YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

THE LIBRARY OF THE
DIVINITY SCHOOL

LUTHERAN MANUAL
ON
SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES:
OK.
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION
ILLUSTRATED AND SUSTAINED,
CHIEFLY BY SCRIPTURE PROOFS AND EXTRACTS FROM
STANDARD LUTHERAN THEOLOGIANS OF
EUROPE AND AMERICA;
TOGETHER WITH THE
FORMULA OF GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE,
.ADOPTED BY THE
GENERAL SYNOD OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
IN THE UNITED STATES.
BY
S. S. SCHMUCKER, D.D.,
PROFESSOR OF CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY IN THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY OF THE GENERAL SYNOD,
GETTYSBURG, PA.

PHILADELPHIA:
LINDSAY & BLAKISTON.
1855.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1855, by
LINDSAY & BLAKISTOIJ,
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for
the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
STEREOTYPED BY J. FAGAN. PRINTED BY C. SHERMAN & SON.

CONTENTS.

Dedication  Page v
Notices of Authors quoted  7
Introduction  10

PART I.
ARTICLES OF THE CONFESSION.
Article I. Of God  •  37
II. Of Natural Deprayity  55
III. Of the Son of God and his Mediatorial "Work . 70
IV. Of Justification  83
V. Of the Ministerial Office  88
VI. Concerning New Obedience  106
VII. Of the Church  108
VIII. What the Church is  119
IX. Of Baptism  134
X. Of the Lord's Supper  145
XI. Of Confession  156
XII. Of Repentance  158
XIII. Of the Sacraments  169
XIV. Of Church Orders  171
XV. Of Religious Ceremonies  172
XVI. Of Political Affairs  176
XVII. Of Christ's Return to Judgment  195
XVIII. Of Free "Will  219
XIX. Of the Author of Sin  222
XX. Of Good Works  223
XXI. Of the Invocation of Saints  234
(iii)

CONTENTS.

FORMULA OF GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
Chapter I. Preliminary Principles  239
II. Of the CnuRCH  242
III. Of the Officers of the Church  245
IV. Of the Church Council  248
V. Of Church Members  252
VI. Of Elections  253
VII. Of Prayer Meetings, etc  255.
VIII. Of Synods  256
IX. Officers of the Synod  258
X. Other Members of a Synod  261
XI. Order of Business  262
XII. Process against a Minister  264
XIII. Vacant Congregations  266
XIV. Of Missions  267
XV. Election of Delegates and Directors  267
XVI. Special Conferences  267
XVII. Ministerial Session  , 268
XVIII. Examination and Licensure of Candidates . . . 270
XIX. Ordination  272
XX. Installation  274
Constitution of General Synod of Evangelical Lutheran
Church in the United States of North America  275

' PART II.
ABUSES CORRECTED.
Topic I. Of Communion in one kind  284
II. Celibacy of the Priests  285
III. Of the Mass  287
IV. Of Confession  292
V. Of Diversity of Meats  293
VI. Of Monastic Vows  296
VII. Of the Power of the Church  301
The Lord's Day ; or, Christian Sabbath  310
German Copy of the Augsburg Confession  325

DEDICATION.

To the MINISTERS and CHURCHES of the GENERAL SYNOD
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States,
this Work is Respectfully and Affectionately Dedicated by
the Author.

Christian Brethren,
In submitting the following Manual to your friendly considera
tion, and that of the Christian public at large, it seems proper to say
a few words in elucidation of the principles on which it is constructed.
£i)ur holy religion addresses us as reasonable beings capable of inves
tigating the evidences of truth, and commands us to be ever ready
to give a reason for the hope that is in us^ But whither shall we go
to find those evidences, to learn what Christianity and the Christian
church are? In this emergency different voices reach us. "Goto
the church" say the Romanist and Puseyite. But where is the church ?
To which of the several associations professing to be the church, and
often the only true church, shall we go? They are all interested
parties, and whether we repair to Jerusalem or Mount Gerezim, to
Rome, to Wittenberg, or to Geneva ; the response is ever the same,
" The temple of the Lord are we." Yet how different their religions ;
and all cannot be true ! " Go to the lively oracles of God," say others,
and among them the Son of God himself. " Search the Scriptures,",
says he, "for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are..
they which testify of me." The gospel w.a_a_ before the church. The
revealed truths of Christianity were the means, by the preaching of
which sinners were converted, and the church was formed. They
are the divine instructions according to which the church in. all ages
must be organized and administered. To these truths, happily trans-
1 (v)"

VI DEDICATION.
mitted to us by an inspired record, we must therefore go, to learn
what is Christianity, what is the Christian church, and how she is to
be administered.
Examining this record, my brethren, we find one of its cardinal
lessons to be that God exercises his moral government over every man
individually, and not over the race in the aggregate. The soul that
sinneth, it shall die — and not the child for the father, nor the father
for the child. Christ tasted death for every man individually, and.
not for mankind in the aggregate, much less in the abstract. \Jlvery
individual must repent, and believe the gospel for himself, if he would
be saved ; and if all around him believe, and he does not, he will be
damned. And every penitent believer is required to profess Christ
before the world, for himself, and to become a member of his church
on earth.
Nor is man divested of his individual responsibility, when entering
into connection with the church. As an individual he makes his
profession of religion ; as an individual he casts his vote for the
pastor, on whose ministrations ho is to attend; as an individual he
is to search the Scriptures daily, and test by them the instructions
he receives : as an individual he is to withdraw his countenance, and
not to bid God speed to the teacher who denies that Jesus is the
Christ, or who preaches a different gospel from that of the Saviour
and his apostles ; and as an individual he is to give his vote against
a brother that walketh disorderly, refusing " to eat with him" at the
sacramental board, and regarding him " as a heathen and a publican."
Whilst every member of the church is thus acting on his individual
responsibility, guided by the Word of God, as his rule of faith and
practice ; the church, consisting of these individuals, will be doing
her duty, will be discharging her responsibilities, which are the
aggregate of the responsibilities of all her constituent membership.
Thus, in the judgment of Luther, and all standard Lutheran divines
of Europe, was the church formed into individual, independent con
gregations by theinspired apostles. If a number of these churches deem
it useful to_ unite in Synods, as a blessed means for the concentration
and regulation of moral influence, wisely adopted by our churches in
this country, but not in Europe; the Synod embodies and represents
the powers and responsibilities of all the associated churches, and
may make such distribution of them as she regards most useful, and

DEDICATION. VU
not inconsistent with the principles of the New Testament: but those
duties, however distributed, are still performed by you as individuals,
under your individual responsibility to God. Nor can there be any
legitimate church of Christ, in which the members are divested of
their individual responsibility and absorbed in the organism of the
whole. The same is the case with denominations or sects, that is,
organizations of the church, based on the minor doctrinal diversities
among acknowledged Christians, and admitting into their connection
only such as also agree with them on some non-fundamental pecu
liarities of doctrine, or government, or discipline, or mode of wor
ship. Such denominations are the Lutheran, the Presbyterian, the
Methodist, &c, and no man can be regarded as a Lutheran minister
in our American church, who does not belong to some Lutheran
Synod, as Synodical connection is one of the avowed features of our
denominational organization. These voluntary associations embody'
the powers, duties and privileges of the churches and Synods which
constitute them, all of which are to be discharged by their individual
members. Thus lines of sympathy and communication are constantly
kept up between the individual and the associate responsibility of
Christians, the mind and heart of the church in every age will be kept
in close contact with the living oracles of God ; and guided by the
study of them and the developments of Providence, the church in
every period of her history, will assume a. form best adapted to her
own wants, and best suited to advance her triumphs over the earth.
To teach this doctrine of individual responsibility to God's word,
and to reconstruct the machinery of the church on the basis of it,
was one of the grand achievements of the glorious Reformation. It
was with a living, burning consciousness of this truth that the im
mortal Luther began and prosecuted his work to the close of Ufe.
With this consciousness he labored to reform his own errors; with
this he and his coadjutors undertook the reformation of others ; and
sustained by this they professed and defended their ameliorated
views before emperors, kings and princes, in their Confession at
Auo-sburg. For a similar purpose the Smalcald Articles were pre
pared by Luther. But after his death these two compositions, and
others far more extended, were employed for an entirely different
purpose, against which, if living, he would doubtless have protested;
namely, to arrest the progress of reformation, and virtually, though

viii DEDICATION.
not intentionally, to annihilate the feeling of individual responsibility,
by fixing for generations to come.the exact sense in which the Scrip
tures must be understood by all ministers ; to W) them of that right,
out of which the Reformation grew, which is an inalienable right
and obligation of man ; namely, the duty of individual responsibility
for our views of Scripture truth, and modes of action in advancing
the kingdom of Christ.
It is true, the Form of Concord itself, the ablest, but also the
longest and most minute, and therefore most objectionable of the
Lutheran symbols of Germany, affirms that symbols only show how
the Bible was understood at the time of their adoption, and implies
that other ages may produce purer results of biblical study. But
the unhappy union of Church and State, whilst throwing the shield
of civil protection over the Protestant church, fixed the Reformation
by law at the* point which it had then attained, and robbed the
ministry and church of their liberty of investigation, by imposing
the penalty of deposition from office on the attainment of any other
results. Thus the church in Europe was in a state of legally coerced
stagnation for two centuries. But the aspirations of the human mind
for freedom of inquiry, led numbers to continued Scriptural research,
and God rewarded their labors with improved results; just as the
Reformers themselves, in the Augsburg Confession approved the
Mass somewhat modified, and seven years later, in the Smalcald
Articles, totally and bitterly condemned it.
The founders of our General Synod, being men of enlarged,
liberal, and scriptural views of the kingdom of Christ, shared these
convictions of Luther and Melanchthon. Convinced by the gradual
abandonment of the whole mass of Symbolical books in Germany, as
well as from personal examination of them, of their want of adapted-
ness to the age ; they regarded it as the grand vocation of the
American church, released by Providence from civil servitude, to
reconstruct her framework, assuming a more friendly attitude toward
sister churches, and so organizing as to promote Scriptural union
among Protestants, and to bring up our church institutions to the
increased light of biblical study and Providential development.
This enlightened, this Millennial attitude of the founders of the
General Synod, the writer can confidently affirm from personal
knowledge, having been well acquainted with the greater part of

DEDICATION. ' IX
them, and having been present at Baltimore, in 1819, when the
formation of the Synod was, after ample discussion, resolved on ; and
at Hagerstown, in 1S20, when the Constitution was formed, as well
as at every meeting but one, ever held by that body. But the Con
stitution adopted speaks for itself; for it invested the General Synod
with power to form a new Confession of faith, and new Catechisms,
suited to the progress of biblical light, and the developed views of
the Church. Subsequently, it was believed that the necessities of
the case would be best met by the retention of the Augsburg Con
fession, on account of its importance as a link in the chain of his
torical Christianity, and by prescribing its qualified adoption, viz. ;
as to the fundamental aspects of Scripture doctrine. On this platform
the churches of the General Synod have enjoyed the signal blessing of
Heaven, and improved both in spirituality and number with unex
ampled rapidity. Of late this form of obligation has been thought
by some friends of the Synod, to be too indefinite. Yet nothing
better had been suggested, excepting the enumeration of the articles
referred to in the obligation as fundamental, proposed by the Synod
of Maryland.
The following is this list of fundamentals, being the same as that
of the Evangelical Alliance held at London, in 1846, in which we
have the judgment of about a thousand of the prominent ministers
of nearly all Evangelical denominations in the world, as to which
doctrines of Christianity are fundamental. 1. The Divine inspiration,
authority and sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures. 2. The right and
duty of private judgment in the interpretation of the Scriptures. 3.
The unity of the Godhead, and the Trinity of persons therein. 4.
The utter depravity of human nature in consequence of the fall. 5.
The incarnation of the Son of God, his work of atonement for sinners
of mankind, and his mediatorial intercession and reign. 6. The
justification of the sinner by faith alone. 7. The work of the Holy
Spirit in the conversion and sanctification of the sinner. 8. The
Divine institution of the Christian ministry, and the obligation and
perpetuity of Baptism and the Lord's Supper ; and 9. The immor
tality of the soul and the judgment of the world by our Lord Jesus
Christ, with the eternal blessedness of the righteous and the eternal
punishment of the wicked.
This enumeration of fundamentals is assented to bv probably all

X DEDICATION.
the friends of the General Synod ; and although that body has not
acted upon the subject, the line thus clearly marked out, is generally
regarded as expressing the sense in which the General Synod's pledge
is understood. On this general basis we composed the Popular
Theology twenty-one years ago, which has passed through six large
editions, and been extensively circulated throughout the church.
But it has been thought by many, that a smaller Church Manual,
constructed on similar principles, containing the Augsburg Confes
sion, with Scripture proofs and brief discussion, chiefly in extracts
from distinguished divines who have been the ornament of our church
in different ages, and at the same time exhibiting the improved, pre
vailing views of our church at the present time, together with the
Formula of Government and discipline, would supply a desideratum
in the church and prove eminently useful. To meet these views,
Christian Brethren, is the design of the work now submitted to you.
It stands on the broad and scriptural basis of the General Synod, it
presents copiously the proofs of the inspired Word, and honors the
fathers of our church, in the way in which they would desire to he
honored. The Confession is given entire, including the condemnatory
clauses and the Abuses Corrected, neither of which is embraced in
the General Synod's pledge. Both contain important truths, and the
erroneous and disputed articles, or words, are throughout the whole
Confession included in brackets ; so that our churches may no longer
be charged with holding doctrines which they do not receive. The
work is now submitted to your favorable consideration, with the
humble prayer, that the Great Head of the Church may vouchsafe
his blessing, and make it eminently useful in advancing the interest-
of His kingdom, by promoting a Christianity that is biblical, pro
gressive and millennial. S. S. SCHMUCKER.
Theological Seminary, Getttsbueh,
April, 1855.

NOTICES OF THE PRINCIPAL DIVINES QUOTED IN THE
FOLLOWING WORK.

Luther and Mdanchthon, generally known.
Chemnitz, M., D. D., was Superintendent in Brunswick, and after
wards Professor in the University at Wittenberg. Born
Nov. 9, 1522, and died April 8, 1586. The work cited is
his Loci Theologici (System of Divinity), edited by Pol.
Lyser, at Frankfort a. M., in 1591, in 4to. ; and subse
quently published at Wittenberg, in 1 vol., folio.
Quenstedt, J. And., D.D., Professor of Theology at Wittenberg.
Born August 13, 1617. Died May 22, 1688. His work
here cited is Theologia Bidaetico-polemica, published at
Wittenberg in 1685.
Baier, J. W., D. D., General Superintendent at Weimar, and after
ward Professor of Theology in Halle. Born Nov. 11, 1647.
Died October 19, 1695. The work cited is his Compendium
Theohgioe Positives, &c. Jena, 1686. 8vo.
Hollazius, B., Provost and Pastor at Jacobshagen, afterwards Rector
at Colberg. Born 1648. Died 1713. The work quoted is
his Examen Theologicum, &c. 1707, 1 vol. 4to.
Buddeus, J. Francis, D. D., Professor of Theology at Jena, previously
Professor of Christian Ethics at Halle. Born June 25,
1667. Died November 18, 1729. His work cited is his
Institutiones Theologice Bogmaticce. lvol.4to. Jena, 1723.
(7)

8 AUTHORS QUOTED.
Gerhard, J., D.D., Professor of Theology, Jena, General Superin
tendent at Coburg. Born October 17, 1582. Died Aug. 17,
1637. His great work was Loci Theologici, &c, in 4 vols.
4to., published 1610 ; afterwards enlarged by others to 20
vols. 4to.
Hutter, L., D. D., Prof, of Theology in Wittenberg. Born 1563, and
died Oct. 23, 1616. His chief work, Compendium Locorum
Theologicorum, &c. 1 vol. 8vo. Wittenberg, 1610 ; subse
quently enlarged to folio.
Konig, J. F., D.D., Prof, of Theology at Rostock. Born Oct. 16,
1619, and died Sept. 15, 1664. His work cited is T/ieologia
Positiva Acroamatica. Rostock, 1664.
Mosheim, J. L., D. D., Professor of Theology and Chancellor of the
University, Goettingen; formerly Professor at Helmstadt,
&c. Born Oct. 9, 1693, and died Sept. 9, 1755. His work
here cited is Elemenia Theologies Bogmaticce. 1758. 2 v. 8vo.
Baumgarien, S. J., D. D., Professor of Theology at Halle. Born
March 14, 1706, and died July 4, 1757. His work cited is
Evangelische Glaubenslehre. Halle. Edited by Semler,
1759. 3 vols. 4to.
Storr, Ch. <?., D. D., Professor of Theology at Tubingen, and first
Court preacher at Stuttgard. Born Sept. 10, 1746. Died
Jan. 17, 1805. His work cited is his Lehrbuch der Christ
lichen Bogmatik. Ed. Flatt. 1 vol. 8vo. 1803.
Beinhard, F. V., D. D., Provost of the University at Wittenberg, and
subsequently first Court Preacher and Consistor-Counsellor
at Jena. Born March 12, 1753, and died Sept. 6, 1812.
His. work cited is Vorlesungen uber die Bogmatik. 1 vol.
8vo. 1801.
Knapp, G. C, D. D., Professor of Theology at Halle. Born Sept.
17, 1753, and died Oct. 14, 1825. His work cited is his
Vorlesungen fiber die Christliche Glaubenslehre. Edited by
Thilo. 1827. 2 vols. 8vo.

AUTHORS QUOTED. 9
Muhlenberg, Henry Melchior, D.D., Pastor of Lutheran Church, Phila.
Born Sept. 6, 1711, died Oct. 17, 1787. His work here cited
is his " Biary and Reports," &c, which constitute a large
part of the HalliscJie Nachrichlen, published periodically at
Halle from 1741 to 1785, in 4to. numbers.
Kunze, John C, D. D., Pastor of Lutheran Church from 1780, and
Professor of Greek, Latin, and German, in the University
of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia ; afterwards Pastor in New
York in 1784. Born 1740, and died July 24, 1807. The
work cited is his " Ein Wort fur den Verstand und das Herz,
von dem rechten und gebahnten Lebenswege." 1 vol. 8vo.;
pp. 243. Phila., 1781.
Goering, Jacob, Pastor of the Church in York. Born 1754. Died
1807. His work cited is Besiegter Wiedertaufer (or Van
quished Anabaptist) in Unterredungen iiber Kindertaufe
und Untertauchung (anonymous). Lancaster, 1788. 1 vol.
8vo.; pp. 92.
Helmuth, J. C. Henry, D. D., Pastor, Philadelphia. Professor of
Greek, Latin, and German, in the University, Philadelphia.
Born 1745. Died Feb. 5, 1825. The work quoted is his
Report in the Hallische Nachrichten.
Lochman, J. George, D. D., Pastor, Harrisburg, Penna. Born Dec.
2, 1773, and died July 10, 1826. The work cited is his
History, Boctrine, and Biscipline of the Evangelical Luthe
ran Church. Harrisburg, 1818. 1 vol. 12mo.; pp. 164.
Endress, Christian F., D. D., Pastor, Lancaster. Born 1775, and
died Sept. 30, 1827. Article cited, a communication in the
Lutheran Intelligencer, 1827.
Schmucker, J. George, D. D., Pastor at York, Penna. Born Aug. 18,
1771, and died Oct. 7, 1854. The work cited is Bie Wdch-
terstimme an Zion's Kinder. Gettysburg, 1838. 1 vol.
12mo.; pp. 233.

INTRODUCTION.

SECTION I.
PRACTICAL REMARKS ON THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, AND THE DUTY OF
MEMBERSHIP IN IT.
Man a Religions Being.
The distinctive character of man as a religious being, must be
evident to every individual, as well from the inward monitor
implanted in his breast, pointing him to a higher Judge of human
actions, as from the structure of the universe around him, abound
ing^ in numberless intelligent arrangements, which aim at moral
designs. Accordingly, even the ancient heathen affirmed this
attribute of our Dature, and designated it by a word ' derived, as
Cicero supposes, from the habit of man to review 2 his actions, or
as the Latin father Lactantius maintains, from his feeling natu
rally obligated3 to a course of virtue. But amid the light of the
Gospel, our religious nature, and obligation to a higher power,
must be far more evident to reflecting minds. Indeed, viewed by
aid of this light, religion must be regarded as the highest interest
that can attach to man. It alone can satisfy the yearnings of his
soul after the infinite and the holy, after immortality and God. It
alone can solve the problem of his earth-born, yet heaven-destined
existence; illustrate his infinitely various relations to earth, and
explain how his citizenship is still in heaven. It alone can con
duct him safely through the mazes of life, and bring him to that
blissful land of pure delight, where saints immortal reign ; to that
heavenly Jerusalem, where prophets and apostles, martyrs, reforin-

Beligio. a Ex relegendo. ' Keligati sumus.

12 ' INTRODUCTION.
ers, and saints of all ages, convene in harmony; to sing hallelujahs
to the Lamb that was slain, and liveth again, and intercedes for
them. Man a sinner, but redeemed.
Yet is it not evident that the great mass of mankind habitually
neglect the known dictates of this religion, whose obligation is
engraven on their souls ? If we adopt any standard of religion,
which an intelligent inquirer could derive from an honest inter
pretation of the New Testament, how few are the families, how
few even the individuals, that attain to it, or make conformity to
its dictates, the daily effort of their life ! Indeed, left to himself,
no man would do so. " There is none righteous, no, not one ;
there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh God ;
they are all gone out of the way ; there is none that doeth good,
no, not one." '
This general alienation from God, our best benefactor and friend,
the moral governor of our world, and of all the myriads of stellar
and of planetary worlds which spangle the regions of immensity,
could not fail to entail on us his divine displeasure. Our entire
race must have been consigned to everlasting burnings, had not
our gracious heavenly Parent remembered mercy in the midst of
deserved wrath, and in the counsels of eternity devised a plan of
redemption through the sacrifice of his Son, which has been, and
for ever will be, the subject of amazement to men and angels. In
achieving this glorious scheme, the Son of God, our blessed Sa
viour, died upon the cross to atone for our sins, and yielded a per
fect obedience, to purchase for us a title to heaven. Thus by his
active and passive righteousness he made ample provision for our
case, and now sends forth his disciples with the injunction to
preach the Gospel to every rational creature, and to invite the at
tention of all to this great salvation. He offers pardon and eternal
life to the children of men, on condition that they repent of their
injustice to his character, and violation of his laws ; that they ac
cept of the mercies of God through Christ, and in gratitude for
his goodness and love for the infinite excellencies of his nature,
consecrate themselves eternally to his service.

1 Rom. iii. 10-12.

THE CHURCH, ETC. 13
Invitations of tlte Gospel.
These invitations meet us ou almost every page of the Gospel,
and address themselves to you also, reader ! To you, likewise,
the Saviour says, " Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and
learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find
rest unto your souls; for my yoke is easy, and my burden is
light." The Almighty even deigns to expostulate with you.
"As I live," saith the Lord, " I have no pleasure in the death of
the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live : turn
ye, turn ye from your wicked ways, for why will ye die 1" And
have your sins been so great as to deter you from approaching a
throne of grace ? Hear again the voice of mercy : " Though your
sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow ; though they be
red like crimson, they shall be as wool. For my thoughts are not
as your thoughts, neither are my ways as your ways ; for as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than
your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." " Wherefore
return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidiags,
and will make a covenant of peace with you, and it shall be an
everlasting covenant."
The Church and the duty of uniting with her.
To aid returning sinners in securing their salvation, and to con
centrate to a focus the moral influence of their renovated life, to
enable them to hold up to the view of mankind the radiant stand
ard of mercy, and by their holy example to be " lights of the
world and the salt of the earth," the Saviour requires them to
step out from among the ungodly world, publicly to profess his
name by the rite of baptism, and to associate themselves together
into a distinct society. To this society, termed in holy writ the
Church, he has committed his inspired oracles, together with his
divinely-appointed system of remedial agencies, by which all those
inclined to heed the gracious calls of mercy, are gathered into this
church, and enjoy the promise of eternal life. The Church of
Christ, is, therefore, the most important institution on earth. The
' family institution is important, binding together its members with

14 INTRODUCTION.
ties of endearment, such as earth nowhere else knows. The civil
compact is important, involving temporal interests of nations and
generations. But the Church of God, which is the pillar and
ground of the truth, is as much more important as the soul is
nobler than the body, and eternity longer than time ; for it in
volves interests of God and man, interests which shall pervade
immensity and survive eternity.
What then is the nature of the Church ?
The visible Church of Christ is a divinely-appointed institution,
built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus
Christ himself being the chief corner-stone *; against which Church
the gates of hell shall never prevail. It is not to be regarded as
of human origin, as a voluntary association, or optional institution,
to which we may attach ourselves or not, as we please. It is a
place of refuge provided by God himself for fallen man, and if he
voluntarily neglects to flee to it for safety, he will forever fail to
find any other hiding place from the tempest or refuge from the
storm of the divine displeasure.
It consists of all those who have heard the gospel call, and
having resolved to accept it, have been made disciples by baptism
in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, who
have thus publicly professed the name of Christ before the world,
and promised to obey all things, whatever he has commanded them
in his inspired word.
It embraces all who having been admitted by baptism, have as
sociated themselves together in different local societies, together with
their children, for the purpose of statedly worshiping God in the
ordinances of his own appointment, for mutual edification, disci
pline, supervision, and encouragement in their Christian walk, as
well as cooperation in spreading the Gospel over the earth. These
baptized children, are regarded as entitled to reception into the
churches in consequence of the membership of their parents.
But when they reach years of discretion, they are bound publicly
to assume by their own personal act the obligations of the Chris
tian profession, and to exhibit a Christian walk, or they should be
made subjects of church discipline, and if incorrigible, be ulti
mately excluded from the visible church. They are bound on ar
riving at years of maturity to confirm or assume the vows made

THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH. 15
for them in baptism — to make a personal profession of religion,
which, with its attendant forms, in the Lutheran church, as also
in some others, is termed Confirmation. By this rite is meant,
not any special, divine institution, for the Scriptures do not desig
nate the public act of making a profession of religion by any
distinctive name, nor represent it as a special rite in the church.
Hence, by Confirmation the Lutheran church understands nothing
more, than a solemn mode of admitting to sacramental communion
those who were baptized in infancy.
To this Church Christ has confided the ministry, the word, and
sacraments, as the appointed instrumentalities employed by the
Holy Spirit to awaken, convert, sanctify, and save sinners. He
did not entrust the interests and control of his church to the apos
tles and ministers alone as a self-perpetuating close corporation, as
Episcopalians imagine, but to the church of .which the apostles
and the ministers of all ages are officers. We find it was the
business of the entire church at Jerusalem to elect a minister of
the highest rank, even an apostle in place of the traitor Judas.
These means are icisely adapted by their intrinsic nature, to
produce those effects on the mind, which are requisite for salvation ;
yet are they not effectual in a single case, without the superadded
influences of the Holy Spirit : nor even with these sacred influ
ences, unless the sinner attend to them with an humble, devout,
prayerful, and obedient mind. It was Paul that planted, and
Apollos that watered ; but God gave the increase. Yet many of
those who heard the same preaching, which converted the three
thousand at Pentecost, repented not, gave little heed to the word,
and were not saved.
These influences of the Spirit are, according to the principles
of God's moral administration, ordinarily confined to the appointed
means of grace ; and none can justly hope for them whilst they
neglect these instrumentalities : but they are invariably bestowed
on all who make a sincere, faithful and persevering use of the
means ; so that whilst they are thus waiting on the Lord, in the
means of his own appointment, he will sooner or later, in his own
time and place,1 render them effectual to the awakening, conver
sion, sanctification, and salvation of their souls.
' Ubi et quando vult Deus — Augsburg Confession, Art. v.

16 INTRODUCTION.
This Church, being appointed of God, and embracing in it the
divinely established instrumentalities, through which all spiritual
blessings are bestowed, no one who has heard the Gospel call, can
ordinarily be saved without its pale. The Church is, therefore,
in a proper sense, the spiritual mother of us all, in which we are
to be trained up unto eternal life.
Extension of the Church.
These are the cardinal features of this great spiritual brother
hood of Christendom ; of- that moral empire, that " kingdom of
heaven," which Christ appeared on earth to establish. These
are the grand outlines of that system of instrumentalities, ap
pointed by God for the salvation of our fallen and guilty race.
This "system has legitimated the validity of its claims, and de
monstrated the divinity of its power, in all ages of its history.
The little band of fishermen and tentmakers, together with the
hundred and twenty names that had convened for prayer in an
upper room in Jerusalem, constituted the entire original mem
bership of this Church. But by the preaching of the Gospel,
accompanied with the influence of the Spirit, "the Lord added
to the church daily, such as were saved." Converts were soon
made in all the surrounding regioD, and organized into local
churches in Samaria, at Corinth, (1 Cor. i. 2,) at Antioch, (Acts
xiii. 1,) in Galatia, (1 Cor. xvi. 1,) at Koine, in Asia Minor, and
elsewhere, (Rev. i. 4). Each of these collections of worshippers
is spoken of as a Christian church ; yet they are also designated
in the aggregate as one Church. In this acceptation of the term
does the Saviour say : " On this rock I will build my church,"
(Matt. vi. 18,) and Paul penitently acknowledge, "In time past,
I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it," (Gal. i. 13). In
about three centuries, the triumphs of this holy religion were ex
tended over a large part of the Boman Empire, and the banners
of Christianity, first unfurled in the valleys of Judea, were seen
waving in triumph over the palace of the Caesars. This Church
of God, amidst various vicissitudes, has continued its triumphs to
the present day, and realized the promise of the Saviour " Lo I
will be with you always, even unto the end of the world."

MEMBERSHIP OF THE CHURCH. 17
Estimate of Church membership, by the greatest minds of all ages.
The loftiest and the wisest intellects of every century have done
homage to this divine institution, and regarded it a privilege and
honor to be numbered among the disciples of the crucified Naza
rene. To say nothing of the distinguished divines, philosophers,
and statesmen of earlier centuries, the Church of Christ has em
braced in her pale the most illustrious names of modern ages, even
in the ranks of civilians, such as a Grotius, a Leibnitz, a Kepler,
a Newton, a Locke, a Boyle, a Sir Matthew Hale, and, in our own
country, a Chief Justice Marshall.
These and hundreds of other men, classed by the judgment
of mankind among the leading intellects of their age and gene
ration, have placed on record not only their belief in the truth
of Christianity, but also their high appreciation of the word of
God, and of that spiritual religion demanded of faithful church-
members. Listen to testimony of the distinguished Lutheran
civilian and statesman, Oxenstiem, the chancellor of Sweden,
and prime-minister, as well as companion of his noble hearted
monarch, Gustavus Adolphus, who poured out his life's blood
on the plains of Lutzen for the liberties of Protestantism. After
the lamented death of his monarch, in 1632, he was placed at the
head of the government, and not only conducted the war to a
successful issue, but also ruled the nation with consummate wis
dom aod success. This great man appears also to have been a
distinguished Christian and faithful member of the Church. He
spent part of his time in retirement, and when visited in his
retreat by the English ambassador, Mr. Whitlock, he closed their
interview with the following remarks : " I thank God that he
has given me time to know him, and to know myself. All the
comfort I have, which is more than the whole world can give, I
find in the enjoyment of the influences of the Holy Spirit, and in
the perusal of God's Holy Word. You are now in the prime of
your age and vigor, and enjoy great favor, but all this will leave
you, and you will one day better understand and relish what I
say. You will then find that there is more wisdom, truth, com
fort, and pleasure in retiring and turning your heart from the world
to the good Spirit of God, and in reading the Bible, than in all the
2*

18 INTRODUCTION.
courts and favors of princes." This testimony, let it also be remem
bered, was given after a long life of most successful public services,
and after the highest honors of the nation had been accumulated
upon him.
One more testimonial may suffice :
" Sir Isaac Newton set out in life a clamorous infidel, but on
a nice examination of the evidences for Christianity, he found
reason to change his opinions. When the celebrated Dr. Edmund
Halley was talking infidelity before him, Sir Isaac addressed him
in these or like words : ' Dr. Halley, I am always glad to hear
you when you speak about astronomy or other parts of the mathe
matics, because that is a subject you have studied and well under
stand ; but you should not talk of Christianity, for you have not
studied it. I have, and am certain that you know nothing of the
matter.' This was a just reproof, and one that would be very
suitable to be given to half the infidels of the present day, for they
often speak of what they have never studied, and what, in fact,
they are entirely ignorant of. Dr. Johnson, therefore, well ob
served, that no honest man could be a Deist, for no man could be
so after a fair examination of the proofs of Christianity. On the
name of Hume being mentioned to him, 'No, sir,' said he, 'Hume
owned to a clergyman in the bishopric of Durham that he had
never read the New Testament with attention.' "
Reader, these testimonials we have adduced, not because we
base our faith in Christianity, or in the importance of the Chris
tian Church, on human authority. Our object is, to show you,
that if your neglect of religion hitherto has arisen from the sup
position that it is a human device or imposture, and therefore
obedience to its dictates not your highest duty, it would be wise
for you to examine the subject, lest you lose your never-dying
soul. Certainly, evidences which convinced the loftiest intellects
of the world cannot be refuted by a sneer, but merit our serious
investigation before we reject them. All these men also regarded
the public profession of religion by membership in the visible
Church, as essential to a faithful Christian. The blessed Saviour
himself has decided this point. " Go ye," (says he in his final
commission,) "and make disciples1 of all nations, baptizing them
1 It is generally conceded by the best philologists, that uaBnrcmarc, from

SCRIPTURE CANON. 19
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you."1 Again: "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him
will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven. But who
soever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my
Father who is in heaven."2 " He that believeth and is baptized,
shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."
Membership in the visible Church of the Redeemer is, therefore,
not only one of the richest blessings of heaven, calling for our
warmest gratitude, but it is also a sacred and imperative duty,
distinctly enjoined in the Word of God, the neglect of which
jeopards the salvation of the soul ! Reader, is your name en
rolled among the followers of the Lamb, or does the eye of omni
science behold you in the ranks of those who practically deny the
Lord that bought them, and will bring upon themselves swift de
struction ? 3 SECTION II.
THE CANONICAL BOOKS OF SCRIPTURE, AND THE TWO PRINCIPAL
MODERN VULGATE VERSIONS.
To this all-important, this divinely appointed institution, the
church, the inspired oracles of God have been confided, as her
directory of faith and practice, as containing that gospel which is
to be preached to every creature, as that heaven descended truth,
which is the power of God and the wisdom of God to the salva
tion of all who believe it.
The books, which, by common consent of the true church in all
ages, are entitled to a place in the collection, and are called
Canonical, are the following, viz : The five books of Moses, termed
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy ; Joshua,
Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chroni
cles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes,
Solomon's Song, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel,
liaBn-nK, a disciple, signifies to make disciples. (Stoltz and BeDgelius,
machet zu Jiinger. De "Wette, bekehret.)
' Matt, xxviii. 19. 2 Matt. x. 32. 3 See Ev. Mag., vol. i., p. 321.

20 INTRODUCTION.
Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk,
Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, which constitute the
Hebrew canon or the Old Testament. The books of the New
Testament are : I. — Historical, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark,
Luke, and John, and the Acts of the Apostles, also by Luke ;
II. — Doctrinal, the Epistle of Paul to the Romans, his 1 and 2 to
the Corinthians, to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colos-
sians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon,
and to the Hebrews ; the Epistle of James, the 1 and 2 of Peter,
1, 2 and 3 of John, and that of Jude; and III. — Prophetical, the
Revelation of St. John.
The books termed Apocrypha, neither lay claim1 to divine
origin, nor are entitled to be regarded as inspired. For they con
tradict themselves ;* contradict the Scriptures;3 were not acknow
ledged by the Jews ; were not written until after the spirit of
prophecy had ceased with Malachi ; are never quoted by Christ
or his apostles; and were not received by the early Christians in
the apostolic and subsequent age.
As the canonical Scriptures have been proved a divine revelation,
it inevitably follows that we are bound to receive them as such,
and to believe all the declarations which they contain.
a) But some of these declarations represent this revelation as a
rule of faith and practice.*
6) Other passages declare it to be a sufficient rule:5 not one
which will put an end to all controversy, or produce absolute uni-
1 See the Prologue to Ecolesiasticus.
2 Compare 1 Mace. 6 : 4-16, with 2 Mace. 1 : 13-16.
3 Comp. Baruch. 1 : 2, with Jerem. 43 : 6, 7 ; also 2 Mace. 14 : 41, 42,
With Exod. 20 : 13.
' 2 Tim. 3 : 16, 17. All the Scripture (see v. 15.) is given by inspiration
of God and is profitable for (6i6asKa\iav) instruction, (i\tyx°v) for refuta
tion, (EimvopfWiv) for reformation, (-nai&dav) for training in righteousness ;
that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every
good work. John 5 : 39. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye
have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me, Matt. 22 : 29.
Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures.
" 2 Tim. 3 : 15. And from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures,
which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is iu
Christ Jesus.

VULGATE VERSIONS. 21
formity of views among men, for such a rule no where exists in
the world either among Romanists or Protestants, but a rule
sufficiently clear to conduct the sincere inquirer into all necessary
truth. c) Others declare it to be the only infallible, rule.1
d) Others record the appointment of an order of men as teachers
of this religion;2 but 1) bind them to study the Scriptures3 and
teach according to them : 4 2) mention certain teachers, whose
doctrines were false ; 6 and 3) require the hearers to compare the
instructions of their teachers with the written revelation of God ; 6
and 4) pronounce the most awful curses on those who either add
to, or subtract from the things taught in the inspired volume.'
-*
1 Isaiah 8 : 20. To the law and the testimony : if they speak not ac
cording to this word, it is because there is no light in them. 2 Pet. 1 : 19.
We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that
ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth into a dark place, until the day '
dawn and the day star arise in your hearts.
a 2 Tim. 2 : 2. And the things that thou-hast heard of me among many
witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to
teach others also. Matt. 28 : 18-20.
3 1 Tim. 4:15. Meditate upon these things (the things among others
taught in that epistle) ; give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting
may appear to all.
' Gal. 1 : 8. But though we or an angel from heaven, preach (publish
hayye\itjirat\ any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached,
(published, orally, and in this epistle) let him be accursed.
' 2 Pet. 2:1,2. But there were false prophets also among the people,
even as there will be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in
damnable (destructive lau\tw.s)- heresies, even denying the Lord that
bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many
follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom, the way of truth will
he evil spoken of.
« 2 John 10 : 11. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doc
trine (that taught in this epistle) receive him not unto your house, neither
bid him God speed ; for he that biddeth him God speed, is partaker of
his evil deeds. Acts 17 : 11. These were more noble than those in
flSessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind,
and searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so.
'¦ Rev. 22 : 18, 19. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words
of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things,
God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. And

22 INTRODUCTION.
From all these considerations we perceive the absurdity, as well
as the wickedness of the Roman Catholic church, which main
tains, that the Scriptures do not teach all the necessary features
of true Christianity, tbat God's own word is not sufficiently clear
to serve as a rule of faith and practice to Christians generally ;
and that her popes and councils and priests are indispensable and
infallible interpreters of what the Scriptures mean !
The principal modern versions most extensively used are the
German translation of Luther, and the English published in tho
reign of king James I., about two hundred years ago. In pre
paring his version the illustrious reformer received much assistance
from the learned Melanchthon. Further to ensure its accuracy,
Luther invited a select party to meet at his house daily, and aid in
the revision of his work.
Melanchthon collated the Greek, Cruciger the Chaldee, and other
professors the Rabinical writings. Justus Jonas, John Bugen-
hagen, and Aurogallus- also lent their aid. The work was pub
lished in detached parts ; but the New Testament was finished in
1522, and the entire bible was first published in 1530. The
language of Luther's version is remarkably pure and elegant; it
has justly been ranked with the German classics, and is at the
present day entirely intelligible to the popular reader. The
English version is the joint production of forty-seven distinguished
divines, who were appointed by king James I. and commenced
their labours in 1607. They were distributed into six divisions,
two of which assembled at Cambridge, two at Oxford, and two at
Westminster, each division having a particular part of the Scrip
tures allotted to it. Every individual translated the whole portion
assigned to his division. All the members of the division then
met, compared their works and selected out of each what was
thought best. Each book, thus finished, was sent to the other five
divisions, and carefully revised by them. Three years were spent
in this labour, after which three copies of the entire bible thus
prepared were forwarded to London, one from Cambridge, one

if any man shall take away of the words of the book of this prophecy,
God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy
city, and from the things which are written in this book !

HUMAN CREEDS. 23
from Oxford, the third from Westminster. Here a committee of
six, two from each of these places, reviewed the whole work,
which was again revised by Dr. Smith, who wrote the preface,
and by Dr. Bilson, bishop of Winchester. It was first published
in folio in 1611, though some of the copies are dated 1612, and
others 1613.
It is a very correct and able version ; but too rigidly literal to
be always perspicuous. A few passages also have been obscured
by the change of signification which some few words have expe
rienced in the lapse of two hundred and thirty years. A revised
edition of this version has recently been published by the cele
brated American Lexicographer, Dr. Webster, in which he has
made all those verbal and grammatical corrections rendered neces
sary by the present improved state of our language.
The sacred volume has been translated into many other lan
guages, ancient and modern ; and by the pious efforts of different
bible societies of the present day alone, into about two hundred
languages and dialects.

SECTION III.
ORIGIN OF HUMAN CREEDS, ESPECIALLY OP THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION
— NUMBER OF ITS ADHERENTS.
In accomplishing the high and holy mission of the Church,
" earnestly to contend for the faith delivered to the saints" in the
inspired volume, and to admit members to her communion, it was
found necessary from the beginning, to require of applicants a
declaration of their cordial faith, that Jesus, the Christ (the
Messiah), is the Son of God. Acts 8 : 37. To this profession of
faith additions were successively made, and thus the Apostles'
Creed, embracing the essential doctrines of Christianity, was
formed. To this creed a few other brief doctrinal confessions were added
in the progress of centuries, notwithstanding which, numerous cor
ruptions crept into the Church, especially after the union of Church

24 INTRODUCTION.
and State under Constantine and his successors, until, at last, little
was left of the primitive apostolic purity of doctrine. The Church
had lost her pristine glory — her faith was obscured by numberless
superstitions — her worship had degenerated into a lifeless routine
of outward ceremonies — and her piety had been changed into gross
and almost universal corruption of morals, among the priests no
less than amongst the laity, until the lustre of the Church was
almost entirely buried in the midnight gloom of the dark ages.
In due time, however, the God of Zion commanded light to shine
out of this darkness. Wickliffe, in the fourteenth century, and
Huss and Jerome of Prague, in the earlier part of the fifteenth,
began to expose the abominable corruptions of the Roman Catholic
Church, and paid the forfeit of their lives for their zeal in the
cause of the Redeemer. But in the sixteenth century, the great
Head of the Church, having prepared the state of the nations for
His benign plans, raised up Martin Luther and his immortal
coadjutors, who shook the Papal throne to its very foundation ;
and, guided by the hand of Heaven, effected the glorious Reforma
tion. This regeneration of the Church has since been extended
over the major part of Europe, and to it are we also indebted for
the liberty, civil and religious, which distinguishes this favored
land. In the progress of their work, and under circumstances
peculiarly interesting and imposing, the Reformers were called on
to declare their fundamental views of the Christian religion, and
thus framed the mother symbol of the Reformation.
The Augsburg Confession was prepared for the twofold purpose
of rebutting the slanders of the Papists, and of publishing to
Europe the doctrines of the Reformers. The Emperor Charles V.,
in order to terminate the dispute between the Pope and the
princes who favored the Reformation, which tended to distract his
empire by civil discord, and threw a formidable barrier into the
way of his ambitious projects, had ordered the convention of a
Diet at Augsburg, and promised his personal attendance. The
Pope also, who had long been pressing on the Emperor the adop
tion of violent measures to suppress the obstinate heretics, as the
Holy Father termed them, cherished the flattering expectation
that this Diet would give a death blow to the Protestant cause.

DIET OF AUGSBURO. 25
Encouraged by the promise of an impartial audience from tho
Emperor, the Elector of Saxony charged Luther, Melanchthon,
Bugenhagen, and Jonas to make a sketch of their doctrines to be
used at the Diet. Such a summary was written by Luther in
seventeen sections, termed the Torgau Articles. The Emperor,
however, instead of reaching Augsburg on the 8th of April, accord
ing to promise, did not arrive until the 15th of June. Melanch
thon in the meantime expanded these Torgau articles into what is
now denominated the Augsburg Confession. This enlarged
work was then sent from Augsburg by a special messenger to
Luther at Coburg, for his examination, and received his cordial
sanction. The Emperor twice refused to have the Confession read in
public, and demanded that it be handed to him for private perusal.
But the Protestant Princes manfully persisted in demanding a
public hearing, as a matter of justice, since they had been falsely
charged with sundry grievous heresies. The Emperor finally
yielded, and on the 25th of June, 1530, at 3 o'clock, P. M., this
memorable Confession was publicly pronounced in the presence of
the Emperor, his brother King Ferdinand, the Elector John of
Saxony, with his son John Frederick, George of Brandenburg,
Francis and Ernest, Dukes of Lunebufg and Brunswick, Philip,
Landgrave of Hesse, Wolfgang, prince of Anhalt, and about two
hundred other princes and divines.1 The Chancellors of the
Elector, Baier, and Pontanus (Brack), arose, the former holding in
his hand the German copy, and the latter the Latin original, in
accordance with the imperial direction that their defence should be
prepared in these two languages.2 The Emperor desired the
Latin to be read; but the Elector remonstrated, alleging that
1 The principal divines who attended the Protestant princes to the Diet,
in addition to Melanchthon, were Justus Jonas, Br. Urban Regius, Dr.
Stephen Agricola, George Spalatin, John Agricola of Eisleben, Andrew
Osiander, John Brenlius, John Surer, Adam Weisz (Candidus), Martin
Moglin, Br. Schnepf, Dr. Ordinger, and Dr. Henry Bock.
a See the extract from the imperial edict of citation, in Miiller's Sym.
Books, p. lvi.
3

26 , INTRODUCTION.
as the Diet was assembled on German ground, it ought to
use the German language. The Emperor having assented, Dr.
Baier read the German copy, and, it is said, pronounced it with
such an emphasis, and so powerful a voice, that every syllable was
heard, not only by all in the hall, but also by the vast multitudes
who had crowded around the doors and windows of the chapel
in which the assembly was convened.1
This Confession, although it did not change the predetermined
purpose of the politic Charles, exerted a prodigious influence in
favor of the Reformers in the minds of the numerous princes,
divines, and literary men, who had assembled from a distance on
this memorable occasion. It was soon after disseminated through
out Europe, and has been translated into the Hebrew, Greek,
Spanish, Belgic,' Italian, Sclavonic, French, and English lan
guages. The version found in this work, was made by the writer
from the original Latin. This remark may not be superfluous, as
most of the English versions that have met his eye were made
from the German copy, which, though entirely coincident in sense,
differs occasionally in its phraseology.
This Confession, which is justly styled the mother symbol of
the Reformation, has been adopted by the major part of all Pro
testant Europe, and has for about three centuries past been the
standing symbol of Lutheranism in the following kingdoms, in
which the population, according to the Berlin Kirchenzeitung, was
as follows, in 1836 : —
1 On visiting the city of Augsburg in 1846, the writer naturally inquired
for the Bishop's palace and its renowned chapel. The spacious palace
still remains, but he was informed by the Rev. Mr. Kraus, a highly
respectable Lutheran minister of that city, that the chapel, which was in
a wing attached to the palace, was destroyed by fire in the earlier part
of the last century. That wing was again built up on the same founda
tion, and occupies the same relation to the palace ; but the time-honored
chapel is no more extant. Some travellers have described tHe present
structure as the old chapel repaired, but the authority of the resident
Protestant ministry on this subject must outweigh the testimony of
transient visitors.

NUMBER OF LUTHERANS IN THE WORLD. 27
Prussia  , 8,000,000
Austria  2,250,000
Saxony  2,000,000
Wurtemberg  1,125,000
Hanover  1,000,000
In the other German States  .,  2,000,000
France  ,  1,500,000
Denmark*  2,000,000
Norway and Sweden  4,000,000
Russia in Europe  2,500,000
Russia in Asia  100,000
Poland  ,  500,000
Netherlands2  120,000
Turkey in Europe  15,000
England  40,000
Italy  500
United States  600,000
Total in the world  27,750,500
In Russia, according to the census of 1835, there were at that
time 820 3 Lutheran churches, attended by 493 Lutheran minis
ters, viz : 362 principal churches, 186 affiliated churches, 33
hospital churches, and 239 chapels.
The United Brethren, or Moravians, though peculiar in their
church government, have always retained the Augsburg Confession
as their symbol, and yet adhere to it more strictly than most other
portions of the Lutheran church.
The above statistics pourtray the numerical force of the Lutheran
church about two decennia ago, since which period the increase
has kept pace with the growth of population in general.
1 It contains 8 Lutheran Bishops, and about 1100 pastors.
' The city of Amsterdam contains 22,263 Lutherans.
3 According to the Gothaischer Genealogischer Hof-kalender, p. 387,
there were in the Russian Empire, in the year 1836, one thousand and
three (1003) Lutheran clergymen.

28 INTRODUCTION.

General Statistical View of the Evangelical Lutheran ChurcB
in the United States. (See Lutheran Almanac for 1855.)
The General Synod has in connection with it the First Twenty-one
District Synods.
Name of Synod. Organized. Min. Cong.
1. Synod of Pennsylvania  1748 ... 92 ... 244
2. Synod of W. Pennsylvania  1825 ... 44 ... 136
3. Synod of E. Pennsylvania  1842 ... 26 ... 41
4. Alleghany Synod  1842 ... 26 ... 88
5. Pittsburg Synod  1845 ... 30 ... 101
6. Synod of New York  1785 ... 48 ... 41
7. Hartwick Synod  1830 ... 24 ... 29
8. Synod of Maryland  1820 ... 40 ... 64
9. English Synod of Ohio  1841 ... 26 ... 63
10. Miami Synod  1844 ... 23 ... 52
11. Wittenberg Synod  1847 ... 29 ... 63
12. Olive Branch Synod  1848 ... 21 ... 38
13. Synod of Illinois  1846 ... 18 ... 25
14. Synod of Northern Illinois  1851 ... 16 ... 31
15. Synod of the South West  1846 ... 13 ... 24
16. Kentucky Synod  1854 ... 7 ... 14
17. Synod of Virginia  1826 ... 25 ... 49
18. Synod of Western Virginia  1842 ... 10 ... 33
19. Synod of North Carolina  1803 ... 13 ... 38
20. Synod of South Carolina  1824 ... 44 ... 50
21. Synod of Texas  1851 ... 8 ... 12
22. Franckean Synod  1838 ... 21 ... 81
23. Synod of Buffalo  1839 ... 12 ... 13
24. Synod of E. Dist. of Ohio -, r 1819 ... 21 ... 46
25. Synod of W. Dist. of Ohio I JointSynoa 1831 ... 37 ... 85
26. Synod of N. Dist. of Ohio f of Ohio, j 1350 ... 20 ... 68
27. Eng. Dist. Synod of Ohio J [ 1836 ... 19 ... 19
28. Synod of Indiana  1836 ... 13 ... 15
29. Synod of Indianapolis  '.  1846 ... 10 ... 20
30. Synod of Missouri  1846 ... 108 ... 73
31. Synod of Tennessee  1820 ... 29 79
32. Synod of Michigan  1846 ... 10 20
33. Synod of Central Virginia  1847 ... 4 10
34. Synod of Wisconsin  1846 887 1705
Communicants  „ 209 000.

EXTENT OP THE LUTHERAN CHURCH. 29
The whole number of Christians in the world who profess the
Augsburg Confession is therefore upwards of 30,000,000, and this
population embraces in it seventeen reigning sovereigns.1
Other Confessions of faith were drawn up by different Pro
testant churches, among which the Articles of the Synod of Dort,
Holland, published in 1618, the Westminster Confession, and the
thirty-nine Articles of the Episcopal church, are the principal.
The Westminster Assembly was convened by the British Parlia
ment, and contained 121 of the most distinguished divines of
England. Their Confession, which is an elaborate and well-
digested production, received Parliamentary sanction in 1648, and
is still adhered to with various degrees of exactitude, by the
Presbyterian churches of Great Britain and America; excepting
only the Cumberland Presbyterians, whose doctrines substantially
coincide with those of the Lutheran church.
The Congregational churches of this country receive the Say-
brook platform, which refers to the Westminster Confession, to
the thirty-nine Articles of the Episcopal church, and to the Savoy
Confession, as being in general correct summaries of doctrine, but
does not require absolute subscription to anything but the word
of God. These churches generally believe in unlimited atone
ment, enjoy the liberty of free discussion and untrammelled
investigation within the bounds of fundamentals, and differ on
very few points of doctrine or ecclesiastical government from the
Lutheran church in America.
The Lutheran church in Europe is more numerous than all the
other Protestant denominations in continental Europe together,
* On the subject of the Lutheran Church in the United States, wo
recommend the following works : Hallische Nachrichten, 1 vol. 4to, 1787,
pp. 1518; originally published in numbers from 1750 to 1787. History,
Doctrine and Discipline of the Lutheran Church, by George Lochman, D. D. :
Harrisburg, 1818, pp. 160, 12mo. History of the Lutheran Reformation
and the Lutheran Church, by G. Shober : Baltimore, 1818, pp. 213, 12mo.
History of the Lutheran Church in America, by Rev. E. L. Hazelius, D. D. :
Zanesville, Ohio, 1845, 1 vol. 12mo., pp. 308. Why are you a Lutheran,
by Rev. B. Kurtz, D. D. : Baltimore, 1843, pp. 227, 12mo. The American
Lutheran Church, historically, doctrinally, and practically delineated, by
S. S. Schmucker, D. D. : 1852, pp. 286, 8vo. 5th edition.
3*

30 INTRODUCTION.
and the Augsburg Confession is professed by more than twice as
many souls as any other Protestant Confession of faith. The
v Lutheran church, in the United States, which at present contains
1709 churches, and about 209,000 regular communing members,
has indeed always regarded the Augsburg Confession as the
authorized summary of her doctrines, but has not required any
oath of obligation to all its contents. The General Synod of the
Lutheran church has adopted ' only the twenty-one doctrinal
articles, omitting even the condemnatory clauses of these, and
also the entire catalogue of Abuses corrected. No minister, how
ever, considers himself bound to believe every sentiment contained
in these twenty-one articles; but only the cardinal or fundamental
doctrines. Accordingly, the pledge of adoption required at licen
sure and ordination, is couched in these terms :
No. I. Chapter XVIII., Sect. 5. "The Ceremony of Licensure
shall be performed as follows : viz., After an address from the
President, as prescribed in the Liturgy, he shall read the duties
and privileges of licentiates in Chap. 10., Sects. 6-10, and then
propose to him the following questions :
" 1. Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testa
ment to be the word of God, and the only infallible rule of faith
and practice ?
" 2. Do you believe that the fundamental doctrines of the word
of God, are taught in a manner substantially correct, in the doc
trinal articles of the Augsburg Confession V
The Lutheran divines of this country are not willing to bind either
themselves or others, to anything more than the fundamental
¦doctrines of the Christian revelation, believing that an immense
mass of evil has resulted to the church of God, from the rigid
requisition of extensive and detailed creeds. The Saviour and his
apostles have left no other creed than that contained in the Scrip
tures, and although experience and the nature of the case require
some mutual agreement as to the doctrines to be inculcated by the
ministry in any portion of the church of Christ, lest one should
demolish what the other is laboring to build up; yet we can see
no sufficient warrant for any Christian church to require as a term

' See Formula of Government and Discipline, Chapter XVIII., Sect. 5.

THE ANCIENT ECUMENICAL CREEDS. 31
of admission or communion, greater conformity of views than 13
requisite to harmony of feeling and successful co-operation, in
extending the kingdom of Christ. '
On this subject the Lutheran church in this country, connected
with the General Synod, stands firmly based on the principle,
proclaimed by the immortal Luther, in his Smalcald Articles,
which, though employed to bind the consciences of men after his
decease, was never written for that purpose, nor, as long as he
lived, perverted to it. " We ought (says he) not to form articles
of faith out of the words or works of the Fathers; otherwise their
diet, their kind of dress, their houses, &c, would have to be made
articles of faith, as men have sported with the relics of saints.
But we have another rule, namely, that the Word oe God forms
articles of faith, and no one else, NOT EVEN AN ANGEL."

SECTION IV.
THE ANCIENT ECUMENICAL CREEDS — THE APOSTLES' AND THE NICENE
CREED — RELATION OF THE AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH TO THEM.
The cardinal and universal symbol, or Confession of Lutheran-
ism, is the Augsburg Confession, which has been received with
more or less stringency by Lutherans of all ages and nations.
Even in cases where no subscription or pledge was required, as
was the case in a large portion of our church in this country during
the first half of the present century, this Confession was neverthe
less tacitly avowed, and occasionally cited as the grand expose of
Lutheran doctrine. All the other Lutheran symbols of Europe
were rejected by the Lutherans of one or other country or age,
not excepting the Smaller Catechism2 of Luther, which was not
received as symbolic by the church in Sweden, though highly
' "Ex patrum enim verbis et factis, non sunt cxtruendi articuli fidei,
alioquin etiam articulus fidei fieret victus ipsorum, vestimentorum ratio,
domus, cet, quemadmodum cum reliquiis sanctorum luserunt. Regulam
autem aliam habemus, ut videlicet verbum Dei condat articulos fidei, et
prseterea nemo, ne angelus quidem." Articuli Smalcaldici, Part II.,
Article II. (p. 303, Mulleri ed.).
* Guericke's Symbolik, p. 113.

32 INTRODUCTION.
esteemed for its intrinsic value. It is literally true, as Dr. Hase
asserts, "The Augsburg Confession is the only symbol.c book
which has been acknowledged by the whole Lutheran church
Even in countries where the entire collection of symbolical books
was received, prominence was always given to the Augsburg Con
fession, the others being regarded in a certain sense as explanatory
and supplementary.
The ecumenical or general symbols of the earlier ages, were
recognised as true by all. The General Synod has, however, never
adopted them as binding, although every doctrine taught in them,
is confessedly and cordially received amongst us. Yet she has
incorporated a paraphrase of the Nicene Creed into her Liturgy,
and the Apostles' Creed is contained in Luther's Catechism and
in the Liturgy published by her. For these reasons we introduce
these ancient expositions of Christian faith, as well as because of
their importance as links in the historical chain of doctrinal
Christianity, to set forth the identity of our faith with that of the
earliest ages of the Church of Christ. We tender them, there
fore, not as parts of the General Synod's doctrinal test, but as
illustrations of it.
The so-called Apostles' Creed was probably formed by gradual
additions to tbe baptismal formula of Trinitarian consecration,
dictated by the "Saviour, Matt. 28 : 29. It is not extant, as such,
in the literature of the Christian Church, prior to the fourth cen
tury. It was designated by the name of the Apostles, -not because
it was at first supposed that they wrote it, but because by univer
sal consent it contained the cardinal doctrines taught by them.
The later opinion, for centuries entertained by Romish writers,
and still believed by the ignorant among their laity, is destitute
of any valid foundation. Had this production, as they conjectured,
been written by the apostles, it would doubtless have formed part
of the New Testament Scriptures, and have been transmitted as
such to after ages. But this was never pretended by its warmest
admirers ; nor was it known to the celebrated and learned histo
rian, Eusebius, in the earlier part of the fourth century, who spent
much of his life in collecting every thing belonging to Christian
' Hase's Hutterus Redivivus, p. 116., g 50.

apostles' creed. 33
literature and history. Yet there is reason to believe that the
substance of it was required, even in the earlier ages, from appli
cants for church-membership, and was thus orally circulated among
Christians at a very early period.
The Nicene Creed was adopted by the Council which was con
vened in the city of Nice, by the Emperor Constantine the Great,
in the year A. D. 325. It was composed by some of the members
of this Council, but the particulars of its authorship are not cer
tainly known. The prominent object of the Council was to sup
press the Arian heresy, and establish the essential equality, the
consubstantialily (6>o«<j«xi<) of the Son of God with the Father. To
this Creed some additions were made A. d. 381, by the Council of
Constantinople, relating to the co-equality of the Holy Spirit with
the Father and the Son, and his procession from them, chiefly in
opposition to the errors of Macedonius, bishop of that city. The
Creed thus modified should accordingly be styled the Niceno- Con-
stantinopolitan Creed.
About the close of the fifth century, another Creed was formed
by some unknown person, which was erroneously ascribed to Atha
nasius, who had died a century before, in a. D. 372. This con
tains numerous important additional specifications, concerning the
Holy Trinity. It is also included among the Lutheran symbols
of Europe, but not having been sanctioned in any way by the
General Synod, it is here omitted.
The Apostles' Creed.
i" believe in God the Father Almighty, the Maker
of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord; who
was conceived by the Holy Ghost, bom of the virgin
Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified,
dead and buried. — The third day he rose from the
dead, he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right
hand of God tlie Father Almighty, from thence he
shall come to judge the quiclc and the dead.

