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A 
 COMPREHENSIVE ACCOUNT 
 
 or THE 
 
 RISE AND PROGRESS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 BLESSED REFORMATION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN CHURCH. 
 
 Bt DOCTOR MARTLY LUTHER ■ 
 
 Began on the thirty-first of October, A. D. 151 7. 
 
 IUTER3PEHSEB 
 
 WITH TIEWS OF HIS CHARACTER AND DOCTREVE.. 
 
 EXTRACTED FBOM HiS BOOKS; 
 
 And how the Church, established by him, arrived 
 and progressed in North America — as also, the. 
 Constitution and Rulesof that Church, in North 
 Carolina and adjoining States, as existing in 
 
 October, 1817, 
 
 Printed for the German and English Lutheran Synod ot 
 North Carolina and adjoining- States, 
 
 By SCHAEFFER & MdUA'D, 
 
 Printers, Booksellers and Stationers, Baltimore, 
 1818. 
 
COPY-BIGBT. 
 
 District of Maryland, to wit : 
 
 BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the twenty-seventh day of 
 ******* January, in the forty-secondyear of the Independence 
 *seal.J of the United States of America, Frederick G. 
 ******* Schaeffer and Thomas Matted, of the said District, 
 hath deposited in this office, the title of a Book, the right 
 whereof they claim as proprietors, in the words folio wins', 
 to wit: 
 
 " A comprehensive account of the rise and progress of the 
 Christian Church — by Doctor Martin Luther : began on the 
 thirty-first of October, A. D. 1517 — interspei^sed -with viervs of 
 his character and doctrine, extracted from his books ; ond hoitr 
 the Church established by him, arrived and progressed in North 
 America — as also, the Constitution and Rides of tluit Church in 
 North Carolina and adjoining States, as existing in October, 
 1817" 
 
 In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United 
 States, entitled, " An act for the encouragement of learning, 
 by securing the copies of Maps, Cnarts and Books, to the au- 
 thors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein 
 mentioned ; and also to the act entitled, " An act supple- 
 mentary to the act entitled, " An act for the encouragement 
 of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts and Books, 
 to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the 
 times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof 
 to the arts of designing, engraving and etching historical and 
 other prints.*' 
 
 PHELIP MOORE, 
 
 Clerk of the District of Maryland* 
 
 , -Jibuti ax! i m 
 
 •SJj 
 
7» 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 Sundry Christians hare oftentimes 
 asked, what is the Lutheran Church? 
 when and where did it arise ? — who 
 is the author?- — what was the cause 
 of it? — when did it come to Ame- 
 rica? — what are the doctrines of the 
 Church? — how is it governed? — and 
 is there a written discipline and rules 
 in existence, by which other Chris- 
 tians can judge, whether it is guided 
 by the written Word of God in essen- 
 tials ? 
 
 It may be said, in answer to such 
 questions, that in the state of North- 
 Carolina, they have not been suffi- 
 ciently answered in the English lan- 
 guage. 
 
IV 
 
 This caused a resolution of the Sy- 
 nod of the Evangelical Lutheran Ger- 
 man and English Church in North- 
 Carolina, A. D. 1816, hy which their 
 Secretary was charged to compile 
 an abbreviated history of the rise, 
 progress and present situation of the 
 said Church, with the rules and dis- 
 cipline of the same in the said and 
 neighboring states. 
 
 In obedience thereto, I have, in the 
 pages herewith, endeavored to exe- 
 cute the same with fidelity, as far as 
 I was possessed of the means. And 
 at the Synod, which was held on the 
 19 th day of October, 1817, the manu- 
 script was examined, and the resolu- 
 tion as hereunto annexed, adopted. 
 
 It is, however, necessary to inform 
 the reader of the main object of what 
 is laid before him. This was not to 
 write the life of Doctor Martin Lu- 
 ther, who was the principal of God's 
 t hosen means, to effect the establish- 
 ment of the Church now called after 
 him ; but the object was, to state the 
 
cause of its arising ; the darkness 
 mlmdh reigned in Christendom for 
 centuries before : l;ow the power of 
 God was effectual with the reformer, 
 so as to lead him on by degrees ; how 
 he was brought to light, step by step ; 
 what difficulties he had to encounter; 
 how he boldly confided in God, and 
 did not depend on his capacities, 
 which yet were extraordinary; and 
 how the Lord prospered, supported, 
 and preserved him. 
 
 Secondly — To praise our reformer 
 in view, not as a saint, but as a man 
 encumbered with weaknesses, which 
 he himself acknowledged, and for* 
 which he oftentimes humbled him- 
 self before God. That he was no en- 
 thusiast, but confined himself to the 
 written Word of God, without pre- 
 tending to inspiration ; that his faith 
 was strong, and that he confided in 
 prayer to God, for success, in the 
 most trying times,* and that he was 
 no persecutor. 
 
 . 
 
to 
 
 Tliirdly — To shew this, and his 
 doctrine ; the manner of his proceed- 
 ing, and the support he received, with 
 his final success, by extracts from the 
 history of those times in which he 
 lived. 
 
 These objects are, however, not at- 
 tempted to be separately treated on, 
 but are interspersed, as the historical 
 part admitted the same throughout 
 the book. This the reader is en- 
 treated to keep in memory. 
 
 The authors from which the facts 
 are chiefly taken, are Milner's Church 
 History; an abridged History of the 
 Reformation of Seckeniorf, by John 
 F. Boos, 1781 ; Bucks 9 Theological 
 Dictionary, and Humes' History of 
 England. 
 
 The sentiments and the doctrine 
 of Doctor Martin Luther, which are 
 given at the end of the volume, are 
 taken from a book printed at Leipzig, 
 A. D. 1752, edited by a Lutheran Di- 
 vine, named Frederick Wm. Young, 
 for the purpose of shewing that the 
 
vu 
 
 doctrine and expressions of Doctor 
 Martin Luther, did agree with the 
 doctrine of pious Lutheran divines, 
 then and before, successfully labor- 
 ing in the spirit of the reformer ; 
 and who were then ridiculed and per- 
 secuted as schismatics; he in that 
 book cites his authorities, which I 
 have copied. 
 
 With respect to the rise and pro- 
 gress of the Churches in America, I 
 am sorry that my information was too 
 limited — the time so short to obtain 
 information — and the danger proba- 
 ble of swelling these pages too much, 
 so that I could not insert more to the 
 edification of pious Christians, whose 
 nature is, to read and hear with de- 
 light, of the increase of their Lord's 
 kingdom. 
 
 This being the day on which, three 
 hundred years ago, the reformation 
 began; and on which millions of voi- 
 ces in Europe and America, sing and 
 shout anthems of praise to Ood, for 
 the religious and civil rights since 
 
Vdli 
 
 then enjoyed, and which so happily 
 had begun by the undaunted cham- 
 pion of the cross, Doctor Martin Lu- 
 ther. It is humbly hoped, that all 
 Protestant Churches, and the indivi- 
 duals of them, will, by reading this 
 short sketch of the almost miracu- 
 lous escape of their forefathers from 
 intolerable oppression, be awakened 
 to unceasing thanks and praises, com- 
 bined with humble thanks to God 
 on high, that He would preserve 
 them, and the Lutheran Church 
 in particular, in the enjoyment of 
 pure evangelical doctrine, and all the 
 means of grace ; and to raise the spi- 
 rit of love and union, among all the 
 believers in the divinity of Jesus 
 Christ, the only mediator between 
 God and man; so that we may arrive 
 to that happy period foretold, of living 
 blissfully, as one flock , under one 
 SSiepherd. This is also the wish of 
 the indulgent reader's friend, 
 
 G. SHOBEB. 
 
 North Carolina, Stokes County \ 
 October 31, 1817. 
 
IX 
 
 •- Copy from the minutes of the Ger- 
 man and English Lutheran Synod, 
 began in Bowan Coanty, North Ca- 
 rolina, on the 19th of Oct. 1817. 
 
 " At our last Synod, the Secretary 
 was charged to have the Constitution 
 and Bules of our Church, printed in 
 the English language. He now pro- 
 duced a manuscript compilation — en- 
 titled." Comprehensive Account of the 
 Bise and Progress of the Reformation 
 of the Christian Church, by Doctor 
 Martin Luther, actually begun on the 
 31st day of October, A. D. ±517 ; to-, 
 gether with interspersed views of his 
 character and doctrine, extracted from 
 his books ; and how the Church esta- 
 blished by him, arrived and progress- 
 ed in North America; as also, the 
 Constitution and Rules of that Church 
 in N. Carolina, and adjoining states, 
 as existing in October, 1817. 
 
 On motion, a committee consisting 
 of the Rev. R. J. Miller, Philip Hen- 
 kel, and Joseph E. Bell, was appoint- 
 
ed to examine the same ; and they re- 
 ported — 
 
 "That they had examined said ma- 
 nuscript, and do highly approve of the 
 contents, and recommend it to be pub- 
 lished, believing that it will have a be- 
 neficial effect throughout our congre- 
 gations, and give succinct information 
 to other Christians, what the Luthe- 
 ran Church is.' 
 
 The Synod unanimously adopted 
 said report, and directed the Treasu- 
 rer to have 1500 copies printed. 
 
 The proceeds of the sales are to be 
 accounted for to the Treasurer, by 
 those who are intrusted with them , 
 and is solely to be applied to the fur- 
 therance of the kingdom of Christ, un- 
 der the direction of this Synod. 
 A true copy. 
 
 G. SHOBER, Sec'y. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Section I. — Oppression of Christendom, 1 
 
 1 .. n — Oppression of Christendom — continued, 3 
 
 .. DX — Oppression of Christendom — continued, 11 
 
 .. IV. — Luther's Conversion, - - - - 13 
 
 V — Nature of Indigencies, 20 
 
 .. VI. — Luther's appearance at Rome, 24 
 
 .. VII. — Eck's disputation — Assassins- Melanchton, 31 
 
 .. VIII. — Sermon on Sacrament, . - - - 34 
 
 .. IX —Pope's Bull of Outlawry burnt, - - 39 
 
 .. X.— Causes of th delay of the Diet, - - 42 
 
 *. XI. — Preparation and meeting- of the Diet at 
 
 Worms — Luther's defence, - . 45 
 „ XQ. — Consequence of the Diet — Luther secreted 
 
 one year, - - - - - - 53 
 
 * XDX — Disturbances at Wittenberg, 59 
 .. XIV. — Pope Adrian admitted that the troubles arose 
 
 from the sins of the Priests, 65 
 .. XV. — Successor of Adrian — Diet at Nuremberg — 
 
 Recess favorable to reformation — Diet at 
 
 Speyer, 1526, amounting to toleration, 7T 
 
Xll 
 
 Section XVI. — Zwinglius — reformation in Switzerland- 
 difference about Sacrament — Oclocam- 
 padius, ... 85 
 
 .. XVn.— Diet at Augsburg— Confession of Faith, 92 
 :. XVIII. — Consequence of the Diet — Melanchton's 
 defence of faith reformed, and Luthe- 
 rans agreed, 1536 — Bucas and Capito, 126 
 XIX. — Reformation in England and Scotland, 128 
 ;. XX. — Death of Luther — War by the emperor 
 Charles V. — Interim — Treaty of Pas- 
 sau — Westphalia — England, - 135 
 
 t. XXI. — The Lutheran Church transplanted to 
 
 America, ----- 144 
 r. XXII.— Constitution, &c. - - - - 152 
 .. XXltl. — Observations, &c. - - - - 157 
 .. XXIV. — Rides — Baptism — the Lord's Supper, &c. 159 
 .. XXV.— Slaves to be treated, - *- - 167 
 .. XXVI.— Rules made in 1817, 17Q 
 .. XXVII. — Introduction to Doctor Luther, - 176 
 „ XXVUL— Luther's doctrine on God— Sin— Par- 
 don, &c. 179 
 
 % XXIX.— Conclusion, - - - - 207 
 
TRE 
 
 BLESSED REFORMATION, 
 
 OR THE 
 
 RISE AND PROGRESS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN CHURCH. 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 Oppression &f Christendom. 
 
 An inquisitive searcher after Truth, in the 
 history of the Christian Church, from the time 
 of the primitive Christians to the days in which 
 we live, is filled with astonishment, when he con- 
 templates the rise and progress of Apostacy, from 
 true Gospel Faith ; and in what darkness all the 
 nominal Christians were involved, and given up 
 to the mast superstitious idolatry, under the spi- 
 ritual oppression of the Popes of Rome, until God 
 in his mercy awakened Doctor Martin Luther, to 
 open the eyes of the astonished world, to see and 
 1 
 
understand, the abominable doctrines by which 
 the Christian world had been enslaved for centu- 
 ries ; and in our time, we do well now and then 
 to recapitulate the oppressions under which our 
 forefathers groaned, and with hosannahs and 
 thanks to God, reflect upon the privileges and 
 Christian liberty we now enjoy ,* and to contem- 
 plate the difficulties which the first Reformers, 
 and particularly Martin Luther, had to encounter, 
 in order to secure, by the grace of God, to all 
 succeeding generations, the inestimable blessing 
 of gospel light and liberty. Three hundred years 
 are now elapsed, since Doctor Luther first opened 
 his lips against the intolerable oppression of con- 
 sciences ; he was but a man, and had his failings; 
 but that he was awakened by God, and by Him 
 made the means of enlightening the world, none 
 but an Atheist, Deist, or Pope, will deny. Af- 
 ter him, but against his will, his followers were, 
 and are since called Lutherans ; and his doctrine 
 will remain unimpeachable, as long as the world 
 stands, or the Word of God, contained in the Old 
 and New Testaments, remains the criterion of 
 Christians; and until they add words, or explain 
 away the meaning of the Oracles of God, 
 
SECTION II. 
 
 Oppression of Christendom. 
 
 Before the reformation successfully commen- 
 ced, by Martin Luther, the world exhibited that 
 dreadful calm, which despotism always impresses 
 upon the face of a system, which it moulds and 
 governs. The winds were hushed in peace ; not 
 a leaf of the forest stirred ; not a wave rippled on 
 the tranquil surface of the lakes ; not a bird flut- 
 tered through the air, to dissolve the universal 
 enchantment ; — so was the atmosphere of Chris- 
 tendom 3 not a breath of murmur stirred ; not a 
 tongue moved ; not a voice dared to disturb the 
 repose of him, who made himself king of kings, 
 and who lolled at ease in the chair of St. Peter— 
 and is called the Pope, 
 
 Among the nations of the world, the Shepherd 
 of souls, had flocks of true believers here and 
 there, and individuals who lived in true faith, 
 and who saw the abominations in holy places : 
 but whole flocks, such as the Waldenses, the Al- 
 bingenses, and the Bohemian brethren, were de- 
 stroyed by fire and sword ; and every individual, 
 that lifted up his voice against flagitious enormi- 
 ties, was immured, or burnt at the stake. John 
 
&us$ 9 and ZFieronymus y of Prague, who, one Iiun 
 clred years before Luther, preached successfully 
 the true gospel in Bohemia, were, by a decree of 
 the councils of Costnitz, condemned, and burnt 
 as heretics ; since which time, until Luther began, 
 none dared to utter a word against the infallibi- 
 lity of the Roman Pope and his Church. It is 
 almost incredible, that the world should have sub-v 
 missively groaned under such enormities, as 
 were afterwards, by a Diet of Germany, in one 
 hundred grievances, exposed to public view. But 
 the wonder in part ceases, when we reflect that 
 Popery was not only a religion which occasion- 
 ally showed itself faulty or erroneous, but it was, 
 for centuries, a system of corruption ; and every 
 part of doctrine, and forms, were so linked to- 
 gether, that the total was calculated to outwit and 
 deceive mankind, and to govern them tyranicallij. 
 The inferior clergy, from the cardinal to the 
 monk, sympathized in a remarkable manner, 
 with their head, the Pope; and their very exis- 
 tence depended upon his security ; of course, with 
 the least appearance of danger, they hastened 
 to his defence. Whole councils of bishops and 
 priests, were only tools of despotism. The coun- 
 cil of Trent, went so far as to prohibit all rcli- 
 
5 
 
 gious inquiry, and even commanded her mem- 
 bers not to differ from the Church of Rome; al- 
 though their opinions should never be suffered to 
 see the light. What might then be expected from 
 this state of things, but a universal paralysis of 
 the human mind. 
 
 The very devotion of the age, was grafted on 
 ignorance. In Italy itself, once the proud seat 
 of learning and elegance, there arose an order of 
 friars, denominated " Fratres Igiwrantice" or ig- 
 norant brethren, who were obliged, by the sta- 
 tutes of their society, to take the most solemn 
 oaths, neither to know, learn, or understand, any 
 thing whatever ; but to answer every question 
 With the silly, but appropriate word " 3S*estio" — 
 or, I don't know. The pontific college, absolutely 
 encouraged the grossest ignorance, especially 
 among the mendicant, or begging friars; 
 shrewdly observing: "should these brethren 
 study and become learned, they would master us ; 
 therefore, hang a bag about their necks, and send 
 them begging, through cities, towns and coun- 
 tries. 
 
 Milner says, in the fourth volume of his Church 
 History, where he cites his authors, among 
 others, Micomius, who describing the nature of 
 1* 
 
religion, from the year 1524 to 1541, says, in 
 energetic expressions : « The sufferings and sa- 
 tisfaction of Christ, was regarded only as an old 
 history ; as the Odyssey of Homer, (an old fa- 
 ble,) respecting such faith which embraces the 
 righteousness of the Redeemer, for eternal life, a 
 total silence was observed. Christ was described 
 as a stern Judge, ready to condemn all, who 
 could not produce the intercession of saints, and 
 the favor of the Pope. In place of Christ, the 
 Virgin Mary, like a heathen Diana, and other 
 saints, which were from time to time by the 
 Popes canonized, were obtruded as Saviours and 
 Mediators. And even this mediation, or inter- 
 cession, could only be enjoyed by such men, who 
 merited the same by their works ; and the works 
 which were necessary for the purpose, were dis- 
 tinctly established. They were not the works of 
 the ten commandments, but such by which priests 
 and monks were enriched. "Whoever neglected 
 these, on his death bed, was given up to hell, or 
 at least to purgatory, until the relations of the 
 deceased made them satisfaction, by which they 
 were then redeemed. 
 
 The constant repetition of the Lord's prayer, 
 and a prayer called u Ave Maria," besides at- 
 
tending canonical hours, was the constant occu- 
 pation of such, who intended to lead a pious life. 
 Every where, an incredible number of stale cere- 
 monies w 7 ere used, wiiile the most abhorred vices 
 were in vogue, under the protection of indigen- 
 cies ; by which, all crimes were easily remitted. 
 The preaching of the Gospel, was the least part 
 of Episcopal functions; incessant processions, 
 and juggling, w ere the principal official duties. 
 The number of ecclesiastics and monks, was im- 
 mense ; the countries were crowded w 4th monas- 
 teries, and nunneries ; and their lives were as vi- 
 cious as possible. According to Pelican, ano- 
 ther co-temporary of Luther, and one of his dis- 
 ciples — no Greek Testament was to be had, for 
 any price, in Germany ; very few of the most 
 learned in Universities, had a critical know ledge 
 of the Word of God. The University of Paris, 
 then the most renowned Academy of Learning, 
 could not produce one single person, capable to 
 rise against Luther, with Scripture principles. 
 
 One of the most dangerous doctrines, then 
 openly maintained by the reigning Church, is the 
 following, as given to us by Bishop Bossuet, of 
 Meaux, in France, a w arm defender of the doc- 
 trine; — "All the good works of the saints, over 
 
and above those which were necessary to their 
 own justification, are deposited, together with the 
 infinite merits of Jesus Christ, in one inexhausti- 
 ble treasury ; the keys of which were commit- 
 ted to St. Peter, and to his successors, the Popes, 
 who may open it at pleasure ; and by transfer- 
 ring a portion of this superabundant merit to any 
 particular person, for a sum of money, may con- 
 vey to him either the pardon of his own sins, or a 
 release for any one, in whose happiness he is in- 
 terested, from the pains of purgatory ; and if the 
 faithful make use of it, it is for the furtherance 
 of their salvation." Those who sold them, said, 
 if any man purchaseth a letter of indulgence, his 
 soul may rest secure, with respect to his salva- 
 tion. The souls confined in purgatory, for whose 
 redemption indulgences are purchased, as soon 
 as the money tinkles in the chest, instantly es- 
 capes from that place of torment, and ascends 
 into heaven ; that even the most heinous sins, if 
 one should violate (which was impossible) the 
 mother of God, would be remitted, and expiated 
 by them, and the person be freed from punish- 
 ment and guilt. That the cross erected by the 
 preachers of indulgencies, was as efficacious as 
 the cross of Christ itself. Lo ! the heavens are 
 
open : if you enter not now, when will yon enter I 
 For twelve pence, you may redeem the soul of 
 your father out of purgatory ; and can you be so 
 ungrateful, that you will not rescue your father 
 from torment? 
 
 The officers of the Roman chancery, published 
 a book, containing the exact sum to be paid for 
 any particular sin : A deacon, guilty of murder, 
 was absolved for twenty crowns — A bishop, or 
 abbot, might assassinate for 300 livres — An ec- 
 clesiastic, might violate his vows of chastity, for 
 the third part of that sum. In England, for pro- 
 curing abortion, seven and sixpence; simony, 
 ten and sixpence ; sacrilege, ten and sixpence ; 
 taking a false oath, in a criminal case, nine shil- 
 lings; defiling a virgin, nine shillings; incest, 
 seven and sixpence ; murdering a common man, 
 seven and sixpence; keeping a concubine, ten 
 and sixpence ; laying hands on a clergyman, ten 
 and sixpence, &c. To these and similar items, it 
 is added : " Take notice, particularly, that such 
 graces and dispensations are not granted to the 
 poor ! for, not having wherewith to pay, they 
 cannot be comforted." This treasure of supere- 
 rogation, was then particularly intrusted to the 
 bishops, and under them to the Dominican and 
 
10 
 
 Franciscan monks, who being very industrious 
 to promulgate and enforce the above doctrine 
 among all classes, but very few of those who 
 were able, were willing to undergo a long course 
 of castigation for their sins, if money could so 
 easily purge them. By these means, immense 
 sums of money were obtained for the Pope, and 
 the human race protected in all vices and de- 
 baucheries; and the road to happiness could 
 hardly be found by the few inquisitive, as they 
 had no Bible ; and if they had, they were then as 
 now, by the Popes, prohibited to be read by the 
 laymen. 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 Oppression of Christendom. 
 
 Pope Leo, the VI. one of the most impious 
 of men, died in the year 1503. Pius, his suc- 
 cessor, reigned not one year ; and Julius, who 
 succeeded him, at his inauguration, w T as by 
 the cardinals, compelled to swear, after his elec- 
 tion, that he, within two years, would call a ge- 
 neral council. This evidenced, that about that 
 time, a desire for a general reformation of the 
 Church, was believed as unavoidably necessary, 
 
11 
 
 even by the council of the Pope. But, although 
 he called a general council to Pisa, nothing good 
 could be expected of Mm, who was only renowned 
 as possessing military talents ; and by his crafty 
 manoeuvres, he contrived to dissolve said coun- 
 cil, before any thing was effected. He died in 
 the year 1513, after he had filled the christian 
 world with blood and disorder, by his despotism 
 and ravenous disposition. 
 
 Leo the X. was his successor, who, of a quite 
 different stamp than his immediate predecessors, 
 was yet in no manner calculated to be a true ser- 
 vant of the Church of Christ ; his love to splendid 
 pomp, and his voluptuous laziness, connected with 
 a total want of religious principles, was what un- 
 fitted him to the Papal chair, more than all his 
 predecessors. His extravagancies and exhorbi- 
 tant expenses, brought him into straits, and he of 
 course, had immediate recourse to the selling of 
 indulgencies, as the most efficacious means to fill 
 his coffers. Julius the II. had bestowed indul- 
 gencies on all who contributed towards the build- 
 ing of St. Peter's church, in Rome, one of the 
 most superb buildings we read of; and as Leo 
 was carrying on that expensive and magnificent 
 fabric, his grant was founded on the same pre- 
 
m 
 
 tence. To Tetxel, a Dominican friar, was as- 
 signed the commission of retailing these indi- 
 gencies in Saxony ; and being a bold champion, 
 he preached up the infallibility as above stated. 
 This was the first cause that brought about the 
 reformation ; and it appears as if Providence had 
 directed it, that at no other time but this, it could 
 succeed. The Pope, immersed in his extrava- 
 gancies, caring little about his office, and quite 
 infatuated with the security of his power ; the 
 bishops acting as their superior, died, sleeping 
 at the helm ; the emperor of Germany dead, and 
 the Elector of Saxony, the intermediate regent ; 
 and when Charles the V. was elected emperor, 
 be was entirely taken up with political aggran- 
 dizements — the common people, politically and 
 spiritually oppressed, and groaning for relief. 
 Such was the time, when the chosen vessel was 
 prepared to effect what he never intended when 
 he began ; he was of such metal, as never to 
 flinch from a contest, when he was convinced of 
 the justice of his cause ; a man, who alone stood 
 the brunt of the wrath of the Pope — the whole 
 hierarchy, and emperors, and kings ; confiding 
 in God, and proclaiming, (as he says) in spite of 
 
13 
 
 all devils, free salvation to the human race, hy 
 the merits and satisfaction of Jesus Christ— This 
 was Martin Luther. 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 Luther's Conversion* 
 
 He was born in the year 1483 ; his father was 
 a miner, and was renowned for his uprightness, in 
 several offices with which he was entrusted, in the 
 city of Mansfield ; he gave to his son Martin, a 
 careful education, who, after he had finished his 
 philosophical studies, in several Universities, in- 
 dustriously applied himself to the study of the 
 law, intending as an attorney, to support him- 
 self: this, his intention, was in a peculiar man- 
 ner frustrated ; for, as he was taking a walk with 
 a bosom friend, a sudden stroke of lightning laid 
 his friend dead at his feet ; which, together with 
 the terrible clap of thunder accompanying it, so 
 terrified him, that he instantly formed the resolu- 
 lution to renounce the world, and become a 
 monk : his father was much opposed to it ; Mar- 
 tin, who in all other respects was a dutiful son to 
 his parents, was not to be deterred by parental 
 2 
 
14 
 
 authority, and insisted that it was a direct call 
 from heaven : his father, after saying, " God 
 grant that it may not be a deception of the de- 
 vil," saw, with inexpressible grief, his son enter 
 a convent of Augustine monks, at Erfurt, in the 
 year 1505. In one of his letters to his friends, 
 he says, that during the first two years of his 
 monastic life, he was entirely cast down ; and as 
 he could not find rest for his soul, he opened his 
 heart to his provincial Stauiritz, who appeared to 
 have some degree of Christian knowledge, then 
 very rare, who said to him : " My dear Martin, 
 you do not know how beneficial and necessary 
 this a miction is to you ; God does not thereby ex* 
 ercise you in vain ; you will see that God will 
 make use of you to effect great things V This 
 prophetic view of Staiqritz, does him honor ; and 
 it is evident, that a deep and thorough sensibility 
 of sinfulness, which invites and propels to search 
 after Scripture Truths, in order to arrive at 
 peace, was the cause of all his future researches 
 and actions ; he had too much knowledge, to rest 
 in lazy contented ness and indifference; and too 
 little to embrace the rich treasure of the gospel, 
 and to know its healing promises to a wounded 
 conscience. He remained a whole year, not only 
 
15 
 
 in continual anxiety and uncertainty, but lived in 
 constant terror and perplexity ; of course, his 
 conversion was not that of a moment. 
 
 During the second year of his monastic life, 
 he accidentally found in the library of his con- 
 vent, a Latin BiNe, which in his situation, proved 
 to him an invaluable treasure, and will prove so 
 to every one who searches after truth. Thereby 
 he now discovered, that there _were more Scrip- 
 ture texts, than those which were used to be read 
 to the people; and while he read the Word of 
 God, his knowledge was, by degrees, enlighten- 
 ed, and some rays of gospel comfort penetrated 
 his soul. With incredible zeal, he now searched 
 the Scriptures, so that at last, lie was acknow- 
 ledged to be the most acute and learned man of 
 his order, in Germany. 
 
 After he was ordained to the order of priest- 
 hood, in the year 1507, and in the year 1508, 
 called to be professor of the University at WiU 
 Unbergt he had abundance of opportunities to 
 rouse the passions of his hearers, by his natural 
 eloquence, and his acquaintance with the beauties 
 of bis native language ; and according to the 
 confession of his enemies, he was called the won- 
 der of the age in which he lived ; but it ought to 
 
16 
 
 be observed, that the experience of his soul, by 
 which, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he 
 daily increased in the knowledge of Christian 
 truth, gave emphasis and power to his natural 
 eloquence. This monk, (said a Doctor of Phy- 
 sic, when he heard him,) will eclipse all Doctors, 
 bring forth another doctrine, a rid reform the whole 
 Roman Church ; for his principles are grounded 
 on the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles. The 
 manner of his preaching, shewed that he was an 
 original genius, who was not content with the 
 beaten path, but intent upon laying before men, 
 something new; and it appears not improbable, 
 that if he had followed only the impulse of his 
 bold genius, he would have been the inventor of 
 many new theories and systems, as was the case 
 with many a genius after him ; but all fantastical 
 flights in the all-important concerns of religion, 
 were with him under the discipline of a profound 
 adoration of the written Word of God ; and be- 
 sides this, it is evident, that from his entrance 
 into the convent, he was in the school of God ; 
 and that by degrees, he made such discoveries 
 in reference to human depravity, which must 
 have caused him to think little of himself, and ta 
 embrace the gospel of Christ with joy. 
 
