, who do, and will also more love God then the Emperor. And likewise that he would after the examples of Cyrus, Darius, Artaxerxes, carefully inquire and seek out, whether that we Lutherans have the right or the wrong on our sides. And if he shall find that we have the right, that then he will so much the more (and the rather for the advancement of God's Honour, and the Salvation of his own soul) publish such godly Mandates and Edicts, for the further propagating of God's holy Truth, as did the foresaid three Kings; withdraw all War, and cause sincere Peace to be spread and established; whereby also he may at the last Day appear before God, as one, that had so much furthered and procured Righteousness as the Sun doth lighten the Firmament. Which our good God grant, and vouchsafe graciously to work and effect in him; to the only Praise, Honour and Glory of his Divine Name, Amen.  
Given at Wittenberg on the day of S. Paul's Conversion, being the 25. of january; in the year of Christ, 1620. (L. S.) Decanus Senior, and other the Doctors of the Faculty of Divinity, in the University of Wittenberg.  
FINIS.