34 INTRODUCTION.
/ believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic- (or
universal) church; the communion of saints; the
forgiveness of sins ; the resurrection of the body, and
the life everlasting.1
The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed.
/ believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker
of heaven and earth and of all things visible and
invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten
Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds ;
God of God, Light of light, true God of the true
God, begotten not made, being of one substance with
1 The earliest copies of this symbol are in the Latin language. There
are several various readings extant, which probably originated in differ
ent Western churches which used this symbol. We shall give the symbol,
together with the various readings in parenthesis, so that the reader may
at one glance see the whole, and also perceive the added variations :
I. Credo in (unum) Deum, Patrem omnipotentem creatorem coeli et
terrae ("creatorem coeli et terrae" defuit in Orient, et Rom. antiquo sym-
holo: in Aquilejensi autem positum erat, "invisibilem et impassibilem.")
II. Et in Jesum Christum filium ejus unicum, Dominum nostrum, ("et
in unum Dominum nostrum, Jesum Christum, filium ejus unigenitum," ita
addendo et transponendo legit olim Ecclesia Orientalis.) Qui conceptus
est de Spiritu sancto ; natus ex Maria virgine ("qui natus est de Spiritu
sancto ex Maria virgine" communis olim lectio erat.) Passus sub Pontio
Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus et sepultus, descendit ad inferna; ("crucifixus
sub Pontio Pilato et sepultus" simpliciter olim multi legebant; Aquilejense
tandem symbolum addidit "descendit ad inferna;" ex quo symbolo Sec.
VI. Romana ecclesia hanc appendicem suo symbolo inseruit) tertia die
resurrexit a mortuis : ascendit ad coelos ; sedet ad dextram Dei Patris
omnipotentis. Inde venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos.
III. Credo in spiritum sanctum ("et in spiritum sanctum" olim), Sanc-
tam ("unam" Orientales addiderunt) Ecclesiam Catholicam; sanctorum
communionem, (" catholicam, ex sanctorum communionem" ex Niceno
forsan symbolo insertum, olim defuit), Remissionem peccatorum; Carnis
(hujus symb. Aquilej. addidit) resurrectionem ; etvitam aeternam. Amen.
("Vitam aeternam" in plerisque olim symbolis desiderabatur.) See
Clemm's Einleitung in die Religion und Theologie, Vol. IV., p. 459.

NICENE CREED. 35
the Father, by whom all things were made ; who for
us men and for our salvation, came down from
heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the
virgin Mary, and teas made man and was crucified
also for us under Po?itius Pilate. He suffered and
was buried, and the third day he rose again according
to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sit
teth on the right hand of the Father ; and he shall
come again icith glory to judge both the quick and
the dead ; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and
Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and
the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is
worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy catholic [universal) and
apostolic church. I acknowledge one baptism for the
remission of sins ; and Hook for the resurrection of
the dead and the life of the world to come.1
1 The following is the Greek original of the Nicene Creed, as preserved
in the History of Socrates, L. I. c. 8. By a comparison of it with the
above version, the reader may distinguish the additions made by the
council of Constantinople.
Xlianvopev eis Iva Qtov, narepa TravrOKparopa, iravrwv bparav re Kai doparaiv TTOlr}rr]v,
Kai e's ha Kvpiov lr\aovv TLpiorov, rov viov tov Beov,yevV7]§evTa be rov Harpos povoyevrj,
rovr eoriv £K tik dvaias rov Harpos, Qzov £k Qeov Kai 0&>s tic 0&>7Of, Qtov d\ii$lvov Ik
Qtov dXijSivav, yenvrj^evra oil irotj]Scvra, huoovoiov toj Uarpi, 6i ob ra Travra cyevcro, ra
re iv to} oipavio, Kai ra Iv rrt yr), (i qjiac. dv^ptanovz, Kai iia rr\v fjuerepav aiiirrjpiav
KareXSovra Kai oapKti&ci/ra Kai evav^poi^Tjaavra naSovra Kat avaaravra. rrt rptrrj jjixepa,
dveXSovra as rove ovpavovs, tpxapevov uptvat ^avras Kai vskpovs. Kai et'f to iiyiov
jrvsvfia.

AUGSBURG CONFESSION.

PART FIRST.

ARTICLE I.— OF GOD.

Article I. — Of God.
Our churches with one
accord teach, that the de
cree of the Council of
Nice, concerning tJie uni
ty of the Divine essence,
and concerning the three
persons, is true, and ought
to be confidently believed,
viz. : that there is one Di
vine essence, which is
called and is God, eter
nal,1 incorporeal, indivisi
ble, infinite in power, wis
dom and goodness, the
Creator and Preserver of
all things visible and in
visible : and yet, that there
are three persons, tolio
are of the same essence

Articulus I. — De Deo.
Ecclesice magno con
sensu apud nos docent,
Decretum Nicence Syno-
di, de unit ate essentia} Di-
vinxje, et de tribus perso-
nis, verum et sine ulla du-
bitatione credendum esse.
Videlicet, quod sit una
essentia Divina, quce et
appellatur et est Deus,
eternus, incorporeus, im-
partibilis, immensa poten-
tia, sapientia, bonitate,
Creator et Conservator
omnium rerum visibilium
et invisibilium: et tamen
tres sint personce, ejus-
dem essentios et potential,
et coeternce, Pater, Filius

1 The German copy reads: "gleich" ewig — equally eternal.
4 (37)

38

OE OOD.

Art. I.

and power, and are co-
eternal, the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit.
And the term person they
use in the same sense in
which it is employed by
ecclesiastical writers on
this subject: to signify,
not a part or quality of
something else, but that
which exists of itself.
They condemn all her
esies, which have sprung
up against this article,
such as that of the Man-
ichceans, who maintained
the existence of two prin
ciples,'1 an evil and. a good
one. Likewise the Va-
lentinians, Arians, Euno-
mians, Mahomeclans, and
all such like. They con
demn also the earlier and
later Samosateans, who,
whilst they contend for
the existence of only one
Person, subtilely and im
piously discourse of the
Word and Holy Spirit,

et Spiritus Sanctus. Et
nomine personal utuntur
ea significalione, qua usi
sunt in hac causa scrip-
tores ecclesiastici, ut signi-
feet, nonpartem aut qual-
itatem in alio, sed quod
proprie subsislit.

Damnant omnes h&re-
ses, contra hunc articu-
lum exortas, ut Manichm-
os, qui duo principia po-
nebant, bonum et malum.
Item Valentinianos, Ari-
anos, Eunomianos, Ma-
hometistas, et omnes ho-
rum similes. Damnant et
Samosatenos, veteres et
neotericos, qui, cum tan-
tum unam personam esse
contendant, de Verbo et
de Spiritu Sancto astute
et impie rhetoricantur,
quod non sint personal
distinctce, sed quod Ver
bum signified verbum vo-

1 The German copy reads: "Zween Cotter"— two Gods.

existence of god. 39
tliat they are not distinct cole, et Spiritus motwm in
persons, but that the ivord rebus creatum.
signifies the vocal word,
and the Spirit the motion
created in things. I. The Existence of God.
By the existence or reality of the Divine Being is meant, that
the idea or conception of God in our minds has something real
corresponding to it in nature ; that there exists in nature a sepa
rate subsistence or being, in whom our (subjective) idea' of the
Divine Being is realized (has objective reality). The idea of God
is indeed not innate, for it does not exist in children, and in deaf
and dumb adults, until communicated; yet so great is the apti
tude of the human mind to receive it, that the apostle represents
the law of God as inscribed on the tablets of the human heart, '
and his eternal power and Godhead as seen in the things that are
made. The d priori philosophical arguments for the divine existence
are of little value. That derived from the numberless instances
of intelligent arrangement and design, in the structure of the
different objects in the world, involving an intelligent, benevolent,
and powerful author of the whole, possesses great force, and has
been discussed with much perspicuity and ability by Dr. Paley, in
his Natural Theology. The moral argument is derived from the
manifest adaptation in the structure of the human soul, to recog
nise a moral law, and therefore a lawgiver ; and manifestly exerts
a far greater influence over the mind.
Dr. Twesten remarks : " The truly pious require no argument
in order to attain a confident certainty of the divine existence, and
no such argument can be framed as will affect the decidedly
vicious; but for the great mass of those who fluctuate between
piety and ungodliness-, the reflections which lie at the basis of the
arguments for the divine existence, are neither superfluous nor
ineffective." — Dogmatik, Vol. II. p. 21.
Quenstedt : " The knowledge of God derived from nature, is
not sufficient to procure salvation, or even to flee from damnation,

40 of god. Art. I.
nor was there ever a mortal who was or can be led to salvation by
it alone."— Theol. Vol. I. p. 261.
And yet, says Hollazius : " Natural theology promises a three
fold advantage, a) a pedagogic one, in as far as it induces a man to
seek that assembly in which the true God of Israel has manifested
himself; b) a didactic use, because, when seriously presented, it
contributes not a little to throw light upon the revealed knowledge
of God ; and c) a pedeutic use, to regulate the customs and external
discipline within and without the church."
The Apostle Paul testifies, Rom. 1 : 20, " For the invisible
things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power
and Godhead ; so that they are without excuse." And
Acts 14 : 17, " Nevertheless, he (the living God, v. 15) left
not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain
from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and
gladness." This testimony of inspiration is abundantly confirmed -by_ the
confessions of the heathen, both ancient and modern. "A mis
sionary being once in company with some baptized Greenlanders,
expressed his wonder how they could formerly lead such a sense
less life, void of all reflection. Upon this, one of them answered
as follows : 'It is true we were ignorant heathens, and knew
nothing of a God or a Saviour, and indeed who should tell us of
Him till you came ? But you must not imagine that no Green-
lander thinks about these things. I myself have often thought a
cajak (a canoe), with all its tackle and implements, does not grow
into existence of itself; but must be made by the labor- and inge
nuity of man ; and one that does not understand it would directly
spoil it. Now the meanest bird has far more skill displayed in its
structure than the best cajak, and no man can make a bird. But
there is still far greater art shown in the formation of a man than
of any other creature. Who was it that made him ? I bethought
me, he proceeded from his parents, and they from their parents.
But some must have been the first parents; whence did they
come ? Common report informs me they grew out of the earth.
But if so, why does it not still happen that men grow out of the
earth ? And from whence did this same earth itself, the sea, the

NAMES OF GOD. 41
sun, the moon, and stars, arise into existence ? Certainly there
must be some Being who made all these things — a Being that
always was and can never cease to be. He must be inexpressibly
more mighty, knowing, and wise, than the wisest man. He must
be very good, too ; for everything that He has made is good, useful
and necessary for us. Ah ! did I but know Him, how would I
love Him and honor Him. But who has seen Him ? Who has
ever conversed with Him ? None of us poor men. Yet there
may be men, too, who know something of Him. Oh ! could I
but speak with such ! Therefore, said he, as soon as ever I heard
you speak of this great being, I believed it directly with all my
heart, because I had so long desired to hear it.' "
II. Names of God.
" Is called God, <SfC." Exod. 3 : 13, 14. 'And Moses said
unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and
shall say unto them, the God of your fathers hath sent me unto you ;
and they shall say to me, what is his name ? What shall I say unto
them? And God said unto Moses, I am that I am, and he said thus
shalt thou say to the children of Israel, I am hath sent me unto
you.' Other names- in the Old Testament are (nil"?') Jehova (the
LXX. xipioc, ^£05, o av,); El (7N> iazvpoc, fortis), strong, brave;
Elohim (DTwN, colendus), to be worshipped, LXX. ^£o;, God.
Adonai (3"TN> supreme Lord, LXX. xuptos, Sesrto'trjc;.') Shaddai
C"1E^> LXX. rfoi/tfoxpo.T'up) the omnipotent. Elion (JV 737, LXX.
ifuitoi) the highest. In the New Testament (£eos) God;
(xvy-u>s) Lord ; Apoc. 1 : 4. He that is, that was, and that is to
come (0 av, xai 6 ijv xai o ip%6[iivoi).
Luther, in his larger Catechism (first com. p. 393 Miiller's
Symb. B.), beautifully remarks : " Therefore, I think we Ger
mans, from of old, call God by a more excellent and appropriate
name than is given him in any other language, namely, Gott,.
derived from the word good (gut), indicating that he is an eternal
fountain, overflowing with unmingled good, from whom proceeds
everything that is, and is called good." '
1 " Daher auch achte ich, wir Deutschen Gott eben mit dem Namen von
alters her nennen (feiner und artiger, denn keine andere Sprache (nach

42 of god. Art. I.
The idea designated by the name God is variously defined by
theologians. Baumgarten says : " God is the most perfect Spirit,
containing in Himself the cause of His own existence, and of all
contingent things."
Eahn : " God is the most perfect Spirit, who is exalted above
everything that exists, or can be conceived of, and who created,
supports, and governs the heavens and the earth."
Baumgarten - Crusius : "God is that eternal Being through
whom everything exists, continues and lives according to his free
plan ; and whose will is inscribed on the soul of man, in order
that he, by never-ending improvement, may unite himself with
the Deity."
" One divine Essmce." Deut. 6: 4. 'Hear, 0 Israel,^ the
Lord our God is one Lord.'
1 Cor. 8 : 4, 5, 6. 'As concerning therefore the eating of those
things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is
nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For
though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth
(as there be gods many and Lords many) ; but to us there is but one
God the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him ; and one Lord
Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him."
The unity of the divine nature necessarily arises out of the very
idea of God as the Infinite and Supreme Being, which excludes all
others. We cannot conceive of a plurality of supreme or infinitely
perfect beings. It is also in a high degree probable, from the
unity of design in the vast multitude of intelligent structures in
the universe, evidently pointing to one governing mind. And it
may be deduced from the order and succession of second causes,
necessarily leading back to one first cause.
III. Attributes of God.
Our idea of God, as of all other substantive objects or entities,
is made up of the aggregate of our ideas of those essential proper-
" ties of which we have a knowledge. These several essential pro'-
perties or parts, our knowledge of which constitutes our idea of
God, are termed his attributes. The divine character cannot be
contemplated at once. It must be successively viewed from
dem Wortlein Gut, als der ein ewiger Quellbrunn ist, der sich mit eitel
Giite ubergeust, und von dem alles was gut ist uud heisset, ausfleuszt."

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 43
different stand-points, or points of observation. These subjective
views of the divine character are indeed separate in our concep
tions ; but the attributes which they designate are objectively one
in God. Reinhard defines them as " parts of the supreme
(infinite) perfection, successively conceived."
Buddeus remarks, " The perfections or attributes of God do not
in reality differ, either from each other, or from the divine essence,
but only in our mode of conceiving them."
Mosheim : "Although the perfections of the Divine Will are
infinite in themselves, they admit of certain limitations or internal
determinations. For either they are limited by the perfections of
the divine understanding, or they limit and determine each other.
This is what our theologians design, when they speak of the har
mony of the divine attributes. But, in the language of Scripture,
the whole complex or assemblage of the divine attributes or per
fections is, by synecdoche, termed glory of God. Psalm 19 : 1 ;
1 John 1:14; Rom. 1:23; 3 : 23." — Dogm. Theology, I.
p. 303.
By harmony of the divine attributes, is intended the fact that,
by virtue of their intrinsic relation to each other, and the infinite
perfection of God, they never come into conflict. Thus the mercy
of God is never exercised at the expense of his justice, his vindi
catory justice being as essential an attribute as his mercy, and as
truly a perfection.
" He is eternal." Psalm 90 : 2. ' Before the mountains
were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the
world, even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.'
Rev. 1:8. ' I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the
ending, saith the Lord, who is and who was, and who is to come, the
Almighty.' Psalm 102 : 25, 26, 27. 1 Tim. 1:17.
By this attribute is meant that the divine existence is without
beginning or end, and without succession of time or events. One
of the deaf and dumb pupils in the institution of Paris, being
requested to express his idea of the eternity of the Deity, replied,
" It is duration, without beginning or end ; existence without
bound or dimension ; present, without past or future. His eter
nity is youth without infancy or old age; life without birth or
death ; to-day without yesterday or to-morrow."

44 of god. Art. I.
" Incorporeal." He is immaterial, spiritual. John 4 : 24.
* God is a Spirit ; and they that worship him, must worship him in
spirit and in truth.'
1 Tim. 6 : 16. ' Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light
which no man can approach unto ; whom no man hath seen, nor can
see ; to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.'
" Indivisible." This necessarily follows from his immaterial
and spiritual nature.
" Infinite in power." Luke 1 : 37. ' For with God nothing
shall be impossible.'
Matt. 19 : 26. ' But Jesus beheld them and said unto them, with
men this is impossible ; but with God all things are possible.'
The divine power, says Quenstedt, is that attribute of God, by
which his eternal activity is able to perform all things, which do
not imply a contradiction.
" Infinite in wisdom" 1 Tim. 1 : 17. ' Now unto the king
eternal, incorruptible, (oqeapea) invisible, the only wise God be honor
and glory for ever and ever, Amen.'
Rom. 16 : 27. ' To God only wise, be glory, through Jesus Christ,
for ever, Amen.'
This also embraces the divine knowledge. Concerning this
subject, Calovius remarks, " The intellect of God is that, by which,
in one, eternal and most simple act, he beholds and knows most
perfectly and thoroughly, as well himself as all things else."
1 John 3 : 20. ' For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than
our hearts, and knoweth all things.'
Heb. 4 : 13. ' Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in
his sight ; but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him
with whom we have to do.'
Acts 15 : 18. ' Known unto God are all his works from the begin
ning of the world. 1 Chron. 28 : 9. The Lord searcheth all hearts,
and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts.'
" Infinite in goodness?' By goodness, or benevolence in
God, is meant his unchangeable disposition and purpose to bestow
on his sentient creatures, the highest happiness of which they are
susceptible. This attribute of God is evident from the benevo
lence of the ends, aimed at and accomplished by the structure of
the universe, as well as from the preservation and redemption of
the world.

WORKS OF god. 45
1 John 4 : 8-16. ' He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God
is love. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to
us : God is love, and he that abideth (phuv) in love, (ueW) abideth
in God, and God in him.'
Psalm 145 : 8, 9. ' The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all, and his
tender mercies are over all his works.'
John 3 : 16, 17. 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life— For God sent not his Son into the
world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might
be saved.'
Reinhard, " The goodness of God is that attribute by which
he is desirous of bestowing on every one, as much happiness as
he is able to enjoy." IT. Works of God.
" Creator of all things." Rom. 11 : 36. ' For of him (God,
v. 32), and through him, and to him, are all things : to whom be
glory for ever. Amen.'
Colos. 1 : 16. 'For by him (via;, v. 13, the Son) were all things
created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers :
all things were created by him, and for him.'
Moras regards the work of the several creative days as so many
gradual developments, whilst Eahn supposes the six days to refer
to six periods of time symbolically called "days" in Scripture:
and Steudel explains Gen. 1 : 1, of the primitive creation of the
matter of the earth, irrespectively of time, and Gen. 1 : 2, &c, of
the reorganization of our earth into a habitable form.
The term creation may signify the formation of something out
of pre-existent 'matter, or out of nothing. But whether the
Mosaic creation refers to the present organization of matter or to
the formation of its primary elements, it is not easy to decide with
certainty. The question is assuredly not determined by the usage
of the original words (^"^5 """^V)' WQien are frequently em
ployed to designate mediate formation. Should the future inves
tigations of physical science accumulate an array of facts, indis
putably proving the anterior existence of the matter of this earth,

46 of god. Art I.
such facts would not militate against the Christian Scriptures.
But we should ever bear in mind, that to the omnipotent Jehovah,
the immediate creation of the world is perfectly as easy as its
formation from any pre-existent materials.
Throughout all history, the prevailing opinion of Christians
and Jews was, that the formation of the earth described by Moses,
was one continued work, beginning with its original creation out
of nothing, and accomplished in six natural days. When the in
vestigations of physical science began to call for a longer period,
Christians were reluctant to yield the claim, as the deductions
seemed premature, the induction of geological facts having been
very limited. But as evidence continued to press upon them, they
began to re-examine the sacred record, assured that whatever may
be the facts which science incontestibly establishes, they will
always harmonize with revelation rightly interpreted.
The first position assumed, half a century ago, by the friends
of religion and science, especially by Dr. Chalmers, of Scotland, in
view of the progressive claims of Geology, was, that the writings
of Moses do not determine the antiquity of the globe. They main
tained that the geological facts, implying the great antiquity of the
globe, all referred to a long, indefinite period, anterior to that or
ganization of the surface and concomitants of the earth, usually
known as the Mosaic creation. Here was a wide and undefined
field for the phenomena and speculations of geology, and no matter
what the results arrived at, whether the matter of our earth had
existed fifty thousand or fifty millions of years before the Mosaic
creation ; they left the inspired narrative untouched, for it referred
to a subsequent period. This position was justly regarded as per
fectly reconcilable with the language of Moses ; as the first verse,
" In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth," was
suppose* to refer to the geological era ; the phrase " In the begin
ning," iTBWID, being entirely indefinite, and the term employed
by Moses, " created," N*13, signifying mediate creation or orga
nization, as well as absolute creation out of nothing.
In this stage of the science, the demiurgic days of the Mosaic
narrative were supposed to be natural days of twenty-four hours
each. It was also held, that whatever geological epochs or deve-

GENESIS AND GEOLOGY. 47
lopments may have preceded the time of the Mosaic creation, the
earth had at that period become without form and void, was in a
chaotic state, and all animals that may have existed before, had
become extinct. .„
Dr. Pye Smith, to meet some difficulties of the case, advanced
the unnatural and unsustained theory, that the chaotic, formless,
and opaque state, was confined to a limited area, beyond which
different animals and plants existed, and different parts of our globe
enjoyed the light of the sun; the descendants of which animals yet
continued to inhabit the earth, air, and seas.
Mr. Hugh Miller maintains, that many of the shells now living
on our coasts, and of the wild animals still found in our forests,
existed ages before the creation of man, and that instead of pre
ceding him only one or two natural days, as taught by the literal
interpretation of the Mosaic narrative, they must have lived many
thousands of years before him : so that the explanation of the
Scripture narrative, which breaks off the series of creations just
before the formation of man, and supposes a chaotic gulf, a period
of darkness and death to have intervened, does not harmonize with
the facts of geology.
The entire theory of this celebrated and able recent geologist,
Hugh Miller, seems to be this. In the beginning, that is, in the
far distant past, probably millions of years ago, God created the
materials of our globe, in a chaotic state, " without form and void,"
darkness brooding over the surface of the earth. On "the first
day," a period of indefinite length, he created the light. On the
second day, in the second long period, he " created the sun, moon,
and stars," the heavenly bodies. On the third day, in the third
indefinite period, he formed the firmament, separating the waters
from the waters. Of the work of these periods no traces could
be expected on the earth, as it referred to the atmosphere, to the
heavenly bodies and to light. But the remaining three days' work
refers to the vegetables, the marine animals, and those that dwell
upon the land ; and of these three periods, of indefinite length,
geology treats, and fully confirms the Mosaic account, as it clearly
establishes the reality of three such periods or days, each distin
guished, by the predominant existence of the very products described
by Moses. "All geologists agree in holding that the vast geolo-

48 of god. Art. I.
gical scale naturally divides into three great parts. There are
many lesser divisions — divisions into systems, formations, depo
sits, beds, strata ; — but the master-divisions, in each of which we
findm type of life so unlike that of the others, that even the un
practised eye can detect the difference, are simply three — the
Palaeozoic, or oldest fossiliferous division ; the Secondary, or mid
dle fossiliferous division ; and the Tertiary, or latest fossiliferous
division." The detailed discussion of this subject is forbidden by the limits
of our work, and we refer the reader to the authors named in the
margin,1 and for a very brief and most excellent outline, to the
lecture of Hugh Miller, entitled The Two Records,2 the Mosaical
and the Geological, republished : Boston, pp. 46.
1 Dr. Hitchcock's "Religion of Geology and its Connected Sciences."
Hugh Miller's " Footprints of the Creator," and also his " Old Red Sand
stone, or New Walks in an Old Field." The works of Buckland, Pye Smith,
John Harris and James Hamilton, of Great Britain.
3 Justice to Mr. Miller, as well as to this subject of absorbing and ever
growing interest, will vindicate the insertion of the following extract from
the distinguished author's Lecture, above referred to, to render more in
telligible the classification proposed :
"In the first, or Palaeozoic division, we find corals, crustaceans, mol
luscs, fishes, and, in its later formations, a few reptiles. But none of these
classes of organisms gives its leading character to the Palaeozoic, — they
do not constitute its prominent feature, or render it more remarkable as a
scene of life than any of the divisions which followed. That which chiefly
distinguished the Palaeozoic from the Secondary and Tertiary periods was its
gorgeous flora. It was emphatically the period of plants, — ' of herbs yield
ing seed after their kind.' In no other age did the world ever witness
such a flora; — the youth of the earth was peculiarly a green and umbra
geous youth — a youth of dusk and tangled forests — of huge pines and
stately araucarias — of the reed-like calamite — the tall tree-fern — the
sculptured sigillaria — and the hirsute lepidodendron. Of this extraordi
nary age of plants, we have our cheerful remembrances and witnesses in
the flames that roar in our chimneys when we pile up the winter (coal)
fire, — in the brilliant gas that brightens up the streets and lanes of our
cities, — in the glowing furnaces that smelt our metals, and give moving-
power to our ponderous engines,— in the long dusky trains that, with
shriek and snort, speed dart-like athwart our landscapes, — and in the
great cloud-enveloped vessels that rush in foam over ocean and sea. The
geologic evidence is so complete as to be patent to all, that the first great

GENESIS AND GEOLOGY. 49
"Preserver of all thijigs." Acts 17: 28. 'For in him we
live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets
have said, For we are also his offspring.'
Matt. 6: 26. 'Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not,
neither do they reap, nor gather into barns ; yet your heavenly Father
feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?' 10 : 29.
Heb. 1:3. ' Who (the Son of God, v. 21,) being the brightness of
his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all
things by the word of his power,' &c.
period of organized being was, as described in the Mosaic record, pecu
liarly a period of herbs and trees, 'yielding seed after their kind.'
"The middle great period of the geologist — that of the Secondary division
— possessed, like the earlier one, its herbs and plants ; but they were of a
greatly less luxuriant and conspicuous character than their predecessors,
and no longer formed the prominent trait or feature of the creation to
which they belonged. The period had also its corals, its crustaceans, its
molluscs, its fishes, and, in some one or two exceptional instances, its
dwarf mammals. But the grand existences of the age, the existences in which
it excelled every other creation, earlier or later, were its huge creeping things
— its enormous monsters of the deep, — and, as shown by the impressions of
their footprints stamped upon the rocks, its gigantic birds. It was pecu
liarly the age of egg-bearing animals, winged and wingless. Its wonder
ful whales, not, however, as now, of the mammalian, but of the reptilian
class, — ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, and cetiosaurs, must have tempested
the deep ; its creeping lizards and crocodiles, such as the teleosaurus, me-
galosaurus, and iguanodon, — creatures, some of which more than rivalled
the existing elephant in height, and greatly more than rivalled him in
bulk, must have crowded the plains, or haunted by myriads the rivers of
the period ; and we know that the footprints, of at least one of its many
birds, are of fully twice the size of those made by the horse or camel. We
are thus prepared to demonstrate, that the second period of the geologist
was peculiarly and characteristically a period of whale-like reptiles of the
sea, of enormous creeping reptiles of the land, and of numerous birds — some
of them of gigantic size; and, in meet accordance with the fact, we find that
the second Mosaic period with which the geologist is called on to deal,
was a period in which God created the fowl that flyeih above the earth,
with moving [or creeping] creatures, both in the waters and on the land,
and what our translation renders great whales, but what I find rendered in
the margin, great sea-monsters.
"The Tertiary period had also its prominent class of existences. Its
flora seems to have been no more conspicuous than that of the present
time ; its reptiles occupy a very subordinate place ; but its beasts of the
field were by far the most wonderfully developed, both in size and numbers,
5

50 of god. Art. I.
Melanchthon beautifully remarks : " Weak human nature, al
though it regards God as the framer of the earth, nevertheless
supposes him to have forsaken his work, and abandoned his crea
tures to their own government; as a ship-builder departs from the
ship, when finished, and leaves it to the control of the sailors.
Against these doubts (of the Epicureans and Stoics,) our minds
should be fortified by a correct consideration of the article concern
ing creation ; and we should teach not only that all things were
created by God, but also, that the substances of things are perpe
tually preserved and sustained by him. God is present to his
creatures, not as the God of the Stoics ; but as acting with perfect
freedom, upholding the creature, and in his boundless mercy con
ferring blessings, assisting and restraining the powers of nature."

V. The Trinity.
" There are three persons, Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit." The doctrine of the Trinity is faintly indicated in some
passages of the Old Testament, such as the following :
Gen. 1 : 26. 'And God said, let us make man in our image, after
our likeness.'
Gen. 11 : 7. ' Go to, let us go down, and there confound their lan
guage^ 
that ever appeared upon earth. Its mammoths and its mastodons, its
rhinoceroses and its hippopotami, its enormous dinotherium and colossal
megatherium, greatly more than equalled in bulk the hugest mammals
of the present time, and vastly exceeded them in number. The remains
of one of its elephants, Elephas primigenius, are still so abundant amid
the frozen wastes of Siberia, that what is not inappropriately termed
' ivory quarries' have been wrought among their bones for more than a
hundred years. Even in England, of which, as I have already shown,
this elephant was for long ages a native, so abundant are the skeletons
and tusks, that there is scarcely a local museum in the kingdom that
has not its specimens dug out of the Pleistocene deposits of the neigh
borhood. And with this ancient elephant there were meetly associated
in Britain, as on the Northern continents generally all around the globe,
many other mammals of corresponding magnitude. Truly, this Tertiary
age — this third and last of the great geological periods — was peculiarly
the age of great ' beasts of the earth after their kind, and of cattle after
their kind.' "

THE TRINITY. 51
Other passages are sometimes referred to, such as those in which
divine power or appellations are ascribed to the Messiah, Isaiah
9 : 5, &c. Jer. 23 : 5. Mich. 5 : 1. Psalm 110 : 1; and. divine
agency to the Holy Ghost, Gen. 6 : 3. Ex. 31 : 3. Numb. 11 :
29; 24 : 2. 2 Saml. 10 : 10. Isaiah 11 : 2; 42 : 1; 48 : 16;
61 : 1; 63 : 10. Ez. 36 : 26, &c. Psalm 51 : 22. Those pas
sages also in which triple addresses to God are contained, as in
the benediction, Numb. 6 : 24. Is. 6 : 3 ; 48 : 12. And others,
in which the divine being is presented as subject and object. Gen.
16 : 7-13 ; 19 : 24. Ex. 3 : 2-15.
But in the books of the New Covenant, this doctrine, so myste
rious in some of its relations, is fully taught.
Matt. 28 : 19. 'Go ye therefore, and teach (nafri-tevaovtt, make
disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.'
Matt. 3 : 16, 17. 'And Jesus when he was baptized, went up
straightway out of (dno from) the water: and lo, the heavens were
opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a.
dove, and lighting upon him. And, lo, a voice from heaven, saying,
This is my beloved Son, in whom /am well-pleased.'
John 14 : 16, 26. 'And I will pray the Father, and be shall give
you another Comforter, that he may abide with you fbr ever.' 'But
the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send
in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to
your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.'
2 Cor. 13 : 13. ' The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love
of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.
Amen.' See also Ep. 2 : 18. 1 Pet. 1 : 2. 1 John 5:7.
The adorable and invisible author of our being and of universal
nature, has revealed his " eternal power and Godhead" to us in
his works, in such form as our limited capacities are able to appre
hend. But he has superadded a far more definite, intelligible,
comprehensive and gracious exhibition of his nature, character,
and will, in his inspired oracles. Here his language is, Hear, 0
Israel, the Lord thy God is "one God;" and elsewhere he reveals
himself as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. That these designa
tions are not mere names of different offices, sustained by the same
person ; but indicate separate substances or hypostases, is evident ;
because several of them, Father and Son, are correlate terms,

52 of god. Art. I.
which cannot possibly be understood, except as implying personal
plurality. The same truth appears from the nature of the dif
ferent offices and actions attributed to them. But, in addition" to
all this, scenes are presented in Scripture, in which these three,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are simultaneously appealed to, or
sustain different parts; thus of necessity compelling the unpreju
diced interpreter to admit a Trinity of persons. Such are the
scene of the Saviour's baptism, the apostolic benediction, &c, in
the texts above cited.
The precise and intrinsic nature of this threefold difference, the
sacred volume does not reveal, and human reason cannot compre
hend it. Nor do the inspired penmen employ any abstract or sys
tematic terms, to define or designate this important distinction.
But theologians of the earlier centuries, introduced the words
person and essence for this purpose ; affirming that God is one in
essence, and threefold in person. As the facts revealed on this
important doctrine, border on mystery on all sides, Christians
should receive them with humble faith, and beware of attempting
to be wise above what is written ; or to condemn others for dif
ference of philosophical explanations, provided they do not subvert
the facts taught in God's Word. Each of these three sustains
important relations in the economy of grace and salvation. These
we should study duly to appreciate, reserving our aspirations after
a nearer vision of our personal Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier,
to the revelations of eternity, when we shall no longer see through
a glass darkly, but be with him and see him as he is. For an
swers to the objections of Rationalists and Socinians against this
doctrine, the reader is referred to Schmucker's Popular Theology,
pp. 72-93, fifth edition, where it is clearly proved, that the in
trinsic nature and relations of this doctrine are above reason, but
not contrary to it. The following propositions, covering all the
relations of this doctrine to reason, are there amply discussed, and
the position fully established, that the doctrine of the Trinity does
not conflict with any one of them :
1. A divine revelation cannot contain anything which is con
trary to the plain and indisputable dictates of reason.
2. A divine revelation cannot contain any proposition which de
monstrably involves self-contradiction.

THE TRINITY. 53
3. A divine revelation might naturally be expected to teach
truths untaught by reason.
4. We have no reason to expect, that our limited capacities
should be able to comprehend fully the modes and circumstances
and relations of those truths which reason could not teach, and
which are known only by revelation, any more than of those truths
known without revelation; but it is natural to expect that the
contrary would be the case.
5. We can believe, and it is our duty to believe those truths of
revelation which are untaught by Teason, as far as they are revealed,
i. e. made comprehensible, but no farther ; for this is impossible,
and the Scriptures do not require it.
6. Doctrines which are above reason, could never be proved
contrary to reason, even on the supposition that they were so.
7. But we know that doctrines of a divine revelation, the mode
and relations of which are totally incomprehensible, i. e. those
commonly said to be above reason, cannot possibly be contrary to
reason. Dr. Lochman : " That this article contains something above
our comprehension, is granted ; but this does not prove that it is
contrary to reason. Even in temporal matters, there are many
things above our comprehension, which yet agree with reason and
experience. Indeed, we can fully comprehend but very little of
the things which we daily see. It is enough for us to know, that
God has revealed himself thus to mankind, and he certainly knows
best, how and what he is, and it is our duty to believe him." —
Hist, and Doct. of Eu. Luth. Church, p. 86.
How striking, and yet how judicious, the declarations of Luther
on this subject ! " The name Trinity (says he) is nowhere found
in Scripture, but it is a human conception and invention. We
term this doctrine the article concerning the holy, divine Trinity ;
but Trinity is bad German, and in the Godhead there is supreme
unity. — We ought and must adhere to the teachings of God's
Word on such subjects, namely that Christ is true God with God
the Father, and that the Holy Spirit is true God, and yet that
there are not three Gods, nor three beings like three men, three
angels, three suns, or three windows. No, God is not divided in
this manner in his essence or being; for there is but one divine

54 of god. Art. I.
being. Therefore, although there are three persons, God the
Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost; still in regard to
his being or essence, there can be no division or distinction in
God." l
The representations of Scripture, touching the subject of the
Trinity, (Tri-unity) seem to resolve themselves into two great
propositions :
I. There is but one God; This is also a dictate of abstract
reason, for we cannot conceive of more than one infinitely perfect,
self-existent and supreme Being.
II. Yet, in this one God there exists three hypostases, or persons,
or subsistences, whose nature is unintelligible to us; but of whom
actions are predicated individually, and who are designated by the
distinctive names, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Whilst we commend this article of our creed not only as rea
sonable, but of surpassing doctrinal interest, let it not be forgotten
that there are some practical aspects of the subject, which come
home to the heart and involve the interests of every rational crea
ture, and to which it is equally the dictate of reason that man
should attend. Although we pursue our pilgrimage dependent on
the power and subject to the laws of a God, whom our eyes see
not, and whom our hands cannot touch, we know enough to con
vince us that happiness cannot be found in the violation of his
law — that we are the creatures of his power, who depend on him
for every breath, and whom he could at any moment crush into
atoms or banish from existence. Into the presence of this God,
our judge, we are hastening as fast as the wheels of time can bear
us ; and although some men, in health and prosperity, may neglect
God and enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season — yet, when death
begins his havoc on their frame, when heart and flesh fail them,
be assured, reader, nothing in heaven or on earth, or under the
earth, can comfort those who are destitute of the favor of that God,
an interest in that Saviour, who is the strength of our heart and
our portion forever. No arithmetic can calculate the value of His
smiles, or the horrors of His frown. They who obey and worship
• Luther's Works Walch's ed. vol. 11, p. 1549. Vol. 13, p. 2631. Vol.
22, p. 375.

OF NATURAL DEPRAVITY. 55
Him, enjoy the favor not of an earthly friend, nor even of an
earthly king, but of Him who is the King of kings and Lord of
lords; whose legions are the armies of heaven; whose subjects
are the inhabitants of thousands of worlds ; whose dominion, like
His nature, has no bounds, and whose commands are borne with
the rapidity of lightning by the swift-winged messengers of his
will to the utmost regions of his empire. They enjoy the protec
tion of Him whose favor can fill its subject with unspeakable
delight in this world, and pursue its object with ecstacies of joy in
the successive stages of existence through eternity; or whose
frown can pierce the heart of the rebellious, perverse sinner with
pangs of torment here, and bear down his hapless soul by the
weight of his wrath in the blackness of darkness forever. They
shall enjoy his approbation and be blessed by Him, whose smile
can animate the whole creation, and thrill the breast of every
living creature with rapturous delight ; whose frown can envelope
the universe in darkness, and blast every living thing with misery,
despair and death ! This glorious God promises his blessing to
all who love Him, and humbly receive the revelation of his nature
and will — promises to support and protect them in the regions of
the dead, to introduce them into the abodes of the blessed, into
His immediate presence, to the enjoyment of all those ineffable
delights which he can bestow.

ARTICLE II.— OF NATURAL DEPRAVITY.
II. Op Natural Depravity. II. De Peccato Originis.
Our churches likewise Item docent, quod, post
teach, that since the fall lapsum Ados, omnes hom-
of Adam, all men ivho ines secundum naturarn
are naturally engendered, propagati, nascanlur cum
are born1 with sin, that is, peccato, hoc est, sine metu
without the fear of God or Dei, sine fiducia erga

56

OF natural depravity.

Art. II.

confidence towards Him,
and with sinful propensi
ties : and that this dis
ease, or natural depravity,
is really sin, and still
condemns and causes eter
nal death to those who are
not born again by baptism
and the Holy Spirit.

They condemn the Pe
lagians and others, who
deny that natural depra
vity is sin, and who, that
they may1 detract from the
glory of the merits and
benefits of Christ, allege
that man may be justified
before God by the powers
of his own reason.

Deum, et cum concupis-
centia : quodque hie mor
bus, seu vitium originis
verh sit peccatum, dam-
nans et afferens nunc
quoque ceternam mortem
his, qui non renascuntur
per baptismum et Spi
ritum Sanctum.

Damnant Pelagianos,
et alios, qui vitium origi
nis negant esse peccatum,
et ut extenuent gloriam
meriti et beneficiorum
Christi, disputant homi-
nem prspriis viribus ra-
tionis coram Deo justifi-
cari posse.

* The German copy reads: "Empfangen und geboren," conceived and
born. a The German copy reads : " That they may prove our nature to be holy
in its own powers, to the reproach of the sufferings and merits of Christ."
The Lutheran church has always regarded the doctrine of hu
man depravity as a fundamental article of the Christian System.
Nor can it with propriety be viewed in any other light, as it is the
only certain basis for our belief in the necessity of a Saviour, and
of the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit. The doctrine is,
moreover, so frequently and forcibly inculcated in the word of
God, tbat no man ought to profess to be a believer in the Scrip
tures, who denies its truth.

ORIGIN OF HUMAN DEPRAVITY. 57
I. Origin of Human Depravity.
" Since the fall of Adam." — The Scriptures clearly trace
the depravity of our race to the disobedience of our first parents :
and the derivation of the whole human race from Adam and Eve
may be regarded as fully established, not only by the declarations
of holy writ, but even by the inductions of science. For a very
able vindication of this doctrine we refer the reader to the learned
work of the Rev. Dr. Bachman.1
Rom. 5 : 12, 14. ' Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin ; and so death passed upon all men, for that all
have sinned : Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even
over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's trans
gression, who is the figure of him that was to come : — 17. For if by
one man's offence death reigned by one, &c. — 19. For as by one
man's disobedience many were made sinners,' &c.
Various attempts have at different times been made by infidel
writers to sustain figurative interpretations of the Scripture narra
tive of the primeval apostasy; but the laws of sound, historical
exegesis, bind us down to the literal signification as the only true
one, and as the one adopted by the other inspired writers them
selves. 2 Cor. 11 : 3 ; 1 Tim. 2 : 14.
The primitive state of man is represented as one of innocence,
of holiness, and of happiness. He dwelt in communion with God,
in a garden of bliss (J"1,J? f J,) paradise, and was created in the
image of God. Gen. 1 : 26.
Hollazius : " The state of integrity, or innocence, was that first
and most happy condition of man, in which he was created in the
image of God." This image is a natural perfection, consisting
in beautiful conformity to God, our prototype, in wisdom, justice,
purity, immortality and majesty; with which our first parents
were born, that they might truly acknowledge and devoutly wor
ship him, the Creator, lead a holy life, and obtain a glorious bless
edness. 2 Cor. 4 : 4; Col. 1 : 15; Heb. 1 : 3.
In regard to the author of sin, the Augsburg Confession most
1 " The Doctrine of the Unity of the Human Race, examined on the Prin
ciples of Science, by John Bachman D. D., Prof. Nat. History, College of
Charleston, S. C." &c, 1850, pp. 312, 8vo.

58 OF NATURAL DEPRAVITY. ART. II.
decidedly denies that God can be regarded in that light. See
Art. XIX.
"All men, naturally engendered, are born with or
in Sin. ' — By the excepting phrase, " naturally engendered,"
the confessors designed to provide for the case of the Saviour; he
having been supernaturally engendered, being conceived by the
Holy Ghost, and being without sin.
Psalm 51:5. ' Behold, I was shapen in iniquity ; and in sin did
my mother conceive me.' Job 14 : 4. ' Who can bring a clean
thing out of an unclean ? not one.' 1 John 1:8. ' If we say that
we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.'
Gal. 5 : 17. II. Nature of Depravity, innate and actual.
The nature of sin is represented in Scripture as a departure
from the right path, HNtOn, NtDH. St. Paul describes sin as
"Enmity against God." Rom. 8 : 7; 1 John 3 : 4. Sin is the
transgression of the law, 'i auapria iariv >j imjila. Melanchthon thus
defines it : " Sin is a defect, or inclination, or an action conflicting
with the law of God."
Reinhard: "Sin is any aberration from the (proper) method
of obtaining true happiness."
Steudlin : " Sin is anything that places man in opposition to
the design which God has prescribed to him, whether it be an in
dividual act, or a habit of action, or a dispositon."
Julius Miiller : " Sin is the turning away from the love of God
to self-love."" This disease or natural depravity is really Sin."
— Rom. 7 : 14. 'But I am carnal, sold under sin — 17. For I know
that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing — 21. I find
then a law that when I would do good, evil is present with me — 23.
But I see another law in my members warring against the law of
my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is
in my members — 24. 0 wretched man that I am ! who Bhall deliver
me from the body of this death V
St. Augustine supposed natural depravity to consist in concupis
cence, in the flesh lusting against the spirit. Others defined it

NATURE OF DEPRAVITY.

59

as consisting in the want of that moral excellence, which consti
tuted the image of God in man prior to the fall. The Augsburg
Confession seems to combine both these views, and the great body
of Lutheran divines has regarded natural, or original, or innate
depravity, as that disorder in the mental and bodily constitution
of man, which was introduced by the fall of Adam, is trans
mitted by natural generation from parent to child, and the result
of which is, that all men who are naturally engendered, evince in.
their action want of holiness, and a predisposition to sin. With
out the admission of such a disorder in the human system, no
satisfactory reason can be assigned for the universality of actual
transgression amongst men. Yet so long as men admit the re
ality and totality of actual transgression in man, so soon as he be
comes a moral agent in the sight of God, it would seem that every
thing essential has been retained. Dr. Woods thus describes this
doctrine: '' The doctrine of natural depravity is briefly this : that
men are by nature destitute of holiness : or that they are subjects
of an innate moral depravity ; or, in other words, that they are,
from the first, inclined to evil, and that while unrenewed, their
moral affections and actions are wholly wrong."
Melanchthon : "Natural depravity (or original sin) is the want
of original justice; that is, in men naturally born, it is the loss of
light in the mind, aversion of the will to God, and rebellion of
heart ; so that they cannot truly obey the law of God, which re
sults from the fall of Adam, on account of which corruption they
are born guilty and children of wrath, and condemned by God,
unless pardon bad been provided."
Dr. Knapp : " The moral depravity of our nature is that ten
dency to sinful passions or unlawful propensities which is perceived
in man, whenever objects of desire are placed before him and laws
are laid upon him." Rom. 8.
Experimental View of Innate Depravity in the Unregenerate and
Regenerate.
When we view this subject in the light of empyrical philosophy,
we are led to the following positions : —
The soul of man possesses two inherent constitutional inclina
tions, which are manifested in the actions of mankind universally.

60 OF NATURAL DEPRAVITY. ART. II.
The first, though far the feebler of the two, is the inclination to
obey the fitness of things physical, intellectual, and moral, in
cluding, among other impulses, the moral sense, or the imperative
dictates of conscience. This principle is appealed to by Peter and
John, when, having been commanded by the Sanhedrim to
speak no more in the name of Jesus, they replied, " Whether it
be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto
God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we
have seen and heard." Acts 4 : 19, 20. The second is the love
of self, of self-gratification, of pleasure, and interest. This princi
ple is appealed to by the Saviour in his memorable words, " What
shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own
soul." Mark 8:36. This principle is far the more potential in
the natural man; it habitually prevails over the first, and has
degenerated into selfishness. Phil. 2 : 21. "For all seek their
own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's." Luke 12 : 15 ; 2
Tim. 3:2.
All right actions are in accordance with both these constitu
tional inclinations — that is, they secure our highest interests in
accordance with the fitness of things with right, with the will of
God. We may therefore safely infer that before the fall of man,
there was a perfect equipoise and harmony between these two
principles of action.
All sinful actions consist in the gratification of the second
principle, that of self-love, in violation of the first, the moral fitness
of things.
From these premises we may deduce the following six important
positions : —
a) That the transgression of our first parents destroyed the
equipose between the two constitutional inclinations of the soul, the
sense of obligation to obey the moral fitness of things, or the dic
tates of conscience or the moral sense, and the love of self-gratifi
cation. " For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus
Christ's." Phil. 2: 21.
b) That natural depravity consists mainly, so far as the active
principles of our nature are concerned, in a preponderance of the
second principle, self-love degenerated into selfishness, over the
first, our sense of obligation to obey the moral fitness of things as

HUMAN DEPRAVITY. 61
seen by reason and revelation, over the tendency to do right. So
that the character and prevailing actions of the unregenerato are
selfish. The understanding being also darkened, we fail to see our
true interests; and the affections, the seat of feeling, being
debased, we delight in forbidden or excessive indulgences.
c) The law that is in our members warring against the law of
our mind is some one of the modifications of this inordinate love
of self-gratification in violation of moral right. As this law finds
gratification mainly in indulgence of the bodily senses, it is termed
the law in our members.
d) That whilst regeneration does not eradicate this innate pre
ponderance, it does, by implanting new spiritual life into the soul
through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, produce a preponder
ance of holy habits and exercises in the regenerate mind — that is,
a preponderance of habits in accordance with the moral fitness of
things, and likewise secures this preponderance as long as the
believer is faithful in the use of the means of grace appointed for
his spiritual growth.
e) There will be a constant conflict in the believer, between
the flesh and the spirit, between the law in his members and the
law of his mind, between the tendency to selfishness and the impe
rative dictates of right, of conscience.
f) Regeneration, therefore, consists in such a change wrought
in the soul of man by the Holy Spirit, through the truth, as causes
him, instead of having a supreme, inordinate, and selfish regard to
his own interest or self-gratification, to make God and his declara
tive glory the chief and habitual object of his aim as the dictate
of the highest moral fitness — and to find the habitual gratification
of the second inclination, the love of happiness, in pursuing the
objects dictated by the first (the imperative dictates of the right or
of conscience, or the will of God), in loving God supremely, and
his neighbor as himself, and in doing unto others as he would
that they should do unto him. — See Schmucker's Psychology,
pp. 252—264 of 2d edition.
2 Cor. 5 : 17. ' Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature ; old things are passed away, and behold, all things are
become new.' 6

62 OF NATURAL DEPRAVITY. ART. II.
Matt. 6 : 33". ' But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his right
eousness, and all the things shall be added unto you.'
Matt. 22 : 37. ' Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself.'

Different Grades or States of the Sinner.
Dr. Reinhard thus distinguishes the different grades in the
condition of the sinner : — 1. State of servitude, which is the
condition of those who knowing and approving the good, are so
drawn by the force of their appetites, that they pursue the evil.
John 8 : 34; Rom. 6 : 16, &c. 2. The state of carnal security,
is that condition of man, in which he is so wedded to sin, that he
perceives neither its turpitude nor the necessity of reformation. 2
Tim. 2 : 26. 3. The state of hypocrisy is that condition of an
individual, in which he aims at nothing more than the external
appearance of piety. 2 Tim. 3:5; Tit. 1 : 16. 4. The state of in
duration is the condition of a person who by long continuance in
sinning, has become insensible to the motives to virtue. Matt.
13 : 14; Rom. 1 : 24; 9 : 17; 2 Cor. 3 : 14.
Induration, or Judicial Blindness of the Sinner.
Hollazius : " Sin, connected with induration of heart, is that
most fearful state of depravity, by which the polluted mind of
man is kept blind, and averse to the word of God; in which his
will, confirmed in wickedness, resists the Holy Spirit, his appetites
indulge in beastly gratifications, he is either entirely, or almost
incorrigible, and entails upon himself temporal and eternal pun
ishments. The cause of induration is not God ; but partly the
devil, who leads man from one sin to another, blinding his mind
and filling his heart with wickedness, 2 Cor. 4:4; Acts 5:3;
Eph. 2:2; and partly man himself, who rejects the ordinary
means of salvation, and yields himself to the continual pursuit and
practice of sin." Matt. 13 : 15. Commenting on Exod. 7 : 3, he
remarks, " God does not harden him causatively or effectively, by
instilling obduracy into their hearts ; but judicially, permissivcly,
and by leaving him to himself. Induration is therefore a judicial

IMPUTATION. 63
act, in which, on account of his former voluntary transgressions
and hopeless wickedness, God justly permits an individual, who is
habitually wicked, to rush into more heinous crimes, withdraws
from him his grace, and finally delivers him into the power of
Satan, by whom he is then driven into greater sins, until he for
feits irrevocably his claim to an inheritance in heaven."
Rom. 1 : 28. 'And even as they did not like to retain God in their
knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things
which are not convenient.'
Luke 19 : 41. 'And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and
wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in
this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace ! But now they
are hid from thine eyes'
IH. The Consequences of Natural Depravity : Imputation.
The language of the Confession admits of a diversity of inter
pretations, on the subject of the guilt of hereditary or natural
depravity. The first signification, which the words admit, is, that
the natural depravity, with which we are born, is prior to all vol
untary action by us, charged to us as guilt, and itself entails end
less perdition on all who are not delivered from the curse by true
conversion. Our earlier divines, who embraced this view of the
subject, always used the phrase original sin to signify not only our
native disposition to sin, but also the original act of apostasy by
our first parents.1 They did not suppose, that we are punished
for the mere fact of being born with sinful propensities ; but con
sidering Adam as the federal head of the whole human family,
believed that by virtue of some covenant relation to him, the guilt
of his personal voluntary act was imputed to his posterity, and
thus involved them all in the curse of temporal and eternal death.
The second interpretation, which the latter clause of this Article
admits is, that " this disease or natural disorder of our bodily and
mental constitution, is really contrary to the will of God, and still
becomes the occasion of eternal death to all who voluntarily in
dulge in these sinful propensities, and do not avail themselves of
1 Melanchthon : " Si quis vult addere, natos etiam propter lapsum Adse
reos esse, non impedis."

64 OF NATURAL DEPRAVITY. ART. II.
those means of grace by which the Holy Spirit regenerates the
soul." The confession mentions only one of these means, namely,
baptism, but its authors did not intend to designate this as the
only means of grace, for the German copy of it, published by
Melanchthon himself in 1533, reads thus : "who are not regenerated
by baptism and faith in Christ, through the gospel and Holy
Spirit." ' From this it is also evident that Melanchthon, who, as is
well known, penned the Confession, had reference to adults in the
clause "condemneth those who are not born again," because
infants are incapable either of reading or understanding " the
gospel." The advocates of this view do not believe, that the pro
genitor of the human race did or could sustain any such relation
to his posterity, as would render just a literal imputation" of the
guilt of his sins to them. The Lutheran church regards either
of these opinions as consistent with the belief of the general
doctrine of natural depravity, though her divines, at present, very
generally embrace the latter.3
On this subject, our divines agree substantially with the great
body of New England Theologians, and with such ministers of the
Presbyterian church, as have rejected the doctrine of literal impu
tation in the old sense of the term. On this subject, Dr. Woods,
of Andover, thus expresses his view : " Exceptionable language
has in some instances been used, and opinions which I shall
think erroneous, have sometimes been entertained on this subject.
But the Orthodox of New England at the present day are not
chargeable with the same fault. The imputution of Adam's sin
to his posterity, in any sense, which those words naturally and
properly convey, is a doctrine which we do not believe." — Letters
to Unitarians, p. 44.
1 See the excellent little work of Dr. Funk; in Lubec. "The Augs
burg Confession according to the principal edition of Melanchthon himself,
with the various readings of other editions." p. 6.
= Ezek. 18 : 2, 3, 20. Deut. 24: 16. Hos. 13 : 9.
3 " Den Umstand dasz uns Gott wegen unserer subjectiven Unvollkom-
menheit eines hoheren grades von Gliickseligkeit berauben musz, nennt man
in der theologischen Sprache die Strafe der Erbsiinde. Diese Strafe ist also
nothwendig, und ihrer Natur nach privativ ; ewige Martern konnen nicht
auf die Erbsiinde gesetzt seyen : dies lehrt die Schrift nirgends, auch
behaupten es unsere Glaubensbucher nicht." — Beinhard's Dogm. p. 309.

NATURE OF SIN. 65
Dr. Dwight says, " When I assert that in consequence of the
apostasy of Adam, all men have sinned; I do not intend that the
posterity of Adam are guilty of his transgression. Moral actions
are not, so far as I can see, transferrable from one being to an
other. The personal act of any agent is in its very nature the
act of that agent solely, and incapable of being participated by any
other agent. Of course, the guilt of such a personal act, is equally
incapable of being transferred or participated. Neither do I
intend that the descendants of Adam are punished for his trans
gression." — Theology, Vol. I. 478.
Our own views on this part of the subject will be seen from
the following Abstract of the whole Subject.
1. All mankind, in consequence of their descent from fallen
Adam, are born with a depraved nature, that is their bodily and
mental system is so disordered, as in the result of its operation to
evince a predisposition to sin.
2. This natural depravity disqualifies its subjects for heaven.
Because the action of depraved (disordered) faculties and powers
would not, even in heaven itself, be conformed to the divine law,
and could not be acceptable to God. In our natural state, more
over, we have not the qualifications requisite for the enjoyment of
heaven, having no spiritual appetites. But we cannot suppose,
that God would condemn us to positive and eternal misery, merely
on account of this depraved (disordered) nature ; ' for we are in
no sense the authors or causes of it; and a just God will not
punish his creatures for acts which they did not perform. Children,
therefore, who die in their infancy, having never merited punish
ment by personal guilt, will indubitably not be consigned to per
dition. Moreover, as the atonement which the Saviour made,
embraces the whole world, it must also include children, who are
1 Ezekiel 18 : 20. ' The soul that sinneth it shall die. The son shall
not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the
iniquity of the son.' See the whole chapter.
Deut. 24 : 16. ' The fathers shall not be put to death for the children,
neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers ; every man shall be
put to death for his own sin.'
6*

66 OF NATURAL DEPRAVITY. ART. II.
a part of it; and as that atonement not only delivered its subjects
from punishment, but also purchased for them a title to heaven,
it follows, that children, having not lost their title by voluntary
unbelief, will for Christ's sake enjoy the benefit of it; that is,
that at death their corruptible nature shall be transformed into an
incorruptible, and their mortal into an immortal one, and they,
liberated from their moral disease, be ushered into the blissful
presence of him, who said, " Suffer little children to come unto
me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Luther coincided in
this opinion, and maintained that unbaptized children would not
be lost.1
3. Strongly tempted by the solicitations of this depraved nature,
which are however not irresistible, all men do, when they reach
the years of moral agency, voluntarily indulge more or less in
known sin, and thus, contracting personal guilt, expose themselves
to the just displeasure of an offended God.
4. All actual or real sin, consists in voluntary actions and their
consequences, viz. :
a) Deliberate, voluntary transgressions of the divine law. The
criminality of these acts is so obvious and generally admitted, as
to require no proof. But their guilt is also of the highest grade.
They constitute direct insults to the majesty of heaven, and delibe
rate rebellion against the government of God !
b) Acts performed from mere habit, without design or premedi
tation. As these habits are formed by individual, voluntary acts,
they are properly the result of our voluntary agency, and justly
chargeable to us. Hence, every profane word, every falsehood
uttered by the habitual swearer and liar, and every lascivious
thought of the sensualist, though they occurred spontaneously,
from mere habit, without design, and often almost without the
persons being conscious of the fact, are nevertheless actual sins,
and justly expose the transgressor to the penalty of the divine law.
c) The state of our feelings or affections on moral subjects, so
far as it is the result of our voluntary and habitual transgressions,
' " So sollen wir es dafiir halten, dasz das kindlein, ob es wohl die
rcchte Taufe nicht erlanget, darum nicht verloren ist." Vol. 10, p. 2616.
Walch's edition.

NATURE OF SIN. 67
in like manner involves us in condemnation. Every penitent
sinner, and every enlightened believer, must deplore as his own
personal guilt, the insensibility of his heart, the instability of his
affections. We do not mean that our feelings are under the in
stantaneous control of volition : the contrary is evidently the fact.
No careless sinner can, by a mere act of his will, excite feelings
of penitence for sin ; and it is, to say the least, useless for minis
ters to exhort him to do so. His intellectual views must first be
corrected. He must be persuaded attentively to reflect on the
character and law of God, on his own character and real inte
rests, on the offers of pardon through a crucified Redeemer, and
as he sincerely embraces correct views on these subjects, the
correspondent appropriate feelings will be excited in his mind.
And the state of his religious affections throughout life is de
pendent on.the general course of conduct which he is pursuing,
that is, on his voluntary actions, including the faithful use of
those means of grace, through which the Holy Spirit operates on
the soul.
d) We are guilty on account of the erroneous or inadequate
views which we adopt on the subject of religion. Without enter
ing into a discussion of the several sources of errors in religious
opinion,1 we remark, that they arise in general from voluntary ne
glect, or abuse of the means of information which God has vouch
safed us; and, so far as this is the case, are justly laid to our
charge. According to the laws of our nature, these views are con
stantly recurring to the mind, and exert an important influence on
our conduct and feelings. And finally, the load of our guilt is
augmented still more,
e) By our omitting to attain the highest degree of holiness and
usefulness which was within our reach, by a constant and faithful
use of all the means of knowledge and of grace, which God in his
providence extended to us. Actual transgressions have some
times been referred to the following classes, viz. : sins of omission
and of commission, voluntary and involuntary; that is, such
acts of the unregenerate man as were deliberately performed, and
1 See Schmucker's Mental Philosophy, 3d ed., p. 74, for a minute dis
cussion of the sources of error.