17 
 
 After he had received, in 1512, the degree of 
 Doctor of Divinity, he explained, with universal 
 applause, the Psalms, and the epistle to the Ro- 
 mans ; and now he only began to study the He- 
 brew and Greek languages. He felt and taught 
 the fundamentals of the Christian religion ; he 
 had received the grace of Christ, and knew the 
 true and only way to happiness ; although, at 
 least in his own eyes, he was yet weak in faith 5 
 and all this before he paid any attention to the 
 horrid depravity of the hierarchy. He wrote to 
 one of his friends, in 1516: "What does your 
 soul do ? I wait to know, whether it is at last 
 tired of its own righteousness, and learns to com- 
 fort itself in the righteousness of Christ, and 
 entirely to depend thereon : Many in our days, en- 
 deavor to do good works, until they conceive that 
 they can come to God with them and their own 
 merits, and which cannot possibly be ; you were 
 once in the same way, and so was 1 1 but now, I 
 fight against this error, but am not quite done 
 with it." How he found his error, is best ex- 
 plained by his own words ; and nothing can be 
 more affecting ; he says, " Although I lived im- 
 blameable as a monk, my conscience was not at 
 rest ; I beheld myself a sinner before God ; I per- 
 
18 
 
 ceived that I could do nothing to reconcile him, 
 and I hated the representation of Sijust God, who 
 punisheth sinners ; I was well versed in Paul's 
 writings, and had an ardent desire to under- 
 stand, thoroughly, the epistle to the Romans, 
 But at these words, Rom. i. 17. " Therein is the 
 righteousness of God revealed, from faith to 
 faith;" my heart almost revolted against God, 
 with silent blasphemy ; at least, I said to myself, 
 with many secret murmurings, was it not enough, 
 that miserable man, who, by original sin, is al- 
 ready eternally cursed ; who is oppressed by all 
 misery, and by the condemning power of the law 
 sentenced, — that God must, in addition thereto, 
 threaten with his wrath, by the gospel, and 
 thereby increase the misery ? Thus I raved, with 
 a restless conscience : again, and again, I turned 
 the leaves of the epistle to the Romans, with the 
 utmost eagerness ; my thirst to know the mean- 
 ing of the Apostle, was insatiable. At last, af- 
 ter I had studied day and night, upon the above 
 words, and contemplated the connexion with 
 what follows — « The just shall live by faith," 
 it pleased God to have mercy on me; to 
 open my eyes, and to shew to me, that the right- 
 eousness of God, which according to the gospel, 
 
i9 
 
 is revealed, from faith to faith, applies entirely 
 to the method, by which God, according to his 
 mercy, justifies a sinner by faith ; according as 
 it is written — u The just shall live by faith." 
 After which, the whole Bible appeared new to 
 me ; I went through it as fast as my memory 
 would serve ; I extracted the principal texts, and 
 observed, according to their intrinsic sense, a 
 precise resemblance in concordance with my 
 new light and conviction. Thus the work of 
 God signifies, in many places, the work 
 which he effects in us; and the wisdom and 
 power of God, is the power and wisdom which 
 his spirit produces in us ; and in like manner is 
 the patience, the salvation, and honor of God, to 
 be understood. The expression, u justice of 
 God," became as sweet to me as it was formerly 
 bitter and terrible ; and these very words of the 
 Apostle Paul, opened the door of paradise to me : 
 thus far himself" Much might he inserted from 
 history, how the above words, " the just shall 
 live by faith," were continually vibrating in his 
 ears, on a pilgrimage to Rome, and while 
 ascending the stairs of a Church, on his 
 knees, by which he expected to atone for his 
 sins. But we must stop, in order to have room 
 
20 
 
 to shew how God led him, after such trials, step 
 by step, until he effected what we lire in the en- 
 joyment of — namely, justification by faith. 
 
 SECTION V. 
 
 Nature of Indulgencies. 
 
 Thus spiritually equipped, and (as Barillas, 
 a French Roman Catholic historian, writes,) be- 
 ing an Augustin monk, in whose person all the 
 good and bad qualities of an arch heretic were 
 united, connected with the strength, health and 
 industry of a German, with which he united the 
 sprightliness and activity of an Italian, and whom 
 nobody exceeded in philosophical and theological 
 knowledge of the schools, and as complete master 
 of eloquence; who had discovered precisely 
 where the strength and weakness of the human 
 soul lay; he, with surprise and astonishment, be- 
 held how multitudes ran to Tetzel, with their hard 
 earned pittance, to purchase therewith remis- 
 sion of sins ; permission to commit more, and to 
 redeem their ancestors from purgatory. Hear- 
 ing how Tetzel boasted, that he, by his indigen- 
 cies, had redeemed more souls from hell than St, 
 
£1 
 
 Peter ; and that the most abominable sins, were 
 thereby entirely forgiven, he began to study the 
 abomination of such doctrine ; refused, as priest, 
 to absolve sinners, who confessed their sins to 
 him, when they shewed no repentance, and con- 
 fided in TetzePs indulgence. And thus was he 
 involuntarily drawn into a dispute, which, with- 
 out his premeditation, led to a general reforma- 
 tion. For Tetzel, a Domican inquisitor, when 
 he found himself opposed by Luther, and not ac- 
 customed to any check, raved violently, and 
 threatened that whoever would venture to resist 
 him, should be burned at the stake; and he now 
 and then erected piles of wood, and kindled 
 them, in order, as he said, to intimidate the he* 
 retics. 
 
 For the information of those who can have no 
 opportunity to read the history of those times, I 
 here insert a translation of the form of indi- 
 gencies sold by Tetzel, 
 
 " Our Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on thee ; 
 absolve thee by the merits of his most holy suffer- 
 ings, and in his name, and by his power, and the 
 power of the holy apostles, Peter and Paul, and 
 our most holy father the Pope, who, in these 
 cases, entrusted me therewith : I absolve thee, in 
 
the first place, from all Church censures and 
 penitences, which were at any time due; and 
 thus of all sins, misdeeds, and crimes, which thou 
 at any time didst commit, be they ever so enor- 
 mous, and of such a nature, that they were re- 
 tained for the cognizance of the Papal chair, 
 only as far as the keys of the Church extend ; 
 and remit, with plenitude of indulgence, all pun- 
 ishments, which thou wouldst have endured in 
 purgatory ; replace thee in the enjoyments of the 
 holy sacraments of the Church, in the commu- 
 nion of the faithful, and in the state of innocence 
 and purity, in which thou was at thy baptism, 
 in such a manner, that at thy death, the doors to 
 all punishment shall he barred to thee, but those 
 leading to paradise, and a life of joy, opened; 
 and until thou diest, this indulgence shall retain 
 its full power, to the last breath of thy life. In 
 the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
 Amen." 
 
 "Brother JOHN TETZEL, Sub- Commissary," 
 [Signed tliis with his own hand-) 
 
 Reader, do you not shudder at such infamy I 
 and do not you feel adoration arise in you, for hav- 
 ing been, by the assistance of Doctor Martin Luther, 
 liberated and extricated from such roads to hell? 
 
23 
 
 After Doctor Luther had complained to his 
 superiors, and by writing to several bishops, of 
 TetzeVs conduct, and finding nothing but indiffe- 
 rence, or fear of the Pope, he was left to him- 
 self; but nothing of that kind was calculated to 
 subdue his un appalling spirit; but in the year 
 1517, on the 3 1st of October, when he was thirty- 
 fear years old, lie published, at the Church dcor, 
 ninety-five theses, against the above enormity ; 
 and because printing had shortly before been in- 
 vented, and was now arrived to some degree of 
 perfection, these theses were, in fourteen days, 
 spread throughout all Germany like fire, as if 
 the holy angels had dispersed them. The effect 
 was surprising; and although doctors and bi- 
 shops hid themselves for fear of the Barnes, the 
 rumour created great joy; that at last, one man 
 had the courage to step forth, and to interfere : 
 "I did not like the -praise^ said he, "for I knew 
 not -what indulgencies were: the tune was in too 
 high a key for my voice." 
 
 When Tetxel found what sensations Luther's 
 theses produced, he published one hundred and 
 six propositions, in which he believed he had re<- 
 futed them ; and by virtue of his inquisitorial 
 office, had Luther's theses publicly burnt, and 
 
24 
 
 continued his trade with increased industry; 
 which so enraged Luther* 's disciples, that they 
 publicly burnt, in Wittenberg, the propositions 
 of Tetzel, with manifestations of the most sove- 
 reign contempt and detestation. This was, 
 however, not done with his consent, and he 
 was sorely aggrieved, that lie was accused of 
 having contrived it, for he had then no distant 
 idea of breaking with the Pope; and as he 
 said, could not be thought as having lost all 
 human sense, so as to cause such an affront to a 
 man, who held so high an office. Of course, 
 we see that he was, in a manner, forcibly dragged 
 on to proceed ; and he and Tetzel, continued to 
 write against one another, that and the follow- 
 ing year. In the year 1545, he says himself, 
 that he had come unexpectedly, and without his 
 design and will, into this controversy ; and calls 
 upon God as a witness. 
 
 SECTION VI. 
 
 Luiher^s appearance at Rome. 
 
 The Pope, when he first heard of the dispute, 
 was asleep; and not until in the year 1518, when 
 the greedy merchants of indigencies, like De- 
 
55 
 
 metritis the silver-smith, at -Ephesus, made loud 
 and repeated complaints, and from every quarter 
 the -noise of progressive heresy arrived, did he 
 arise from the infatuation, and all at once he pro- 
 ceeded from indifference to the other extreme of 
 despotic oppression and blind temerity. He com- 
 manded Luther within sixty days to appear in 
 Rome, before appointed Judges ; but he, with 
 the assistance of his friend and prince, the 
 Electoral Prince of Saxony, Frederick, suc- 
 ceeded to have the complaint heard and adjusted 
 in Germany. For which purpose the Pope ap- 
 pointed Cardinal Cajetan, who had orders, that 
 if Luther would not pronounce the words — U I 
 reviike'' — to issue against him and his adhe- 
 rents, the thunders of papal disgrace and excom- 
 munication, as he had been already condemned 
 at Rome, as an incorrigible heretic, which in for- 
 mer times, had been sufficient to dethrone Em- 
 perors and Kings, but had now r , all at once, lost 
 its power. The meeting was appointed at Augs- 
 burg ; Frederick, his Prince, recommended Lu- 
 ther to the principal citizens there, who would 
 not suffer him to appear in the presence of the 
 Cardinal, before the emperor Maximilian (who 
 was then hunting near the place) had given him 
 
26 
 
 a safe conduct, and by the exertion of these men 
 the Imperial Ministers informed Cajetan, in three 
 days, that Luther was under the protection of 
 public faith, and that of course, no force could 
 be exercised against him. He answered, li it is 
 well" but yet I shall do my duty; but it was ve- 
 ry aggravating to him, as he wrote to Prince 
 Frederick, of whom he pretended to suppose, that 
 he did not protect him. 
 
 Luther had then no distant idea of breaking 
 off from the church of Rome, and accordingly 
 appeared before the Cardinal, with decorum—- 
 but when he found that he could not see the Bull 
 of the Pope, (whicl* was wisely refused by the 
 Cardinal, as Luther was thereby already de- 
 clared an outlaw,) and that the decision of the 
 Pope, was to decide against plain Scripture 
 proof. That the Cardinal would enter into no 
 argument with him, and drowned all his propo- 
 sitions with despotic declamation; he repeated 
 in presence of a Notary Public, and Witnesses, 
 the assurance of his obedience to the church, his 
 readiness to renounce all error, of which he 
 should be convinced by Scripture. 
 
 Four days before he left the city, he wrote to 
 Cajetan, in his own bold style, among other 
 
27 
 
 things, that as his presence had no effect, he 
 should leave the city, but not before he had for- 
 mally appealed from him, and from the misguid- 
 ed Pope, to the same holy Pope Leo. Thus end- 
 ed the transactions at Augsburg, during which 
 the honest conduct of Luther, and his resolute 
 character, was as evident, as the despotic conduct 
 and duplicity of the Cardinals. 
 
 After Luther returned to Wittenberg, he saw 
 nothing before him but the entire ruin of his 
 temporal prospects; oppressive poverty, exile, 
 and perhaps a violent death; but one of his ex- 
 cellencies consisted herein; that he could, in his 
 most difficult situations, faithfully submit his 
 case to God, whom he served ; and that he had 
 with entire dependence on God, incessant activity 
 to embrace all the measures of honorable safe- 
 ty. And when towards the end of the year 1518, 
 he daily expected that the grossest fulmination 
 of declaring him out of protection, would arrive, 
 he was agreeably surprised that the Electoral 
 Prince Frederick, acquainted him officially with 
 his desire, that he should not leave his post at 
 the university; and said that lie could not deem 
 him to be a heretic, until he had had a legal hear- 
 ing, and was convicted; on this he entreated the 
 
28 
 
 people from the pulpit, that in case he should yet 
 fall a sacrifice to papal revenge, that they should 
 not retain hatred against the Pope, but to surren- 
 der the case to God, and in expectation of his dai- 
 ly being proclaimed an outlaw, he renewed ac- 
 cording to all the known forms, his appeal to the 
 better informed Pope, and on failure, to a gene- 
 ral council. Fifteen days after this, the Pope's 
 proclamation arrived, in which the doctrine of 
 indulgences, as preached by his emissaries, was 
 irrevocably ratified. This most silly and impious 
 step, without offering any redress of grievances, 
 was a miraculous means of Divine Providence, 
 to prevent Luther from returning to the bosom 
 of the Roman Church, as it arrived at a time 
 when he was yet far distant from perceiving the 
 true Antichrist, in the same. Other particular 
 providences were evident with our reformer, for 
 after the proud and insolent conduct of Cajetaiij 
 Frince Frederick, immediately exerted all his in- 
 fluence with the Emperor, that he should cause 
 the Pope to have the religious difference settled in 
 Germany, by impartial judges : but before the 
 consequence could be seen, the Emperor Maxi- 
 milian, died in the beginning of the year 1519, and 
 until another one was elected, Frederick was Re* 
 
gent of the Empire, and bad sufficient power to 
 nurse the reformation in its infancy, which he 
 did, with incomparable wisdom: behold again the 
 way of God, and rejoice. When the Pope found 
 that it was impossible, only by his power and 
 threatenings, to suppress Luther's exertions, he 
 began to change his measures. He sent a more 
 crafty agent to Germany, who endeavored by 
 subtlety to succeed with the Regent, and to get 
 Luther into his power ; but the messenger, which 
 at any time previous, would have been received 
 by Frederick with joy, was now received 
 with a eold, and almost disdainful complaisance, 
 and he could in no manner be persuaded, to 
 change his measures with his beloved professor 
 of Wittenberg. Jliititz, the new agent of the 
 Pope, had several conferences with Luther, but 
 nothing was effected ; he stood his ground, as 
 far as his light then went, he only declared that 
 he would be silent, with respect to indulgences, 
 provided his opponents were likewise silenced ; 
 and that he would do nothing contrary to truth, 
 and a good conscience. 
 
 Luther, in a letter he wrote to the Pope, about 
 that time, said that his endeavors were intended 
 to support the honor of the Roman Church, and 
 3* 
 
as his writings were then spread all over Ger- 
 many, he could not revoke them, without disho- 
 noring the church; that those persons who 
 were real enemies of the holy see, were those, to 
 whom he was opposed, for they had dishonored 
 their holy offices hy their most absurd and pue- 
 rile assertions, and under the protection of his 
 holiness, they had expected to satisfy their rapa- 
 city. This letter was written in the beginning 
 of the year 1519 ; in a few years after we find 
 him further enlightened, for by his unremitted 
 search in the holy scriptures, he was by degrees 
 brought to the knowledge and conviction, that 
 papal tyranny could not be suffered to exist. 
 
 D uring the attempt of Miltitx, to reconcile Lw- 
 iher, he publicly reproved Tetzel, the bold cham- 
 pion of papal infallibility, and redemption, from 
 purgatory, by money ; and being despised, dis- 
 graced, and neglected, it grieved him to such au 
 extent, that he sickened, and died, without anj 
 comfort for his souL 
 
SECTION VII 
 
 Eck's £Hsputation-^*issassi?is — Melanchton: 
 
 But now, another champion arose, his name 
 was Eck, who at first admired Luther, but in ex- 
 pectation of high promotion in the church, he 
 being a cunning and learned Doctor of Theolo- 
 gy, he opposed Luther, at a public disputation, 
 in Leipzig. He published thirteen propositions, 
 which were all in opposition to Luther's doctrine; 
 in one of them, he insisted particularly, that the 
 Popes were the true vicegerents of Christ, and 
 the successors of Peter ; and he had challenged 
 Luther to the disputation, which lasted six days, 
 with Carlstadt, one of Doctor Luther 9 s assistants, 
 and ten days with Luther himself; during which 
 the doctrine of purgatory indulgencies, the na- 
 ture of repentance, and forgiveness of sin, and 
 particularly the primacy of the Popes, were de- 
 bated ; this last was the article in which Eck ex- 
 pected complete victory. Thisr was a difficult 
 situation for our reformer, and he felt his situa- 
 tion ,• most of his audience with Duke George, of 
 Saxony, at their head, favored his opponent, and 
 were of that cast which believe, that whosoever 
 enquires after foundation of faith, is impUm^ 
 
32 
 
 damned, and unworthy of being tolerated in the 
 Church. To the talents and artifices of the 
 Pope's Attorney, the Saxon reformer opposed 
 greater talents; fully acquainted with Holy 
 Writ, and a good conscience, he showed that the 
 primacy of the Popes, rested upon their own de- 
 crees, and only, since four hundred years ; and 
 was against Scripture, and the experience of eleven 
 hundred years prior, and the conclusions of the 
 Council of Nice, That Jesus Christ, was the cor- 
 ner stone of the Church; and that what our Savi- 
 our said, respecting Peter, related to his person, 
 and no further, Eck being foiled by his own con- 
 fession, as not being prepared to bring so many 
 proofs, as his antagonist, remained always his 
 bitter enemy. 
 
 While Liither was preparing for this disputa- 
 tion, he perused all the papal decrees, and then 
 only, he began to doubt, as he said, whether this 
 Roman Pope was not the Antichrist; but before 
 he was truly convinced thereof, he would not 
 openly assert it, as it was not predetermined with 
 him to break with the Pope ; and if he had bold- 
 ly asserted it during the disputation, he would 
 have been sacrificed. This is another proof, 
 that our reformer was no Enthusiast; and that 
 
he was led by God, step by step, to eradicate the 
 predominant evil by degrees. 
 
 Jlelanehton, now became a principal support 
 of the reformation, by being convinced of Lu- 
 ther's orthodoxy, which he formed during the 
 disputation at Leipzig; and by his extensive 
 erudition, knowledge of the old Languages, and 
 particularly by his moderate demeanor, in speak- 
 ing and writing, he rendered to the reformation 
 much service. And the consequences of the 
 above disputation, during the whole year of 1519 
 employed his and Luther s head and pen, against 
 the opponents. 
 
 Both Cajetan and Miltitz, had exerted their 
 utmost, by intrigue or otherwise, to get Luther 
 into their power ,• and when the last found he 
 could do nothing, even with seventy armed as- 
 sassins, which he kept for the express purpose to 
 seize the Jlrch Heretic, he did his utmost by a 
 mild and condescending conduct, to succeed ; but 
 on Luther, neither promises nor threats, had 
 any effect ; nothing could move him, to recall 
 what he had published, as Divine Truth. Inces- 
 santly did he demand to be judged by the Word 
 of God ; and finding that to be always avoided, 
 or refused, he increased in belief, that the Pope 
 
who acted thus horrid, must be Antichrist, fore- 
 told in Scripture, 
 
 SECTION VIII. 
 
 Sermon on Sacrament, 
 
 Towards the end of the year, he preached on 
 the subject of the Lord's supper, and insinuated* 
 that the cup should be given to all, as well as the 1 
 bread. This new advance against the Popish 
 heretical doctrine, increased the noise against 
 him, as renewing the heretical doctrine of John 
 Huss, whose doctrine had been condemned oin k 
 hundred years ago, and himself burned as a he- 
 retic. He insisted, that as the followers of Huss 
 were permitted by the Church to do so, it would 
 be no heresy ; but independent of this, the Sa- 
 viour gave both to his disciples ; and when he ex- 
 pressed a wish that a future council might esta- 
 blish a new regulation herein, he was persecuted 
 by friends and foes ; the first believing he went 
 too far with his prince, who always acted with 
 circumspection, admonished him to be guarded in 
 his innovations. This caused him to write to 
 the minister Spalatine : " Every tiling is against 
 
me ; and would to God, that it would soon be 
 ended, and I be eased from my pangs ;" but con- 
 cludes, " the more they rave, the more will I 
 despise them ; and I have finally determined, not 
 to be afraid, in this cause, but courageously de- 
 spise them all ; and if I was not afraid that my 
 prince might come to trouble about me, they 
 should hear other things of me." With all this 
 boldness, he left nothing undone, to have peace. 
 He wrote a very submissive and humble letter, 
 to the emperor Charles the V. after his election ; 
 and another one to the Pope, on the request of 
 Jliltitz; and that this was no hypocrisy, is evi- 
 dent from his whole demeanor, for there was no 
 guile in him ; and in none of the letters, although 
 humbly written, did he rescind any of his doc- 
 trines ; but with his natural vehemence, insisted 
 on what he knew to be truth. 
 
 During this time, he wrote many sermons, 
 books, and pamphlets, in support of true religion ; 
 but the renowned heretic was attacked from 
 every quarter by publications, every one of 
 which he answered ; and Melanchton was herein 
 his true assistant. But yet every one was in sus- 
 pense, what the consequences would be, when the 
 thunders from Rome should arrive. ■ H at Lather, 
 
being also encouraged by a letter from a noble- 
 man, as if by accident, which said, that one hun- 
 dred nobles had determined to protect -him, if 
 princes, dukes, and other magistrates, should 
 exile him. He was encouraged boldly to pro- 
 ceed, notwithstanding the danger he was in ; 
 and he published several pieces, in which he call- 
 ed the Pope, openly, the Antichrist ; and Popery, 
 the kingdom of Babel ; exposed with vehemence 
 the oppression under which all the Christian 
 world groaned ; and opened the eyes of all Ger- 
 many, with surprising celerity. After a lapse of 
 nearly three years, from Luther's beginning, dur- 
 ing which time, the word of the Lord had in- 
 creased powerfully, the long expected proclama- 
 tion and decree of Pope ieo, was issued, on the 
 15th of June, 1520; by which Liither's doctrines 
 were condemned as heretical. All men were pro- 
 hibited, under pain of excommunication, to read 
 his books, and whosoever had them, was com- 
 manded to burn them ; and respecting him, it 
 was said, that if within sixty days, he did not 
 send to Rome, a revocation, he should be pro- 
 nounced an incorrigible heretic ; be declared an 
 outlaw, and given up to the devil. And all tem- 
 poral princes, were advised, on pain of excom- 
 
3.7 
 
 inunication, and confiscation of their countries, 
 to make sure of his person, that he might be 
 brought to condign punishment. 
 
 But the time was now expired, in which mo- 
 narchs trembled at the thunders of Rome. And 
 although Eck and his party gloried, that by this 
 stroke, Lutheranlsm was all at once annihilated, 
 it proved a harmless thing; and in many places, 
 it was regarded with derision. Luther was in 
 no manner intimidated, and treated it with con- 
 tempt ; and in his energetic manner, immediately 
 exposed, by a publication, the injustice, arro- 
 gance, and despotism, of the Roman court. The 
 title of the book was — u Against the damnable* 
 Bull of AntichrisV He appealed from that An- 
 tichrist, to a general council ; he called the Pope, 
 an inconsiderate, unjust, and tyrannical judge; 
 an incorrigible heretic ; an anti- christian enemy 
 of the Bible; and a proud, blaspheming despiser 
 of the holy Church of God, &c. Of his faithful, 
 but faint-hearted, and polished assistant, he 
 writes : " He only seeks, in all his writings, 
 peace and ease ; he will not come to the cross ; 
 and thinks every thing must be effected by cour- 
 teousness, gentleness and love ; but the monster 
 would not regard this, and not bd*mended 
 4 
 
38 
 
 thereby. Popery cannot be extirpated, by any 
 thing that does not sting deep." To Spalatine, 
 the minister of his prince, who, by order, had 
 given him several gentle reprimands, about his 
 vehement style, he writes : " I confess, that I am 
 too warm, more so than necessary ; but I have to 
 do with such men, who persecute and blas- 
 pheme the gospel ; with wolves, and with men, 
 who condemn me unheard; and who -rave and 
 fret not only against me, but also against the 
 Word of God, in an abominable manner. A 
 heart of stone, would, by such impiety and ma- 
 lice, be roused to battle. How then can I do less, 
 being by nature irritable, and cannot guide a 
 dull pen ? And I must marvel, at this grand new 
 holiness, that every thing must be called defama- 
 tory, what is said or written against enemies. 
 "What think you, my friend, of Christ? Did he also 
 use injurious and reviling- expressions, when 
 he called the Jews an adulterous generation, vi- 
 pers, children of the devil ? And what did Paul? 
 He called them dogs, liars, and deceivers; to 
 Barjehu, he said, "thou child of satan ; enemy 
 of all righteousness." Ought not Paul to have 
 made use of more gentle and modest expressions, 
 to convent this man, instead of thundering out 
 
39 
 
 such expressions? No person, who iS his con- 
 science is convinced of truth, can have patience, 
 with hardened and obstinate enemies." 
 
 By this, we can discern what kind of cham- 
 pion Luther was ; undaunted, bold, and but too 
 vehement in his most perilous situation ; but the 
 times required such boldness ; and it is evident, 
 that his irritable style, did no harm to the gene- 
 ral cause; yet 9 as an individual, he often re- 
 pented of this, his natural weakness. 
 
 SECTION IX. 
 
 Pope's Bull of outlawry burnt. 
 
 After he had thus opened the eyes of his co- 
 temporaries, against the injustice of the Pope's 
 proclamation, he proceeded to the boldest action 
 ever read of in history. He was convinced, that 
 his appeal to a general council, would be de- 
 spised ; and saw before hand, that if he did not 
 revoke, the thunders of Rome, proclaiming him 
 excommunicated, and an outlaw, would be ful- 
 minated; he therefore determined to separate 
 himself, in a formal manner, from the Church of 
 
40 
 
 Home ; and as Leo had commanded his writings 
 to be burned, he determined to retaliate in kind. 
 He erected before one of the city gates, a pile of 
 wood, and in presence of all the professors of the 
 University, students, and an immense number of 
 people, he committed to the flames, not only the 
 proclamation of the Pope, but also all the collec- 
 tions of the laws and decrees of the Popes. This 
 was now a formal declaration of war against the 
 Pope, and was, by .Luther 9 premeditated, as is 
 known by a letter which he wrote to Spalatine; 
 and it was the wisest step he could have taken ; 
 it gave courage to his friends, and it amazed 
 and frightened his adversaries. This was done 
 on the tenth day of December, 1520. He 
 afterwards published, out of the Roman laws, 
 thirty articles; explained their enormity, and 
 the necessity of their destruction ; and convinced 
 the world thereby, that he had not acted with in- 
 considerate wrath and rashness, but with delibe- 
 ration. For the information of the reader, a 
 few of these laws are here inserted : 
 
 " Article 29. The Pope hath power to teach 
 and explain Scripture as he pleaseth, and no per- 
 son is permitted to explain it otherwise. 
 
 " Article 30. The Pope has not his honor, 
 power, and majesty, from Scripture, but Scrip- 
 
41 
 
 tiire has all this from the Pope," &c. He then 
 proves, that taking all Papal and canonical laws 
 together, they enact : " The Pope is God on earth , 
 over all that is terrestrial or heavenly, worldly, or 
 spiritual; every thing belongs to the Pope; and no 
 person dure say to him, what doest thou ?" 
 
 The publications of these tilings, were yet 
 more aggravating to the Pope and his adherents, 
 than the bonfire made with them. To expose 
 the secrets of the canonical right, in the lan- 
 guage of the country, intelligible to every one, 
 shook the whole Papal throne to the foundation. 
 Nations were ashamed to find, how they had 
 been enslaved for centuries ,* and many Germans 
 were excited, independent of religion, to support 
 the liberty and independence of their country* 
 Thus prepared, it was no wonder that when the 
 second proclamation, excommunicating and out* 
 lawing, eternally, the reformer, (which was 
 issued January 3d, 1521,) appeared, it was en- 
 tirely disregarded, and was not even published 
 in Saxony. 
 
 How astonishingly times had changed ! The 
 
 Popes formerly made thrones totter, deposed 
 
 emperors, and kings, excited wars, caused whole 
 
 communities to be persecuted with fire aud 
 
 4* 
 
42 
 
 sword, sent millions, by their cruelty, to the 
 other world ; and now all the revenge he can 
 take against a poor monk, is to burn his books, 
 where he had power; and the monk did the same 
 with the Pope's books, and bid defiance to them 
 all ; and yet they could not hurt a hair upon his 
 head, God is great! 
 
 SECTION X. 
 
 Causes of the delay of the Diet. 
 
 The Pope and his emissaries, however, left no 
 stone unturned, to get Luther into their power ; 
 but the newly elected emperor, stedfastly resisted 
 all violent measures against him, before a Diet 
 of the empire should decide on it. A combina- 
 tion of circumstances, paved the way for a salu- 
 tary delay of this Diet. When Maximilian was 
 dead, all Germany offered the imperial crown to 
 Frederick, elector of Saxony, Luther } s protector, 
 as the wisest and most renowned prince, for wis- 
 dom and justice, in his time. He, however, de- 
 clined the honor, and by his address and resig- 
 nation, Charles the V. was elected, in the sum- 
 
43 
 
 mer of 1519 ; and Charles, although ever so much 
 inclined to side with the Pope, would not pro- 
 ceed with force against Frederick, who was the 
 cause of his promotion, and who always insisted 
 that Luther must have an opportunity to he heard 
 before he could be condemned, with which the 
 emperor coincided. And although every body 
 expected, that a Diet would be called by the new- 
 emperor, in 1519, yet, by sundry causes, the 
 meeting of said Congress was delayed, for more 
 than a year ; and during this delay, the refor- 
 mation spread with rapidity. In the minds of 
 men, a miraculous revolution and attention had 
 been excited; the risen light shone around in 
 brightness; reverence for old doctrines and ce- 
 remonies had vanished; acknowledgement for 
 pure Evangelic Truth prevailed, in many places. 
 The students, instructed by Luther, and Me- 
 lanchton, on returning home, proclaimed the gos- 
 pel, with zeal and effect : and in the short space 
 of time, from 1518 to 1520, the systematic errors 
 of centuries were prostrated, with innumerable 
 men, in different parts of Europe. Luther was, 
 therefore, in no manner daunted; but his friends 
 were sorely afraid of the Diet. He wrote inces- 
 santly, not only controversial pieces, but as it was 
 
44 
 
 his object to establish pure Christianity, he ex- 
 plained Scripture, and in particular, an explana- 
 tion of the epistle to the Galatians; which was 
 read with avidity by all classes, and was one 
 great cause of the success of the reformation. 
 He thereby proved, clearly, that towards our 
 justification with God, all human works, moral as 
 well as ceremonial, are excluded. He determined 
 the true boundaries between law and gospel $ 
 and distinguished between being pardoned by 
 God, and the personal righteousness of man. 
 The first is a free grace, for Christ's sake only, 
 by faith, in the heart of a humiliated sinner ; and 
 includes full forgivenness, and a reconciliation 
 with God. The other, is a consequence of the 
 first, but remains imperfect during this life ; yet 
 a christian hath delight, in striving to obtain it. 
 The following are his own words : a You now 
 behold, that faith alone is not sufficient, but that 
 by faith alone we are justified; because, when 
 faith is of a right nature, it is infallibly active by 
 love; but this active love, can not meddle with 
 carnal works; and in this manner it obeys the 
 law, and arrives in the kingdom of God. There- 
 fore, every tiling must be ascribed to faith, so as 
 faith is ascribed to the word, and the word to 
 
45 
 
 the mercy of God, of whoin every good gift is 
 derived. These are the doctrines which must 
 be proclaimed to the hearers : and in the same 
 ©rder as the apostle does, namely — Let a man 
 first despair in his own power ; let him hear the 
 word of gospel faith ; and when he hears, let 
 him believe ; as he believes, let him pray to God ; 
 and while he prays, let him find (and he will 
 find) that he is heard ; and as he finds his prayer 
 is heard, let him receive the spirit of love; while 
 he receives this spirit, let him walk in the same, 
 and not execute the lusts of the flesh, but crucify 
 them; and at last, while he is crucified with 
 Christ, let him rise from the dead, ami take pos- 
 session of heaven. 
 
 SECTION XI. 
 
 Preparation and meeting of the Diet, at Worms — 
 . 'Luther's defence. 
 