68 OF NATURAL DEPRAVITY. ART. II.
such as resulted from culpable infirmity, precipitancy, or iguo-
rance; and also by the Romanists, erroneously, into venial and
mortal. The degree of guilt attending actual transgressions, varies ac
cording to the circumstances of the case. It is increased or
diminished according to the degree of our knowledge of the
divine law, and of the grounds of our obligation ; according to
our ability and faculties to yield obedience to its requisitions;
and according to the multitude of divine favors previously be
stowed on us. It is also augmented by voluntary exposure to
temptation. And now, when we reflect on the vast extent of criminality at
tached to our voluntary actions, and the baneful consequences
resulting from them, is it not evident that the guilt of every un
converted sinner is alarmingly great ? Has not even the believer
daily much reason for humiliation, on account of his want of
greater zeal and more extended usefulness ? Must he not exclaim
with the Psalmist : " Cast me not away from thy presence, 0
Lord ! and take not thy Holy Spirit from me !" whilst he acknow
ledges the blood of Christ as the only ground of his justification,
and unites with the redeemed in heaven in ascribing " blessing,
and honor, and glory, and power, unto Him that sitteth upon the
throne, and to the Lamb forever."
" Who are not born again by Baptism and the Holy
Spirit." John 3 : 5, 'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born
of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God.' The idea of Melanchthon, as already stated, may be learned
from his principal German edition of 1533, three years after he
penned the Latin, which we use in this work, which was presented
to the Diet in 1530. In this he says "condemneth those who are
not regenerated by baptism and faith in Christ, through the gospel
and the Holy Spirit," clearly evincing that he was speaking of
adults, who could understand the " gospel," and did not design to
convey the idea that the want of baptism in children would jeopard
their salvation. In regard to these, the article, however, clearly

NATURAL DEPRAVITY AND REGENERATION. 69
and justly inculcates baptism as one of those means which the
Spirit of God employs for the regeneration of the sinner. This is
evident even from the truths symbolically set forth by this ordi
nance, namely, the depravity of human nature, and the purifying
influences of the Holy Spirit. Baptism is therefore a means of
grace, not merely as a positive institution on account of its divine
appointment, but also by virtue of its perceptible moral aptitude,
as an impressive vehicle of divine truth, that grand and cardinal
means of grace into which all others can mediately or immediately
be resolved.
1 Peter 3 : 21. ' The like figure whereunto, even baptism, doth also
now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the
answer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of
Jesus Christ.'
John 3:5.' Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God.'
Acts 2 : 38. ' Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of
sins ; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.'
Mark 16 : 15. 'And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature. — 16. He that believeth and
is baptized, shall be saved ; but he that believeth not, shall be
damned.' 1 Peter 1 : 23. ' Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of
incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for
ever.' Rom. 1 : 16. ' For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for
it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth ; to
the Jew first, and also to the Greek.'
John 17 : 17. ' Sanctify them through thy truth : thy word is
truth.' Rom. 10 : 17. ' So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by
the word of God.'

70

OF THE SON OF GOD.

Art. III.

ARTICLE III.— OF THE SON OF GOD AND HIS
MEDIATORIAL WORK.

III. Of the Son oe God (and
His Mediatorial Work).
They lilcewise teach,
that the Word, that is, the
Son of God, assumed hu
man nature, in the womb
of tlie blessed1 Virgin
Mary, so that the two na
tures, human and divine,
inseparably united in one
person, constitute one
Christ, who is true God
and man, born of the Vir
gin Mary; who truly
suffered, was crucified,
died, and was buried, that
he might reconcile1 the Fa
ther to us, and be a sacri
fice not only for original
sin, but also for all the
actual sins of men. Like
wise that he descended in
to \]ielT\ and truly arose
on the third day; then
ascended to heaven, that
he might sit at the right
hand of the Father, might
perpetually reign over all

III. De Filio Dei.
Item docent, qudd Ver
bum, hoc est, Filius Dei,
assumserit humanam na-
iuram in utero bealm
Marice Virginia, ut sint
duce natures, divina et
humana, in unitate per
sonam inseparabiliter con-
junctce, unus Christus,
vere Deus et vere homo,
natus ex virgine Marid,
vere passus, crucifixus,
mortuus et sepultus, ut re-
conciliaret nobis Patrem,
et hostia esset non tantum
pro culpa originis, sed
etiam pro omnibus actu-
alibus hominum peccatis.
Idem descendit ad [infe
ros^, et verb resurrexit
tertia die, deinde ascendit
ad ccelos, ut sedeat ad
dexteram Patris, et per-
petub regnet et dominetur
omnibus creaturis, sanc
tified credentes in ipsum,

THE INCARNATION. 71
creatures, a?id might sane- 7nisso in coraa eorum
tify those icho believe in Spiritu Sancto, qui regat,
him, by sending into tlieir consoletur ac vivificet eos,
hearts the Holy Spirit, ac defendat adversus dia-
who governs, consoles, bolum, et vim peccati.
quickens, and defends Idem Christus palam est
them against the devil and rediturus, ut judicet vivos
the power of sin. The et mortuos, etc., juxta
same Christ ivill return Symbolum Apostolorum.
again openly, that lie may
judge the living and the
dead, See, according to
the Apostolic Creed.
1 German copy, " Keinen," pure.
3 German copy, " Gottes zorn versiihnete," appeased the wrath of God.

I. The Incarnation.
" The Word, or Son of God, assumed human na
ture." John 1:1. 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. — 14. And the Word was made
(oopl iyhcto) flesh, and dwelt among us.'
1 Tim. 3 : 16. 'And, without controversy, great is the mystery of
godliness: God was manifest in the flesh (lipavspw^ iv oap«), justified
in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on
in the world, received up into glory.'
Philip 2:6.' Who, being in the form of God, thought it not rob
bery to be equal with God. — 7. But made himself of no reputation,
and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men.'
Gal. 4:4.' But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent
forth his son, made of a woman (yevoncvo; ix yvmixos), made under
the law. — 5. To redeem them that were under the law, that we
might receive the adoption of sons.'

72 OF THE SON OF GOD. ART. III.
The act of incarnation is presented in different aspects in each
of these passages. The definition of Hollazius expresses the view
generally entertained. " Incarnation (says he) is that divine act
by which the Son of God assumed a human nature into the unity
of his own person, in the womb of his mother the Virgin Mary."

II. The Hypostatic Union.
" The two natures, human and divine, are insepa
rably united into one person, who is true God and man."
1 Tim. 2:5.' For there is one God, and one mediator between God
and men, the man Christ Jesus.'
Coloss. 2:9.' For in him (Christ, v. 8) dwelleth all the fulness of
the Godhead bodily.'
Acts 20: 28. ' Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the
flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed
the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.'
That the Saviour is true God, the Scriptures clearly teach.
Rom. 9:5.' Whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning
the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.'
Rom. 8:3.' For what the law could not do, in that it was weak
through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful
flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.'
Philip. 2 : 8. 'And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled
himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross. — 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given
him a name which is above every name. — 10. That at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and those in earth,
and those under the earth. — 11. And that every tongue should con
fess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.'
See also 1 John 1 : 1, 2 ; 4 : 2, 3 ; Gal. 4:4; Coloss. 2 : 9,
and other passages above cited.
This union of the two natures, human and divine, in the Saviour,
is termed his hypostatic or personal union. Its nature is myste
rious, and we know nothing of it beyond the specifications of reve
lation. From these it is evident that the union is such as to
form a just basis for the reciprocal ascription of attributes of either
nature to the one personal name or subject. An analogous em-

THE HYPOSTATIC UNION. 73
ployment of language is found in the usage of all nations, when
speaking of the two natures, bodily and intellectual, united in one
person in man. Thus, we say, man is mortal, man is immortal —
James eats and drinks, James thinks and studies. And this
seems to be the manner in which the inspired writers speak of the
two natures in the Saviour. This is the view of the subject taken
by Luther in the following passages, although at other times he
also presents other solutions : —
"If it should be objected, on the ground of reason, that the
Godhead cannot suffer nor die, you must answer, That is true ;
nevertheless, as the divinity and humanity in Christ constitute one
person, therefore the Scriptures, on account of this personal unity,
also attribute everything to the Deity which occurred to the hu
manity, and vice versa. This is moreover accordant with truth ;
for you must affirm that the person (Christ) suffers and dies.
Now the person is the true God, therefore it is proper to say, the
Son of God suffers. For although one part (if I may so speak),
namely, the Godhead does not suffer, still, the person, which is
God, suffers in its other part, that is, in its humanity (denn
obwohl das eine Stuck [dasz ich so rede] als die Gottheit nicht
leidet ; so leidet dennoch die Person, welche Gott ist, am andern
Sfriicke, als an der Menschheit). Thus we say, The king's son
has a sore, and yet it is only his leg that is affected; Solomon ^is
wise, and yet it is only his soul which possesses wisdom ; Absalom
is beautiful, and yet it was only his body that is referred to ; Peter
is gray, and yet it is only his head of which this is affirmed. For
as soul and body constitute but one person, everything which
happens either to the body or the soul, yea, even to the smallest
member of the body, is justly and properly attributed to the whole
person. This mode of expression is not peculiar to the Scrip
tures, but prevails throughout the world, and is also correct. Thus
the Son of God was in truth crucified for us, that is, the person
which is God; for this person, I say, was crucified according to
its humanity." — Luth. Works, Jena edit., vol. 3, p. 457.

74 v OF THE SON OF GOD. ART. III.
III. The Atonement.
"Who was crucified, died, fyc, that he might recon
cile the Father to us."
Of his sufferings and death upon the cross, for the sins of the
world, the entire narrative of the evangelists afford abundant
proof. See Matt. 27 ; Mark 15 ; Luke 23.
Matt. 20: 6. 'Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in
due time.'
Ephes. 2 : 16. 'And that he might reconcile both unto God in one
body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. — 17. And came
and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that
were nigh.'
1 Tim. 2 : 28. 'Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered
unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.'
Heb. 2:9.' But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than
the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour;
that he by the grace of 'God should taste death for every man' (wtep
rtavtoi, for every one).
Luther, in his larger Catechism, has given a graphic and popu
lar description of the helplessness of our condition by nature, and
the design of the Saviour's mission and death, which is well worthy
of attention. " When we had been created, and had received all
manner of blessings from the Father, the devil came and led us
into disobedience, sin, death, and all misfortune ; so that we lay
under the divine wrath and displeasure, condemned to eternal
damnation, as our conduct had merited. In this condition no
counsel, help or consolatio'n could be found, until this only and
eternal Son of God, out of unfathomable goodness, compassionated
our misery and distress, and came from heaven for our relief.
Now all those tyrants and jailors (stockmeister) are banished, and
their place is occupied by Jesus Christ, the Lord of life, of right- .
eousness, of every blessing, and of salvation ; who has rescued us
poor, lost men from the jaws of hell, restored us to the favor and
grace of the Father, and taken us under his protection and
defence as his own, tbat he might govern us by his righteous
ness, wisdom, power, life, and salvation."— Muller's Sym. B.,
p. 453.

ATONEMENT. 75
How well this wonderful plan of divine love is calculated to
move the heart even of the unlettered heathen, is seen from the
following touching incident of missionary experience :
" Mr. Nott, missionary in the South Sea Islands, was on one
occasion reading a portion of the gospel of John to a number of
the natives. When he had finished the sixteenth verse of the
third chapter, a native, who had listened with avidity and joy to
the words, interrupted him, and said : ' What words were those
you read ? What sounds were those I heard ? Let me hear those,.
words again !' Mr. Nott read again the verse, 'God so loved,' &c,
when the native rose from his seat, and said : ' Is that true ? Can
that be true ? God love the world, when the world not love him !
God so love the world, as to give his Son to die that man might
not die ! Can that be true ?•' Mr. Nott again read the verse,
' God so loved the world,' &c, told him it was true, and that it
was the message God had sent to them ; and that whosoever be
lieved in him should not perish, but be happy after death. The
overwhelming feelings of the wondering native were too powerful
for expression or restraint. He burst into tears, and as these
chased each other down his countenance, he retired to meditate in
private on the amazing love of God which had that day touched
his soul. There is every reason to believe he afterwards enjoyed
the peace and happiness resulting from the love of God shed abroad
in his heart."
In more systematic terms, the distinguished Calovius thus de
scribes the work of Redemption : " For the benefit of man, cor
rupted by sin and condemned by the law, God appointed his Son
to become incarnate and be a Saviour of the human race, that he
might redeem us from sin and condemnation, and restore to us
righteousness and eternal life."
And Buddeus says : " Not only did Christ atone for our sins
by his passion and death, but also throughout his whole life ful
filled the requisitions of the divine law in our stead. Thus he
made satisfaction for us, not only by appeasing our offended God
by a sacrifice of infinite value, but also by performing everything
that could be demanded by divine justice, which had been offended
in an infinite degree by the sins of men. Thus also all obligation
to punishment ceased, and was at once removed ; and God, thus

76 OF THE SON OF GOD. ART. III.
reconciled, was prepared to forgive all the sins they have com
mitted, provided they embrace the merits of Christ by a true faith,
and to receive them into the number of his children." — Dogm.
p. 815.
Dr. J. G. Schmucker: "Of the evil of sin we cannot form too
elevated a conception. Sin is an infinite evil in the creation of
God, because it is committed against an infinitely great and glo
rious Being. In its nature it is high treason against the entire
monarchy of God in heaven and on earth. It is an injury done to
all the faithful subjects of God; because it does violence to his law,
it assails the peace and security of his government, introduces
confusion and ruin, and would destroy the happiness of all his
subjects, if he did not take measures to prevent its natural effects.
If a poison could be found so virulent that if a drop of it were cast
into the ocean, all the oceans and seas of our globe would become
so much affected that every living creature in them would die, that
poison would indeed be indescribably virulent, but still it would
be far less malignant than sin ! For if God could commit a single
sin, he would cease to be God. Behold a spark of fire — how large
a forest can it not set on fire ! Can it not envelope an entire city
in flames! What fearful effects were not produced in heaven
and on earth by the few words, with which Judas betrayed
Christ ! Such great consequences often flow from little sins !
What dreadful and powerful effects were not entailed on the
entire human race by the single act of disobedience of our first
parents !" '
The divines of our church, especially those of former centuries,
were wont to represent sin as involving infinite guilt ; * but also
considered the satisfaction of the Saviour as God-man (£«M$purtos)
as of infinite value. To this view of the infinite demerit of sin,
great prominence is given in the Puritan Theology of New Eng
land ; and although the attempt of finite minds to comprehend an
infinite evil, can never be fully successful, yet the very effort tends
to confer depth and spiritual power on our views of the plan of
salvation and of practical religion. If it be objected, does not
Eliphas reproach Job (22 : 5,) in these words : " Is not thy wick-
1 See Wiichterstimme an Zionskinder, p. 27.
"Gerhard iii., p. 302. Buddeus, p. 815.

DIFFERENT VIEWS OF THE ATONEMENT. 77
edness great, and thine iniquities infinite?" we reply, the word
'infinite" is not in the Hebrew, where the phrase Yp |'N(
without end, is employed, popularly and not with theological pre
cision. "And be a sacrifice, not only for original sin, but
for all the actual sins of men." This sacrifice was a vica
rious one, was performed in the sinner's stead:
Isaiah 53 : 4-6. ' Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our
sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his
stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the
iniquity of us all.'
1 John 2 : 2. 'And he is the propitiation for our sins : and not for
ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.'
2 Cor. 5 : 21. ' For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no
sin ; that we might be made the rightebusness of God in him.'
Titus 2: 14. 'Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us
from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous
of good works.'
1 John 1:7. ' But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, w,e
have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanseth us from all sin.'
The manner in which, and the degree to which, the merits
of Christ change our relations to God and his law,, have been va
riously viewed by different persons (the modus operandi of the
atonement). a) The first view is that which confines the work of Christ chiefly
to his sufferings, and regards them as a governmental transaction,
as an abstract display of the divine indignation at sin, in order to
prevent the law from being dishonoured, although its penalties
should not be inflicted on all transgressors.
This system regards man as by nature (morally) incapable of
attaining salvation, without the special influence of God, and
maintains that this special influence is denied to all except a cer
tain number, whom God determined infallibly to save. This is,
in substance, the view usually denominated Hopkinsian : although
7*

78 OF THE SON OF GOD. Art. HI.
it constituted but a small part of the doctrinal peculiarities desig
nated by that term, and is received by many who reject its other
concomitants. 6) The work of Christ has been regarded by some as an actual
vicarious endurance of all the punishment which would have been
inflicted throughout eternity on a certain portion of the human
family, whom, they supposed, God had determined infallibly to
save, and as the price of their actual and infallible salvation. This
system admits that all men are by nature (morally) incapable of
attaining salvation without a special influence of God, and main
tains that this special influence is withheld from all except this se
lect portion. This is what, with various modifications, is termed the
old Calvinistic view of the atonement.
c) Others regard the work of Christ, as the actual vicarious pay
ment of the penal debt, and purchase of the title to heaven, for all
the members of the human .family, to be offered to them on condi
tions made possible by divine grace, to all who hear the gospel.
Or by a slight modification of the same view,
The work of Christ may be regarded as the vicarious endurance
of incalculable suffering and the exhibition of perfect righteous
ness, by which full atonement was made and salvation purchased
for the whole world, to be offered to them on conditions made pos
sible by divine grace to all who hear the gospel. This may properly
be termed the Lutheran view of the atonement.
The only difference between the two aspects of this view relates
to the duration, kind, and relations of the Saviour's sufferings.
They were not the same as those of the sinner would have been
in duration ; for they were not eternal : nor in kind, for the Son
of God suffered no remorse of conscience, was tormented by no
sense of personal guilt : nor could the atonement be the literal pay
ment of the debt ; else when once discharged by the Saviour, the
sinner might by right claim exemption from punishment and ad
mission to heaven, regardless of his moral qualifications, for a debt
once paid cannot again be demanded. Moreover, crime is a per
sonal act, and cannot, like a pecuniary debt, be transferred or lite
rally imputed to another.
This system (the Lutheran) regards man as incapable of per
forming the conditions of salvation prescribed in the gospel (re-

THE sinner's ability. 79
pentance and faith) without the gracious aid of God; but main
tains, that this necessary aid consists in means of grace and inva
riably accompanying influences of the Holy Spirit, for the sincere
(not perfect) use of which all men possess the entire ability (phy
sical and intellectual), and the sincere and persevering use of which
is always, sooner or later, made effectual to the accomplishment
of the above conditions of salvation. If, notwithstanding the
drawings of the Father by his Spirit, his word and his providence,
the sinner still continues to pursue his course of iniquity, it can
no longer be said of him, "he cannot come unto Jesus;" but the
language of the Saviour more accurately describes his case, when
he said to the Jews, " ye will not come unto me, that ye might
have life."
The principal seat of this inability in the natural man, to per
form the conditions of salvation in his own strength, seems to be
seated in the state of his affections. These are under the inordi
nate influence of self-love, degenerated into selfishness, whose
gratification is pursued in violation of the fitness of things, of
right. That a diminution of the cognitive and active powers of
the soul is also included in our natural depravity, admits of no
doubt. Yet if the affections of our hearts were supremely fixed
on God, and the self-love of our nature were subordinated to a
reverence for the divine will, for the fitness of things, the action
of these diminished powers would still be acceptable to our
Supreme Ruler and Judge, if they were employed in earnest
efforts for the discharge of dut}r, by a sincere use of the means
of grace. If we suppose the cognitive and active powers of an
angel reduced to the level of humanity, but his affections and
regard for the divine law to be unchanged, his obedience would
doubtless be accepted by his God, for his moral character would be
unchanged. Baxter appears to have entertained this last or Lutheran view
of the atonement so far as its nature and extent are concerned;
although he differs entirely as to the fact, that these conditions are
made possible by divine grace to all who hear the gospel. He
says : "All mankind, immediately upon Christ's satisfaction, are
redeemed and delivered from that legal necessity of perishing
which they were under  "

gO OF THE SON OF GOD. ART. III.
" By this law, testament, or covenant, all men are conditionally
pardoned, justified, and reconciled to God already, and no man
absolutely ; nor doth it make a difference, nor take notice of any,
till men's performance or non-performance of the condition makes
a difference." " In the new law, Christ hath truly given himself with a condi
tional pardon, justification, and conditional right to salvation, to
all men in the world without exception."
" The doctrine which denieth the universal satisfaction, either
denieth that God commandeth" the non-elect " to believe, or else
maketh God to assign them a deceiving object for their faith, com
manding them to believe in that which never was, and to trust in
that which would deceive them if they did trust it."
" It maketh the true and righteous God to make promises of
pardon and salvation to all men on condition of believing, which
he neither would nor could perform (for want of such satisfaction
to his justice), if they did believe." '

IV. Descent of Christ into the Spirit-world.
"Descended to hell, or hades."
Acts 2 : 27. ' Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (g!8ou,
hades, the place of departed spirits, the spirit-world), neither wilt
thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.'
1 Pet. 3 : 19. ' By which also he went and preached unto the spirits
in prison; — 20. Which sometime were disobedient, when once the
long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was
a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water.'
This sentence, relative to the descent of Christ into hades, was
not found in the earliest copies of the so-called Apostles' Creed,
from the later copies of which it is taken. Considerable diversity
of opinion also prevails as to the doctrine taught in it, as the in
spired record is not entirely distinct on the subject.
Hollazius : " The descent of Christ to the lower regions, is that
real, true and supernatural act, by which he, having burst the
bonds of death, and returned to life, went in his entire person to
1 Baxter's Universal Redemption, t>. 36, &c.

RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 81
hell, and showed himself as conqueror over death to the wicked
spirits and accursed men."
Reinhardt, after a full discussion of the different opinions, en
tertained in the several ages of the Church, and proof abundant
that many divines have endeavoured to be wise above what is
written on this topic in the sacred volume, sums up all that it
teaches on it, in the following definition : " It is that act of the
spirit of Christ, when separated from the body, by which he an
nounced something, not revealed in Scripture, to the spirits of
those who perished in the flood." — See Reinhard's Dog. pp. 383
—386, 5th ed.
Dr. Mosheim says : " I confess that this dogma is a theological
problem, which has no connexion with the foundation of the faith,
and which admits of controversy on either side. Luther spoke
indefinitely on this topic, and with much moderation, although he
believed that Christ broke the power of the devil; yet he was
unwilling to say much on this subject." — Elem. Theol. Dog. vol.
ii. p. 155—156. V. Resurrection of Christ.
"He arose on the third day." — Melanchthon: "Christ
resuscitated the fathers, and preached to the spirits who were in
prison." — Enarrat. in Ev. Joh. c. 19.
Storr : " Jesus would not have preached the glad tidings
(ivtryysilefyr, 1 Pet. 4 : 6,) of his death and resurrection to the souls
that were saved (ivfiaa*§, in the place of keeping,) who repented at
the commencement of the flood, if these events had had no re
ference to them, if they had not belonged to the aSweots (the unjust,
v. 18,) for whom he died." — Storr on the Heb. p. 524.
Matt. 28 : 6. ' He is not here ; for he is risen, as he said. Come,
see the place where the Lord lay.'
Luke 24 : 39. Behold my hands- and my feet, that it is I myself:
handle me, and see ; for a spirit hath not flesh and hones, as ye see
me -have.'
Acts 10 : 40. ' Him God raised up the third day, and showed
him openly; — 41. Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen
before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he
rose from the dead.'

82 OF THE SON OF GOD. ART. III.
On the design of the resurrection Hollazius remarks, " Christ
arose for the purpose of manifesting the victory which he had
achieved over death and the devil, and of offering and applying
to all men the fruits of his passion and death."
VI. The Ascension of Christ.
"He ascended to heaven, to reign over all creatures
and sanctify believers."
Acts 1 : 9. 'And when he had spoken these things, while they be
held, he was taken up ; and a cloud received him out of their sight.'
Acts 3 : 20. 'And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was
preached'unto you : — 21. Whom the heaven must receive until the times
of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of
all his holy prophets, since the world began.'
Also Mark 16 : 19.
As the locality of heaven is unknown, and the expressions, up
and down, ascending and descending, are relative terms, meaning
to or from our earth, Dr. Reinhard defines the ascension of the
Saviour, to be " that change, by which Christ departed from this
earth to that august place, which the Scriptures denominate
heaven." Neither can his being " seated at the right hand of God," be
regarded as a local indication of his residence ; but it is manifestly
designed to express the participation of the $cav§puntos, the incar
nate Logos, in the universal government of all things.
He sanctifies his saints, by the instrumentality of his preached
and written Word, by " sending his Spirit into their hearts, crying
Abba, Father." Gal. 4:6; Ephes. 4:6.
VII. The Final Judgment.
"He will return to judge the quick and the dead"
Acts 17 : 31. 'Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he
will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath
ordained ; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that ha
hath raised him from the dead.'
Acts 10 : 42. 'And he commanded us to preach unto the people,
and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge
of quick and dead.'

OF JUSTIFICATION.

83

See also Matt. 25 : 26-29 ; John 5 : 26-29 ; 2 Cor. 5 : 10 ;
Phil. 3 : 20.
This return to judgment the Scriptures represent as a visible
and glorious one, taking place in the clouds of heaven, accompanied
by hosts of angels, and the resurrection of the dead. This literal
view of the final judgment is found in all the orthodox systems
of our church, although some of our best divines, such as Rein-
hard, Storr, Morus, &c, suppose that not all the circumstances in
the New Testament delineations of these scenes, such as opening
the books, Rev. 20 : 12, are to be understood literally.

ARTICLE IV.— OF JUSTIFICATION.

IV. Op Justification.
They in like manner
teach, that men cannot be
justified before God by
their own strength, merits,
or works; but that they
are justified gratuitously
for Christ's sake, through
faith; when they believe,
that they are received into
favour, and that their
sins are remitted on ac
count of Christ, who made
satisfaction for our trans
gressions by his death.
This faith God imputes to
us as righteousness. Rom.
3&4. "

IV. De Justification.
Idem docent, quod ho
mines non possint justifi-
cari coram Deo propriis
viribus, meritis aut cperi-
bus, sed gratis justificentur
propter Christum per fi
dem, cum credunt se in
gratiam recipi, et peccata
remitti propter Christum,
qui sua morte pro nostris
peccatis satisfecit. Hanc
fidem imputat Deus pro
juslitia coram ipso. Kom.
3&4.

84

OF JUSTIFICATION. ART. IV.

I. Nature and Ground of Justification.
"Men cannot be justified by their own strength,
merits, or works."
Rom. 3:9. 'What then? are we better than they? No, in no
wise : for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they
are all under sin : — 10. As it is written, There is none righteous, no,
not one : — 19. Now we know, that what things soever the law saith,
it saith to them who are under the law ; that every mouth may be
stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.— 20.
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in
his Bight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. — 23. For all have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God.'
Rom. 8:7.' Because the carnal mind is enmity against God ; for
it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. — 8. So
then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
In order that a work may be good in the sight of God, it must
perfectly conform to the absolutely pure requisitions of his, law, in
motive as well as external form. But where is the individual
whose heart always glows with ardent love to God, and all whose
actions flow from a supreme regard to the divine glory ? Well has
the apostle said, "There is none righteous, no, not one." But if
the penitent and believing sinner were even able to yield such a
perfect obedience, it would be no more than the law requires of
him, for every passing hour and moment he would be doing no
more than his duty, and how could present obedience cancel past
sins ? He could perform no works of supererogation to compensate
for his former delinquencies. Every mouth must therefore be
stopped, and all the world acknowledge itself guilty before God.
" They are justified gratuitously for Christ s sake?'
Ephes. 2:8.' For by grace are ye saved through faith ; and that not
of yourselves ; it is the gift of God : — 9. Not of works, lest any man
should boast.'
Acts 4 : 12. ' Neither is there salvation in any other : for there is
none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must
be saved.'
Rom. 3 : 24. ' Being justified freely (Scopcav, gratuitously) by his
grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.'

CONDITION OF JUSTIFICATION. 85
II. Faith the Condition of Justification.
" Tlirough faith in Christ and his satisfaction and
death." Gal. 2 : 16. ' Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of
the law, but by the faith of Jesus Chrst, even we have believed in
Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and
not by the works of the law : for by the works of the law shall no
flesh be justified.'
Rom. 5:1. ' Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ.'
The faith here referred to, is not a mere historical faith, or
intellectual belief of the incidents of the Saviour's sufferings and
death ; which may and often does co-exist with a life of voluntary
Bin, and is in Scripture termed a " dead faith," not being produc
tive of good works. The faith intended is a true and " living"
faith, that is found only in a spiritually enlightened and evangeli
cally penitent sinner, that faith which works by love, and purifies
the heart, and overcomes the world. Justifying faith may there
fore be defined to be " that voluntary act of the illuminated and
evangelically penitent sinner, by which he confides in the mercy of
God through Christ for salvation, on the terms offered in the
gospel." — Popular Theology, p. 197, 5th edition.
" This faith God imputes to us as righteousness."
Gen. 15 : 6. 'And he (Abraham) believed in the Lord, (H2B'in''''l
!"lD"T!f 17) and ne accounted it to him for righteousness.'
I t t :
Rom. 4:5.' But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him
that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.'
Melanchthon : " Justification signifies remission of sins, or
acceptance of our persons to eternal life."
Gerhard : " Justification is that act of God, by which through
mere grace, on account of the satisfaction of Christ, and without
any works or merits of his own, he pardons the transgressions of
the sinner who believes in Christ, imputes to him the righteous
ness of Christ, and receives him to eternal life."
Reinhard: "Justification is the decree of God, for the sake
of Christ, to remit the punishment of sins, and to bestow true
happiness on the sinner."

86 OF JUSTIFICATION. ART. IV.
Mosheim: "Justification is that act of God, the Judge, by
which man who by faith appropriates to himself the satisfaction
of Christ, is released from all guilt and punishment, and declared
worthy of the divine favor and of glory."
To these definitions we may add the following, from the. Popular
Theology, p. 169. "Justification is that judicial act of God by
which a believing sinner, in consideration of the merits of Christ,
is released from the penalty of the law, and declared to be entitled
lo heaven." III. The Effects of Justification.
The effects of justification are 1) Adoption into the family of
Christ or sonship with him, John 1 : 12. Rom. 8 : 14. 2) Union
with God, John 15 : 4-6. 14 : 2, 3. 3) Peace of conscience,
Rom. 5:1. 4) Certain audience for our prayers. Rom. 5 : 32.
James 1 : 5-7. 5) Sanctification, Rom. 6 : 12. Eternal life.
— Schmidts Dog. der Luth. Kirche, p. 352.
The friends of evangelical piety cannot fail to be both edified
and delighted with the following excellent practical delineation
of the plan of salvation, and the dealings of God's Spirit in pre
paring the sinner for justification, from the pen of the patriarch
Muhlenberg. Describing the character of a Christian recently deceased, he
observes, " He was born of Evangelical parents in Germany, and
baptized, trained, instructed and confirmed in the Evangelical
church. — Ten years ago he came to this country with his family,
and took up his residence in New Providence. He had fully com
prehended and retained the precious, saving and sufficient Evan
gelical doctrines of the catechism in which he was instructed, and
in this country also, neglected no opportunity of hearing anything
good. He paid attention to the principal contents of every dis
course, and on returning home, 'searched the Scriptures to see
whether these things were so.' He thus gradually became con
vinced, that the mere name of Lutheran, is not sufficient for
salvation ; but that a radical change of heart and a living faith
are necessary, according to the Evangelical doctrines ; and that
such Evangelical Christians must be known by their fruits. The
first, thing which the Spirit graciously wrought in his soul through

EFFECTS OF JUSTIFICATION. 87
the word, was a radical knowledge of his own unfathomable de
pravity. He obtained eyes, that he could see into the past, the
present, and the future. His own righteousness appeared to him
as filthy rags, offensive and useless. The account to be rendered
of his past sins was formidable, his present inability to aid and
atone for himself was great, and the prospect of the future was
fearful in his eyes. As the Spirit of God had commenced the
good work in his soul, he did not stop at this first conviction ; but
finding him faithful, also revealed to him the entrance into the
holiest through the blood of Jesus. He thus led him into the
new and living way, and gave him boldness to draw near to the
throne of grace with a true heart, with assurance of faith, so that
by faith he could regard himself as having his heart sprinkled
from an evil conscience, and his body washed with pure water.
Heb. 10 : 19—22. As he was now in this manner justified by
faith, he had peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and
by him acquired access by faith into this grace, to be renewed and
purified day by day."— Hall. Nach. p. 607, 608.
From this state of justification the believer cannot fall,1 save by
deliberate and wilful abandonment of the path of Christian duty.
This is another glorious feature of the gospel scheme of salvation.
Notwithstanding the numberless frailties and infirmities which
mingle with our best services, the Lord will not cast us off.
Though we are surrounded by temptations and trials, which con
stitute necessary ingredients in our state of probation ; yet shall
we not be tempted above our strength, yet shall nothing, neither
tribulation nor distress, nor persecution, nor famine, nor naked
ness, nor peril, nor the sword, nor death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, be able to separate
us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. In
short, nothing can eject us from a state of justification, but a de
liberate, wilful act of our own, by which we renounce our allegiance
to the Saviour, and are no longer willing to accept mercy on the
terms of the gospel.
* 2 Pet. 1: 10, 11. 'Wherefore, brethren, give diligence to make your
calling and election sure : for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall;
for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the ever
lasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.'

88 OF THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE. ART. V.
That such deliberate transgressions, however, as bring the sinner
into a state in which it is morally impossible that he should be
saved, cannot leave him in a state of justification, seems almost
self-evident. Is Paul warning the Corinthians ' against impossi
bilities, when he says to them : " Wherefore, let him that thinketh
he standeth, take heed lest he fall?" and the Romans2 when he
said, " thou standest by faith ; yet be not high-minded, but fear 1"
Was Peter in a state of justification at that instant when he volun
tarily denied his Lord ? or David in the moments of his unclean-
ness and guilt ? It cannot be. These works of sin are incom
patible with the existence of a living faith, and living faith is
essential to justification. The truth on this subject is more
definitely stated by the prophet Ezekiel. (18 : 24.) "When the
righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth
iniquity, shall he live ? All his righteousness that he hath done,
shall not be mentioned ; in the trespass that he hath trespassed,
and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die."
Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.

ARTICLE V.— OF THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE.
V. Of the Ministerial Office V. De Ministeeio Eccles.
(and Means of Grace.)
In order that we may Utha.no fidem consequa-
obtain this faith, the min- mur, institutum est min
isterial office has been in- isterium docendi Evan-
stituted, whose members gelii et porrigendi sacra-
are to teach the gospel, and menta. Nam per verbum
administer the sacraments, et sacramenta, tanquam
For through the . instru- per instrumenta donatur
mentality of the word and Spiritus Sanctus, qui fi-
sacraments, as means of dem efficit ubi et quando
grace, the Holy Spirit is visum est Deo, in iis, qui
• 1 Cor. 10 : 12. ¦ R0m- n . 20.

ITS DIVINE INSTITUTION.

89

given, who, in his own
time and place, [or, more
literally, when and where
it pleases God) produces
faith in those who hear
the gospel message, name
ly, that God, for Christ's
sake, and not on account
of any merit in us, justi
fies those who believe that
on account of Christ they
are received into {the di
vine) favor.
They condemn the Ana
baptists and others, who
suppose that the Holy
Spirit is given to men by
their own preparations1
and works, without the
external word.

audiunt Evangelium, sci
licet, qudd Deus non prop
ter nostra merita, sed prop
ter Christum justified hos,
qui credunt se propter
Christum in gratiam re-
cipi.

Damnant Anabaptistas,
et alios, qui sentiunt Spi
ritum Sanctum contingere
sine verbo externo homi-
nibusper ipsorwm prcepa-
rationes et opera.

1 German copy adds " Gedanken, thoughts."
I. Ministerial Office — Its Divine Institution?
"The ministerial office has been instituted!' The
divine institution of this office as well as the mode of its perpetua
tion, are evident from the New Testament.
1) The twelve apostles and seventy disciples Christ employed
as miraculous teachers under his immediate direction, the former
to attend his instructions during his lifetime, as witnesses of his
life, death and resurrection, and to prepare the way for the foun
dation of the church under the new dispensation after the descent
of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. That these were divinely

90 OF THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE. ART. V.
appointed is undeniable, for they received their commission from
the Saviour himself. That their office was limited to that age is
certain, for they had to be persons who were eye-witnesses of the
Saviour's history. Acts 1 : 23.
2) The final Commission of Christ to his disciples, though
given before the organization of the Christian church under the
New Testament dispensation, was, as is evident from its terms,
designed for all future ages, and is the grand warrant for the per
petuation of the Christian ministry until " all nations, have been
made disciples," yea, " until the end of the world."
Matt. 28 : 19, 20. ' Go ye therefore and teaeh (uogrriilEvtsnts, make
disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe
all things whatsoever I have commanded you : and lo, I am with you
always, even unto the end of the world.' See also Mark 16 : 16.
3) After the Saviour had ascended to the Father, and the apos
tles and disciples to the number of one hundred and twenty were
" continuing with one accord in prayer in an upper room of Jeru
salem," Peter suggested the propriety of filling the vacancy caused
by the treachery of Iscariot ; and how did they proceed in this first
instance of appointing a new minister, and that an apostle too?
Let the inspired narrative inform us.
Acts 1 : 21. 'Wherefore (said Peter, v. 15,) of these men which
have companied with us, all the time that the Lord Jesus went in
and out among us, — 22. Beginning from the baptism of John, unto
that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained
to be a witness with us of his resurrection. — 23. And they (the
eleven) appointed (nominated) two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was
Burnamed Justus, and Matthias. — 24. And they (the eleven) prayed,
and said, Thou Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show
whether of these two thou hast chosen, — 25. That he may take part
of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression
fell, that he might go to his own place. — 26. And they (the disciples
and apostles, v. 15,) gave forth their lots (or votes) : and the lot fell
upon Matthias ; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.'
That is, the existing eleven nominated two candidates, and the
hundred and twenty disciples, probably including the eleven,
elected. Had Luke, by the pronoun " they," in v. 26, meant the
eleven, he would not have closed his sentence by adding immedi-

ELECTIVE RIGHT OF THE CHURCH. 91
ately afterwards, that Matthias was numbered with the " eleven
apostles ;" but would have said was numbered with them. More
over, if the idea of Luke had been, that the eleven not only first
appointed two candidates, Justus and Matthias, but that they
alone also acted as electors to choose one of the two; no satisfac
tory reason appears for this double election. Why not choose one
at once, instead of first choosing two, and then again selecting one
of them, if the same persons were to perform both acts? But if,
as we suppose, the eleven selected two candidates, and the whole
body of disciples, including the eleven, elected one of them, the
whole narrative is appropriate and natural.
Here then it appears, that the mournful defection of Judas,
was supplied by the direction and co-operation of the inspired
apostles, and that the election of Matthias was participated in by
the whole church.
4) The apostle Paul not only expressly commands his son
Timothy, to instruct other suitable men for the work ; but also
specifies to him and Titus, the qualifications requisite for the holy
office. 2 Tim. 2 : 2. 'The things which thou hast heard of me among
many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be
able to teach others also.'
Tit. 1 : 5. 'For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest
set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain (or rather ap
point, xataBtfjarif,') elders (that is, ministers,) in every city, as I had
appointed (sot Sista^ajiTjvs, as I have directed,) thee.
II. Right of each local Church to Elect or Constitute its
own Pastor.
That each church or congregation of believers, had the right to
elect or constitute its own pastor, who was ordinarily chosen from
its own members, appears evident :
1) From the election of Matthias to the apostleship, the highest
ministerial office, by the people or church-members. (See above.)
And if the highest, certainly also the lower ministers.
2) From the practice of Paul and Barnabas (Acts 14 : 23),
' Vulgate, consliluas ; Luther, besetzen die St'adte mil; iiltesten ; Stoltz
and De Wette, in jeder Stadt einsetzen.

92 OF THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE. ART. V.
who preached in different cities, confirming the souls of the disci
ples, and " ordained" (zi*poiovt;ciowt£s, elected by the raising of the
hands) elders (preachers) in every church.
Acts 14 : 23. 'And when they had ordained (i. e., elected) them
elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they com
mended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.'
The term here translated " ordained" is zsipotovrjawiitts (com
pounded of two Greek words, x^p, hand, and rtira, to lift), and
literally signifies handlifting, electing by the lifting up of the
hands of the assembly. This is the sense given it by our English
version in 2 Cor. 8 : 19, where it is rendered " chosen" by the
churches. Schleusner gives, as the first signification of the word,
to stretch forth the hand, and adds, as it was the custom of the
ancients for assemblies to vote by extending the hand, the word
signifies to elect by raising the hands. Yet he translates this
passage differently. This custom is described by Xenophon's Anab.,
III., 3, 22, km Step Soxel ta,vTia, avattwdta tr/v a;£tpa. 'Avi-tuvov
artavtE;. Wahl (Lexic.) renders the word to vote by holding up
the hands. Doddridge ably contends that the Greek word here
employed denotes that the elders were elected by a vote of the
several Christian assemblies or churches, over which they were
constituted pastors. This was also the opinion of Erasmus, Luther,
Melanchthon, Calvin, Beza, &c. The Lutheran divines of the
sixteenth century generally maintained the primitive right of the
whole congregation of believers to elect or constitute their pastor.
In the Appendix to the Smalcald Articles, § 70-72, we read :
" This is also evident from the common practice of the churches,
because, formerly the people elected the preachers and bishops ;
then came the bishop of the same or a neighboring place, and
confirmed the bishop elect, by the imposition of hands ; and at
that time ordination was nothing else than such a confirmation
(Best'atigung, Latin original, comprobatio, ' approbation)." —
" Hence it is evident that the church has power to elect and
ordain her officers. Therefore, if the bishops are either heretics,
or will not ordain qualified persons, it is the sacred duty of the
church, by divine right, to ordain ministers and church officers for

DUTIES OF MINISTERS. 93
themselves." * And, says Luther, " Wherever the preaohing of
the gospel is sustained, there is certainly the Christian church
and the kingdom of Christ, no matter how small be the cluster of
its professors."
This view of the subject is moreover confirmed by the testimony
of the earliest writers of the Christian church.
Clemens, of Alexandria, the earliest and best authenticated
among the Apostolic fathers, affirms that the Apostles set apart
suitable persons to the ministerial office " with the consent of the
whole church." — 1 Epist. to Cor., ch. 19.
Origen, of the third century, represents elders, that is, minis
ters, as " chosen to their office " by the churches to which they
were ministers. — Contra Celsum, last Book.
Dr. Mosheim, describing the Church of the second century,
says : " One president or bishop presided over each church, who
was created by the common suffrage of the whole people." — Vol.
I., p. 116, Murdochs ed.
Dr. Neander proves the same fact.

HI. Duties of Ministers.
" Ministers are to teach the gospel and administer
the sacraments."— Mark 16 : 15, 16. 'And he said unto them,
Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.'
Matt. 28 : 19. ' Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have com
manded you,' &c. Also, Acts 20: 28.
Acts 28 : 28. ' Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock over
which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of
God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.'
1 Hieraus sieht man dass die Kirche Macht hat Kirchendiener (Latin
original, ministros) zu w'dhlen und ordiniren. Darum wenn die Bischoffe
entweder Ketzer sind, oder tiichtige Personen nicht wollen ordiniren,
sind die Kirchen vor Gott, nach gottlichem Recht, schuldig ihnen selbst
Pfarrherrn und Kirchendiener zu ordiniren. See also Apology to Conf.,
Art. xiii., (S 12.
See likewise proof of the same fact in Neander's History, and Gieseler,
p. 158, note 4, of Vol. I. And Smalc. Art., p. 341, of Miiller's ed.

94 OF THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE. ART. V.
Acts 20 : 20. 'And how I kept back nothing that was profitable
unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and
from house to house.'
2 Tim. 4:5.' But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do
the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.'
Ezekiel 3:11. ' Go, and speak unto them, and tell them, thus
saith the Lord God, whether they will hear, or whether they will
forbear.' Acts 20 : 27. ' For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the
counsel of God.'
2 Cor. 5 : 20. ' Now then we are ambassadors for Christ ; as
though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be
ye reconciled to God.'
2 Tim. 2: 15. ' Study to show thyself approved unto God, a work
man that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth.' 2 Tim. 4:2.' Preach the word ; be instant in season, out of sea
son; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine.'
Acts 4 : 18. 'And they called them, and commanded them not to
speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus. — 19. But Peter and
John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight
of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.'
Acts 18 : 9. ' Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision,
Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace : — 10. For I am
with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee ; for I have
much people in this city.'
Ministers must also perform all pastoral duties, and especially
the catechetical instruction of the young.
After many years of experience and observation, we regard this
peculiarity of the Lutheran church as one of her moral glories •
and we trust no Lutheran minister will be found disparaging it.
But on this subject we will let our earlier fathers speak for them
selves. Says Rev. Mr. Brunnholtz, of Philadelphia, in 1752, " I
find that my catechetical instructions of the young, which I have
from the beginning conducted in the church (to which I have
added another exclusively for children, on Friday, at my resi
dence), has excited a greater interest, not only in the youth, but
also amongst others, than could be done by preaching alone;
because the people are better able to understand instruction in
question and answer, than a didactic discourse. These Sunday

MUHLENBERG ON PREACHING. 95
afternoon exercises are almost as numerously attended as the dis
courses of the morning." '
Of the faithful manner in which Dr. Muhlenberg himself con
ducted the course of instruction preparatory to confirmation, let us
hear his own testimony. " In the month of November, I confirmed
and admitted to the Lord's Supper, the young people whom I had
instructed in New Hanover. They were twenty-six in number,
chiefly adults, one of whom was a married man. They had com
mitted to memory the questions on the plan of salvation with con
siderably accuracy. I labored earnestly to impress them with the
proper import of what they learned, and without ceasing, admon
ished them to frequent prayer, and to reduce to practice the
instructions they had received. They cannot therefore plead as
an excuse before God, that they have not been sufficiently im
pressed and urged. The major part of them have also assured me
in the individual communications I had with them, that they have
often been upon their knees in private prayer at home, and have
experienced in their souls the operative irifluence of the Spirit of
God, through his word. At their confirmation, they renewed
their baptismal vows, amid many tears, upon their knees, before
God and the congregation." 2 Such was their instruction, and
thus conducted, it can never fail to eventuate in blessing. As to
the proper mode of preaching, the reader cannot fail to be inter
ested as well as profited by the advice of the same devoted steward
of Christ, Dr. Muhlenberg : " In our discourses, we ought to make
no ostentatious display of learning, but study simplicity ; we should
neither strike into, the air, nor employ low and vulgar expressions,
not introduce too much matter into a sermon, but discuss the sub
ject fully, and apply it to the heart. Our sermons should not be
dry, but practical. Religion should be presented, not as a burden,
but as a pleasure. Avoid personalities. Let personal difficulties
be settled in your pastoral visits. The elenchus must not be ne
glected. Present your thesis rightly ; neglect not the antithesis.
As our members are resident among all kinds of hostile errorists,
controversies cannot be avoided, yet you should not mention
names. Carefully inquire into the spiritual condition of the mem-
1 Hallische Nachrichten, p. 305. s Ibid. p. 340.

96 OF THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE. ART. V.
bers of the church, and let it serve as a homiletic rule for you.
Let us sow with tears, let us aim at the edification of each indi
vidual soul, and give heed to ourselves and our doctrine." ' Cer
tainly, we seldom find more homiletic wisdom compressed into so
small a compass.
It is also the duty of ministers to instruct others for the sacred
office, and after due trial, by concurrence of the laity, to appoint,
institute, or ordain them to the work of the ministry.
2 Tim. 2:2.' The things that thou hast heard of me among many
witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to
teach others also.'
1 Tim. 3:6. ' (A bishop, or minister, v. 2) must not be a novice
(a recent convert), lest, being lifted up with pride, he fall into the
condemnation of the devil. — 10. Let these also (as well as the
bishops or ministers, v. 6) be proved (tried, held under trial, as
licentiates or candidates are)."
The above Scripture facts and premises furnish the following
results : —
IV. On Ordination and the Perpetuation of the Ministry.
I. The appointment of bishops and elders, that is, of ministers,
the perpetuation of the ministry " till the end of the world,"
inheres in eaph church, including not only its lay-members, but
also its existing minister or ministers, there having generally been
several in each church in the apostolic age. Acts 1 : 21-26.
See also Acts 14 : 23, as above quoted.
II. Ordinarily, both the minister and lay-members should par
ticipate by assent in the appointment of the incumbents of this
office; and ministers, as the official agents of the church, should
perform the rite of ordination. Either ministers or laymen may
take the initiative, in encouraging suitable men to consecrate them-
* Hallische Nachrichten, p. 859, 860.
2 On the character, duties, and importance of a pious and educated
ministry, we take pleasure in recommending the excellent little volume
entitled " Character and Value of an Evangelical Ministry, and the Duty
of the Church in regard to it," by Rev. Simeon W. Harkey, D. D., of
Illinois University. 1853 ; pp. 190, 12mo.

ORDINATION OF MINISTERS. 97
selves to this holy work; but both must unite in it, before, in
ordinary circumstances, the appointment is valid. Henoe we per
ceive not only the appropriateness, but the actual necessity of the
custom prevailing in our synods, of requiring the licentiate to
bring annual testimonials from his congregations, concerning his
character, qualifications, and acceptance as their pastor, as a pre
requisite to ordination, or the final and perpetual investment of
the office.
III. If a church at any time has no existing ministry of any
kind accessible, then the lay-members have the power themselves
to elect one of their number, and their election constitutes him
their pastor in full, and a minister of the church of Christ. See
the Smalcald Articles, above cited.
Chemnitz : " Ordination is nothing else than a public attesta
tion, by which the person called is pronounced qualified in the
sight of God, and in his name is pronounced legitimate and
divine." IV. Or, if ministers are so situated that "the co-operation of a
church is impracticable, they may appoint or ordain others to this
office without lay co-operation. 1 Tim. 4:14.
V. The principle of voluntary association of churches for mutual
counsel beiDg legitimated by the council at Jerusalem (Acts 15),
all individual churches have a right thus to associate, under any
regulations not inconsistent with God's word, and favorable in
their judgment to the extension of the kingdom of Christ. Nor
do the churches forfeit their rights by such association; on the
contrary, as constituents of synod, they exercise them in full,
under such regulation as the body deems most advantageous to the
interests of the cause.
VI. A synod, therefore, being a voluntary association of the
ministerial and lay elements of the church, possesses, as a whole,
all the powers inherent in the ministers and churches of which it
is constituted. VII. A synod also possesses the same power to license and
ordain, which belongs individually to the ministers and lay repre
sentatives of which it is composed. But the members, having
associated as a synod, and having adopted certain regulations con
cerning licensure and ordination, are obligated not to violate these

98 OF THE MINISTERIAL ' OFFICE. ART. V.
rules in practice, as long as they regard them salutary or remain
in the association.
In Europe, our churches have no synods, properly so called;
but the power of appointing and disciplining ministers is exercised
by the civil government, contrary to Scriptural precept and
example. VIII. The right of a synod to discipline, suspend, and depose
a minister, is indisputable, being based on the supervision which
each New Testament church possesses over its minister, and the
right of each minister and church to disown or refuse communion
with a heterodox or an immoral neighboring minister (2 John 10 :
11), by whose unworthy character, if not disowned, they would
suffer. (Col. 4 : 17.) Say (ye Corinthian Christians) to Archippus,
&c. (Matt. i8 : 17.) Of course, no synod can suspend or depose
from the sacred office any of its members for any cause not pre
scribed in the New Testament. Disobedience to synodical regula
tions, not enjoined in Scripture, may be just ground for exclusion
from synodical communion, but not for suspension or deposition
from the sacred office. If the latter is attempted, it is null and
void before God. When a minister has been excluded, of course
no congregation connected with the synod can consistently extend
to him an invitation to its pastoral charge ; and his only alterna
tive is, either to unite with some other ecclesiastical association or
denomination, or repair to some vacant field, and form independent
churches, as the Apostles did.
Hollazius: " Men who are excommunicated for just reasons,
are no longer members of the church; but if they are excommu
nicated unjustly, they cease not to be members of the church
catholic or universal, although they are ejected from the visible,
or from some local, particular church."
In securing the perpetuation of the ministry, the duty of pray
ing, laboring, and contributing, so that an adequate supply of well-
qualified laborers may be furnished for the harvest, devolves on
laymen as well as on the clergy.
Muhlenberg: "Christians! Professors of the religion of Jesus
in these Western wilds ! Be careful to let your children also
pursue spiritual studies, that they may become useful instruments
in the dissemination of the doctrines of our Lord in this country.

INFLUENCES OF GRACE. 99
Are ye not grieved for the affliction of Joseph ? You behold here
almost the entire ministry of the German Christians in this country,
so few among so many thousand hearers ! Help, ye men of Israel !
that more laborers may be sent into this great harvest." — Rede
bei Einweihung der Deutschen Hohenschule in Lancaster, &c, in
1787, von Gotthilf Heinrich Muhlenberg, pp. 13, 14.

V. Influences of the Holy Spirit.
"For through these means of grace, the Holy Spirit,
in his own time and place, works faith in those who
hear the gospel message!'
Rom. 10 : 17. 'So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by
the word of God. — 14. How shall they believe in him of whom they
have not heard ? and how shall they hear without a preacher?'
1 Cor. 1:21. ' For after that in the wisdom of God the world by
wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching
to save them that believe.'
John 17 : 17. ' Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.'
Rom. 1 : 16. ' For it (the gospel of Christ) is the power of God unto
salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the
Greek.' Rom. 12:13. ' For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body,
whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free ; and have
been all made to drink into one Spirit.'
Gal. 3 : 27. ' For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ,
have put on Christ.'
1 Pet. 3:21. ' The like figure whereunto, even baptism, doth also
now save us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the
answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of
Jesus Christ.'
1 Cor. 11 : 16. ' The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the
communion of the blood of Christ? the bread which we break, is it
not. the communion of the body of Christ ? — 17. For we, being many,
are one bread, and one body; for we are all partakers of that one
bread.' These influences of the Holy Spirit, through the means, are also
termed influences of divine grace, and have been variously divided
by our theologians.

100 OF THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE. ART. V.
Quenstedt: "The grace which is designed to convert men, is
one and the same, although it is distinguished in respect to its
degree and effects. Grace is termed 1) assisting, i. e., that which
relates to the external circumstances that surround men : a) inci
pient or predisposing ; h) preparing ; c) exciting ; d) operative and
efficient grace. 2) Indwelling grace (the Holy Spirit himself),
which enters the heart of man, and dwells in it by effecting in it a
spiritual change" (sanctification).
Reinhard " divides grace into a) antecedent grace, or that di
vine influence, by which man is led in various ways to see the
necessity of a true reformation ; h) preparatory grace, by which
all kinds of impediments to true reformation are removed ; c) con
verting grace, by which a true and salutary change of mind is at
length effected."
Yet it is evident, that these divisions are based rather on the
different circumstances and periods in the progress of the change,
than on any difference in the nature of the divine influence
exerted; which, we suppose, is generically the same in all these
divisions. Dr. Kunze: " Many, alas ! (of those whom the Holy Spirit has
awakened,) soon relapse into their former slumbers. Their's is,
and remains, nothing more than a case of mere awakening. Such
awakenings the Omnipotence of God can effect, whenever his bene
volent designs require them ; but he never exercises his omnipo
tence (or irresistible power) in conversion, or in the perseverance
of saints ; for here the powerful influences of grace must harmonise
with (not destroy) the free will of man. The irresistibility of grace
would contradict the very first (fundamental) idea of God's plan in
the creation of moral agents."
Again : " Irresistible power could easily restore this (the image
of God), so far as the choice of the good is concerned ; but no such
power can consistently be exercised in conversion. Blessed is he
who, without delay, improves the convictions wrought in his soul
by the Holy Spirit. But many who are awakened are neverthe
less not converted. The reason is, that in this propitious moment,
when the effective grace of God has brought them to reflection,
they do not perform their duty, but neglect the time of his (gra-

MEANS OF GRACE. 101
cious) visitation." — Dr. Kunze's Lebensweg, Phila. : 1781, pp. 209,
210. Again : " We may resist the Holy Spirit in two ways, either
by excluding him altogether from our hearts, or by banishing him
after he had taken possession. Every sin grieves the Spirit, and
every deliberate voluntary transgression drives him from us. Suc
cessive cases of careless and unconcerned grieving of the Spirit
become deliberate wickedness, and the continued resistance of the
.sacred influences leads to their permanent withdrawal." — Ibid,
p. 110. VI. Means of Grace.
Means of grace are all those things which God employs to pre
sent divine truth to the minds of men, and urge them to obey it,
and in connection with which he bestows the immediate influences
of his Holy Spirit. Generic Nature of these Means.
All the Means of Grace may be regarded as vehicles of RELI
GIOUS truth, in some way or other presented to the mind and
impressed upon it. These methods are —
1. Written exhibitions of religious truth, a) The holy volume
is the grand depository of the sacred doctrines and precepts.
Their instrumental character is clearly taught : " The law of the
Lord," says the Psalmist, "is perfect, converting the soul."
" Search the Scriptures," says the Saviour, " for in them ye think
ye have the words (doctrines) of eternal life." And Paul triumph
antly exclaims, " I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it
is the power of God unto salvation (that is, it has a divine and
saving power) to everyone that believeth it." How obvious then
is the duty to study this sacred volume, and to aid Bible societies
in distributing it over the earth !
b) Other good books, written by uninspired men, as they derive
their contents originally from the sacred volume, partake of the
nature of the fountain whence they flow. How many souls are
now standing before the throne of God, who were instrumentally
exalted thither by the practical works of Arndt, Spener, Franke,
Waltersdorf, Wesley, Baxter, Doddridge, and others ?

102 OF THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE. ART. V.
2. Symbolic exhibitions of divine truth, a) Baptism, in addi
tion to its being the initiatory ordinance into the visible church
of Christ, is a symbolic and impressive exhibition of the doc
trines of natural depravity, and the purifying influence of the
Holy Spirit, and is therefore an important means of grace in the
church. b) The Lord's Supper, in connexion with the special spiritual
blessing attending it, is a symbolic and affecting exhibition of the
facts of the atoning death of the Son of God, and of the various
momentously interesting relations of that death to the moral
government of the world, and the salvation of sinners. Nor
are these truths any the less affecting when these outward ordi
nances are the signs by which they are presented to the mind,
than when described in words, c) The dispensations of Provi
dence, in the course of human events, likewise partake of this
nature. We see in the successive actions of men, and the conse
quences which flow from them, many solemn exhibitions of divine
truth. 3. Oral exhibitions of truth. Of this description are, a)
Preaching, b) The conversations of the truly pious, who, out of
the abundance of their hearts, delight to speak of what the Lord
has done for them, to vindicate the ways of God to man, and,
with Zion's songs upon their lips, pursue their heavenward
course, c) The admonitions of pious parents, who feel their obli
gation to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition
of the Lord, d) Church discipline. This embraces not only
admonition to offenders, in which scriptural views of 'their duty
contrasted with their conduct are presented to them, but also
suspension and expulsion ; for whence do these acts derive their
authority but from the word of God ? and what are they but
official exhibitions to the transgressor, of those truths of God, by
which he is denounced as a criminal ? e) Prayer, though some
what peculiar, still partakes essentially of the same nature.
Prayer properly consists of three parts : adoration, confession, and
petition. Of these the first is a devout repetition of the truths
of Scripture relative to the nature, attributes, and relations of the
adorable Jehovah ; the second is a feeling and an humble acknow
ledgement, that our heart and actions correspond to the Scripture

INFLUENCE OF MEANS. 103
declarations of human depravity; and in the third we present to
God his own promises of pardon and gracious aid to tho penitent
and returning, or to the believing sinner.
Thus prayer tends to prepare us for the divine blessing, and to
make it morally fit for God to bestow it. It secures to us these
blessings, not by producing a willingness in God to bestow them,
for this he always had ; nor by changing his purposes, for he dis
tinctly foresaw these prayers from eternity, and is unchangeable;
nor because our prayers merit the blessing, for our best prayers
are imperfect before God, and cannot merit a reward ; but the
blessing is secured because prayer is the divinely appointed con
dition on which the blessing is promised. Hence, whenever our
prayers are of the right kind, they secure that blessing for which
we are morally qualified, though not always the one asked for, as
we often pray amiss. But that one which, in the omniscient view
of God, is best for us, is invariably bestowed, for Christ's sake, on
all sincere supplicants.
The habit of prayer should be cultivated by all Christians, and
it is an important part of that " nurture and admonition of the
Lord," which parents owe their children, to train them in early
life to the habit of prayer. On this subject, Dr. Muhlenberg has
left us an interesting testimony.
Muhlenberg : " It is to be regretted that the habit of committing
to memory prayers, hymns, and Scripture passages in early life, is
entirely neglected by many in this neighborhood ; and those are
ridiculed who still observe this laudable practice. It cannot be
denied that prayers repeated from memory are in most cases a
mere mechanical service, performed from habit, without under
standing or reflecting on their meaning. Nevertheless, the abuse
of a thing must be distinguished from its proper use. For divine
truth is connected with the Spirit of God. It remains the means
and seed of the new birth, and cannot be planted into the infant
mind too early, nor be watered too copiously, that it may take root
and bring forth fruit. Where no good seed is'sown, we may expect
tares, but no harvest." — Hall. Nach., p. 810.
In regard to these means of grace, two general propositions may
be added :

104 OF THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE. ART. V.
1) The means of grace do possess a natural tendency to produce
the changes requisite for salvation.
We must reasonably expect from the character of God, that the
means which he selects for any purpose, will be adapted to accom
plish it. But the declarations of Scripture on this subject banish
all doubt. They not only assert a) in general, that " the Scrip
tures are able to make us wise unto salvation,"1 that they "are
the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth," 2
and that " we are born again by the incorruptible seed of the word
of God ; " 3 but they also b) specifically mention the principal
parts of this change as wrought by divine truth. The word is
represented "as sharper than any two-edged sword"4 to awaken
and penetrate the heart of the sinner, the " law is a school-master
to lead us to Christ ;" 5 the Scriptures make us wise unto salva
tion by producing faith* in Christ; and we are sanctified by the
truth.7 But, apart from these declarations of Holy Writ, it is evident
from reason that the truths of God's word must affect the human
mind in the same manner as other truths. They have a like ten
dency to instruct, impress, and urge us to action ; that is, a) to
impart correct views of the subjects of which they treat, b) to
excite our feelings, and c) to exert an influence on the will. Amid
the rich treasure of truths contained in the sacred volumes, some
may be found having an evident tendency to produce each of the
several changes requisite to transform the careless sinner into an
obedient child of God. In the case of holy, unfallen creatures,
this power of truth is probably sufficient, without the superadded
immediate influences of the Holy Spirit, to conduct the willing
creatures of God onward in the path of duty. But upon the im
paired susceptibilities and powers of fallen man, these truths can
not exert an influence sufficiently powerful, even when faithfully
attended to by the sinner. Hence —
2) The Scriptures teach us that these means are not sufficient to
awaken, convert, and sanctify the soul, without the superadded
immediate influences of the Holy Spirit.
' 2 Tim. 3 : 15, 16, 17. * Rom. 1 : 16.
' 1 Pet. 1 : 23. James 1 r 21. « Heb. 4 : 12. Jer. 23 : 29.
' Gal. 3 : 24. B 2 Tim. 3 : 15. ' John 17 : 17.

SPIRIT'S INFLUENCE. 105
This is evident a) from the fact, that God found it necessary to
grant and promise these influences; b) that the Soriptures, in speak
ing of the moral change wrought in men, distinguish between the
influences of the word and of the spirit, and c) from express pas
sages on this point.
1 Cor. 3:6. 'I [Paul) have planted, Apollos watered ; but God
gave the increase. — 7. So then neither is he that planteth any thing,
neither he that watereth ; but God that giveth the increase.'
VII. Sovereignty of the Spirit's Influences.
The Holy Spirit works faith " in his own time and place"
or " when and wJiere God toills."
Quenstedl: (III. 465.) " The fact that God bestows the light
of the gospel upon one nation, whilst another is neglected ; that
some of the Turks, of the Americans1 and other barbarians, are
converted to the faith, whilst others who are like them, are left in
their infidelity, must be attributed to the secret and inscrutable
judgment of God. In like manner it must be acknowledged, tha}
some things relating to the order, mode, time and degree of the
call, God orders by his absolute or sovereign will."
Ordinarily, revivals of religion are granted in answer to special
prayer, and increased fidelity in the use of the ordinary means of
grace ; for God is ever willing to grant his Holy Spirit to them
that ask him. Yet instances have occurred, in communities en
joying the faithful administration of the word, where revivals
have commenced without any special efforts at the time.
" In the township of R., in the western part of New York, says
a writer in the Chr. Watchman, without any special or known
cause, numbers of individuals were suddenly aroused to anxious
inquiry and trembling respecting their souls. Some in different
parts of the town, without any knowledge of the affections of
others, were alarmed by the consideration of their sins. Two men,
from different directions, came to a clergyman in the morning,
asking, What shall we do ? About nine o'clock in the same
morning, one of the members of the church called upon the same
clergyman, to go and visit several anxious individuals in his neigh-
1 i. e., the aborigines. Our author wrote in 1688, nearly a century
before the formation of our republic.

105 CONCERNING NEW OBEDIENCE. ART. VI.
bourhood; and before night it was ascertained, that almost the
whole population of a considerable district, were solemnly, and
with weeping, asking the prayers and instructions of the people
of God. *
"Accompanied by the pastor, on that and the subsequent day,
we visited from house to house ; but wherever we went the Spirit
had preceded us. The whole region was a Bochim. A solemn
awe pervaded our soul, and we could not but feel that, ' God is
in very deed in our midst.' "
Revivals, thus commencing, are, indeed, rare ; but where they
do occur they show very clearly the agency of the Holy Spirit.
Gerhard : " But let us admit, that in these and similar special
cases, we cannot precisely ascertain, or state the causes of the di
vine purposes; still we must not take refuge in a decree of
absolute reprobation, but firmly adhere to those general declara
tions (of God's desire to save all men) contained in 1 Tim. 2:4;
Ezek. 33 : 11."

ARTICLE VI. — CONCERNING NEW OBEDIENCE (OR
A CHRISTIAN LIFE.)
VI. Concerning new Obedience VI. De Nova Obedientia.
(or a Christian Life.)
They likewise teach, Item docent, quod fides
that this faith must bring ilia debeat bonos fructus
forth good fruits; and parere, et quod oporleat
that it is our duty to per- bona opera, mandata a
form those good works Deo, facere, propter vo-
which God has com- luntatem Dei, non ut con-
manded, because he has fidamus per ea opera jus-
enjoined them, and not in tificationem coram Deo
the expectation of thereby mereri. Nam remissio
meriting justification be- peccatorum et justificatio
fore him. For, remission fide apprehenditur, sicut

THE CALL OR VOCATION.

107

of sins and justification
are secured by faith ; as
the declaration of Christ
himself implies : c When
ye shall Jiave done all
those things, say, we are
unprofitable l servants.'
The same thing is
taught by the ancient ec
clesiastical icriters : for
Ambrose says, ' this has
been ordained by God,
tliat he ivho believes in
Christ is saved tcithout
works, receiving remis
sion of sins gratuitously
through faith alone.'

testatur et vox Christi.
Cum feceritis hcec om
nia, dicite, servi inutiles
sumus. Idem docent et veteres
scriptores ecclesiastici ;
Ambrosius enim inquit:
Hoc constitutum est a Deo,
ut qui credit in Christum,
salvus sit, sine opere, sold
fide gratis accipiens re-
missionem peccatorum.

* German copy, untiichtige, unfit (servants).
" This faith must bring forth good fruits," SfC
This article, together with the XII. and XX., covers the ground
of the great work of conversion and sanctification, or the changes
wrought in the sinner by the Holy Spirit through the means of
grace. For the sake of perspicuity we will treat these subjects
in connexion, and have some reference to the terms usually em
ployed by Lutheran divines, in common with others, in the ex
planation of them. I. The Call or Vocation.
Calovius : " The call is the effectual bringing into the church
of the unbelievers who were without it, through the instrumen
tality of the word and sacraments, dispensed by God through
grace."

108 CONCERNING NEW OBEDIENCE. ART. VI.
Hollazius: "Vocation is that act of grace, by which the Holy
Spirit, through the divine Word, manifests to men, who are with
out the church, the will of God concerning the salvation of sin
ners, and offers them the benefits purchased by Christ the Re
deemer, that they may be brought into the church, be converted,
and obtain salvation."
The call or vocation may also in general be regarded as that
invitation ' given to man by God, either mediately or immediately,
to forsake his evil ways and accept the offers of mercy.2 The
immediate call, is that which is given miraculously, of which the
case of Paul is an example. The mediate, or ordinary call, is
that invitation to reformation which God gives us through his
word, the external circumstances of our situation, and the inci
dents of his Providence. This is the only call which men can
now expect ; it is given with equal sincerity to all who live in a
gospel land, and brings salvation within the reach of them all, by
tendering to them those means of grace, which they have the
ability to use with sincerity,3 and the sincere use of which, the
Holy Spirit will sooner or later make effectual to the conversion
of the soul.
This view of the call, manifestly presupposes the acknowledged
doctrines of the church, that man, if left to himself, neither would
nor could turn to God;4 and that the means of grace, though
wisely adapted to the end for which they were designed, are not
¦ Matt. 11 : 28, 29. ' Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke npon you and learn of
me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your
souls.' Isaiah 45 : 22. ' Look unto me and he ye saved, all the ends of the
earth ; for I am God, and there is none else.'
Isaiah 55 : 1. ' Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the water, and
he that hath no money : come ye, buy and eat ; yea come, buy wine
and (diluted with) milk, without money and without price.'
3 Matt. 20 : 16. 'Many be called, but few chosen.' 1 Thess. 2 : 11, 12.
'As ye know how we exhorted you and comforted and charged (papTvpnnevot,
adjured) every one of you as a father doth his children, that ye would
walk worthy of God, who hath called you into his kingdom and glory.'
3 See pp. 165, 16G of Schmucker's Pop. Theology.
' John 6 : 44. ' No man can come unto me, unless the Father who hath
sent me, draw him.'

ILLUMINATION. 109
able to convert the soul, without the additional influence of the
Holy Spirit. II. Illumination.
Illumination. — Form of Concord : " The Holy Spirit illumi
nates and converts the soul through the preaching and hearing of
the word, so that men can believe and assent to its truths."
Hollazius : " God - seriously designs to illuminate all men ; but
those are illuminated in faot, who being called and introduced into
the church, yield to the influences of the Holy Spirit and atten
tively hear, read and meditate on the word of God."
Illumination may be defined as that mediate act of God, by
which, through the instrumentality of the means of grace, he
commences the new and spiritual life in the soul of the inquiring
sinner, and imparts to him new and spiritual views of divine
things.1.. By the new and spiritual views acquired by the sinner,
in this as in every subsequent stage of his spiritual renovation, we
mean not always new cognitions, nor merely new feelings, but a
new attribute, which characterizes alike our views, and feelings,
and actions ; an attribute which no language can make intelligible
to the unilluminated, and which can be learned only by experi
ence. This attribute of new life or spirituality, may perhaps be
regarded as that part of our progressive change, and the only part,
which is supernatural. In the production of this part of our
moral renovation, the sinner seems to be the passive recipient of
divine influence ; but it is not in any stage of its progressive in
crease irresistible. It is this that the apostle means by that spirit
uality of discernment, which the natural man" does not possess.
This spirituality continues to increase in the faithful, seeking sin
ner, until it pervades all his views, feelings, and purposes concern
ing divine things, and until the holy habits of the penitent pre
ponderate, and he becomes a regenerate being, a new creature in
1 Eph. 1 : 17, 18. ' The eyes of your understanding being enlightened
(ir£0wris(i£i'»s) that ye may know what is the hope of his calling (i. e. may
know to how great a hope he has called you), and what (how great) the
riches of the glory of the inheritance of his saints.'
' 1 Cor. 2 : 14. ' For the natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God ; for they are fo'olishness unto him : neither can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned.'
10

110 CONCERNING NEW OBEDIENCE. ART. VI.
Christ Jesus. Thus, throughout the whole work of conversion
and sanctification, man and God are to be co-workers. God begins
the work by sending us the call through his appointed instrument
alities ; man is required to use those .means with fidelity, and by
them his intellectual views are corrected and enlarged ; and, whilst
he does so, God carries on and finishes the work, by continuing to
bestow on his soul that increasing spirituality, which inclines him
both to will and to do according to the good pleasure of his God.
No one, who perseveringly and entirely disregards the call of
God, ever becomes the subject of illumination ; because this dis
regard includes in it the refusal to use the means of grace pre
scribed in Scripture, through which alone the Holy Spirit illumi
nates the mind. On the other hand, if the sinner give heed to
the call of God, to attend to the things pertaining to his peace ;
that is, if he sincerely search the Scriptures, inquiring, "Lord,
what wilt thou have me to do ?" and earnestly striving to conform
to the will of God ; he will find his views of divine Things re
markably changed. His ideas of the moral excellence, especially
the holiness and benevolence of God, of the extent, spirituality
and justice of the divine law, of the evil of sin in general, and
of his own sinfulness in particular, will become vastly more clear,
correct and practical. This state of the sinner's mind is also
sometimes termed a state of illumination.
But this change of views, which is the first effect of divine
illumination, will be accompanied by another and equally striking
alteration in the state of his feelings. Viewed in this clearer and
more spiritual light, the moral excellence of the divine character
excites in the illuminated sinner feelings of love and adoration ;
the law in all its extent and spirituality appears just, salutary and
lovely ; whilst the depth of his own depravity, the multitude and
aggravation of his sins, and his liability to the just displeasure of
God, excite in him new feelings of remorse, sorrow and fear.
These two effects of divine illumination, are produced in a more
or less gradual manner, and usually keep pace with each other.
Sometimes both these effects, so far as they relate to the sinner's
own case, are designated by the term conviction, whilst at others,
this name is applied only to the changed views of the sinner,
whilst his new feelings are denominated penitence, or repentance
in its limited sense.

CONVICTION — PENITENCE. Ill
III. Conviction.
Conviction, in the popular sense of the term, may therefore be
defined to be the new -and spiritual views of the awakened sinner,
concerning his own sinfulness and exposure to the wrath of God,
together with feelings of deep concern for his salvation.
Hollazius thus defines contrition, which he employs in a sense
nearly coinciding with our use of conviction. Tho former refers
more to the sensibilities of the soul ; the latter also includes the
intellectual state of the sinner's mind : " Contrition is a serious
and holy grief of heart, by which the sinner detests his sins, as
seen in the light of the divine law." Vol. II., p. G31.
These convictions for sin differ in different persons.
a) In degree of clearness and pungency. This may be owing
1, to difference of temperament ; 2, to difference in actual guilt ; 3,
to different degrees of illumination ; 4, to difference in the mode
of presenting the truth.
6) In duration prior to the obtaining of a hope. This may be
owing to different causes. 1. Those who have been most aban
doned, and have had very deep convictions, usually find it most
difficult to-entertain a hope of pardon. 2. Sometimes it is owing
to some theoretical error in the person, who thinks he ought first
to experience something which he has not yet felt. 3. At other
times the cause of lingering convictions is, that the sinner reserves
some darling sin, or object of affection, which he is unwilling to
surrender to God. 4. In some instances the delay of hope may
be owing to a constitutionally melancholy temperament. 5. And
sometimes it may be owing to the special and sovereign leadings
of God's Spirit, for wise reasons unknown to us.
The cases of Lydia and the jailor, and perhaps of Paul, were
not lingering : but these persons speedily surrendered their hearts
to God, and obtained peace. Yet, the writer has noticed in his
pastoral experience, that speedy hopes, which were not preceded
by deep conviction, were less durable and promising, than when
deep and even protracted penitence had gone before.
IV. Penitence, or Repentance.
Penitence, or Repentance in its more limited sense, signifies
those feelings of sorrow and remorse, excited in the mind of an

112 CONCERNING NEW OBEDIENCE. ART. VI.
(awakened) illuminated sinner by a consideration of his sinfulness
and danger.1
The Apology to the Augsburg Confession justly remarks : " But
we say, that contrition or penitence signifies the sincere terrors of a
conscience which perceives that God is angry at sin, and grieves
for having committed it."
Reinhard: "Contrition, or penitence, is intense sorrow for
sins, of which we feel conscious."
These feelings of penitence are different in degree according to
the natural temperament of the individual, or his degree of religious
knowledge, or the degree of his actual guilt. When this sorrow
arises merely from a consideration of our danger, or liability to
the divine wrath, it is termed,
a) Legal repentance, and has nothing truly noble or hopeful in
it. It is the same feeling which the impenitent robber often has
when he anticipates the speedy execution of the penalty of the law
upon himself.
But when these feelings of remorse originate from a conviction
of our sinfulness, of the turpitude of our conduct in sinning against
so good a God, against our nearest and best friend, our constant
benefactor; they are termed,
b) Evangelical repentance,2 and belong to the noblest and most
hopeful exercises of the awakened mind. They imply a perception
of the intrinsic odiousness of our sins, of the beauty of holiness,
of the justice of our condemnation, of the spirituality and excel
lence of the divine law, and a preparation of heart to understand
and appreciate the plan of salvation generally.
1 Acts 2 : 37. ' Now when they heard this they were pricked in their
heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren,
what shall we do V Psalm 32 : 3. ' When I kept silence, my bones waxed
old through my roaring all the day long.'
% 2 Cor. 7:10. ' For godly sorrow (KaraScbv Xiira, sorrow according to
God, i. c. God's will) worketh a repentance {^navomv, change of mind)
which needeth not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh
death.' Joel 2 : 12, 13. Luke 15: 21. 'Father, I have sinned against
heaven and in tby sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son,' &c.

FAITH. 113
V. Faith.
Justifying faith is that voluntary act of the illuminated and
evangelically penitent sinner, by which he confides in the mercy
of God through Christ for salvation, on the terms offered in the
gospel. The term faith has also several other significations in the sacred
volume, a) It designates the Christian doctrines themselves,
(objectively,) as in the passage, " Earnestly contend for the faith,"
&c. b) It signifies mere historical belief of the Scriptures, &c,
thus, "the devils believe and tremble." This historical faith
must precede repentance, and has nothing in it implying a
spiritual change ; but it is obvious from the above definition, that
a living or saving faith can only succeed it. c) Sometimes this
term signifies the faith of miracles. This is a modification of the
historical faith, being a firm conviction of the truth of a promise
concerning some miraculous event or cure. Such was the faith
of the lame man at Lystra in Paul and Barnabas. Acts 14 : 9.
At other times the phrase faith of miracles signifies an active
energy of the mind, consisting of confidence in the co-operation
of God, by which the subject of it himself could perform miracles.
This was peculiar to the age of miracles, and is referred to by the
Saviour when he says, " If ye have faith as a grain of mustard
seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder
place, and it shall remove ; and nothing shall be impossible unto
you. Matt. 17 : 20. 1 Cor. 13 : 2.
a) Justifying faith is a voluntary act, and therefore we find it
commanded as a duty.1
b) It can be properly performed only by the illuminated and
truly penitent ; because the blind and unrepenting sinner neither
sees his necessity of a Saviour, nor feels a willingness to conform
his heart and life to the requisitions of the gospel. His faith, if
he have any, is merely an historical belief of conclusive evidence,
such as may be possessed by immoral men, and even by the devils
themselves. The repentance requisite must, moreover, be of the
¦ 'Eepent ye and believe the gospel (the glad tidings of a Saviour).'
Mark 1 : 15. ' This is his commandment, that ye believe on the name of his
son Jesus Christ.' 1 John 3 : 23.
10*

1X4 CONCERNING NEW OBEDIENCE. ART. VI.
evangelical kind. His heart must be deeply affected by the moral
excellence of the divine character, and his own sinfulness, and
thus it is that " with the heart man believeth unto righteousness."
Gerhard : " Nor is the Holy Spirit willing to produce faith in
the hearts of men instantaneously, or by extravagant raptures ;
but mediately through the preaching, hearing and reading of the
word, and meditation upon it."
c) Its exact nature is that of confidence, trust or reliance on
God, and is similar to the confidence of a child in an affectionate
parent, or of one friend in the known character of another. It in
cludes 1) a knowledge or belief of the character of God, and espe
cially of the Saviour as deserving of our confidence ; 2) feelings
of approbation and delight in this character, especially as developed
in the gospel plan of salvation ; and 3) a volition to accept the
offers of mercy on the terms proposed, that is, to act in accordance
with this belief and feeling, and surrender the soul to God for
time and eternity.
Quenstedt: " The three parts of faith may be thus distinguished :
' Credere Deum, credere Deo, et credere in Deum,' that is, to believe
in the existence of God; to believe the truth of what he has
declared; and so to believe as to love him, to enter into him, to
adhere to him and to be incorporated with his members."
d) Saving faith is accompanied by good works, by a life of
holiness as the invariable fruit of the spirit.1 No man can be
sincere in his professed reliance on the Saviour, who crucifies him
afresh by voluntary sins. Yet external reformation is not an
infallible evidence of saving faith ; for it may be the result of
mere dread of punishment, or it may spring from a desire of being
reputed pious, from deliberate calculations of self-interest.
e) " Faith is the gift of God;" because it is He who calls, en
lightens, and convicts us, and enables us to repent of our sins ;
without any one of which previous steps, justifying faith is impos-
' James 2 : 14-17. 'Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being
alone. — 18, 20-26. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and
by works was faith made perfect ?'
Gal. 5 : 22. ' But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffer
ing, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness (ms'jiv, fidelity, Tit. 2 : *10.), meek
ness, temperance. Against such things (roifluv) there exists no law.'

SANCTIFICATION. 115
Bible ; because he affords us that knowledge of his own character
and the plan of salvation, in view of which alone we can confide
in him : and because, at this, as well as every other stage of our
progressive moral improvement, he never fails to superadd the
blessing of his Spirit to the faithful use of the means of grace.
We will add the definition of Hollazius : " Faith in Christ is
the gift of the Holy Spirit, by which the converted and regenerate
sinner attains a saving knowledge of the gospel promise of divine
grace, remission of sins, and eternal salvation, through the atone
ment and merits of Christ, firmly assents to that promise, and
applies it to himself with full confidence, so as to be justified and
eternally saved." VI. Sanctification.
Sanctification is a progressive increase of spirituality of mind
and delight in holy things, attended by a growing conformity to
the divine law in our thoughts, feelings, and actions, and an in
creasing ability to fulfil its requisitions, wrought in the faithful
believer by the Spirit of God, through the means of grace.
a) It is the work of God's Holy Spirit; as we are abundantly
taught in the sacred volume: "Being sanctified by the Holy
Ghost." ' That same divine influence, which was necessary at every
previous stage of this moral reformation, is no less indispensable here.
That same new principle of spirituality, which commenced in the
sinner's illumination, and became preponderant in the moment of
his regeneration or surrender to God, continues to be bestowed in
increasing measures by the Holy Ghost, giving him a growing
delight in holy things, and an increasing facility and zeal in the
discharge of every duty.
b) It is effected through the means of grace. The word, the
sacraments, prayer, and all other means of grace, together with the
dispensations of His providence, both prosperous and adverse, are
the principal instruments, by which the Parent of good advances
* Rom. 15 : 16. ' That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the
Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gen
tiles might be acceptable, (they) being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.'
1 Thess. 5:23.

116 CONCERNING NEW OBEDIENCE. ART. VI.
the sanctification of the returning sinner. Whilst the believer is
living in the conscientious use of these means, and is thus pur
suing the path of duty, the benign and transforming influence of
the God of holiness is poured down upon him from on high.
John 17: 17. 'Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is
truth.' Rom. 2:4. 'Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and for
bearance, and long-suffering, not knowing (observing) that the good
ness of God leadeth (inciteth) thee to repentance ? '
Heb. 12 : 6, 10. ' For whom the Lord loveth he chastenetb, and
scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. For they (our earthly
fathers) verily for a few days chasten us after their own pleasure ;
but he (God), for our profit, that we might be partakers of his
holiness.' c) The faithful believer alone can be the subject of progressive
change. Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit wrought
through the means of grace ; but so soon as the believer becomes
unfaithful to his God, he both neglects those means and grieves
away that Spirit, and therefore inevitably interrupts this glorious
work. Sanctification, moreover, implies an increase of holy habits
in the soul; and the strength of these habits is augmented or
diminished by every individual act. To maintain, therefore, that
sanctification is invariably progressive in the believer, even when
he relapses into sin, amounts to the repulsive position that acts of
sin confirm our habits of holiness.
That the co-operation of the sinner, by the faithful use of the
means of grace, is essentially necessary to the progress of this
work, is also clearly taught in Scripture; where sanctification
itself is, in this sense, even represented as the work of the believer
himself. " Dearly beloved," says Paul to the Corinthians, " let
us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, per
fecting holiness in the fear of the Lord." '
d) This gracious change itself, as witnessed in the believer,
consists also in increasing conformity to the law of God and ability
to fulfil its requisitions. The believer's knowledge of God and
divine things is expanded by the habitual study of revealed truth ;
is corrected by being brought into contact with the infallible
'2 Cor. 7:1. Rom. 12:1. Heb. 12:1. Ephes. 4 : 22, &o.

SANCTIFICATION. 117
word; is rendered more spiritual and vivid by the vouchsafed
influence of the Holy Spirit. Col. 1 : 9. His feelings on the
grand subject of salvation, on the character and interests of the
Redeemer's kingdom, become more ardent and intense. No sub
ject lies nearer to his heart than the glory of his God, his own
eternal welfare, and that of his fellow-men. The Saviour acquires
increasing preciousness to his soul ; he perceives in him the chief
among ten thousands, one altogether lovely; and as the heart
panteth after the water-brook, so does his soul long for God.
Accordingly, the tenor of all his actions, too, evinces an increasing
conformity to the divine law. His determination to live for
eternity and God, acquires increasing strength and regularity,
whilst he labours to lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth
most easily beset him, and run with alacrity the race set before
him. But, as he advances in this process, he also finds his strength
increasing. Before his clearer and more spiritual vision of eternal
and divine things, the toys and baubles of this world dwindle into
insignificance, and comparatively lose their tempting power. He
finds himself strengthened with might in the inner man, and
from a new-born babe he is gradually growing up to the measure
of the stature of a perfect man in Christ.1
Calovius : "Sanctification is the work of the Holy Trinity, by
which he consecrates us in soul and body as his temple, filling us
' with all manner of virtues, expelling from us every species of vice,
and bestowing upon us the grace of God and the kingdom of
heaven." -
The question whether the believer can attain absolute perfection
in this world, is discussed in Article XII. of the Confession.
'Eph. 4: 13.

118

OF THE CHURCH.

Art. VII.

ARTICLE VII.— OF THE CHURCH.

VII. Of the Church.
They likewise teach,
that there will always be
one holy church. The
church is the congregation
of the saints, in vjhich the
gospel is correctly taught,
and the sacraments are
properly administered.
And for the true unity of
the church nothing more
is required, than agree
ment concerning the doc
trines of the gospel, and
the administration of the
sacraments. Nor is it
necessary, that the same
human traditions, iluxt is,
rites and ceremonies in
stituted by men, should be
everywhere observed. As
Paul says : ' One faith,
one baptism, one God and
Father of all,' dfC

VII. De Ecclesia.
Item docent, quod una
sancta ecclesia perpetud
mansura sit : Est autem
ecclesia congregatio sancto
rum, in qua evangelium
recti docetur, et recti ad
ministrantur sacramenta.
Et ad veram unitatem ec-
clesice satis est, consentire
de doctrind evangelii et ad
ministrations sacramento-
rum. Nee necesse est
ubiqite esse similes tradi-
tiones humanas, seu ritus
aut ceremonias ab homi-
nibus institutas. Sicut
inquit Paulus : Una fides,
unum baptisma, unus
Deus et Pater omnium,
<ScG.

WHAT THE CHURCH IS.

119

ARTICLE VIII.— WHAT THE CHURCH IS.

VIII. What the Church is.
Although tlie church is
properly a congregation
of saints and true be
lievers ; yet as, in the
present Ufe, many hypo
crites and. wicked men
are mingled with them, it
is lawful for us also to
receive the sacraments,
when administered by un
converted men, agreeably
to tlie declaration of our
Saviour, ' that the Scribes
and Pharisees sit in
Moses' seat,' fyc. And on
account of tlie appoint
ment and command of
Christ, both the loord and
sacraments are efficacious,
even when administered
by wicked men.

VIII. Quid sit Ecclesia.
Quanquam ecclesia
propria sit congregatio
sanctorum, et verh creden-
tium ; tamen, cum in hac
vita multi hypocritoe et
mali admixti sint, licet
uti sacramentis, quae per
malos administrantur,
juxta vocem Christi.
Sedent scribae et pharisoei
in cathedra Moysis, S(C.
Et sacramenta et verbum
propter ordinalionem et
mandatum Christi sunt
efficacia, etiamsi per ma
los exhibeantur.

They condemn the Do
natists and such like, who
denied that it is lawful to
make use of the ministry
of wicked men in five

Damnant Donatistas
et similes, qui negabant
licere uti ministerio malo
rum in ecclesia, et sentie-
bant, mmisterium malo-

120 WHAT THE CHURCH IS. ART. VIII.
church, and wlio thought rum inutile et inefficax
tlie ministry of such use- esse.
less and without efficacy.
I. Of the Nature of the Church.
" There will always be one holy church." — The
words used both in the Old and New Testament to designate
"church" (7np, and ixx%nam'), are general terms employed to
designate assemblages of persons, whether convened for secular or
sacred purposes. In the New Testament, the word has three
significations : —
1) The general invisible church of all true believers, in heaven
and on earth.
Heb. 12 : 23. ' To the general assembly and church of the first
born, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and
to the spirits of just men made perfect.'
Col. 1 : 18. 'And he is the head of the body, the church; who is
the beginning, the first-born from the dead ; that in all things he
might have the pre-eminence. — 24. Who now rejoice in my sufferings
for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ
(for Christ's sake) in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the
church.' 2) The visible church general.
Rom. 16 : 23. 'Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth
you.' 1 Cor. 12: 28. 'And God hath set some in the church; first, apos
tles; secondarily, prophets; thirdly, teachers; after that, miracles;
then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.'
3) A particular local or visible church. There are no less
than thirty-five local churches named in the New Testament, such
as that of Jerusalem, Acts 1:8; Damascus, ch. 9:10; Cesarea,
10 : 18 ; Antioch, 11 ; Corinth, 18 ; Ephesus, 19 ; &c.
Various definitions have been given of the church, as men have
differed in their views of the nature, powers, and relations of this
most important of all associations amongst men.
Calovius : " The (invisible) church is the assembly of believers

DEFINITIONS OF TnE CHURCn. 121
collected tngether under one head, Christ, which is nourished and
preserved by the same means unto eternal life."
Hollazius : " The church may be considered in a two-fold
aspect : a) More strictly or properly (invisible) for the assembly
of the saints, united by faith to Christ, their head, and constituting
one mystical and living body, b) More loosely, the church
(visible) is the assembly of the called, made up of true believers
and saints, mixed with hypocrites and wicked men, who, however,
profess the same faith."
The church, viewed as visible and invisible, is thus defined in
the Formula of the General Synod : —
I. " The true or INVISIBLE church of Clirist is the collective
body of all those of every religious denomination in the world,
who are in a stats of grace (i. e., are not in a state of nature, hut
are regenerate believers in Christ).
II. " Tlie VISIBLE church is the collective body of those who
profess the Christian religion, consisting of all those who have
been admitted to membership by baptism, and have not been de
prived of it by excommunication."
The division of the church into visible and invisible was indeed
not wholly unknown before the Reformation of the sixteenth cen
tury ; yet it was specially urged by the reformers in the contro
versy with the papists, who, to prove their church the true one,
maintained " that there is but one church (the visible) on earth,
which embraced all the members of the (Romish) church, whether
pious or impious, and which will infallibly secure salvation to
them all, provided they obey the priests, and perform the outward
rites of her religion."
As a definition of the visible church; such as it was intended to
be, according to the design of its Founder, and as embodying the
essential features of tlie church, we would propose the following
Analytic Definition of the Cliurch.
" The visible church of Christ is a divinely appointed institu
tion; or society, consisting of all those who, having heard and
accepted the gospel invitation, have professed Christ by baptism
and associated themselves into different local societies (together
with their children), for mutual edification and the better attain-

122 WHAT THE CHURCH IS. ART. VIII.
ment of the ends of the Christian institution ; to whom Christ has
confided the ministry, the word, and sacraments, as means of
grace, possessing intrinsic adaptation and influence, but neverthe
less not effectual without the aid of the Holy Spirit ; to. which
means of grace the influences of his Spirit are ordinarily confined,
and the sincere, faithful, and persevering use of which he will, in
his own time, sooner or later, invariably bless to the conversion,
sanctification and salvation of the soul ; without the pale of which
society no one, who has heard the gospel call, can ordinarily be
saved." This definition, impressed on the memory of the reader, and re
flected on till fully understood, will contribute much to a clear
apprehension of the nature and importance of the church of God,
and its relation to the conversion of souls and the plan of salvation
in general.
Properly speaking, the visible and invisible churches are not to
be regarded as two different bodies; but as one institution or asso
ciation, viewed in different lights, or from different stand-points, as
external or internal, as visible or invisible, as ideal or real ; and
when the external, the visible, the real, is what according to the
law of Christ it ought to be, it will coincide with the former, and
both be personally identical.
II. Different Forms of Cliurch Organization.
"Nor is it necessary that tlie same rites and cere
monies, instituted by men, should be everywhere
observed." The church of God has had different forms of organization and
development in different ages of the world, viz. : the Adamic, the
Patriarchal, the Mosaic, or Levitical, and the Christian.
Under the Christian economy subordinate diversities have
arisen, and different organizations have been adopted in regard to
those rites, ceremonies, and modes of government and discipline,
not determined in God's word.
The most simple elements of a church are happily specified in
the articles of our Confession, now under consideration, where it

DIFFERENT FORMS OF CHURCH ORGANIZATION. 123
is represented as "an association of professed believers, among
whom the word of God is correctly taught, and the sacraments are
properly administered." Yet, every such association had, and
must have, some rules and regulations as the basis of their cohe
rence. These have, with the exception of general principles and
a few specific provisions, been left by the Saviour and his apostles
to the wisdom and experience of the churches in different ages, to
be modified according to the peculiar circumstances of the age and
country. To the simple forms of Independent, Congregational
government of the primitive Christian churches, as described in
the New Testament, various additions have been made by men in
different ages, until we see different systems of church government
fully developed, such as the Papal, the Episcopal, the Presbyte
rian, the present Congregational, and the Eclectic, or Americo-
Lutheran, holding the middle-ground between the preceding two.
The Romish church is not only radically corrupt in her system
of government, by which the simple republican government of the
New Testament is converted into a perfect universal despotism ;
but also so heretical in doctrine, that the Reformers felt bound to
renounce her communion, and to direct much of their labor in the
pulpit and from the press to the refutation of her heresies. In
our Confession, this subject will meet us repeatedly again.
The Episcopal church, although in general pure in doctrine,
has retained so many of the objectionable forms and ceremonies of
popery, that her pious members are in danger of having too large
a portion of their attention diverted from the spirituality of true
religious worship, and her unconverted ones of settling down satis
fied with this prescribed and stereotyped routine, thus mistaking
the form of godliness for its power.
" The Service Book of the American Episcopal Church is the
same, with slight alterations, as that used by the Church of Eng
land ; and the English Book is chiefly compiled from Popish Ser
vice Books.1
" Hence the Jesuit, Dr. Carrier, declared : ' The Common
' See Neal's Puritans, vol. i., pp. 95, 96. De Laune's Plea, pp. 47, 52,
History of Congregationalism, pp. 205, 206.

124 WHAT THE CHURCH IS. ART. VIII.
Prayer and Catechism [of the Church of England] coutain nothing
contrary to the Romish service.' ' Bishop Montague asserted :
' that our [the English] service is the same in most things with
the Church of Rome ; and that the differences are not so great
that we should make any separation.' 2 The order of the institu
tion of priests and deacons is substantially the same in the Romish,
English, and American Episcopal Churcnes. Their rites and
ceremonies in public worship are strikingly alike ; they stand, and
sit, and kneel together; their confessions and absolutions, their
Pater Nosters, Gloria Patri, Litanies and Responses substantially
agree together. Their method of rehearsing the Ten Command
ments, and of reading the Psalms by alternating, is similar. Many
of the Collects, Lessons, &c, of the English and American Epis
copal Churches, are either word for word from the Romish Ser
vice Books, or agree in substance. Their saints' days and holy
days, their fasts and feasts, fixed and movable, are taken from the
Calendar of Rome.
" This conformity of the English service to the Roman ritual
seems not to have arisen, originally, from any love for Popery, but
from a fear, on the part of the early English Reformers, of doing
violence to public prejudices, by a sudden and entire overturn of
all the consecrated religious associations of the people ; and a hope
and expectation of drawing in the Papists to a conformity with
the Reformed Church of England.3
"And for some time their anticipations seem to have been
realized. The Papists continued to attend the English service,
until his Holiness, despairing of the recovery of his supremacy
by fair meads, interdicted the practice, and excommunicated
Elizabeth. But, so imposing were the services of the English
cathedrals, in the days of Elizabeth, that the very messengers
of the Pope declared, ' that they wondered the Pope should be so
* See De Laune's Plea for the Non-Conformists, p. 48.
2 Ibid, and Neal's Puritans, vol. ii., pp. 164-342.
3 Stillingfleet, in his "Irenicum," asserts this unequivocally; and com
mends the Reformers for their policy. He calls the English Liturgy "a
bait" for the Papists. See pp. 122, 123, 2d ed., 1662.

EPISCOPAL ORGANIZATION. 125
ill informed and- advised [as] to interdict a Prince, whose service
and ceremonies so symbolize with his own.' l
"And it is, I believe, a well supported assertion, that Pope
Pius V. and Gregory XIII. both offered to confirm tbe English
Liturgy, on condition that Elizabeth would acknowledge the su
premacy of Rome.2 Thus stood church matters in the days of
Elizabeth. " Some alterations were made in the Prayer Book by James I.
and some by Charles II. ; ' yet, so as the main body and essentials
of it (as well in the chiefest materials, as in the frame and order
thereof,) have still continued the same unto this day.' This was
said in the preface to the Prayer Book, in the days of Charles II.
(1661), and is equally true now; for no alterations have since been
made in the English Book of Common Prayer.
"And the objections to the ' main body and essentials' of the
English Common Prayer Book (that they are borrowed from
Popery, and cause the English churoh to symbolize with Popery,)
lie with full weight against the 'chiefest materials' of the Common
Prayer Book of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United
States of America; for in most essential points and particulars the
two books are alike.3
' Hume's England, vol. ii., ch. 38, p. 572. Alb. ed., and vol. iii., ch. 40,
p. 69. Neal's Puritans, vol. i., p. 273. De Laune, p. 49.
a De Laune, p. 48. Neal, vol. i., pp. 202, also 191, 192. Neal says,
Pius IV. ; but this must be a mistake or misprint ; for he says the offer
was made in 1570, but Pius IV. died 1566. — See Hume, ut sup., and
Mosheim Ecc. Hist., vol. iii., pp. 91, 92, Harper's ed.
1 According to the Rev. Mr. Boyle, of Boston, a distinguished clergy
man of the Protestant Episcopal Church, the Service Book of the Ameri
can Episcopal Church differs from the English in the following particu
lars : (1) "A shorter form of absolution is allowed," though "the English
one is most generally recited in divine service." (2) " The Athanasian
creed is omitted," . . (3) " In the office of Baptism, the sign of the cross
may be dispensed with, if requested." . . (4) "The marriage service has
been considerably abridged." (5) "In the general service, some expres
sions in the English Prayer Book . . are altered or omitted." (6) "A
change was, of course, made in the Prayers for Rulers." ... (7) "And
there may be a few other verbal differences of minor importance." —
Abridged from an article in Enc. Religious Knowledge on Prot. Episoopal
Church in the United States.

126 WHAT THE CHURCH IS. ART. VIII.
" Regarding Popery as the ' mystery of iniquity/ the grand de
vice of Satan to overthrow the church of God, we cannot but con
sider all symbolizing with this system of abominations as alike
unscriptural and dangerpus.
"That this complicated and peculiar ritual of the Episcopal
Church is not required by the New Testament, our only infallible
guide, will sufficiently appear on the most cursory examination and
comparison. " That these things in the Episcopal Church are of dangerous
tendency, is sufficiently evident to our minds from the history of
English Episcopacy. Repeatedly has the Church of England been
brought to the very verge of Popery. And at this very moment
her Protestantism is most seriously threatened by this symbolizing
with Popery, which her own Prayer Book sanctions — yea, requires
in her members." l
The Presbyterian church has happily rejected all the remnants
of Popery, and has developed the elementary principles of organi
zation and government of the New Testament churches into Pres
byteries, Synods, and General Assembly, all definitely organized,
and convening statedly as courts of appellant and ascending juris
diction. The Congregational churches have adhered more closely to the
simple, free, and independent government found in the New Tes
tament, by which, each church with its pastor has entire and final
jurisdiction over itself; although advisory councils, termed asso
ciations, consociations, and councils, with purely advisory powers,
are held in imitation of the council of Jerusalem.
The Americo- Lutheran church has pursued a middle course,
having in addition to the council of each local church, district
Synods and a General Synod, meeting statedly, but possessing so
far as Synods and General Synod are concerned, chiefly advisory
powers. Yet in certain cases our Synods justly possess the power
of excluding either ministers or churches from their connection,
for violating Synodical regulations or refusing to submit to Syno
dical decisions. The history of the Synods and churches, con
nected with our General Synod in this country, during the last
1 See "Punchard's View," &c, p. 225, &c.

AMERICAN ¦ LUTHERAN CnURCH. 127
third of a century, affords most gratifying evidence, that our sys
tem is not only congenial to the principles of our free civil insti
tutions, but also well calculated to secure the blessing of God and
the rapid progress and best spiritual interests of the Redeemer's
kingdom. Eclecticism of the American Lutheran Church.
This American system of Lutheran organization, was of gradual
growth. Our fathers, firmly attached to the principles of the Ar
ticle under consideration, " that the unity of the Church does not
require, that the same rites and ceremonies, instituted by men,
should be everywhere observed," began at the very commence
ment of their labors in this country to organize the church, in
matters left free in Scripture, in accordance with the principles of
our civil institutions, and the altered circumstances and habits of
this country.
1) In regard to Liturgy. For about twelve years they had
used- no liturgy in ordinary worship. But in order to preserve
substantial uniformity in outward forms, they composed one in
1754. Say
Muhlenberg, Brunholtz and Handschuh, " We found it neces
sary for present use to compose a short directory for worship
(Agende or Kirchenordnung) for the sake of unity (uniformity)
in the ceremonies of public worship. We adapted it to the cir
cumstances of our congregations which had come from different
parts of Germany. We took as a basis the Directory of the
German Lutheran Church at Savoy in London, as we had no
other at hand." {Hall. Nach. p. 675.) This liturgy of the
American Fathers was not half as long as that of our General
Synod ; and they abounded in extemporaneous prayer, even beyond
our present custom. (See the author's Hist, of Am. Luth. Church,
p. 107, 108).
2) They rejected a number of the festivals, which they had
been accustomed to observe in the Lutheran Church in Germany,
and retained only those now observed by us in our churches re
lating to the grand fundamental facts of Christianity, viz., Christ
mas (New Year), Good Friday, Easter, Ascension-day and Whit
suntide. (See Hist, of Am. Luth. Ch. v>. 103.)

128 WHAT THE CHURCH IS. ART. VIII.
3) They introduced Synodical meetings, consisting of ministers
and lay delegates, similar to those practised by several of the sister
denominations around them. In Germany these were unknown.
" It is necessary (say they,) in order that the servants of one
master and laborers in one vineyard, may become acquainted with
each other, may become more closely united in love, and in mutual
consultation concerning the best interests of the church (ecclesiae
plantandae,) and the propagation of the Christian religion. They
are useful, in order that each individual may communicate the
grace and gift he has received, for the common good, — that they
may encourage, admonish, and comfort each other, and decide
cases of conscience, — that they may make known to each other in
love, simplicity, meekness, and humility, their personal faults, of
which they themselves might not be aware, — and remove all con
tention and jealousy; because a house divided against itself can
not stand, and harmony among ministers of the same denomina
tion, (and we would add, of all fundamentally orthodox churches,)
' makes a great impression upon friends andJbes.' " (Hall. Nach.
p. 857.)
4) They introduced Special Conferences also. This was done
as early as 1772, and their design is thus described by
Dr. Helmuth : "A Conference is to be held once every three
months, to be attended only by those ministers who reside nearest
together, and they differ from the General Conference (the Synod)
in this, that their object is not mainly to attend to the external
affairs of the congregation, but to aim at edification and at im
provement in brotherly love. The contiguous brethren in the
upper part of Pennsylvania (Lancaster Co., &c.) are Messrs.
Kurtz, sen., Kurtz, jun., Krug, Wildbahn, Enderlein, Fred. Muh
lenberg and myself. We held our first meeting in a village called
New Holland, and spent our time in a truly brotherly manner. Each
brother proposed something, which tended to edification or instruc
tion, and which was made, the subject of prayer." (Hall. Nach. p.
1339.) For the present regulations for Special Conferences, see
the Formula of Gov. and Discipline, Chap. XVI.
5) They introduced Church Discipline, a thing almost unknown
in Germany. There, as is well known, the unhappy union of
Church and State, has almost entirely defeated all efforts at dis-

OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH. 129
cipline. But Muhlenberg and his coadjutors saw the error and
determined to reform.
In 1762, a system of church discipline was introduced by the
Philadelphia church, highly respectable in the standard of Chris
tian propriety assumed.1 One based upon similar principles was
adopted by the church in Lancaster; but Dr. Helmuth, at that
time pastor, complains in 1772, of great difficulty in enforcing it.2
In 1784, it was resolved at a synodical meeting, that all com
municants who had been guilty of licentiousness, should be re
quired to make public confession of their sin, or be excluded from
church privileges.3
But these fathers unhappily failed to adopt any uniform general
system, based upon scriptural principles. Nor did they print the
resolutions actually adopted, for general circulation among the
people. Thus they lost the influence which education and public
sanction would have given to the discipline they actually adopted,
and as their members had never been accustomed to any disci
pline in Germany, and were, therefore, peculiarly difficult to
control, the discipline was soon partially relaxed and in the course
of time almost totally neglected.
III. Officers of the Church.
The officers of the church are 1) Ministers, commonly called
in N. Test, elders, and bishops, and sometimes apostles, prophets,
evangelists, pastors and teachers;4 just as amongst us, pastors,
1 Hallische Nachrichten, p. 963. 3 Ibid, p. 1345. 3 Ibid, p. 1458.
'1 Cor. 12 : 28; Ephes. 4 : 11. The Lutheran church has always
maintained the primitive parity of the ministry, although, on grounds
of human expediency, various forms of imparity are practised in Europe.
In Denmark the Lutheran church has diocesan bishops, and in Sweden,
also an archbishop. In Germany, imparity is practiced under the names
of Superintendent, General Superintendent, Pnelat, Consistorialrath,
Decan, Archidiaconus, &c, &c.
In our American church, the preference for parity seems to be general,
and the contrary experiment of the Pennsylvania Synod by establishing
an inferior order of ministers, called " Calecheten," in 1815, was aban
doned In 1823. See minutes of Pennsylvania Synod for 1815, p. 11, vol.
II, of "Evang. Magazine" for 1815.

130 WHAT THE CHURCH IS. ART. VIII.
ministers, evangelists, missionaries, theological professors, &c, and
2) A class of lay officers, the Deacons.
Of ministers all that is requisite has been said under Article V.,
which specifically treats of them.
The deacons of the N. Test, were elected for the purpose of
relieving the apostles from the duty of serving at tables and dis
tributing alms. Acts 6 : 1-6. Deacons are therefore lay officers,
distinctly appointed for the performance of temporal ministrations,
and not to preach the gospel. If we find some of these deacons
at a later day employed in preaching, the natural presumption is,
that "having used the office of a deacon well, they (as Paul tells
us) purchased to themselves a good degree (paSixoi/xotov, a respectable
standing)," 1 Tim. 3 : 13, and were advanced to the ministry.
Lay elders are elected in some churches as the representatives
of the church members, to perform duties originally devolving on
the whole church. See Formula of Gov. and Dis. of Gen. Synod,
Chap. III. sect. 6.
IV. Rights and Duties of the Church.
a) Every. Christian church or congregation of professed be
lievers, has the right to elect its own officers, its minister (elder or
bishop), its deacons, &c. This power in its application to
ministers, we have already established under Art. V. That each
church has the right to elect her deacons is evident from
Acts 6 : 5. 'And the saying pleased the whole multitude : and they
chose Stephen, a man full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost, and
Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmeneas,
and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch : — 6. "Whom they set before the
apostles : and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.'
On the election of lay elders, see Formula of Government and '
Discipline, Ch. III., sect. 6, and Ch. VI.
b) It is the duty of each church to have the gospel preached
and sacraments administered in her midst, and, as far as in her
power, over the whole earth ; and therefore to call and ordain suit
able persons as preachers and missionaries.
Mark 16 : 15, 16. 'And he (Jesus) said unto them, Go ye into all
the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth

RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF THE CHURCH. 131
and is baptized, shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be
damned.' 1 Cor. 11 : 24, 26. ' This do in remembrance of me. — For as often
as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death
till he come.'
The right of each church to call and ordain her ministers, is a
necessary consequence of the fact established under Article V.,
that the apostolic churches did exercise this power.
c) But if it is the duty of the church, that is, of the existing
ministers and lay members, to perpetuate the ministry, to sustain the
ordinances of God's house for their own edification, and to send
the gospel message to the ends of the earth ; it is obviously also
their duty to afford an adequate support to those whom they call
and ordain, or appoint to consecrate their life to this work. Under
the Old Testament dispensation, very definite provision was made
for the support of those who attended to the services of the sanc
tuary. See Num. 35 : 1-8 compared with Levit. 25 : 32-34;
Deut. 12 : 19; 14 : 27; 16 : 16, 17; 18 : 1-8; 2 Chron. 31 :
1-10; Neh. 13 : 10, 11; Ezek. 44 : 15-31.
And although the spirit of the New Testament is a spirit of
liberty, and no precise amount is fixed for ministerial support, the
general rule is distinctly laid down, that those who relinquish their
secular professions or pursuits, and devote all their time to
preaching the gospel, shall live of the gospel, and " that the work
man is worthy of his hire."
Matt. 10 : 7. 'And as ye go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven
is at hand. — 9. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your
purses: — 10. Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither
shoes, nor yet staves ; for the workman is worthy of his meal.'
Luke 8 : 1. 'And it came to pass afterward, that he went through
out every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings
of the kingdom of God : and the twelve were with him ; — 2. And
certain women — Mary called Magdalene, — 3. And Joanna the wife
of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which
ministered unto him of their substance.'
1 Cor. 9 : 1-14. ' Even so hath the Lord ordained, that they which
preach the gospel should live of the gospel.'
1 Tim. 5 : 17. ' Let the elders (ministers) that rule well be counted
worthy of double honor, (tft/tjjs, also reward, which the context here

132 WHAT THE CHURCH IS. ART. VIII.
requires, v. 18.) especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.
— 18. For the Scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that
treadeth out the corn : and, The laborer is worthy of his reward.'
See also Gal. 6 : 6. Philip. 4 : 10-18.
But suppose for a moment, tbat the records of inspiration were
silent on this subject, is it not a dictate of common sense, an un
deniable principle of equity, that we should pay a just compensa
tion to those, who, at our own request spend their life in instruct
ing us and our families, in regard to our highest interests in time
and eternity ? And yet are there not many, are there not some
even among the readers of these pages, who if they do not openly
say so, yet feel and act as if their contributions to the support of
their minister were a mere gratuity, which he has no right to
claim and they are not held by bonds of moral obligation as well
as honor to pay ? If such an one should read these lines, we
would say to him in the language of another, " Do you consider
what you pay the mechanic or day-laborer whom you employ, a
gratuity ? Do you think that the lawyer, the physician, the
schoolmaster, who serve you in their respective callings, have no
claim on you for their services ? Or, that the care of your pro
perty, health, and mind, are more important than the care of your
soul? Is it .more necessary that your field should be plowed, or
your house or your furniture repaired, than that you should be
taught the way of salvation; and in the hour of sickness and
death, have some one to instruct you and your family, and admin
ister to you the consolations of the Gospel, and the rites of religion ?
If you and your family wish to live and die as do the heathen, so
-be it. If you never, in any way, claim or enjoy the services of a
clergyman, he certainly will not. set up any claim upon you for
support. But if you regard the observance of the Sabbath, and
the maintenance of the public and social rites of religion as
necessary to the comfort and welfare of yourself and family, and
the community at large, upon what principle can you refuse your
aid in supporting a minister ?
" If he, after years of laborious and expensive preparation for
his duties, devotes his whole time to the labors which you and
others require at his hands, there is no principle of law or equity
on which you can refuse your proportion of his support. And

RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF THE CHURCH. 133
what you pay him is no more a gift than what you pay your
physician, or your school-master, your mechanics, or your day-
laborer." d) It is the duty of the church to exercise government and dis
cipline, and watch over the purity of its members and ministers.
Matt. 18 : 15. ' Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against
thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone : if he
shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. — 16. But if he will not
hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of
two or three witnesses every word may be established. — 17. And if
he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church : but if he ne
glect, to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man
and a publican. — 18. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall
bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall
loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.'
1 Cor. 5:7.' Purge out. therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a
new lump, as ye are unleavened. — 11. But now I have written unto
you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a
fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or
an extortioner; wilh such an one do not to eat. — 13. Therefore put
away from among yourselves that wicked person.'
2 Thess. 3:6.' Now we command you, brethren, in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother
that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which ye received
of us.'
In Europe, where Church and State are united, discipline is en
tirely neglected in the Lutheran and Reformed churches, except
the private admonition given by some pious ministers to the
offender. In the "Kirchen Agende" or Formula published by the
Patriarchs of American Lutheranism in 1786, they at once take
scriptural ground and introduce the discipline so long neglected in
the Fatherland. Sect. III., § 3, page 28, reads as follows :
" The minister shall keep a list of the communicants. Should he
find that any one of the communicant members has been living in
public contention, or been guilty of any public or known immo
rality, and he cannot settle the matter himself, he may convene the
church council, and cite the offender to appear and submit to an
adjudication of his case."
12

134

OF BAPTISM.

Art. IX.

The form and principles of Government and Discipline adopted
by the churches of the General Synod, are embodied in the Formula
contained in this volume.

ARTICLE IX.— CONCERNING BAPTISM.

IX. Of Baptism.
Concerning baptism,
our churches teach, [that
it is necessary to salva-
tkmf\ that ii is a means
of grace, and ought to be
administered also to chil
dren, who are thereby de
dicated to God, and re
ceived into his favor.

IX. De Baptismo.
De baptismo decent,
[gudd sit necessarius ad
salutem,~\ quodque yer
baptismum offeratur gra
tia Dei. Et quod pueri
sint baptizandi, qui per
baptismum oblati Deo, re-
cipiantur in gratiam Dei.

< They condemn the Ana
baptists who reject the bap
tism of children ; and who
affirm that2 infants are
saved without baptism.

Damnant Anabapiistas,
qui improbant baptismum
puerorum et affirmant
pueros sine baptismo sal
vos fieri.

¦German copy: "is necessary;" the phrase "to salvation" being
omitted. 3 German copy: "Who affirm, that infant baptism is not necessary."

The Sacraments in General.
The blessed Saviour instituted several positive ordinances, of
perpetual standing in his church, which are usually designated by
the term Sacraments ; a word not found in Scripture, and variously

SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL. 135
understood by different writers.1 There has been much dispute
about the number of the sacraments ; but as this will depend en
tirely on the definition of the terms which may be adopted, the
controversy amounts to mere logomachy. The Catholic church
adopts seven sacraments : Baptism, Confirmation, the Lord's
Supper, Penance, Extreme Unction, Orders, and Matrimony; the
Lutheran and other Protestant churches receive only two, Baptism
and the Lord's Supper. "A sacrament," says Dr. Mosheim, "is
an ordinance appointed of God, by which the benefits purchased
by the Saviour are not only symbolically represented to the senses,
but spiritual blessing is also actually conferred on those who faith
fully use them." That the sacraments do symbolically represent
some of the most important truths of the Christian religion, nay;
that they represent them in a more forcible and striking manner
than ordinary language could do, is admitted ; hence, as divine
truth is the grand means of grace appointed by God, it cannot be
consistently denied, that the sacraments are also means, no less
than seals of grace. The importance of the sacraments in working
out our salvation, is necessarily involved in their divine appoint
ment. But that their observance is of far less moment than that
of the moral precepts of the gospel, is evident not only from the
explicit declaration of the apostle Paul,2 and from the fact that the
Saviour inculcated the latter with far greater frequency, but even
from the nature of the case. Those Christians, therefore, cer
tainly err who spend the major part of their time in preaching
these outward rites, as some of our Baptist friends do, and thus
necessarily in some degree neglect the weightier matters of the
law. 1 The following are the principal significations which the word sacra
ment has borne: a) a military oath, b) a mystery — thus it is used by the
vulgate translation for iivarripwv, in Eph. 5 : 32, 1 Cor. 15 : 51. c) The
oath by which Christians bind themselves in the Eucharist and at baptism.
In this sense Pliny uses it, Epist. 97. d) An external ceremony or religious
rite, having a spiritual or symbolical reference to something unseen. —
Tertul. and Augustine.
'1 Cor. 1: 14, 17. 'I thank God that I baptized none of you but
Crispus and Gaius. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the
gospel.'

136 of baptism. Art. IX.
I. The Necessity of Baptism.
"Our churches teach that baptism is necessary to
salvation." The importance of this holy and blessed ordinance is abundantly
evident from the frequency with which it is inculcated in the
sacred volume, as well as the blessings promised to its worthy and
believing recipient.
a) It is necessary as the initiatory ordinance in the Christian
church. Matt. 28 : 19. ' Go ye, therefore, and make disciples (uoStiTtevaati,
to disciple ; from ua£r]tns, a disciple,) of all nations, baptizing them
in the name,' &e.
John 4: 1. 'When, therefore, the Lord knew how the Pharisees
had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,' &c.
1 Cor. 1 : 13. ' Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or
were ye baptized in the name of Paul? — 14. I thank God that I bap
tized none of you but Crispus and Gaius ; — 15. Lest any should say
that I had baptized in mine own name.'
Buddeus : " Baptism is the sacrament of initiation, by which
as many individuals as enrol their names for Christ, are received
into the covenant of grace, according to the divine command in the
New Testament."
Reinhard: " Baptism is a solemn washing instituted by Christ,
by which the youth of the Christian republic are initiated, and
receive a right to the hope of eternal salvation through Christ."
Hollazius : " Baptism is necessary on account of the command,
and its being an appointed means, but this necessity is a condi
tional and not an absolute one ; for we believe that the infants of
Christians, dying without baptism, are saved."
Baier: " The unbaptized children of infidels we commit to the
disposal or judgment of God ; nor would we dare to take them
by force, contrary to the wishes of their parents, and to baptize
them." Goering: "Jesus teaches us that both the water and the Spirit
are indispensably necessary. This he affirms of both these con
stituents together, and not of one alone. The Spirit is absolutely

BENEFIT OF BAPTISM. 137
necessary, considered by itself; without his influence no divine
life can be introduced into the soul. Water, considered by itself,
is also necessary ; but only conditionally. That it is necessary, is
seen in the case of Cornelius and others. Although these had
received the Holy Spirit in a miraculous measure, Peter never
theless deliberately said : ' Can any man forbid water, that these
should not be baptized ?' (Acts 10 : 47.) Yet, this necessity is
merely a conditional one. It is only the careless neglect, and the
intentional contempt (of this ordinance) that condemns the soul."
— Besiegter Wiedertaufer, by Jacob Goering, of York : published,
Lancaster, 1788, p. 49.
6) Baptism is necessary as a means of grace. This character
of the ordinance results not only from express passages of inspira
tion, but also from the obvious fact, that it is an impressive sym
bolic exhibition of some of the principal doctrines of the Christian
system ; namely, the depravity of the human heart and the puri
fying influences of the Holy Spirit. As no one who habitually
neglects or rejects a rite which he knows to be commanded of
God, can be a true Christian, it follows that the neglect of this
means, if persisted in, involves the loss of the soul. He that de
liberately and habitually violates any one of God's commands,
does not and cannot perform any other in a proper and acceptable
frame of mind. Yet no intelligent Lutheran believes in the
absolute necessity of this ordinance to salvation under all circum
stances — believes that the unavoidable want of it will condemn
the soul of an individual who has received the baptism of the
Holy Spirit, and affords evidence of being a new creature in Christ
Jesus. Paul said, " Christ sent him not to baptize, but to preach
the gospel ;" but could he have uttered this language, if this rite
were under all circumstances essential to salvation ? The declara
tion of Augustine is of no less importance than truth in theology :
"Non privatio, sed contemtus sacramenti damnat;" "it is not the
want of a sacrament, but its contempt, that condemns the soul."

II. Benefit of Baptism. \
" Baptism is a means of grace."— Titus 3:5.' Not by
works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his

138 of baptism. Art. IX.
mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of
the Holy Ghost.'
Rom. 6:3.' Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized
into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death ? — 4. Therefore we
are buried with him by baptism into death ; that like as Christ was
raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also
should walk in newness of life.'
Gal. 3 : 27. ' For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ,
have put on Christ.'
1 Peter 3 : 21. ' The like figure whereunto, even baptism, doth also
now save us ; not the putting away .of the filth of the flesh, but the
answer of a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ.' Luther's Larger Catechism, IV. 33 " Sola Fides," &c. : "It is
faith alone which makes a person worthy, so that he can receive
this salutary and divine water with benefit. For, as this (benefit)
is tendered and proposed to us in the words, together with the
water, it cannot be received in any other way than by being cor
dially believed." Again, 73 : " Moreover, it faith be wanting, it
remains a naked and more ineffectual sign (nudum et inefficacem
signum)." Luther also expressed himself very decidedly on the necessity
of the Spirit's influence to the efficacy of baptism, in his letter to
the Swiss churches, in 1537 : "As in the case of the oral word, so
here in regard to baptism, we hold, that the water and the word
(which is the most important in baptism), externally applied, effect
nothing without the internal influence of the Holy Spirit ; and yet
such baptism is God's outward sign, instrumentality, and work,
through which God works in us, in order that it may not be a
mere human ceremony and sign." — Luther's Works, Leipsic ed.,
vol. 21, p. 108.
Hollazius : " The sacraments confer no benefit (or grace) on
adults, unless they receive the proffered blessing with faith, which
previously existed in their hearts."
Baier : " Nor does baptism benefit believers, only at the time
when it is received, but afterwards and through their whole life,
for the confirmation of their faith and their progressive sanctifica^
tion (as the covenant of grace, whose seal baptism is), continues
always valid and firm on the part of God."