 The eyes of all Europe were now fixed to 
 the Diet at Worms, and thousands of hearts pal- 
 pitated to know what would be the issue; as the 
 emperor, on calling said Congress, had pro- 
 claimed, that one intention thereby, was to take 
 
46 
 
 measures for the suppression of new and dan- 
 gerous opinions, which disturb the country. It 
 met towards the end of the year 15£0; and after 
 much time had been spent, in ceremonials, and 
 deliberations on temporals, the Diet proceeded 
 to deliberate on religious differences. It would 
 be useless to describe all the crafty attempts of 
 the Pope's legate, to have Luther condemned 
 without a hearing, and to prevent, if possible, 
 his presence; and the manoeuvres he exerted to 
 procure a majority on his side. Suffice it to say, 
 that at last, Luther was formally called, by the 
 Diet, under a safe conduct from the Emperor; 
 and although all his friends dissuaded him from 
 going, as it was but too well known that his life 
 was in danger, he refused not to obey the call of 
 his country, and to defend himself before a coun- 
 cil to which he had appealed, at the risk of his life. 
 And when but a short distance from the 
 city, he was again exhorted not to venture in, 
 and his friend Spalatine had warned him of his 
 danger, he pronounced these ever memorable 
 words: "If there were in Worms, as many 
 devils as tiles on the houses, I will yet go, and 
 not be afraid ;" and accordingly, he entered the 
 city, on the 16th of April, 1521, preceded by the 
 
47 " 
 
 imperial herald, in formal dress, in company of 
 nobles, princes, and dukes, who went out to meet 
 him, and he was conducted to his lodgings by two 
 thousand persons. As he got down from his car- 
 riage, he said in presence of thousands, " God 
 ivili be on my side" On the following day, he 
 was introduced to the Diet; when a number of 
 books were produced, and in the name of the em- 
 peror, he was told to answer two questions : 1st, 
 Whether these were his books ? and 2d, whether 
 he intended to defend or revoke their contents ? 
 After the title of the books had been read, Luther 
 said : «• I will answer these two questions as con- 
 cise as possible. 1st. If these books have not 
 been altered by my enemies, I confess to be the 
 author. 2d. Respecting the revocation, as this is 
 a juestion of faith, and of the happiness of the soul 
 an refers to the Word of God, which is the 
 highest and greatest treasure in heaven and on 
 earth, an 1 Which we ought all to honor ; it would 
 be audacious in me, inconsiderately to admit, or 
 say any thing with a certainty, as thereby I 
 might say less than the cause requires, or more 
 than is consistent with truth, both of which 
 would bring upon me the sentence which Christ 
 pronounced, when he saith, whosoever denieth mo 
 
4S 
 
 before men, him will I also deny before my hetrotnhj 
 Father, I therefore, in the most submissive and 
 mo3( c humble manner, supplicate his imperial ma- 
 jesty, to grant me time for reflection ; that I may, 
 wit)) out detriment to the Word of God, and with- 
 out danger to my soul's happiness, answer truly 
 to the said questions." 
 
 The emissaries of the Pope dreaded nothing 
 more, than Luther's presence at the Diet, believ- 
 ing, as experience proved, that it would only 
 turn out to their ultimate defeat, should 
 they even here succeed, by bribes and offers of 
 promotion, to obtain a majority of votes ; they 
 therefore hoped, that by confining him to these 
 questions, he would be debarred from a defence, 
 which they asserted to be inadmissible, as the 
 Pope iiad already condemned him. Therefore, 
 on consultation, he had to the next day, only gi- 
 ven him to answer, and was expressly charged 
 not to produce a written one, but that he must 
 answer verbally. When then, on the next day 
 he was again introduced, he arose before the 
 emperor, the grandees, lords and nobles of 
 Germany, and other spectators, with undaunted 
 fineness. He addressed the Diet in the Ger- 
 man language, and after submissively asking for 
 
49 
 
 indulgence, if he should not give to each of them 
 their proper titles, as he had not been brought 
 up at courts, but in a cloister; he proceeded 
 with energetic expressions, to expose the unwar- 
 rantable despotism of the Pope ; the impossibil- 
 ity of revoking what he had written, before be- 
 ing convinced by the word of God ; confessed 
 that in many of his publications he had been 
 more severe than became a Christian professor ; 
 but as he did lay no claim to saintship, and dis- 
 puted not about his life, but about the doctrine 
 of Christ : he said, " as I am but man, I can 
 defend my books in no other manner than my Sa- 
 viour Jesus Christ did his doctrine, after he had 
 lezn beaten in the face by the high priesfs ser- 
 vant." He then said, " If I have spoken evil, 
 prove that it is evil." In this manner he pro- 
 ceeded and concluded, very humbly recommend- 
 ing himself to the emperor, &c* 
 
 When Luther had finished his German ad- 
 dress, he was commanded to repeat the same in 
 Latin ; but the suffocating heat, occasioned by 
 the immense croud in the hall, was so oppressive, 
 that he found it necessary to rest a while. He 
 
 * The whole address is deserving- to be read ; it is to be 
 seen in the 5th vol. of Milner's Church Kistorv. 
 5 
 
50 
 
 was advised by a friend of Frederick, bis prince, 
 not to undertake it; but this advise did not 
 please him, and as soon as he was recruited, he 
 repeated every thing he had said, with extraor- 
 dinary livelinesss, in the Latin language ; to the 
 great satisfaction of all his friends, and in parti- 
 cular, to the electoral prince, his protector. It 
 Was evident, that his address had caused great 
 sensation among the grandees ; and his enemies 
 confessed, that when he had finished, the half of 
 the Diet was on his side : Until the official of 
 the archbishop of Treves arose, and with the 
 greatest vehemence and wrath cried out, that he 
 had not answered to the point ; that he was not 
 called to defend his doctrine, which was already 
 condemned by rbrmer councils, whose decision 
 should not be doubted ; all that was required of 
 him, was a short and plain answer to the ques- 
 tion — whether he would revoke or not? Luther an- 
 swered : " Since then your imperial majesty, 
 princes and dukes, demand a plain, simple, and 
 direct answer, I will give such an one, as shall 
 be short and plain : Except then that lam suc- 
 cessfully refuted, with proofs from Holy Writ, or 
 with clear and incontrovertible principles and ar- 
 guments, (for I believe neither the Pope nor 
 
51 
 
 councils alone ; as it is evident that they have 
 often erred, and have contradicted themselves,) 
 and unless I am refuted by texts of Scripture, cited 
 in my books, by me } and unless my conscience be 
 thus impressed, by the Word of God— I cannot, 
 and wile not revoke; because it is neither safe 
 nor advisable, to do any thing against conscience. 
 Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God 
 help me. Amen." 
 
 After the council had deliberated on Luther's 
 answer, he was told by the above mentioned offi- 
 cial, that he had not answered with discretion, 
 as became his character and situation. That if 
 he only had revoked his books, which contained 
 his principal errors, he would not have been 
 troubled with respect to others. That he should 
 demand a refutation, by Scripture, of heresies, 
 which were already condemned, by the council 
 of Costnitz, was the presumption of a man who 
 was nearly deprived of his reason. He was 
 therefore asked once more, whether he intended 
 to defend every thing he had written, as ortho- 
 dox ,* or whether he would revoke any part 
 thereof? Luther persisted in the answer given; 
 and entreated the emperor not to permit, that his 
 conscience should be forced to revoke, what accord- 
 
52 
 
 big to the Word of God, he was compelled to admit 
 as truth, except he was refuted by that very Word 
 nf God ; councils have often erred. 19 You cannot 
 prove that, says Eck. " I take it upon myself to 
 do it," answered Luther. 
 
 During this transaction, the particular adhe- 
 rents of the Pope, couid not conceal their indig- 
 nation and rage ; and during the few days which 
 he was afterwards permitted to remain in the 
 city, many private attempts were made by elec- 
 toral princes, dukes and nobles, in number, to 
 shake this champion of reformation ; but all was 
 in vain. I cannot recede from Holy Writ, was his 
 last answer, to innumerable importunities. Three 
 hours after the last private attempt by the electa* 
 of Treves, in which Luther had said that he was 
 sure that the council of Costnitz (which decreed 
 the death of Huss,) did condemn the Word of 
 God. He also said : a before I will surrender 
 this, I w ill rather die" He was then directed to 
 depart for home, under a safe conduct ,* and he 
 left Worms, on the twenty-sixth of April. 
 
 Attempts had not been wanting to persuade 
 the emperor, that he was not bound to protect a 
 convicted heretic, and he was referred to the pre- 
 cedent, at Costnitz; some of his very enemies, 
 
53 
 
 however, opposed such an enormity, and warned 
 the council to take care, and not be guilty of 
 such cruel infamy. 
 
 But as the emperor had unconstitutionally in- 
 formed the Diet, after the second public defence 
 made by Luther, that he was determined to pro- 
 ceed against him as a notorious heretic, and to 
 assist the Pope against him, it appeared, that 
 notwithstanding his passport of security, danger 
 might be lurking some where ; and Luther was 
 therefore privately taken prisoner on the road, 
 by masked characters, and secured in the castle 
 of Wartburg, which Was kept so secret, that it 
 was generally believed that his enemies bad de= 
 stroyed him. 
 
 SECTION XII. 
 
 Consequences of the Diet — Luther secreted one ijear. 
 
 The emperor, after Luther's departure, and 
 the departure of many members of the Diet, and 
 after he had procured a vote for twenty-four 
 thousand men to be raised against the Turks, 
 contrived, in order to please the Pope, to have a 
 5* 
 
54 
 
 decree passed against Luther, by which the bull 
 of outlawry, of the Pope, was servilely enacted, 
 as the law of the empire ; and from history, it is 
 evident, that the sanction thereto was obtained 
 by Charles, in his private room, by such who re- 
 mained, after the Diet had been dissolved ; it was 
 done on the twenty-fifth of May, and signed by 
 the emperor on the twenty-sixth, and was then 
 anti-dated to the eighth, in order to make the 
 nation believe that it was done in full congress. 
 
 The court of Rome, now expected wonderful 
 effects of the severe edict of Worms, and to be 
 able to suppress the rising reformation at once; 
 but it appeared, that the effects were very incon- 
 siderable ; and Seckendorff observes, that be- 
 sides the adorable providence of God, it was to 
 be ascribed to the private disinclination of the 
 emperor, to execute an unjust decree, servilely 
 obtained, and to his many other occupations j 
 for immediately after the Diet had adjourned, he 
 was compelled to return to Spain, of which he 
 was king, in order to quell an insurrection. 
 The absence of the emperor, in that critical 
 time, in which the decree made its first impres- 
 sion, added much to the non-execution of the 
 same ; and the frequent absence of Charles, af- 
 
55 
 
 terwards in his wars, during which time the 
 electors of Saxony and of Palatine were vi- 
 cars, was no doubt one cause also, that the Lu- 
 therans triumphed in Saxony. Some of the princes 
 of the empire, and certain free cities, refused 
 openly to obey the decree ; and when advice came 
 to Rome, that the innovators had become more 
 determined and bold than ever, the rejoicings 
 about the assured suppression of their doctrine, 
 subsided. For while the champions of the Pope, 
 at Worms, thirsted for the blood of the undaunt- 
 ed reformer, his publications, which had spread 
 in an unaccountable manner, and had been trans- 
 lated into many languages, produced astonish- 
 ing effects. Not only in Saxony, but also in Bo- 
 hemia, Pomerania, Prussia, Denmark, the pro- 
 vinces on the Rhine, and the cities, men went 
 forward, and preached the Word of God with 
 fidelity, power and blessing. 
 
 At first, Luther's disciples were much surpri- 
 zed, at his sudden disappearance ; and as his 
 abode was kept very secret, and many stories 
 were circulated respecting his fate, it caused 
 much mourning; but he was not idle, in his 
 Patmos ; at first he found his situation almost 
 insupportable; a rich diet, ordered by Frede- 
 
56 
 
 rick, would at first, not agree with a man, who 
 from his infancy, was accustomed to an econo- 
 mical one. 
 
 Among other things lie wrote to Melanchton, 
 he says : " I would rather hurn on fiery coals, for 
 the glory of the Word of God, and for the en- 
 couragement of others, than to continue, my pre- 
 sent inactive life. May God prevent, that I do 
 not totally lose the true sjriritual life" 
 
 With incredible industry, he wrote many 
 hooks ; one against private or auricular confes- 
 sion, which had been shamefully abused, for vile 
 purposes ; for every person had to pay money 
 before absolution. Another one, he wrote, against 
 private mass. He also wrote against the vows 
 of the monastic life, and the celibacy of the 
 priests ; and as this book had a surprising effect, 
 so that many monks, and nuns, left their clois- 
 ters; the noise against him increased, yet he 
 feared not his opponents, but successfully op- 
 posed them all. He was not satisfied to proceed 
 defensively only, but attacked all abuses with 
 vigor, as soon as they came under his view. 
 
 But the greatest and most beneficial work 
 which he began, while thus secluded from all the 
 world, was his translation of the Bible, in the 
 
37 
 
 German language ; he finished the New Testa- 
 ment, in the summer of 1521. Nothing could be 
 more effectual, to shake Church despotism to its 
 centre 5 nothing else could so effectually spread 
 the knowledge of true Christian doctrine, than 
 this noble exertion, and the success thereof; he 
 applied himself entirely to the work, with joy, 
 and with the assistance of his other learned 
 friends. His translation of the Bible, has re- 
 mained now for near three hundred years, the 
 standard, among all denominations of German 
 Christians, and no other is in use. His enemies 
 raved against the attempt, were furious at its 
 success, and though pronounced by them as the 
 greatest of all heresies, he beheld with joy the 
 blessed effect, and the Hosannah's pronounced 
 by all classes, rich and poor, for having obtained 
 that inestimable treasure in their own language. 
 In our time, we can represent to ourselves the 
 joy which it occasioned, when we see how, by 
 the success of the Bible Societies, that divine 
 book is now translated in many different lan- 
 guages, in which it had never appeared before ; 
 and the joys, and unspeakable Hallelujah's, with- 
 out ceasing, with which whole nations, and thou- 
 sands of individuals, send on high for this bequest. 
 
58 
 
 Oh ! that we might all give our mite, with glad- 
 ness, towards such glorious exertions for the 
 kingdom of our Lord ! Angels must rejoice with 
 us in Miss, that we mortals are able to do so 
 much, towards filling up their ranks in heaven. 
 Doctor Luther remained nine months in his se- 
 clusion, longer he could not stand it ; for in Wit- 
 tenberg, irregularities had broken out, which 
 were so afflicting to him, that he ventured to visit 
 them ; but finally, he did not leave it, before he 
 had, in his natural severe style, written against 
 a decision of the university of Pans, by which 
 his books had been condemned; and against 
 Henry VIII. king of England, who had writ- 
 ten a book against him, by which he had pro- 
 cured from the Pope, the title of " defender of 
 faith," which he afterwards forfeited, by his libe- 
 rating himself and kingdom, from the Popish 
 thraldom; but yet he and all his successors re- 
 tain that title to this day. 
 
59 
 
 SECTION XIII. 
 
 Disturbances at Wittenberg. 
 
 In December, 1521, Pope Leo died. In tk& 
 first week of March, Doctor Luther finally left 
 his castle, without the privity or knowledge of 
 Frederick, his prince, and returned to Witten- 
 berg ; and he acquainted him only when on the 
 road, with the absolute necessity of this step, and 
 that he could and would not ask protection from 
 him, knowing that he was under the protection of 
 God; that out of love and obedience to Him, he 
 had for a whole year secluded himself from his 
 flock and duty ; and that he had not done so out 
 of faint-he artedness, that before God he was ex- 
 cused, should he be taken prisoner, or be killed ; 
 because he left his Patmos contrary to his or- 
 ders. 
 
 When he arrived at Wittenberg, he found every 
 thing in confusion ; Carlstadt, was professor of 
 the university; he was of considerable erudi- 
 tion, and from the time of his public disputa- 
 tion with Eck, in Leipzig, was known and ab- 
 horred in Rome, as Luther' 's assistant. During 
 Lather's absence, he shewed a w r ant of decision. 
 
60 
 
 and restless enthusiastic disposition. By a mis* 
 application of what Jesus said, " I thank thee, O 
 Father, &c. because thou hast hid these things 
 from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed it 
 unto babes," (Mat. xi. 25.) he concluded, that 
 all human learning was useless ; he searched for 
 the lowest mechanics, and expected a true expla- 
 nation of Scripture from them ; lie would not be 
 called doctor, professor, nor arch deacon, which 
 he actually was : he lived in a village; did far- 
 mer's work, and insisted that it was the duty of 
 all to work with their hands ; he placed himself 
 at the head of inconsiderate young men, and 
 tumultously abolished mass, destroyed crosses, 
 pictures and altars, and by such reasoning and 
 actions, many of the students left the university, 
 and boys the school. In addition to these extra- 
 vagancies, another more dangerous one, to the 
 good cause, arose in Saxony. Two fanatics, 
 Storck and Thomas, clothiers by trade, and three 
 others, Stubner, Cellars, and Minister, the last 
 of some erudition, appeared, and declared that 
 they were teachers sent by God; that they had 
 intimate discourses with him; that they could 
 prophecy ; in short, that they were as the pro- 
 phets and apostles had been. They were the first 
 
61 
 
 since the primitive Church, to oppose infant bap- 
 tism. Storck, elected twelve of his followers, and 
 called them apostles ; and seventy-two more, 
 who were called his disciples ; and the others, 
 preached up sedition against all government. 
 
 It appears by this, that the most pure Chris- 
 tianity, always shews itself (and which is since 
 proved in innumerable instances) at new revivals 
 to piety ; but it often happens, that the wild fire 
 of fanaticism, appears at the same time. It was 
 so in the apostle's times; but Doctor Lather was 
 very far from such infatuation, as his publica- 
 tions abundantly prove. Let us hear some of his 
 expressions, respecting this innovation. He 
 writes to JlelancJiton : " I cannot approve of your 
 timidity, respecting these prophets : First — If 
 they bear witness of themselves, we must not im- 
 mediately obey them ; but according to the ad- 
 vice of St. John, prove the spirits. Until now, I 
 have heard nothing of them, which exceeds the 
 power of satan ; it must be examined into, what 
 proof they give of their divine call. For God 
 never sent a prophet, except he was called by 
 proper men, or had, from Him, received power 
 by miracles, to prove his mission ; yea, even not 
 his only Son. Their own assertion, of being 
 6 
 
divinely inspired, is no foundation to admit it ; 
 for God did not even speak with Samuel, as in a 
 manner, by the mediation of Eli, the priest. 
 Secondly — I wish to have their inward spirit 
 tried, whether they ever had an uneasy con- 
 science ; were attacked by death and hell, and 
 experienced the consolation of regeneration to 
 righteousness. In the Bible, we find that God 
 tries men at first with different afflictions and 
 temptations. Whosoever then speaks of nothing 
 but sweet enjoyments, rest, peace, comfort and 
 devotion, deserves no belief, if he pretends to 
 have been in the third heaven. For the charac- 
 ter of the Son of Man, is missed with it — the 
 man of sorrow ; the cross is wanting, the true 
 touchstone of a true christian." Here he refers 
 to Isaiah, xxxviii. 13. " Majesty does not speak 
 immediately, that a man can see him ; no, none 
 can see him and live. Therefore, examine them 
 with care ; and do not even listen to a glorified 
 Jesus, if you do not first find that he was cruci- 
 fied. 
 
 As soon as Luther arrived in Wittenburg, he 
 exerted his utmost to bring his disturbed flock 
 to order again ; and having daily preached to 
 thein, for eight days, he succeeded in what nei- 
 
63 
 
 ther Frederick's wisdom, nor JlelGiichtotfs erudi- 
 tion, could have effected, namely : Peace and or-» 
 der arose from noise and tumult ,• the student's 
 returned ; Carlstadl's weight sunk h y the influ- 
 ence of Luther ; and after many journey's to and 
 fro, he associated with the ministry of Basel. 
 It was evident, that not the meek spirit of Luther 
 was in him, for he once declared, that he would 
 have his name as renowned, and as much spoken 
 of, as Doctor Luther's — who shewed a quite diffe- 
 rent one, when in one of his publications about 
 that time, he warned against tumultuous and se- 
 ditious measures, and wherein he intreated all 
 men, never to use his name in a sectarian man- 
 ner, and not to call themselves Lutherans, hut 
 Christians ; lie said, " the gospel doctrine is not 
 my doctrine, but Christ's doctrine ; I was cruci- 
 fied for none ; Paul and Peter prohibited their 
 hearers to call themselves after them ; why thea 
 should I, who will soon be food for worms, de- 
 sire of the children of Christ, to have my name, 
 or be called after me? No — no; let us abolish 
 all these sectarian names, and be called Chris- 
 tians, because we have the doctrine of Chris- 
 tianity. I do not desire to lord it over any one. 5 * 
 
(J4 
 
 He condescended to have several conversa- 
 tions with the other above-named fanatics, in or- 
 der to shew them their error ; but finding all ar- 
 guments thrown away, he broke off at the third 
 and last conversation, with these words : « Thai 
 God whom I serve will destroy your vanity ;" and 
 the same day they left the city; and when the 
 deceivers were gone, the deceived, by degrees, 
 returned again to the flock, and the delusion van- 
 ished. 
 
 Luther 1 s personal situation, from this time, 
 continued to be dangerous ; whereof he writes : 
 I have no help nor protection but in heaven ; and 
 exist in the midst of enemies, who have power 
 and liberty to take my life at all hours ; but I 
 comfort myself with this, that I know that Christ 
 is Lord over all, and the Father has given every 
 thing under his feet; and of course, also the 
 wrath of the emperor, and of all devils. Let us 
 only be attentive, and pray fervently; for satan 
 not only wishes to destroy the gospel, but also 
 to drench Germany in its own blood. Duke 
 George, Frederick's brother, was one of his most 
 active enemies, and left nothing untried, by 
 which he believed Papal systems could be sup- 
 ported ; but he could do nothing with Frederick, 
 
65 
 
 But among all his difficulties, he never ceased 
 from constant activity, in writing and furthering 
 the grand work of reformation. History gives 
 us a most astonishing account, how the reforma- 
 tion progressed throughout Germany and the ad- 
 jacent dominions, notwithstanding that in coun- 
 tries which were entirely subject to the emperor 
 and bishops, many that sided with the pure gos- 
 pel, were against law, tyrannically ; and only in 
 obedience to the Bull of Rome, cruelly torment- 
 ed, murdered, and burnt. The burning, how- 
 ever, of true Christians, and the destroying of 
 Luther's publications, served in no manner to ex- 
 tirpate, but as of old, during the persecution of 
 the Roman emperors, only to increase true Chris- 
 tianity, at least, as to the doctrinal part. The 
 Papal historians themselves, admit with sorrow, 
 that about the close of the year 1522, and the be- 
 ginning of 1523, Lutheranism had excessively in- 
 creased ; and that its increase was visible at the 
 Diet held at iVursmberg, which had been con- 
 cluded early in the year 1523. 
 
 6* 
 
66 
 
 SECTION XIV. 
 
 Pope Adrian admitted that the troubles arose from 
 the sins of the Priests. 
 
 Adrian the VI. the successor of Leo, on the 
 Papal throne, had already, as cardinal, exerted 
 his talents with zeal against Luther ; and now 
 he, in a very elaborate address to the German 
 princes, entreated, scolded, and threatened, be- 
 cause the decree of Worms, had not been exe- 
 cuted against the heretic ; and insisted, that the 
 Diet should now quench the fire, and punish 
 Luther, and all his supporters and adherents, in 
 earnest, according to the imperial decree. But 
 he admitted (very impolitically, on his side,) in 
 the same address, or ordered his ambassador, at 
 the Diet, to confess, that all the disturbances 
 were a consequence of the sins of men, and par- 
 ticularly that of the priesthood and bishops ; that 
 for some years past, many abominations and ex- 
 travagancies had prevailed in the Church, and 
 even in* the Court of Rome. We know, " says 
 he, " that all things are wrong ; and it is no 
 wonder that the sickness had imparted itself from 
 the Pope to the bishops, and from them to the in- 
 
67 
 
 ferior clergy ; we all went our own way, and for 
 a long time there was not one that did good, no 
 not one." He then promiseth that he will, with 
 all industry, try to reform the Papal Court; 
 So that health might again proceed from the 
 source, and impart itself to all its memhers. 
 This confession, was water on the mill of the 
 reformers ; for they now wanted no other proof, 
 and they made good use of it. 
 
 This address appeared to have made a strong 
 impression, at least on the spiritual bench of the 
 Diet; and they bawled with all might — Luther 
 and all his followers must oe destroyed, and extir- 
 pated. But it was evident, very soon, that the 
 majority of German princes, could neither by 
 threats nor flattery, be intimidated. They an- 
 swered, that they were ready to extirpate all 
 heresy, but that very cogent reasons prevented 
 them from executing the decree of Worms. That 
 it was notorious, that the Germans of every de- 
 gree and situation, had great complaints against 
 the court of Rome ; that by Luther 's publications, 
 the nation had been thus convinced of the'same ; 
 that to attempt to execute the Papal and imperial 
 condemning sentence, might have dangerous con- 
 sequences ; that the people would regard such an 
 
68 
 
 attempt as evidence of an intention to suppress 
 truth, and to suffer intolerable oppression to con- 
 tinue, and Germany would soon be involved in 
 rebellion and civil wars. They asserted, that the 
 best way to eradicate evil, was the calling of a 
 free and Christian council, to meet in a city of 
 Germany, where every member should be at 
 liberty to speak and give his opinion. 
 
 Such an answer (and which contained more in 
 the same spirit) was quite unexpected ; and the 
 Pope's leg-ate could not avoid expressing his dis- 
 pleasure in strong terms. He answered very 
 haughtily, and insisted, that the decree of the Pope 
 and emperor, must be executed without restric- 
 tion ; the punishment of that incorrigible heretic, 
 Luther, ought to be increased ; his books must 
 be burned, and the printers and sellers punish- 
 ed, &c. 
 
 Such an answer was not easily digested by the 
 Diet, for they saw nothing thereby expressed, 
 by which Germany could expect to experience 
 an amelioration of oppression. But instead of a 
 formal reply, they formed a memorial, in which 
 one hundred grievances were enumerated, and 
 immediately sent to the Pope, as his legate had 
 hastily left the city. They prayed that these 
 
69 
 
 grievances might be redressed ; but, that if by a 
 certain time, it was not done, they would endure 
 them no longer, but think on means how they 
 could be released therefrom. 
 
 This was a decisive proof that the power of 
 the Pope was diminished ; and on the sixth of 
 March, 1523, an imperial mandate from the 
 Diet, was emitted (though the emperor was ab- 
 sent) quite in conformity to the answer given to 
 the Pope's legate ; it was printed, and with the 
 Pope's address, and the legate's instructions, 
 and the one hundred grievances published 
 throughout the country. 
 
 Luther, who immediately perceived the advan- 
 tage the reformation had thereby gained, which, 
 although in some points, it was placed on screws, 
 so that both parties could use it for their own 
 purposes, and left every thing undecided, and re- 
 ferred to a general council, yet he believed, and 
 insisted, that thereby his excommunication and 
 outlawry was virtually repealed, postponed, or 
 suspended; but concluded : " the world is tired 
 of me — whether I am excommunicated or not, it 
 is alike." And this was, indeed, a severe de- 
 feat to the Roman party -, so much the more, as 
 
TO 
 
 the time of suspension remained undetermined, 
 and depended on a future council. 
 
 The crafty Italians, were excessively exaspe- 
 rated at the Pope, for his confessions ; at his le- 
 gate, for his impolitic conduct ; and at the Ger- 
 mans, for outwitting them; and they but too 
 truly foretold, and expected, that the heretics 
 would now act with increased boldness. The 
 Pope was, on the one hand, astonished at the 
 stiff-neckedness of the reformers; and on the 
 other hand, grieved at the licentious morals of 
 his court; and often wished himself back to a 
 private station. But soon after he had heard of 
 the transactions at Nuremberg, he was, thereby, 
 relieved from all vexation. 
 
 During this time, our Saxon champion of the 
 reformation, proceeded on his course quietly, and 
 with good cheer ; but notwithstanding tSie indul- 
 gent recess of the Diet, the imperial chamber, 
 which was left undisturbed, in its executive de- 
 partment, and had, before the meeting of the 
 Diet, proceeded with severity, to execute the laws 
 of the empire, continued in their adopted course ; 
 and a confederation was formed, with duke 
 George at their head, though privately, in order 
 to have prince Frederick deprived of his electoral 
 
71 
 
 dignity, and his possessions, which would theii 
 have desc ended to hijp, as the only heir ; because 
 the son of Frederick, was also a heretic. The 
 electoral prince, although old and weak, was, 
 however, in full possession of his faculties, which 
 he had exercised with wisdom, during all these 
 dangerous times ; and he was not daunted, nor 
 to be shaken from his purpose ; as soon as he 
 was convinced that it was the true one, and 
 though he sometimes appeared to waver, it was 
 not for a want of courage, or honesty, but a con- 
 scientious deliberation of both sides of the case, 
 and what his duty demanded ; particularly, how 
 far it was permitted, to resist the existing rulers; 
 as in the year 1523, he had it in serious contem- 
 plation, to defend himself and his persecuted sub- 
 jects, by force of arms. He demanded an an- 
 swer of Doctor Luther, Bugenhagen, and Me- 
 laiichton y to the following question : Whether, in 
 case his subjects should be attacked by the em- 
 peror, or German princes, on account of their 
 religion, he was permitted to oppose force to 
 force ? These great and good men, determined 
 unanimously, that it is not permitted, for the fol- 
 lowing reasons : 
 
First, The electoral prince, and his brother 
 John, (the next heir) were not yet fully con- 
 vinced, in their consciences, that the new doctrine 
 was truly evangelical. 
 
 Second. The subjects had not yet requested 
 protection against persecution. 
 
 Third. His nobility had not jet deliberated 
 on the subject. 
 
 Fourth. Whoever makes use of weapons, for 
 his defence, must be fully convinced of the justice 
 of his cause. 
 
 This, then, is one proof of the many, to be 
 found in the history of those days, that Doctor 
 Luther was against using carnal weapons in de- 
 fence of religion; and he always insisted, that 
 Christians were bound to obey the magistrates, 
 from the lowest to the highest ; and that their 
 weapons for defence against persecution, and for 
 attacking, or propogating the gospel, were only 
 the Word of God, and prayer. 
 
 But God so directed it, that every cloud which 
 now and then appeared in the political horizon, 
 by the violent zeal of Ferdinand, the emperor's 
 brother, against Luther and his adherents, eva^ 
 porated before explosion. 
 
The emperor was so immersed in the multipli- 
 city of his aggrandizing schemes, that it was 
 impossible for him, seriously to think of the 
 differences in Germany ; and although a confe- 
 deracy had been entered into by the popish prin- 
 ces of Germany, yet it was soon evident, that 
 without his co-operation, they would not under- 
 take any thing of moment ; and Frederick could 
 make himself easy about his possessions. 
 