PEDOBAPTISM. 139
Gerhard: " We are not concerned about the mode of the faith
of infants, but simply acquiesce in the fact, that they do believe."
Konig : "That infants do receive faith in baptism, through the
influence of the Holy Spirit, is evident from the fact that they
are regenerated. For, there can be no true regeneration without
faith. And does not Christ himself most clearly assert that
infants believe in him ?" Matt. 18 : 6.
That infants exercise faith, is not believed by intelligent Luthe- 1,
rans at present.
Goering : " I hate the doctrine, that baptism is regeneration,
with all my soul. It is the hobby-horse of unconverted ministers,
on which they ride to perdition. Regeneration is the work of God
in us — a new creation unto .the image of Christ, and must not bo
confounded with the means of grace. Baptism is not regenera
tion, but a means of regeneration — a means by which God effects
and bestows it." — Besiegter Wiedertaufer, p. 48.
Lochman : " In baptism we enter into a covenant with God.
He promises to be our father for Christ's sake, and to grant us his
Holy Spirit, in order to guide us into the ways of truth and holi
ness; and we promise to become his dutiful children. As long as
we fulfil our part of the contract or covenant, we may be assured that
God's promises will stand firm." — Hist. Doct. and Dis., &c, p. 102.
Pedobaptism.
"Baptism ought to be administered to children."
Mark 10 : 13. 'And they brought young children to him, that he
Bhould touch them : and his disciples rebuked those that brought
them. — 14. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and
said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid
them not ; for of such is the kingdom of God. — 15. Verily I say unto
you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little
child, he shall not enter therein. — 16. And he took them up in his
arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.'
Acts 2 : 38. 'Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name
of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost. — 39. For the promise is unto you, and to your
children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our
God shall call.'
Matt. 18 : 14. ' Even so, it is not the will of your Father which is
in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.'

140 of baptism. Art. IX.
1 Cor. 7 : 14. ' For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the
wife; and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband : else were
your children unclean ; but now are they holy.'
Col. 2 : 11. ' In whom also ye are circumcised with the circum
cision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the
flesh by the circumcision of Christ. — 12. Buried with him in baptism,
wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation
of God, who hath raised him from the dead.' See Gen. 17 : 12, and
Rom. 4 : 11.
The apostle baptized entire families, without excepting children.
Acts 16 : 14. 'And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of pur
ple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us : whose
heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were
spoken of Paul. — 15. And when she was baptized, and her household,
she besought,' &c.
Acts 16 : 33. 'And he (the jailor) took them (Paul and Silas) the
same hour of the night, and washed their stripes ; and was baptized,
he and all his, straightway.'
1 Cor. 1 : 16. 'And I baptized also tho household of Stephanas ;
besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.'
Hutterus : " a) Christ commanded that all nations should be
baptized; therefore, also, children, b) The kingdom of Christ
can exist only with the word and sacraments. John 3 : 3, 5.
Therefore, as children are to be received into the kingdom of
Christ, it cannot be accomplished except through the means of
baptism, c) The promise of salvation pertains also to children.
Matt. 18 : 14 ; 19 : 14 ; Mark 10 : 13."
Luther's Larger Catechism : " We bring the child to the min
ister of the church, to be baptized, in the hope and impression
that it certainly does believe, and we pray that God will bestow
faith upon it. Still it is not for this reason that we baptize, but
rather because God has commanded us thus to do."
Baier: "That children ought to be baptized, may justly be
inferred from John 3 : 5, in connection with Mark 10 : 14. Thus : ¦
All those whom Christ desires to be saved, but who cannot attain
salvation in the ordinary way, except by being baptized, should
not be denied baptism, as it is the appointed means. But Christ
desires infants to be saved (Mark 10 : 14), and they cannot attain
salvation in the ordinary way, except by means of baptism (by

MODE OF BAPTISM. 141
virtue of the general declaration, John 3:5); therefore, children
should be baptized."
As to the benefits of baptism to children, it may be said that in
addition to being admitted by it into the visible church of Christ,
and securing the advantages of a religious, Christian education,
this ordinance confers on them all the other benefits that it does
on adults, so far as they are capable of receiving them." '
IV. The Mode of Baptism.
The controversy on this subject has always been regarded by
our most enlightened divines, including Luther, Melanchthon, and
Chemnitz, as one of comparatively inferior importance. It has no
connexion with the question of infant baptism, because churches
which baptize by immersion may and often do practise infant bap
tism (the Greek church) ; and those who baptize by affusion or
aspersion, may confine the ordinance to adults. The Augsburg
Confession, therefore, whilst it distinctly enjoins the baptism of
infants, specifies nothing as to the mode of applying the water.
The question in dispute is not whether baptism by immersion is
valid ; this is admitted ; though that mode is thought less suitable
to a refined sense of moral feeling than the other, especially in
countries where public bathing is unusual, and familiarity with
its accompanying scenes has not divested them of their indelicacy.
But the question is, whether immersion is enjoined in Scripture,
and consequently is one essential part of baptism, so that without
it no baptism is valid, though it contain every other requisite.
On this subject the Lutheran church has always agreed with the
great majority of Christian denominations, in maintaining the
negative, and in regarding the quantity of water employed in
1 On this important subject we refer the reader to the following works:
Infant Baptism and Affusion, with essay3 on related subjectB, by Benjamin
Kurtz, D.D. : Bait., 1840; 1 vol. 8vo., pp. 370.
, Manual of Christian Baptism, &c, by Bev. Thomas Lape, A.M.: Bait.,
1843 ; pp. 93, 12mo.
The Baptist System Examined, the Church Vindicated, and Sectarianism
Rebuked, by Fidelis Scrutator (Rev. Mr. Seiss) : Bait., pp. 376, 12mo.
1854.

142 of baptism. Art. IX.
baptism, as well as the mode of exhibiting it, not essential to the
validity of the ordinance. The argument may be briefly stated
thus : —
No circumstances can be necessary to the validity of a divine
ordinance, excepting those which God has commanded in his
word. But God has not commanded immersion in his word.
Therefore, it is not necessary to the validity of the ordinance of
baptism. The first of these propositions is admitted by all Protestant
denominations. The second, therefore, alone needs investigation,
" that God has not commanded immersion in his word."
1. The friends of immersion do not contend, that there is any
specific command; but allege, that the word " baptize" itself does,
in the New Testament Greek, necessarily imply immersion. The
fallacy of this opinion is evident from all the passages, in which
the word is used in such a way as to throw light on its precise
meaning. a) Heb. 9 : 10. Which the (Jewish service.) stood (consisted in
meats and drinks and diverse baptisms, powmctyiois). A reference
to the Old Testament,1 where these baptisms, or, as our English
version renders it, washings, are described, proves that they were
performed by sprinkling and pouring ; but it is not mentioned in
a single case, that the object must be put under the water.
b) Mark 7 : 4. 'And when they (the Pharisees) come from the
market, except they wash (fiaH-tiawtai,, baptize themselves) they eat
not.' Now it certainly was the custom of the Jews to wash their
hands before eating, but what author ever contended that they
entirely immersed themselves in water before every meal ? Yet
this application of water to a very small part of the body is called
baptism. c) Again : In the same verse, ' and many other things there be,
which they have received to hold, as the (|3a?tT'Njfi8S) baptisms of
cups and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables (beds, couches, xXwai).'
' Numb. 19 : 18, 'And a clean person shall take a hyssop, and dip it
in water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon
the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one
slain, or one dead, or a grave,' &c. See also verses 4, 13, 19, 20, 21.

mode of baptism. 143
The cups and pots might indeed be immersed in water, yet of this
we are not certain. But will it be contended that the beds or
couches were carried to some often distant river to be immersed ?
or that every Pharisee had a cistern provided in his yard for this
purpose ? A similar use of the word " baptize" we find in Luke
11 : 38. 'And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had
not first washed (ij3ait-tia§7!, baptized) before dinner.' It is there
fore evident that many of the purifications, termed baptisms in the
New Testament, were certainly performed by sprinkling, and (as
in the case of the tables) by pouring ; whilst it is not certain that
they were performed by immersion in a single case. Hence there
is much more Scripture authority for sprinkling and pouring, than
for immersion, in the New Testament usage of the word baptism.
In classic Greek, also, the word flartT'ifu, to baptize, possesses
great latitude, signifying to dip, immerse, to dye, to color, to wash,
&c. Yet if, in classic usage, it were confined to one meaning, that
could not decide its import in the New Testament, as the New
Testament Greek differs materially from that of the classics. In
the above passages we have the authority of Paul and Mark, that
these words signify various applications of water, practised by the
Jews in their religious rites, which certainly included sprinkling,
pouring, washing, bathing, but in no case, certainly, immersion.
See Numb. 19 : 18, &c.
2. Nor do the circumstances, related in the New Testament as
attendant on baptism, prove the practice of immersion.
a) The baptism of the three thousand converts,' on the day of
Pentecost, was performed at Jerusalem, where there was no river
or creek ; at a time when it was summer in Judea (close of March),
and rains were scarce, and the brook Kedron was dry, and no
water of any size remained near Jerusalem but the pool of Siloam.
How could the apostles, under these circumstanc.es, have found
places to baptize such a multitude in one day by immersion ? But
by affusion or aspersion it could have been done.
6) The language of Peter when he baptized the Gentiles at the
house of Cornelius (Acts 10 : 47), does not favor immersion.
When they believed and received the Holy Ghost, Peter said,
¦ Acts 2.

144 of baptism. Art. IX.
" Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized 1"
that is, forbid water to be brought. Had he intended to baptize
them by immersion, it would have been much more natural for
him to say, " Can any man forbid us to go to the creek, or river,
or pond, and baptize these?"
c) The circumstances of the jailor's baptism, Acts 16 : 19-39,
imply that he was not baptized by immersion. He was baptized
in the night, when it would have been very inconvenient to go to
a suitable place for immersion. The rite was evidently performed
in the principal room of the prison ; for nothing is said of their
leaving the house ; we are only told that they had been thrust into
the dungeon or inner prison, and that they were brought out of
that apartment to where the family of the jailor was, whom they
taught. And when he professed his faith, we are told he was
baptized immediately ; not, he immediately started off ,with his
family, and with Paul, and Silas, in the night, to a suitable place
to be immersed.
d) Matt. 3 : 16. When Jesus was baptized of John in the
Jordan, " he went up straightwaay out of the water :" and Acts
8 : 38, " They (the Ethiopian eunuch and Philip) went down both
into the water, and he baptized him." In these passages the pre
positions sis and cuto, may with equal propriety be rendered to and
from. Thus the former is translated in John's gospel,' " John
came first to (as) the sepulchre" of our Lord, " but he went not
in ; and again, " He sent forth his servants to call them that were
bidden to (k$) the wedding (feast),"2 and many other passages:3
and the latter is thus rendered in the passages, "And forthwith
the angel departed from (arto) him," 4 and " The angel came and
rolled the stone from (two) the door,"5 and others.6 These pre
positions do not, therefore, with certainty, prove any thing more,
than that these persons went to the water to be baptized, and after
wards came from it. But even if it were certain, that they went
into the water, this would by no means determine the manner in
' John 20 : 4, 5. ' John 2 : 3.
3 John 4:5.' Then cometh he to (tu) the city.' Acts 13 : 48 ; 21 : 4.
Eom. 2:4.
« Acfe 12 : 10. ' Matt. 28 : 2.
" Matt. 4 : 25 ; 24 : 31 ; 28 : 8.

of the lord's supper. 145
which they were baptized. They might have gone in to the depth
of their ankles or knees, and baptized according to the Jewish
baptism, described in Numbers," by pouring the water on with a
vessel, or with the hand, or by sprinkling it over the subject.
e) Nor does the fact, that " John baptized in iEnon, because
there was much water (rtoM.ot iSata, many springs) there, deter
mine the mode of baptism. Because, whatever be the object,
sacred or profane, for which large multitudes assemble, to spend
one or more days together, it is a notorious fact, that the vicinity
of a spring, or creek, or river is always preferred, for water is indis
pensably necessary to their subsistence. Are not such places
always preferred for fourth of July orations, military parades, and
camp meetings ? yet who would thence infer that the Methodists
baptize by immersion ?

ARTICLE X.— OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
X. Of the Lord's Supper. X. De Ccena Domini.
In regard to the lord's De coena Domini do-
supper they teach that the cent, quod corpus et san-
body1 and blood of Christ guis Christi \yere~\ ad-
are [truly] present,2 and sint, et distribuanlur ves-
are dispensed to the com- centibus inccend Domini,
municants in the lord's et improbant secus do-
supper: and they con- centes.
demn those who teach
otherwise. 1 German copy : " true body."
' German copy : " under the emblems of bread and wine."
The ordinance to which this article refers is confessedly the
most solemn and impressive appointed by the Saviour in his visible
church on earth. It was designed as a memorial of his dying
' Chap. 19.

146 OF THE LORD'S- SUPPER. ART. X.
love, and in whatever light we view it, it is adapted with infinite
wisdom to its intended end. Is Christianity a religion, whose
truth and cardinal features require our belief of the fundamental
¦facts of the Saviour's history 1 — this ordinance, of such frequent
recurrence, is wisely adapted to confer incessant prominence on the
most important of them, his atoning death for the sins of men.
Is Christianity a religion requiring the affections of the heart, as
well as the assent of the understanding ? What ordinance could
be better adapted to call forth the tenderest feelings of the soul,
than that which, in language of the deepest solemnity, and by
emblems familiar to all of every rank and nation, and amid cir
cumstances of melancholy, midnight gloom, exhibits the suffering
Saviour as it were to our eyes ? In all churches of commendable
spirituality, the celebration of this ordinance is accompanied by
peculiar practical exercises. These consist in one or more prepa
ratory services on the previous day; and if convenient, a neigh
boring brother is invited to assist the stated pastor. It is a season
of deep heart-searching, of self-abasement, of penitence and
.renewed dedication of the soul to God ; and we may well ask,
what Christian has sincerely and devoutly waited on the Lord in
this ordinance, and not found his strength renewed; has not
realized the truth of the Saviour's promise, " my flesh is meat
indeed, and my blood is drink indeed 1"
I. The Divine Institution and Perpetuity of the Holy Supper.
This solemn ordinance is designated by different names in the
sacred volume : The table of the Lord (tfpartffa xvpi,n) 1 Cor. 10 :
21; the breaking of bread (xXaeif Ttov aptfou) Acts 2 : 42; the
Lord's Supper (Sdttvov xvpiaxov) 1 Cor. 11 : 20.
The divine institution and perpetuity, are both evident from the
words of the Saviour and his apostle.
Matt. 26 : 26. 'And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and
blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take,
eat ; this is my body. — 27. And he took the cup, and gave thanks,
and gave it to them saying, Drink ye all of it : — 28. For this is my
blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission
of sins.'
Mark 14 : 22. 'And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed,

DIVINE INSTITUTION OF THE EUCHARIST. 147
and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat ; this is my
body. — 23. And he took the cup ; and when he had given thanks,
he gave it to them : and they all drank of it. — 24. And he said unto
them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for
many.' 1 Cor. 11 : 23. ' For I have received of the Lord, that which also
I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which
he was betrayed, took bread : — 24. And when he had given thanks,
he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken
for you : this do in remembrance of me. — 25. After the same manner
also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, 'This cup is the
new testament in my blood : this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in re
membrance of me. — 26. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink
this cup, ye do show the Lord's death, till he come. — 27. Wherefore,
whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, un
worthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.'
The obligation of believers to continue the celebration of this
ordinance until the close of this dispensation, is obvious from
these passages.
The Society of Friends, who, in regard to their moral deport
ment, are truly exemplary, at present alone deny the obligation1
of Christians to observe this rite, regarding it as designed by the
Saviour merely to inculcate the necessity of spiritual union with
him. That they err, is evident from the specific nature of the
command, "do this in remembrance of me;" from the direction
of Paul thus to " show forth his death till he come ;" ' from the
fact that these same disciples did habitually observe this rite, that
the whole Christian church did in the apostolic age, and subse
quently, and still does, with the exception of the society here re
ferred to, which took its rise in England, about the middle of the
seventeenth century, and a few others.2
In addition to these arguments, an additional one of no small
-force is found in the fact that Christ saw fit to give Paul a special
revelation on this subject, specifying the words which he had ut
tered at its institution, and urging its continued observation in
order to " show forth his death till he come." Now if, as the
Quakers suppose, the Saviour celebrated the supper with them
• 1 Cor. 11 : 26.
1 The Faulicians, some Socinians and fanatics also dispute it.

148 OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. ART. X.
merely as a symbolic rite to inculcate moral truth at that time
(namely, A. D. 33), what propriety would there be in his making
a special revelation to Paul on the same subject, urging its ob
servance several years after (probably A. D. 35) ; and where the
propriety of Paul's reiterating this revelation and exhortation to
tbe observance of the eucharist in his epistle to the Corinthians
twenty-two years later still (A. D. 57).
II. Nature of the Eucharist.
On this subject great diversity of views has existed.
Luther : " Concerning the sacrament of the altar we hold, that
the bread and wine in the Supper are the true body and blood of
Christ, and that they are not only given to and received by pious,
but also by ungodly Christians."' — Smalcald Articles.
" The sacrament of the altar, is the true body and blood of our
Lord Jesus Christ, in and under the bread and wine, instituted
and commanded by the word of Christ, to be eaten and drank by
us Christians." — Luther's Larger Catechism, Part V., Est verum
corpus, &c.
"Although the .most incorrigible profligate administers the sa
crament to others, or receives it himself, still he nevertheless re
ceives the sacrament, that is, the body and blood of Christ, no
otherwise than he who receives and treats it in the most reveren
tial manner." — Larger Catechism, Part V., Quanquam nebulo, &c.
Form of Concord: "We reject the Capernaitish eating of
the body of Christ, &c. There is a twofold eating (manducation)
of the flesh of Christ, the one spiritual, of which Christ princi
pally treats in John, chap. 6 ; which takes place in no other way
than in spirit and by faith in the preachiog and meditation of the
gospel. This is nothing else than to believe the preached word
of God. — The other is a sacramental eating, and is done with the
mouth, when the true and substantial body and blood of Christ
are received with the mouth, in the holy supper, by all who eat
and drink bread and wine." — Mutter's Symb. books, p. 660.
Some theologians supposed the natural body to be received.
" De Sacramento altaris sentimus panem et vinum in coena esse verum
corpus et sanguinem Christi, et non tantum dari et sumi a piis, sed etiam
ab impiis Christianis." — Artie. Smalcaldici, Art. VI.

NATURE OF THE EUCHARIST. 149
Chemnitz: "When it is affirmed concerning the bread in the
Lord's supper, that it is the body of Christ, the word bread has
and retains its proper signification. And the remark, added to
the word body, "given for you," compels us to understand the
word in no other than its proper and natural sense, namely, of that
substance of human nature, which was conceived of the Holy
Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, and was affixed to the cross."
Visitation Articles, adopted in Upper Saxony in 1592, Art. I.
§ 4. — " That the true and natural body, which hung upon the
cross, is exhibited and received, and the true and natural blood,
which flowed from the side of Christ."
Others supposed it to be the glorified body of the Saviour.
Hollazius: "The body of Christ is now glorified and is most
glorious. And although we always enjoy the body of Christ
which was crucified and dead, as to its merits; it is now no longer
in that condition, and we enjoy it (in the eucharist) in that state
in which it now exists."
Mosheim : " The Holy Supper is an ordinance commanded by
Christ, in which, together with the consecrated bread and wine,*
the body and blood of Christ are truly, though in an inexplicable
manner, exhibited or presented to (exhibentur) those who receive
this rite, and together with the body and blood of Christ, an in
crease of the benefits of Christ, or of spiritual blessing, is bestowed
on them."
Speaking of the Saviour's presence in the Eucharist, the cele
brated Lutheran divine, Dr. Mosheim^ says : " What the nature of
this presence is, we know not. The thing itself we know ; but
the mode of its truth is a mystery which we cannot comprehend.
We deny that Christ is present and received in a physical or ma
terial manner. But should any one ask, How is he present ? our
answer is, We know not. We commonly call his presence in this
holy ordinance, a ' sacramental presence.' This might seem to be
an attempt to define the mode of his presence ; but by this word
we mean nothing more than that we are ignorant of the mode.
It has been said, we receive Jesus in, under, or with the bread
(in, cum, sub pane). These three words signify three modes; but
they are designed to indicate, that we do not wish to determine
anvthinw about the mode of Christ's presence. Those therefore

150 OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. ART. X.
err, who say that we believe in impana tion, or that Christ is in
the bread and wine. Nor are those more correct who charge us
with believing subpanation, that -is, that Christ is under the form
of bread and wine. And equally groundless is the charge of con-
substantiation, or the belief that the body and blood of Christ are
changed into one substance with the bread and wine."
Reinhard: "According to the views of the Lutheran church,
therefore, the Supper of our Lord may be defined as a sacred ordi
nance by which the body and blood of Christ is exhibited or pre
sented (exhibetur) to those who receive bread and wine, for the
nourishment of their piety and promotion of their happiness." . . .
" In, with, and under the bread and wine, we receive the true
body and true blood of Christ, by which we mean, that while we
receive the bread and wine, the exalted God-man Jesus exerts an
influence through his body and blood on all those who receive the
outward emblems." . . " We do not believe a local, material pre
sence, but merely a presentiam substantialem, an active influence,
at all celebrations of the Eucharist."
Storr: "The second ordinance which our Lord instituted, was
the Holy Supper. He commanded that this ordinance should fre
quently be celebrated. It consists of the solemn participation of
bread and wine, in commemoration of his death." . . "All those
who partake of the Lord's Supper in a proper manner (ivx 6.vo%uos,
1 Cor. 11 : 27, 29,) are not only inspired with Christian con
fidence, and excited to piety, by the remembrance of the death of
Christ; but, such is the nature of this ordinance, that tbey may
cherish the pleasing and salutary belief of the presence of the
glorified Redeemer, who formerly laid down his life for them." . .
"According to Paul's explanation of the words of the institution,
the meaning of Christ's wordsj recorded by Matthew and Mark, is
this : ' This bread confers my body on you, this wine gives you
(offers) my blood.' Christ promised his disciples, at the institu
tion of this ordinance, that although be was about to pass over into
another life, he would nevertheless be present whenever they cele
brated this Supper; that his body which was to be offered'up, and
his blood which was to be shed, would, according to his promise,
as assuredly be present, as they beheld the bread and wine before
them. The very Jesus whom they beheld before them, whose

OPINIONS ON THE EUCHARIST. 151
human blood they would soon see shed, whose human body they
would soon see die, but who at the same time possessed divine
perfections, or who is the S071 of God, promised that he would
be present at every solemnization of such a Supper as that which
they then once celebrated during his earthly existence; and that
after his death and liberation from all human sufferings, he would
nevertheless be present, and that this presence, by which the guilt
of irreverent communicants is aggravated, should have a very salu
tary influence on those who partake of this Supper with upright
intentions." ..." Those who, after mature and unprejudiced
investigation, are not able to persuade themselves of the truth of
this peculiar view of the Lord's Supper, (which, when we consider
the mysteriousness of the doctrine, and the inconclusiveness of
many of the arguments often adduced in support of it, is a very
possible case,) cannot, indeed, derive consolation and encourage
ment from a doctrine which they do not believe. But the bless
ing itself does not depend on us, or on our views of the doctrine,
but on the divine agency of the Lord. Hence, if they do their
duty, and endeavour to partake of the ordinance with proper inten
tions, and with a grateful recollection of the death of Jesus, they
may still, though unknown to themselves, become partakers of the
blessing thus conferred. It is, therefore, to be regarded as a
matter of just congratulation, that those violent and bitter conten
tions have been buried in oblivion which formerly harassed the
Protestant churches, and in which, as Luther himself is said
to have confessed, the theologians of our church also went to
extremes." Dr.Eunze: "The Lutherans hold that the bread remains
bread, and the wine remains wine ; but as sure as the penitent
communicant receives the bread and wine, so surely does he re
ceive the body and blood of the Lord Jesus — or, in other words,
the benefits of redemption ; that there is, therefore, a union or
communion between the external signs and the body and blood of
Christ." — Dr. Kunze's History of the Lutheran Church. See
Dr. Lochman's History, Doct. and Dis., &c, p. 106.
Dr. Endress, speaking of Luther's views, and defending them
against perversion by his enemies, says : " In the next paragraph,
he (Luther) is equally explicit. The body of Christ (he often

152 OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. ART. X.
says) is present in its power. He nowhere, to my knowledge, has
said, (it is present) in substance; but rather, (in his Confession
concerning the Lord's Supper, in 1528,) if they (his opponents)
prove that Christ is not present bodily, which they need not do,
for this (says Dr. Endress) we admit." — Luth. Intelligencer, for
Jan., 1827, p. 265. The views of Dr. Endress were well known to
all his friends, though he published very little on any subject.
Dr. Lochman : " Christ instituted the sacrament of his Supper,
not only to put us in mind of his great love to sinners, but also to
offer unto us an interest in his sacrifice, and to assure us that all
penitent and believing souls should be partakers of it, as surely as
they partook of the consecrated bread and wine. As to the bene
fits we derive from partaking of the Lord's Supper in a penitent
manner, we really partake of the sacrifice of Christ, and conse
quently have forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation ; we obtain
refreshment and strength for our souls, and we become more
closely united to our Saviour and his followers." — Dr. Lochman's
Principles of the Christian Religion, &c, pp. 33, 34 : Harrisburg,
1822. Dr. Hazelius : " That Luther, and the Reformers who labored
with him, entertained the idea of the real presence of Christ in the '
Eucharist, is undeniable. But it is also well known that the sen
timents of Luther, concerning the real presence of Christ in the
Supper, have not always been fully received in the Lutheran
church. Melanchthon departed from them, and many of our di
vines of the seventeenth century. The opinions now entertained
in the Lutheran church, as to the nature of the sacrament of the
Lord's Supper, differ in no material point from those entertained
by the other Protestant churches on this subject. We believe that
Christ instituted this sacrament as a means of spiritual communion
with him, as the invisible Head of the Church. In it, the Christian
commemorates, with devout feelings, the sufferings and death of
Christ. By means of this ordinance, the Christian renews his
faith, and receives the spiritual blessing which the Saviour has
promised to impart to all worthy communicants. The body and
blood of Christ are set forth in this ordinance as the spiritual food
of the soul," &c. — Discipline, &c, of Synod of South Carolina,
p. 20-23 : published, Baltimore, 1841.

NATURE OF THE EUCHARIST. 153
Dr. Miller: " That in the Lord's Supper we actually, not sym
bolically or figuratively, but actually receive tbe body and blood
of Christ, the same body that was slain, the same blood tbat was
shed on the cross, is a belief which, I am bold to say, few of our
ministers, and few of our people, in this country at least, hold." —
Sermon before the Minister ium of New York, 1831, p. 8.
Dr. Bachman : " In fact the Lutheran church has for a cen
tury past ceased to agitate the question (concerning the presence
and reception of the body and blood of Christ at the Eucharist),
leaving its members to follow the dictates of conscience agreeably
to the light of Scripture." — Sermon on Doctrine and Discipline
of Lutheran Church, 1837. .
Dr. Kurtz: "The Lord's Supper is a standing memorial of the
great sacrifice which was offered to God for the sins of the world,
and is one of the seals of the evangelical covenant. By eating of
this bread and drinking of this cup, the disciples of Jesus are to
show forth his death till he come. As a means of grace, devout
Christians have always realized great spiritual benefit in the use
of it. Their faith in their dying Lord has been strengthened,
and their love to him inflamed. They have received a deeper im
pression of their obligations to serve him ; and their affection for
each other, while partaking of the same sacred elements, has been
confirmed and increased." — See Dr. Kurtz's " Why are you a Lu
theran ?" p. 148.
Dr. Baugher : "In the Lord's Supper, truths essential to salva
tion are symbolically represented. We do not believe that the
sacraments exert any influence ex opere operato, but only through
the faith of the believer. Neither do the Scriptures warrant the
belief, that Christ is present in the Lord's Supper in any other
than a spiritual manner." — Report on the Doctrines and Usages
of the Synod of Md., in 1840.
On the mode of the Saviour's presence in the Eucharist, which
is not determined in Scripture, there has been much diversity
within the Lutheran church. During the latter half of last cen
tury and beginning of this, the doctrine of the real presence was
almost universally renounced in Germany, although it is at pre
sent again advocated by some pious Lutherans in that country.

154 OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. ART. X.
We close our discussion of this article by a statement of what
we regard as the most correct view, as well as the most prevalent
one in our American Church. See Pop. Theology in loe.
" There is no presence of the glorified HUMAN nature of the
Saviour, either substantial or influential, nor anything mysterious,
or supernatural in the eucharist ; yet that whilst the bread and
wine are merely symbolic representations of the Saviour's absent
body by which we are reminded of his sufferings, there is a special
presence of the divine Saviour, and also a PECULIAR and special
spiritual blessings bestowed by him on all worthy communicants,
by which their faith and Christian graces are confirmed." This
view is received by not a few theologians of the Lutheran church
in Europe, and by the great mass of our American divines at the
present day.
According to this view, the Holy Supper exerts its influence as
a symbolic representation of divine truth, on the principles" ex
plained in the discussion of the means of grace ; see Art. V. ; but
its worthy reception is also the condition of a special spiritual
blessiDg from the divine Saviour, beyond that of the other means;
a) not only because religious exercises of various kinds are usually
combined on sacramental occasions, and continued longer than at
other times ; but b) also because of the peculiarly impressive
manner in.which the solemn truths conveyed by it are presented
to the mind ; and c) in consequence of the Saviour's promise of a
peculiar spiritual blessing on the celebration of this ordinance,
which is invariably conferred on all worthy communicants. The
promise of this blessing they regard as contained in the strongly
figurative language of the Saviour, by which he represents him
self as the spiritual food of the soul, and also in the declaration
of Paul, that the cup and bread are the communion, or communi
cation, bestowment, or impartation, of the body and blood of
Christ; that is, of the blessings purchased by his atoning
death. After a protracted and unprofitable struggle, the Lutheran
church has long since settled down in the happy conviction, that
on this, as on all other subjects not clearly determined by the in
spired volume, her sods shall be left to follow the dictates of

ON PRIVATE COMMUNION. 155
their own conscience, having none to molest them or make them
afraid." III. On Private Communion.
Luther : " It is my opinion and desire, that private communion
should everywhere be entirely abolished. The people ought to
be taught from the sacred desk, that they should commune three
or four times in the course of the year, and that then by consola
tion and strength derived from the word of God, they could at any
time die a happy death, whenever God may call them. For this
private communion will eventually become an intolerable burden
and an impossibility, especially in times of pestilence. Moreover,
it is not reasonable that the church should be waiting upon men
with her sacraments, like a maid-servant, especially in the case of
those who have often long neglected them, and then in time, of
need wish to be promptly waited upon with the services of the
church, although they have never done anything for her." Vol.
21, p. 1194; Walch's edition.
" The first Christians did not thus receive the Lord's Supper
individually in their houses; but came together (for this purpose),
as we learn from the Acts of the Apostles. That a father should
teach his family the word of God is right and a duty ; for God
has commanded that we should teach and train our children and
household ; and with the word of God it is the duty of all to be
come acquainted ; but the Lord's Supper is a public profession,
and must have public attendants, because it is stated that Christ,
said : ' Do this in remembrance of me,' that is, as Paul asserts,
'to publish and preach the Lord's death until he come.'" Vol.
10, p. 2736; Walch's edition.
And yet there may be some rare special cases, in which private
communion is proper.
1 On the practical aspects of the blessed ordinance of the Supper we
recommend the excellent work entitled, " Catechumens' and Communicants'
Companion," by Kev. J. G. Morris, D. D. : Baltimore, 1831, pp. 250, 12mo.
Also for those preparing for their first communion, " Catechumens' Guide,"
by Bev. C. A. Smith, D. D. : Philadelphia.

156 OF CONFESSION. . ART. XI.
ARTICLE XL— OF CONFESSION.
XI. Op Confession. XI. De Confessione.
[In regard to confession [De ccmfessione docent
they teach that private ab- qudd absolut'io privata in
solution ought to be re- ecclesiis retinenda sit
tained in tlie churches;1 quamquam in confessione
but that an enumeration non sit necessaria omnium
of all our transgressions a delictorum enumeratio.
is not requisite in confes- Est enim impossihilisjuxta
sion. For this is an im- Psalmum xix : 12. ' De-
possibility, according to licta quis intelligit .?']
the declaration of the
Psalmist : ' Who can un
derstand his errors ? Ps.
19 : 12.] ¦ German copy adds : " and not be suffered to fall."
3 German copy adds : " and sins."
Confession.
Although the churches advocated the retention of confession,
they materially changed its nature, and divested it of many of the
objectionable features belonging to it in the Roman Catholic
church, a) They declare it void of Scriptural authority, and
merely regard it as a custom of the church, which, in the case of
true penitents, may tend to tranquillize the conscience ; and which
affords the pastor a convenient opportunity for personal interview
with each communicant. In discussing the abuses of the Roman
church, which were corrected by the Reformers, they expressly
declare ' that " confession before or to a priest is not commanded
' Art. 25.

OF CONFESSION. 157
in Scripture." b) They denied that the priest has the power
absolutely or personally to forgive sins, either at confession or
elsewhere, attributing to him only that declarative power conceded
by all Protestants, of announcing to the applicant the conditions
on which God has promised to forgive sins ; and leaving it to the
conscience of the sinner himself, and the judgment of the all-
seeing God, to decide whether he possesses these qualifications.
" It is not," say they,2 " the declaration of the officiating priest
which we are to believe, but the word of God, who forgives our
sins." c) They reject as unscriptural and improper, penance,
indulgences, pilgrimages, &c. ; d) and declare that "we obtain
pardon solely by faith" in the Lord Jesus. Still, they unfortu
nately long retained the outward form of private confession, for
which there is no Scriptural authority, and by which thousands
were led to rely on this outward ceremony, and thus to neglect
true penitence of heart and genuine faith, without which no sin
ner can ever be pardoned or justified. The rite of private absolu
tion has, however, since been entirely rejected by the Lutheran
church in the greater part of Europe and throughout this country.
The following custom is retained in a few of our German churches,
viz : On the day prior to the time of preparatory service, and
sometimes also before and after the preparatory service itself, the
intended communicants visit the pastor in his house, or some other
suitable place, and give him an opportunity of conversing with
them individually on their spiritual condition, and of recording
their names in the sacramental register.
At the preparatory services, which are customary in all our
churches, after singing and prayer, a suitable discourse is delivered,
the object of which is to assist the hearers in examining them
selves, in order to bring them to a sense of their sinfulness, to
induce them to humble themselves before the throne of God, to
seek forgiveness of sins in the blood of the Redeemer, and to
make the solemn resolution to amend their lives. After this,
questions embodying a confession of sins and reliance on the
Saviour for pardon are proposed by the pastor, and answered affirm
atively by all who feel able thus to reply. The congregation
' Art. 25, loe. cit.

158 OF REPENTANCE. ART. XII.
then kneels, the pastor offers up a fervent prayer of confession,
after which, when the audience has arisen, he repeats the promises
of God to pardon truly penitent and believing souls; and warns
all to guard against self-deception or hypocrisy, because (he adds)
the sins of hypocrites and unbelievers God will not pardon, not
withstanding their external confession !

ARTICLE XII. — OF REPENTANCE (AFTER BACK
SLIDING).
XII. Of Repentance. XII. De Pcenttentia.
Concerning repentance De poznitentia docent,
they teach, that those who qudd lapsis post baptis-
have relapsed into sin mum contingere possit
after baptism, may at any remissio peccatorum quo-
time obtain pardon, when qunque tempore, cum con-
tliey repent : and that the vertuntur. Et quod
church ought to grant ecclesia talibus redeuntir-
[absolution] to such as bus ad pcenitentiam [ab-
manifest repenta,nce. But solutionem] impertiri de-
repentance properly con- beat. Constat autem
sists of two parts. The poznitentia propria his
one is contrition, or being duabus partibus : altera
struck with terrors of con- est, contritio seu terrores
science, on account of incussi conscientice agnito
acknowledged sin. The peccato. Altera est, fides,
other is faith, which is quae concipitur ex evanr
produced by1 the gospel gelio [seu absolutione~\, et
[or by means of absolu- credit propter Christum
tion~\, which believes tliat remitti peccata, et conso-
pardonfor sin is bestowed latur conscientiam, et ex
for Christ's sake; which terroribus liberal. Deinde

OF REPENTANCE.

159

tranquillizes

science, and

the con-
liberates it
from fear. Such repent
ance must be . succeeded
by good works2 as its
fruits.

sequi clebent bona opera,
quoz sunt fructus pozni-
tentics.

They condemn the
Anabaptists 3 who deny
that those who have once
been justified, may lose
the Holy Spirit. In like
manner* those who con
tend that some persons
attain so high a degree of
perfection in this life, that
they cannot sin. They
reject also tlie Novatians,
who are unwilling to
absolve such as have baclc-
slidden after baptism,
even if h they repent: as
also those who teach that
remission of sins is not
obtained through faith;
but require us to merit
grace by our good works.

Damnant Anabaptis-
tas, qui negant semel jus-
tificatos posse amiltere
Spiritum Sanctum. Item,
qui contendunt, quibus-
dam tantam perfectionem
in hac vita contingere, ut
peccare non possint.
Damnantur et Novatiani,
qui nolebant absolvere
lapsos post baptismum
redeuntes ad poznitentiam .
Rejiciuntur et isti, qui
non docent remissionem
peccatorum per fidem con
tingere, sed jubent nos
mereri gratiam per satis
factions nostras.

1 German copy, "believe in the gospel and absolution."
2 The German copy adds, "As John says, Matt. 3:8. ' Bring forth,
therefore, fruits meet for repentance.' "
' The German omits the name "Anabaptists."
' The German omits this entire sentence.
' The Gorman omits "if they repent."

160 OF REPENTANCE. ART. XII.
I. Of restoring Penitent Backsliders to the Privileges of the Church.
" Tliat those who have backslidden, may obtain
pardon of God " by sincere repentance and faith, is a doctrine
so clearly taught in the sacred volume, and so generally admitted
at the present day, that much discussion would be superfluous.
1 Luke 15 : 20. 'And he (the prodigal son) arose, and came to his
father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw
him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed
him.' Jer. 3 : 22. ' Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your
backslidings.' Hos. 14 : 4. 'I will heal their backslidings, I will love them
freely.' " The church ought to grant absolution." — The Scrip
ture doctrine on this subject is, that the open' backslider shall be
made the subject of discipline by the church ; he shall be admon
ished, and if he does not confess and repent, he is to be suspended
and ultimately excommunicated. See Formula of the Goverment
and Discipline of the General Synod, ch. iv. § 8.
And if the lapsed professor, who has been placed under the
censure of the church, by suspension or excommunication, subse
quently repents, reforms, and confesses his sins, it is the duty of
the church to " loose that which they had bound," and " to remit
the sins which they had retained," so far as they are concerned;
that is, restore him to church privileges.
Matt. 18 : 15-18. ' Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against
thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone : if he
shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But, if he will not
hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, thatin the mouth of
two or three witnesses, every word may be established. And if he
shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church ; but if he neglect to
hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publi
can. Verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind ou earth,
shall be bound in heaven ; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth,
shall be loosed in heaven."
A different view of these passages is entertained by that distin
guished divine,

POWER OF THE KEYS. 161
Dr. Baumgarten : "According to the usus loquendi of the Scrip
tures, in which the phrase, ' keys of the kingdom of heaven'
(together with the ' binding' and ' loosing' connected with it),
occurs only in the passages Matt. 16 : 19, and 18 : 18 ; that
expression signifies the special power which Christ bestowed on
his apostles, in the new administration of the kingdom of grace
amongst his people, to ordain what things are allowed and lawful,
and what are prohibited and unlawful. The necessary, yea, indis
pensable infallibility, without which this power could not be exer
cised, was conferred on them by the immediate influence, indwell
ing, and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
" The truth of this position is evident, because the word ' loose'
(%vct.v) in Scripture, as well as in other writings of antiquity, sig
nifies to abolish a law, or to declare that to be allowed which hud
been prohibited. On the other hand, the word ' bind' signifies to
render something obligatory ; so that what had before been free,
and left to the choice of each individual, is either made obligatory
or prohibited. See the original of John 5 : 18 ; 7 : 23 ; Matt.
5 : 17; 19 : 23, 24; Luke 11 : 46-52."
The exercise of church discipline, which is another meaning
attached to the phrase, " power of the keys," in different ages, Dr.
Baumgarten regards as a scriptural duty, taught in other passages,
but not in those above commented on. See his Glaubenslehre,
Vol. III., pp. 256, &c.
The passage John 20 : 23, " Whosesoever sins ye remit, they
are remitted unto them ; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are
retained," has no connexion with the two texts above cited, and
was uttered by the Saviour after his resurrection. This declara
tion evidently refers to a miraculous power to forgive sins bestowed
on the apostles alone (v. 24), as it requires inspiration for its
proper exercise, and was conferred only after he had breathed
upon them the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost (verse 22),
and had told them, "As my Father hath sent me, even so send
I you ;" a declaration applicable only to the apostles in its full
sense. As long as private confession and absolution prevailed in the
church in Germany, that rite was understood also to meet this
requisition of the gospel, to restore penitent backsliders; espe-

162 OF REPENTANCE. ART. XII.
cially as all scriptural discipline by the church had been suppressed
by the union of church and state : the civil rulers regarding its
exercise, especially upon the immoral of their own number, as an
undesirable imperium in imperio, — a government within a
government. " Repentance consists of two parts, penitence and faith." This
subject having already been discussed under Article VI, we refer
the reader to that article.
II. Of Final Perseverance and Election.
The latter clause of this article touches on the doctrines of final
perseverance and sinless perfection, both of which are rejected by
the Confessors.
There is a slight variation between the phraseology of the Ger
man and the Latin original, in regard to the former of these
opinions. The language of the latter we have given above ; the
German copy says : " We reject the opinion of those who teach,
that such as have once become pious cannot fall from grace." The
sense of both readings is substantially the same. Both clearly
refer to the doctrine of final perseverance : because all parties
admitted the possibility of a believer's temporary relapse into sin.
The Latin original specifies this as an error of the Anabaptists.
The followers of Zuingli are not also here referred to, because this
doctrine formed no part of their creed; and the Institutes of
Calvin were not yet in existence." When therefore we recollect,
that Melanchthon composed the Augsburg Confession out of the
Torgau Articles which Luther had written, and that when com
pleted, it was submitted to the review, and received the entire
sanction of Luther, we are unable to see any more reason to
doubt, that at the time when this confession was presented, A. D.
1530, Luther had rejected the doctrine here condemned, than that
he had renounced the papal corruptions rejected in the same
articles. The fact that his subsequent publications occasionally
exhibit language inconsistent with this article of the Confession,
only proves that this great master-spirit of the Reformation had
not leisure, amid the overwhelming labours of his life, fully to
* They were first published in 1533.

LUTHER ON ELECTION. 163
systematize his views, and adjust his phraseology to the minute
relations of the theological system."
The following extract, from his Hauspostille, may serve as a
specimen of the great Reformer's language on this subject :
Luther : " ' For many be called but few chosen.' — Matt. 20 : 16.
Some put their own construction on these words and explain them
thus : Many be called, that is, God tenders his grace to many, but
few are chosen, that is, he bestows his grace on few, because few
are to be saved. But this is indeed a wicked interpretation, for
how is it possible for one, entertaining such ideas of the divine
character, not to be an enemy of God, whose will alone, according
to this view, is wanting in order to his salvation ? Moreover let
this exposition be contrasted with that, which a man will cherish
after he shall have become experimentally acquainted with the
Lord Jesus Christ, and it will be found to be nothing less than
downright diabolical blasphemy.
"This passage has therefore an entirely different meaning.
Many be called, &c. The gospel is general and public, and de
signed for all and every one who will hear and accept it. God
requires it to be proclaimed thus generally and publicly for the
very purpose that all and every one may hear, believe, and receive
it, and be saved. But how do men act ? precisely as is stated in
the words under consideration : few are chosen, that is, few so
demean themselves toward the gospel that God can take pleasure
in them. This is what is implied in not being chosen in Christ.
Those are the chosen, those the persons that please God, who hear
the gospel diligently, believe in Christ, manifest their faith by
their good works, and cheerfully submit to the sufferings brought
upon them by the faithful practice of their religious duties. This
is the true sense, which can perplex none, and is adapted to the
reformation of all. On the other hand, those who believe that
God is not anxious for the salvation of all, are in danger either
of falling into despondency, or of becoming secure and reckless
1 On the question, whether Luther retained those doctrines afterwards
known as the peculiarities of Calvin, see Schlosseri Lutherus Luthera-
nus, in which the author demonstrates the opinion above expressed, by
copious citations from Luther's works on all the distinguishing points,
and especially unconditional election and reprobation.

164 OF REPENTANCE. ART. XII.
sinners, living like brutes, and thinking it is already decreed
whether we are to be saved or not; why then should we concern
ourselves about it ?
" It is God's earnest will and desire from all eternity that all
mankind may be saved and be made partakers of eternal glory,
as Ezekiel, 18th ch. has plainly" declared, 'Have I any pleasure
at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord God, and not
that he should return from his ways and live ?' If then he de
sires the salvation of every sinner that lives and moves every
where under the high and wide heavens, why should you, influ
enced by foolish thoughts suggested by the enemy, exclude and
separate yourselves from the grace of God ?" — Houspost. domin.
sept. fol. m. 62. 63. ed. Francof. ad. Vidar. 1548.
But the only impartial and decisive course is to examine all his
works, and also all his correspondence, according to their date,
and trace the gradual change in his opinions. This, according to
the unanimous testimony of all Germany, no man has ever done
more impartially than the celebrated Dr. Plank, Professor of
Theology at Gcettingen, in the preparation of his invaluable work,
entitled, " History of the Rise, Changes, and Formation of our
Protestant System of Doctrines, from the commencement of the
Reformation till the Introduction of the Form of Concord," (1580).
The entire impartiality and great ability of this work, which cost
the author twenty years of labour and investigation, are conceded
by all parties. The result of his examination may be seen in the
following valuable quotation, which, whilst it fully sustains the
position that Luther relinquished this doctrine, also renders it in
telligible, how such a diversity of sentiment might naturally exist
on this subject. " Nevertheless, the Lutheran divines did not, for
a long time, see proper to take any notice of it (viz. : of the pro
minence and full development given to this doctrine (of uncondi
tional or absolute predestination) by Calvin, and of its introduction
into the Swiss churches) ; and even the zealots of Lower Saxony,
who had taken occasion from the Geneva ' Consensus,' to renew
the contest concerning the Lord's Supper, observed a perfect
silence on this incalculably more important doctrine, although
Calvin appeared to urge them the more explicitly to its adoption.
Melanchthon alone declared to him, that although he would not

ON DOCTRINAL CHANGE. 165
quarrel with him about it, he would never consent to adopt his
(Calvin's) views on predestination." But the silence of the other
Lutheran divines on this subject, although it might appear to have
been the result of indifference, was owing to a very satisfactory
reason, of which the greater part of them were well aware. It
cannot be denied, that the Augustinian theory of predestination
had already been forsaken by the Lutheran church. Yet her
divines could not but feel, that they had changed their ground.
The fact could not be concealed, that Luther had once embraced
this doctrine in its full rigour, and even zealously defended it
against Erasmus, and that his early adherents, including even
Melanchthon himself, had at first done the same. It is indeed
true, they could prove that the doctrine was not long retained, and
that Luther himself had abandoned it ! But even this conces
sion would give an advantage to an opponent in this dispute, which
they were utterly unwilling to concede to Calvin. They therefore
determined, rather not to dispute with him on this subject at all.
But there was another reason, which probably aided in causing
them to keep silence on this subject. The greater part of Lutheran
divines, had, like Luther himself, receded from the Augustinian
theory of predestination, very probably without themselves being
fully aware how this result had been brought about. They found
themselves removed from it, before they had wished to be; and it
was Melanchthon, and no one else, who had produced the change.
In the first, improved edition of his Loci Theologici, and doubtless
still earlier in his oral lectures, he had proposed a theory, which,
both in its principles and consequences, was in direct contradiction
to the Augustinian view. This contradiction, which Melanchthon
himself took no pains to bring to light, was, however, at first, not
generally perceived. Hence several of the principles of his new
theory were adopted with the less apprehension, especially as each
one of them, considered by itself, appeared to be incontestably
true, both according to reason and Scripture. Thus his cardinal
ideas of the divine election of all men in Christ, of the univer
sality of divine grace, of the extension of the atonement and
• Melanchthon did not even answer the first letter of Calvin, in which
he requested his assent to the doctrine. See Calvin's epist., pp. 133, 153.

166 OF REPENTANCE. ART. XII.
merits of Christ to all men, had been embraced by nearly all the
divines of their party, and by Luther himself, before they perceived
that their views of an absolute decree of God, and the Augustinian
doctrine of predestination were utterly irreconcilable with them.
But, when at last they made the discovery, they found their posi
tion in several respects an embarrassing one, and were unable im
mediately to extricate themselves. They felt unwilling, not only
so suddenly to abandon a doctrine which they had professed, but
even to abandon it at all. They were conscious that Augustine's
doctrine of predestination appeared to be inseparably connected
with some other parts of his system, such as the total inability of
man to do anything good, which they were firmly determined
never to relinquish. On the other hand they were just as anxious
to retain the features of Melanchthon's theory, which they had
adopted ; and were therefore brought into a dilemma, which they
could not but feel. The greater part of their divines now adhered
to the view of Melanchthon, that God desires and strives to bestow
salvation on all men in and through Christ; from which it neces
sarily followed, that his decree concerning the destiny of each
individual could not be absolute. But they at the same time
retained the opinion of Augustine, that depraved man can do
nothing at all in the work of his salvation, cannot exert even the
feeblest effort of his will; which seemed just as necessarily to
imply that the salvation or damnation of each individual, could be
decided only by an absolute decree of God. Some of tbem pro
bably had an impression, that there must be some method of
avoiding the last mentioned inference ; but their views were indis
tinct. Hence it happened, that during the Synergistic controver
sies, some of them again embraced the Augustinian theory in full.
The greater part of them, however, believed that all they wanted
was a more systematic adjustment and connexion of the opinions
they entertained ; and this conviction was undoubtedly the princi
pal reason for that caution, with which, in direct opposition to the
polemic spirit of that age, they evaded a controversy on this
subject. It was, therefore, not until 1561, that a formal dispute
on this subject occurred between the Lutheran and Calvinistic
divines, the occasion of which was the celebrated Zanchius, at that

SINLESS PERFECTION. 167
time Professor of Theology at Strasburg." ' This is a oorrect and
impartial statement of the facts in the case, which never has been,
and never can be successfully controverted.
The other error, which the Confessors condemn in this Article,
is the belief of — III. Sinless Perfection.
Many advocates for the use of this phraseology at the present
day explain it in a manner perfectly consistent with the word of
God, and seem inconsistent only in retaining the name, whilst
they reject the thing. Others entertain opinions on this subject
calculated to foster spiritual pride, and at variance with truly spi
ritual views of our own unworthiness. The point in question is
not, whether believers can be perfectly sincere in their efforts to
serve God : this is not only possible, but necessary to the charac
ter of a true believer. Nor is the question, whether we can attain
evangelical perfection, that is, whether we can perform what is
required of us in the gospel as the condition of salvation, viz.,
repentance, faith, and a constant effort to fulfil the whole law of
God. But the point is, can a believer yield an absolutely perfect
obedience to all the requisitions of the divine law, by the omission
of not a single duty in thought, feeling, word, and deed, and by
the commission of no act of thought, feeling, word or deed, that is
opposed to the all-perfect law of God ? That we cannot attain this
perfection in the present life is evident, from
1. The most unequivocal declarations of the sacred volume.
St. John expressly pronounces that man the subject of self-decep
tion, and void of truth, who professes to have no sin. The same
doctrine is taught by the apostle James, who declares that in many
things we all offend, and by other inspired penmen.
John 1:8. ' If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and
the truth is not in us:
James 3 : 2. 'For in many things we offend altogether.'
Eccles. 7 : 20. ' For there is not a, just man on earth, that doeth good
and sinneth not.'
Prov. 20: 9. 'Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am
pure from my sin?' (1 Kings 8 : 46.)
' Dr. Plank's Geschichte, &c, vol. vi., pp. 806, 809. Goettingen, 1800.

168 OF REPENTANCE. ART. XII.
2. It is evident from the conflict with indwelling sin, which all
true Christians are required to carry on till death. The apostle
Paul declares to his Galatian fellow-Christians, that the flesh
lusteth against the Spirit, so that they could not accomplish even
those holy purposes which they formed. And to the Romans he
confessed that there was still a law in his members opposed to the
better dictates of his judgmeiSt.
Gal. 5 : 13, 17. ' For, brethren, the flesh lusteth against the Spirit,
and the Spirit against the flesh : and these are contrary tbe one to
the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.'
Rom. 7 : 18-25. ' For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) there
dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me (this was not
the case before the apostle's conversion) ; but how to perform that
which is good I find not. For I delight in the law of God after the
inward man (this also he could say only after his conversion); but I
see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind,
and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my
members. 0 wretched man that I am ! Who shall deliver me from
the body of this death V
3. In the Lord's Prayer we are taught by the Saviour him
self to implore pardon for our daily offences. But where could
be the necessity of imploring pardon, if we had committed no
offence ?
4. The law of God requires perfect obedience, not only in out
ward actions, but also in the thoughts and affections of the heart.
This obedience, moreover, must be universal, and perfect in degree.
But what mortal can with truth assert, that his heart is ever glow
ing with seraphic ardor for the cause of his heavenly Father, and
can challenge the omniscient Jehovah, " who putteth no trust in
his saints, and before whom the heavens are not clean," to find
any sin in him ? '
5. The ancient saints confessed their short-comings ; how then
shall we pretend to excel them in holiness ? Hence, the few pas
sages in which they are called " perfect," evidently refer to com
parative perfection.
Psalm 130 : 3. 'If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, 0 Lord, who
shall stand V ,
' Job 15 : 14-16.

OF THE USE OF THE SACRAMENTS. 169
Psalm 143 : 2. ' Enter not into judgment with thy servant ; for in
thy sight shall no man living be justified.'
Isaiah 64: 6. 'But we are all as an unclean thing: and all our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags.'
6. If any believer attained the state of perfection on earth, he
would no longer need the daily application to the blood of the
Saviour;, but might be justified by_the deeds of the law, and take
the glory to himself !
7. The Scripture passages adduced are misinterpreted. Ac
cording to the principles of sound exegesis, as Dr. Storr has
proved,1 the declaration (1 John 3 : 9), " Whosoever is born of
God, sinneth not," &c, has reference to the Gnostic morality of
Cerinthus, which permitted professed Christians to live in habits
of licentiousness ; and should be rendered thus : " Whosoever is
born of God, doth not live in sin; for his seed remaincth in him,
and he cannot live in (habits of) sin, because he is born of God."
The texts which command us to pray for perfection, and to strive
after it, presuppose its attainableness, but not the fact that any
have, attained it.
8. The more our spiritual discernment is improved, the more
clearly shall we see our own depravity. Thus, the nearer a Chris
tian actually approaches to perfection, the farther will he seem to
himself to be removed from it. Hence, the testimony of men
concerning their having attained perfection themselves, is good for
nothing at all.

ARTICLE Xni.— OF THE USE OF THE SACRAMENTS.
XIII. Of the Use of the Sacra- XIII. De Usu Saceamentoeum.
ments.
Concerning the use De usu sacramentorum
of the sacraments our docent, qubd sacramenta
churches teach, that they instituta sint, non modd
were instituted not only ut sint notce professionis
' See Storr on the Design of the Gospel and Epistle3 of John, p. 173.
i c

170

OF THE USE OF THE SACRAMENTS. ART. XI II.

as marks of a Christian
profession amongst men ;
but rather as signs and
evidences of the divine
disposition towards us,
tendered for the purpose
of exciting and confirm
ing the faith of those who
use them, Hence the sa
craments ought to be re
ceived with faith in the
promises which are ex
hibited and proposed by
them.

They therefore con
demn1 those who main
tain, that the sacraments
produce justification in
their recipients as a mat
ter of course {ex opere ope-
rato, from the mere out
ward performance of the
act), and who do not
teach that faith is neces
sary, in the reception of
the sacraments, to the re
mission of sins.

inter homines, sed magis
ut sint signa et testimonia
voluntatis Dei erga nos,
ad excitandam et confirm-
andam fidem in his, qui
utuntur, proposita. Ita-
qus utendum est sacra-
mentis ita, ut fides accedat,
quoz credat promissioni-
bus, quoz per sacramenta
exhibentur et ostenduntur.

Damnant igitur illos,
qui docent, quod sacra
menta ex opere operato
justificent, nee docent
fidem requiri in usu sa-
cramentorum, quoz credat
remitti peccata.

' The German copy omits the entire condemnatory clause.
As the subjects of this Article have been discussed under Ar
ticles IX. and X., we will not travel again over the same ground,
but refer tbp reader thither.

CHURCH ORDERS — RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES. 171

ARTICLE XIV.— OF CHURCH ORDERS (OR, OF THE
MINISTRY AS A DISTINCT ORDER OF MEN).
XIV. Of Church Ordees. XIV. De Ordine Ecclesiastico.
Concerning church or- De ordine ecclesiastico
ders they teach,1 that no docent, qubd nemo debeat
person ought publicly to in ecclesia public^ docere,
teach in tlie church, or to aut sacramenta admi/nis-'
administer the sacraments, trare, nisi ritb vocatus.
without a regular call.
1 Here the German copy adds : " or preach."
This subject has been attended to under Articles VII. and VIII.
when treating of the officers of the church. We shall therefore
merely append a few additional Scripture proofs.
2 Cor. 5 : 20. ' Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though
God did beseech you by us.'
Certainly no one can be regarded as an ambassador, who has
not been commissioned or appointed by proper authority.
Acts 20 : 28. ' Take heed (ye elders, i. e., preachers of Ephesus)
unto yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost has
made you overseers or bishops ('rtiffseortss).'
Heb. 5:4. ' No man taketh this honor to himself, but he that is
called of God, as was Aaron.'

ARTICLE XV — OF RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES.
XV. Of Religious Ceremonies. XV. De Ritibus Ecclesiasticis.
Concerning ecclesias- De ritibus ecclesiasticis
tical ceremonies * they docent, qubd ritus Mi ser-
teach, that those ceremo- vandi sint, qui sine peo
nies ought to be observed, cato servari possunt, et
which can be attended to prosunt ad tranquillita-

172

OF RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES.

Art. XV.

ivithout sin, and which
promote peace and good
order in the church, such
as certain holy-days, festi
vals, Sec Concerning mat
ters of this kind, however,
men are cautioned, lest
their consciences be bur
dened, as though such ob
servances were necessary
to salvation. They are
also admonished that hu
man traditionary observ
ances, instituted with a
view to appease God, to
merit his favour, and
make satisfaction for sins,
are contrary to the gospel
and the doctrine of faith.2
Wherefore vows and
traditionary observances 3
concerning meats, days,
c\c, instituted to merit
grace and make satisfac
tion for sins, are useless,
and contrary to the gospel.

tern et bonum ordinem in
ecclesia, sicut certoz ferice,
festa et similia. De ta-
libus rebus tamen admo
nentur liomines, ne con-
scientioz onerentur, tan-
quarn talis cultus ad sa-
lutem necessarius sit.
Admonentur etiam, quod
traditiones hwmanoz insti
tutes adplacandwm Deum,
ad promerendam gra
tiam, et satisfaciendum
pro peccatis, adversentur
evangelic- et doctrines fidei.
Quare vota et traditiones
de cibis et diebus, SfC, in
stitutes ad promerendam
gratiam, et satisfaciendum
pro peccatis, inutiles sint
et contra evangelium.

' Here the German copy adds : " instituted by men."
' Here the German copy reads, "faith in Christ."
3 Here the German copy reads, "vows and other traditionary observ
ances."