 However, to read of the cruelties that were 
 exercised against individuals, and towns, who 
 were subjects of their particular lords, and ene- 
 mies of the gospel, is enough to make humanity 
 shudder at the recital ; but as the object of this 
 is only to follow Luther, and to learn his charac- 
 ter, his principles and actions in particular, diffi- 
 cult situations, and search for his spiritual light 
 and knowledge, we cannot be detained thereby. 
 
 Luther was informed by a French nobleman, 
 that Charles, duke of Savoy, had a favorable 
 opinion of the reformation. Such an opportunity 
 for the propagation of truth, was not to be lost ; 
 be therefore wrote to him, in the manner follow- 
 ing: 
 
 " Grace and peace in Christ Jesus our Lord, 
 Amen. Your excellency will pardon the liberty 
 
74 
 
 1 take about the glorious cause of religion. As 
 I understand that the duke of Savoy, in conse- 
 quence of the gift of God, which is surely a rarity 
 among dukes, has a desire to assist in the fur- 
 therance of true Christianity. I have deemed it 
 my duty, unworthy as I am, to gratulate such a 
 prince thereto ; and to call upon him to render 
 assistance to that good cause. I pray to God, 
 that your excellency's noble example, may be a 
 means by which many souls may be obtained for 
 Christ. And in order that no deception, by the 
 misapplication of the Pope's champions, may suc- 
 ceed, 1 will quote the two principal articles of 
 our faith. 
 
 w First We teach, that happiness is acquir- 
 ed by faith, in Jesus Christ only ; who blots out 
 our sins, not for the sake of our works, no — but he 
 destroys the power of death ; and as the prophet 
 says, M he leads captivity captive;" and as Paul 
 says, "if justification comes by the law, Christ 
 died in vain;" and again, "but of him that 
 worketh not, but believeth in him that justifieth 
 the ungodly ; his faith is counted for righteous- 
 ness." We teach, that this faith is the gift of 
 God, which is effected in the heart, by God's 
 jholy spirit. Faith is a living something, which 
 
75 
 
 produceth a change in the whole man, unmerited, 
 by the Word of God alone ; so says Paul to the 
 Romans: " faith cometh hy hearing, and hear- 
 ing by the Word of God." From this, it follows, 
 that every thing the Popes and schools have 
 taught, and followed, respecting satisfaction and 
 meritorious worsts, is an abominable doctrine; 
 and all the different monastic orders, are those 
 very men of whom Christ foretold : " many will 
 come in my name and say, behold here is Christ, 
 behold there is Christ?? For if sin could be ta- 
 ken away, and be forgiven by our works, it is 
 not effected by the blood of Christ ; and if it is 
 done by the blood of Christ, it does not arise 
 from our works. What then can we say of this 
 mighty papistical zeal for good works ? Noth- 
 ing but this, that it annihilates the grace of God $ 
 particularly, as these do their works, not merely 
 to do something good, but in hopes, thereby, to 
 inherit eternal life ; which can be only acquired 
 by the blood of Christ. To depend on our own 
 works, and through them to hope for happiness, 
 is virtually denying that the Lord has purchased 
 us. 
 
 " Second. In our second article, we teach — 
 that those, who by faith have been justified, and 
 
re 
 
 hare been received into the communion of Christ, 
 must be careful, by their walk in life, to produce 
 good fruit. Not that those fruits make man 
 good, or can merit to them forgiveness of sin, 
 which is effected by faith alone ; but because, as 
 a tree is known by its fruit, so is the soundness 
 of a christian proved by his works ; but surely, 
 it is good if he produces good fruit. Those 
 works on which we insist, arc such as are bene- 
 ficial to our neighbors ; not such, by which we 
 intend to purchase heaven for ourselves. This 
 last, is a ruinous idea, appertaining to the papal 
 system ; and is in direct opposition to true Chris- 
 tian love." He then proceeds to state, how the 
 world has been deceived ; and how, by crafty in- 
 ventions, Jesus and his gospel faith, love, and 
 good works, with Christian liberty, have been 
 placed out of the view of man : and then pro- 
 ceeds : " These, most excellent prince, are the 
 principal doctrines, which I pray you to protect, 
 as your excellency has already begun ; but by 
 no means force any thing; don't take the sword ; 
 nothing succeeds in this manner. I only pray, 
 that those who preach the gospel, may not be in. 
 danger of being persecuted. In this manner, 
 Christ destroys antichrist, through the spirit of 
 
77 
 
 his mouth ; and so will he be broken without 
 hand, as is said in Daniel ; namely : " He, whose 
 appearance is effected by lying powers ; satan 
 w ill not expel satan ,• but the devils must be ex- 
 pelled by the finger of God, &c." 
 
 SECTION XV. 
 
 Successor of Adrian — Diet at Nuremberg — recess 
 favorable to reformation — Diet at Speyer, 1526, 
 amounting to toleration. 
 
 In November 1523, Julius, who called himself 
 Clement VII. was, in a very uncanonical manner, 
 elected Pope. On this account, and also on account 
 of his illegal birth, he was more afraid than his 
 predecessors, of a general council ; as he was in 
 danger, on account of any of the above causes, 
 to be dethroned ; therefore, he was determined, 
 by every possible means, to avoid the demand of 
 the Germans. In the art of governing, he far 
 exceeded Adrian; and to effect his purposes, he 
 made choice of Campeggius 9 a crafty intriguer, as 
 his ambassador to the Diet, which was again 
 called to Nuremberg, in the end of the year 1523, 
 
 7* 
 
The emperor could not personally attend; Cam- 
 peggius arrived in March 1524, hut not in pomp; 
 lie exerted all the flattery he was master of, with 
 the electoral prince, to induce him to proceed 
 against the reformation, and Luther $ but this 
 was no bait for Frederick, When he left Nurem- 
 berg, on account of his weakness, he charged his 
 ambassador Feiltitsch, peremptorily, not to enter 
 into any treaty with him, and to protest against 
 every thing which other princes of the empire 
 might give up to. And notwithstanding, that 
 the emperor and his brother Ferdinand, did what 
 they could to please the Pope, the recess of the 
 Diet was as favorable to the reformation as the 
 last. 
 
 At last, the emperor Charles, having reconciled 
 all his political schemes with the Pope, and see- 
 ing that the reformation, by Doctor Luther, was 
 likely to open the eyes of the German nation, to 
 Iris schemes of oppressing them, so as to become 
 mere vassals to his authority; and in order to in- 
 gratiate himself with the Pope, he determined to 
 suppress the new doctrines in good earnest; but 
 as by another Diet, held at Speyer, in the year 
 1526, a recess had been concluded, one of which 
 was almost equivalent to a toleration of Luther's 
 
T9 
 
 doctrines. It required the greatest delicacy of 
 address, to proceed to rigorous measures. The 
 minds of men, kept in perpetual agitation, 
 by a controversy carried on for many years, 
 without abatement of zeal, were now inflamed 
 to a high degree. They were accustomed to in- 
 novations, and had seen the boldest of them suc- 
 ceed ,• they were influenced as much by attach- 
 ment to the system, which they had embraced, 
 as by aversion to that which they had abandoned. 
 Luther, himself, of a spirit not to be worn out, by 
 the length and obstinacy of the combat, or to be- 
 come remiss upon success, continued the attack 
 with as much vigor as he had begun it; in which 
 his disciples, of whom many equalled him in 
 zeal, and some surpassed him in learning, as- 
 sisted him in conducting the controversy in the 
 most proper manner. It was therefore obvious, 
 from all circumstances, that any violent decision 
 of the Diet, which was again convened in the 
 year 1529, must have immediately precipitated 
 matters into confusion. All, therefore, that the 
 brother of Charles, and the emperor's commis- 
 sioners demanded of the Diet, was, to enjoin 
 those states, who had hitherto obeyed the de- 
 cree issued against Luther, at Worms^ in the 
 
80 
 
 ^rsar 1524, to persevere in the observation of it, 
 and to prohibit the other states from attempting 
 any further innovation in religion, before the 
 meeting of a general council ; and after much 
 dispute, a decree to that effect was approved, by 
 a majority of voices. Against this decree, the 
 elector of Saxony, and several other lords, with 
 fourteen free imperial cities, entered a solemn 
 protest, as unjust and impious. On that account, 
 they were distinguished by the name of Protes- 
 tants; an appellation which has since become 
 better known, and more honorable, by its being 
 applied indiscriminately, to all the sects, of what- 
 ever denomination, which have revolted from 
 the Roman see. 
 
 But Luther had not only to combat with ene- 
 mies from without, but also with such, who arose 
 out of the reformation, by men who were heated 
 by enthusiasm and infatuation ; particularly by 
 one Muntzer, who was mentioned above, and 
 who, after he had been exiled from his country, 
 continued to propagate his pestilential doctrines 
 in other places ; caused the people to revolt from 
 their magistrates ; placed himself in their stead, 
 as sent from God ; introduced the communion of 
 property ; excited the hearers to revolt > and at 
 
41 
 
 last, declared open war against all governments* 
 which increased the cinder to a flame, which 
 since the year 1517, had been covered. The ig- 
 norant farmers, at last embodied themselves, in 
 the year 1525, in order to resist their oppressors* 
 the nobles and lords, who used them as slaves ; 
 and an innumerable collection of such people, fell 
 upon the estates of the nobles and prelates, and 
 exercised the most horrid cruelties ; so that the 
 princes were forced to raise armies against them, 
 and fifty thousand men lost their lives, before 
 that insurrection was quelled; and Muntzer, 
 who was their general, taken and punished with 
 death. Doctor Luther, during this season, was 
 reviled by the Pope's friends, as the cause of all 
 the troubles ; and Muntzer, and his associates, 
 attacked him also with virulence, as being luke- 
 warm, a heathen, a liar, and the Wurtemberg 
 Pope ; because he would not sanction their doc- 
 trine and conduct. 
 
 We must, however, leave many controversies 
 untouched, in order to view Doctor Luther's si- 
 tuation, only with respect to his character and 
 conduct, in trying and difficult situations, as well 
 such as relates to his doctrine, and his temper. 
 
3fe 
 
 The elector Frederick, who was always tfie 
 friend of Luther, and of his wise doctrine, died 
 May 25, 1525, ten days before the last battle, in 
 in which the insurgents, under Mnntxer, were 
 finally beaten and subdued. In the same year, 
 Luther, after he had been sufficiently convinced 
 of the inutility of the monastic life and vow, and 
 had now succeeded greatly in establishing regu- 
 larity among his followers, entered into the state 
 of matrimony, with Catharine of Bora; who had, 
 some years before, left the nunnery. This was 
 again, most virulently attacked by the Romans, 
 as a sacrilegious action ; but he bore this, as 
 well as the doubts of his friends, respecting the 
 propriety of this step, with patience; and lived 
 happy with his wife, and had several children by 
 her. 
 
 In this year, Luther celebrated the Lord's sup- 
 per, for the first time, in the German language; 
 but before he did this, he published thirty-eight 
 hymns, with solemn tunes, containing the 
 principal religious truths ; and the tunes which 
 he himself composed, (lie being a good musician,) 
 are to this day, in our Church, much esteemed.. 
 In the preface to this book, he insists, with the 
 words of David and Paul, that music belongs 
 
m 
 
 properly to divine worship ; and further, that 
 during our thanksgiving, the eye ought alone to 
 be affixed on Christ Jesus. 
 
 In some of his writings, he expresses himself 
 thus : u Music is not the gift of man, but a gra- 
 cious gift of God : whoever does not love, 
 or despiseth music, as all enthusiasts do, I am 
 not pleased with him ; it chaseth the devil, and 
 makes people joyful, during its sound ; wrath, 
 voluptuousness, pride, and other vices, are for- 
 gotten. I give to music the next place and honor 
 to theology. 
 
 SECTION XVI. 
 
 Zwignlius — reformation in Switzerland — diffe- 
 rence about Sacrament— Oclocampadius 
 
 In the year 1524, an unfortunate division 
 simong the reformers, was a cause of separation 
 among the Protestants. 
 
 It is to he observed, that about the time Luther 
 began to preach against indigencies, another 
 champion named Zwinglius, arose in Switzcr* 
 land, who also preached the gospel in purity* 
 
84 
 
 only Luther upbraided him once, with not preach- t 
 ing the gospel doctrine of justification suffi* 
 ciently ; by which it follows, he says, " that the 
 proper doctrine of the gospel is unknown among 
 you." And as that country had something of a 
 republican form of government, it was easier for 
 him to succeed ; and the decree of the Diets of 
 Germany, had no effect there; of course, he had 
 not such trials as Luther; was not under the banns 
 of the empire ; had no opposition by emperors, 
 kings, and princes ; and history informs us, that 
 to the year 1 525, he was in friendly correspon- 
 dence with the cardinals and the Pope — who 
 wrote to him a very crafty letter, praising his 
 .zeal, and warning him against the Lutheran he- 
 resy. Luther was rejoiced to have such an as- 
 sistant. 
 
 Carlstadt, when he was exiled from Saxony, 
 went to different places, and by his doctrine and 
 actions, caused disturbances ; he came to Basel, 
 and there began in print, to defend his doctrines. 
 The principal difference here, was about the pre- 
 sence of the body and blood, in the holy sacrament. 
 Luther had rejected the doctrine of transubstan* 
 tiation,, but yet held, that with the bread and 
 wine, the true body and true blood was enjoyed. 
 
85 
 
 Carlstadt was herein his open and declared op- 
 ponent ; but the council of Basel, imprisoned 
 those who sold his books ; and m Zurich, they 
 were also prohibited. 
 
 But Zwinglius, the Swiss reformer, with Qeco- 
 lampadms, did not reject his opinion of the sa- 
 crament ; they only said, that he had used im- 
 proper words, and that his doctrine could well 
 be made to agree with their doctrine. The con- 
 test was about the words, " this is my body — this 
 is my blood." Zwinglius, and those on his side 5 
 taught, that bread and wine, i» the holy sacra- 
 ment, is and remained, common bread and com- 
 mon wine; and that the body and bloou of 
 Christ, was only enjoyed spiritually ; at the 
 same time, they denied the real presence of 
 Christ. But Luther taught, that according to 
 the words of the Saviour, when he instituted the 
 holy sacrament, the body and blood of Christ, 
 was truly ami really enjoyed. That he acted 
 conscientiously herein, is evident, from a publi- 
 cation he addressed to all friends of God, and 
 christians in Strasburg, as soon as the dispute 
 began ; where he says : " this I confess, that if 
 Doctor Carlstadt, or any other person, could 
 have convinced me five years ago, that a sacra* 
 
 8 
 
 
86 
 
 ment was nothing but bread and wine, he would 
 Lave rendered me a great service ; for I turned 
 and twisted myself, endured hard afflictions, and 
 wished to come out thus, because I saw I could 
 thereby strike popcrj to the heart ; " but I am 
 imprisoned, and cannot get out." The text is 
 liere too powerful, and will not suffer it, that 
 words can eradicate it from the mind. After 
 some years, when Carlstadt had suffered consU 
 derable, he wished for a reconciliation with Lu- 
 ther, and wrote to him, that what he had said 
 about the holy sacrament, was not intended to 
 establish the doctrine, but only to cause an exa- 
 mination thereof; and by the intercession of 
 Luther, he was re-called from exile ; and he and 
 his wife, with Doctor Jonas, stood god-father for 
 one of his children, which was baptised. He be- 
 fore had rejected infant baptism as impious, with 
 vehement expressions. 
 
 Doctor Luther said, in another place, when he 
 speaks of the general divine economy : " The 
 case is thus situated : God acts with us in two 
 ways ; first, externally, and second, internally. 
 Externally, he acts with us by verbal words of 
 the gospel, and by visible signs, as in baptism 
 •and the sacrament. Inwardly, he acts with us, 
 
8/ 
 
 by the t Holy Ghost and faith, and other gifts >, 
 but all this in regular order. The externals 
 must precede, and the internals must arise 
 through the externals, and succeed them. For 
 God will give to none the Holy Ghost and 
 faith, without the external word and means, 
 which he for that purpose instituted ; as he says, 
 Luke xvi. : " let them hear Moses and the pro- 
 phets." In this manner Paul is permitted to 
 call baptism a laver of regeneration, in which 
 God pours out his spirit abundantly ; and to caU 
 the verbal gospel a divine power, to make happy 
 all of them that believe in the same. But this 
 order is perverted by the new Schismatics, and 
 a contradictory one established. And what God 
 ordains externally, towards the spirit internally, 
 they reject disdainfully, and want to enter the 
 spirit first. Respecting the sacrament of the 
 Lord's supper, he says : We do not say, that by 
 the words of the officiating priest, Christ is 
 drawn down from heaven ; for although he is 
 present in the holy sacrament, he does not leave 
 heaven, &c. We are not commanded to exa- 
 mine in what manner Christ is in the bread; it 
 is enough for us, that he said it was his body. 
 Men may dispute thousands of years, they will 
 
m 
 
 never be able to take away the words, which are 
 as plain as words can be." Thus Luther forces 
 us, even when he maintains a dubious and dark 
 point, to acknowledge the power of his spirit* 
 and his particular attachment to the written 
 word. 
 
 When Carlstadt was silent, Zwinglius, with 
 the assistance of Oecolampadius, supported the 
 doctrine against Luther, by explanation of the 
 words of our Saviour. Ministers of the gospel 
 met, for the purpose of union ; others advised to 
 be silent about it, for peace sake ; but all availed 
 nothing. The zeal and spirit of Zwinglius, had 
 for its object, and he gave that advice directly 
 to his followers, to destroy every vestige of the 
 Roman superstition. From this, we may ex- 
 plain many of his actions; and this doctrine 
 about the sacrament, in opposition to Luther $ 
 and for many years, his mind was occupied with 
 the .differences of the sacramental doctrines, to 
 the exclusion of other doctrines. 
 
 But it is a common, and at the same time an 
 erroneous opinion, that with the difference be- 
 tween Luther and the Swiss reformer, the doc- 
 trine of predestination had been connected. The 
 error arises from the inattention to the succeed* 
 
89 
 
 ing changes which arose on the doctrinal points^ 
 of both the protestant churches. MUncr, in his 
 Ecclesiastical History, says, that by a careful 
 perusal of the numberless publications of Zwin- 
 glius, he found that certain opinions concerning 
 unconditional decrees of God, which were after- 
 wards maintained by Calvin, made no part of the 
 theology of the Swiss reformer. And whoever 
 has an opportunity to read Luther* s answer to 
 Erasmus, respecting freewill, will be convinced, 
 that the lamentable schism between the first re- 
 formers, had not arisen from the doctrine of pre- 
 destination ; unless, that if it had been the case, 
 the opinion of both parties would have appeared 
 to be different from what is generally supposed. 
 But yet, as Luther had repeatedly decided, that 
 all human strength availed nothing, to help a lost 
 sinner, and although he ascribed salvation, purely 
 and unconditionally, to the grace and mercy of 
 the will of God, he never undertook to treat on. 
 the difficult doctrine of predestination fully ; and 
 always advised not to preach much of it. A cer- 
 tain preacher questioned him once on the subject, 
 as he had a man in his congregation, whom he 
 could not console, in his affliction and mournful 
 doubts, whether he was elected to be saved. He 
 8* 
 
90 
 
 answered, " there are many who have embarked 
 in such researches, and by reason thereof, were 
 lost ; it is a temptation which can lead to blas- 
 phemy : I was thereby more than once, brought 
 to great distress. We, poor mortals, can with 
 our faith, comprehend but very few of the rays 
 of the divine promises ; and yet weak as we are, 
 we undertake audaciously to comprehend the 
 glory of divine majesty fully. Do we not know- 
 that his ways are inscrutable ? Instead of enjoy- 
 ing the mild light of his promises, according to 
 our weak capacity, we want to see with our mole 
 eyes, the majestic splendor of divinity. We 
 must admit and know it, that there exists a se- 
 <*ret will of God ; but we must not beat our brains 
 about it. I am accustomed, by the answer, to 
 comfort doubters; which Jesus gave to Peter, 
 when he asked, what should become of John ? 
 « What is that to thee ? follow thou me," &c. 
 In another letter, he says : " The general pro- 
 mises of God, must not be limited ; and the in- 
 sinuations of satan, which have a tendency to re- 
 pulse us from the mercy of God, which Scrip- 
 ture describes as infinite, must be resisted." 
 He then points the mourning sinner, to the voice 
 of God himself; who says, " this is my bejoved 
 
91 
 
 Son, hear ye him ;" and to the words of Christ, 
 " come unto ■ me, all ye that are heavy laden." 
 He invites all ; yea, the most depraved, the pub- 
 licans and sinners. Why should we lose our- 
 selves in winding paths, when by the gospel, the 
 direct road is so plainly described. 
 
 In order that all the reformers might come to 
 an understanding about their differences, as they 
 were a strong weapon in the hands of their ene- 
 mies, much exertion was used by the friends of 
 unanimity, and a conference of the principal di- 
 vines, of both parties, was appointed, and held at 
 Marburg. On the part of Doctor Luther ^ him- 
 self and four others, and Zrvinglius and three 
 others, were present. The conference lasted se- 
 veral days ; but as nothing could be brought for- 
 ward, but what had already been often conversed 
 upon, and each party appearing to be convinced 
 of the truth of its system, it was not likely that 
 one party would yield to the other ; they, how- 
 ever, agreed to thirteen articles, unanimously ; 
 and the fourteenth article, which was respecting 
 the holy sacrament, remained as it was. The 
 articles were — 1st. Of faith in God, the Father, 
 Son and Holy Ghost, according to Nlcene Sym- 
 bol. 2d. Of the incarnation of Christ. 3d, Of 
 
Christ's sufferings, dying, resurrection, ascen- 
 sion, and his coming to judge the world. 4th. 
 Of original sin. 5. Of justification by faith, in 
 Christ. 6. That such faith is a gift of God, not 
 to he acquired by one's own power and strength, 
 but that the Holy Ghost effects it by the gospel. 
 7th. That man is only justified and saved by 
 faith. 8th. Of the external Word. 9th, and 
 10th. Of baptism. 11th. Of human ordinances, 
 in spiritual and Church affairs, or traditions, so 
 called. They, however, all signed the fourteen 
 articles ; and the last concluded thus : " And 
 although we have not, at this time, agreed whe- 
 ther the true body and blood was sensibly in the 
 bread and wine, yet will we live in christian love 
 with one another, to the extent of conscience; 
 and both parties will often pray to God Al- 
 mighty, that he, by his spirit, would confirm us 
 in the true understanding. Amen." This must be 
 sufficient, of the then existing differences, which 
 by condescending expressions, on both sides, 
 might have been avoided, so as not to produce, 
 finally, separate denominations. Whoever wishes 
 to be further acquainted with the increase of dif- 
 ferences, is referred to Scckendorfs history of 
 Lutheransism. Milner's Church History, and Roc 
 Urtsoii's Charles the Fiftk. 
 
- 
 93 
 
 SECTION XVII. 
 
 Diet at Augsburg. 
 
 When the differences between the emperor 
 and the Pope, were at last finally settled, the em- 
 peror submitted to be crowned by the Pope, as 
 Roman emperor; and by his coronation oath* 
 swore to protect, with all his power, the Pope 
 and the Roman Church. The personal inter- 
 course, also, with the Pope, and his well applied 
 arts, &c. influenced the emperor further to pro- 
 mise, that he would, either by fair means, or by 
 force of arms, bring the Protestants again under 
 the obedience of the Pope, and the Roman 
 Church. He accordingly proclaimed a Diet to 
 be held at dugsburg, in April, 1530, and pro- 
 mised to make it celebrated by his personal atten- 
 dance. The proclamation was worded smoothly; 
 and he therein promised, " that every one's opinion 
 and sentiment should be attended to, and examined 
 hi love ; and every thing, which by both parties 
 had been improperly treated and explained, 
 should be done away, &c." Whether this was 
 his real intention, at that time, is doubtful ; and 
 that it was hypocritically said, rather appears 
 
94 
 
 by his conduct at the Diet; or he was, by the 
 incessant importunities of the Pope's legate, who 
 never left him on the journey, and pestered him 
 in the city, prevented him from acting according 
 to his intentions. 
 
 In his journey towards the city, he had many 
 opportunities of observing the disposition of the 
 Germans, with regard to the points in contro- 
 versy ; and found their minds so much irritated 
 and inflamed, as convinced them, that nothing 
 tending to severity or rigor, ought to be attempt- 
 ed, until all other, measures had proved ineffec- 
 tual. He made his public entry into Augsburg, 
 with extraordinary pomp ; and there found such 
 a full assembly of the Diet, as was suitable both 
 to the importance of the affairs which were to 
 come under their consideration, and to the honor 
 of the emperor ; who after a long absence, re- 
 turned to them, crowned with reputation and suc- 
 cess. His presence seemed to have communi- 
 cated to all parties, an unusual spirit of modera- 
 tion, and desire of peace. The elector of Saxony, 
 would not permit Doctor Luther to accompany 
 him to the Diet, lest he should offend the empe- 
 ror, by bringing into his presence, a person ex- 
 communicated by the Pope, and who had been 
 
95 
 
 the author of all these dissentions, which it now 
 appeared so difficult to compose. 
 
 The elector of Saxony had, prior to the meet- 
 ing of the Diet, commanded Luther, Pammei\ 
 Jonas, and Melanchton, that as the expected Diet 
 might be regarded as a general council, they 
 should, respecting the controverted points of 
 faith, and Church ceremonies, form such a con- 
 fession, to which, with the help of God, they 
 might stand ; or in which, on treating on the 
 subject, it might be proper to yield to the oppo- 
 nents. Tliis was done, and Doctor Luther held 
 the pen. After this had been canvassed by Ro- 
 man divines, and mostly rejected by them, the 
 elector prepared for his journey, which to him 
 and his dissuading friends, appeared not to be 
 free from danger. Before his departure, he said 
 to his divines j <* gentlemen — you behold to 
 what length Christianity has arrived ; if you 
 have courage to defend every point, well and 
 good ; if not, you will bring danger on us, and 
 our- country." They answered, a that they would 
 not wish that his excellency should come to any 
 danger, and that if he would not unite with them, 
 that he should only permit them to appear before 
 the emperor, to defend the cause." But the 
 
98 
 
 elector rejoined, with evident zeal, (t JVb — God 
 jwevent, that I should be excluded from your com- 
 pany ; I will with you, confess my Lord Jesus 
 Christ" Doctor Luther, Mclanchton, and four 
 other divines, accompanied him, with many 
 counts and nobles ; but Doctor Luther, as being 
 declared in the banns of the empire, was left se- 
 cure in a fortress, but so that the correspon- 
 dence with him, was left open. As the emperor 
 had forbidden the public preaching of the protec- 
 tant divines, and hardly permitted it in their 
 hotels, Luther, on being asked whether it was to 
 be obeyed, he without hesitation declared, that 
 obedience to the emperor was duty ; and even if 
 he should prohibit them from eating meat during 
 lent, as that was neither ordered nor prohibited in 
 Scripture. By private negotiations, exertions 
 were incessant, to unite the Swiss reformer, 
 ZtvingliuSf with them, but without success. 
 
 The elector of Saxony, was, by the court of 
 the emperor, watched and persecuted ; and Lu- 
 ther, who was for the most part of the time un- 
 well, wrote several encouraging letters to him. 
 AVith the death of Gattinara, on the 4th of June, 
 the emperor's chancellor, who resisted all vio- 
 lent measures, and who was his confidential 
 
counsel, and accompanied him, though very 
 weak, for the express purpose of preventing vio- 
 lent measures ; the expectation of the protes- 
 tants, that the controversies would, by a general 
 council, be decided, had vanished. But the mos f 
 important business, which the protestant divines 
 undertook, before the arrival of the emperor, was 
 the drawing up of a Confession of Faith, which, 
 now is called the Augsburg Confession, Me- 
 lanchton, the man of the greatest learning, as 
 well as of the most pacific and gentle spirit, 
 among the reformers, formed it, and expressed 
 the articles thereof in terms as little offensive to 
 the Roman catholics, as a regard for truth would 
 permit. They consisted of upwards of thirty ar- 
 ticles ; twenty-two only, are now necessary to be 
 known, as the rest related only to doctrines, now 
 entirely obstruse, and respecting Catholicism. 
 When they were finished, the elector sent them to 
 Doctor Luther , for his decision ; he returned them 
 with the assurance, that he knew nothing to 
 alter or amend ; and that it would not become 
 him to do it, as he could not use the same mild 
 language. 
 
 It appeared very soon, that although the empe- 
 ror professed a friendly disposition, that neither 
 
 
98 
 
 he nor the grandees of the empire on his side^ 
 "were much concerned about the truth and honor 
 of the pure Word of God ; and were more deter- 
 mined to execute the promise made to the Pope, 
 to compel the protectants to return to the obedi- 
 ence of him. 
 
 Very soon after the opening of the Diet, com- 
 plaints were made, in the name of the emperor, 
 that the decree of Worms, against Doctor Luther, 
 an excommunicated and outlawed heretic, had not 
 been executed ; and which was assigned the cause 
 of the insurrections among the peasants and ani- 
 baptists. 
 
 The elector of Saxony, thereupon, called all 
 of his faith together, and admonished them to be 
 firm, in the confession of the cause of God and 
 religion; with the assurance, "that all designs 
 against God would miscarry, and the good cause 
 be victorious" 
 
 On the twenty-second of June, the emperor 
 sent orders to the elector and his connexions, 
 that on the twenty-fourth, they should deliver, in 
 writing, what they had to propose respecting reli- 
 gion. Hereupon the Confession of Faith, as formed 
 by Melanchton, was, in the hotel of the elector, au- 
 dibly read, in presence of all the protestant gran- 
 
99 
 
 dees ; and was, by them, fully approved of, and 
 signed. 
 
 On the twenty-fourth of June, the second sea 
 sion of the Diet met. First of all, the Pope's am- 
 bassador, Campeggius, appeared ; and was re- 
 ceived with the greatest reverence. The emperor, 
 with all the electoral and other princes, met him 
 at the stairs, and he received his seat next to king 
 Ferdinand, of Hungaria; who had been elected 
 king of the Romans ; which seat was over against 
 the imperial throne, and superbly ornamented 
 with gold embroidery. He addressed the audi- 
 ence, and after a complimentary introduction, 
 sorrowfully complained, « that through bad and 
 heretical men, religion had been so oppressed, 
 that the little ship of Peter, was never, since the 
 beginning, thus surrounded by storms and break- 
 ers, of different sects, &c." After some busi- 
 ness had been transacted, the chancellor of the 
 elector of Saxony, Pontanus, moved to be heard 
 by the Diet, respecting the doctrines of the pro- 
 testants ; this was attempted to be avoided, for 
 they wanted no open exposition of the doctrine. 
 But the elector, and those states with him con- 
 nected, ceased not to insist on their privilege to 
 be heard, and humbly prayed for the opportu- 
 
100 
 
 nity, which was at last granted, and ordered to 
 be done on the twenty -fifth of June, at three 
 o'clock in the afternoon; but in order not 
 to have a croud of hearers, they could not cause 
 it to be heard in the hall of the Diet, but only in 
 an imperial chapel or room, which, how T ever, 
 was capable to contain two hundred persons; 
 and all the grandees of Germany, with the two 
 chancellors of the elector, Pontanus and Beyer, 
 met at the appointed hour. The first held in his 
 band a Latin, and the other a German copy of 
 the confession. The emperor required the Latin 
 copy should be read ; but as the elector observ- 
 ed, that they were then on German ground, and 
 requested permission to use that language, it was 
 granted. Beyer now read his copy loud, and so 
 distinct, that every word was understood in the 
 yard below, which was crouded ; it occupied him 
 nearly two hours; a solemn silence reigned 
 throughout, and fixed the attention of the whole 
 audience. When it was finished, the emperor 
 himself took the Latin copy into his hands, which 
 was condescension in him, as the etiquette re- 
 quired them both to be delivered to his secretary. 
 The confession is as follows ; 
 
101 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 Of the Holy Trinity, 
 
 Firstly, we teach and hold unanimously, ac- 
 cording to the decree of the council of Nice, that 
 there is one Divine Being, which is called, and 
 truly is God ; and that there are three persons 
 in this same one Divine Being, equally all-pow- 
 erful, equally eternal, God the Father, God the 
 Son, God the Holy Ghost; all three, one Divine 
 Being, undivided, without end, of immeasurable 
 power, wisdom and goodness ; one Creator and 
 Upholder of all visible and invisible things. — ■ 
 And we understand by the word person, not a 
 part, not a property, but what exists of itself. 
 Therefore, we reject all the heresies against this 
 article, as those of the Manachsei, Valentiniani, 
 Ariani, Eunomiani, &c. 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 
 Of Original Sin. 
 