ECCLESIASTICAL FESTIVALS. 173
" Those ecclesiastical Ceremonies, which promote
peace and good order in the church, should be ob
served, such as certain festivals, c\c."
1 Cor. 14 : 33. ' For God is not the author of confusion, but of
peace, as in all churches of the saints. — 34. Let your women keep
silence in the churches : for it is not permitted unto them to speak ;
but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
— 35. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands
at home : for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.'
John 4 : 24, 'God is a spirit: and they that worship him, must
worship him in spirit and in truth.'
Matt. 15 : 9. ' But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doc
trines the commandments of men.'
" Lest the consciences of men be burdened."
Acts 15 : 10. ' Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke
upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we
were able to bear ?'
Matt. 15 : 11. 'Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a
man ; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this denieth a man.'
" Human traditionary observances, concerning
meats, days, eye, cannot make satisfaction for sins."
Rom. 14 : 17. ' For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink ;
but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.'
1 Tim. 4:1.' Now. the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter
times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils ; — 2. Speaking lies in hypocrisy ;
having their conscience seared with a hot iron : — 3. Forbidding to
marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath cre
ated to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and
know the truth.'
Col. 11 : 16. ' Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in
drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of
the sabbath days. — 17. Which are a shadow of things to come ; but
the body is of Christ. — 20. Wherefore, if ye be dead with Christ from
the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are
ye subject to ordinances.'
Matt. 15 : 3. ' But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye
also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition ? '
1ft*

174 OF RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES. ART. XV.
Chemnitz : " Ecclesiastical ceremonies ought to be such as are
indifferent in, their' nature. They should be few in number, pure,
and promotive of edification, order, and decorum. Their observance
should be free, except in case of offence, so that they may be
instituted, changed, or abrogated, as may be called for by the
purposes of edification, or the peculiarities of time, place, and
circumstances." — Examen Concil. Trident.
This article on religious ceremonies asserts, in regard to human
and uninspired regulations in church matters in general, what the
Formula of the Lutheran church in this country alleges concern
ing government and discipline in particular : " That as Jesus
Christ has left no entire, specific formulary of government and
discipline for his church; it is the duty of every individual church
to adopt such regulations as appear to them most consistent with
the spirit and precepts of the New Testament, and best calculated
to subserve the interests of the church of Christ." ' There can
be no doubt of the applicability of this principle to ceremonies and
forms of worship ; for no one will contend that the New Testament
contains a "specific and entire" directory on this subject.
Of Festivals.
Under the sanction of this principle, whilst the Confessors
rejected the great majority of fasts and holydays, which had accu
mulated into an, intolerable burden in the papal church/and seri
ously interfered with the temporal duties of men, they retained
on the ground of expediency a few of the cardinal holydays, which
had been instituted in the earlier ages, in commemoration of the
fundamental facts of the Christian religion : such as the birth,
suffering, resurrection, and ascension of the Son of God, and the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Nor does their conduct, on this
subject, appear to be objectionable. It has been no small part of
the wisdom of nations to perpetuate the memory of salutary events
and illustrious personages by various methods. For this purpose
the pencil of the painter, the chisel of the statuary, the bold
designs of the architect, and the highest inspirations of the poet,

1 Chapter I., sect. 5.

ECCLESIASTICAL FESTIVALS. 175
have all been put into requisition; and for the same reason have
the wisest nations set apart particular days, to commemorate illus
trious personages and events in their history. Christianity
addresses herself to man as he is, and the means by which her
doctrin s are perpetuated, are adapted to the laws of the human
mind. Hence, on the same principle, and with infinitely greater
propriety, the Christian church has set apart particular days, to
keep alive in the forgetful memories of her children, the recollec
tion of the principal events connected with the establishment of
our holy and divine religion. And if it be just to perpetuate the
memory of the patriot who liberates his country from the yoke of
foreign bondage, how much more is it proper to cherish the
memory of him who delivered a world from tbe servitude of the
arch-enemy Satan. If he who bestows temporal blessings on his
country, is justly recollected with gratitude, much more should
the noblest feelings of our souls be called into action, and the most
fervent gratitude be enkindled in our hearts, by the recollection
of him who purchased for a fallen and guilty world the incalculable
blessings of eternal life.
But there is another aspect of this subject deserving of notice.
Christianity is a religion designed for the whole mass of mankind.
Now matters of fact, the truth of which rests on the testimony of
the senses, are most intelligible to the great body of men ; and for
obvious reasons arising from the structure of the mind, best calcu
lated to make an impression upon them. Hence the very pillars
on which Christianity was wisely made to rest, are matters of fact,
intelligible in every language, suited to tbe capacity of every
nation, and equally applicable to all future generations, such as
the birth, life, miracles, crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascen
sion of the Saviour. Without admitting these, no man can be a
Christian ; and a sincere and cordial belief of their truth is closely
connected with the character of a true disciple of our Lord. Hence
every rational method, actually tending to extend and perpetuate
the knowledge of these facts, must exert a salutary influence on
Christianity itself. The disorders and dissipation which in some
places occur on these days, are remnants of papal corruption ; and
have no more connexion with the rational observance of these fes-

176 OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS. ART. XVI.
tivals, than with a fast day appointed by any church or by the
civil authorities of our land. The only days thus celebrated by
the Lutheran church in this country are Christmas, Good Friday,
Easter, Ascension-day, and Whitsunday. The same days,
together with some others, are also observed by the Episcopal and
German Reformed churches in our land.
; The Congregational and Presbyterian churches do not celebrate
any stated ecclesiastical festivals, although they observe days of
occasional and temporary appointment, for fasting, humiliation,
and prayer.
The Confessors, however, justly enter their protest against
the undue multiplication of such human enactments, as well as
against the ascription of divine authority and obligation to them.
In the list of "Abusus Mutati," or "Abuses Corrected," which
was presented to the Diet along with this Confession, they adduce
Scripture proof, which clearly establishes the impropriety of the
errors here rejected.

ARTICLE XVI.— OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS.
XVI. Of Political Affaies. XVI. De Rebus Civilibus.
In regard to political De rebus civilibus do-
affairs our churches teach cent, qubdjegitimoz ordi-
that legitimate political nationes c%iles sint bona
enactments are good works opera Dei; qubd Christi-
of God; that it is lawful anis liceat gerere magis-
for Christians to hold tratus, exercere judicia,
civil1 offices, to pronounce judicare res ex Imperato-
judgment, and decide riis et aliis prajsentibw 7<~-

OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS.

177

cases according to the im
perial and other existing
laws ; to inflict just pun
ishment,2 wage just toars,
and serve in them; to
make lawful contracts ;
hold property ; to make
oath ivhen required by the
magistrate, to marry, and
be married.

gibus, supplicia jure con-
stituere,jure bellare, mill-
tare, lege contrahere, ten-
ere proprium, jusjuran-
dum postulantibus magis
tratibus dare, ducere
uxor em, nubere.

They condemn the
Anabaptists, who interdict
to Christians tlie perform
ance of these civil duties.
They also condemn those
who malce evangelical
perfection consist not in
the fear of God and in
faith, but in the abandon
ment of all civil duties :
because the gospel teaches
the necessity of3 ceaseless
righteousness of heart,
whilst it does not abolish
the duties of civil and do
mestic life, but requires
them to be observed as or
dinances of God, and per
formed 4 in the spirit of

Damnant Anabaptis-
tas, qui interdicunt licec
civilia officia Christianis.
Damnant et illos, qui
evangelicam perfectionem
non collocant in timore
Dei et fide, sed in dese-
rendis civilibus officiis,
quia evangelium tradit
justitiam ozternam cordis.
Interim non dissipat Po-
litiam aut ozconomiam.,
sed maximb postulat con-
servare tanquam ordina-
tiones Dei, et in talibus
ordinationibus exercere
caritatem. Itaque neces-
sarib debent Christiani
obedire magistratibus suis

178 OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS. ART: XXI.
Christian benevolence, et legibus ; nisi quum ju-
Hence Christians ought bent peccare, tunc enim
necessarily to yield obe- magis debent obedire Deo,
dience to their civil offi- quam hominibus. Actor.
cers and laws; unless 5. v. 29.
they should command
something sinful ; in
which case it is a duty to
obey God rather than man.
Acts 5 : 29.
1 The German copy adds, " and princely offices.''
' The German copy adds, "with the sword."
3 The German copy adds, " not of an outward, temporal (righteousness),
but of an inward," &c.
* The German copy adds, " each according to his own calling."
I. Civil Government a Divine Institution.
" Legitimate political enactments are good works
of God."
Rom. 13 : 1. ' Let every soul be subject into the higher powers.
For there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained
of God. — 2. Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power, resisteth the
ordinance of God : and they that resist, shall receive to themselves
damnation. — 3. For rulers (such as are here flpoken of) are not a terror
to good works, but to the evil. "Wilt thou then not be afraid of the
power ? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the
same. — 4. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if
thou do that which is evil, be afraid : for he beareth not the sword
in vain : for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath
upon him that doeth evil.'
Tit. 3:1.' Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and
powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work.'
1 Peter 2 : 13. ' Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man /or
the Lord's sake : whether it be to the king, as supreme ; — 14. Or unto
governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of
evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well.'

DIFFERENT FORMS OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT. 179
Matt. 22: 20. 'Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto
Csesar the things which are Cassar's, and unto God the things that
are God's.'
That only just rulers, and such laws as prescribe " good works,"
are approved of God, is abundantly taught in the sacred volume.
Isaiah 10 : 1, 2. ' Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees,
and that write grievousness which they have prescribed : to turn
aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the
poor of my people, that widows maybe their prey, and that they may
rob the fatherless.'
Prov. 22 : 22. ' Rob not the poor because he is poor, neither oppress
the afflicted in the gate. — 23. For the Lord will plead their cause,
and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.'
Jer. 22: 13. 'Wo unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteous
ness, and his chambers by wrong ; that useth his neighbour's service
without wages, and giveth him not for his work.'
Psalm 82: 2. ' How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the
persons of the wicked? — 3. Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice
to the afflicted and needy.'
James 5:4.' Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped
down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth : and
the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the
Lord of Sabaoth.'
Matt. 7 : 12. ' Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men
should do to you, do ye even so to them ; for this is the law and the
prophets.' II. Different Forms of Civil Government.
The civil government under which the Confessors lived was
one of various, complicated, and oft conflicting relations. The
parties concerned were the emperor, the nobility, the people, and
the Pope of Rome. But apart from the Romish priesthood and
the Pope, who periodically drained Germany of immense sums by
the traffic in indulgences, it is well known that the Germanic Con
federacy, the constitution by which the several states of that inte
resting country were then held together, was, as it still is, entirely
too feeble to regulate the conflicting interests arising in peace, or
to unite them by the bond of a common interest in time of war.
It, moreover, contemplates exclusively the independence and pri
vileges of the princes, whilst it makes no provision for the rights

180 OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS. ART. XVI.
and interests of the subjects. These are regulated by the prince
and government of each circle separately. Accordingly the inha
bitants of some circles enjoyed a good degree of prosperity and
freedom, whilst those of others were, and still are, grievously op
pressed. It is certainly commendable, that living under a govern
ment so defective, the confessors should have uttered not a word
inconsistent with the purest principles of republicanism ; nay, that
they even asserted to the face of the emperor, their right to resist
such laws as they deemed sinful, that is, opposed to the higher law
of God.
1. The Confessors do not pronounce any particular kind of
government of divine origin. The different forms of government
may be reduced to the following : a) Despotism, or the dominion
of one man, whose will is the exclusive law, unrestricted by any
constitution, or by nobility. Of this kind have generally been
the governments of the Asiatic nations, whose sovereigns sway the
sceptre of absolute control over the life and property of their sub
jects. The governments of Russia, Spain, and Austria, are but
little removed from this form, and that of Prussia partakes of the
same elements, b) Aristocracy, in which the government is lodged
in the hands of nobles, c) Mixed or limited Monarchy, iu which
the power is vested jointly in a king, the nobility, and representa
tives of the people, according to the provisions of a constitution.
This form of government is found in England and Wurtemberg,
and has many advantages over the two first named, d) The
Democratic or Republican form of government, in which the
people are regarded as the only source of power, which is exer
cised by representatives and executives chosen by the people for a
limited time, and responsible to them. This is doubtless the most
perfect form of government, as it secures in the highest degree the
rights and happiness of all its citizens. Of this fact the history
of our own favoured country affords demonstrative proof. Under
any one of these forms of government the principles of the Re
formers would have led them to remain obedient, if it were admi
nistered in such a manner as to secure the rights and promote the
happiness of its members. For it is a principle maintained by
the ablest writers on political philosophy, that resistance to any
existing government becomes proper and a duty, only when the

SUBORDINATION OF HUMAN GOVERNMENT. 181
grievances actually endured or with certainty foreseen, outweigh
the hazards of anarchy and violence always attendant on revolu
tions. Yet the seeds of liberty, civil as well as religious, were
sown by the Reformers ; and the same principles which led them
to protest against the corruptions, and resist the encroachments
of the Papal" hierarchy, led our fathers to erect the standard of
liberty on these Western shores, exploded the absurd doctrine of
passive obedience to kings, and taught the crowned heads of
Europe that their subjects have rights, which can no longer be
trampled on with the impunity of the dark ages. The salutary
influence of the Reformation on the political condition of Germany,
Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Holland, Geneva, and England,
is well known to all acquainted with the history of modern Europe.
Even Russia, which, belonging to the Greek or Eastern church,
did not sympathize in the commotions that rent the Western hie
rarchy, still derived incidentally important advantages from the
Reformation. Peter I., encouraged by the example of the British
king, declared himself the head of the Greek church in his domi
nions, and independent of the patriarch of Constantinople. And
the former religious tolerance of the Czars has induced many Pro
testant colonies from Germany, Poland, and Holland, to seek a
home in the bosom of their empire.
2. In this article the Confessors clearly represent the welfare
of the whole community as the proper end of all civil govern
ments. The legislative power is to be exercised in the production
of "just laws." The judiciary is to be conducted on equitable
principles ; " for the judgment to be given is just." " Just punish
ments" alone are to be inflicted, "the right of property," and
"the obligations of contracts to be observed," and "the duties
both of civil and domestic life are to be performed in the spirit of
Christian benevolence."
III. Human Government subordinate to the Divine.
Konig : " Political Government is a public, civil institution,
of divine appointment, to be administered by certain persons, ac
cording to the measure of power granted them, and in accordance
with the provisions of the law, for the glory of God and the welfare
of the subjects."

182 OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS. ART. XVI.
Gerhard : " The power of civil rulers is not absolute, unlimited,
or indeterminate ; but is restricted to the laws and rules of a su
perior power. For as civil rulers receive their power from God,
so they are bound, in the exercise of this power, to recognise God
as their superior/ and to conform to his will and laws. When,
therefore, politicians attribute absolute power to the "supreme civil
government, this is not to be understood unconditionally, or in
respect to God, but only in respect to human magistrates."
"It is lawful for Christians to hold civil offices."
Prov. 29 : 2. ' When the righteous are in authority, the people re
joice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.'
1 Tim. 2:1. 'I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men : —
2. For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a
quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.'
"It is lawful for government to inflict just punish
ment." Acts 25 : 10. ' Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's (the emperor's)
judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged : to the Jews have I done
no wrong, as thou very well knowest. — 11. For if I be an offender, or
have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die : but
if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may
deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.'
Gen. 9:6.' Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood
be shed ; for in the imago of God made he man.'
Prov. 30: 31. 'Whoso kiileth any person, the murderer shall be
put to death by the mouth of witnesses ; but one witness shall not
testify against any person to cause him to die. Moreover, ye shall
take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer which is guilty of death:
but he shall be surely put to death.'
See "Schmucker's Popular Theology;" Appendix on Capital
Punishment. IV. Inhumanity and Sinfulness of all Wars, except those for
defence against actual invasion.
"It is lawful to wage just wars."
When we contemplate the fact, that Jesus Christ, the author
of our holy religion, is, by inspired authority, styled the "Prince

SINFULNESS OF WARS. 183
of Peace," and that the seraphic legions, who heralded his advent,
announced the object of his mission to be peace upon earth, how
mournful is the thought, that his disciples should still be at war
with one another, after the lapse of eighteen hundred years; yea,
that the frequency of wars during this entire term has been but
little diminished by the influence of Christianity. " Blessed are
the peace-makers (said our divine Saviour,) for they shall be called
the children of God." Alas, that there have been so few deserving
of this beatitude, among professing Christians and Christian rulers,
and Christian nations ! Alas, that in our own highly favoured
land, where the people are the source of power, and make their
own rulers, the spirit of war, the lust for conquest and military
glory, should still be rife throughout the land, and our rulers still
feel confident of popular support in schemes of aggressive war and
conquest ! The obvious solution of this deplorable phenomenon is
found in the fact, that, although the civilized world abounds in
nominally Christian nations, there never yet has been a nation of
true Christians. Christianity enjoins on its votaries the duty to
forgive their enemies, to Teturn good for evil, " to bless those that
curse them, and do good to them that hate them, and despitefully
use them, and persecute them ;" " to do unto others as we would
they should do unto us ;" and daily to supplicate the God of grace
to " forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
against us." It is difficult to perceive how an individual, fully
under the influence of these principles, could fight against his
fellow-man who never injured him ; much more, how a government
consisting of such rulers could declare aggressive war. Accordingly
the sacred volume informs us that the prevalence of genuine
Christianity will ultimately suppress all wars.
Isaiah 2:4.' And he (the Messiah) shall judge among the nations,
and shall rebuke many people : and they shall beat their swords into
plowshares and their spears into pruning-hooks : nation shall not lift
up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.'
James 4:1.' From whence come wars and fightings among you ?
come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members 1
— 2. Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot
obtain : ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.'
See also Amos 1:11; Rev. 13:10; Prov. 16:7; Matt. 5:38;
EDhes. 4 : 32.

184 OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS. ART. XVI.
As aggressive war is contrary to the Christian feelings of the
individual, it cannot comport with the proper character of a Chris
tian nntion, as this is composed of these individuals. That which
is 1 "ile to all the parts, cannot be congenial to the whole made
up of those parts. As war cherishes feelings hostile to piety in
the individual, it cannot fail to be detrimental to the piety of a
nation. "We are visited with war and troublous times," said
Dr. Kunze, in 1781, speaking of our Revolutionary contest, " and
our dear fellow-citizens exhibit its effects by their neglect of divine
worship. All classes are becoming more corrupt, and a fearful in
difference to religion reigns amongst us." And this, as universal
experience proves, is the tendency of all wars, although a gracious
Providence has often overruled them for good. " War. makes
thieves," said Machiavel, " and peace brings them to the gallows."
Every war is sinful in the aggressor, and often both parties are
steeped in guilt. Christians should discountenance wars, not only
for their ruinous influence on the souls of men, but also on account
of the incalculable amount of physical suffering, which they
always entail on those engaged in them, as well as on their afflicted
and desolated families. The destruction of human life is in many
cases truly appalling. On the field of Austerlitz, the killed and
wounded numbered. 20,000; at Bautzen, 25,000; at Dresden,
30,000 ; at Waterloo, 40,000 ; at Eylau, 50,000 ; and at Boro
dino, 80,000. All these suffered violent and generally painful
deaths, or were mutilated in the most distressing manner. But
fully as many die from hardships and exposure in war, as fall on
the field of battle, and generally they are destitute of those atten
tions and comforts which mitigate the sufferings of the sick-bed at
home amid our friends. And shall the convulsive agonies and
dying groans of these murdered fellow-men, fall unheeded upon
Christian ears 1 Shall the mourning and lamentations of myriads
of dependent widows and helpless, fatherless children, not move
to action the hearts of the professed disciples of Him, who wept
over the grave of Lazarus, and spent his life in alleviating the
sorrows of suffering humanity ?
If all nations were truly Christian, there could be no war be
tween them. As long as this is not the case, the question arises,
if a Christian nation is invaded by the army of another, scattering

PACIFIC SUBSTITUTES FOR WAR. 185
destruction and desolation in its path, is not the Christian govern
ment bound to protect the life and property of its citizens, by the
use of as much power as experience may prove to be necessary ?
We reply, assuredly; and this is the only war in which a Christian
government can rightfully engage, a war of defence against actual
invasion. If the civil officer is the minister of God for good, and
holdeth not the sword in vain, if he is to be a terror to individual
evil-doers, and bound to protect the citizens against violence from
individual robbers and murderers ; why should he not be bound to
do so against a number of them ? If in protecting the citizen
against individual robbers or murderers, he may even take the
life of the aggressor; what reason can be assigned why he should
not do* so to thousands of robbers or murderers ? If this be not
admitted, we are forced to the absurdity, that the guilt of crime is
diminished in the ratio of the increase of criminals, and that
robberies and murders may be multiplied until they become inno
cent, and until it is wrong for the government which was bound to
protect the citizen from individual violence and bloodshed, to de
fend its citizens against thousands of robbers and murderers under
the name of soldiers. V. Pacific Substitutes for War.
Yet even this right of self-defence does not justify a resort to
arms by a Christian people, until all the other and pacific remedies
have been tried and found ineffectual. These peaceful remedies
are principally the following two : either a court of nations, in
which all international differences shall be decided by the acknow
ledged laws of nations ; or a provision in our treaties with other
nations for referring to the decision of umpires all future misun
derstandings that cannot be satisfactorily adjusted by amicable
negotiation. This latter expedient has been presented to the
attention of Congress by numerous petitions, through the agency
of that noble institution, the American Peace Society. The sub
ject was referred to the Senate's committee on Foreign Relations,
in 1851, who received it with much favor, and by a unanimous
vote, reported the following resolution, which was, however, we
believe, not acted upon, as the session was near its close.

186 OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS. ART. XVI.
" ' Whereas appeals to the sword for the determination of national
controversies are always productive of immense evils ; and whereas
the spirit and enterprise of the age, but more especially the genius
of our own government, the habits of our people, and the highest
permanent prosperity of our republic, as well as the claims of
humanity, the dictates of enlightened reason, and the precepts of
our holy religion, all require the adoption of every feasible measure,
consistent with the national honor, and the security of our rights,
to prevent, as far as possible, the recurrence of war hereafter;
therefore, " ' Resolved, That in the judgment of this body, it would be pro
per and desirable for the government of these United States,
wherever practicable, to secure, in its treaties with other nations,
a. provision for referring to the decision of umpires all future mis
understandings that cannot be satisfactorily adjusted by amicable
negotiation, in the first instance, before a resort to hostilities shall
be had.'
" Here is the substance of all that the friends of peace ask ; and
this simple and perfectly feasible measure, if once adopted and
carried out in good faith, would suffice in time, if not very soon,
to supersede every plea of necessity for war. Some may regret to
find the report so distinctly recognizing the right of an ultimate
resort to arms ; but this recognition will make no difference in
practice, because nations, if their disputes are not adjusted by
amicable means, will of course continue to insist on the right of
appealing at last to arms. Christians must obviate this alleged
necessity by suggesting means that shall actually determine their
controversies without the sword;" and, should such a policy be
found effectual for a long series of years, war and its vast prepa
rations will gradually go into general disuse, until few, if any, will
be found to plead their necessity. It is only by a process like
this, that we can ever do away the immemorial practice of war ; a
process so simple, so obviously reasonable, and so gradual in its
operation, that we might well expect it to win its way without
exciting alarm, or the least suspicion of danger to any national
interests." Similar resolutions have been adopted by a number of our State
Legislatures, calling the attention of Congress to the subject.

OBLIGATION TO GOD PARAMOUNT. 187
Another report equally favorable was made in the United States
Senate of 1853 ; and there is every reason to hope, that if the
friends of humanity and religion persevere in their efforts, this
plan will, by the divine blessing, ere long be adopted by our own
and the English government, and their example be followed by
the other powers of Europe. Reader ! have you faithfully con
tributed your influence to this holy cause, and co-operated with
the Prince of Peace in extending peace over the earth, and good
will amongst men ? VI. Judicial Oaths Lawful.
"It is lawful to make oath, when required by the
magistrate." Deut. 10 : 20. ' Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God ; him shalt thou
serve, and to him shalt thou cleave and swear by his name.'
Eccles. 8:2. 'I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and
that in regard to (on account of) the oath of God.'
Matt. 26 : 63. 'And the high priest answered and said unto him,
I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the
Christ the Son of God. — 64. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said.'
2 Cor. 1 : 23. Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that
to spare you, I came not as yet unto Corinth.'
Heb. 6 : 16 ' For men verily swear by the greater : and an oath
for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. — 17. Wherein God,
willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the im
mutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath.'
VII. Obligation to God Paramount and Supreme.
"Should civil laws command any thing sinful, it is
the duty of all to obey God rather than man."
Exod. 1 : 17. ' But the midwives feared God, and did not as the
king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men-children alive.
— 20. Therefore God dealt well wilh the midwives, and the people
multiplied and waxed very mighty.'
Dan. 6 : 13. ' Then answered they (the presidents, &c, of the
kingdom) and said before the king, That Daniel which is of the
children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, 0 King, nor
the decree thai thou hast signed; but maketh his petition three times
a day,' &c.

188 OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS. ART. XVI.
Also, Dan. 3 : 16, 17, 18, Shadrach, Meschach, and Abcd-
nego, were preserved in the fiery furnace for obeying God rather
than a sinful command of the king.
Acts 5 : 27. ' And when they had brought them, they set them be
fore the council : and the high priest asked them, — 28. Saying, Did
not we straitly command you, that ye should not teach in this name 1
and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend
to bring this man's blood upon us. — 29. Then Peter and the other
apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.'
No human law can possibly bind us to do what God has for
bidden. VIII. The Relation between Church and State.
On the relation between Church and State, the Confessors in
culcate some salutary lessons.
They inveigh, in sec. VII. of " The Abuses Corrected," against
the union of civil and ecclesiastical power in the bishops. They
condemn the practice of the Popes, who interfered in the political
government of Europe; and especially their having on several oc
casions deposed kings, and absolved the inhabitants of different
countries from their allegiance to their political rulers. Yet they
were not called on to discuss this subject at length ; nor had the
circumstances of their situation led them to its thorough and im
partial investigation. They still admitted, not that the church should
govern the state, but that the civil government might to a certain
extent manage the affairs of the church.
The doctrine of the New Testament on this subject certainly is,
and therefore the practice of all Christian countries ought to be,
the church and state be kept entirely distinct. This is evident
from various considerations :
a) Christ explicitly declared that his " kingdom is not of this
world," that is, that it is not a temporal, political kingdom."
6) He nowhere assigns to ministers of the gospel any political
duties : as such, therefore, they have none to perform. If their
fellow-citizens choose to call into service their talents, experience,
and integrity, in behalf of their political welfare, and they feel at
' 1 John 18 : 36.

RELATION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE. 189
liberty to engage in such duties, they do it as citizens of the coun.
try, and not as ministers of the gospel. As a general rule, the
writer believes, that ministers of the gospel ought not to engage
in the duties of political office ; because their sacred calling may
well engage their entire time and talents ; and there are always
men enough of talent and integrity, who are both able and willing
to consecrate their time to the service of their country. We are
inclined, moreover, to entertain the belief, that in the present tran
quil state of our happy country, few men, whose hearts are rightly
engaged in the duties of the Christian ministry, will be found
willing to engage in political life. In times of great emergency,
however, when the liberties of a country are in imminent danger,
it would seem to be a paramount duty, incumbent on all citizens,
in every possible manner, to co-operate with the constituted au
thorities of the land, to avert impending danger. Among the
most zealous champions of American liberty, were the Rev. Dr.
Witherspoon, of the Presbyterian church; General Peter Miih-
lenberg, who, after having laboured for years in the Lutheran
ministry, aided in fighting our country's battles, and afterwards
was elected member of Congress, and in 1800, of the Senate of
the United States, and his brother, Rev. Fred. Aug. Muhlenberg,
who, in 1789, was elected Speaker of the first Congress, under
the new Constitution.
c) Christ nowhere enjoins on political rulers as such, any share
in the management of his church. On the contrary, he has ap
pointed some person in the church for the performance of every
duty enjoined on the church. Hence, when by an unhallowed
union of Church and State, civil rulers as such assume the privi
lege of exercising certain ecclesiastical rights, they perform duties
which the Head of the church assigned to others.
d) It is absurd to suppose, that the king, or any other civil
ruler, who as such has received no ecclesiastical ordination or
power, should be the fountain of all spiritual authority; that they,
who are elevated to office without the necessity of any spiritual
qualifications, should wield the most important spiritual influence
in the church. If civil rulers possess the qualifications required
in scripture for any office in the Church, they ought undoubtedly
to be eligible to office as well as others, yea, their high standing

190 OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS. ART. XVI.
and extensive influence among men, afford them special opportuni
ties of actively promoting the kingdom of Christ. Yet, when
they act as officers of the church, they do so not by virtue of
their political station, but of their ecclesiastical election. And if
they bring disgrace on their brethren in Christ by any impropriety
of conduct, they ought to be disciplined by the church, regardless
of their civil office.
IX. Happy Structure of our Government.
In strict accordance with all these principles, is the happy form
of government, adopted by our revolutionary fathers.
This consists of one National or General Government, and a
number of State Governments. The former is a government of
specified and limited powers : the latter of reserved rights, em
bracing all the objects of legislation necessary to the well-being
of the citizens, which have not been expressly granted to Congress
by the national constitution, or which are not necessarily implied
in the powers thus given. The powers of the general government
are divided between its Legislative, Executive, and Judicial
branches. The former are confided to Congress; which consists
of a House of Representatives and a Senate, each of which may
dissent from the acts of the other. The concurrence of both, to
gether with the signature of the President, or a majority of two-
thirds, if he object, is necessary to the enactment of a law.
The Senate, however, sustains a three-fold character — as a branch
of the legislature — as a judicial court for the trial of impeach
ments — and as a part of the executive power to approve or disap
prove the appointments of the President, and to ratify or reject
treaties with foreign powers.
The Executive power of the government is vested in a President,
and certain Executive Departments, the incumbents of which, to
gether with the Vice President and the Attorney-General, at
present constitute his cabinet. The constitution recognizes these
departments, and states, that "appointments may be made by the
heads of them " The departments now established are, that of
State, of the Treasury, of the Home Department or Interior, of
the Navy, and of War : together with the Post-office department.

STRUCTURE OF OUR GOVERNMENT. 191
The Judicial power of the Federal Government is vested in a
Supreme Court, which at present is composed of nine judges,
who also hold circuit courts in their different districts, into which
the United States are divided for this purpose. These are the
general features of that happy form of national government, under
which we live, for which our warmest gratitude is due to the God
of nations, and which every good citizen is bound to study and
defend. As the Constitution, under which our government is con
ducted, was unavoidably couched in general terms, and could not
descend to the detail of particulars, some diversity has arisen in
the construction given to some of its parts, and several different
theories have been adopted to support respectively each construc
tion. a) That Constitution has recently been regarded by a few as a
contract between separate, independent, and sovereign States, for
the maintenance of a government which shall have charge of some
specified interests, common to them all. This construction would
make our happy country not one, but many nations; and by
giving to each State the power to nullify and refuse obedience to
the laws of the general government, it entirely destroys the effi
ciency of the national union, and would make it little better than
the wretched confederacy of the Germanic empire. Any State or
number of States might nullify a declaration of war, believed by
all the other States to be absolutely necessary in self-defence, and
might refuse to take part in it. Civil discord would thus inevita
bly ensue, our happy country be rent in pieces, and the hands of
our citizens be bathed in their brothers' blood. We would sup
pose the fallacy of this construction placed beyond all doubt, by
that single clause of the United States' Constitution, by virtue of
which the judges of all the State courts are required to take, and
have taken, an oath, to support the Constitution of the United
States and laws of Congress, " anything in their State constitution
or laws to the contrary notwithstanding."
b) Others have regarded it as a contract, not of the people in
their primary capacity, but between all the several States as such,
for the purposes above specified ; reserving to each State, not the
right of nullifying any law of Congress and remaining in the
Union, but the right of peacefully seceding from their connexion

192 OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS. ART. XVI.
with the Union, when they believe themselves oppressed either by
the operations of the government in its constitutional structure,
of which they have correct views, or by its corrupt administration.
The principal error in this view of the subject seems to be, that
secession is regarded as a constitutional right, that is, a right
guaranteed by the Constitution. Thus to withdraw and renounce
his allegiance to any government, by which he is wantonly and
seriously oppressed, is doubtless the indefeasible right of man;
but it is based in the laws of nature, not in the provisions of the
Constitution, and ought always to be called by its right name,
revolution; in order that the people may not be deceived by false
names, and plunge into the dangerous whirlpool of revolution
before they maturely survey the rocks and cliffs on which they
may be wrecked.
c) It is regarded as a contract between all the people or citizens
Of the different States, in their elementary or primary capacity,
to establish and maintain a government for certain limited and
specified purposes of general good ; it being agreed that all powers
not expressly given to the general government, or actually neces
sary to the execution of the trust thus specifically granted, are
reserved by the people to be exercised in their State governments :
that the Constitution of the United States and the laws of Con
gress, constitutionally enacted, are " the supreme law of the land,"
that from any supposed unconstitutional law of Congress the
recourse of the citizen believing himself aggrieved, is to the
Supreme Court of the United States : that there is no right of
nullification or of secession in the citizen or States, except in such
cases as by the unalienable rights of man justify revolution.
That the framers of our national Constitution regarded it as a
contract of the people in their primary capacity, and not of the
States, is expressly asserted by the first clause of the instrument
itself: " We the people" of these United States, &c. That it is a
government of limited and specified powers, is evident because the
constitution enumerates those powers, and because it expressly
declares that all the powers not specifically granted to Congress
are retained by the States severally. The principle of granting to
Congress additional powers by unlimited construction of the Con
stitution, is therefore obviously inconsistent with the genius of

THE NATURE OF OUR GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 193
our government; and, if not opposed, would soon entirely change
the happy balance of power between the State and General
governments established by our fathers, and terminate in consoli
dation. This view of our national constitution has been, and is still
entertained by the great mass of our ablest statesmen. It is en
tertained by the Supreme Court itself, the highest authority for
expounding the constitution and laws of the Union," and was some
years ago set forth in colours that cannot be mistaken in the able
and lucid proclamation of the President of the United States : 2
" The people of the United States formed the Constitution ; acting
through the State Legislatures in making the compact to meet and
to discuss its provisions, and acting in separate conventions when
they ratified those provisions; but the terms used in its construc
tion, show it to be a government in which the people of all the
States collectively are represented. — The Constitution of the
United States, then, forms a government, not a league. — It is a
government in which all the people are represented, which ope
rates directly on the people individually, not upon the States. But
each State having expressly parted with so many powers as to
constitute jointly with the other States a single nation, cannot
from that time possess any right to secede, because such secession
does not break a league, but destroys the unity of a nation," &c.
The different predilections of our citizens for a free or rigid con
struction of the Constitution in reference to the powers of the
general government, are the basis (so far as the principle is con
cerned) of the distinction between the two great national parties
which have from the beginning existed in our land.3 Violent
* See Decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, in Harrison
vs. Hunter's lessee. 1 Wheaton's Reports, 323.
' See the Proclamation of Andrew Jackson, President of the IT. States,
in regard to the convention of South Carolina, Dec. 10, 1832.
3 The structure of the several State governments varies much, and is
more or less republican, according as the right of suffrage and eligibility
to office are more or less generally extended, and according to the num
ber of public offices which are filled, not by executive appointment, but
by popular election.
It is worthy of note, that whilst the patriots of the South have been
17

194 POLITICAL AFFAIRS. ART. XVI.
party spirit, especially when based on no political principles, but
amounting to mere contest for office, is doubtless unchristian and
dangerous; but the intelligent and upright intellectual conflict
about the principles of our government and the influence of par
ticular laws, that is, genuine, honest party spirit, is the duty of
every faithful citizen and friend of his country, and is necessary to
the purity of our political institutions. It is for these reasons that
we have felt it a duty to expand our remarks on this article of tho
Confession, farther than we would otherwise have been disposed :
especially as principles of the most dangerous nature have been
boldly asserted in some sections of our country; and it thus
becomes more imperiously the duty of every Christian patriot to
study the principles and vindicate the integrity of our happy
' political institutions X. No State Religion to be Established.
The establishment of any religion by law, is happily and expli
citly forbidden in the Constitution of the Union. Our fathers
justly believed that religion ought now, as was the case in the
days of the Apostles, to be left to take care of itself. Hence they
regarded the Federal Government as a compact formed for civil
and not religious purposes; and its designs are fully accomplished,
its appropriate functions fully discharged, when it has secured and
regulated our civil interests. It is inhibited from establishing any
religious test, or in any way interfering with the rights of con
science. It is unquestionable that the prosperity of the Christian
religion and the permanence of our fabric of civil government,
depend on a firm resistance to the least abandonment of this
ground. The writer does not believe any sect in the nation, nor
even the leaders of any Protestant church, either contemplate or
would desire an establishment by law ; but if, at any time, symp
toms of such a disposition should appear, he would regard it the
duty of all true Christians to unite not only with each other, but
also with infidels and deists, to resist the attempt.
distinguished for their able opposition to the increase of power in the
national government by latitudinarian construction of the constitution,
their State governments are less republican than those of their northern
brethren.

OF CnRIST S RETURN. 195
Our government, therefore, according to its institutions, can
neither persecute nor tolerate persecution. How fully the illus
trious reformer, Luther, coincided with these views, even at a time
when some other reformers observed a different practice, is seen
from his own nervous language : ' "Do you say, the civil govern
ment should indeed not force men to believe, but only interfere in
order that the people be not led astray by false doctrine ? and how
could heretics otherwise be put down ? I answer, to counteract
heresy is the business of ministers, not of the civil rulers. Here
a different course must be pursued, and other weapons than the
sword must fight these battles. The word of God must here con
tend; if this proves unavailing, neither can civil governments
remedy the evil, though they should deluge the earth in blood.
Heresy is an intellectual thing, that cannot be hewn by the sword,
nor burned with fire, nor drowned with water. The word of God
alone can subdue it ; as Paul says, ' The weapons of our warfare
are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of
strong-holds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that
exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into
captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.' " 2 Cor.
10:4,5.

ARTICLE XVII.— OF CHRIST'S RETURN TO
JUDGMENT.
XVII. Of Christ's Return to XVII. De Christi Reditu ad
Judgment. Judicium.
Our churches also Item docent, qubd
teach, that at the end of Christus apparebit in
the world, Christ will consummatione, mundi
appear for judgment ; adjudicandum, et mortuos
' See Luther's Works (Walch's edition), Vol. X., p. 461.

196

OF CHRIST'S RETURN.

Art. XVII.

tliat he will raise all the
dead ; that he will bestow
upon the pious and elect
eternal life and endless
joys, but will condemn
wicked men and devils to
be punished without end.

They reject the opinions
of the Anabaptists, who
maintain, that the pun
ishment of devils and
condemned men will have
an end; in like manner
tliey condemn tlwse who
circulate the Judaizing
notions that, prior to the
resurrection of the dead,
tlie pious will engross1 the
government of the world,
and the wicked be every
where oppressed.

omnes resuscitabit, piis et
electis dabit vitam ozter-
nam et perpetua gaudia,
impios autem homines ac
diabolos condemnabit, ut
sine fine crucientur.

Damnant Anabaptis-
tas, qui sentiunt, liomini-
bus damnatis ac diabolis
finem poznarum futurum
esse. Damnant et alios,
qui nunc spargunt Juda-
icas opiniones, qubd ante
resurrectionem mortuo-
rum, pii regnum mundi
occupaturi sint, ubique
oppressis impiis.

1 German copy, " That the pious will have a separate temporal govern
ment, and exterminate all the wicked."

I. Millennium.
1. Nature of the Millennium. — The Confessors, in this article,
condemn the ideas of some ancient Jews and Chiliasts, as well as
of the Anabaptists of tbat century, that Christ would, in the latter
days, appear personally on earth, and establish a temporal king-

OF THE MILLENNIUM. 197
dom, not unlike the theocracy of the Old Testament." Similar
views, more or less refined, have been advanced at different times,
whilst such a millennium as the Scriptures teach is generally
believed. Some divines, such as Peterson, Crusius, Bengel,
taught a visible, personal appearance, and reign of Christ on earth
for a thousand years, whilst others formed more spiritual concep
tions of the millennial reign, and suppose it to consist in the rapid
diffusion of Christianity on earth prior to the close of the present
economy. Nor do the Scriptures teach that in this latter day of
glory for Zion, the gospel will be received by every individual of
the human family. For although there will be extraordinary out
pourings of the Holy Spirit, these sacred influences will still not
be irresistible, and therefore it is not probable that all without
exception will submit to them. The rising generation, moreover,
would still exhibit the fruits of their depraved nature, until
brought under the influence of godliness; and even Christians
themselves will be sanctified but in part, and still exhibit the
evidences of human frailty.
But the millennium will consist of an extraordinary and gene
ral diffusion of Christianity, successively among all the nations of
the earth, effected through the increased application of the ap
pointed means of grace in all their legitimate forms, by professing
Christians, accompanied by extraordinary effusions of the Holy
Spirit; facilitated by the improvements of science, and the arts,
and increased international intercourse. This prevalence of
Christian principle will, throughout the whole extent of its march,
be the harbinger of peace and good will among men. The tri
umph of the gospel will everywhere be accompanied by its
1 The fact that even the ancient Jews fixed its duration at 1000 years,
arose, it is thought, from a mystical interpretation of the Mosaic narra
tive of creation. A thousand years being as but one day with God, it
was conjectured that the first six days of creation represent 6000 years
of toil and adversity ; but the seventh or sabbath day was regarded as a,
type of a thousand years' rest and prosperity to God's people on earth.
In the New Testament, the same name and term of duration have found
corroboration from a passage in Revelation (ch. 20 : 2, 3), supposed to
refer to the future glorious spread of the gospel, in which Satan is said
" to have been bound 1000 years."
17*

198 OF CHRIST'S RETURN. ART. XVH.
legitimate train of benevolent and meliorating influences on the
civil and social institutions of the world ; and war itself, the pro
lific mother of all evil, will retire before the progress of the Prince
of peace.
Isaiah 2:4.' They shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and
their spears into pruning-hooks ; nation shall not lift up sword against
nation, neither shall they learn war any more.' (11 : 9 ; 60 : 18.)
2. The grounds of expectation for the universal extension of
Christianity are various and satisfactory.
a) It is probable from the very design of the gospel. All men
and all nations aie alike subject to the evils of sin ; and if the de
liverance offered in the gospel is desirable for one nation, it is
equally so for the others, b) The benevolence of God regards
not persons ; but, in all nations, those of similar character are alike
pleasing to him. It would seem accordant then with that bene
volence, which sent the gospel to some nations, to publish it even
tually to all. These reasons, though by no means conclusive,
possess some force, c) It is rendered still more probable by the
fact, that the Saviour himself made provision for its universal
diffusion. The order of men, whom he commissioned as heralds
of the cross, was made perpetual ; and a promise given of his con
stant presence and blessing. " Go ye, therefore, and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo, I am with
you alway, even to the end of the world." (Matt. 27 : 19, 20.)
d) He gave them, moreover, an express command to " preach the
gospel to every creature," " to make disciples of all nations," and
to prosecute their work until " the end of the world." e) But
that the kingdom of the Messiah actually will be extended over tlie
whole earth, is rendered absolutely certain, because the sacred
volume has expressly predicted the fact, not only in figurative lan
guage, but also in literal and express terms.
Isaiah 2 : 2. 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the
mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the tops of the
mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall
flow unto it.'

OF THE MILLENNIUM. 199
Rev. 11 : 15. 'And the seventh angel sounded, and there wore
great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are be
come the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign
for ever and ever.' (Dan. 2 : 34, 35 ; Psalm 72 : 8-11 ; Rev. 20 :
2,3.) Gen. 22 : 18. ' In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be
blessed.' Psalm 2:8. 'I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance,
and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.'
Matt. 24 : 14. 'And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in
all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end
come.' Malachi 1 : 11. 'From the rising of the sun, even to the going down
of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles, saith the
Lord of hosts.'
3. The means, by which this glorious era is to be ushered in,
are none other than those appointed in God's word.
a) They are amply sufficient. The word of God is able to
awaken, enlighten, convert, and save millions of sinners, as well
as a single one. The preaching of the word might, in less than a
century, as well be extended to every rational creature on earth,
as to the 200,000,000 who now enjoy it ; if professing Christians
were generally animated by a zeal and devotion worthy of the
sacred cause they have espoused, of the exalted and glorious hopes
which they cherish. Prayer, the fervent, effectual prayer of the
righteous, can be made for the whole world as well as for part
of it. And who can venture to doubt, that the blessing of the
divine Spirit would not only be poured out commensurate to the
zeal and fidelity with which the Pauls of modern days would
plant, and the Apolloses water, but in far more abundant effu
sions ? Yea, has not God himself said, " I will pour out my Spirit
upon all flesh," — before the great and terrible day of the Lord
come? '
1 Joel 2 : 28. And it shall come to pass afterwards, that I will pour out
my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall pro
phesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions,
&c, &c.
On the subject- of the Millennium, see the relevant chapters of
Bengelius and Stilling (Young) on the Apocalypse, Faber on the Prophe-

200 of Christ's return. Art. XVII.
b) God has not appointed any other instrumentality to accom
plish this glorious work. Yes, hear it, ye Christians, ye who
profess to love your Saviour, he has predicted the universal spread
of the gospel, and promised his blessing on the means which ye
now possess, having informed us of no other. But how inade
quate are the present exertions of his people ! How little are you
doing to usher in the latter-day glory ! How much more might
you, how much more must you, do, before the gospel of the king
dom can be preached to all nations ! How much more zealous
and frequent must be your prayers to the Lord of the harvest
for an increase of laborers ! How much more liberal must you
be in aiding those to prepare for the glorious work, who are
unable to sustain themselves through their course of prepara.
tion ! How much more attentive, my Christian brethren, must
we be to seek out such from among the fruits of revivals, who
at our meetings for prayer, evince more than ordinary gifts and
graces !
Let the followers of the Saviour then go to work with the full
conviction that the duty enjoined on them is practicable. "
About forty years ago there were not thirty young men sus
tained by the churches in our land, in preparation for the minis
try, and yet the great difficulty then was want of money. Since
that period, the churches have learned something of their duty,
and aided upwards of 6000 young men. Now the greatest diffi
culty is want of men. But in reality the true difficulty, first and
last, has been want of piety and zeal in the churches. The Spirit
of God opens the door of access to the heathen world faster than
laborers come to enter it. The Spirit of God has made Christians
willing to support and send forth young men, just in proportion
as this duty was urged upon them. And the self-same Spirit has
made young men willing to devote themselves to the work of the
ministry, just in proportion as ministers have faithfully spread
cies, and " The Prophetic History of the Christian Religion Explained, or
a brief exposition of the Revelation of St. John," by J. George Schmucker,
D. D., 2 vols., 8vo., 1817; and in 1 vol., German, published by Rev. C. G.
Weyl, Baltimore, 1843.
' See the Author's Fraternal Appeal to the American Churches, p.
143, &o.

OF THE MILLENNIUM. 201
before their people the wretched condition of the heathen world,
and as Christians have labored and prayed to find workmen for
the Lord.
Let the churches form definite ideas of the work to be per
formed, and in reliance on God, purpose its accomplishment. Our
efforts are often paralyzed by the supposed incalculable vastness
of the work. Our faith often wavers, because not based on intel
ligible " evidence of the things not seen." It was thought a
gigantic conception when the American Bible Society resolved
within a few years to furnish the book of God to every destitute
family in our land. It appeared so only because the extent of the
enterprise and the means for its accomplishment had not been
definitely surveyed. Thus also the conversion of the world ap
pears even to some Christians as " idle words, and they believe
them not;" yet when rightly viewed, it is not beyond the bounds
of reasonable calculation. Rating the unevangelized world at
600,000,000, and allowing 1000 souls to each minister, it has
sometimes been said we must furnish 600,000 laborers. But far
fewer will suffice. Supposing each preacher to take charge of four
or five stations, he could preach the gospel at least to 2000 souls.
The number thus required would be 300,000. The converted
heathen will, in the progress of this work, furnish more than ten
times as many laborers as it will be necessary to send to them,
and this would be less than they did in the apostolic age. We
would then need about 25,000 laborers for the heathen world, to
be seDt from the present Christian churches. This number would,
we doubt not, together with the native auxiliaries, and the Bible,
and tract, and Sabbath-school efforts, be amply sufficient, by the
divine blessing, to preach the gospel to every creature, to bring
all the heathen world under the influence of the means of salva
tion; especially if, like the proto-missionaries of the Saviour,
many of them should travel from place to place, remaining only
long enough in each to form a congregation of believers, and then
appointing from their number the most pious, talented, and faith
ful, as pastors for the flock, pursue their course. This method
was found adequate in the apostolic age, and might now be pur
sued (as it is in part) with the greater propriety, as the missionary
would leave the written word in every church thus formed.

202 of Christ's return. Art. XVII.
Nor is it necessary that all the missionaries sent out should re
ceive a classical education. Of those destined for uncivilized
countries, such as Africa, whilst some should be thoroughly edu
cated, the major part would be quite as efficient after four or five
years' instruction in Christian doctrine and duty, some of the
physical sciences, especially medical botany, agriculture, or some
suitable trade, in pastoral duties, and the language of their desti
nation. If such a ministry is successful in our own country, as. is
seen in the case of our Moravian and Methodist brethren, much
more would it be adequate to the wants of many portions of the
missionary field.
Probably, too, it would be wise to establish one or more Mis
sionary Seminaries in our land under tbe joint patronage of the
different missionary boards, to which all, of different denomina
tions, might resort, and in which the several cardinal languages
of Asia, Africa, and aboriginal America, should be taught, either
by natives, or by men who acquired them in those several coun
tries, and in which an education peculiarly missionary should be
given. And how long would it require until the church could furnish
these 25,000 missionaries ? Not so long as we are accustomed to
imagine, if the Protestant churches would come up to a standard
of duty perfectly attainable and certainly obligatory. The apostles
found " in every city" in the churches established by them
(averaging probably at that period not fifty male members),
materials for " appointing elders" or preachers. Hence we may
justly infer, that every church, on an average, does contain at
least several persons, whose duty it is to devote themselves to this
work, and if a proper standard of piety were maintained, and
suitable effort made to direct them, they could now be found as
well as in the apostolic age. Now, it is calculated that there are
15,000 Protestant churches in the United States, about 20,000 in
Great Britain, and about 50,000 in Continental Europe. Sup
posing 7500 of all these 85,000 churches, which is not one-fourth
the. number in Great Britain and the United States, were to take an
active part in this work, and each furnish one theological student
every five years, which is far less than some of them have done
and are now doing, we should in ten years have 15,000 laborers,

OF THE MILLENNIUM. 203
partly in the field, and partly in a course of preparation. In
twenty years we should have 30,000 thus designated, from which
deducting 5000 for the ravages of death and other failures, we
should have left 25,000 labourers, who, in twenty-five or thirty
years, might all be in the foreign field, all acknowledging each
other's ecclesiastical and ministerial standing, holding with each
other ministerial and sacramental communion, and though differ
ing on the confessedly minor matters, yet co-operating as one
people in every good word and work, and caring one for the other
as members of the same body, of which Christ is the only head !
But how can Christians be brought up to this duty? Let
parents feel that their children are not their own, but the Lord's ;
and as " the Lord hath need of them," let them from infancy
dedicate them to God, and strive to instil into their youthful
minds the duty and glory of serving God, if called, among the
heathen. Let every mother strive to be a Hannah, and dedicate
her little Samuel to the sanctuary of God. Let every father be
an Abraham, ready to surrender his son to the sovereign disposal
of Jehovah.
Let ministers cease to waste their strength in contending against
one another, let them study the condition of the heathen until
their own hearts are warmed with the subject, and then let them
hold up to the view of their hearers the duty of sending the
gospel to the heathen, and of being willing to take it to them as
frequently and faithfully as they do the duty of repentance and
faith. Let fidelity on this point be regarded and inculcated as an
essential evidence of Christian character, as it doubtless will be in
the case of all those who have been faithfully instructed.
Again, let churches, which feel their duty on this subject, cor
dially co-operate and formally resolve that they will, by the divine
blessing, endeavor to furnish at least the stipulated number, one
student every five years, for this work, and, if possible, sustain
him in his education. Let this duty be made a subject of special
supplication at every monthly concert, and let pastor and people
co-operate in seeking out pious and talented young men, and laying
the subject before them.
Let ecclesiastical judicatories of every grade and every denomi
nation, discuss and recommend the subject to their churches, as

204 of Christ's return. Art. XVII.
they did the temperance effort. ' Let all denominations take part,
and co-operate in the work on apostolic, liberal principles. Let
different societies, voluntary and ecclesiastical, direct their atten
tion each to a particular heathen nation, that there may be as little
interference as possible. And finally, let all be done under the
conviction that the work is the Lord's, and its issue is in his
divine hands.
This glorious, this millennial enterprise would require and
would lead to an enlargement of educational and missionary opera
tions to a millennial scale. Yet it is all possible ; nor would the
education of the poor, and the mission of all these men, require
greater pecuniary sacrifices from the church at large, than some
individual Christians are now making ; nor a tithe of the Pro
testant wealth from the living, together with the increase of
legacies which such a state of effort and piety among Christians
would produce. Even the Protestant churches in the United
States alone, as is evident from the above calculations, could
accomplish this work in less than half a century. They could
furnish and send forth the necessary number of laborers, if they
would declare a perpetual amnesty among themselves, and concen
trate their utmost efferts. In the "progress of this work, too, the
Lord may raise up some Constantines, who will direct the energies
of their empire to this glorious work ; kings may become " nursing
fathers, and queens nursing mothers" to his Zion ; he will pour
out the influences of his Spirit in pentecostal measures, and nations
may be born in a day ; so that the human instrumentality required,
may even be much less than above stated.
II. The Resurrection.
1 Thess. 4 : 16. ' For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump
of God : and the dead in Christ shall rise first : — 17. Then we which
are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air : and so shall we ever be with
the Lord.'
1 Cor. 15 : 42. ' So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown
in corruption ; it is raised in incorruption. — 43. It is sown in dis
honour ; it is raised in glory : it is sown in weakness : it is raised in

the resurrection. 205
«
power. — 44. It is sown a natural body ; it is raised a spiritual body.
There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.'
Acts 26 : 8. ' Why should it be thought a thing incredible with
you, that God should raise the dead ?' See John 5 : 28.
There has been a little disputation among the neologians of
Germany, and, of late, in this country, how much of the present
body will be retained in that of the resurrection, how many parti
cles will belong to both, or whether any ; or whether there is any
particular part of the present body, which is to serve essentially
as the germ of that which is to come, or, as Leibnitz terms it, as
the stamina corporis. These questions we cannot certainly decide ;
but we know, for the word of inspiration teaches us, that out of
the body that dies, there is to be evolved, in some way unknown
to us, another, a glorified body, to serve as the future organ of the
soul's communication with the material world.
Mosheim : " The cause which induces God to raise the pious
dead, is undoubtedly tbe merits of Christ, which they appropri
ated to themselves during life. (1 Cor. 15 : 13.) But the reason
why God has resolved to raise the wicked, is their voluntary con
tempt of the merits of Christ. For, as the whole man (consisting
of soul and body), is guilty of this contempt, it behoves the
whole also to suffer punishment."
Hollazius: "The internal part or form of the resurrection,
embraces : a) the reproduction of the bodies, or the restoration of
that body which has perished in death, out of the atoms, or its
particles, separated and scattered in every direction, b) Its re
union with the soul."
Gerhard: "The external form or part of the resurrection, a)
Christ will suddenly and unexpectedly appear in the clouds, in
that visible form, in which he ascended to heaven ; and will be
seated on the throne of his majesty in great glory. (Matt. 24 : 30, &c;
25 : 31.) b) The angels will be present, as officers, criers and at
tendants, and will sound their trumpet. (Matt. 13 : 41 ; 1 Thess.
4 : 16.) c) The omnipotent and effectual voice of Christ will pro
claim, 'Arise ye dead ! (Matt. 9 : 25 ; Luke 7 : 14 ; John 5 : 28 ;
11 : 43.) d) At the sound of his voice the dead will be raised.
e) The living shall be changed by a sudden and instantaneous
transportation of their bodies. (1 Cor. 15 : 51 ; 1 Thess. 4 : 17.)

206 of Christ's return. Art. XVII.
/) They shall all be divided into two parts, .the righteous being
separated from the wicked, those being placed at the right hand
of .Christ, but these at his left."
Quenstedt : " The body that will rise, is the same which we
now possess, both numerically and substantially."
The bodies of the righteous will possess the following qualities :
Gerhard: a) " They will be glorified, that is, they will be clothed
with a most beautiful brightness and splendour, as with a mantle.
(Matt. 13 : 43 ; 1 Cor. 15 : 40, &c. ; Dan. 12 : 3.) b) The glorified
bodies will be possessed of great power, they will be free from in
firmities, sorrows and diseases, and therefore will be firm, impas
sible, active, and endowed with the power to penetrate other solid
bodies. (John 20 : 19-26; Phil. 3 : 21.) c) They will be spiritual
bodies, not merely in regard to their essence, but also to their
spiritual properties ; they will no longer be animal bodies, re
quiring food, drink, &c."
III. The General Judgment.
"At the end of the world, Christ will appear unto
judgment." 2 Tim. 4:1. 'I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appear
ing and his kingdom.'
Acts 17 : 31. ' He (God) hath appointed a day, in the which he
will judge the world in righteousness by that man (Jesus) whom he
hath ordained.'
2 Cor. 5 : 10. ' For we must all appear before the judgment-seat
of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in the body,
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.'
Matt. 13 : 32. ' But of that day and that hour knoweth no man,
no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son (according to
his human nature), but the Father. — 35. Watch ye, therefore ; for ye
know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at mid
night, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning. — 36. Lest, coming
suddenly, he find you sleeping. — 37. And what I say unto you, I say
unto all, Watch.' See also Heb. 9 : 27 ; Rev. 20 : 12.
Of the approach of this judgment, the Saviour has furnished
his children with different indications; whilst the precise time,

THE GENERAL JUDGMENT. 207
though fixed in the councils of Jehovah (for we are told he has
appointed the day, Acts 17 : 31,) is not known to men or angels.-
Hahn : " The signs of the approaching judgment are the fol
lowing : 1) The general dissemination of the gospel. (Acts 3 :
19-26.) 2) The general conversion of the Jews. 3) Great apos
tasy in the church by means of false prophets and enemies of
Christ (the Rationalists and Pantheists), who carry their hostility
to Christ (Antichristianism) to the highest pitch of hatred to God,
even arrogating to themselves divine honos ( Antitheism and Auto-
tbeism). (Matt. 24 : 37 ; conf. 11, &c; 2 Pet. 3 : 3 ; 1 Thess. 5 :
3; 2 Thess. 2 : 3—12.) 4) Immediately preceding the judgment,
there will be extraordinary changes in the entire visible world.
(Matt. 24 : 29 ; Mark 13 : 24, &c; Luke 21 : 25, &c.)"
Some of the ancient church fathers retained the old Jewish
opinion that the scene of the final judgment would be the valley
of Jehosaphat. Our divines generally have rejected this crude
idea, and suppose it will take place somewhere in the air ; per
haps in view of our earth. (1 Thess. 4 : 17.) Then we who are
alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds, to " meet the Lord in the air."
Whether the designation " day of judgment" is designed to
determine the duration of this solemn assize at twenty-four hours,
or is to be understood as indicating an indefinite time, cannot of
course be decided by mortals. It cannot be doubted, that by the
power of omnipotence, the whole process could be dispatched in
less time than a natural day. The disembodied spirit, and pro
bably the spirit united to a glorified body, will not be limited in
its operations to time, as we now are. It is a common fact that
dreams, covering a long series of years, will often occupy the mind
but a few minutes. And we have somewhere seen it stated that
persons who have been resuscitated after having been apparently
drowned for some hours, have testified that in the few moments
during which the process of suffocation was going on, a retrospect
of their whole life passed through their minds with the rapidity
of lightning. Thus could a full review of each individual take
place simultaneously in less than an hour, and he be fully pre
pared to hear, and even anticipate, the sentence of the Judge of all
the earth. But another view may be taken. Thought, we have

208 of Christ's return. Art. XVII.
reason to believe, is indestructible ; and though forgotten in this
life, yet, to the developed powers of memory in the glorified state,
and in the risen sinner, every thought, feeling, or action of our
entire life, will be present and perceived with the vividness of
yesterday. They will constitute an intellectual atmosphere around
the soul, in the contemplation of which the believer will trace the
numberless proofs of the divine favor, and recognize the evidence
of his new creation in Christ Jesus, as well as his title to mansions
in the skies ; and in which ungodly sinners will behold the offers
of mercy slighted, the invitation of the gospel rejected, and the
proofs of their final and eternal condemnation written on their
benighted souls. The righteous will also be clothed in light, and
shine as the stars of heaven ; whilst the gloom and midnight dark
ness that will envelope the accursed, will fill their wretched souls
with self-reproach as well as the conviction of their certain and
most just condemnation. Both classes will thus be prepared to
hear and acknowledge the justice of the divine sentence, when it
is pronounced from the throne of the Judge. As the glorified
spirits will all be endowed with the perception of thought, each
one can also read in the appearance and intellectual atmosphere
enveloping those around him, their certain character and doom.
Thus will the secrets of all hearts be revealed, and the entire
judgment of an assembled universe need not occupy an entire day
or hour. The utterance of the sentence will be but the official
proclamation of what each one had anticipated as his inevitable
destiny, whilst all will see and feel that the Judge of all the earth
does right.
Reinhard: "The final judgment is that act of God by which
a lot, congenial to their past actions, will be bestowed upon all
men, after they have been restored to life."
Baier : "The Judge will be Christ himself (Matt. 25 : 31);
according to both natures (John 5 : 22-27), who, in his assumed
humanity, will appear in glory, and seated, as it were, on his
judgment-seat, beheld by all, will pronounce sentence with divine
authority. But Christ will have, partly as attendants and partly
as assistants, good men (Matt. 19 : 28 ; Luke 22 : 30 ; 1 Cor.
6 : 2) and good aogels (Matt. 25 : 31). The duty of the angels
is not only to accompany Christ in his' appearance to judgment,

NATURE OF FUTURE PUNISHMENT. 209
and to announce his arrival with a loud ' shout' (1 Thess. 4 : 15),
but also to collect men together from all parts of the world, as well
those who have been raised from the dead, as those who were
overtaken alive (Matt. 24 : 31 ; Mark 13 : 27) ; then to separate
the righteous from the wicked (Matt. 13 : 41-49); the former
being placed at the right, and the latter at the left of the Judge.
Finally, they will thrust the condemned sinners into hell — whilst
the saints will behold and approve the judgment of Christ."
The Romish doctrine of purgatory was the gradual product of
heathen superstitions, imported into the church by different
christian fathers, such as Origen and Augustine ; but it was not
formally received into the creed of the church until tho days of
Gregory the Great, in the sixth century.
IV. Future Punishment of the Wicked.
"He will condemn wicked men and devils to be
punished without end."
John 5 : 28. ' Marvel not at this ; for the hour is coming, in the
which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, — 29. And shall
come forth ; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life;
and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.'
Matt. 22 : 11. 'And when the king came in to see the guests, he
saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment : — 12. And
he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a
wedding garment? And he was speechless. — 13. Then said the
king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away,
and cast him into outer darkness : there shall be weeping and gnaslir
ing of teeth.'
Matt. 25 : 41. ' Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand,
Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the
devil and his angels/
Luke 16 : 26. 'And beside all this, between us and you there is a
great gulf fixed ; so that they which would pass from hence to you,
cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.'
Rev. 16 : 9. 'And men were scorched with great heat heat, and
blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues :
and they repented not to give him glory.'
Rev. 21 : 8. ' But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abomina
ble, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters,

210 of Christ's return. Art. XVII.
and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire
and brimstone : which is the second death.'
Rev. 22: II. 'He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he
which is filthy, let him be filthy still.'
Hollazius : " Eternal death is the sum of all the numerous
evils which tbe triune God, as the most just Judge, inflicts upon
the souls and bodies of the deceased reprobates, on account of their
final unbelief, to be endured eternally for the glory of the divine
justice, truth, and power."
Hutter : " Where is hell ? As the sacred Scriptures have
nowhere informed us of this, we should not curiously inquire into
it, but rather strive by a true faith to avert the infernal tortures
from us. Of what kind will these torments be ? This our minds
cannot adequately comprehend, nor human language express. The
sacred volume, accommodating itself to our capacity, represents
this subject by various terms and phrases, drawn from the punish
ments of this life : as when it terms these punishments, confu
sion, ignominy, eternal disgrace, weeping and gnashing of teeth,
the blackness of darkness, the worm that never dies, the lake of
fire; and by these expressions places, as it were, before our eyes,
the greatest and the most exquisite tortures. (Isa. 66 : 24 ; Matt.
8 : 12 ; Apoc. 19 : 20.")
Hollazius : " The negative punishments of hell are the follow
ing : The soul will be deprived of the beatific vision of God and
the light of his glory, of the fruition of the chief good, the love of
God, and joy in him. The bodies of the accursed will be deprived
of all brightness and beauty. Moreover, the wicked will be
excluded from all association with the saints. The positive pun
ishments : Their intellect will know God as a most just Judge,
and most severe punisher of sinners. They will still be harassed
by hatred of God, by extreme sadness and raging impatience.
Their bodies will be tormented by a material, though peculiar
fire (others regard this fire as meaning most poignant sufferings).
The external evils which will surround the accursed are a disgust
ing association with devils, and also a most loathsome abode."
Hollazius: "It is certain that the prison-house of hell is in
some real locality (Luke 16 : 28 ; 1 Pet. 3 : 19), separate from
the abode of the righteous (Apoc. 22 : 15; Luke 16 : 23). It is

duration of future punishment. 211
also probable that it is without the bounds of this earth (2 Pet.
3 : 10; John 12 : 31; Matt. 8 : 12). But where that place is,
is unknown to us in this world."
There are different degrees of suffering in hell.
Matt. 11 : 24. ' But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.'
Luke 12: 47. 'And that servant which knew his lord's will, and
prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be
beaten with many stripes. — 48. But he that knew not, and did com
mit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For
unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.'
Duration of the Future Punishments of the Wicked.
The duration of these torments is beyond all doubt represented
as eternal.
The eternity of future blessedness is not disputed, although
that of future punishment has been ; yet they rest on precisely
the same evidence. Happiness has no more tendency to confer
eternity, than misery to take it away. Both rest on the testimony
of God's word, a) Express and literal passages are found teach
ing that the pains of the accursed are " eternal," are "everlasting,"
and continue "forever and ever."
Mark 3 : 29. ' But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost,
hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.'
Matt. 25 : 46. 'And these shall go away into everlasting punish
ment, but the righteous into everlasting life.'
Dan. 12 : 2. 'And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth
shall awake ; some to everlasting life, and some to shame and ever
lasting contempt.'
2 Thess. 1 : 9. 'Who shall suffer punishment (Sixrjv tiotioi), even
everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the
glory of his power.'
Rev. 14 : 11. 'And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever
and ever, and they have no rest, day nor night, who worship the beast
and his image.'
b) The same doctrine is conveyed in figurative language of
various and unequivocal import, teaching the eternity of future
punishment. It is termed " the unquenchable fire," " the worm

212 of Christ's return. Art. XVII.
that dieth not," and the lake of fire and brimstone, in which
Satan and his angels are " tormented day and night, forever and
ever." Mark 9 : 43, 44. 'And if thy hand offend thee (exavSaKi^, ensnare
thee, cause thee to sin), cut it off; it is better for thee to enter life
maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that
never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and their fire
is not quenched.'
Rev. 20 : 10. 'And the devil that deceived them was cast into the
lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet are,
and shall be tormented day and night, for ever and ever.'
There is, moreover, reason to believe that the accursed will
forever remain enemies of God, and, therefore, eternally deserve,
and receive punishment. The Scriptures never even intimate that
the flames of hell will be purgative, sanative, or remedial in their
influence, but always describe them as penal and retributive.
Nor is it inconsistent with the love of God to punish sinners eter
nally : for they had a fair term of probation, were often entreated
to be reconciled to God, and would not. The good of the moral
universe therefore requires that the penalty of the law be inflicted
on them, that others may fear and not fall into like condemnation.
c) The devils in hell did not regard their torments as temporary,
or express the least hope of deliverance, d) Nor did the rich
man in the gospel, cherish any such expectation.

Fruits of Uhiversalism.
Dr. J. G. Schmucker: "I have often searched for the fruit of
Universalism, but never found any that was good. Often I have
observed that thoughtless persons have abused this doctrine to their
own ruin, as well as that of others : and this seems to have been
its influence ever since Origen and Clemens of Alexandria bor
rowed it from heathen philosophers, and introduced it into the
Christian church." . . . "This doctrine bears about it all the
marks of a ' damnable' heresy. For it subverts the whole system
of practical religion, it destroys the difference between virtue and
vice, gives loose reins to the sinful dispositions of the human heart,
makes Christ and his apostles the servants of sin, and proclaims

FRUITS OF UNIVERSAL1SM. 213
peace to the wicked, whilst God says ' there is no peace.' (Isaiah
48 : 22.)" — Schmucka-'s Wachterstimme an Zion' s Kinder, 1838.
The penalties of the divine government, like those of good civil
polities on earth, are appointed not to satisfy the vengeance of the
Lawgiver, but by preventing transgression, and promoting virtue,
to secure the highest happiness of the moral universe. Would
any man, when passing some prison of our land, infer from it the
cruelty of our lawgivers ? Or if you beheld a murderer on the
gallows, writhing in the agonies of death, would you believe that
our rulers are tyrants, that some reckless impulses of vengeance
had erected the instrument of torture ? No, we all know that the
attachment of just penalties to laws, is a necessary part of a good
government, and tends to ensure security of person and property;
yea, that it is not only consistent with true benevolence, but actu
ally dictated by it, in order to secure the highost good of the moral
universe, and also of the criminal himself. As long as there was
any hope for the sinner, these very penalties exerted a salutary
influence on him, by retarding his career of iniquity and ruin.
That the punishments of the divine government will be found
just, we must necessarily infer from the infinite perfection of God
who appointed them.
Of their real magnitude, or of what justice would in any case
demand, we are totally incompetent judges, because of our very
inadequate views of the evil of sin in the divine government.
It is found that even the dread of eternal punishment cannot
prevent the mass of mankind from frequent transgression of the
divine law : how entirely inefficient would milder punishments
have been ! The legitimate effect of a disbelief of future punish
ment in a nation is witnessed in the beastly and inhuman scenes
of revolutionary France.
It should moreover ever be remembered, that if sin were not
so great an evil, as to merit and require the severe punishments
threatened in God's word, its existence could not be so highly
detrimental to the happiness of the universe, nor its prevention an
object of such great importance as to require the menace of such
dread penalties, even if God were " man that he could lie," and
did not intend to execute them.
Rather let us receive the declarations of our heavenly Father,

214 of Christ's return. Art. XVII.
on this as on all other subjects, with submission and holy awe ;
confidently believing that all " his judgments are just and right
eous," and striving by an immediate surrender of our hearts to
him, or, if we are his true children, by a daily renewal of our
dedication to his service, to escape his righteous displeasure, and
through the merits of our crucified Redeemer, secure his favour
which is life, and his loving kindness which is better than life.
V. Future Blessedness of the Righteous.
" Christ will bestow upon the pious and elect eternal
life and endless joys."
Heaven is a place, as well as a state.
John 14 : 2, 3. ' In my Father's house are many mansions : if it
were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and
receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.'
Michaelis supposes the renovated earth to be the destined future
abode of the blessed. Pfafftus believed heaven to be in the bosom
of God himself, where angels and the spirits of the just made
perfect will enjoy eternal rest.
Heaven a state of rest from all toils, sins and sorrows.
Rev. 14 : 13. 'And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me,
Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth :
Tea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors ; and their
works do follow them.'
Heaven includes nearness to Christ and God the Father.
John 17 : 24. ' Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given
me, be with me where lam ; that they may behold my glory, which
thou hast given me ; for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the
world.' Yet the believer's beatific vision of God, excepting so far as it
is purely intellectual, is, we would suppose, eonfined to the God-
man Christ Jesus, whilst the Father will be seen by us, even in
heaven, only by the perception of thought.

of heaven. , 215
The happiness of heaven transcends our comprehension.
1 Cor. 2:9.' Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared
for them that love him.'
The heavenly happiness ivill consist in the constant service and
favor of God and the Lamb.
Rev. 7 : 15-17. ' Therefore are they before the throne of God, and
serve him day and night in his temple : and he that sitteth on the
throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither
thirst any more ; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them,
and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters : and God shall
wipe away all tears from their eyes.'
Diversity of sex excluded from heaven.
Matt. 22 : 30. ' In (after) the resurrection they neither marry nor
are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.'
In heaven, those relations which arise from diversity of sex,
will disappear; and husbands and wives, parents and children,
will carry their relationship with them into the eternal world, only
so far as it was moral and intellectual, only so far as it was a
companionship of the soul.
Heavenly Recognition.
Matt. 17 : 3. 'And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and
Elias, talking with him.'
Matt. 8 : 11. 'And I say unto you, that many shall come from the
east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and
Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.'
Luke 13 : 28. ' There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth,
when ye shaU see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets
in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.' See also 2
Cor. 1 : 14 ; Phil. 4 : 1 ; 2 Thess. 2 : 19-20.
Delightful thought ! There Christians will find and recognise
all those dear friends who died in the Lord before them ; there
• they will be reunited in bonds of holy, spiritual union to their
pious father, mother, husband, wife, brother, sister, friend ; and
sit down with them together with prophets, apostles, and saints of
all ages, in the presence of God and the Lamb, forever !

216 of Christ's return. Art. XVII.
Mosheim : " Those who persevere in the faith until death will
be rewarded by God with eternal life or glory. The nature of
the felicity which God has promised in a future life, no one at
present fully understands (1 John 3:2); but from the character
of God himself, we may infer that it will consist in an eternal
enjoyment of the purest happiness.
" This felicity commences immediately after the separation of soul
and body (Luke 23 : 43 ; Acts 8 : 59 ; Phil. 1 : 21). Hence,
although death is in itself a penalty (Rom". 5 : 12), it loses this
character in the regenerate. But this felicity will be perfect only
after the reunion of the soul and body, which will take place at
the resurrection of the dead."

Gradations in the Heavenly Felicity.
The gradations of this felicity are various That this will be
the case seems to be a necessary consequence of the fact that in
this life man is a moral agent, under probation, and in a moral
government, and that eternity is the appointed time of retribution.
But it is moreover clearly taught in the sacred volume. For
although the salvation of believers is of grace and not of works,
yet are we expressly told that they will be rewarded according to
their works. All the inhabitants of heaven will be entirely and
exclusively happy ; yet, as they have acquired different degrees
of capacity for celestial enjoyments, they will indeed drink at the
same exhaustless fountain, and all be filled, but contain different
measures according to the different desires and susceptibilities of
each. Dan. 12 : 3. ' They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the
firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for
ever and ever.''
1 Cor. 3 : 8. 'Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one ;
and every man shall receive bis own reward, according to his own
labour.' 2 Cor. 5 : 10. ' For we must all appear before the judgment-seat
of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.' Rom.
2:5-7.

GRADATIONS IN HEAVENLY FELICITY. 217
Luke 19 : 16-19. 'And he said unto him, Well, thou good ser
vant : because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou
authority over ten cities.' v. 18-27.
The felicity of heaven will be eternal and progressive. The
eternity of heaven is clearly taught in the sacred volume," and is
not disputed. That the happiness of the righteous will be eter
nally progressive is also evident, a) Because, as holy action on
earth increased the capacity of saints for the enjoyments of heaven,
no reason can be assigned why the continuance of such action
under more favorable circumstances, should not still more augment
that capacity, b) Again, the desires of the soul for enjoyment
are ever unsatisfied, or at least seem constantly tending to increase,
in this life, and probably will continue to do so in that which is to
come, c) The soul cannot be stationary in any of its capacities
for enjoyment as well as action, but must be ever either progres
sive or retrograde. But in heaven there will be no backsliding.
Hence, as the capacity for enjoyment will be progressive, and the
fountain for its gratification at the throne of God is inexhaustible,
an ever-growing happiness will necessarily follow.
Yes, the believer may cherish the pleasing belief, that his hap
piness, which commenced in this world, and though not unalloyed,
rendered life highly desirable to him, will continue, yea, eternally
increase in the world to come. A Voltaire or a Paine might well
wish to get rid of his immortality — might envy the lot of the
brutes that perish in death ; for they have spurned the mercy of
God, they have imprecated the vengeance of the Almighty, and
have nothing to hope, and everything to fear from eternity. But
the sincere disciple of Christ may with equal propriety regard his
immortality as one of the dearest features of his future hopes.
Being the follower of him who said, " I am the resurrection and
the life ; if any man believe in me, though he die, yet shall he
live ;" he sees before him the prospect of ceaseless and ever
growing felicity. Delightful it must have been for him to awake
in the eternal world, and find himself in Abraham's bosom, to
look back for the first time on death as a something past : still
1 Matt. 25 : 46. 'And these shall go away into everlasting (hunov) pun
ishment, but the righteous into everlasting {beiZmov) life.'
19

218 of Christ's return. Art. XVII.
more delightful is it now, since the solemnities of the judgment
are over, to hear the welcome plaudit, Well done, good and faith
ful servant, enter into the joys of thy Lord, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Does he now
find himself in the society of Jesus and the blessed angels, and his
old acquaintances and friends on earth ? The very zest of his
felicity will be, that there he will dwell for ever. Does he find
himself satisfied with the image of his God ? He will continue to
grow more and more like him, and better satisfied, that is, more
happy for ever 1 Is he growing in intellect and knowledge ? does
he find himself able to comprehend even in physical and intellec
tual science ten thousand things which were mysterious to him
here ? Does he soon occupy the station which he had here in
imagination assigned to the tallest archangel next the Almighty's
throne ? He knows that he will continue thus to increase through
out eternity, and standing on this exalted eminence, he will look
back and see the volume of Divine Providence unfolding before
his eyes in all its latitude and relations ; see the wisdom of those
dispensations which seemed inexplicable to him on earth, the
benevolence of those which appeared most unequal and severe.
But the feeling which will there absorb all others, and throughout
eternity fill the breasts of the saints in heaven, will be the most
intense adoration and gratitude to that Lamb of God, who pur
chased them with his own blood, and to whom they are indebted
for those streams of never-ending bliss in which they bathe their
souls. Dear reader, will you be among that blessed throng ? Or
are you treading under foot that precious blood, in which those
now standing before his face have "washed their robes and made
them white ?"

OF FREE WILL.

219

ARTICLE XVIII.— OF FREE WILL.

XVIII. Os Free Will.
Concerning free will
our churches teach, that
the human will possesses
some liberty for the per
formance of civil duties,
and for the choice of those
things lying within the
control of reason. But it
does not possess the power,
ivilhout the influence of
the Holy Spirit, of being
just before God, or yield
ing spiritual obedience:1
for the natural man re
ceiveth not tlie things
which are of the Spirit of
God: but this is accom
plished in the heart, when
the Holy Spirit is received
through the word.
The 2 same is declared
by Augustine in so many
words : " We confess that
all men have a free will,
which possesses the judg
ment of reason, by which
they cannot indeed, withr
out the divine aid, either

XVIII. De Libero Arbitrio.
De libero arbitrio do
cent, qubd humana volun
tas habeat aliquam liber-
tatem ad ejficiendam
civilem justitiam, et deli-
gendas res ratione sub-
jectas. Sed non liabet
vim sine Spiritu Sancto
efficiencies justitioz Dei,
seu justitioz spiritualis,
quia animalis homo non
percipit ea, quce sunt
Spiritus Dei; sed haze
fit in cordibus,quum per
verbum Spiritus Sanctus
concipitur. Hozc totidein
verbis dicit Augustinus
lib. 3. Hypognosticon.
"Esse fatemur liberum ar-
bitrium omnibus homini-
bus, habens quidem judi
cium rationis, non per
quod sit idoneum in Us,
quoz ad Deum periinent,
sine Deo out inchoare aut
certb peragere, sed tantum
in operibus vitoz prozsentis
tarn bonis, quam etiam

220

OF FREE WILL.

Art. XVIII.

begin or certainly accom
plish what is becoming in
things relating to God;
but only in works 3 of the
present life, as well good
as evil. In good works, I
say, which arise from our
natural goodness, such as
to choose to labor in the
field, to eat and drink, to
choose to have a friend, to
have4, clothing, to build
a house, to take a wife, to
feed cattle, to learn va
rious and useful arts, or
to do any good thing rela
tive to this life ; all which
things, however, do not
exist without the divine
government ; yea, they
exist and begin to be from
Him and through Him.
And in evil works (men
have a free will), such as
to choose to worship an
idol, to will to commit
murder, c\c." 5

malis. Bonis dico, quce
de bono naturae oriuntur,
i. e., velle laborare in
agro, velle manducare et
bibere, velle habere ami-
cum, velle habere indu
menta, velle fabricare
domwm, uxorem velle
ducere, pecora nutrire,
artem discere diversarum
rerum bonarum, velle
quicquid bonum ad proz-
sentem pertinet vitam.
Quce omnia non sine di
vine gubernaculo subsist-
unt, imb ex ipso et per
ipsum sunt et esse cozpe-
runt. Malis verb dico, ut
est: velle idolum colere,
velle homicidium, etc.

They condemn the Pe
lagians, and others, who
teach that it is possible, by

Damnant Pelagianos,
et alios, qui docent, qubd
sine Spiritu Sancto, solis

OF FREE WILL.

221

the mere powers of nature,
without the aid of tlie
Holy Spirit, to love God
above all things, and to
do his commands accord
ing to their intrinsic de
sign. For, although na
ture may be able, after a
certain manner, to per
form external actions,
such as to abstain from
theft, from murder, Sec,
yet it caniwt perform the
inner motions, such as tlte
fear of God, faith in God,
chastity, patience, c\c.

natures viribus, possimus
Deum super omnia dili-
gere, item prazcepta Dei
facere, quoad substan-
tiam actuum. Quanquam
enim externa opera aliquo
modo efficere natura pos-
sit : potest enim continere
manus a furto, a cozde ;
tamen interiores motus non
potest efficere, ut timorem
Dei, fiduciam erga Deum,
castitatem,patientiam, etc.

1 The German copy adds, " Or to eject the innate sinful lust from the
heart." a The German copy adds, " And that it may be evident that we teach
no novelty on this subject."
3 The German copy reads, " Outward" works of the present life.
' The German reads, " To dress or undress."
s The condemnatory clause of this article is entirely omitted in all the
current German copies.

The natural man possesses ability to perform some externally
proper acts.
Mark 6 : 20. ' For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just
man and an holy, and observed him: and when he heard him, he did
many things, and heard him gladly.'
Acts 13 : 7. ' Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius
Paulus, a prudent man ; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and
desired to hear the word of God.'
19*

222

OF THE AUTHOR OF SIN.

Art. XIX.

Yet no man can yield a spiritual, acceptable obodience without
the grace of God.
John 6 : 44. 'No man can come to me, except the Father, which
hath sent me, draw him : and I will raise him up at the last day.'
1 Cor. 12 : 3. ' Wherefore I give you to understand that no man
speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no
man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.'
The subject of this article, which might with more propriety
have been entitled, " The Inability of man to fulfil the Divine law
without the aid of the Holy Spirit," has been considered in the
discussion of Articles IV. and V.

ARTICLE XIX.— OF THE AUTHOR OF SIN.

XIX. Oe the Author of Sin.
On this subject they
teach, thai although God
is the Creator and Pre
server of nature1 the
cause of sin must be
sought in the depraved
will of tlie devil and
wicked men, which,2, when
destitute of divine aid,
turns itself away from
God: agreeably to the
declaration of Christ,
1 When he speaketh a lie,
he speaketh of his own.'
John" viii. 44.

XIX. De Causa Peccati.
De causa peccati do
cent, qubd tametsi Deus
creat et conservat natu-
ram, tamen causa peccati
est voluntas malorum, vi
delicet, diaboK et impio-
rum, quae non adjuvante
Deo, avertit se a Deo,
sicut Christus ait Joh. 8.
Cum loquitur menda-
cium, ex seipso loquitur.

' The German copy adds, "universal" nature.
3 The German copy roads, " Which (will), as soon as God withdrew his
hand, turned itself from God to sin."

OF GOOD WORKS. 223
Psalm 5:4.' For thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wicked
ness ; neither shall evil dwell with thee.'
1 John 1:5.' This then is the message which we have heard of
him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no dark
ness at all.'
s 1 John 2 : 16. ' For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh,
and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father,
but is of the world.'
1 John 3:8.' He that committeth sin, is of the devil ; for the devil
sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was
manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.'
John 8 : 44. ' You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of
your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and
abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he
speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own : for he is a liar, and the
father of it.'
Buddeus : " God cannot in any respect be classed among the
causes of sin, either physical or moral. Moreover, it cannot be
proved that he concurs or co-operates with the sins of men in any
such manner as would justify us in regarding him as either their
physical or moral cause : for this is diametrically opposed to his
supreme holiness and justice. On the contrary, it is criminal even
to think anything of God, inconsistent with his holiness and
justice." See also Isaiah 65 : 12 ; Ps. 45 : 8 ; Zech. 8 : 17.

ARTICLE XX.— OF GOOD WORKS.
XX. Oe Good Works. XX. De Bonis Operibus.
Our writers are falsely Falso accusantur nos-
accused of prohibiting tri, qubd bona opera pro-
good works. Their pub- hibeant. Nam scripta
lications on the ten com- eorum, qucs extant de de-
mandments, and other cem prozceptis, et alia
similar subjects, show, simili argumento ieslan-
that they gave good in- tur, qubd utiliter docue-

224

OF GOOD WORKS.

Art. XX.

structions concerning all
the different stations and
duties of life, and ex
plained what course of
conduct, in any particular
calling, is pleasing to
God. Concerning these
things preachers formerly
said very little, but urged,
the necessity of puerile
and useless works, .such
as certain holy-days, fasts,
brotherhoods, pilgrimages,
worship of saints, rosa
ries, monastic vows, SfC
These useless things, our
adversaries, having been
admonished, now un
learn, and no longer
teach as formerly. More
over, they now begin to
make mention of faith,
about which they formerly
observed a marvellous si-

rint de omnibus vitoz ge-
neribus et officiis, quce
genera vitoz, quce opera
in qualibet vocations Deo
placeant. De quibus re
bus olim parum docebant
Concionatores, tantum
puerilia et non necessaria
opera urgebant, ut certas
ferias, certa jejunia, fra-
ternitates, peregrinatio-
nes, cultus sanctorum,
rosaria, monachatum et
similia. Hcec adversarii
nostri admoniti nunc de-
discunt, nee perinde proz-
dicant haze inutilia opera,
ut olim. Prozterea inci-
piunt fidei mentionem fa-
cere, de qua olim mirum
erat silentium. Docent,
nos non tantum operibus
justificari, sed conjungunt
fidem et opera, et dicunt,

aa„

.„'7,„

OF GOOD WORKS.

225

than their former belief,
and is calculated to im
part more consolation to
the mind. Inasmuch,
then, as the doctrine con
cerning faith, which
should be regarded as a
principal one by the
church, had so long been
unknown; for all must
confess, that concerning
the righteousness of faith,
the most profound silence
reigned in their sermons,
and the doctrine concern
ing works alone was dis
cussed in the churches;
our divines have admon
ished the churches as fol
lows : —
First, that our works
cannot reconcile God, me
rit the remission of sins,
and grace, and justifica
tion: but this we can
attain only by faith, when
ice believe that we are re
ceived into favor, for
Christ's sake, who alone
is appointed our mediator
and propitiatory sacri-

oportet in ecclesia prozci-
puam esse, tarn diujacu-
erit ignota, quemadmo-
dum fateri omnes necesse
est, de fidei justitia altis-
simum silentium fuisse in
concionibus, tantum doc-
trinam operum versatam
esse in Ecclesiis, .nostri de
fide sic admonuerunt
Ecclesias.

Principio, quod opera
nostra non possint recon-
ciliare Deum, aut merere
remissionem peccatorum,
et gratiam, et justificatio-
nem, sed hanc tantumfide
consequimur, credentes
qubd propter Christum
recipiamur in gratiam,
qui solus positus est medi
ator et propitiatorium,

226

OF GOOD WORKS.

Art. XX.

fice,L by whom the Father
can be reconciled: He,
therefore, who expects to
merit grace by. his works,
casts contempt on the me
rits and grace of Christ,
and is seeking the way to
God, in his own strength,
without the Saviour ;2 who
nevertheless has told us,
'I am the way, the truth,
and the life.' This' doc
trine concerning faith, is
incessantly inculcated by
tlie apostle Paul {Ephes.
ii.), 'Ye are saved by
grace, through faith, and
that not of yourselves, it
is the gift of God,' not of
works, c\c. And lest any
one should cavil at our
interpretation, and charge
it with novelty, we state
that this whole matter is
supported by the testimony
of the fathers? For Au-
gustin devotes many vol
umes to the defence of
grace, and the righteous
ness of faith, in opposi
tion to the merit of good

per quem reconcilietur
pater. Itaque qui confi-
dit, operibus se mereri
gratiam, is aspernalur
Christi meritu/m et gra
tiam, et quozrit sine
Christo humanis viribus
viam ad Deum, quum
Christus de se dixerit:
Ego sum via, Veritas et
vita. Hcec doctrina de
fide ubique in Paulo
tractatur {Eph. 2), 'Gra
tia salvi facti estis per
fidem, et hoc non ex vobis,
Dei donum est non ex
operibus,' etc. Et ne quis
cavilletur, a nobis novam
Pauli interpretationem
excogitari, iota hcec causa
habet testimonia Patrum.
Nam Augustinus multis
voluminibus defendit gra
tiam et justitiam fidei
contra rnerita operum.
Et similia docet Ambro-
sius de vocaiione Gentium,
et alibi. Sic enim inquit
de vocatione gentium :
Vilesceret redempiip san
guinis Christi, nee mise-

OF GOOD WORKS.

227

works. And Ambrosiws,*
on the calling of tlie Gen
tiles, Sj-c, inculcates the
same doctrine. For thus
he says, concerning the
calling of the Gentiles:
'Redemption by the blood
of Christ is of little value,
nor is the honor of human
works subordinated to the
mercy of God, if justifi
cation, which is of grace,
is supposed to be merited
by previous works, so as
to be not the gift of him
that bestows it, but the re
ward of him that earned
it.' But although this
doctrine is despised by
the inexperienced, the con
sciences of the pious and
timid find it a source of
much consolation, for they
cannot attain peace of
conscience in any works,
but in faith alone, when
they entertain the confi
dent belief that, for
Christ's sake, God is re
conciled to them. Thus
Paul teaches us {Rom. v.),

ricordke Dei humanorum
operum prozrogativa suc-
cumberet, si justificatio
quce fit per gratiam, me-
ritis prozcedentibus debe-
retur, ut non munus lar-
gientis, sed merces esset
operantis. Quanquam
autem hose doctrina con-
temnitur ab imperitis, ta
men experiuntur pics ac
pavidoz conscientice, plu-
rimum earn consolationis
afferre, quia conscientioz
non possunt reddi tran-
quilloz per ulla opera, sed
tantwm fide, cum certo
statuunt, qubd propter
Christum habeant placa-
tum Deum. Quemadmo-
dum Paulus docet {Rom.
v. ) , 'Justificati per fidem,
pacem habemus apud
Deum.' Tota haze doc
trina ad illud certamen
perterrefactcs conscientioz
referenda est, nee sine illo
certamine intelligi potest.
Quare malb judicant de
ea re homines imperiti et
prophani, qui Christia-

228

OF GOOD WORKS.

Art. XX.

'Being justified by faith,
we have peace wilh God.'
This whole 6 doctrine must
be referred to the conflict
in the conscience of the
alarmed sinner, nor can
it be otherwise understood.
Hence the inexperienced
and worldly-minded are
much mistaken, who
vainly imagine tliat the
righteousness of the Chris
tian is nothing else than
what in common life and
in the language of philo
sophy is termed morality.
Formerly the con
sciences of men were
harassed by the doctrine
of works, nor did tliey
hear any consolation from
the gospel. Some con
science drove into deserts,
and into monasteries,
hoping there to merit the
divine favor by a monas
tic life. Others invented
different kinds of works,
to merit grace, and make
satisfaction for their sins.6
There was therefore the

nam justitiam nihil esse
somniant, nisi civilem et
philosophicam justitiam.

Olim vexabantur consci
entioz doctrina operum
non audiebant ex evange
lic- consolationem. Quos-
dam conscientia expulit
in desertum, in monaste-
ria, sperantes ibi se gra
tiam merituros esse per
vitam monasticam. Alii
alia excogitdverunt opera,
ad promerendam gratiam
et satisfaciendum pro pec
catis. Ideo magnoperb
fuit opus, hanc doctrinam
de fide in Christum tra-

OF GOOD WORKS.

229

utmost necessity, that this
doctrine concerning faith
in Christ should be incul
cated anew; in order
that timid minds might
find consolation, and
know that justification
and the remission of sins
are obtained by faith in
the Saviour. The people
are also now instructed,
that faith does not signify
a mere historical belief,
such as wicked men and
devils have; but that in
addition to a historical
belief, it includes an ac
quaintance with the con
sequences of the history,
such as remission of sins,
by grace through Christ,
righteousness, c\c, c\c.
Now he who knows that
the Father is reconciled to
him through Christ, pos
sesses a true acquaintance
with God, confides in his
providence, and calls upon
his name: and is there
fore not without God as
are the Gentiles. For the
20

dere, et renovare, ne de-
esset consolatio pavidis
conscientiis, sed scirent,
fide in Christum appre-
hendi gratiam et remis
sionem peccatorum et jus-
tificationem. Admonen
tur etiam homines, qubd
hie nomen fidei non sig-
nificet tantum histories
notitiam, qualis est in
impiis et diabolo, sed sig-
nificet fidem, quaz credit
non tantum historiam, sed
etiam effectum histories,
videlicet hunc articulum,
Remissionem peccatorum,
qubd videlicet per Chris
tum habeamus gratiam,
justitiam et remissionem
peccatorum. Jam qui scit, se per
Christum habere propi-
tium Patrem, is verb novit
Deum, scit se ei cures esse,
invocat eum ; Denique
non est sine Deo sicut
gentes. Nam diaboli et
impii non possunt hunc
articulum credere, Remis
sionem peccatorum. Ideo

230

OF GOOD WORKS.

Art. XX.

devil and wicked men
cannot believe the article
concerning tlie remission
of sins. .But they hate
God, as an enemy, do not
call upon his name, nor
expect anything good at
his hands. Augustin, in
speaking of the word
faith, admonishes the
reader tliat in Scripture
this word does not signify
mere knowledge, such as
wicked men possess, but
that confidence or trust,
by which alarmed sinners
are comforted and lifted
up. We moreover teach,
that the performance of
good works is necessary,
because it is commanded
of God, and not because
we expect to merit grace
by them. Pardon of sins
and grace are obtained
only by faith. And be
cause the Holy Spirit is
received by faith, the heart
of man is renovated, and
new affections produced,
that he may be able to

Deum tanquam hostem
oderunt, non invocant
eum, nihil boni ab eo
expectant. Augustinus
etiam de fidei nomine hoc
modo admonet lectorem et
docet, in scripturis nomen
fidei accipi, non pro noti-
tia, qualis est in impiis,
sed pro fiducia, quoz con-
solatur et erigit perterre-
factas mentes. Prozterea
docent nostri, qubd ne-
cesse sit bona opera fa-
cere, non ut confidamus
per ea gratiam mereri,
sed propter voluntatem
Dei. Tantum fide appre
henditur remissio pecca
torum ac gratia. Et
quia per fidem accipitur
Spiritus Sanctus, jam
corda renovanlur, et in-
duunt novos affectus, ut
parere bona opera possinl.
Sic enim ait Ambrosius :
Fides bones voluntatis, et
justoz actionis genetrix est.
Nam humanoz vires, sine
Spiritu Sancto, plenoz
sunt impiis affectibus, et

OF GOOD WORKS.

231

perform good works.
Accordingly Ambrosius
states, faith is the source
of holy volitions and an
upright life. For tlie
faculties of man, unaided
by the Holy Spirit, are
replete with sinful pro
pensities, and too feeble
to perform works that are
good in tlie sight of God.
Tliey are moreover under
the influence of Satan,
who urges men to various
sins, and impious opin
ions, and open crimes ; as
may be seen in the exam
ples of the philosophers
vjho, though they endea
vored to lead moral lives,
failed to accomplish their
design, and were guilty
of many notorious crimes.
Such is the imbecility of
man, when he undertakes
to govern himself by his
own strength without faith
and the Holy Spirit.
From all this it is
manifest, that our doc
trine, instead of being

sunt imbecilliores, quam
ut bona opera possint effi
cere coram Deo. Adhcsc
sunt in potestate diaboli,
qui impellit homines ad
varia peccata, ad impias
opiniones, ad manifesta
scelera. Quemadmodum
est videre in philosophis
qui et ipsi conati honestb
vivere, tamen id non po-
tuerunt efficere, sed conta-
minati sunt multis mani-
festis sceleribus. Talis
est inibecilitas hominis,
quum est sine fide et sine
Spiritu Sancto, et tantum
humanis viribus se gu-
bernat.

Hinc facile apparet,
hanc doctrinam non esse
accusandam, qubd bona

232

OF GOOD WORKS.

Art. XX.

charged with prohibiting
good ivorks, ought much
rather to be applauded,
for teaching the manner
in which truly good works
can be performed. For
without faith, human na
ture is incapable of per
forming the duties either
of tlie first or second table.
Without it, man does not
call upon God, nor expect
any thing from him, nor
bear the cross: but seeks
refuge amongst men, and
reposes on human aid.
Hence when faith and
confidence in God are
wanting, all evil desires
and human schemes reign
in the heart; wherefore
Christ also says, '•without
me ye can do nothing'
{John xv.) ; and the
church responds, Witlwut
thy favour there is no
thing good in man.

opera prohibeat, sed multb
magis laudandam, qubd
ostendit, quomodo bona
opera facere possimus.
Nam sine fide nullo modo
potest humana natura
primi aut secundi proz-
cepti opera facere. Sine
fide non invocat Deum, a
Deo nihil expectat, non
toleraf crucem, sed quozrit
humana prazsidia, confi-
dit humanis prozsidiis.
Ita regnant in corde
omnes cupiditates, et hu
mana concilia, cum abest
fides et fiducia erga Deum.
Quare et Christus dixit :
Sine me nihil potestis
facere, Joh. 15. Et Ec
clesia canit: Sine tuo
numine, nihil est in nomi
ne, nihil est innoxium.

' The German copy omits "propitiatory sacrifice."
* The German copy omits the quotation " Who nevertheless has said,
I am the truth, the way, and the life."
3 The German copy omits tho reference to the " Father " and quotes
only Augustine.

OF GOOD WORKS. 233
4 The entire reference to Ambrosius and quotation from him, are
omitted in the German copy.
' This and the succeeding sentence, ending with the word "morality,''
are wholly omitted in the German.
s Here the German copy adds, " But many learned by experienoe, that
peace of mind could not be obtained by these means."
In addition to these variations, the latter two paragraphs of this article
differ in several entire sentences, which it is deemed unnecessary to
repeat, as the sense is still the same in both.
The Scriptures clearly teach that works cannot justify us before
God. Rom. 3 : 28. ' Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by
faith without the deeds of the law.'
Rom. 11 : 6. 'And if by grace, then is it no more of works: other
wise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no
more grace: otherwise work is no more work.'
And yet, the necessity of good works, as fruits of faith, and
evidences of its genuineness, is inculcated with equal certainty.
James 2 : 17. ' Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being
alone.' James 2 : 24. 'Ye see then how that by works a man is justified,
and not by faith only' (i. e., he is justified by that living faith which
is productive of works).
The above article is so detailed and clear in itself, as to need
no additional illustration or proof. The same subject is also more
fully developed under Articles IV. and VI. of the Confession.
20*

234

INVOCATION OF SAINTS.

Art. XXI.

ARTICLE XXL — OF THE INVOCATION OF SAINTS.

XXI. Oe the Invocation of
Saints.
Concerning the invoca
tion of saints our churches
teach, that the saints ought
to be held in remembrance,
in order that we may,
. each in his own calling,
imitate their faith and
good works ; that the em
peror may imitate the ex
ample of David, in carry
ing .on war to expel the
Turks from our country ;
for both are kings} But
the sacred volume does
not teach us to invoke
saints or to seek aid from
them. For it proposes
Christ to us as our only
mediator,* propitiation,
high priest, and interces
sor. On his name we are
to call, and he promises,
that he will hear our
prayers, and highly ap
proves of this worship,
viz. : that he should be
called upon in every

XXL De Cultu Sanctorum.
De culto sanctorum do
cent, qubd memoria sanc
torum proponi potest, ut
imitemur fidem eorum, et
bona opera juxta . vocatio-
nem ; Ut Cozsar imitari
potest exemplum Davidis
in bello gerendo ad depel-
lendos Turcas a patria.
Nam uterque rex est. Sed
scriptura non docet invo-
care sanctos, seu petere
auxilium a Sanctis. Quia
unum Christum nobis
proponit mediator em, pro-
pitiatorium, Pontificem et
intercessorem. Hie in-
vocandus est, et promisit,
se exauditurum esse pre-
ces nostras, et hunc out
turn maximb probat, vide-
licit ut invocetur in omni
bus aflictionibus (1 Joh.
ii) . Si quis peccat, habe
mus advocatum apud
Deum, etc.

INVOCATION OF SAINTS.

235

affliction (1 John ii.) .• ' If
any one sin, we have an
advocate with the Father ;'
c\c. This is about the sub
stance of our 2 doctrines,
from which it is evident,
that they contain nothing
inconsistent with tlie
Scriptures, or with either
the catholic {universal) or
the Roman church, so far
as is known from the
{ancient) works3 {or Fa
thers). Under these cir
cumstances, those certainly
judge harshly* who would
have us regarded as here
tics. But the difference
of opinion between us re
lates to certain abuses,
which have crept into the
churches without any good
authority ; in regard to
which, if we do differ, the
bishops ought to treat with
lenity and tolerate us, on
account of the confession
which we have just made!'
For, even the canons of
the church are not so rigid

Hozc ferb summa est
doctrines apud nos, in qua
cerni potest, nihil inesse,
quod discrepit a scriptu-
ris, vel ab Ecclesia Catho-
lica, vel ab Ecclesia Ro
mance quatenus ex scrip-
toribus nota est. Quod
cum ita sit, inclementer
judicant isti, qui nostras
pro hozreticis haberi pos
tulant. Sed dissensio est
de quibusdam abusibus,
qui sine certa quctoritate
in Ecclesias irrepserunt,
in quibus etiam, si qua
esset dissimilitudo, tamen
decebat hozc lenitas Epis-
copos, ut propter confizs-
sionem, quam nwdb re-
censuimus, tolerarent nos-
tros, quia ne canones
quidem tarn duri sunt, ut
eosdem ritus ubique esse
postulent, neque similes
unquam omnium Ecclesi-
arum ritus fuerunt.

236

INVOCATION OF SAINTS.

Art. XXI.

as to require everywhere
a uniformity of rites ; nor
have the rites of all the
churches ever been the
same. Nevertlieless, the
ancient rites of the church
we have in general care
fully retained. For it is
a slanderous charge, that
all the ancient customs
and institutions are abo
lished in our churches.
But there was a general
complaint, that some
abuses had crept into the
customary rites ; and
these, because we could
not with a good conscience
retain them, we have in
part corrected.

Quanquam apud nos
magna ex parte veteres
ritus diligenter servantur.
Falsa enim calumnia
est, qubd omnes ceremo
nies, omnia vetera insti
tute in Ecclesiis nostris
aboleantur. Verum pub-
lica querela fuit, abusus
quosdam, in vulgaribus
ritibus hcerere. Hi quia
non poterant bona consci-
entia probari, aliqua ex
parte correcti sunt.

1 Here the German copy adds: "Which requires them (the kings) to
protect and defend their people."
' Here the German copy adds : The doctrines taught " for the instruc
tion and consolation of conscience, and for the reformation of believers :
as we (the Confessors) would not wish to jeopard our own souls and con
sciences before God, in the most perilous manner, by the abuse of his
name or word; or to transmit to our children and posterity any other
doctrine than that which accords with the pure word of God and Chris
tian truth."
3 Here the German copy adds : "We therefore think our opponents
cannot be at variance in regard to the above enumerated doctrines."
4 Here the German copy adds: "Precipitately and contrary to all
Christian unity and love," who could have us regarded as heretics, to bo
rejected, separated and shunned, without any certain Scripture authority."
1 From this passage to the close of the article, the German copy differs
considerably from the Latin, and omits some of the ideas.

INVOCATION OF SAINTS. 237
*
That Christ is our only Mediator, and that the saints and angels
ought not to be invoked for aid or intercession, the Scriptures
clearly teach.
1 Tim. 2:5. ' For there is one God, and one Mediator between God
and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all,
to be testified in due time.'
1 John 2:1.' My little children, these things write I unto you,
that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.'
1 John 5 : 21. 'Little children keep yourselves from idols. Amen.'
Jerem. 17 : 5. ' Thus saith the Lord, cursed be the man that trusteth
in man, and maketh flesh his arm; and whose heart departeth from
the Lord.' ;
Nor can any worship of any degree, be properly addressed to
any creature, consequently not to saints.
Ex. 20 : 2. ' I am the Lord thy God— 3. Thou shalt have no other
gods before me. — 1. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven im
age, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is
on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.'
See also Lev. 19 : 4. Deut. 5 : 8, 9, and 17 : 13.
Acts 10 : 25. 'And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and
fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. — 26. But Peter took him
up, saying, Stand np ; I myself also am a man.'
Rom. 19 : 10. 'And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said
unto me, See thou do it not : I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy
brethren that have the testimony of Jesus : worship God : for the
testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.'
[The seven Topics of Abuses Corrected, which refer entirely to
the corruptions of the Papal church, will be found in Part II.
of this work.]

FOEMULA, ETC.

As a directory for Government and Discipline is an important part
of a Church Manual, both for laymen and ministers, the writer has in
troduced the Formula, sanctioned and published by our General Synod,
and has added the Scripture proofs in full. Every Christian should study
the organization and principles of that kingdom of heaven, of 'which he
professes to be a, member, in order that he may discharge aright his
duties in private, and also in Congregational and Synodical meetings.
The more generally our laity can be induced to study this excellent sys
tem of Scripture order and truth, the more will the standard of piety be
elevated, and the purity and extension of the church be promoted.

POEMULA
FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE OF THE EVANGE
LICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
[Published by the General Synod of said Church.]

CHAPTER I.
PRELIMINARY PRINCIPLES.
Sec. 1. We believe that from an examination of the works of
nature and the course of events, we may derive evidence of the
existence of God and the prominent truths of natural religion.1
Sec. 2. But that the evidence of natural religion is not such
as to afford us a satisfactory knowledge of the nature of God and
our relation to him ; nor its influence sufficient to urge us to duty ; 2
and that therefore a further revelation from God is desirable.
' Rom. 1 : 20. ' For the invisible things of him from the creation of
the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,
even his eternal power and Godhead ; so that they are without excuse.'
3 Acts 4:12. ' Neither is their salvation in any other ; for there is none
other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.'
(239)

240 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
Sec. 3. We believe that such a revelation God has given, at
sundry times and in divers manners, unto the fathers, and in later
days by his Divine Son Jesus Christ, and his inspired servants,1
and that this revelation is contained in the books known in Pro
testant Christendom, as the Old2 and New Testament; and every
individual is bound to receive this as his infallible rule of faith
and practice, and to be governed by it.3
Sec. 4. We hold that liberty of conscience and the free exer
cise of private judgment in matters of religion, are natural and
unalienable rights of men, of which no government, civil or eccle
siastical, can deprive us.4
Sec. 5. As order is necessary to the prosperity of every asso-
Rom. 3: 1. 'What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is
there of circumcision ? — 2. Much every way : chiefly because that unto
them were committed the oracles of God.'
' Heb. 1:1.' God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake
in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, — 2 Hath in these last
days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all
things, by whom also he made the worlds.'
' 2 Tim. 3 : 16. 'AH Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness.' 3 John 5 : 39. ' Search the scriptures ; for in them ye think ye have
eternal life ; and they are they which testify of me.'
John 14 : 16. 'And I will pray the Father and he shall give you an
other Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. — 17. Even the
Spirit of truth ; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him
not, neither knoweth him : but ye know him ; for he dwelleth with you,
and shall be in you.'
Acts 17 : 11. ' These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in
that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the
Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.'
' Rom. 4: 10. 'But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost
thou set at nought thy brother ? for we shall all stand before the judg
ment-seat of CJhrist.'
Acts 4:19. ' But Peter and John answered and said unto them,
Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than
unto God, judge ye.'
Acts 5 : 29. ' Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We
ought to obey God rather than men.' — See also Daniel 6 : 1-23. 1 Cor.
7 : 23. Matt. 23 : 8, 9, 10. 2 Cor. 1 : 24. Matt. 15 : 9.

PRELIMINARY PRINCIPLES. 241
ciate body, and as Jesus Christ has left no entire, specific form of
Government and Discipline for his church, it is the duty of every
individual Church to adopt such regulations as appear to them
most consistent with the spirit and precepts of the New Testament,
and best calculated to subserve the interests of the church of
Christ. Sec. 6. And as men exercising the right of private judgment,
agree in the opinion, that Christianity requires a social connexion
among its professors, and as experience proves that men will differ
in some of their views of doctrine and discipline ; and as too much
difference of opinion would be prejudicial to the objects of the
association; therefore reason dictates that those of similar views
should associate together; that it is their duty to require for
admission to church-membership among them, or for induction into
the sacred office, and for continuance in either, such terms as they
deem most accordant with the precepts and spirit of the Bible.
Sec. 7. Upon the broad basis of these principles was the Evan
gelical Lutheran Church founded immediately after the Reforma
tion. Adhering to the same principles, the church in America is
governed by three Judicatories: the Council of each individual
Church, the District Synods, consisting of all the clergy and an
equal number of laymen from a particular district of country, and
one General Synod formed by representatives from all the
different Synods of the Lutheran Church. The ratio of clerical
and lay representatives is determined in the Constitution of the
General Synod ; and the powers of this body are only those of
an Advisory Council.
21

242 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
CHAPTER II.
OF THE CHURCH.
PART I. — OF THE INVISIBLE CHURCH.
Sec. 1. The true or invisible Church of Christ is the collective
body of all ' those of every religious denomination in tbe world,
who are in a state of grace."
Sec. 2. The true Church of Christ is a spiritual3 society, con
sisting of members whose qualifications" are spiritual, and who are
associated, for spiritual purposes.5
Sec. 3. It is a catholic or universal6 society: its members not
being confined to any particular nation or religious denomination.
1 Ephes. 4:1. 'I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that
ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. — 7. But unto
every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of
Christ.' * Matt. 7 : 21. ' Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth the will of my
Father which is in heaven.'
Matt. 12 : 50. 'For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is
in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.'
Acts 10:35. 'But in every" nation, he that feareth him (God) and
worketh righteousness is accepted with him.'
3 John 18 : 36. ' Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world : If
my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I
should not be delivered to the Jews : but now is my kingdom not from
hence.' 4 1 John 4 : 13. ' Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us,
because he hath given us of his Spirit.'
8 Ephes. 4:12. ' For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the
ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.'
1 Thess. 5:11. 'Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify
one another, even as also ye do.'
8 1 Cor. 1:2.' Paul — unto the Church of God, which is at Corinth, to
them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints,' with all that
in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs
and ours.'
John 10 : 16. 'And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold : them
also I must bring, and they sliall hear my voice ; and there shall be one
fold, and one shepherd.'

OF THE EXTERNAL OR VISIBLE CHURCH. 243

PART II. — OF THE EXTERNAL OR VISIBLE CHURCH.
Sec. 1. The visible church is the collective body of those who
profess the Christian religion; consisting of all those who have
been admitted to membership by baptism,1 and have not been de
prived of it by excommunication.
Sec. 2. Of this society our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is
the true and only head ; 2 having neither abandoned his church
nor appointed any vicar in his stead.
Sec. 3. As the spirit of Christianity leads its possessors to social
intercourse3 with each other; and as such a connexion is essential
to the accomplishment of the object of the Christian church; and
as such a relation can subsist only among persons of contiguous
residence ; therefore Christians living near together have from the
time of the apostles'1 formed themselves into societies for the better
Ephes. 4:6.' That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same
body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel.'
1 Matt. 28 : 19. 'Go ye therefore and teach ((uSiireware, make disciples
of) all nations, baptizing them,' &c.
* Ephes. 5 : 23. ' For the husband is the head of the wife, even as
Christ is the head of the church : and he is the Saviour of the body. — 24.
Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their
own husbands in every thing.'
Ephes. 1 : 22. 'And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him
to be the head over all things to the church.'
1 Heb. 10 : 24. 'And let us consider one another, to provoke unto love
and to good works : — 25. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves to
gether, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so
much the more, as ye see the day approaching.'
Ephes. 4:3.' Endeavoring to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond
of peace.'
Ephes. 5:19. ' Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns, and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.'
John 13 : 34. 'A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one
another : as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. — 35. By
this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to
another.' ' Acts 2 : 41. ' Then they that gladly received his word were baptized ;
and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand
souls. — 42. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and
fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers.'

244 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
attainment of the objects of the Christian institution. And every
society participates in the duties of the whole-church.
Sec. 4. It is the duty of every such society and of the visible
church at large, to have the word and sacraments administered in
their purity,1 to give an adequate and just support to the pastor or
pastors who minister unto them,2 to provide for the perpetuation
of an able and faithful ministry, and to endeavour to propagate the
gospel to the ends of the earth.3
Sec. 5. It is the duty of the church to wateh over the purity
and faithfulness of her members.4
Sec. 6. The jurisdiction of the church is purely spiritual : it
Gal. 1 : 22. 'And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judea
which were in Christ.'
1 Gal. 1:8.' But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any
other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let
him be accursed! — 9. As»we said before, so say I now again, if any man
preach any other gospel unto you- than that ye have received, let him be
accursed!' 1 Tim. 6:3. 'If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to the
wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the
doctrine which is according to godliness, — 4. He is proud, knowing
nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh
envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, — 5. Perverse disputings of men
of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is god
liness : from such withdraw thyself.'
,J 1 Cor. 9 : 13. ' Do ye not know that they which minister about holy
things live of the things of the temple ? and they which wait at the altar
are partakers with the altar ? — 14. Even so hath the Lord ordained, that
they who preach the gospel should live of the gospel.'
Gal. 6:6.' Let him that is taught in the word communicate (contribute)
unto him that teacheth in all good things.' — See also pp. 131, 132.
3 Tit. 1:5.' For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set
in order the things that are wanting, and ordain (Kararfanf, appoint, con
stitute) elders (ministers) in every city, as I had appointed thee.'
Matt. 28 : 19. ' Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: — 20.
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you :
and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.'
' 1 Cor. 5:7.' Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a
new lump, as ye are unleavened. — 12. Do not ye judge them that are
within? — 13. But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put
away from among yourselves that wicked person.'

OF PASTORS. 245
ought to have no Connection with the civil government,1 neither
ought its decisions be enforced by the arm of civil power.
Sec. 7. The power of the church is purely declarative, whether
exercised by ah individual church council, or by any other eccle
siastical judicatory, i. e. the Bible is their juridical code, and their
decisions are valid only because founded on scripture.
Sec. 8. The visible church is not an association to which wc
may belong or not at our option ; but it is the duty of every one
who has an opportunity to be a faithful member of it.2

CHAPTER III.
OF THE OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH.
OF PASTORS.
Sec. 1. Our Lord and Saviour himself instituted the clerical
office in the New Testament Church, and made it of perpetual
standing.3 . The persons filling this office, are in scripture desig
nated by different names, as a bishop, presbyter or elder, &c.,4
indicative of the duties of the office. All these are by divine
right of equal rank,5 and their duties are principally these : to ex-
1 John 18 : 36. ' My kingdom is not of this world, if my kingdom were
of this world, then would my servants fight that I should'not be delivered
to the Jews.'
3 Matt. 11 : 28. ' Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. — 29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ;
for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest unto your souls.'
Matt. 10 : 32, ' Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him
will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.' — Also Matt.
28 : 19.
3 See Note 3, p. 242.
'Ephes. 4:11. 'And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets;
and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.' — Also 1 Cor. 4:1.
* Luke 22 : 25. 'And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles ex
ercise lordships over them ; and they that exercise authority upon them
are called Benefactors. — 26. But ye shall not be so : but he that is
greatest among you, let him be as the younger ; and he that is chief, as
he that doth serve.'
Acts 20 : 17. 'And from Miletus he sent to Enhesus, and called the

246 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
pound the word of God, to conduct the public worship of God,1
to administer the sacraments of the church," and to admonish men
of their duties,3 as well as by all proper means, public and private,
to edify the church of Christ. *
Sec. 2. Those other officers who were endowed with miraculous
gifts, and whose instrumentality Christ used in first forming the
church, were extraordinary and of temporary standing.
Sec. 3. Pastors are amenable for their conduct to the Synod to
which they belong ; and that Synod is the tribunal which has the
elders of the church. — (Compared with v. 28.) Take heed therefore unto
yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you
(£Tr«nro7rBff, bishops) overseers.'
Tit. 1 : 5. 'For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldst set
in order the things that are wanting, and appoint (icarairrijirijf, constitute,
appoint, and not ordain in the technical seuse of that term) elders (min
isters) in every city, as I had directed thee (iJitrafn^iji/, directed, De Wette
geboten) :' compared with v. 7. 'For a bishop [i. e. elder, v. 5.) must be
blameless, &c.'
1 Peter 5:1.' The elders (ministers) which are among you I (the
apostle Peter) exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the suffer
ings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed : —
2. Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight
('7rirr/ra«/»rtf, exercising the care of bishops over them) thereof, not by con
straint, but willingly ; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.'
'Ephes. 4: 11. 'And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets;
and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; — 12. For the
perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying
of the body of Christ.'— See also Acts 8 : 28, 31 ; and 1 Pet. 5 : 1, 2.
3 Matt. 28 : 19. ' Go ye therefore and (make disciples of) teach all
nations, baptizing,' &c. See also 1 Cor. 11 : 23, &c.
1 Cor. 4:1.' Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ,
and stewards of the mysteries of God.'
3 Acts 6:2.' Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto
them, and said, it is not reason that we should leave the word of God and
serve tables. — 4. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to
the ministry of the word.'
1 Tim. 5 : 20. ' Them that sin, rebuke before all, that others also may
fear.' Tit. 1:13. ' This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply,
that they may be sound in the faith.'
Tit. 2 : 15. ' These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all
authority. Let no man despise you.'

OF ELDERS AND DEACONS. 247
entire jurisdiction over them : excepting in those cases where a
regular appeal is obtained to the General Synod, agreeably to Ait.
ILL sec. 5. 1, 2, of the Constitution of General Synod.
Sec. 4. No minister shall knowingly grant to a member of an
other congregation any privileges of the church, which would be
denied to said member by his own pastor.
Sec. 5. It is the sacred duty of every minister so to conduct
himself, that his life shall present to his congregation an example
of true Christian propriety of deportment. And should any
minister of our church be guilty of an open vice, (which may God
in mercy prevent !) it shall be the duty of the church council
earnestly to exhort him several times to reformation, and if this
should prove ineffectual, or if the case be such as to bring disgrace
upon the church, to report him to the Synod.
OF ELDERS AND DEACONS.
Sec. 6. The other officers of the church are Elders and Deacons,
who are elected by the members of the church, as their agents to
perform some of the duties originally devolving on themselves.
The principal duties of Elders are to aid the pastor or pastors in
administering the government and discipline of the church ; to
endeavour to preserve peace and harmony in the church ; to visit
the congregational schools, and to promote the religious education
of the children of the church ; and to visit the sick and afflicted,
and to aid in the performance of such other duties as are incum
bent on the church council.
The duties of the Deacons' office are principally these : to lead
an exemplary life as commanded in Scripture,1 to minister unto
the poor,2 extending to their wants, and distributing faithfully
' 1 Tim. 3:8.' Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued,
not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre ; — 9. Holding the mys
tery of the faith in a pure conscience. — 10. And let these also first be
proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.'
" Acts 6:1. 'And in those days, when the number of the disciples was
multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews,
because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration (distribu
tion of alms). — 2. Then the twelve called the multitude of tho disciples
unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of

248 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
amongst them the collections which may be made for their use ;
to assist the pastor in the administration of the Eucharist, to attend
and render all necessary service at stated worship ; to see that their
minister receives a just and adequate support according to the '
commands of our Lord ; to administer the temporal concerns of
the church ; and to aid in the performance of such other duties as
are incumbent on the church. Both these officers are elected by
the people, and it is their duty to feel the deepest interest in the
advancement of piety among the members of the church, and to
exert their utmost influence to promote it.
Sec. 7. The elders and deacons are the representatives of the
whole church, and each church shall determine the- number of
their officers and the term of their duration in office ; yet in no
case shall they serve less than two years, nor more than eight,
unless re-elected.
Sec. 8. When persons have been elected to the office of elder
or deacon, they shall be inducted into their office according to the
form prescribed by the church.1 Those congregations which have
been in the habit of having trustees, may, if they deem it expe
dient, still retain them, and continue to them such privileges as
they may deem expedient.

CHAPTER IV.
OF THE CHURCH COUNCIL.
Sec. 1. The church council is the lowest judicatory of the
church, consisting of the pastor or pastors and all the elders and
deacons of a particular church.
Sec. 2. The pastor, together with half the other existing mem
bers of the council, and in the necessary absence of the pastor,
two-thirds of the remaining members of the council, shall consti
tute a quorum.
God, and serve tables. — 3. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you
seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom
we may appoint over this business.'
' Vide Liturgy, &c.

OF THE CHURCH COUNCIL. 249
Sec. 3. But no business connected with the government or dis
cipline of the church shall be transacted without the presence of
the minister, unless his absence is unavoidable or voluntary, or tho
church be vacant. And when present the pastor shall be ex officio
chairman. Sec. 4. The church council ' shall have the superintendence of
the temporal concerns of the church, and shall see that they are
administered with wisdom, faithfulness and justice. They shall also
elect a deputy to represent them at the annual Synodical meeting.
Sec. 5. It shall be the duty of the council to admit to member
ship adults, who shall make application, and whom, on mature
examination, they shall judge to be possessed of the qualifications
hereafter specified.2 They shall be obedient subjects of divine
grace — that is, they must either be genuine Christians, or satisfy
the church council that they are sincerely endeavoring to become
such. Also to admit to the communion of the church, all those
who were admitted to church-membership in their infancy, and
whom on like examination, they shall judge possessed of the above-
mentioned qualifications. No one shall be considered a fit subject
for confirmation who has not previously attended a course of
religious lectures, delivered by the pastor on the most important
doctrines and principles of religion ; unless the pastor should be
satisfied that the applicant's attainments are adequate without this
attendance. And when adults are admitted to membership, their
baptism shall if possible be performed publicly before the church :
and when members who were baptized in their infancy are admitted
to full communion, they shall in the same public manner confirm
their baptismal vows according to the form of confirmation cus
tomary in the church.
' Heb. 13 :*17. 'Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit
yourselves : for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account,
that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable
for you.'— See also 1 Thess. 5 : 12, 13.
3 Mark 16 : 16. ' He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved, but
he that believeth not shall be damned.'
John 3:5.' Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a
man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God.'— See Also Acts 8 : 12, and 16 ; 14 : 15.

250 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
, Sec. 6. It is recommended to the church council to keep a com
plete list of all the communing members of the church.
Sec. 7. If any member of the church council should conduct
himself in a manner unworthy of his office, he may be accused
before the council ; and if found guilty, his case shall be referred
to the whole church for decision.
Sec. 8. It shall be the duty of the council to administer tho
discipline of the church, on all those whose conduct is inconsistent
with their Christian profession, or who entertain fundamental
errors.1 To this end they shall have power to cite any of their
church members to appear before them ; and to endeavor to obtain
other witnesses when the case may require it. It shall further be
the duty of the counci , when any member offends, first privately
to admonish him, or, if necessary, to call him to an account; and
when they shall deem these measures ineffectual, to suspend or
excommunicate him ; that is, to debar him from the privileges of
church-membership, according to the precepts of the New Testa
ment laid down in this Formula. It shall also be their duty to
restore2 those subjects of suspension or excommunication, to all
the privileges of the church, who shall manifest sincere repent
ance. Every act of excommunication or of restoration may be
published to the church, if deemed necessary by a majority of the
council. Sec. 9. The church-council may at any time be convened by the
minister; and it shall be his duty to call a meeting when requested
by two members of the council, or by one-fourth of the electors
of the church, or when directed by the Synod.
Sec. 10. It shall be the duty of the church-council to watch
over the religious education of the children of the church, and
1 1 Cor. 5:7.' Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a
new lump, as ye are unleavened. — 13. Put away from among yourselves
that wicked person.'
* 2 Cor. 2:7. 'So that contrarywise, ye ought rather to forgive him,
and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with
overmuch sorrow.'
Gal. 6:1. 'Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye who are
spiritual restore .such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thy
self, lest thou also be tempted.'