 Further, we teach, that after the fall of Adam, 
 all men that are born, are conceived and born in 
 sin; that is, that they all, from their mother's 
 9* 
 
* 102 
 
 womb, are full of evil lusts and inclinations, and 
 can have no true fear of God, nor true belief in 
 him, by nature ; and that this inborn sickness 
 and original sin, is truly sin; and that it con- 
 demns ail under the eternal wrath of God, who 
 are not born again through baptism and the Holy 
 Ghost. ' 
 
 ARTICLE III. 
 
 Of Christ's Incarnation, and Man's Redemption, 
 
 "We teach further, that the Son of God be- 
 came man, was born of the pure Virgin Mary; 
 and that the two natures, human and divine, thus 
 indivisibly united, are one Christ, who is true 
 God and man, was truly born, did suffer, was 
 crucified, did die, and was buried, that he might 
 become a sacrifice, not for original sin only, but 
 likewise for all other sin, reconciling the wrath 
 of God. And that the same Christ descended 
 into hell ; on the third day arose from the dead, 
 ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right 
 hand of God, there to reign eternally over 
 all creatures ; that he sanctifies, purifieth ( 
 strengthened and comforteth through the Holy 
 Ghost, all wha believe in him ; and that he iflft- 
 
103 
 
 parts to them life and all other gifts, and protects 
 them against the devil and sin. Likewise, that 
 the same Lord Jesus Christ shall, in the last 
 time, openly come to judge the living and the 
 dead. 
 
 ARTICLE IV. 
 
 Of Justification, through Faith, 
 
 Further, we teach : that we cannot obtain for- 
 giveness of sin and righteousness before God, 
 through our own merit, works or satisfaction ; 
 but that we obtain forgiveness of sin, and are 
 justified by grace, before God, for the sake of 
 Christ, through faith, if we believe that Christ 
 has suffered for us, and that we obtain forgive- 
 ness of sins, righteousness and eternal life, for 
 his sake ; for this faith will God consider and 
 acknowledge as righteousness, as St. Paid says 
 in the third and fourth chapter of his epistle to 
 the Romans. 
 
 ARTICLE V, 
 
 Of the office of Preaching. 
 
 God has ordained and established the office of 
 preaching; has given the gospel and sacraments 
 
104 
 
 through which as through means he gives tire 
 Holy Ghost, who works that faith in those who 
 hear the gospel, where and when lie will ; and 
 this gospel teaches, that we, through the merits 
 of Christ, not through our own, have a gracious 
 God, if we believe this. 
 
 ARTICLE VI. 
 
 Of Good Works. 
 
 We teach likewise, that this faith shall pro- 
 duce good fruits and good works, and that man 
 must do the good works which God commanded, 
 for his sake, yet not to trust upon these works, as 
 thereby meriting grace before God, since we re- 
 ceive forgiveness of sin and justification through 
 faith in Christ, as Christ himself says : " when 
 ye have done all, you shall say, we are unprofita* 
 ble servants." 
 
 ARTICLE VIL 
 
 Of the Christian Church. 
 
 "We teach likewise, that there always must be 
 and remain one holy Christian Church, which is 
 the congregation of all believers with whom the 
 
105 
 
 gospel is preached in purity, and where the holy 
 sacraments are kept according to the tenor of 
 the gospel. For it is sufficient for the true unity 
 of the Christian Church, that the preaching he 
 pure, according to the true understanding of the 
 gospel, and the sacraments administered accord- 
 ing to Divine Scripture ; and it is not necessary 
 for the true unity of the Christian Church, that 
 the same ceremonies, as established by men^ 
 should be observed ; as St. Paul says, Eph. iv. 
 " One body, one spirit, as ye all are called to the 
 same hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, 
 one baptism.' 5 
 
 ARTICLE VIII. 
 
 Of the Members of the Church. 
 
 Likewise, we teach, that although properly 
 speaking, the Christian Church is no other tban 
 the congregation of all believers and saints ; yti 
 in this life, many false Christians and hypocrites, 
 as well as open sinners, mingle with the pious, 
 and thus the holy sacraments remain efficacious, 
 though the priest who administers them, should 
 not be pious, according to the words of Christ, 
 Matth. xxiii. 2, 3. " The Scribes and Pharisees 
 
106 
 
 sit in Moses' seat, all therefore that th.ey bid you 
 observe, that observe and do." 
 
 ARTICLE IX. 
 
 Of Holy Baptism. 
 
 Of baptism, we teach, that it is necessary, and 
 that thereby grace is offered unto us ; that we 
 shall likewise baptize children, who through 
 this baptism, are delivered up to God, and be- 
 come acceptable unto him. 
 
 ARTICLE X. 
 
 Of the Lord's Supper. 
 
 Of the Lord's supper, we teach thus : that the 
 body and blood of Christ, are there really 
 present, and are given and administered under 
 the external signs of bread and wine.* 
 
 * As Christ has promised unto his disciples and true fol- 
 lowers, that he will be with them to the end of the world, 
 (Matth xxviii.) and as he has been pleased to give us the 
 gracious assurance to be present with us whenever we assem- 
 ble in his name, how firmly may we not rely on his promises, 
 especially when we celebrate the Lord's supper according- to 
 his holy institution, in 6olemn commemoration of his suffer- 
 ing's and death, and appropriate his merits to our own hearts. 
 Translator. 
 
107 
 
 ARTICLE XI. 
 
 Of Confession and Absolution.* 
 
 Of confession, we teach thus : That private 
 absolution in the churches ought to be continued, 
 and not entirely disregarded ; although it may 
 be unnecessary in the confession, to mention all 
 misdeeds and sins, because this would be altoge- 
 ther impossible — Psalm xix. "Who can under- 
 stand his errors ? 
 
 ARTICLE XII. 
 
 Of Repentance. 
 
 Of repentance, we teach : that those who have 
 sinned after their baptism, may obtain forgiveness 
 of their sins at all times, if they truly repent ; 
 and that unto such, the Church absolution or re- 
 admittance into the Church, shall not be refused. 
 And this is time and real repentance, if we have 
 deep grief and sorrow on account of our sins : 
 
 * This article was inserted at the time of the delivery of 
 this confession, chiefly to shew a conciliatory spirk + o the 
 other party, but the practice of private cor. c essi*.n ^nd absolu» 
 •tion is entirely discontinued in our Lutheran churches, 
 
ios 
 
 and yet faith in the gospel, that sin is forgiven 
 and grace obtained through Christ, which faith 
 brings again peace and comfort into the heart. — 
 After that, there shall likewise follow a change 
 of life, and leaving off from sin, as these shall be 
 the fruits of repentance. — Here we reject the 
 doctrine of those who teach, that such as once 
 have become pious, can fall no more* 
 
 ARTICLE XIII. 
 
 Of the use of the Sacraments. 
 
 Of the use of the sacraments, we teach : that 
 the sacraments have heen established and or- 
 dained, not only for outward signs, whereby 
 Christians may be known, but that they shall be 
 signs and testimonies of the divine will towards 
 us, in order thereby to awaken and strengthen 
 the faith in us ; wherefore they require faith, 
 and are then used in a right manner when we 
 receive them in faith, and strengthen it thereby. 
 
 ARTICLE XIV. 
 
 Of Church Government. 
 
 ^f Church government, we teach : that no 
 man shall instruct, preach, or administer the sa- 
 
109 
 
 craments in our Churches, without being pro- 
 perly called thereto. 
 
 ARTICLE XV. 
 
 Of Church Regulations. 
 
 Of Church regulations made by men, we teach, 
 that it is proper to keep those which may be 
 kept without sin, and serve to uphold peace and 
 good order in the Church, as for instance, cer- 
 tain holy and festival days, &c. Yet we always 
 give this advice and instruction, that the con- 
 sciences of men ought not to be burdened with 
 these things, as necessary unto salvation. Fur- 
 ther we teach, that all institutions and traditions 
 of men, made for the purpose of reconciling God, 
 and meriting grace thereby, are against the gos- 
 pel and the doctrine of faith in Christ. 
 
 ARTICLE XVI. 
 
 Of Civil Government 
 
 Of civil government, we teach: that all ma- 
 gistrates in the world, and regular governments 
 and laws are made and ordained by God, as good 
 institutions, and that Christians may hold the 
 offices of a magistrate, prince, or judge, without 
 
 10 
 
110 
 
 sinning thereby ; that they may wage j ust wars, 
 defend their country, buy and sell, take an oath 
 if required, before a magistrate, possess pro- 
 perty, be married, &c. Hereby we reject the 
 doctrine of those who teach that it is Christian 
 perfection, actually to leave house and home, wife 
 and children, and do none of the above men- 
 tioned things. Y^e acknowledge this only to 
 be true Christian perfection, to have true fear of 
 God and faith in him. Since the gospel doth 
 not teach an outward and temporal, but an in- 
 ward, eternal and spiritual justification and 
 righteousness of the heart, and doth not over- 
 throw civil government and policy, but willeth 
 that we shall keep up all these as institutions of 
 God himself, and that in such states, Christian 
 love and good works shall be performed by all, 
 according to every man's calling. Therefore, 
 Christians shall be subject to their magistrates, 
 and obedient in all things, which may be done 
 without sin ; but when the law of the magistrate 
 cannot be observed without sin, then we are to be 
 more obedient to God than to men. Acts iv. 
 
Ill 
 
 ARTICLE XVII. 
 
 Of the Judgment Day. 
 
 We likewise teach, that our Lord Jesus Christ 
 shall come, on the last day, to judge and to awa- 
 ken all the dead ; to give eternal life and ever- 
 lasting joy to all believers,, but to condemn all 
 impious men and devils unto endless punishment 
 in hell. 
 
 ARTICLE XVIIL 
 
 Of Free Will. 
 
 Concerning free will, we teach, that man has 
 in some measure a free will, in order to live out- 
 wardly honest, and to choose among those things, 
 which he can comprehend by his reason ; but 
 that he is unable, without grace, assistance, and 
 the working of the Holy Spirit, to become accep- 
 table unto God, to fear him heartily, or to be- 
 lieve in him ; nor to cast out the inborn evil lusts 
 of his heart; but that this is done through the 
 
 Holy Ghost, which is given through the Word of 
 
 I 
 God ; as St. Paul says, 1 Cor. ii. 14. The na- 
 tural man receiveth not, &c. 
 
112 
 
 ARTICLE XIX. 
 
 Of the Cause of Sin. 
 
 Of the cause of sin, we teach : that though the 
 Omnipotent God hath created and doth uphold 
 all nature, yet that it is the corrupted will of man, 
 which worketh sin in all impious persons, and 
 despisers of God. 
 
 ARTICLE XX. 
 
 Of Faith and Good Works-. 
 
 We have unjustly been accused, as forbidding 
 good works, although our publications concern- 
 ing the ten commandments, and others, suffi- 
 ciently prove, that we give good and useful in- 
 structions concerning good Christian works, of 
 which very little has been taught before this time ; 
 but in their stead, preachers have, in all sermons, 
 exacted childish, useless works, such as rosaries, 
 services of the saints, shutting up in monasteries, 
 pilgrimages, certain fast days, holidays, bro- 
 therhoods, &c. As therefore, the doctrine of 
 faith, which is the essential of religion, has been 
 so long neglected, and works only preached in 
 
113 
 
 every part, our preachers assert — Firstly, that 
 our works are not able to reconcile us unto God, 
 or to obtain grace, which can be done by faith 
 only ; if, namely, we believe that our sins are 
 forgiven for Christ's sake, who is the only Me- 
 diator, who reconciles us to the Father ; and that 
 cxery one who pretends to do this by works, and 
 to merit grace thereby, despiseth Christ and 
 seeks another way to God, contrary to the gos- 
 pel. But we speak not of such a faith as the 
 devils have likewise, who believe the history that 
 Christ has suffered and is risen again ; but we 
 speak of the true faith that we receive grace, 
 and forgiveness of sins through Christ; there- 
 fore, whosoever has the assurance that he has 
 a gracious God through Christ, he is acquainted 
 with God, calls upon him, and is not without 
 God, as the heathens are ; whereas the devil and 
 impious men, believe not this article of the for- 
 giveness of sin, and therefore they are enemies 
 to God, cannot call upon him, nor expect any 
 thing good from him. Thus it is that Scripture 
 speaks of this faith, and calls, believing not mere 
 knowledge, as devils and impious men have; for 
 we read in Heb. xi. that faith, is not to know the 
 
 history alone, but to have confidence in God, 
 10* 
 
114 
 
 and thus to obtain the promises. Further, we 
 teach, that good works shall and must be done, 
 not that we shall confide in them, in order to 
 merit grace thereby, but for God's sake, and out 
 of love to him. Faith alone can obtain grace 
 and forgiveness of sin. And when the Holy 
 Ghost is given through the faith, the heart is 
 made fit to perform good works. — For before, 
 whilst it is without the Holy Ghost, it is too 
 weak ; it is also in the power of the devil, who 
 drives poor human nature to many sins. There- 
 fore the doctrine of faith is not to blame, as if it 
 forbade good works, but rather to be praised, that 
 it teaches to do them, and offers assistance : for 
 without faith, and without Christ, the strength 
 of man is insufficient to do good works, to call 
 upon God, to have patience in sufferings, to love 
 our neighbors, &c. These, which are alone truly 
 good and great works, cannot be done without the 
 aid of Christ; as he himself says, John xv. 
 Without me ye can do nothing. 
 
 ARTICLE XXI. 
 
 Of the service of the Saints. 
 
 Concerning this article, we teach: that we 
 may think of them in order to strengthen our 
 
115 
 
 faith, because we see that they have received 
 grace through faith, and that we shall take ex- 
 ample by their good works, every one according 
 to his proper calling. But it cannot be proved 
 by Scripture, that we shall call upon them, or 
 ask help of them. For, there is only one medi- 
 ator between God and man, which is Jesus 
 Christ, 1 Tim. ii. who is the only Saviour, the 
 only high priest, throne of grace, and advocate 
 with God : as John says, 1 John ii. If any man 
 sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus 
 Christ the righteous. 
 
 ARTICLE XXII. 
 
 Of the Administration of the Sacrament, 
 
 Concerning this article we teach, that laymen 
 shall be partakers both of the bread and wine, 
 because Christ expressly commands — Mark £6. 
 Be ye all partakers of my body, and of my 
 blood. 
 
 Conclusion of the twenty-two Articles. 
 
 The preceding- articles contain the whole doctrine which is 
 taught and preached in our churches as good Christian in- 
 struction for the comfort of consciences, and the increase of 
 faidi and grace in believers, which we have delivered in order 
 not to endanger our own souls and consciences before God, 
 with abuses of the Divine name and word, nor to transmit to 
 our children *nd offspring, any other doctrine but what is 
 warranted by the pure Word of God and Christian faith. 
 
116 
 
 The Roman priests exerted themselves for 
 six weeks after the reading of the confession, to 
 compile a refutation of these articles; and at 
 last they produced the same, and it was read in 
 the same chamber where the confession had been 
 read. 
 
 During that time, the elector complained to 
 Luther that they were not permitted to preach ; he 
 answered; c *Thc adversaries think they have 
 done great things to prohibit preaching, they 
 do not know that by the delivered written 
 confession, more sermons have been preached 
 than ten preachers could have done;" he com- 
 forted the elector when it looked very cloudy, 
 and wrote: " Y&iir excellency , be courageous; 
 Christ is here, and will confess you again before 
 his heavenly Father, as you now confess him. 
 That Lord who began it, will finish it." He had 
 great confidence in prayer, and writes to Me- 
 lanchton : " I rejoice at the superabundant grace* 
 of God, by which the elector is made bold, and 
 has confidence. I doubt not our prayers for 
 him are acceptable in the kingdom of Glory be- 
 fore God, ?*nd 1 have comfort and assurance that 
 your united prayers will also be heard in other 
 things ; I rejoice also, that you have such cour- 
 
117 
 
 age, and confidence in heart, against all furies 
 of Hell arraigned against you. Philosophy trou- 
 bles Philip, and nothing else, for the cause itself 
 is in the hands of him, who hath power over all, 
 and who in spite of the world, can say : " J\*o per- 
 son can tear them out of my hands." 
 
 I would not wish that it were in our hands, it 
 would not be good, I have had much in my hands, 
 but lost every thing, hut those things which I 
 cast on him from my hands I have yet entire. 
 
 As soon as the confession was read, Jlfelanchton 
 informed Luther thereof, and at the same time 
 that Eck insisted with all his power with the 
 elector of Maintz, that the cause of the Protes- 
 tants should not at all be examined into, as it was 
 already condemned, by which he appeared to 
 be much cast down. Dr. Luther answered among 
 the others, l( what is it that disturbs you continu- 
 ally ? If the cause is not just, let us retract, but 
 if it is just, why do we make God to be a liar in 
 his great promises, where he tells us to be of good 
 cheer : he says, " put your trust in the Lord ; 
 the Lord is nigh unto all them, that are afflicted, 
 and call on him j" you can do nothing with your 
 unprofitable cares ; the devil can do no more but 
 kill us, and by your little confidence in God you 
 
118 
 
 only give him weapons. If Christ lives and reigns 
 what do we care about truth, he died once for 
 sin, but for truth and righteousness he will not 
 die," &c. 
 
 Melanchton had asked him, when things ap- 
 peared dangerous, how much they ought to yield 
 to the Romans, he answered, "that they had al- 
 ready yielded every thing in the confession that 
 was possible. I study the case day and night, 
 I dispute with myself, and search the whole scrip- 
 ture ; but my conviction of the certainty of our 
 doctrine, and my joyful confidence increaseth 
 daily, so that I will not give up any thing, if God 
 pleaseth, go as it will ; if w T e would deny and 
 scandalize Christ, we could soon be great lords, 
 but it says, by much tribulation, Acts xiv. all 
 these are not words now, but experience ; he that 
 suffers us to be tempted, will make a way to es- 
 cape, that we may be able to bear it. 1. Cor. x. 
 13. 
 
 It displeaseth me to read in your letter, that 
 you say, you obeyed me as the principal in this 
 cause ; I will be called nothing, I will command no- 
 thing, I will not be called Author; Is the cause not 
 yours as well as mine? Therefore, do not say it is 
 mine, and that I imposed it on you; no, if it is my 
 

 119 
 
 canse, I will conduct it myself. Eut although Lu- 
 ther depended entirely on the providence of God, 
 lie left nothing untried, by fair means, to gain his 
 adversaries, so that his confidence in God, and 
 in the truth of his doctrine, was far distant from 
 lightminded carelessness, infatuated obstinacy, 
 and which presumptuously depends on miracles, 
 by which a good cause is believed to be sup- 
 ported without the mediate exertions of man ; and 
 though his endeavours were fruitless, yet after he 
 had tried every thing for peace sake, he could 
 then only depend on the assistance of God with 
 entire acquiescence ; he wrote on the sixth of 
 July to the elector of JTainz, the greatest Pre- 
 late in Germany, at least to exert himself, as no 
 religious union could be expected, to preserve 
 external peace : '« Your electoral grace hath 
 heard our confession, and I am confident it ap- 
 peared so as if it pronounced with a joyful 
 tongue : If I have spoken evil, bear witness of 
 the evil ; hit if well, why smitest thou me? It is 
 not afraid of the light and knows how to sing out 
 of the 119 psalm: I will speak of thy testimonies 
 before kings and will not be ashamed, for whoso-* 
 ever does, truth coraeth to the light, that his deeds 
 may be made manifest that they are wrought in 
 God." 
 
"120 
 
 But every thing ift the Diet tended to shew 
 that the emperor intended to suppress them hy 
 any means, the elector of Saxony and other pro- 
 testant princes, were cajoled and threatened; but 
 no bait nor threatening had any effect, they re- 
 mained firm and immoveable; Doctor Luther 
 ceased not to comfort them in their distress : he 
 writes to Doctor Jonas, " only see to it that you do 
 not get dispirited. The more they are puffed up, 
 Ihe less must you yield, power and menaces will 
 do less harm to our cause than satanic secret, 
 cunning tricks, which I always feared." "When 
 the confutation of the confession of faith had 
 been at last finished by twenty laborers, and 
 handed to the emperor, he was so displeased 
 with it, as it was too bitter and vehement, and 
 as his counsel said too hasty a production, that 
 he returned it for amendment, before its being 
 publicly read, and then it appeared as JMelanch- 
 ton writes to Lather, as simple a thing as ever 
 made its appearance, but no copy could be ob- 
 tained. 
 
 However, the transactions of the Diet cannot 
 he inserted here, and may be read with surprize 
 in the history of those days ; the object here is 
 to find out how Doctor Luther, the great reform- 
 
in 
 
 er, has acted in tins grand drama, and with 
 thankfulness to God, to contemplate the provi- 
 dential guidance of the reformers, and their 
 escape from all snares laid for them. Jklanch- 
 ton exerted himself much to effect a reconcilia- 
 tion, and appeared sometimes to yield too much, 
 and in private negotiations to admit tilings Which 
 might hare been detrimental to the gospel doc- 
 trine, but luckily, his yielding propositions were- 
 never adopted by the adversaries. Doctor Lu- 
 ther however, remained stedfast, and confided, 
 that as there was no prospeet of union, that truth 
 would be victorious, without external assistance. 
 One letter of him must conclude to shew his in- 
 dustry during this difficult season. 
 
 He writes to one of the Protestant defenders, 
 Brentx, in Augsburg. 
 
 " I perceive by yours, Philip's, and other let- 
 ters, that you all are in the assembly of idola- 
 ters, too much cast down, but I can well conceive 
 that the example of Philip is the cause thereof, 
 for he cares for a general peace, and for the fu- 
 ture generation, which is charitable and christian- 
 like enough, but it is not wisdom's zeal. What 
 does he think ? is it his opinion, that our fathers 
 
 have effected by their grief and care that we now 
 11 
 
122 
 
 live ? As then all this is effected only by the 
 wisdom of God, who will remain Creator after 
 we are gone, as he was before we existed, and 
 who this day is with us; he will not die, nor 
 cease to be God, and to govern our very thoughts. 
 Eli the priest, thought that when the ark of co- 
 venant was taken by the Philistines, the king- 
 dom of Israel was at an end ; therefore he fell justly 
 himself, and the kingdom of Israel only then 
 began to flourish ; likewise when Saul was killed, 
 who could have thought otherwise, but that it 
 was quite over with the house of Israel. When 
 the Papists burned John Huss, nothing was surer 
 with them, than that the Pope would now be a 
 real God, and yet he was never more despised 
 than after that time. 
 
 These things I write to you and to the others, 
 to try whether you might not move Philip to hear 
 you, and he discontinue to try to become the 
 ruler of the world, viz : to torment himself about 
 consequences, for my person whether I die, and 
 be killed by the Papists, I will defend our next 
 generation manfully, and will revenge myself 
 against the monsters better than I like it; for I 
 know there will be one, who will say, "where is 
 thy brother Mel?" This one w T ill confound them 
 
123 
 
 and make them fly like Cain, and there is no 
 necessity for many "words; the emperor must 
 have a divided kingdom with God; hut it is not 
 the future one. 
 
 What do we want a God for, is it for this tem- 
 poral life, which those enjoy best who have no 
 God ? But if there is a God, we will not only 
 live here, but there, where he also lives. If this 
 is true, what do we care about the threatenings 
 of idols, which are not only now dying, but which 
 are dead already ? " He who created me, will be 
 my son's father, my wife's husband, preacher in 
 my church, and that better than I. Yes, he will do 
 better after my death than while I live ; as I only 
 hinder him by my life. For it is written, " He will 
 have a powerful seed on earth," and surely the 
 first commandment also placed our offspring un- 
 der his protection, when he says, " I do well unto 
 them that love me, and keep my commandments, 
 to the thousandth generation." These words I 
 believe, and though faith is weak, yet I be- 
 lieve," &c. 
 
 At last this memorable Congress or Diet of 
 the German empire was closed, after a decree 
 had been passed, which was threatening against 
 the Protestants, and particularly against Saxony, 
 
124 
 
 and time was given them to the fifteenth of August 
 succeeding, to determine whether they would 
 unite with the Roman Church or not; the other 
 part of the decree enacted that the Ana Baptists 
 and those who denied the presence in the sacra- 
 ment should, hy the united force of the empire, 
 oe expelled the same. 
 
 On the nineteenth of November, 1530, the de- 
 cree was published, by which the form of doc- 
 trine and ceremonies of the Roman Church, with 
 all its abuses was confirmed, and decreed to be a 
 holy faith, and pious and laudable ceremonies, 
 and the distinction in the doctrine of the Pro- 
 testants without any exception, was rejected and 
 condemned. 
 
 When it is considered that the Protestants did 
 constitute only one tenth part of their opponents 
 in the Diet, and that in their dangerous situation, 
 where the Pope and all liis adherents, with the 
 emperor, whom they had drawn entirely into 
 their interest, exerted their utmost ingenuity and 
 malice to subdue them, they yet remained firm 
 and unshaken, and openly confessed the Lord, 
 and retained courage. It must be ascribed to a 
 particular divine grace and support, which also 
 protected them in the future struggles, and deli- 
 
V25 
 
 veved them. from the overwhelming power of their 
 antagonists, and on reflection, after they had all 
 arrived at home, they declared, that not by virtue 
 of their own power, but by the power of the 
 Almighty they were enabled to remain firm in 
 all trials and temptations. Doctor Luther him- 
 self, though not present in Augsburg, experienced 
 the same protecting providence in his own per- 
 son, for during the Diet, he had to reside in a 
 castle, which was only guarded by twelve men, 
 his abodement having been known to his enemies, 
 and during the Diet, he by his unbridled bold- 
 ness propelled, issued bitter and cutting publi- 
 cations, and one of them, wherein he particularly 
 charged the bishop and prelates with many 
 heresies and abuses was even read in the Diet ; 
 yet he remained under divine protection unhurt 
 and secure, and no person desired to lay hands 
 on him. In his explanation of the 124th Psalm, 
 and the 129th, he expressed his grateful surprize 
 at the providence of God, which the Protestants 
 had experienced during this Diet. 
 
 11* 
 
126 
 
 SECTION XVXIL 
 
 Consequence of the Diet — Melanchton's defence of 
 faith reformed, and Lutherans agreed, 1536-^ 
 Bucer and Capito, 
 
 After the members of the Diet had returned, 
 the confutation of the Augsburg confession, 
 which after six weeks labor by twenty doctors, 
 had been read in the Diet, and of which they 
 could then not obtain a copy, and which of course 
 was then by Melanchton only partially refuted, now 
 came into Melanchton 9 s hands, and he now edited 
 a complete apology, proving and explaining all 
 the articles of the confession, in which labor he 
 was assisted by his learned friends ; he stated in 
 his preface, that as the emperor had refused to 
 receive this apology, and that their adversaries 
 did not wish to hear truth, but only thirsted after 
 Protestant blood ; it now made its appearance that 
 among high and low during this and succeeding 
 generations, among all nations it may remain as 
 an eternal monument how on the part of the 
 Protestants the gospel of Christ was taught truly 
 scriptural and pure. 
 
127 
 
 This book was and is yet regarded as one of 
 the symbolical books of the Lutheran Church; 
 but it would swell this narration too much to 
 make only extracts therefrom, those who are de- 
 sirous to read it, and have an opportunity, will 
 find, that no persuasion which has arisen since 
 that time, and whose tenets are guided by the 
 sense of the written word of God, can advance 
 any other essential doctrine than is contained 
 therein, and which is contained in the Augsburg 
 Confession, and no better chureh discipline. 
 
 As all those only who had signed the Augsburg 
 Confession, could be deemed in exciting opposition 
 to popery, as the others with the Swiss reformers 
 or their doctrine, which denied the words : '« this 
 is my body," &c. were in no manner to be 
 tolerated, although they in all other doctrinal 
 points agreed. Many attempts were oftentimes 
 made to reconcile the different divines as to that 
 point, and after many friendly endeavors, the 
 divines of both parties agreed, so that in the year 
 1536, on the twenty third of May, they united 
 in brotherly love, with tears of joy, and on the 
 twenty-eigth, Bucer and Capito, the most noted 
 of the opponents, in token of their union with 
 Luther's doctrine, communed with liim and the 
 
128 
 
 other divines. Some years before, Zwinglius, 
 the original Swiss reformer, had lost his life in a 
 battle, against the citizens of Lnxem, one of the 
 confederated cantons, but zealots in the Roman 
 Catholic religion, and who wished to destroy the 
 reformation, and as he had encouraged his weak 
 canton to light the other strong one, he himself 
 could do no otherwise than to go to battle with 
 his countrymen ; he was but forty -four yeais old 
 when he fell; by his death and that of Oeoclam- 
 padius, his great assistant, which happened 
 shortly after the reformation in Switzerland, re- 
 ceived a severe shock. Whoever wishes to read 
 more of the union of these divines, and their sig- 
 nature to a form of expressive union respecting 
 the dispute, will find it in Milner, and in the 
 History of the Reformation, extracted by Mr. 
 Roos, from Seckendorf, and others. 
 
 SECTION XIX. 
 
 Reformation in England and Scotland. 
 
 During the life of Henry the VIII. king of 
 England, who from quite different motives, than 
 
129 
 
 doctrine, broke from the Church of Rome, and 
 declared his kingdom liberated from the Pope. 
 The reformation and the doctrine of Luther, made 
 great strides in England, and the arch bishop 
 Cranmer, B. Ridley and Hopter, though compelled 
 by the king not to exceed his plan and designs of 
 reformation, yet labored hard to eradicate some 
 principles held as infallible by the Roman Church, 
 but only during the minority of Edward, Henry's 
 successor, did the reformation gain such ground 
 that it may from thence be called a national re- 
 volt from popish superstition : for when many 
 Lutheran divines, such as Bucer, Peter Jlarhjn 
 and others, fled their country, and found shelter 
 in England from the persecution of the emperor 
 Charles V. it is evident to any impartial ob- 
 server, that the common prayer, the liturgy, 
 and the thirty-nine articles of faith of the Eng- 
 lish Episcopal Church, which were then amended 
 from former editions, or newly established, were 
 entirely conformable to the Augsburg Confession ; 
 and the Protestant Episcopal Church of North 
 America, have by convention of the bishops, 
 clergy and laity, in the year 1789, adopted the 
 same fully, as far as consistent with the change 
 of political government. 
 
130 
 
 But in England as well as in Germany, en- 
 thusiasts arose, who despising all ceremonies 
 yet retained in that Church from the former 
 ceremonies; and being refined in their hatred 
 against popery by exiles from England, who had 
 attended Calvin's doctrine, it soon caused much 
 disturbance in that country, and they received 
 the name of Puritans, who afterwards during 
 Cromwell's reign, suppressed the Episcopal 
 Church entirely ; and when during the reign of 
 Mary, the Roman Catholic religion was again at- 
 tempted to be enforced by cruel murders and per- 
 secution, many zealots who fled their country, 
 communicated with Calvin and other reformers, 
 who followed the discipline of Geneva, and when 
 returned from exile, during and in the beginning 
 of the reign of Elizabeth, they called every 
 vestige of popery symbolizing with Antichrist, 
 and would endure nothing approaching even in 
 an inoffensive manner the Romish ritual ; hut 
 as Elizabeth was not inclined to indulge them in 
 all their rapturous flights, they were in a great 
 measure obliged to confine their avowed objection 
 to the surplice, the confirmation of children, the 
 sign of the cross inbaptism, the ring in marriage, 
 kneeling at the sacrament, and bowing at the 
 
131 
 
 name of Jesus ; this was by Calvin and his dis- 
 ciples entirely done away. The opposition to 
 forms was, however, more successful in Scotland, 
 to which kingdom, during the bigotry of Mary 
 of England, many zealots, and during Eliza- 
 beth's, many puritans retired for shelter; they 
 filled the whole kingdom with a just horror 
 against the cruelties of the bigoted Catholics, and 
 a crisis was soon brought about, that, by the 
 danger they appeared in, the reformers with the 
 powerful lords, who were heads of the reformation, 
 entered into an association, calling themselves 
 the Congregation of the Lord, in contradistinc- 
 tion to the established Roman Church, which 
 they called the congregation of Satan. The 
 bond of this association may be read in the fifth 
 volume of Humes's History. During the critical 
 times which succeeded, this association, and the 
 d termination of the government to support and 
 enforce obedience to the Roman Church, John 
 Knox arrived from Geneva, where he had resided 
 some years in banishment, and where he had 
 imbibed from his commerce with Calvin the 
 highest fanatacism of his sect ; by his vehement 
 zeal in preaching, he soon brought the country 
 over to him, so that the new sect could not be 
 
I3< 
 
 subdued by any power of the government, and 
 the fury of the associators was such, that they 
 destroyed all ornaments and every vestige of 
 popery in the churches, established a new reli- 
 gion or form thereof, and as that church was en- 
 tirely governed by Presbyters, and refused all 
 subjection to Episcopal jurisdiction, they were 
 called, and are to this day, every where called 
 Presbyterians, and they have maintained them- 
 selves as such against popery and against 
 all govermental attempts afterwards to introduce 
 the English Episcopal ritual and government, 
 believing that all such government savored of 
 superstition. That church has been trans- 
 planted to North America in its early establish- 
 ment, and as liberty of conscience was here never 
 disturbed, so as to endanger any persuasion, it 
 hath proven a very successful church to propa- 
 gate the pure doctrine of Christ, and men of the 
 greatest eminence in erudition, as well in the- 
 ology, as other sciences, have been raised in 
 their seminaries, and were luminaries of the 
 first magnitude. Their ministry is well sup- 
 ported, their church government exemplary, and 
 notwithstanding some ramifications which have 
 arisen, and are differently named from the ori- 
 
133 
 
 ginal stock, and whose doctrine may approach 
 nearer to some disputed point with other per- 
 suasions, vet upon the whole, all their zealous 
 members have contributed, and continue to do so 
 with a free heart, to raise large funds for the 
 furtherance of Christ's kingdom and their pecu- 
 liar tenets. Thus at last, after much blood-shed 
 in wars and other persecutions on account of 
 religion, the Episcopal Church, was at last tri- 
 umphant in England, and the Presbyterian, in 
 fScotland. 
 
 From the time that the dugsourg Confession 
 was received as the doctrine of faith by the 
 protestants, the reformation did spread with in- 
 credible rapidity over all Europe, notwithstand- 
 ing the most violent opposition from the rulers 
 of the old Church, and although in different 
 countries different names of expressions and 
 forms were established, as in a manner symbo- 
 lical, and which are retained to this day, yet 
 upon the whole it is evident, that all light, whicli 
 filled the earth with absolute detestation of former- 
 darkness, was first kindled by an obscure monk, 
 Doctor Ldtlier, whose erudition when he began, 
 although great, was far behind hundreds of 
 those who now are engaged to propagate the 
 
134 
 
 doctrine he promulgated, and it is evident, that 
 not he, but the power from above influenced him 
 with that warm zeal, which brought the doctrine 
 of salvation home to the hearts ; and this power 
 is not desired nor prayed for by many of the 
 successors naming themselves after him, although 
 they abide by his doctrine and forms. 
 
 The religion now called Lutheranism, was of 
 course established in many countries, and 
 protected by princes and kings, and although in 
 France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and the Austrian 
 dominions, the reformation was extirpated by 
 inquisitorial torments, other persecutions, with 
 assassinations, fire and sword, yet the propaga- 
 tion of the reformation wherever it was esta- 
 blished, was never done by force of arms, but 
 only by preaching of the word; and Luther 
 always opposed any persecution or force even 
 against absolute opposers and infuriated sects, 
 and all persecutions which were exercised among 
 the different persuasions, which grew out of 
 his reformation, wherever any sect predominated, 
 can be ascribed only to the ruling passions of all 
 formal Christians, among whom, not one is good, 
 and in whom the desire to govern others by force, 
 predominates of course. 
 
i$b 
 
 SECTION XX. 
 
 Death of Luther, war by the emperor Charles the 
 V. — Interim Treaty of Passau — Westphalia — 
 England, 
 
 Before the wars broke out, which Charles 
 the V. had long with the Pope premeditated t« 
 extirpate the reformation, it pleased God to take 
 his servant Martin Lather home to his eternal 
 rest, he continued laborious in the cause to the 
 last, wrote many valuable books, and was unre- 
 mitted in correspondence with all who asked 
 advice, and wanted encouragement; he also con- 
 tinued to preach every Sunday. The evening 
 before his decease, during supper, he spoke much 
 of death and the shortness of human life, and 
 answered the question proposed by himself, whe- 
 ther those who had been friends here would know 
 each other in heaven ; want of room prevents an 
 insertion of the argument he adduced in proof. 
 Soon after supper he complained, and as he went 
 to bed, he said in Latin these words- 4< In thy 
 hands I commend my spirit, thou hast redeemed 
 me Lord, thou faithful God," this he afterwards 
 
136 
 
 repeated several times, when his sickness in- 
 creased, he prayed much and fervently to Jesus 
 his Saviour. When his death approached and 
 speech had almost left him, he was once more 
 asked by Doctor Jonas, whether he confessed 
 Jesus Christ the Son of God, our Saviour and 
 Redeemer, he distinctly answered, yea ; shortly 
 after he expired without a groan or convulsion, 
 which was on the eighteenth February, 1546, at 
 four o'clock in the morning. 
 
 Thus was this servant of the Lord taken to 
 his rest, so as not to see the cruelties and wars 
 which shortly after desolated his native country, 
 and which were brought about by the inveterate 
 hatred of the Pope and the emperor. 
 
 When shortly after Doctor Luther's decease, 
 the war against the reformation broke out, and 
 the protestant confederates, finding war un- 
 avoidable, had raised a sufficient force, it was 
 soon evident, that, by having confided their 
 troops to inexperienced generals, and being sur- 
 rounded by many traitors, and the division which 
 they knew how to excite among them, by declar- 
 ing that the emperor would be successful, and 
 as he attacked them by piece meal, he succeeded, 
 so that one country after the other, one imperial 
 
137 
 
 city after the other, acknowledged them- 
 selves subdued, and were treated as conquered 
 countries, and had to agree to such terms con- 
 cerning religion as he dictated ; The elector of 
 Saxony and the prince of Hess, were the last, 
 but their troops could not stand against the ve- 
 teran army of the emperor, and treason appeared 
 to unite against them, so that the last battle was 
 easily won, and those princes were taken pri- 
 soners, and kept as such for some years ; the 
 elector of Saxony lost his eountry, which was 
 given to his near relation, prince Mauritz, who, 
 although a protestant, assisted tlie emperor for 
 this particular purpose. Upon all Germany 
 then, the emperor in the year 1548, tried to im- 
 pose what was called an Interim, by which the 
 protestants were to be tolerated only as a con- 
 quered people 5 but as he could not conquer con- 
 sciences, it only succeeded where his troops were 
 posted, and although he knew how by force and 
 craft to have it enacted as the law of the empire 
 in a Diet for that purpose assembled, it created 
 such woe and perturbation, as cannot be descri- 
 bed, because every nerve was by the conqueror 
 strained to enforce it. The emperor also re- 
 quired of his prisoner, the elector of Saxony, the 
 12* 
 
138 
 
 sanction to his new fangled religion- called -In- 
 terim, by which the old religion was to be put in 
 force, with the exception that the protes- 
 tants were permitted to have bread and wine in 
 the sacrament/ until a general counsel finally re- 
 gulated and determined upon all points in dis- 
 pute; but though a prisoner, he boldly declared 
 that he would not acceed, that he had lost every 
 thing he possessed including wife and children, 
 that he was nothing but a prisoner, that he was 
 ready to lose his life, that he would remain sted- 
 fast to the -Augsburg Confession, and would never 
 recede from the acknowledged truth, go as it 
 would ; that if he accepted the Interim, he would 
 thereby condemn the Augsburg Confession, which 
 was against his conscience, and would if he did it, 
 cause intolerable offence to thousands, &c. This 
 and more he spoke to the emperor's face, with 
 such bold and noble demeanor, that he could not 
 endure it, but turned away, and answered not 
 one word. The imprisoned prince of Hess was 
 not thus steadfast, and endeavored to purchase 
 his liberty by admitting the Interim, but he did 
 not obtain it thereby, and his children who 
 governed in his absence refused to obey the 
 same. 
 
139 
 
 Upon the whole, it soon appeared* that under 
 the cloak of religious union, the emperor endea- 
 vored to make himself absolute master of all 
 Germany, which soon brought about a revolu- 
 tion, as the independent princes could not en- 
 dure to be made slaves or vassals ,* and Mauvitz, 
 to whom the emperor had given nearly all the 
 dukedom of his imprisoned cousin, on account of 
 the assistance he received from him, turned 
 about and having clandestinely provided an 
 army, marched against the emperor, who was 
 secure even without an army to protect himself, 
 and in one campaign, overthrew what it took the 
 emperor and Pope years to accomplish ; he li- 
 berated the imprisoned princes, and obtained in 
 the year 1552, what was first called the prelimi- 
 naries of peace, concluded at Passau, and after- 
 wards the peace was confirmed by the Diet at 
 Nuremberg, by which the protestants obtained, 
 liberty of conscience, and the free exercise of 
 their religion in all the countries in which the 
 reformation had been established. 
 
 But as the successors of Charles V. with the 
 Popes, always infringed the treaties thus conclu- 
 ded, and never ceased to harass the protestants*. 
 it at last brought on a furious war, which lasted 
 
140 
 
 thirty years, in which the best parts of Europe 
 were desolated, and not till the year 1646, of 
 course nearly a hundred years after the peace 
 of Nuremberg, by the famous treaty of West- 
 phalia* did the protectants finally enjoy their 
 privileges in security. 
 
 The revolution in England, which was shortly 
 after that peace, principally brought about by 
 the puritans and presbyterians against the Epis- 
 copal Church, which supported Charles I. was 
 but of short duration in comparison to the 
 above, and after the restoration of Charles II. 
 we do not read of any other religious wars in 
 Europe. 
 
 The Lutheran Church being thus firmly es- 
 tablished in Germany, Sweden and Denmark, it 
 remained undisturbed, so that in every country 
 they formed such rules and regulations for 
 calling, ordaining and supporting their ministry, 
 and establishing such church discipline, as was 
 congenial to the governors and governed ; where 
 bishops had united with the protestants, episco- 
 pal ordination continues, where that could not 
 be had, ordination was performed nearly as 
 among the presbyterians, the regulations of the 
 churches and their concerns, were mostly put 
 
141 
 
 under the superintendance of consistories, who 
 mostly with consent of the congregations, ap- 
 pointed ministers when vacancies occurred. 
 
 It cannot be denied, that although this church 
 had many hundred thousand members in Ger- 
 many, who Jived and enjoyed under the doctrine 
 of the gospel of Jesus, the full and pure saving 
 light, knowledge and congenial church govern- 
 ment, that true vitality was often wanting, and 
 we cannot be too thankful to Almighty God, for 
 having every now and then awakened such lu- 
 minaries iu our christian sphere, as to cause by 
 their talents and moderated gospel zeal, such 
 evident and blessed revivals among ministers 
 and hearers, that thousands were thereby from 
 mere formal Christianity brought to the sub- 
 stantial enjoyment of the doctrine propagated by 
 Luther, and lived and died under the means of 
 grace, the word and sacrament, as true members 
 of the Church of Christ. Such were Arndt, 
 Sponer, Schade, Rambach, Freylinghausen, 
 Richter, Knapp, 6cc. and particularly the Rev- 
 erend Doctor Frank, Professor of Theology, in 
 the University of Halle, in Saxony, about one 
 hundred years ago, who in union with other 
 pious students from the University of Gena, and 
 
142 
 
 others, caused a number of revivals throughout 
 Germany ; he himself depending entirely upon 
 the assistance from on high established a semi- 
 nary for students in theology, from whence hun- 
 dreds of truly pious christian preachers pro- 
 ceeded to fill the pulpits, and who proclaimed 
 peace in the name of Jesus, to penitent sinners, 
 with visible effect. He first established a print- 
 ing press for the only purpose of printing reli- 
 gious tracts, many of which are yet extant, and 
 which have since been translated in the lan- 
 guages of many different nations. By means of 
 standing types he caused vast numbers of Bible* 
 to be printed, which was of immense spiritual 
 benefit not only to his cotemporaries, but to all 
 succeeding generations. Up to the year eighteen 
 hundred, one million, seven hundred thousand Ger- 
 man Bibles of various sizes, and nine hundred 
 thousand New Testaments had been printed at 
 this institution, besides immense numbers of Old 
 and JVew Testaments in the Bohemian or Slavo- 
 nian and Polish dialects, as also various editions in 
 the Hebrew, Greek and Latin languages. The 
 rays of divine light which, through Doctor 
 Frank's exertions, dispelled the thick mists of 
 darkness which had enveloped previous genera- 
 
143 
 
 lions, now burst forth with dazzling splendor, 
 through the medium of counties Bible Societies, 
 penetrate into the darkest recesses of superstition 
 and ignorance; yea, they even penetrate into the 
 cabins of the fiercest savages, disarm them of 
 their natural ferocity, they illumine the world. — - 
 Tne missionary spirit revived during Doctor 
 Frank's time, and some of his disciples, among 
 which were Schwartz, Kohlhoff, Sartorius, Klein, 
 Scimltz, Polzenhagen, Fabricius, Breithaupt, 
 Gericke, Diemer, Pohle, Ringeltaube, JLenk ke, 
 &c. went to the East Indies and established 
 a mission to the benighted heathens in that quar- 
 ter, which although after his decease lan- 
 guished for want of support, yet it is still ex- 
 isting, and has paved the way, for the missi- 
 onaries which now proceed to the same quar- 
 ter of the globe from many missionary so- 
 cieties, to success,and the Reverend Dr. Buchanan 
 of the Episcopal Church of England, and others, 
 speak in high praise of the thousands of Mala 
 bars, &c. which by their endeavors have been 
 brought to the christian fold, not only nominally 
 but virtually, they proving it by their walk and 
 conduct 
 
144 
 
 SECTION XXI. 
 
 . The Lutheran Church transplanted to America* 
 
 When Germans of all denominations came 
 over to America, in order to amend their situa- 
 tion in life, the most of them settled in Pennsyl- 
 vania, and adjoining states, then provinces, and 
 not being able to support a ministry, and yet 
 feeling the want of instruction to their children, 
 which they had enjoyed at home, their deplora- 
 ble situation being made known to the Reverend 
 Doctor Frank, it warmed his sympathetic heart, 
 and the Lord in consequence of an impressive 
 address, fired the hearts of some of his disciples, 
 to come over and administer relief to the spir- 
 itual wants of their brethren, for which purpose 
 lie ordained them ; the first were the Reverend 
 Doctor Muhlenberg, Kurtz, Schaum, Brun- 
 holtz, Kuntze, Voigt, Krug, Schultz, Helmuth, 
 and other eminent men; by their arrival 
 the Lutheran Church in this country first ob- 
 tained stability in Pennsylvania and Maryland, 
 and consists of nearly four hundred congre- 
 gations. 
 
145 
 
 The Germans formed themselves into congre- 
 gations according to their different tenets, but 
 all of them were for a length of time but indif- 
 ferently served by ministers of their denomina- 
 tion, owing partly to the inability of supporting 
 their ministry, and partly to itinerants of all 
 kinds and dispositions, which caused the penu- 
 rious to content themselves with an occa- 
 sional sermon. But when they were blessed 
 with a rising generation, and a prospect 
 ©f temporal sufficiency, they began to long for 
 instruction for their children ; but where could 
 that be obtained? The vineyard had out- 
 grown the laborers, the Lutheran Church there- 
 fore also looked to the land of their fore- 
 fathers, and partial assistance was from 
 them obtained ; but it is lamentably true, that 
 as they came not from Doctor Frank's cru- 
 cible, few who were sent over, or who came 
 over for that purpose, remained long among us, 
 honoring their calling with a professional walk, 
 they went off to make their fortunes somewhere 
 else, so that at last those few faithful servants of 
 the Lord, could not possibly attend to the press- 
 ing call of existing, much less of continually 
 
 forming congregations, and the Church, was in a 
 13 
 
146 
 
 niannei despised by the neighboring persuasions, 
 was hardly known to exist, appeared a luke- 
 warm Church to those who knew its existence, 
 but the timely aid received from the school of 
 Doctor Frank contributed much to its stability. 
 As in Europe the dugsburg Confession was 
 the symbol of the church and they, propagating 
 the doctrine therein included with unction from 
 above, their and their successors, and those of 
 their disciples, whom they raised for the minis- 
 try, was crowned with incalculable blessings 
 from above, and although that church seems to 
 be mostly confined to the German language in 
 Pennsylvania and Maryland, it is delightful to 
 behold nearly one hundred ministers of Luther's 
 manner of explaining the gospel, meet in an- 
 nual general synod only from Pennsylvania and 
 adjoining neighboring states. They at first in- 
 troduced the liturgy, rites and ceremonies to 
 which the church in Germany is accustomed.-— 
 But since the independence of these states, they 
 formed their own ritual, and as there never was 
 a uniformity of Hymn Books, a new one called 
 the Gemeinschafthche Qesangbuch, intended for 
 the use of the Lutheran and Reformed Churches, 
 has been published in 1817, by Schaeffer and 
 Maundy of Baltimore, which has been examined by 
 
147 
 
 all the Lutheran and Reformed Synods in the Uni- 
 ted States of America, and its introduction into all 
 the congregations authorized. This meritorious 
 undertaking paves the way to universal harmony, 
 union and love among our Lutheran and Reform- 
 ed Churches, removing all the obstacles which 
 hitherto prevented that happy effect, and esta- 
 blishes a uniformity in that part of divine wor- 
 ship which cannot fail to be highly gratifying to 
 all those who consider brotherly love an indis- 
 pensable attribute of Christianity. 
 
 From Pennsylvania and other states the Ger- 
 mans migrated also to North Carolina. The 
 same difficulties which opposed the establish- 
 ment of regular churches and regular clergymen 
 in Pennsylvania and Maryland, also existed in 
 North Carolina in an eminent degree. — 
 This deplorable situation having been made 
 known in Europe, the Lord stirred up the 
 heart of the Reverend Mr. Velthusen, who 
 sent over the Reverend Mr. Nussman and Arndt y 
 and who faithfully labored in poverty and pri- 1 
 vations until they groaned for assistance ; and 
 on application by them to their generous 
 helpers, the Reverend Mr. Yeltkusen^ he warmed 
 the hearts of our members in his sphere, so as to 
 
148 
 
 enable him to send over the Reverend Charles Ji. 
 Storch, Roschen and Bernhardt whose hearts the 
 Lord had stired up, for that purpose, and they 
 arrived ahout fifteen years after the Rev. Nuss- 
 man and Jirndt. The first of the three last sent, 
 is alive and successful in his ministry, Mr. Ro- 
 schen went hack in a few years, Mr. Bernhard 
 died, and also the Rev. Nussman and Jlrndt. — 
 The Reverend Robert J. Miller 9 a member of the 
 Episcopal Church, was received and ordained by 
 the then existing ministers, and the Reverend 
 Paul Henkel, a member of the Pennsylvania 
 ministry also united with them. 
 
 A new era for our Church commenced then, 
 when the ministers formed and met in 
 synod for the first time in the year 1803 ; here 
 they formed a constitution, entered into rules 
 and regulations, and deliberated, and succeeded 
 in providing how our Church, with the blessing 
 of God, might be supplied with gospel ministers. 
 The Reverend Philip Henkel was first licensed, 
 others who have since studied under the Rever- 
 end Mr. Storch followed, and such who studied 
 with other ministers likewise, so that the Church 
 has regularly progressed in number of congre- 
 gations and ministers, whose names are affixed 
 
149 
 
 to the end of this narration. The Reverend 
 Mr. Storch has every year when present, been 
 chosen President, and our Synod holds a 
 correspondence with the Synod of Pennsyl- 
 vania, for the purpose of remaining in the bonds 
 of love, and acting in union. But it is still to be 
 deplored that the number of laborers is entirely 
 too small for the extensive field before us as more 
 than forty-eight congregations in different comi- 
 ties and states have to be served hy six or- 
 dained and eight licensed ministers. This might 
 soon be changed for the better, if the Lord would 
 open the hearts of the members, so as to make 
 them willing to contribute freely, to enable men of 
 erudition and true piety, to accept the service ; 
 for at present we have but small strength, and 
 must see others out do us in missionary endea- 
 vors and other charitable institutions for the 
 furtherance of the kingdom of our Lord. O that 
 we were enabled to establish a general seminary, 
 for the education of pious youth. 
 
 In South Carolina and Georgia, many Ger- 
 mans, particularly from Wirtemberg, had set- 
 tled during the reign of George II. king of Eng- 
 land. Before the revolution they were served 
 
 by ministers from Europe, but since that, they 
 13* 
 
150 
 
 received very little support from abroad, and 
 without connecting themselves with the Penn- 
 sylvania ministry, they helped themselves as 
 well as they could, yet so, that they retained the 
 institution of their forefathers ; and although for 
 want of German teachers, their native language 
 is partly supplanted by the English, and with 
 succeeding generations will be entirely so, yet 
 their attachment to their religion isjstedfast and 
 exemplary, and other persuasions have very 
 little success in entangling them with their par- 
 ticular dogmas, so that at this day there are 
 several large congregations belonging to our 
 Church in these states, and all the ministers of 
 South Carolina have united themselves, with the 
 ministry of North Carolina forming one body, 
 excepting in only one or two singular cases, 
 where the leaders and those that are led, are 
 afraid of two strict a church discipline if they 
 should connect themselves with us. The con- 
 gregation in Charleston is now supplied with a 
 minister from the ministry of New York, in 
 which state they have formed their own ministry, 
 which is united in brotherly love with Pennsyl- 
 vania. And as in that state there are many 
 English congregations, they have formed a 
 
151 
 
 liturgy in that language, which deserves to be 
 made use of in all our Churches, having and 
 exercising divine 'worship in that language, as it 
 appears to be purified from all redundance, and 
 in classic language conveys unadulterated Lu- 
 theran doctrine from scripture to the soul, seek- 
 ing salvation, and which by our last synod was 
 adopted as one of our symbolic books. In the 
 German language the Synod of Pennsylvania is 
 now preparing a revised liturgy, which when 
 accomplished, will no doubt be received as sym- 
 bolical in all Churches, and be a standard of 
 uniformity in ceremonials as far as imperfec- 
 tibility of human wisdom will permit. 
 
 The Lutheran Church is established in every 
 state in and south of New York, and generally 
 they act uniformly in principles and regulations. 
 Externals are made to suit the inhabitants 
 and conformable to the spirit of the government 
 in which it is with respect to church discipline, 
 there may also be differences arising from the 
 different situations of ministries and the 
 flocks of their own and those they are sur- 
 rounded with, all of which however, make no 
 difference in doctrine, by which alone a church 
 
152 
 
 distinguished herself, and which keeps up union, 
 in spirit and love. 
 
 But for the information of the inquisitive the 
 regulations of the churches in North Carolina 
 are here given in extract 
 
 With respect to the Lord's supper, it never 
 was contradicted ; but that only such ought to 
 be admitted, who not only believed in Jesus 
 Christ by word, but who also lived an unblamea- 
 ble life ; this is also the aim of our Church, sim- 
 ply believing at the same time, that none but be- 
 lievers, and those of an humble and contrite 
 heart, can have communion witli God, and spirit- 
 ually enjoy what our Saviour made it, by saying^ 
 " This is my body — this is my blood." 
 
 In conformity to the above, the following rules 
 were adopted by the synod, and are now exist- 
 ing. 
 
 SECTION XXII. 
 
 Constitution, §c. 
 
 Constitution of the Evangelical Lutheran 
 German and English Synod of North Caro- 
 
153 
 
 lina and adjacent States,* as revised and en- 
 larged, at their October session, 1817. 
 
 Article I. The first twenty-one articles of 
 the Conl'ession, delivered to the assembled Diet 
 at Augsburg in Germany, by the Lutheran di- 
 vines, known by the name of the Augsburg Con- 
 fession, as extracted from the Bible, is the point of 
 union of our Church. Every minister before 
 ordination, pledges himself to the same. 
 
 Art. II. The Synod consists of ordained 
 ministers and candidates to the ministry, and is 
 to meet annually on Trinity Sunday, in rotation 
 of counties.f 
 
 Art. III. Every congregation hath a right 
 to send deputies, such as are in full communion 
 ef our Church, and if they produce a certificate 
 of their election they are entitled to a seat and 
 vote. 
 
 Art. IV. All deputies have a right to vote 
 by congregations, so that every congregation 
 has a vote, and the majority decides ; but the 
 lay deputies taken together, have no more votes 
 
 * This title was adopted in October, 1817, 
 f Determined in 1817, 
 
154 
 
 than the number of ministers belonging to our 
 ministry respecting the general concerns. 
 
 Art. V. Every Synod elects a President, 
 Secretary and Treasurer. The first two officers 
 must be ordained ministers, and belong to our 
 ministry. 
 
 Art. VI. No person shall be admitted to ad- 
 minister the Word, except he be recommended in 
 writing, and on examination, found to be suffi- 
 ciently qualified ; and not before he is twenty- 
 one years of age. 
 
 Art. VII. No preacher, (except he is or- 
 dained or licensed by a synod in the United 
 States, and bearing sufficient credentials of the 
 same, and of his moral conduct,) is admitted as 
 belonging to our Church, before he is licensed in 
 writing, sealed with the ministerial seal, and 
 signed by the president, and countersigned by 
 the secretary. These licenses are only granted 
 for one year, except in extraordinary cases. 
 Every license expresses the degree of authority 
 thereby given, and on expiration of the same the 
 authority ceaseth. 
 
 Art. VIII. The degrees of our ministry are : 
 catechet, candidate, deacon, and pastor ; the first 
 two degrees, are under license : the third under 
 
155 
 
 ordination, but confined to his congregations ; 
 the last conveys general authority ;* but he must 
 have studied divinity in a seminary, or with an 
 ordained minister for three years, and have 
 made tolerable progress in the classic langua- 
 ges; but in particular cases, exceptions may be 
 admitted. 
 
 Art. IX. It is incumbent on the synod, as far 
 as possible, to provide, that such congregations 
 as have no regular ministers appointed, and who 
 apply for the same, may be served by visiting 
 ministers, with all ministerial functions; and 
 that the Lord^s supper may be celebrated at 
 least twice in each year. And the holy sa- 
 crament is always to be celebrated in the congre- 
 gation, at the opening or meeting of a synod ; to 
 which all full members of our Church, from other 
 congregations, are to be invited. The president 
 is to appoint the ministers for that purpose, if 
 there is no settled minister in such congregation. 
 
 Abt. X. Every minister, of every grade, is 
 to keep a register of baptisms, confirmations, 
 marriages and bu his congregation, ami 
 
 * These degrees-were finally established^ after some rears 
 deliberation, in October, 1817; and in conformity to the 
 Synodal decrees of the Nor±em States . 
 
156 
 
 report the same annually to the synod, with such 
 other memorable occurrences as deserve atten- 
 tion. 
 
 Art. XL It is the duty of every preacher, to 
 instruct all children of our members, from twelve 
 years old and upwards, in the catechism ; and to 
 confirm them, or have them confirmed, in their 
 baptismal vow, by authorized ministers, and ad- 
 mit them to the sacrament, when they are suffi- 
 ciently enlightened. The small catechism of 
 Doctor Luther, in the German language, and the 
 Christian catechism in the English language, 
 are to he used for such instruction ; and the doc- 
 trine is to be explained for six weeks prior to the 
 confirmation, if possible. 
 
 Art, XII. Only such as are baptized and 
 (when that was done during infancy) confirmed, 
 and have partaken of the Lord's supper with us, 
 can be acknowledged full members of the 
 Church. 
 
 Art. XIII. This constitution can be altered 
 or amended, when two-thirds of all ministers and 
 deputies agree. 
 
 Before the rules entered into by the annual 
 Synods of our Church, are described, it is ne- 
 cessary to state : 
 
157 
 
 SECTION XXIIL 
 
 Observations, §c+ 
 
 Our Church is desirous, by the grace of God, 
 to approach as much as possible to the purity of 
 the apostolic and primitive Church ,• and to ef- 
 fect which, we try to use all the means of grace 
 commanded in the Word of God, according to 
 the forms and ceremonies adopted and found be- 
 neficial by the primitive Christians 5 not that we 
 believe that ceremonies have, in themselves, any 
 efficacy, and they may therefore be changed ac- 
 cording to circumstances; but that they are 
 proved as necessary ingredients, to impress the 
 weak senses with awe, in the adoration of the 
 Supreme Being, and to the attentive hearing, 
 how T He invites every soul, in humility and confi- 
 dence, to approach him, and to be made a par* 
 taker of his perceptible union. 
 
 But we do not call baptism and the Lord's 
 supper, mere ceremonies ; we call them sacra- 
 ments, commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ, to 
 be used until his visible appearance among his 
 people. Baptism then was used by the primitive 
 
 Church, as the entrance or adoption in the 
 14 
 
158 
 
 Church of Christ ; and by this sacrament, they 
 were dedicated, set apart, consecrated aud sanc- 
 tified, to be disciples, or scholars of Christ. 
 And by enjoying the Lord's supper, in faith, for 
 what He pronounced it to be, they were con- 
 firmed, and received the seal of adoption, for 
 eternal life, as members of this body. 
 
 The primitive Church, independent of the ge- 
 neral custom, but also by express decisions of 
 councils, and in confirmation of the custom, re- 
 joiced to dedicate, consecrate and sanctify, their 
 children to be scholars and disciples of the 
 flock of Christ, by baptism; and millions of 
 souls have evidenced, that thereby the seed of 
 regeneration by the spirit, was implanted in good 
 ground, without resistance ; and which, it being 
 afterwards watered by the Word of God, (as it 
 found a congenial and non-resisting soil) effec- 
 tuated the spiritual regeneration and growth, by 
 the graceful operation of the Holy Ghost. And 
 because millions of such have proved themselves, 
 by their exploits, servants of their and our God* 
 That the Holy Ghost made use of them as vehi- 
 cles to pronounce, and by their works to procure, 
 salvation to sinners, it is evident beyond contradic- 
 tion, that they were born of water and of the spirit. 
 
159- 
 
 , This being also sufficiently proved in our days, 
 we cheerfully follow their steps, and baptize our 
 children ; and thereby believe we obey the Lord's 
 absolute commandment, where he says, "suffer 
 little children to come unto me ; M and they cer- 
 tainly belong to the nations that were to be dis- 
 cipled by baptism, and instructed. But it is to 
 be observed, that the primitive Christians bap- 
 tized only the children of believing parents, or 
 where father or mother was a Christian; and 
 after some time also, such children as had unbe- 
 lieving parents, and which were brought to be 
 baptized by their believing relations; this 
 brought on the custom, which has ever since 
 been retained in all old Churches, of receiving 
 sponsors, or god-fathers and mothers, who on 
 their declaring their belief in Christ, and pro- 
 mising to have the child raised in the Christian 
 religion, succeeded in having them baptized. 
 
 SECTION XXIV. 
 
 Rules — Baptism — the Lord's Supper, <Jc. 
 
 First — If parents of children born out of wed- 
 lock, desire to have such children baptized, they 
 
160 
 
 must first, according to the rule of our forefa- 
 thers, openly before the congregation, or before 
 the minister and elders of the Church, confess 
 their transgressions, express repentance, and so- 
 lemnly promise to amend their lives. If father 
 
 * ■ - -0 ill .10 
 
 or mother refuse to do so, the child may yet be 
 baptized, if one of them, either father or mother, 
 submit to such discipline, provided lie or she en- 
 gages for the Christian education of such child. 
 
 Second — All such transgressors, who refuse to 
 submit to this rule, when regularly required so 
 to do, are excluded from our Church until they 
 submit. 
 
 Third — Every minister is permitted to bap- 
 tize the children of slaves, if their master or mis- 
 tress profess Christianity, and enter into the 
 usual covenant, to have them educated as Chris- 
 tians. 
 
 Fourth — No minister is allowed to baptize a 
 child m another ministers congregation, except 
 the elders assert there are no obstacles in the 
 way. 
 
 Fifth — Any child brought to the elders or mi- 
 nisters for baptism, belonging to father or mo 
 ther of our Church, and who are not excommu- 
 nicated, may be baptized 5 and both parents may 
 
161 
 
 bring it to the altar, and enter into the laudable 
 engagements. 
 
 Sixth — When impious or excommunicated pa- 
 rents, or such as belong to no Christian Church, 
 desire to have their children baptized by our mi- 
 nister, in our Churches, it cannot be refused, if 
 reputable Christians become sponsors, according 
 to the form of our Church, and answer to the 
 questions accordingly. 
 
 Seventh — Only such children as are baptized 
 by our ministers, of any grade, and those bap- 
 tized by the duly licensed reformed German, or 
 Presbyterian English ministry, can be admitted 
 in our registers of baptism. 
 
 RESPECTING THE LORD'S SUPPER. 
 
 First — No person, living in open vice and sin, 
 can be admitted to the Lord's supper. It is 
 therefore the duty of the elders, to be present at 
 every preparatory meeting, in order that such 
 applicants for admission, as live in open sin, to 
 the scandal and offence of Christians, may be re- 
 jected by them, from partaking of the sacra- 
 ment ; and such elders as are afraid to do this 
 their duty, without favor or affection, or neglect 
 to perform their official duty, generally, ought to 
 14* 
 
162 
 
 be removed from their office bv the minister : if 
 he declines to resign, and admonitions to act 
 faithfully, given in presence of some members of 
 congregation, shall have remained ineffectual. 
 
 Second — It cannot be insisted on, that when 
 old people have a desire to unite with our Church, 
 that they should be held to attend the Catechisa- 
 tion of our youth ; and every minister is autho- 
 rized to confirm and admit them to the sacra- 
 ment, if he is convinced of their Christian walk, 
 and of their true faith and desire to unite with 
 Jesus. 
 
 Third — Every minister is permitted to admit 
 to the sacrament, Christians of all other apostolic 
 or gospel denominations, if they are in full com- 
 munion in their meetings or Churches, and have 
 a desire to commune with us. 
 
 GENERAL RULES. 
 
 First — Every congregation ought to have two 
 or more elders, elected by them, and installed by 
 the minister ; and their office is temporary ; and 
 when others are elected, on vacancy, those re- 
 ceding from actual office are senior elders; and 
 with the minister and those in office, are called 
 
 the, Church council. 
 
 ! 
 
163 
 
 Second — Among other duties, the elders alone, 
 or with the minister, ought to visit all such who 
 absent themselves from public worship and com- 
 munion, in order to induce them, by love and 
 kindness, not finally to apostatize, and loose their 
 reward, but to turn from backslid ings, neglects 
 and love to sin, to God and his flock, before it is 
 too late. It is also the duty of the elders, to set- 
 tle difference among our members. 
 
 Third — In such congregations where disor- 
 derly conduct of strangers, during the celebra- 
 tion of the Lord's supper, cannot otherwise he 
 suppressed, the ministers and elders are autho- 
 rized to admit into Church, during the celebra- 
 tion, only such visitors, as by their decent de- 
 meanor, do not disturb its solemnity ; but we have 
 no devotional exercises, to which not every de- 
 cent, well behaved person, may be admitted. 
 
 Fourth — If the congregations have complaints 
 against any person in the ministry, or their own, 
 the synod decides upon such complaints, if pre- 
 ferred with decorum. As it is the particular ob- 
 ject of the synod, to preserve the holy ministry 
 of the gospel, pure and unpolluted, ministers of 
 every grade, may, on well founded complaints 
 against them, be admonished, reprimanded aad 
 
164 
 
 reproved, and if necessary, discontinued, and en- 
 tirely silenced ; and if the latter decision takes 
 place, such have no reasonable expectation 
 of being re-installed into our ministry. The 
 president, during vacancy, with the advice of 
 two ministers, may silence any one until the next 
 synod.* 
 
 Fifth — No minister can release himself of such 
 congregations as he has in charge, and to ac- 
 cept another call, when he plcaseth, without hav- 
 ing previously received the sanction of the synod. 
 And if any minister receives a call, by which he 
 expects to improve his temporal situation, or if he 
 intends removing for want of being duly support- 
 ed by his congregation, or because he is tired of 
 his unprofitable labors, or other causes, he is to 
 give timely notice to the elders of his congrega- 
 tion of his determination, and inform the synod 
 of his intention to leave them, that they may 
 have an opportunity to oppose his removal. 
 
 Sixth — In all our official transactions, re- 
 specting the souls committed to our charge, we 
 are willingly confined and try to exercise the rule 
 of our Saviour, as laid down in Matthew, chap* 
 
 * Established October, 1817. 
 
165 
 
 xviii. 15, 16, 17, and to what Paul says, Gal. xi. 
 6. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, 
 ye which are spiritual, restore such a one 
 in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, 
 lest thou also be tempted ; but if those rules are 
 applied ineffectually, Paul says, 1 Cor. t. 13, 
 put away from you that wicked person ; and v. 
 11. For such have no inheritance in the king- 
 dom of Christ and God. Eph. v. 5, and 1 Cor. 
 vi. 9. 10. We are commanded in the name of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every 
 brother that walketh disorderly; and 2 Thess. 
 iii. 6. Mark them which cause divisions and 
 offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have 
 learned, and avoid them. 
 
 Seventh — If all such rules as are applicable, 
 have been exercised ineffectually with a member 
 of our Church, the Church council, consisting 1 in 
 this case of the ministers and elders, with other 
 assessors, to the amount of twelve or less, being 
 respectable and in full communion, convene be- 
 fore a preparatory meeting, and two-thirds of a 
 majority there, on conviction, pronounce such in- 
 corrigible member excluded from our Church. 
 This is entered in the Church book, and publish- 
 ed in such preparatory meeting , and the exclu- 
 
166 
 
 ded member is recommended to the prayer of the 
 vital Christians, and he may also be included in 
 a public prayer, at such meeting where his or 
 her exclusion is published. How far the words 
 of our Saviour, Matth. xvi. 19. which he applies 
 to all his disciples, Matth. xviii. 18. does apply 
 in such case, we do not arrogate to decide. 
 
 Eighth — If such excluded member afterwards 
 proves by his public walk and conduct, that his 
 heart and mind is changed, it is on his applica- 
 tion, left to the minister, whether such applicant 
 shall be re-admitted, on confession and promise 
 of amendment, by the whole congregation, or by 
 the Church council alone. 
 
 Ninth — It is recommended to the members of 
 our Church, when they intend to enter into the 
 state of holy matrimony, may have it done like 
 Christians, by publishing the banns of matri- 
 mony, and be married by the minister with due 
 solemnity, whether on publication or by license. 
 
 Tenth — No kind of gambling, and meetings for 
 frolics, are tolerated by our Church. 
 
 Eleventh — All amusements, such as balls and 
 dancing, (although not in themselves sinful, yet 
 as they are leading very often to immorality and 
 
167 
 
 indecency, if not to illicit connections) are not to 
 be frequented by our members. 
 
 SECTION XXV. 
 
 Slaves to be treated, 
 
 RESPECTING NEGROES AND SLAVES. 
 
 First — It is the duty of the elders of such con- 
 gregations among which negroes are living as 
 slaves, or free, to provide a place for them in 
 our Churches; or when that cannot be done 
 to build them a house adjoining, or near to the 
 Church ; to give them opportunities to be in- 
 structed in the Word of God by our ministers ; 
 that they may be prepared and fitted for full ac- 
 ceptance in our Church, according to their si- 
 tuation in society. The masters of slaves, be- 
 ing members of our Church, ought to give to 
 them all opportunities to be instructed in Chris- 
 tianity. 
 
 (Second — Before people of color can be admit- 
 ted to baptism, they must receive sufficient in- 
 struction in the fundamental doctrines of 
 Christianity, and when they, by their conduct 
 
168 
 
 nave proved to be in earnest, to become Chris- 
 tians, they may be admitted to baptism, on an- 
 swering the requisite questions. 
 
 Third — After baptism, they cannot immedi- 
 ately be admitted to the Lord's table, and not be- 
 fore they have received further instruction ; and 
 by an obedient, humble and moral walk and de- 
 meanor, have witnessed the sincerity of their 
 faith, and love to God, they must then be regu- 
 larly confirmed, before admission to the sacra- 
 ment. The time at which they are to be admit- 
 ted, is left to the discretion of the ministers and 
 elders of the congregation, in which their mas- 
 ters reside. Such confirmed negroes, can only 
 receive the sacrament in the congregation to 
 which his or her master or mistress belongs, and 
 if they should belong to none of our congrega- 
 tions, then in such as is most convenient to the 
 minister. Each minister can at any time refuse 
 to admit any of them to the table, if he is con- 
 vinced that the vital Christianity of the appli- 
 cant admits of doubt, by general report of im- 
 proper conduct. 
 
 Fourth — All baptized slaves, are entitled to 
 have their children baptized ; and even when 
 only the father or mother is baptized, and in such 
 
169 
 
 case, sponsors are not absolutely necessary, if the 
 parent answers the appropriate and preceding 
 questions. But colored sponsors, if they are full 
 members, and then in full communion, may be 
 
 received as sponsors. 
 
 Fifths— christian negroes, who desire to enter 
 into wedlock, shall promise to one another, m a 
 congregation of this kind, to remain faithful to 
 one another, as long as they are not separated 
 by their masters, in being removed to a distance; 
 but in case such Christian, who hath lost hus- 
 band or wife, in the manner aforesaid, cannot en- 
 ter into a new connexion, without the consent of 
 the minister, and master or mistress ; and it is 
 the duty of the minister, at the time of their en- 
 tering into such connexion, to explain and en- 
 force the Christian duties of the matrimonial 
 state. 
 
 These are all the general rules entered into, 
 from time to time, by our synod; they are not plac- 
 ed in such order, as they have been established in 
 different years, but as they suit for a compre- 
 hensive understanding. Constitution, rules and 
 regulations, are always subject to be altered, 
 amended, extended or explained, as situations, 
 times and laws change; but the object is 
 
 35 
 
170 
 
 thereby to assist practical Christianity, and if 
 executed with fidelity, and assistance from above, 
 they in every church prove a blessing to them 
 that cheerfully submit, for the regulation of their 
 conduct. 
 
 SECTION XXVI. 
 
 Rules made in 1817. 
 
 Extract of reports and regulations received and 
 entered into, (besides those mentioned in their 
 places) which were adopted at the Synod held 
 October, 1817. The Rev. Charles A. Storch, 
 president, and Rev. 6r. Shober, secretary and 
 
 treasurer. The minister and candidates 
 
 reported — 
 
 That they had baptized, from the preceding 
 .synod to this, ten hundred and fifty-four chil- 
 dren, sixty-seven adults, and had confirmed four 
 hundred and forty-two. By the report made by 
 ministers to the Lutheran synod, held in Philadel- 
 phia, 1816, there were confirmed in one year, 
 two thousand seven hundred and sixty-one. 
 
 The treasurer had in bis hands, as by a report 
 of the committee appointed, one hundred and 
 eighty -two dollars and thirty -two cents. 
 
171 
 
 I. A member of our Church, having married 
 his step-daughter, and both wishing to be admit- 
 ted to the Lord's supper, from which they had 
 been debarred on that account, were refused — 
 and resolved, that during their connexion they 
 did not belong to our Church, and that no mi- 
 nister of our synod should admit them. 
 
 II. When any of our Church members de- 
 sire to be married on the Sabbath, it was resolved 
 that it should be done publicly in the Church ; 
 and if others wish to be married on that day, by 
 our ministers, they are to decide where and 
 when, yet in such a manner, that the Sabbath 
 and the transaction be religiously enforced and 
 explained. 
 
 III. None can be continued a minister of our 
 synod, who knowingly marries, in a clandestine 
 manner, a couple, the bride whereof was kidnap- 
 ped, except the law of the state should compel it 
 to be done. 
 
 IV. The question, whether the regulation, by 
 which we impart to our candidates authority to 
 administer the sacraments, shall be retained; 
 was decided by five to one, viz. that the regula- 
 tion be confirmed. This was decided after a re- 
 solution, that if at a prior synod, a question is 
 
172 
 
 referred to the consideration of a succeeding 
 one, an absent minister may send his opinion in 
 writing. 
 
 V. It is recommended to every minister, to 
 establish in his congregations, societies for the 
 promulgation of religious tracts, particularly in 
 the German language. 
 
 VI. All ministers and elders, are repeatedly 
 and earnestly charged, to spare no exertions to 
 establish Sunday schools in all their congrega- 
 tions ; and the deputies will assist them herein, 
 
 VII. The names of all the ministers shall be 
 published once a year, in the German and Eng- 
 lish public papers. 
 
 VIII. Every candidate and deacon, is bound 
 to produce, at each synod, one or more theolo- 
 gical treatises of his own composition, in writing, 
 according to which they will be examined ; and 
 according to their industry they are to be ad- 
 vanced, &c. 
 
 IX. The German Hymn Book, edited by 
 Messrs. Schaeffer and Maund, was received for 
 inspection, and the recommendations of the Rev* 
 Lutheran and reformed synods in Pennsylvania 
 and New- York, for the introduction of the same 
 in all Churches, was cordially approved. 
 
178 
 
 X. The English Hymn Book, compiled by 
 the Rev. Paul Henkel, and printed in New-Mar- 
 ket, is recommended for public worship in that 
 language. 
 
 XL The Liturgy, now in use in the Lutheran 
 English Churches of the state of New-York, is 
 one of our symbolical books, and as such recom- 
 mended. 
 
 XII. No book can hereafter be introduced 
 into our Churches for public worship, before it 
 is sanctioned by this synod, and which sanction 
 must appear in the book. 
 
 XIII. A Seminary, on a small scale, to teach 
 Theology, and the Greek, Latin, German and 
 English languages, was began in the state of 
 Tennessee, Green county, under the inspection 
 of the Rev. Philip Henkel and Joseph E. BelL 
 It is to be continued under the direction of this 
 synod, for the purpose of educating young men 
 to the gospel ministry. The Rev. Joseph E. 
 Bell, is now tutor. The establishment is re- 
 commended to the fostering care of all our con- 
 gregations and Christian friends; to establish 
 funds for its support, in the congregations be^ 
 longing to our sphere, we propose, during next 
 
 15* 
 
174 
 
 May, to entreat for and receive donations, for 
 the purpose of creating a fund for its support. 
 
 XIV. Union, Hopewell, and Lick Creek con- 
 gregations, lately formed in East Tennessee, and 
 ministered unto by the Rev. Joseph E. Bell, are 
 received into our association. 
 
 XV. Resolved, That if possible, one of the 
 senior ministers, particularly the Rev. Presi- 
 dent, should visit all our congregations, to make 
 himself acquainted with their situations, and 
 how their ministers are supported, &c. and re- 
 port the same to the Synod. The Rev. Paul 
 Henkel is requested, during next year, to make 
 a tour, as the president declines on account of 
 his health. 
 
 XVI. Respecting J. W. Meyer, who minis- 
 tered under license, and which is now expired, 
 it is resolved, that he be finally excluded from 
 our ministry, on account of his demeanor. If 
 any congregation does, notwithstanding this, re- 
 ceive him as a preacher, such a one ceaseth to 
 belong to our association. 
 
 All the other transactions are of a local and 
 periodical nature, as also the charges to minis- 
 ters, and are of course uninteresting to the pub- 
 lic, 
 
175 
 
 The following consecrated Ministers belong to this 
 Synod. 
 
 Rev. Charles A. S torch, Pres't. Rowan County, N. Carolina, 
 
 Rev. G. Shober, Secretary, 
 a. Paul Henkel, 
 R. J. Miller, 
 Philip Henkel, 
 
 a. Lewis Markert, 
 Jacob Sherer, 
 
 b. J. P. Pranklow, - 
 
 b. Godfrey Dreher, 
 Daniel Morer. 
 
 Stokes County. 
 
 Point Pleasant, Virginia. 1 
 
 Burk County, N. Carolina- 
 Tennessee. 
 
 - Indiana. 
 
 Guilford County. 
 
 S. Carolina. 
 - do. 
 
 The following Candidates to be consecrated next 
 Trinity. 
 
 David Henkel, 
 
 Lincoln County. 
 
 
 Joseph E. Bell, 
 
 . 
 
 Tennessee, 
 
 h. Jacob Zink, 
 
 
 - do. 
 
 Adam Miller, 
 
 
 - do. 
 
 a. Peter Sciimucker, 
 
 - 
 
 Virginia, 
 
 Daniel Sherer, 
 
 . 
 
 - do. 
 
 b. Andrew Henkel, 
 
 . 
 
 Ohio. 
 
 b. Michael Rauch, 
 
 ^ 
 
 S. Carolina. 
 
 fc YostMitze. 
 
 - 
 
 - do, 
 
176 
 Catechets. 
 
 Jacob Krieson, - Guilford County. 
 
 a. Pliilip Roth, - - do. 
 Jacob Miller, - Stokes County. 
 Daniel Walcher, Rowan County. 
 
 b. John Dreher, - - - - S. Carolina. 
 Martin Walther, ... Virginia. 
 
 Note. — The absence of those marked a. were 
 excused ; those marked b. were not. 
 
 SECTION XXVII. 
 
 Introduction to Doctor Luther. 
 
 This might suffice to satisfy the religious en- 
 quiry respecting the doctrine called Lutheran 
 and its discipline. History will convince the 
 impartial, that the reformation by Doctor Luther 
 was not effected by his own strength, but by Di- 
 vine assistance and grace. That after him, and 
 after he had procured the bible to be read by 
 every person, all the denominations of christians 
 have arisen, except the Roman Catholic, the 
 Greek Church, and the Moravian brethren, 
 which last existed before as a Church, and which 
 
m 
 
 corresponded with Doctor Luther, but whose di- 
 vines when their Church was renewed in Saxony, 
 nearly a century ago, united with the dugsburg 
 Confession. 
 
 That the Bible is by all denominations of 
 christians, the source of knowledge respecting 
 God and the destiny of the human race, that 
 although some divines differ in explaining the 
 meaning of words, as we find them in different 
 translations, yet do they all support their tenets 
 from that book, as containing the word of God. 
 As this then is an undeniable truth, and the 
 Augsburg Confession, containing the Lutheran 
 doctrine, and which is taken from the bible, and 
 is admitted by other religious denominations as 
 symbolic, it is superfluous here to prove that the 
 bible contains the everlasting gospel, especially 
 as this book is only addressed to such christians 
 who say with Doctor Young, in his Night 
 Thoughts :— 
 
 A Deity believ'd is joy begun ; 
 
 A Deity ador'd is, joy advanced ; 
 
 A Deity belovM is joy matured ! 
 
 Each branch of piety delight inspires ; 
 
 Faith builds a bridge from this world to the nest, 
 
 O'er death's dark gulf, and all its horrors hides ; 
 
 Praise the exhalation of our joy 
 
 That joy exalts, and makes it sweeter still ; 
 
 Praxfr — ardent hopes of Heaven, and lets down a stream 
 
 Of glory, on the consecrated hours 
 
 Of men', in audience with the Deity. 
 
178 
 
 But as some christians do sing as before, 
 having their mental reservation at the same 
 time with respect to expressions made use of in 
 scripture, describing the Deity, and the manner 
 of its influence upon the human race, and others 
 again attempt to spiritualize texts in opposition 
 to the sense contained in the words of the same. 
 It is perhaps necessary to prove by some ex- 
 pressions of Doctor Luther, and other divines, 
 that this Church is industrious to retain the 
 sense as contained in the words acknowledged to 
 be spoken by inspiration, or spoken by Him who 
 said, " Heaven and earth shall pass away but 
 not my wards, 9 and that our Church admits, 
 that many things cannot be comprehended by 
 reason, and must be by the word believed only, 
 and that unhallowed reasdn is not at liberty to 
 change, alter or adulterate what is by words po- 
 sitively asserted in the bible as true doctrine. 
 
 I therefore make another short extract of Doc- 
 tor Luther's expressions and others. 
 
179 
 
 SECTION XXVIII. 
 
 Lathers Doctrine on God, Sin, Pardon, «J-c. 
 
 OF HOLY WRIT. 
 
 Doctor Luther writes to Eck : " Are you not 
 ashamed, to blame me for being too severe and 
 stiff, in holding fast to Holy Writ, you cannot 
 scandalize yourself more, my dear Eck, than as 
 a doctor of Holy Writ, to be ashamed or afraid 
 of your trade, office or title, and to blame me that 
 I confine myself entirely to the words of the Holy 
 AVrit; but it shall not avail you, no, you, the 
 Pope, doctors, fathers, counsel, men, angels and 
 devils, shall and must come down to scripture, 
 and be judged by that book and no other ; and 
 you would try to deprive me of the use of it ? 
 fye ! I will have but one master, his name is 
 Jesus Christ, residing in Heaven. T. 1, Jen. f. 
 6. 342. 
 
 The scripture is a book, by which all wise 
 men are made fools, and it is only opened to 
 babes, as Christ said, Matt. 11, 25. Therefore 
 take care, that you do not stumble on Holy 
 
180 
 
 Writ with your own reason, and thus become 
 your own master, for thereby such rebellious 
 spirits arise, as believe scripture is subjected to 
 them, is as easy to be comprehended as JEsop's 
 fables, and that they want no holy spirit. There- 
 fore take care and despair of your wisdom and 
 reason, for by that you will never arrive at it, but 
 with such audacity precipitate yourself and others 
 with Satan from Heaven to Hell. JV*o ; kneel 
 down in your closet, and pray with true humility 
 and earnestly to God, that he through his beloved 
 Son give you the Holy Ghost, &c. Tom. I. Jen. 
 in pref. 
 
 OF THE INSCRUTABLE ESSENCE OF GOD. 
 
 If any person could have comprehended any 
 thing of divine essence, so as to say what God 
 is, the wise and learned of the heathen would 
 have succeeded, who sought after it day and night, 
 and with all this labor could only conceive, that 
 something else must exist besides nature, but yet 
 they could never say, "that is God," or so is he, 
 so lives he. T. VI. Jen. f. 65. 
 
 If you will go secure, in order to find and 
 comprehend God, be not persuaded to search for 
 
181 
 
 him any where hut in the Lord Jesus Christ : 
 there begin your art and studies, who ever will 
 persuade you otherwise, say to him : " J will 
 know of no other God bat my Lord Jesus Clirist. 
 Tom. VI. Jen. f. 17S. 
 
 OF THE HOLY TRINITY. 
 
 The name Trinity is no where to be found in 
 Holy Writ ; but men have invented it, that it 
 would be better said, God as the Trinity. This 
 is a heavenly thing, and the world cannot compre- 
 hend it. Therefore, it ought not to be grounded 
 on reason and comparison, but merely on texts 
 of scripture ; for God alone knows, who and how 
 he is, and how he shall name himself Many 
 have made inventions, by w r hich they wanted 
 to explain the Trinity*, but they lost their senses ; 
 therefore we will remain with Christ, and attend 
 to the texts of his humanity and divinity, Psalm 
 8, John 1, and the texts of his God and Father, 
 and of his holy spirit, John 14, 15, 17, 20, &c. 
 Haus Post. 2d part, f. 89. 
 
 No divine (and many did break their heads on 
 it) could do any tiling or make any thing of it 
 than that there is this distinction, that the first 
 16 
 
182 
 
 person is called Father, the other the Soil, and 
 the third the Holy Ghost ; that the Son had an 
 eternal generation, that the Holy Ghost proceeds 
 from Father and Son, and that these three are 
 one only eternal God. Whoever speculates 
 deeper, it increases his darkness, and the unin- 
 telligibility, trouble and pain is his reward, and 
 lie is hurried to an abyss as Lucifer. I have 
 tried it, and experienced what I had done. Tom. 
 VI. Jen. fo. 66. 
 
 The faithless saints and the wise, paint to 
 themselves a God according to their hearts 
 desire, as if he were so minded as they think and 
 dream of him, and of course make to themselves 
 a false God. But our faith is totally comprised 
 in this Christ, in whom dwelleth the fullness of 
 Godhead bodily and completely ; wherever then 
 this Christ is not acknowledged, there is no God. 
 Tom. VII. Jen. fol. 87. 
 
 We will not dispute about the essence and 
 substance of the Holy Ghost. The true definition 
 and revelation of the Holy Ghost is, that he is 
 our teacher, guide and comforter, who guides, 
 teaches and comforts us, as a mother does her 
 child. If then, he that is sent is a comforter, he 
 that sends him and by whom he is sent, must also 
 
183 
 
 be a comforter, thus the Deity, Father, Son and 
 Holy Ghost is our comforter, and who will call 
 him by his right name, must call him the Father 
 of mercy and God of all comfort. Rom. 15. Tom. 
 VII. Jen. fol. 88, 90. 
 
 Our nature is too weak and bashful to con- 
 verse with God, therefore he gave us his Son, 
 as a mediator, in and by whom we shall treat 
 with God, and find no other way to the 
 Father, as only in his death, as which he 
 atoned for our sins and procured the Father's 
 grace. Test postil lb. 77, et haus postil, 
 9A p. fol. 78. 
 
 That Jesus Christ the Son of God is the eter- 
 nal word and the creator of the world. 
 
 Here is my God, I will believe in no other 
 God, as creator of heaven and earth but in Him, 
 whose name is Jesus Christ, here I must begin 
 my faith and confidence, then I know that I have 
 the true God. Tom. VII. Jen. fol. 51. 
 
 Scripture has this manner of expression, the 
 world was made through Christ by the Father 
 in the Holy Ghost. 
 
 Although the two natures (human and divine) 
 are distinct, it is yet but one person, so that 
 whatever Christ did or suffered, was done and 
 
184 
 
 suffered by God, although it occurred only to 
 one nature. Hans postil, 1st part, f. 106. 
 
 Doctor Luther sang : 
 Hie jacet in praesepio, 
 Qui regnat sine Terraino 
 Cognovit Bos et Asinus 
 Quod puer eraet Dominus. 
 
 In his explanation of the last words of David, 
 Tom. VIII. Jen. where he treats of Jehova, he 
 insists every where, that the true God Jehovah 
 and Lord who brought the children of Israel out of 
 Egypt, who gave the law, and of whom David and 
 the Prophets spake; was no other than Jesus 
 Christ of Nazareth, who is God the Lord on high, 
 and also man, who died on the cross. Melanchton^ 
 page 13 and £6. The Son is the person who 
 every where in the Old Testament speaks with 
 the Fathers. 
 
 Christ in whom dwelleth the fullness of the 
 Godhead bodily is the only object of true chris- 
 tianfaith. 
 
 We must accustom ourselves entirely to be- 
 hold Christ, as if we certainly saw the Father, 
 and hide ourselves in him, yea, act and do as 
 he did, and take the cross on ourselves, and not 
 suffer ourselves to be estranged from it, in order 
 
185 
 
 to fly into majesty, least the devil might overtake 
 and catch us, whose greatest delight is to sepa 
 rate and dissolve Christ in the flesh in the most 
 subtle manner (as St. John 1, John 4, calls it) so 
 as to seperate God and man. As they then 
 throw away the humanity, and the flesh and blood 
 as unprofitable, this misfortune will happen to 
 them, that they will lose God, as I have often 
 said : whosoever hereafter seeks God and intends 
 to find him any where but in that Christ, he does 
 not find God, but the very devil in place of God. 
 Tom. VI. Jen. fol. 183. 1 Cor. 2, Paul would 
 know of nothing else but Christ and him cru- 
 cified. 
 
 To us is given this command to follow 
 Christ from the manger to the cross where 
 he hangs as the faithful Saviour, who dies 
 for my sins and by his blood redeems me 
 from eternal death j and in this view our 
 faith must embrace him, and then we have 
 acquired the true knowledge of God. Tom. 
 VI. Jen. fo. 67, see more of that in Haus 
 Post. 1st part, fo. 155, 6, and fo. 116. 
 
 When another divine speaks of those who in 
 the beginning of the last century found the doc- 
 trine of denying the divinity of Christ progress- 
 16* 
 
186 
 
 ing he says, u What think you, the prophet 
 Isaiah would say if he now came ? Ans. « Hear 
 it O heavens, and thou earth let it enter thy ears, 
 for the Lord speaketh, I have raised and educated 
 children, but they strayed from me, Isa. ix, 6, 
 v. 40, 43, 44, 45 ; ?? and from the fundamental 
 doctrine of the apostles and their father Luther, 
 and turned apostates. 
 
 The christians, says Luther, must all for the 
 sake of the gospel, which is foolish and laugha- 
 ble preaching, be despised, mocked and derided 
 by the world ; for this is imposed on us chris- 
 tians, and cannot fail, we must bear to be de- 
 spised, hated and derided, and it cannot fail, that 
 if the gospel is preached as it ought to be, that 
 we should not be laughed at, despised and 
 mocked, this is the holy cross, which is avoided 
 by the worldly minded. 
 
 It was great foolishness that the Christians be- 
 lieved in a man, who died on the cross, and 
 deemed him to be a God and Saviour ; but this 
 is our banner and watch word, we must bear it, 
 there is no help for it, as Paul also says. 2 Tim. 3. 
 3. Fest. Post. fo. 45. 
 
187 
 OF FAITH. 
 
 Every one ought to try and examine himself, 
 whether he feels the faith and Holy Spirit, and 
 whether he perceives in his heart, as Paul says* 
 that where he .inhabits the heart, he cries Abba 
 dear Father. Therefore be stedfast on this, you 
 must feel the call of the spirit in your heart, for 
 it is the crying of your heart, and why should 
 you not feel it. Haus port, 1st part, fo. 159. 
 
 When God gives us grace that we thus feel it 
 in our hearts, we are made sound and well: but 
 we will not talk much about it, yea, on account 
 of the greatness of the gift, we will even doubt 
 and waver, whether it is true or not. Those that 
 bawl out, Christ is my brother, Christ is my bro- 
 ther, are raving spirits, and not the true ones ; it 
 is quite different with a christian, and it is a mar- 
 velous thing, so that flesh is astonished at it, and 
 dare hardly confess and speak of it. 
 
 The truly pious christians therefore, proceed 
 in despising themselves, and think in this 
 manner. O! poor, miserable, sinful creature 
 that I am, how came I to it, how can I be wor- 
 thy, that the Son of God shall be my brother, 
 yea my bridegroom ! I.e. fol. 13. 
 
188 
 
 Whoever receives the word, for the -preacher's 
 sake, does not believe the word ; but believes the 
 preacher or in the preacher; therefore his faith 
 is but of short continuance. But whoever be- 
 lieves the word, is unconcerned about the person 
 who gives out the word, and does not honor the 
 word for the person's sake, but he honors the 
 person for the word's sake, and although the 
 person perished and felt from faith himself, so 
 that he preached otherwise, he rather quits the 
 person than the word. The true distinction 
 between human and divine faith is this, human 
 faith attacheth to the person, believes, confides 
 and honors the word for the sake of him wha 
 says it. But divine faith attacheth to the word, 
 which is God himself, and feels that it is so cer- 
 tain and true, that no person can detach him 
 therefrom, and if it was the same preacher. 
 Haus Post. 1st part, fo. 99. 
 
 Faith is a divine work in us, which changes 
 and regenerates us according to the will of God. 
 John 3. Faith is a living and deliberate confi- 
 dence in the grace of God ; so certain is the per- 
 son of it, that he would die a thousand deaths 
 for it. Pref. to Kpist. of the Rom. 
 
1&9 
 
 You must be thus certain and sure in the word 
 ©f God, that although I became distracted, which 
 God prevent, or revoked and denied my doctrine 
 that you on that account do not recede, but 
 sayest: Although Luther himself, or an angel 
 from heaven teach otherwise, let him be accursed, 
 for you must not be Luther's disciple, hut Chrisfs. 
 If a man increaseth in perfection of faith, his 
 heart at last comes to be silent, at ease and con- 
 tent in the wounds of Jesus, because he assuredly 
 believes and feels, that sin, death, devil and hell 
 are conquered by the death of Jesus ; the will 
 centers in him, he immures himself in the gospel ; 
 thence arises another hearing and understand- 
 ing, another feeling and knowledge, and also 
 another manner of acting, speaking and thinking. 
 Haus Post. 2d part, fo. 10. 
 
 To know the Lord, John 17, 3, to eat the flesh 
 and drink the blood of Jesus, John 6, to live in 
 the faith of the Son of God, who loved us and 
 gave himself for us as a ransom, Gal. 2, 20, to 
 eat the word of God, Jer. 15, 16, taste the plea- 
 sing word of God and the powers of the future 
 world, Heb. 6, 4, 5, drink the reasonable pure 
 milk, and taste how friendly the Lord is, 1 Pet. 
 2, 2, 3, to eat the hidden man, Rev. 2, 17, to be 
 
190 
 
 healed by his wounds, Isa. 53, with joy to draw 
 water from the well of salvation, Isa. 12, 3, to 
 grow in all spiritual wisdom, knowledge and 
 experience, and increase in all riches of certain 
 comprehension, to know the mystery of God and 
 the Father of Jesus Christ, in whom are hidden 
 all treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Col. 2. 2, 
 3 ; to know him and the power of his resurrec- 
 tion, the union with his sufferings and to resem- 
 ble him in his death, Phil. 3, 10. What is all 
 this together ? Is it not this thing : All and in 
 all Christ, 
 
 OF ORIGINAL SIN. 
 
 Original or inherited sin is, as all doctors 
 unanimously describe it, nothing else than the 
 want of original or inheritable righteous ness> 
 with which inheritable sin we were punished in 
 Paradise when Adam had sinned, is therefore 
 called inherited sin, because we did not commit it, 
 but derived it from our parents, and is imputed to 
 us as though we had committed it ourselves; for 
 if a son inherits justly the father's estate, which 
 he did not procure by his industry, he is as justly 
 bound according to the same law of inheritable 
 
191 
 
 justice to pay the debts of the father. This inheri- 
 table evil is also, (but improperly) called peccatum 
 originate, original sin, which contemplates to 
 say, that inherited sin is the origin and beginning 
 of all other sins and vices, and it is yet in itself 
 nothing more than as the same total malice and 
 inclination to evil which every man feels within 
 himself, &c. (The whole sermon ought to he 
 read.) Haus Post. fo. 13, 14 and sig. 7. 
 
 I will shew you the battle between God and 
 the proud saints ; nature is imbittered and raves 
 against the Holy Spirit; this is treated on in the 
 whole scripture. God, according to scripture, 
 makes this conclusion, that all works before 
 grace and justification are evil ; and will 
 first have the person just and good ; secondly, 
 he concludes that all persons when they are yet 
 in nature and in their first birth, are evil and 
 unrighteous sinners, as David says, Psalm 116 : 
 all men are liars, and Gen. 16, the human heart 
 is inclined to evil, and therefore he has no will to 
 do good, and all his works arc works of Cain, 
 
 But the heathen goddess Hulda comes for- 
 ward and says : that before justification there 
 are also good works and not Cain's works, 
 as God says, and they are thus good that the per- 
 
W2 
 
 son is thereby justified; for Aristotle taught 
 thus : ivhosoever does good thereby becomes good. 
 
 Such infamous doctrines are now governing all 
 universities, an d T they are altogether Cain-like 
 saints,' which God does not regard. Behold, 
 thus reason raves, and natural light against the 
 light of grace, and here you have in short 
 metre the foundation and cause of all idolatry, 
 all heresy, all hypocrisy, and all errors, ami on 
 account of which all prophets were crying and 
 murdered, and against which all scripture treats. 
 Proud audacious natural reason, and conceit, 
 will not endure a master who teaches how to 
 become pious, and how to serve God. Haus 
 Post, 1st part, p. 117, 118, compare with page 
 348, 49. 
 
 When Christ came into the world, he took 
 away the sin of Adam, and of all the human race, 
 by his suffering and dying, and built up a new 
 heaven of grace and forgiveness, in order, that 
 the sin inherited from Adam cannot retain us in 
 condemnation, provided we believe in the Sa- 
 viour, 
 
 And now it is thus, whosoever shall be con- 
 demned dare not blame Adam or his own inhe- 
 rited sin ; for this blessed seed of the women is 
 
now come, paid for such sin, and took condem- 
 nation away; no, he must weep and wail 
 that he did not accept this Christ, the 
 bruiser of the devil's head, and sin-extinguisher. 
 Thus the danger rests on each one's own person, 
 and it is his own fault if he is condemned ; not 
 because from Adam and his own prior infidelity 
 he is a sinner and worthy of condemnation, but 
 because he will not receive this Saviour Christ, 
 who destroys sin and condemnation ; and indeed 
 it is double sin and a proportionate sentence to 
 be expected, if I will not believe on this dear Sa- 
 viour, will not be helped by him, will not believe 
 nor adopt his redemption, &c. Tom. VII. Jen. 
 p. 185. 
 
 What kind of sin does then remain on earth I 
 no other, than that you do not accept this Saviour, 
 and you will not admit him who taketli away sin ; 
 for if he was there, no sin would be there, be- 
 cause he would bring the Holy Spirit with him, 
 who inflames the heart with desires to do good. 
 Therefore God will on the last day pronounce 
 this judgment on the world : Thou wast in sin 
 and eouldst not help thyself, and yet I would not 
 cordemn thee on tl*at account, for I sent my Son 
 to thee, and would have given thee the Saviour, 
 17 
 
that he might take thy sins from thee; hut thou 
 didst refuse to to accept him. Therefore thou art 
 not condemned because thou hast sin, but because 
 thou didst not accept that Saviour, for it is impos- 
 sible that he who has this Saviour can abide in sin 
 and condemnation, for he took away and eradi- 
 cated all sin by his blood. Haus Post, 2d part, 
 
 Free will after the fall of Adam, or after com- 
 mitted sin is a vain name. Thus Paul teacheth, 
 Rom. 14. " What does not come out of faith is 
 5tn." Where then is freedom ? if it can do noth- 
 ing of itself but sin. St Augustine says : 4< Free 
 will without the grace of God is of no account, 
 hut to sin." Hear it ye deceivers; is that free, 
 which is good for nothing as to do evil ? There- 
 fore I would wish the word free-will had never 
 been invented, it could better be named self will; 
 •feut if we must retain it, let us apply it to the re- 
 generated man. He is certainly free, as Adam 
 was in paradise, of which the scripture also 
 treats, if it touches on our freedom. But those 
 who are in sin, are not free, but prisoners of 
 the devil, yet because they may yet be made free 
 fcy grace, you may call them volunteers, as you 
 call a man rich who is yet a beggar, and may 
 
195 
 
 yet be rich. But it is not right, nor good in such 
 serious things to play with words; for the sim- 
 ple are thereby easily led estray, and such 
 teachers are called sophists. 
 
 This article of free will is a peculiar error of 
 Antichrist, and is forced into all the world, for 
 Antichrist is to deceive the whole world. JenS 
 p. 430, also page 77, and many other places. s 
 
 Behold here reason, nature, free will, and all 
 human power and virtue is pounded into dust, 
 and damned, and St Paul surrenders it up wholy 
 and totally to the blood of Jesus Christ, unto the 
 Holy Ghost in the laver of grace and regenera- 
 tion. How then can any audacious dependence 
 on natural power exist after such thunderbolts. 
 
 OF THE LAW OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, 
 
 What sin is, the Holy Ghost teaches better in 
 the gospel ; and what virtue is and good works, 
 I will not learn of Moses, but from Christ. This 
 is my master and law giver, and the living law 
 of God himself. This I say for the sake of the en- 
 thusiastic spirits, who read Moses, and praise him 
 highly, will be wise and know something better 
 than what is contained in the gospel, think little 
 
m 
 
 of faith and establish a new form of becoming 
 pious and happy. 
 
 But I will not endure this of this Mosaic law 
 and sin preachers, and will not have Moses for 
 my teacher and governor. And God will not 
 have him any more, for he buried him that no 
 person may know where he lies. Moses is dead, 
 and his government had an end, when Christ 
 came, and therefore he is of no further use. And 
 rather than I would let Moses in again, and to 
 let Christ be eradicated from my heart, I would 
 rather not preach again while I live. Fest Post ? 
 p. 134*. 
 
 The law of the christians, is the living flame 
 of the Holy Ghost in the heart, whereby the 
 hearts are regenerated, so that they will desire 
 and do nothing but what the law of the words of 
 Moses demands and commands. Jer. 32. 
 ■2 Cor. 3, and Rom. 3, Paul calls it a law of faith, 
 and Rom. 8, a law of the living spirit; and 2 
 Cor. 4, the preachers of faith, servants of the 
 Spirit. For the living word of Christ's blood and 
 death on the cross, if that is preached, it gives the 
 Spirit who writes with living lire the law of God 
 into our hearts, as to Cornelius, Acts 10, and 
 Gal. 3, Tom. II. Jen. p. 33. 
 
w 
 
 Only reflect on the common manner and 
 words of the people they are used to say : Surely 
 I will yet be pioits, if you ask them, pray tell me 
 how yotrwitl contrive it ? ! say they, I must 
 pray, fast, go to church, quit sin and repent. — 
 Take good care, take care, of this spirit, it is 
 nothing but the doctrine of the devil, by which 
 the world is deceived. 
 
 Before you seek and call upon God, He must 
 have previously found you. Rom. 10. How 
 can they call upon God before they believe. God 
 must lay the foundation stone and begin in you 
 to incite you to seek and pray to him ; he is al- 
 ready present as soon as you begin to seek him ; 
 and if he is not present, you certainly begin and 
 do nothing but sin ; and so much the more aggra- 
 vating sin, the greater and holier the business is 
 you attempt, and you will become a hardened 
 hypocrite. See Haus Post, 1st part, p. 9, 10, 
 and the whole context. 
 
 The preachers of the law are the bearers of 
 the dead for shew, they do nothing else, but sink 
 men deeper and deeper into death, scare and 
 force them more and more into hell. Haus 
 Post, 1st part, p. 67. 
 
 17* 
 
198 
 
 The state of the Christian Church was never 
 in a worse situation than now, and grows worse 
 daily, because the word of God is not preached 
 in an apostolic manner, and the preachers 
 preach unto the people their own dreams, sen- 
 tences and philosophic doctrine. How shall We 
 do then? Thus — you must acknowledge and 
 feel, that you are damned, and that you belong 
 to the devil, and that you cannot help yourself; 
 then you must fly to the Saviour, and pray to 
 him to make you happy. This is the manner we 
 comfort the people .* Woe, woe, says nature, is 
 this comforted, this is giving to the devil ! Yes 
 my friend, I must first throw you into hell, be- 
 fore I can lead you to heaven ; you must first 
 despair of yourself, before you can come to 
 Christ. Fest Post, p. 45, 50. 
 
 We shall yet see, when some of those are 
 taken away, by whom God yet sustains the gos- 
 pel, how soon the false teachers will enter again, 
 who bring in a flood of enthusiastic doctrine, and 
 mix faith and works together, by which then 
 true doctrine will be lost, and all is lost. 
 
 A christian preacher must preach nothing 
 else but Christ, that he is our Saviour, who by 
 -his blood and death bore and took away our skis, 
 
199 
 
 and that thereby he makes us pious and righte- 
 ous. What does not sound like this is no christian 
 sermon. Where this word of God is not earnestly 
 preached, and the hearers hecome tired, and the- 
 preachers lazy, the office of preaching must soon 
 fall, and the church become a desart; then we 
 must follow and obey false spirits, who advance 
 something new, in order to attract the populace 
 to themselves, and who brag that they are mas- 
 ters in scripture, and yet are such people, who 
 do not know, nor have experienced, what thing 
 that is they teach. Tom. V. Jen. p. 477. 
 
 The voice of John the Baptist, who was a me- 
 diator between Christ and Moses, begins the 
 New Testament by this true doctrine, lifting up 
 his finger, pointing to the Lamb of God, and 
 says : behold, that Lamb taketh away sin ; know 
 him as a Lamb, on whose shoulders your sins 
 lie, that you may be liberated and happy, then 
 you are sure. Haus Post, p. 54. 
 
 Of a repenting sinner's justification by free 
 grace, and the new birth from God by faith in 
 the blood of Jesus; Doctor Luther uniformly 
 insisted and his writings are full of it. 
 
200 
 
 Of daily purification and sanctification from sin- 
 ful nature by the power of the blood of Christ, 
 'through the operation of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 When Jesus has pardoned a poor sinner, and 
 said to him, f* believe in me, I will give you gra- 
 tis what I suffered" he takes him up, carries 
 him into the house, that is, his church and con- 
 gregation, there he pours his grace into me, that 
 is the oil, this makes me pliant, easy and cheer- 
 ful in conscience, by feeling that I rest on his 
 shoulders. He then also pours wine into me, 
 which corrodes and destroys the old man : But 
 yet I am not quite cured, the means to effect it 
 are received and health begins to come, but it is 
 not perfect. But Jesus attends and waits upon 
 me, cleanseth me by the grace acquired by his 
 blood, and applied to me by his Holy Spirit, so 
 that I day by day become more pure, chaste, 
 mild, humble minded, and full of faith, till the 
 old skin dies; thus I shall be perfectly clean and 
 pure. Haus Post, 2d part, p. 159. 
 
 The new leaven is the faith and the grace of 
 the spirit by the blood of Jesus acquired for as 5 
 
mi 
 
 •and poured into our heart, but the dough is not 
 immediately leavened, and only by degrees he 
 brings us to his full likeness, and makes us bom 
 of his bone. In this manner life is not piety, hut 
 a becoming pious 3 not health, but a becoming 
 healthy; not as being in existence, but growing 
 into existence ; not a rest, but exertion ; it is 
 not yet done and finished, but it is in operation, 
 it is on- the road ; not every thing yet is glowing 
 and shining, but it is polishing. Tom. I. Jen. 
 469. 
 
 Thus all sins are taken away in holy baptism. 
 That God does not impute them, but thereby 
 they are not vanished, but they must be continu- 
 ally healed, as you have made a beginning to 
 treat them, but when we die we shall be com- 
 pletely healed. Fest Post, p. 14. 
 
 OF CONTINUALLY FEELING THAT WE ARE 
 SINNERS. 
 
 It must always be a mixed situation, that is 
 both to feel the Holy Ghost and grace, and also 
 our sin and imperfection. We must be situated 
 as a sick person, who is under the doctors 
 hands in order to be cured ,* therefore no person 
 must think, this man hath the -Holy Spirit, 
 therefore he must be quite strong, and shew no 
 
£Q2 
 
 decrepitude and faults, and do nothing but pre;? 
 cious actions. Haus Post, 2d part, p. 72, 
 
 The kingdom of Christ here is a kingdom 
 where sin is, there is no saint therein, which is not 
 compelled to say : Lord, Almighty God y l confess 
 myself a poor sinner, go not with me into judgment, 
 for before thee none is just; they must incessantly 
 sing this song : Forgive us our trespasses. The 
 other pious saints who know no end to their holi- 
 ness and perfection, understand nothing about it, 
 because they hold that in the kingdom of Christ 
 there must be no sin and every thing clean and 
 pure as if the pidgeons had eat it up. A chris- 
 tian acknowledges his sin, is angry with sin, 
 and is seriously afflicted, that he must yet feel 
 sin. If you find any other saint know it, he is 
 an Antichrist, and no true christian. Fest Post, 
 p. 94. 
 
 The honest, good christians, although having 
 the Holy Ghost, and a good joyful conscience, 
 are yet cast down and bashful, if they feel their 
 sinfulness, hut they can comfort themselves that 
 notwithstanding the same, they are judged pure 
 and holy by God, through grace for Christ's 
 sake, and they say thus : " if I am not pious bgr 
 
£03 
 
 myself, ffe is pious for me ; if I am not Loly In 
 myself, I am holy in him. Item, page 98. 
 
 Dear God ! will they not endure it that the 
 church deems herself a sinner, and confesses it. 
 Help dear Lord and Saviour, that we may re- 
 main pious repenting sinners, and not turn to he 
 sanctified blasphemers. Tom. VI. Jen. p. 195. 
 
 Of the Holy Sacraments in general, and of 
 Holy Baptism, and the Lord's Supper specially. 
 
 In the sacraments your God Christ, speaks 
 and acts himself through the minister with you, 
 and no human operations are thereby performed. 
 
 Therein God sealeth and assureth to you all 
 things spoken by Christ, and willeth, that the 
 sacraments shall be a record thereof; the life of 
 Christ -shall have taken away and conquered 
 your death, his obedience your sin, his love your 
 hell, to this you are by the sacraments incorpo- 
 rated and united with all saints, and arrive to 
 the true communion with them, so that they die 
 with you in Christ, bearing sin, and conquering 
 hell. Tom. I. Jen. p. 181, 182, and the whole. 
 
 Baptism is a far larger flood of grace as the 
 29th psalm says, than the flood of old, and will 
 continue to the end of the world ; and by whick 
 more men are drowned in grace, as by the for,- 
 
204 
 
 flier flood were drowned in wrath. Tom. I. 
 Jen. 184. 
 
 God deems you in the innocence, righteous- 
 ness and blood of Jesus Christ, whom you have 
 put on in baptism, quite pure and holy ; and al- 
 though you carry about your sinful nature yet, 
 and though you should at times fall and sin, if 
 you only rise again, and you do re-enter into the 
 covenant of grace, your sins are, by virtue of 
 that covenant, which he entered into with you, 
 by the sacrament of baptism, forgiven. As 
 St. Paul says, Rom. 8 : No person that believes 
 in Jesus Christ is condemned on account of na- 
 tural, sinful and evil inclinations, if he does not 
 consent thereto, nor commit them, and John 1, 
 Ep. II. says, and though we sin, yet have we an 
 intercessor with God our Lord Jesus Christ; all 
 this is effected in baptism. Tom. I. Jen. p. 185. 
 Item, Fest. Post, p. 54. If you fall into 
 sin, remember, that you return to your baptism, 
 wherein God for the merits and satisfaction's 
 sake of Christ, made an everlasting covenant of 
 grace with you to forgive you your sins. Take 
 care of, be guarded against those who make two 
 tables or planks, whereon we are to swim over 
 the sea of sin and death, namely, 1st, baptism, 
 and then penitence and self satisfaction ; believe 
 
205 
 
 • 
 
 it not, it is all deception they make use of. Bap- 
 tism falls not, nor breaks^ it is a beginning of 
 repentance and conversion, as often then as you 
 fall into sin, take refuge again to your bap- 
 tism, you will then receive the Holy. Ghost 
 again, to assist you, for repentance is nothing 
 else, than being displeased with one's self, 
 one's sinful life, and a renovation of the man, 
 which is received by baptism. 
 
 In the holy sacrament of the body and blood 
 of Christ, God himself gives to man a certain 
 token, that he shall be united with Christ and ail 
 his beloved saints, in such a manner that they 
 have every tiling in common, the life of Christ 
 and his sufferings shall be his, so that they are. 
 one, and that whosoever offends him does it 
 to Christ and all saints, as he says by the pro- 
 phet Zach. 2, whoever touches you touches the 
 apple of my eye, and again, whosoever does 
 him any service, lie does it to Christ and his 
 saints, as he says, Matt. 25, whatsoever you 
 have done unto these least of my brethren you 
 have done 'unto me 1, ch. p. 203, again fo, 
 204, 205. 
 
 There exists no deeper, intimate, mysterious 
 and indivisible union, than what this table pro- 
 
duceth by which the soul is nourished; it tran- 
 scends into nature, and causes an indivisible unioii 
 with him who partakes of the same: He the 
 Lord is ours, we are his 9 and by degrees we 
 are brought into his likeness, and as John says, 
 we know, that when he appeareth we shall be 
 like him.? *miwc[ 
 
 TO THE FORMAL CHRISTIAN. 
 
 Although you believe that the sacrament is 
 the body and blood of Jesus, what are you bet- 
 ter on that account, and what profit is it to you ? 
 The devil believes it also, but what good does it 
 do him ? you do nothing therewith than per- 
 forming an action, and you scandalize and blas- 
 pheme the sacrament, as you take it to be your 
 pious good work, when yet it is the work of 
 God, by which he will give and impart grace to 
 you ; therefore you do not partake of him in any 
 other manner than the cloth or cup in which it is 
 contained. There is no other true use of this 
 sacrament than this, that you believe, and if 
 your conscience accuses you, and says, here and 
 there you have sinned, and you desire to be freed 
 in your conscience from it, go to the sacrament 
 
and say : If I have sinned, this body has not sinned, 
 he is innocent, this body is for me given, this 
 blood is shed for me, for the forgiveness of sin, 
 this J believe, and to prove it, I will take the sa- 
 crament in humility. Haus Post, 2d part, 
 p. 3, 4. 
 
 Page 5, 6, he has the following important 
 words : If I believe thai his body and blood is 
 mine, I have the whole Qhrist, and all that he 
 can do, so that my heart gets bold and stout 
 against sin, death and the devil, as I do not de- 
 pend on my piety but upon the innocent blood 
 and his holy body, which I take. Other divines 
 since have said the same, and particularly Paul 
 Eber 9 professor at Wirtemberg, in treating oa 
 the sacrament, page 170. 
 
 SECTION XXIX. 
 
 Conclusion* 
 
 This, it is supposed, may be sufficient to 
 shew to the christians in this country, what doc- 
 trine the Lutheran Church propagates, and no 
 doubt, many of different persuasions will say: 
 

 Why, tins is our doctrine, andMs this church now 
 -been existing for three hundred years I Have the 
 Calvanists, the Episcopal Churchy the Quakers, 
 the Baptists, the Presbyterians, the Menonists, 
 Independents, Universalists, with all their mul- 
 tifarious ramifications arisen since Luther 
 preached such doctrine — Yes, is the answer.-— 
 TFhy then are we not all united in love and union; 
 why this distance, controversies, disputes, con- 
 demning one another, why this splitting on forms? 
 "Why cannot the church of Christ, under one 
 shepherd, be one flock? My friends, at a 
 proper season, the Lord will unite us all ; in the 
 mean time, if all the preachers were anxious to 
 be filled with unction from above, and not endea- 
 vor to make proselytes to themselves, but to con- 
 vert souls to Jesus, the Church Militant would 
 soon have a heavenly appearance ; but while the 
 private enemies of Christ, with persuasive elo- 
 quence, entrap the unwary, and please the infi- 
 dels ; while among all persuasions, not all those, 
 w r ho are empowered by them, hold to the symbols 
 of their churches, but speak to be applauded 
 as orators, and invent unscriptural expressions 
 and new tenets — While many are intent upon 
 the fleece, and care nothing for the flock — While 
 
209 
 
 many are not lowly minded but haughty — While 
 many hold up forms as the first step to Jacob's 
 ladder — While numbers make the distinction of 
 the words inward to be heretical — While num- 
 bers hold to mystic spirituality, although yet 
 tangibly conscious of having flesh and blood. 
 In short, until all eyes are only fixed on him 
 who was wounded for our transgressions, union 
 cannot be expected. 
 
 But thank God, we see the morning star 
 rising; union is approaching, in Europe by 
 Bible Societies, in America likewise, in which 
 are united all persuasions for propagating the 
 everlasting gospel, and the angel is now flying 
 through the heavens with the same — By Mis- 
 sionary Societies united and separate, sending 
 out hundreds to the surprize of the astonished 
 enemy — By the exertions of rich and poor to 
 send out sound religious tracts, by which many 
 souls are awakened — By the hundred thousand 
 children now by Sunday schools taught to know 
 ; -their God and Saviour, and who would otherwise 
 have grown up in ignorance and vice — By fre- 
 quent revivals of religion in our country, by 
 which all grades of human beings from the child 
 to the oldest age, are also invigorated to throw in 
 18* 
 
£10 
 
 their millions of mites for the support of the gos- 
 pel, and by many other signs, it is apparent that 
 the earth will soon be filled with the knowledge 
 of the Lord ; and O ! may our church not be 
 found sleeping when the bridegroom comes, 
 especially may those at the helm direct the ves- 
 sel in a straight course to the polar star, Jesus. 
 Union in spirit as soon as the Lord pleases is to 
 appearance easy. 
 
 I have attentively examined the doctrine of 
 the Episcopalian Church, read many excellent 
 authors of the Presbyterians, know the Methodist 
 doctrine from their book, " Portraiture of Me- 
 thodism," and am acquainted with the baptist 
 doctrine so far that they admit and adore Jesus 
 the Saviour. 
 
 Among all those classes who worship Jesus as 
 a God, I see nothing of importance to prevent a 
 cordial union ; and how happy would it be if all 
 the churches could unite, and send deputies to a 
 general meeting of all denominations, and there 
 sink down upon the rock Jesus, at the same time, 
 leaving to each their peculiar mode and form ; 
 this would influence all the christians to love one 
 another when and wheresoever they met, and 
 they would commune together. -But with the 
 
211 
 
 enemies of Jesus, christians can have no union 
 . before their enmity ceases, which by the grace 
 of God may also be brought about. In the mean 
 time, true christians of all denominations as soon 
 as they understand one another and meet, they 
 are like David and Jonathan. 
 
 I must conclude with what that experienced 
 christian John Newton, author of the Sermons 
 on the Messiah, the Olney Hymns, Exercise of 
 the Heart, 6cc. says : [♦• He levels all distinctions 
 of party spirit in possessing and professing chris- 
 tians"] in the third volume of his works. 
 
 I think my sentiments and experiences are as 
 orthodox and caivinistical as ne^d be, and yet -I 
 am a sort of speckled bird among my calvinist 
 brethren. I am a mighty good church man, but 
 pass among such as a dissenter in prunello. On 
 the other hand, the dissenters, many of them I 
 mean, think me defective either in understand- 
 ing or in conscience for staying where I am. — 
 Well, there is a middle party called raethodists, 
 but neither do my dimensions exactly fit them ; 
 I am some how disqualified for claiming a full 
 brotherhood with any party ; but there are a few 
 among all parties who bear with me, and love me, 
 and with this I must be content at present; and 
 
212 
 
 -so far as they love the Lord Jesus, I desire, and 
 by his grace, I determine, with or without their 
 leave, to love them all! Party walls though 
 stronger than the walls of Babylon, must come 
 down in the general ruin, when the earth and all 
 its works shall be burnt up, if no sooner. 
 
 It is impossible I should be of one entire 
 color, when I have been indebted to all sorts, 
 and like the jay in the fable, have been beholden 
 to most of the birds in the air for a feather or 
 two. Church and meeting, Methodist and Mora- 
 vian may all perceive something in my coat 
 taken from them ; but then why could I not be 
 content with their color, without going amongst 
 other flocks and coveys to make myself such a 
 motley figure? Let them be angry; if I have 
 culled the best feathers from all, then surely I 
 am the finest bird. 
 
 I add, if the Lutheran Church has the sub- 
 stance and colors of most others, and the others 
 have ornamented themselves by leathers from 
 ours, let us rejoice in our individual beauty, 
 never however, so as to stick to colors, but all of 
 us expect to put on the unspotted and uncolored 
 white raiment, wherein at some period we may 
 
213 
 
 all find one another in the innumerable armies 
 surrounding and praising the Lamb slain. 
 
 There we to all eternity 
 Shall join the angelic lays, 
 And sing in perfect harmony, 
 To God our Saviour's praise - r 
 He hath redeem'd us by his blood, 
 And made us kings and priests to God ; 
 For us, for us the Lamb was slain, 
 Praise ye the Lord— Amen, 
 
 THE END 
 
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