OF THE CHURCH COUNCIL. 251
to see that they be occasionally collected, for the purpose of being
taught the Catechism of the church, and instructed in the duties
and principles of the Christian religion. The council of every
church shall have the management of the school-house attached
to that church, and shall be ex-officio trustees of the same. They
shall endeavor to obtain pious, well qualified and faithful teachers,
and to see that the children of the church, as far as practicable,
attend this school, and that they be there also taught the Cate
chism of the church, and in general the duties of religion. In
all places where there is not yet a school-house attached to the
church, they shall encourage the people and endeavor to have one
erected. And no person shall teach in any of our congregational
school-houses without the permission of the church-council.
Sec. 11. The church-council shall keep a record of their, pro
ceedings, of all the baptisms and marriages, and of persons
admitted to sacramental communion ; an abstract of which shall
be annually sent to the Synod for inspection.
Sec. 12. In all cases of appeal from the decisions of the church-
council, the council shall take no further measures grounded on
their decision until the sentence has been reviewed by the Synod.
But if the decision appealed from be a sentence of suspension or
excommunication, it shall immediately take effect and continue in
force until reversed by the Synod. And in every case of appeal,
the church-council shall send a detailed and correct account of
their proceeding in the case, and of the charges and evidences on
both sides.
Sec. 13. Any vacant congregation also may send a delegate to
lay its concerns before the Synod : And the church-councils of
each clerical district may annually send to the Synod as many lay
delegates as there are ministers present at the Synod from said
district.

252 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
CHAPTER V.
OF CHURCH MEMBERS.
Sec. 1. The members of any particular church are all those
members of the visible (see Chap. II. Sect. 1.) church, who are
associated together under some form of Christian government and
discipline, for divine worship and the better attainment of the
objects of the Christian institution.
Sec. 2. Every church member is amenable to the council, and
must appear before them when cited, and submit to the discipline
of the church regularly administered.1
Sec. 3. It is the duty of every church member to lead a Chris
tian life : that is, to perform all the duties required of him or her
in Scripture. Thus it is the duty of adults to perform all tbe
Christian duties, not to neglect the public worship of God ; 2 nor
the participation of the Lord's Supper" whenever an opportunity
' 1 Tit. 3 :' 10. 'A man that is a heretic (iipcrwov, a schismatic), after
the first and second admonition, neglect.'
Matt. 18 : 15. ' If thy brother (fellow-Christian) shall trespass against
thee, &c. — 17. If he neglect to hear them, tell it to the church ; but if
he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as ;i heathen man
and a publican. — 18. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on
earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth,
shall be loosed in heaven, (that is, whatever act of discipline ye pass on
earth, be it of acquittal or condemnation, in accordance with these prin
ciples, it shall be ratified in heaven).'
11 Heb. 10 : 25. ' Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the
manner of some is, but exhorting one another,' &c.
Col. 3:16. ' Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom ;
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.'
Matt. 18 : 20. 'For where two or three are gathered together in my
name, there am I in the midst of them.'
Acts 2 : 46. 'And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple,
and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with glad
ness and singleness of heart, — 47. Praising God, and having favor with
all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should
be saved.' — See also Psalm 84: 2, 9, 11.
3 1 Cor. 11 : 24, 25.

OF ELECTIONS.

253

is afforded. It is the duty of parents to educate their children in
the nurture and admonition of the Lord ; to teach them the doc
trines of the church, and to subject them to the ordinances of the
same.1 And when young members reach the years of maturity,
and have attained the natural ability to partake of the Lord's
Supper in the manner commanded, it is their duty to be worthy
communicants at the Lord's table.
Sec. 4. Any member being dissatisfied with the decision of the
church council relative to himself, may appeal to the Synod. But
in every such case, the applicant shall give notice to the church
council of his intention, either immediately, or within two weeks
of the time when the sentence was made known to him ; and shall
specify to them the reasons of his dissatisfaction and the ground
of his appeal.
Sec. 5. It is recommended, that when a member of one of our
churches moves into the bounds of another, and wishes to be ad
mitted to the privileges of the church, he shall bring with him a
certificate of good standing from his former pastor.
Sec. 6. It is recommended, as accordant with the principles of
the New Testament, that the members of the church ought not to
prosecute each other before a civil tribunal, until they have first
made an attempt to settle their point of difference through the
mediation of their Christian brethren.

CHAPTER VI.
OF ELECTIONS.
Sec. 1. All congregational elections must be published by the
church council to the congregation at least two weeks before the
election. ' Ephes. 6 : 4. 'And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath :
but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.'
2 Tim. 3:14. ' But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned
and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them ; —
15. And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which
are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ
Jesus.'

254 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
Sec. 2. The council may publish a congregational meeting for
any lawful purpose when they shall deem it necessary, and they
shall be compelled so to do when required by one-third of the
lawful electors of the church.
Sec. 3. The electors of any particular church in our connexion,
arc all those who are in full communion with the same, who sub
mit to its government and discipline regularly administered, and
who contribute according to their ability and engagements to all
its necessary expenditures.
Sec. 4. At all elections for Elders or Deacons, no person may
be elected to either of said offices who is not a member in full
communion with said church.
Sec. 5. When an election is held in a vacant congregation for
a pastor, two-thirds of all the electors shall be necessary to an
election, and if the votes were not unanimous, it is recommended
"that the presiding officer shall invite the minority to concur in the
decision. He shall give the members a certificate, signed by him
self, of the election. This certificate, with a statement of the
support ' which they promise him, shall be a legal call to the
pastor therein specified.
Sec. 6. At elections for members of the church council, the ex
isting council shall nominate twice as many persons as are to be
elected, and the church may nominate half as many more, from
whom the officers may be chosen.
Sec. 7. If from any cause, a vacancy occurs in the council in
the interval between the stated elections, it shall be filled without
delay by a special election, and the person thus elected shall serve
until the regular expiration of the time of the member in whose
place he was elected.
' 1 Tim. 5:8.' But if any provide not for his own, and specially for
those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an
infidel.' 1 Cor. 9 : 14. ' Even so hath the Lord ordained, that they who preach
the gospel should live of the gospel.'
Luke 10 : 4. ' Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes. — 7. And in
tlie same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for
the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.'

PRAYER MEETINGS. 255
CHAPTER VII.
OF PRAYER MEETINGS, ETC.
Sec. 1. As Prayer is one of the most necessary duties of a
Christian,1 and as Prayer-meetings have been of the utmost im
portance and usefulness, it is therefore most earnestly recommended
to the different churches in our connexion, to establish and pro
mote them among our members. These meetings may be held in
the church, school-house, or in private houses; and their object is
the spiritual edification of the persons present; but the utmost
precaution must ever be observed, that God, who is a Spirit, be
worshipped in spirit and in truth — that they be characterized by
that solemnity and decorum which ought ever to attend divine
worship ; and that no disorder be tolerated, or any thing that is
calculated to interrupt the devotions of those who are convened,
or prevent their giving the fullest attention to him who is engaged
in leading the meeting, — in short, that according to the injunc
tions of the Apostla, all things be done " decently and in order."
Sec. 2. It is solemnly recommended to all church-members, and
more especially to the members of the council, to make daily wor
ship in their family a sacred duty.2
Sec. 3. It is recommended that no one shall be permitted in
1 1 Thess. 5 : 17. ' Pray without ceasing.'
Luke 18 : 1. 'And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men
ought always to pray and not to faint.'
Col. 4:2.' Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanks
giving,' &c.
3 Gal. 6 : 4. 'And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath ; but
bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.'
Acts 10 : 24. 'And the morrow after they (Peter and the brethren)
entered into Cesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called
together his kinsmen and near friends. — 33. Immediately therefore I
sent to thee: and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now there
fore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are com.
manded thee of God.'
Isa. 10 : 25. ' Pour out thy fufy upon the heathen that know thee net,
and upon the families that call not on thy name.' — See Acts 2 : 14.

256 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
future to act as a sponsor, unless he or she be in full communion
with the Christian church.
Sec. 4. It is expedient that no person be permitted to preach in
any of the churches in our connexion, except by consent of the
pastor and council of said church, and in the absence of the pas
tor, by permission of the council.

CHAPTER VIII.
OF SYNODS.
Sec. 1. It was found necessary and profitable in the primitive
church, to have an occasional meeting of different individual
churches, for the purpose of consultation and mutual encourage
ment, in preserving their purity and promoting their welfare.1
This apostolical custom is retained in the Lutheran Church, under
the name of Conference, Synod and General Synod.
Sec. 2. A Synod consists of all the ministers and licensed can
didates, and an equal number of lay-delegates, within a certain
district. ' Acts 15:2. ' When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissen
sion and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas,
and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem, unto the apostles
and elders (ministers), about this question. — 6. And the apostles and
elders (ministers) came together, to consider of this matter. — 22. Then
pleased it the apostles and elders (ministers), with the whole church, to
send chosen men of their own company to Antioch, with Paul and Bar
nabas ; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief among the
brethren : — 23. And they wrote letters by them after this manner ; The
apostles and elders (or ministers) and brethren, send greeting unto the breth
ren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia,' &c. 
See the whole chapter.
Acts 21 : 15. 'And after those days we took up our carriages (packed
up our baggage), and went up to Jerusalem. — 16. There went with us
also certain of the disoiples of Cesarea, and brought with them one Mna-
son of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.  17. And
when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.  18.
And the day following Paul went in with us unto James : and the elders
(ministers) were present.'

SYNODS. 257
Sec. 3. The number of lay-votes can never exceed that of the
ordained clergymen and licentiates ; and if a lay-delegate be pre
sent from a district from which there is no minister present in the
Synod, he shall have a seat and the liberty of speech, but no vote.
Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of each Synod, to see that the
rules of government and discipline prescribed in this Formula, are
observed by all the congregations and ministers within their
bounds, to receive appeals from decisions of church-councils, and
of Special Conferences when regularly brought before them, and
review and reverse or confirm the decisions to which they refer;
to examine and decide on all charges against ministers and licen
tiates, that of heterodoxy alone excepted ; to form and change
ministerial districts ; to attend to any business relating to their
churches, which is regularly brought before them ; to provide sup
plies for destitute congregations, and to devise and execute all
suitable measures for the promotion of piety and the general pros
perity of the church, not otherwise disposed of in this Formula.
Sec. 5. To this end the Synod and Ministerium shall have power
to cite any church-members within their bounds to appear before
them ; and to endeavor to obtain other witnesses, when the case
may require it.
Sec. 6. If any congregation, hitherto in connection with a
Synod, should refuse to observe the resolutions of said Synod, or
the provisions of this Formula, it shall be excluded from connexion
with said Synod during the time of its refusal ; nor shall any other
Synod, nor any Lutheran minister or licentiate, take charge of it
without special permission of the President. Provided, however,
that if the charter of an incorporated congregation be at variance
with any articles of this Formula, said charter shall have prece
dence of those articles with which it is in conflict.
Sec. 7. Any congregation may become connected with -the
Synod within whose bounds it is situated, by acceding to the pro
visions of this Formula, and making some annual contribution
towards defraying the necessary expenses of said Synod. For
this purpose an annual collection ought to be held in each congre
gation. 22*

258 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
Sec. 8. At least one meeting of each Synod shall be held every
year, at such time and place as may have been determined on.
Sec. 9. No minister or licentiate shall be absent from the meet
ing of the Synod without the most urgent necessity. In case of
his absence, he shall, if possible, send to the Synod a written
apology, for his absence. Voluntary ministerial engagements shall
not be regarded as a sufficient excuse. Any minister or licentiate
violating the provisions of this section, shall be called to account
by the President at the next meeting.
Sec. 10. These written apologies, as well as all other letters
and papers intended for the Synod or Ministerium, ought to be
addressed to the President.
Sec. 11. The minister of the place in which the Synod is held,
with the church-council, shall endeavor to provide for the enter
tainment of the ministers, candidates and lay-delegates, by Chris
tian friends.
Sec. 12. All the members of the Synod shall endeavor to as
semble on the evening preceding the day appointed.
Sec. 13. Divine worship shall be celebrated, during the meeting
of the Synod, as often as may be convenient, and consistent with
the business of the Synod.
Sec. 14. Ministers in good standing in other Synods, or in any
sister churches, who may happen to be present, or who appear as
delegates from said bodies, may be received as advisory members,
but cannot vote in any decisions of the Synod.

CHAPTER IX.
OFFICERS OF THE SYNOD.
Sec. 1. The officers of each Synod shall be a President, Secre
tary and Treasurer, who are also the officers of the Ministerium.
Sec. 2. All these officers are annually chosen by ballot, from
among the ordained ministers regularly belonging to the Synod,
by a majority of the votes of the ministers, licentiates and lay-
delegates present. The same persons shall not be eligible for
more than three successive years.

OFFICERS OF THE SYNOD. 259

PRESIDENT.
Sec. 3. The President shall deliver a Synodical discourse at the
meeting of every Synod : and he shall, in connexion with the
pastor of the place, appoint the other individuals who are to preach
during the session.
Sec. 4. He shall at the beginning of every Synod, make a
written report of all the official business transacted and letters
received by him since the last meeting, and of all the important
events which have occurred relating to his Synod, and may recom
mend for their consideration any measures, which he may deem
necessary or calculated to promote the cause of God. This report
shall be laid on the table, and dealt with as with all other papers
coming before the body.
Sec. 5. He presides at all the meetings of the Synod and
Ministerium. Sec. 6. The President has a right to take part in the discus
sions as well as any other member. When the house is equally
divided on any question, he has the casting vote. In all other
cases he has no suffrage, except when an election is made by ballot,
and then he has not the casting vote.
Sec. 7. The President shall preserve order, not suffer more than
one member to speak at a time, secure to each person liberty to
speak without interruption from others, and shall prevent a speaker
from deviating from the subject before the house.
Sec. 8. The President shall take care that each subject be duly
considered before a decision be made. He shall distinctly rehearse
each motion, when no one has any further observations to offer,
and take the votes of the house on the same.
See. 9. When the votes are called for, they are to be given
simply by Yea and Nay, and no further observations are then
admissible. Sec. 10. The President has the appointment of all committees
which are not to be elected by ballot, or otherwise : and every
motion for the formation of a committee shall specify in what way
it is to be formed.
Sec. 11. It is an important part of his duty to give counsel to
every member of the synod when he deems it expedient, and par-

260 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
ticularly to admonish and advise every erring brother. If accusa
tion has been lodged against any member of this body according
to Ch. III. Sec. 5, or if he has reason to believe that any minister
or licentiate is living in any material violation of the rules of this
Formula, it shall be his duty to call upon the individual to relieve
his character from said imputation, before the Synod or Ministe
rium. Sec. 12. Should the President remove from the limits of the
Synod, or depart this life, then the Secretary shall succeed him,
and discharge the duties of the President, until the next Synod.
SECRETARY.
Sec. 13. The Secretary shall keep a faithful and accurate
account of all the proceedings of the Synod and Ministerium ;
carefully preserve all the papers, the seal, &c, of the Synod,
subject to their direction, and shall do all tbe official writing of the
Synod not otherwise provided for.
Sec. 14. He shall give notice (either by circular or in the
public papers, as each Synod may direct,) to each minister and
licentiate belonging to the Synod, of the time and place of the
synodial meeting, at least six weeks previous to the time appointed.
Sec. 15. He is to keep a register of the names of all the minis
ters and licensed candidates, arranged according to their age in
office, and also of the congregations, whether vacant or not, con
nected with the Synod.
Sec. 16. If the accumulation of business should render it neces
sary, the President may appoint an assistant Secretary, whose
office shall expire at the close of the meeting of the Synod.
Sec. 17. If in the recess of the Synod, the Secretary should
remove into the bound of another Synod, or should depart this
life, the President shall require the Archives, the seal, and all
other property of the Synod, to be delivered to him, and shall
retain the charge of them until the next session of the Synod,
when he shall appoint a Secretary pro tem.
Sec. 18. Unless the Archives are otherwise disposed of by the
Synod, they shall be in the charge and custody of the Secretary.
Any minister or delegate of a congregation connected with said

OTHER MEMBERS OF A SYNOD 261
Synod shall have free access to them ; but no part of them shall
be allowed to be taken away or destroyed.
TREASURER.
Sec. 19. The Treasurer shall take charge of all the moneys
belonging to the Synod, and shall keep them subject to its order.
He shall keep, and present at each annual meeting, a detailed and
faithful account of the state of the Treasury.
Sec. 20. Should the Treasurer, during the recess of the Synod,
remove out of the bounds of the Synod, or be removed by death,
the President shall have all the moneys, certificates, bonds, and
documents belonging to the Synod, delivered into his hands, and
shall have the charge of them until the next Synodical session.

CHAPTERX.
OTHER MEMBERS OF A SYNOD.
Sec. 1. It is the duty of every ordained minister, licentiate and
lay delegate of every Synod, not only to observe the provisions
of this Constitution himself; but also, as far as is in his power,
see that it is obeyed by all connected with it.
ORDAINED MINISTERS AND LICENTIATES OR CANDIDATES.
Sec. 2. It is recommended to every ordained minister and
licentiate, to aid in circulating among the members of his charge,
the books proposed by the Synod and General Synod for use.
Sec. 3. No minister or licentiate shall interfere with the con
gregations of another, by preaching or performing other ministe
rial duties in them, except by his request or consent, if present ;
nor in his absence, if he have reason to. think that any evil would
result to said church.
Sec. 4. Any minister or licentiate in good standing, who re
moves from the bounds of one Synod into those of another, shall,
on application to the President, receive a certificate under his sig
nature, of his honorable dismission ; and such a certificate shall

262 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
be required by the Synod into which he removes, when he applies
for admission into it.
Sec. 5. Every ordained minister has the right to leave his
charge and remove to another whenever he believes it his duty to
do so; yet he must give the President timely notice of his intended
removal. Sec. 6. A licensed candidate shall have liberty to visit vacant
congregations, either upon receiving an invitation from them, or
upon the advice of the Synod or President.
Sec. 7. After a licentiate has a stated charge, he shall be re
stricted to it, and shall not resign it without the consent of the
Ministerium, or, in its recess, of the President.
Sec. 8. A licentiate has power to perform all the ministerial
functions during the time specified in his license.
Sec. 9. In addition to the obligation of ministers specified in
Chap. III. Sec. 1, it is the duty of licentiates particularly to
devote all their leisure time to their personal improvement in
knowledge and grace, to receive counsel from the President, and
to apply to him for advice in cases of difficulty.
Sec. 10. Every licentiate must keep a general journal of his
ininisterial acts, which, with a few sermons of his own composi
tion, he must deliver, or send annually for the inspection of the
Ministerium. LAY DELEGATES.
Sec. 11. Each lay delegate, entitled to a seat by this Constitu
tion, shall have equal rights with the ministers in all business
belonging to the Synod ; that is, may take part in the debates,
offer resolutions, and vote on all Synodical questions.

CHAPTER XI.
ORDER OF BUSINESS.
It is recommended that the transactions of the Synod be con
ducted as follows : —
1. At the time appointed for the meeting, the members present

ORDER OF BUSINESS. 263
shall assemble, and if four ordained ministers and tw,o lay dele
gates be present, they shall constitute a quorum.
2. The President shall open the first session by a prayer, after
the brethren have unitedly sung an hymn. And every session of
the Synod and Ministerium shall be opened and closed with
prayer. In the absence of the President, the first prayer shall be
made by the Secretary, and if he also be absent, by one of the
elder ministers present.
3. After prayer, the Secretary shall call the names of all the
ordained ministers and licentiates belonging to the Synod, and
note the absentees.
4. The lay delegates shall then exhibit the certificates of their
appointment, and their names be registered by the Secretary as
members of the Synod.
5. The President shall make his report (Chap. IX. Sec. 4.) as
the last official act of his office, and then inform the members,
that. 6. The election of officers for the ensuing year is now to be
attended to.
7. Admission of delegates or "ministers from other ecclesiastical
bodies : according to Chap. VIII. Sec. 14.
8. The minutes of the last Synod may be read.
9. All papers intended for the Synod or Ministerium are to be
handed in, and verbal notice may be given of any important busi
ness intended to be brought before the Synod.
10. The Secretary shall then number the papers as arranged by
the President, after which they shall be taken up and discussed
before the whole house in numerical order, or be first referred to
committees, as the house may direct. The reports of Committees
may be heard and acted on at any time, and the intervals filled up
by the succeeding items.
11. Each minister shall be called on by the Secretary for the
record of persons baptized and confirmed, as well as of the regular
communing members belonging to his churches (Chap. IV. Sec.
11) as also of the number of schools.
12. The Treasurer's account shall be heard.
13. The number of vacant congregations be inquired into and
provisions made for them.

264 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
14. Promiscuous business.
15. Election of delegates to the General Synod, or to other
ecclesiastical bodies, and of Directers of the Theological Seminary
at  .
16. Choice of the time and place for the next meeting of Synod.
17. Dissolution of the Synod, and annunciation of the time of
the ministerial session.
18. Should the President or Secretary be absent at the proper
time for opening a session, the members present may elect others
pro tempore.

CHAPTER XII.
PROCESS AGAINST A MINISTER.
Sec. 1. As the honor and success of the gospel depend very
much on the character of its ministers, every Synod ought to
guard with the utmost care and impartiality the conduct of its
members. Sec. 2. All Christians should be very cautious in giving credit
or circulation to an ill report of any man, and especially of a
minister of the gospel ; if any man knows a minister to be guilty
of a private censurable fault, he should warn him in private. If
this prove fruitless, he should apply to the church council, who
shall proceed as specified in Chap. III. Sec. 5.
Sec. 3. If accusation be lodged, according to Chapter III. Sec.
5, with the President, within four months of the time of the next
Synodical meeting, he shall defer the matter to said meeting ; yet
if the charge be one of drunkenness, lewdness, circulating funda
mental errors in doctrine, or a higher crime, he shall immediately
direct the accused to suspend all his ministerial duties until his
case is decided. If such accusation is lodged with the President
at an earlier date, he shall, if the charge be one of drunkenness,
lewdness, circulating fundamental error in doctrine, or of higher
crime, immediately give notice to all the members of the Confer
ence district to which the accused belongs, to meet without delay

PROCESS AGAINST A MINISTER. 265
at a suitable place, and institute a formal investigation of the case,
according to the principles of this Formula. The Chairman of
said Conference district shall immediately fix the time and place
of the meeting, and give at least fifteen days' notice of the same
to each minister in the district, and also to the parties concerned.
Sec. 4. If the Synod is not divided into Conference Districts,
the President shall appoint a Committee of three ordained minis
ters, shall fix the time and place of their meeting, and give all the
notices as above required of the Chairman of the Conference
District. Sec. 5. Any three members of the Conference or of the Com
mittee above named, shall have power to proceed and hold a fair
and impartial investigation of the case, and to take all such mea
sures as may be just and necessary to determine the guilt or inno
cence of the accused.
Sec. 6. If the accused confess, and the matter be base and fla
gitious, such as drunkenness, lewdness, circulating fundamental
error in doctrine, or a higher crime, however penitent he may be,
he must immediately be suspended from the exercise of his office,
and if thought expedient, a time be appointed for him publicly
to confess to the congregation and the world his guilt and peni
tence. ,
Sec. 7. If a minister accused of atrocious crimes, being duly
notified, refuse to attend the investigation, he shall still be imme
diately suspended from office.
Sec. 8. If the accused deny the charge, and yet on examination
of the evidence is found guilty; the Conference or Committee
shall nevertheless proceed to pass sentence on him.
Sec. 9. The highest punishment which can be inflicted by a
Special Conference or Committee appointed as above specified, is
suspension from clerical functions ; and this sentence is to be re
ported to the next meeting of the Synod, and remains in force
until reversed by the Synod or Ministerium, as the case may be.
Sec. 10. Any minister intending to appeal from the decision of
a Conference or Committee, shall give notice of it to his accusers
within three weeks of the time when the decision was made ; that
both parties may be prepared for a new trial.
Sec. 11. Special Conferences not especially convened for the

266 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
purpose, may attend to any charges of importance against a min
ister within their bounds, if all the parties concerned are prepared
and willing to proceed.
Sec. 12. If at any time accusation be lodged with the Presi
dent, according to Chap. III. Sec. 5, for a less crime than those
above specified, Sec. 3, he shall take no other steps in the case
than to write a letter to the accused and accusers, exhorting them
to mutual forbearance, and referring them to the next Synod.
Sec. 1 3. If accusation against a minister be made immediately
to the Synod, and the Synod believe themselves in possession of
all the evidence necessary to a just decision, the case may be im
mediately examined and sentence passed. But if the necessary
evidence be not before them, and the crime be such as is specified
in Sec. 3, they shall appoint a meeting of the Conference to which
the accused belongs, or, if there be no Conference District, of a
Committee, who shall proceed as above specified.
Sec. 14. If a minister be found guilty of drunkenness, funda
mental heresy, lewdness or higher crimes, his sentence of suspen
sion shall not be removed until after some time of penitent, humble
and edifying conduct. And he cannot be restored by any judica
tory but the Synod, or by the Ministerium, if his case was one of
fundamental heresy.
v Sec. 15. If the common report of a minister's guilt of any of
the charges above specified, be such as seriously to injure the
cause of religion, and his own churches do not proceed against
him, it should be the duty of any other minister or layman, having
obtained two other signatures of credible men, to report the case
to the President.

CHAPTER XIII.
VACANT CONGREGATIONS.
Sec 1. Vacant congregations which cannot be immediately
supplied with a minister, are advised to assemble on the Lord's
day, to elect some member of the church, of suitable capacities

MISSIONS — SPECIAL CONFERENCES. 207
and character, to conduct the exercises, and engage in the worship
of God, as recommended in Chap. VII. Sec. 1.
Sec. 2. It is also recommended, that at these meetings a por
tion of the Scriptures, of the prayers contained in the Liturgy, of
some selected sermon, such as are approved by the President of
the Synod, be read.

CHAPTER XIV.
OF MISSIONS.
As the blessed Saviour left to his followers the command : ' Go
ye and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, of the Son and the Holy Ghost, and teaching them to
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you;'1 the
Synods shall regard it as a sacred duty to adopt, from time to
time, such measures as they may deem best calculated to execute
this solemn injunction.

CHAPTER XV.
ELECTION OF DELEGATES AND DIRECTORS.
The election of Delegates to the General Synod and of Direc
tors of the Theological Seminary, shall always be held by ballot,
and a licensed candidate shall not be eligible to either of these
offices.

CHAPTER XVI.
SPECIAL CONFERENCES.
Sec. 1. It is earnestly recommended that each Synod divide
itself into two or more districts, for the purpose of holding Special
Conferences; which may be held either on a week-day or Sabbath.
' Matt. 28 : 19, 20.

268 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
Sec. 2. It is desirable, where ministers do not live too far
apart, that at least two Conferences should be held annually in
each district. They ought to last two days, and the chief business
to be performed at them is to awaken and convert sinners, and to
edify believers by close practical preaching of the gospel.
Sec. 3. The state of religion in the churches of the district
ought to be inquired into, and at least an hour be spent by the
Conference alone in conversation on subjects relating to pastoral
experience. Sec. 4. These districts ought to contain between five and ten
ministers, and when the number becomes greater, a new district
ought to be formed.
Sec. 5. These Conferences ought to be held alternately, in
some congregation of each minister and licentiate belonging to
the district.
Sec. 6. Special Conferences may examine into any business of
congregations, which is regularly referred to them, and give their
advice; but no Conference shall, under any pretext whatever,
perform any business connected with the licensure or ordination
of candidates for the ministry.
Sec. 7. Lay delegates may also be sent to these Conferences,
under the same regulations as to Synods, if it is thought advisable
by the Synod.

CHAPTER XVII.
MINISTERIAL SESSION.
Sec. 1. The clergy shall then hold a meeting consisting exclu
sively of Scripture elders, that is, preachers,1 for the purpose of
attending to those duties which Christ and his apostles enjoined
1 Acts 20 : 17. 'And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the
elders (ministers) of the church. — 28. Take heed therefore unto your
selves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you
overseers (hwxonBi, bishops, Luther, Bischbfe), to feed the church of God,
which he hath purchased with his own blood.'

MINISTERIAL SESSION. 269
upon them alone, viz., Examination, Lioensure, and Ordination
of candidates for the ministry. This meeting is called the Minis
terium or Presbytery; ' by which, in Scripture, is meant ministers
alone. Sec. 2. Licensed candidates may be present at the Ministerial
meeting, unless requested to withdraw, and may take part in dis
cussions, but have no vote.
Sec. 3. The Ministerium shall also be the proper body, by
whom ail charges of heresy against a minister are to be examined
and decided : as also all appeals from the decision of a church-
council on a charge of heresy against a layman, or from the de
cision of a Special Conference on a similar charge against a
minister. Sec. 4. When ordained ministers of other religious denomina
tions make application for admission into connexion with a Synod,
the Ministerium shall be the body to decide on the case.
Sec. 5. A majority of two-thirds of the ordained ministers
shall be required, either for the licensure of an applicant as well
as the renewal of his license, or the ordination of a licensed can
didate, or the admission of an ordained minister of another
denomination. Sec. 6. No minister or licentiate, coming from a Foreign
Country, shall be received as a member of any Synod, until after
a residence of two years in this country, and unexceptionable de
portment during that time. Excepting only, that if an ordained
minister comes well recommended for piety and learning, by a
Consistorium, or a number of individuals known to the Ministe
rium as orthodox and evangelical ; and if the Ministerium believe
they can safely confide in the testimonials, they may receive him
for twelve months, after which the vote for his permanent recep
tion as a regular member shall be taken, and the case decided
according to Section 5.
Sec. 7. All business not specifically entrusted to the Ministerium
in this Formula, shall belong to the Synod.
1 1 Tim. 4:14. ' Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given
thee by prophesy (or in accordance with a prophetic or inspired im
pulse), with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery (wpctr/ivrripm, the
eldership, that is, the ministry).'

270 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
Sec. 8. The order of business in the Ministerium may be as
follows :
1. After the session has been opened with prayer, the President
shall communicate any business which he may have to report or
propose. 2. The licentiates shall hand in their licences, sermons, and
journals, which ought, if possible, to be read by the licentiate
before the whole body. If want of time renders this inconve
nient, Committees ought then to be appointed to examine and
report on them.
3. Applicants for licensure are examined.
4. After the examination of the applicants and of the sermons
and journals of licentiates, the applicants and licentiates may be
desired to withdraw, and the question of their licensure and re
newal of license or ordination, be discussed and decided.
5. The licensure and ordination may be performed either in
the Ministerium, or at an appointed hour, before a promiscuous
assembly. 6.: Promiscuous matters relative to ministerial business may
then be attended to.
7. Some time then shall be spent in conversation on pastoral
experience. 8. The session closed as directed Chap. XII., Sec. 2.

CHAPTER XVIII.
EXAMINATION AND LICENSURE OF CANDIDATES.
Sec. 1. The examination shall be conducted by an Examining
Committee of two or more ordained ministers, appointed for the
purpose, at the meeting of the previous year, or by a Committee
appointed at the time. As these examinations may be highly in
teresting and useful to the whole Ministerium, and will be more
faithfully performed if public, it is earnestly recommended that
they be performed before the whole body.

EXAMINATION AND LICENSURE OF CANDIDATES. 271
Sec. 2. After the examination by the Committee is ended,
every member of the Ministerium has the right to ask the appli
cant any additional questions.
Sec. 3. The examination shall embrace, at least, the following
subjects, viz. : Personal piety and the motives of the applicant for
seeking the holy office, the Greek and Hebrew Scriptures, the
Evidences of Christianity, Natural and Revealed Theology, Church
History, Pastoral Theology, the rules of Sermonizing, and Church
Government. Sec. 4. No Ministerium shall, in any case whatever, license an
individual whom they do not believe to be hopefully pious. Nor
shall any applicant, extraordinary cases excepted, be licensed,
whom the Ministerium do not find possessed of a competent ac
quaintance with the subjects named in Sec. 3., the Hebrew lan
guage alone excepted.
Sec. 5. The Ceremony of Licensure ' shall be performed as
follows : viz., after an address from the President, as prescribed
in the Liturgy, he shall read the duties and privileges of licen
tiates in Chap. 10, Sec. 6-10, and then propose to him th» fol
lowing questions : —
1. Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testa
ment to be the word of God, and the only infallible rule of faith
and practice ? 2
2. Do you believe that the fundamental doctrines of the Word
of God are taught in a manner substantially correct in the doc
trinal articles of the Augsburg Confession ? 3
3. Do you promise, by the aid of God, faithfully to perform all
the duties enjoined on you in this Formula, and to submit your-

'1 Tim. 5: 22. 'Lay hands suddenly on no man, &c. — 3 : 5. Not a
novice, lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of
the devil. — 3 : 9. Let these also be first proved (tried, put on probation).'
3 2 Tim. 3 : 16. 'All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,' &c.
Ephes. 2 : 20. 'And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone.'
3 2 Tim. 1 : 13. 'Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast
heard of me, in faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus.'

272 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
self to its rules of Government and Discipline, so long as you
remain a member of a Lutheran Synod ? '
Sec. 6. These questions being answered in the affirmative, the
President offers up a suitable prayer, delivers him his license, and
concludes with a short address as directed in the Liturgy.
Sec. 7. All licenses shall extend to the time of the next annual
meeting of the Ministerium, and shall be renewed as a matter of
course, whether the licentiate be present or not, unless satisfactory
reasons are known to the Ministerium, which render a renewal
inexpedient. And if for any reason, no meeting be held at the
appointed time, the licenses granted by said Ministerium shall
remain in force, until revoked at a subsequent meeting.
Sec. 8. If a licentiate, after some time of probation, does, in
the judgment of the Ministerium, prove himself unqualified for
the duties of the ministry, his license shall be withdrawn.

CHAPTER XIX.
i
ORDINATION.
Sec. 1. Whenever the Ministerium has decided that an indi
vidual shall be ordained, the ceremony may be performed, either
at the time, by the assembled Ministerium, or, if preferred, in the
church by which he has been called, by the Special Conference,
or by a Committee appointed for the purpose by the President.
Sec. 2. The ceremony of ordination, wherever performed, shall
be as follows, viz. : —
1. A sermon shall be preached by a person previously ap
pointed, on the nature, duties and responsibilities of the ministerial
office. 2. The President of the Ministerium, or the Chairman of the
Conference or Committee, shall then, after a short address, such
as is contained in the Liturgy, propose to the candidate the follow
ing questions : —
' 1 Pet. 5:5.' Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto tho
elder : yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with
humility ; for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.'

ORDINATION.

275

1. Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testa
ment to be the word of God, and the only infallible rule of faith
and practice ?
2. Do you believe that the fundamental doctrines of the Word
of God are taught in a manner substantially correct, in the doctri
nal articles of the Augsburg Confession ?
3. Do you firomise, by the aid of God, faithfully to perform all
the duties enjoyed on you in this Formula, and to submit yourself
to its rules of Government and Discipline, so long as you remain
a member of any Lutheran Synod ?
4. Do you believe that, in seeking the ministerial office, you are
influenced by a sincere love to God your Saviour, and desire to
promote his glory in the welfare of men ?
5. Do you promise faithfully and zealously to preach the truths
of the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as contained
in the Holy Scriptures ?
Sec. 3. These questions being answered in the affirmative, the
candidate shall kneel down, when the President or presiding min
ister shall ordain him after the apostolic example, by prayer,1 and
the laying on of the hands of the ministry,2 i. e., presbytery. The
candidate shall then rise, and the officiating minister, and after
him the ordained ministers present, shall take him by the right
hand and welcome him to take part in the ministry with them.3
(The ceremonies may then be concluded by the benediction. But
if the ordination was performed in a church to which he is called,
the presiding minister shall proceed without any interruption with
the ceremonies of installation.)
1 Acts 13 : 2. 'As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy
Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I
have called them. — 3. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid
their hands on them, they sent them away.'
*1 Tim. 4: 14. 'Neglect not the gift that is in thee, that was given
thee by prophecy (or in accordance with a prophetic or inspired impulse) .
with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery (or ministry).
3 Gal. 2 : 9. 'When James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars,
perceived the grace that was given me, they gave to me and Barnabas the
right hand of fellowship,' &c. Acts 1 : 25. ' That he may lake part of this
ministry and apostleship.'

274 GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE.
CHAPTER XX.
INSTALLATION.
Sec. 1. He shall then propose to the minister just ordained this
question, viz. : Are you willing to take charge of this congregation,
and do you promise, by the grace of God, faithfully to discharge
the duties of a Christian pastor to them ?
Sec. 2. This question being answered in the affirmative, the
President shall ask the congregation : —
Do you desire to receive  as the regular pastor of your
church (or churches) to which you have given him a call ? And
do you promise faithfully to discharge towards him the duties
which a Christian congregation owe to their pastor ?
These questions being answered in the affirmative, the presiding
minister shall solemnly pronounce the individual installed to be
the regular pastor of said charge ; and conclude with the bene
diction. Sec. 3. If a minister already ordained is to be installed, the
ceremony of installation shall be preceded by a sermon on the
relation between a minister and the people of his charge, or on
some other suitable subject by a person previously appointed. The
minister shall then be formally installed, according to Sec. 1, 2,
after which, a charge may be delivered by a minister previously
appointed, to the pastor and his people on their respective duties,
and the whole be closed with the benediction.

P. S. As different Synods might differ in opinion relative to
matters of a minor nature, so many particulars only as are neces
sary to general uniformity, and harmony of operation among the
churches, were introduced into this Formula. Each Synod adopt
ing this Constitution, has the power to form such by-laws as may
seem proper to itself.

CONSTITUTION
Of the General Synod1 of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in the United States of North America.
(As amended.*)
[Translated from the original German Copy.]
Jesus Christ, the Supreme Head of His Church, having pre
scribed no entire and specific directory for government and dis
cipline, and every section of His Church being left at full liberty
to make such additional regulations to that effect, as may be best
adapted to its situation and circumstances: therefore — Relying
upon God our Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
under the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit in the Word
of God, for the promotion of the practice of brotherly love, to the
furtherance of Christian concord, to the firm establishment and
continuance of the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace — We,
the Deputies of the " German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of
Pennsylvania and the neighboring States," of the " German and
English Evangelical Lutheran Synod in the State of North Caro
lina and the bordering States," of the "Evangelical Lutheran
Ministerium in the State of New York, and the neighboring
States and Countries," and of the "Evangelical Lutheran Synod
of Maryland and Virginia, &c," for ourselves and successors, do
adopt the following fundamental Articles, viz :
ARTICLE I.
The name, style and title of this Convention shall be, " The
Evangelical Lutheran General Synod of the United States of
North America."
1 It seems proper to inform the reader, that the Constitution of the
General Synod, was not, like the residue of the Formula, composed by
the author of this work. It was translated from the German original, by
the late Rev. Dr. Endress, of Lancaster, Pa. (275)

276 constitution of the

ARTICLE II.
The General Synod shall consist of the Deputies from the several
Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conventions in the United States,
who may join themselves thereunto, and be duly acknowledged
as members thereof, in the following ratio, viz. :
Every Synodical body, or Synod, (whether of ministers only,
or of ministers and lay deputies together,) containing six ministers,
may send two; if it contains fourteen, three; if twenty-five, four;
if forty, five; if sixty, six; and if it contains eighty-six ministers
or upwards, seven deputies, of the rank of ordained ministers,
and an equal number of lay deputies.
Each Deputy, appearing in the General Synod according to this
ratio, shall, except as hereinafter provided, enjoy an equal right
and vote with all others. Every Synod may choose its Deputies
in such a way and manner as to them may seem proper; and shall
pay the travelling expenses of the same to and from the General
Synod, until the General Synod shall have established for itself a
treasury from which the future expenses may be discharged.

ARTICLE III.
The business of the General Synod shall be as follows, viz :
Section I. The General Synod shall examine the proceedings
of the several Synods and Ministeriums belonging to this associa
tion, in order that they may obtain some knowledge of the existing
state and condition of the Church. The several Synods, therefore,
shall transmit as many copies of their proceedings to the General
Synod, as there shall be members contained in the General Synod.
Sec. II. Whenever the General Synod shall deem it proper or
necessary, they may propose to the special Synods or Ministeriums,
new books or writings, such as catechisms, forms of liturgy, col
lections of hymns for general or special public use in the Church.
Every proposal of the kind, the several or respective Synods may
duly consider ; and if they, or any of them, shall be of opinion,
that the said book or books, writing or writings, will not conduce

GENERAL SYNOD. - / /
to the end proposed, they may reject them, and adopt such litur
gical books as they may think proper.1
But no General Synod can be allowed to possess or arrogate
unto itself " the power of prescribing among us uniform ceremo
nies of religion for every part of the Church ;" or to introduce
such alterations in matters appertaining to the faith, or to the
mode of publishing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, (the Son of God
and ground of our faith and hope,) as might in any way tend to
burden the consciences of the brethren in Christ.
Sec. HI. All regularly constituted Lutheran Synods, holding
the fundamental doctrines of the Bible as taught by our Church,
not now in connection with the General Synod, may, at any time
become associated with it, by adopting this Constitution, and
sending Delegates to its Convention, according to the ratio speci
fied in Art. II.
Sec. IV. With regard to the grades in the ministry, the General
Synod may give to the several Ministeriums their deliberate advice,
1 Instead of the above paragraph, the original Constitution read as
follows :
"Sec. 2. With regard to all Books and Writings proposed for public
use in the church, the General Synod shall act as a joint committee of
the special Synods and Ministeriums, after the following manner, viz. :
" 1. The General Synod shall examine all books and writings, such as
catechisms, forms of liturgy, collections of hymns, or confessions of
faith, proposed by the Special Synods for public use, and give their well-
considered advice, counsel or opinion concerning the same. No Synod,
therefore, and no Ministerium, standing in connexion with this General
Synod, shall set forth any new book or writing of the kind above-men
tioned, for public use in the church, without having previously transmitted
a full and complete copy thereof to the General Synod, for the purpose
of receiving their said advice, counsel or opinion.
" 2. Whenever the General Synod shall deem it proper or necessary,
they may propose to the Special Synods or Ministeriums, new books or
writings of the kind mentioned above, for general or special public use.
Every proposal of the kind, the several or respective Synods and Minis
teriums, shall duly consider, and if they, or any one of them, shall be
of opinion, that the said book or books, writing or writings, will not con
duce to the end proposed, then, and in such a case, it is hoped, that the
reason of such opinion will be transmitted to the next convention of the
General Synod, in order that the same may be entered on their journal."
9±

278 constitution of the
wherein the circumstances of time, place and condition must be
duly contemplated, and a beneficial uniformity, and actual equality,
of rank among the several ministers, must, as much as possible,
be had in view. The General Synod shall also advise such rules
and regulations among the several Synods and Ministeriums, as
may prevent unpleasant and unfriendly collisions, that might
otherwise arise out of any difference of grades existing among
them, or from any other possible causes.
Sec. V. The General Synod shall not be looked upon as a
tribunal of appeal ; it may, however, be employed in the following
cases, and after the following manner :
1. The General Synod may give advice or opinion, when com
plaints shall be brought before them by whole Synods, Ministe
riums, Congregations, or individual Ministers, concerning doctrine
or discipline. They shall, however, be extremely careful, that
the consciences of ministers of the gospel be not burdened with
human inventions, laws or devices, and that no one be oppressed
by reason of differences of opinion on non-fundamental doctrines.
2. If parties, differing in matters of doctrine and discipline,
refer the cause of difference, in a brotherly manner, to the General
Synod, they shall institute a close and exact scrutiny and exami
nation thereof, and give their opinion on the subject of difference,
according to their best insight of right, equity, brotherly love, and
truth. 3. If difference between Synods be referred, the votes thereon
shall be taken by Synods, and the referring Synods shall have no
vote. Sec. VI. The General Synod may devise plans for Seminaries
of Education and Missionary Institutions, as well as for the aid
of poor ministers, and the widows and orphans of poor ministers,
and endeavor, with the help of God, to carry them into effect.
Sec. VII. The General Synod may also institute and create a
treasury, for the effectual advancement of its purposes.
Sec. VIII. The General Synod shall apply all their powers,
their prayers and their means, towards the prevention of schisms
among us ; be sedulously and incessantly regardful of the circum
stances of the times, and of every casual rise and progress of unity
of sentiment among Christians in general, in order that the blessed

GENERAL SYNOD. 279
opportunities to1 promote concord and unity, and the interests of
the Redeemer's kingdom, may not pass by neglected and unavailing.
ARTICLE IV.
The General Synod shall choose from among their own number
a President and a Secretary ; and from among their own number
or elsewhere, as soon as it may be necessary, a Treasurer. They
shall continue in office until the next succeeding convention. The
same person is at all times re-eligible as Secretary or Treasurer ;
but no one may be elected President more than two conventions
in succession, and the same person cannot thereafter be elected
for the two successively following conventions.
Sec. I. The President shall act as chairman of the convention.
He may make motions, give his opinion, and vote like every other
member. With the consent and concurrence of the minister of
the place where the convention is held, he shall appoint the
several preachers during the convention. He shall subscribe all
letters, written advices, resolutions and proceedings of the Synod.
In extraordinary cases, and by request of any one of the acknow
ledged "Synods, made known to him in the form of a Synodical or
Ministerial resolution, he may call together ^special conventions of
the General Synod. In case the business of the Secretary become
too burdensome for one person to execute, he shall, with the con
currence of the Secretary, appoint an assistant Secretary, and
make known to him what portion of the labors he ought to
undertake. Sec. II. The Secretary shall keep a journal of the proceedings,
write, attest, take care of all the documents and writings, make
known the time and place of the convention, through the medium
of the public prints, at least three months beforehand, and in the
special or extraordinary cases mentioned in the foregoing section,
he shall give written notice thereof to each of the special Synods
or Ministeriums.
1 Here the original Constitution had the following additional clause,
which was omitted by the Synod of 1829 : "to heal the existing schisms
of the Christian Church" — "um alle Gelegenheit beachten zu ko'nnen
zur Heilung der schon darinnen (in der Christlichen kirche) obwaltenden
Spaltungen," &c.

280 CONSTITUTION OF THE
Sec. III. If the President or Secretary, in the intermediate
time between the conventions, depart this life, resign his office, or
become incapable of executing the same, the next in office shall
take his place and perform his duties ; if it be the Treasurer, then
the President shall appoint another Treasurer ad interim in his

Sec. IV. The Treasurer shall keep account of the receipts and
expenditures of the Synod. He shall give receipts for all moneys
put into his hands. He shall not pay any moneys out of his hands
but by order of the President, attested by the Secretary, in pursu
ance of a resolution of the Synod to that effect. At every conven
tion of the Synod he shall render account.
ARTICLE V.
The course of business shall be conducted as follows, viz. :
1. The deputies shall give personal notice of their arrival to the
minister of the place, or if the congregation be destitute of a min
ister, to any other person appointed by the congregation for the
purpose, who shall make known to them their place of residence,
and the place where the session shall be held.
2. At nine o'clock in the forenoon of the first wee.k-day of the
time of convention, the session shall begin and be opened with
prayer. 3. The President elected by the former convention, shall act as
chairman till another President be chosen. In case of his absence,
the persons present may, on motion made and seconded, appoint
another in his stead.
4. The members shall give in to the chairman their attestations
or certificates. For all the deputies from any one particular
Synod, one certificate, signed by the President and attested by the
Secretary of that Synod, shall be deemed sufficient, and all the
members of the same Synod shall sit together.
5. If a majority of the deputies of a majority of the Synods
attached to the General Synod, be present, the business shall go
on. If this proportion be lacking, the members present may, from
time to time, postpone the session of the convention.
6. The President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by

GENERAL SYNOD.

281

ballot, on the first day of the session, and so soon as the members
shall have given in their certificates.
7. The proceedings of the former convention shall be read by
the Secretary.
8. Hereupon follow the several portions of business according
to Article III., section for section.
9. Now other mixed motions may be made, concerning the
subjects already discussed, or any other matters that may occur.
10. In conclusion, the General Synod shall appoint, by ballot,
the time and place of the next convention, observing at all times,
however, that one convention, at least, be held every three years.

ARTICLE VI.
The General Synod may make whatever by-laws they may deem
necessary ; provided only, that the said by-laws do not contradict
the spirit of the Constitution.
No alteration of this Constitution may be made except by the
consent of two-thirds of the Synods attached to this Convention ;
an exact copy of the intended alterations to be sent by the Secre
tary to all the Presidents of the District Synods in connection
with this body, with the request, that they would lay them before
their respective Synods for decision.
Signed, October 24th, in the year of our Lord 1820,

Of Pennsylvania — J. Geo.
Schmucker, Geo. Lochman,
Christian Endress, F. W.
Geissenhainer, H. A. Muhl
enberg, Chr. Kunkel, Wm.
Hensel, Peter Stichter.

Of New York — Ph. F. Mayer,
F. C. Schaeffer.
Of North Carolina — Gottl.
Schober, Peter Schmucker.
Of Maryland — Danl. Kurtz,
D.F. Schaeffer, G. Shryock.

24 =

PAET SECOND.

This part of the Manual includes two important articles — the Abuses
Corrected, and the German copy of the Augsburg Confession. The former,
though not a part of the doctrinal Confession, is yet highly useful, as it
reflects light upon the great work of the Reformers, and explains their
precise views on some minor points of doctrine and practice at the time
of its publication. Some of its positions were, however, subsequently
abandoned by the Reformers themselves, as in the case of the Mass, and
their ideas of the Christian Sabbath are also entertained by few at the
present time. It is, however, valuable for its masterly exhibition of the
corruptions of Romanism, and its vindication of the cardinal doctrine of the
Reformation, — the Justification of the sinner by grace, through faith in Christ,
and not by works. The German copy of the Confession we regard as im
portant for the purpose of comparison with the Latin original, as well as
its elucidation on different topics, the work being a very free translation,
with occasional expanded and illustrative clauses. Besides, this vene
rable document should ever be held in reverence, in the mother tongue
of the great Reformers.

ABUSES CORKECTED.

Inasmuch as there is nothing taught in our churches concern
ing the Articles of the Faith inconsistent with the Holy Scriptures
or the universal Christian Church, and as we have merely corrected
some abuses, a part of which had in the course of time crept into
the church, whilst others were forcibly introduced into it ; neces
sity demands that we should give some account of them, and
assign the reasons which induced us to admit the alterations, in
order that your imperial majesty may perceive that nothing was
(283)

284 abuses corrected.
done in this matter in an unchristian or presumptuous manner,
but that we were compelled to admit these alterations by the word
of God, which is justly to be held in higher regard than any
customs of the church.

TOPIC I.— OF COMMUNION IN BOTH KINDS.
In our churches, communion is administered to the laity in both
kinds, because this is a manifest command and precept of Christ.
Matt. 26: 27. -'Drink ye all of it.' In this passage Christ
teaches, in the plainest terms, that they should all drink out of
the cup.
And in order that no one may be able to cavil at these words,
and explain them as referring to the clergy alone, Paul informs
us that the entire church at Corinth received the sacrament in
both kinds. (1 Cor. 11 : 26.) And this custom was retained in
the church for a long time, as can be proved by history, and the
writings of the Fathers. Cyprian frequently mentions the fact
that in his day the cup was given to the laity. St. Jerome also
says, the priests, who administer the sacrament, dispense the
blood of Christ to the people. And pope Gelasius himself com
manded that the sacrament should not be divided (distinct. 2, de
consecrat. cap. comperimus). There is ' no canon extant, which
commands that one kind alone should be received. Nor can it be
ascertained when, or by whom, the custom of receiving bread alone
was introduced, although cardinal Cusanus mentions the time when
it was approved. Now it is evident that such a custom, intro
duced contrary to the divine command, and also in opposition to the
ancient canons, is wrong. It was therefore improper to coerce
and oppress the conscience of those who wished to receive the
sacrament agreeably to the appointment of Christ, and compel
them to violate the institution of our Lord. And inasmuch as the
dividing of the sacrament is contrary to its institution by Christ,
the custom of carrying about the host in procession is omitted
amongst us.
1 This was the case when this Confession was made, but the council of
Trent subsequently enacted one.

THE CELIBACY OF THE PRIESTS. 285
TOPIC II. — THE CELIBACY OF THE PRIESTS.
There has been general complaint among persons of every rank
on account of the scandalous licentiousness and lawless lives of
the priests ; who were guilty of lewdness, and whose excesses had
risen to the highest pitch. In order to put an end to such odious
conduct, to adultery, and other lewd practices, several of our
ministers have entered the matrimonial state. They themselves
declare, that in taking the step, they were influenced by the dic
tates of conscience, and a sacred regard for the holy volume,
which expressly informs us, that marriage was appointed of God
to prevent licentiousness : as Paul says (1 Cor. 7:2), ' To avoid
fornication, let every man have his own wife.' Again, ' it is better
to marry than to burn,' (1 Cor. 7 : 9), and according to the de
claration of Christ that not all men can receive this word. (Matt.
19 : 12.) In this passage Christ himself, who well knew what
was in man, declares that few persons are qualified to live in
celibacy; for God created us male and female. (Gen. 1 : 27.)
And experience has abundantly proved how vain is the attempt to
alter the nature or meliorate the character of God's creatures by
mere human purposes or vows, without a peculiar gift or grace of
God. It is notorious that the effort has been prejudicial to purity
of morals : and in how many cases it has occasioned distress of
mind, and the most terrific apprehensions of conscience, is known
by the confessions of numerous individuals. Since, theD, the word
and law of God cannot be altered by human vows or enactments,
the priests, for this and other reasons, have entered into the con
jugal state.
It is moreover evident from the testimony of history and the
writings of the fathers, that it was customary in former ages for
priests and deacons to be married. Hence the injunction of Paul
to Timothy, (1 Tim. 3:2.) A bishop then must be blameless,
the husband of one wife. It is but four hundred years since the
clergy in Germany were compelled by force to abandon the matri
monial life, and submit to a vow of celibacy ; and so generally
and resolutely did they resist this tyranny, that the archbishop of
Mayence, who published this new papal edict, was well nigh losing
his life in a commotion excited by the measure. And in so pre-

286 ABUSES CORRECTED.
cipitate and arbitrary a manner was that decree executed, that the
pope not only prohibited all future marriage of the pries's, but
even cruelly rent asunder the social ties of those who had long
been living in the bonds of lawful wedlock, thus violating alike
not only the laws of God and the natural and civil rights of the
citizen, but even the canons which the popes themselves made,
and the decrees of the most celebrated councils !
It is the deliberate and well-known opinion of many distin
guished, pious and judicious men, that this compulsory celibacy
and prohibition of matrimony (which God himself instituted and
left optional,) has been productive of no good, but is the prolific
source of numerous and abominable vices. Yea, even one of the
popes, Pius II., himself declared, as history informs us, that
though there may be several reasons why the marriage of priests
should be prohibited, there are many more and weightier ones,
why it should not. And doubtless this was the deliberate decla
ration of Pius, who was a sensible and wise man. We would
therefore confidently trust that your Majesty, as a Christian Em
peror, will graciously reflect that in these latter days, to which
reference is made, in the sacred volume, the world has become still
more degenerate, and mankind more frail and liable to temptation.
It will be well to beware, lest by the prohibition of marriage,
licentiousness and vice be promoted in the German States. For
on this subject no man can devise better or more salutary laws
than those enacted by God, who himself instituted marriage for
the promotion of virtue amongst men. The ancient canons also
enjoin that the rigour of human enactments must on some subjects
be accommodated to the infirmities of human nature, in order to
avoid greater evils.
Such a course would in this case be very necessary and Chris
tian : for what injury could result to the church, from the mar
riage of the clergy and others who are to serve in the church ?
Yea, it is probable that the church will be but imperfectly supplied
with ministers, should this rigorous prohibition of marriage be
continued. If, therefore, it is evident from the divine word and command,
that matrimony is lawful in ministers and ecclesiastics, and history
teaches that their practice formerly was conformed to this precept;

OF THE MASS. 287
if it is evident that the vow of celibacy has been productive of
the most scandalous and unchristian conduct, of adultery, unheard-
of licentiousness and other abominable crimes prevalent among
the clergy, as some of the dignitaries at Rome have themselves
often confessed and lamented ; it is a lamentable thing that the
Christian estate of matrimony has not only been forbiddeD, but in
some places speedy punishment been presumptuously inflicted, as
though it were a heinous crime !
Matrimony is moreover declared a lawful and honourable estate
by the laws of your imperial majesty, and by the code of every
empire in which justice and law prevailed. Of late, however, in
nocent subjects, and especially ministers, are cruelly tormented on
account of their marriage. Nor is such conduct a violation of the
divine laws alone; it is equally opposed to the canons of the
church. The apostle Paul denominates that a doctrine of devils
which forbids marriage.1 And Christ says,2 ' The devil is a mur
derer from the beginning.' For that may well be regarded as a
doctrine of devils which forbids marriage and enforces the prohi
bition by the shedding of blood.
But as no human law can abrogate or change a command of
God, neither can any vows produce this effect. Therefore Cyprian
admonishes that if any woman do not observe the vow of chastity,
it is better for her to be married. In Lib. I. Epist. II., he says,
" But if they either will not, or cannot preserve chastity, it is
better that they marry, than that they fall into tbe fire by their
lusts : and let them beware, that they do not cause scandal to the
brethren and sisters." And all the canons observe more lenity
and justice towards those who assumed the vow of celibacy in
youth, as is generally the case with priests and monks.
TOPIC III. — OF THE MASS.3
[It is unjustly charged against our churches, that they have
abolished the Mass. For it is notorious that the Mass is celebrated
. ' Tim. 4 : 1-3. » John 8 : 44.
' To prove how entirely the Reformers changed the'views which they
here express concerning even a modified mass, we subjoin to this Topic
an extract from the Smalcald Articles, written by Luther himself (in 1537),
seven years after the publication of the Augsburg Confession.

288 ABUSES CORRECTED.
among us with greater devotion and seriousness than by our oppo
nents. Our people are also instructed repeatedly, and with the
utmost diligence, concerning the design and proper mode of re
ceiving the holy sacrament : namely, to comfort alarmed con
sciences; by which means the people are attracted to the commu
nion and the mass. We at the same'time give instruction against
other erroneous doctrines concerning the sacrament. In the public
ceremonies of the mass, also, no other perceptible change has been
made than that at several places German hymns are sung along
with the Latin in order to instruct and exercise the people ; since
all ceremonies are chiefly designed to teach the people what it is
necessary for them to know concerning Christ.
But as the Mass has heretofore evidently been abused in various
ways, so that an annual fair was made, at which masses were
bought and sold, and the greater part of them in all churches
were performed for money ; this abuse has repeatedly been cen
sured by learned and pious men of former times. And since our
ministers have preached, and the priests have been reminded of,
the fearful threat which should naturally influence every Chris
tian — that whoever receives the sacrament unworthily is guilty of
the body and blood of Christ — these money-masses and closet-
masses, which were hitherto performed from coercion, for the sake
of money and the benefices, have ceased in our churches.
At the same time that monstrous error was condemned, which
taught that Christ the Lord has made satisfaction by his death
only for natural depravity, and had instituted the Mass as a sacri
fice for all other sins; and thus made the mass a sacrifice for the
living and the dead, thereby to take away sin and reconcile God.
Hence, also, arose the controversy, whether a mass performed for
a number of persons collectively was as efficacious as a separate
mass for each individual. Hence originated the incalculable mul
titude of masses, by which works men expected to obtain every
thing they needed from God, and thus faith in Christ and true
worship of God were forgotten.
Instruction was therefore given, as recognised by the necessity
of the case, that men might understand the proper use of the
sacrament. And first, the Scriptures abundantly teach that there
is no other sacrifice for original sin, or other sin than the death of

OF THE MASS. 289
Christ alone; for thus it is written to the Hebrews, ch. 9 : 25-28,
and 10 : 10-14, that Christ offered himself once as a sacrifice, and
thereby made satisfaction for all sin. It is an unheard of novelty
in the church, to teach that the death of Christ made satisfaction
only for original sin, and not also for all other sins. Hence, it is
hoped that every one will understand that this was not condemned
unjustly. Secondly. — St. Paul teaches that we obtain grace before God
through faith, and not by works. (Rom. 3 : 22-28). In mani
fest opposition to this is that abuse of the mass, when men vainly
expect to obtain grace by this work. For it is well known that
the mass has been employed in order to remove sin, and to obtain
from God grace and all blessings, not only for the priests them
selves, but also for the whole world, and for others, both living
and dead.
Thirdly. — The holy sacrament was instituted, not as a sacrifice
for sin, for the sacrifice had been made before ; but in order that
our faith may be awakened, and consciences comforted : for they
are reminded by the sacrament that grace and pardon of sin are
promised to them by Christ. Hence the sacrament requires faith,
and is used without any benefit by those who are destitute of
faith. Inasmuch, then, as the Mass is not a sacrifice for others, either
the living or the dead, to take away their sins, but is to be a com
munion at which the priest and others receive the sacrament for
themselves, our custom is, that on holy days, and also at other
times, if communicants are present, we hold mass, and admit to
the communion such as desire it.
We therefore retain the proper use of the Mass, as it was held
in former times in the church, as can be proved from St. Paul,
1. Cor. ii., and also from the writings of many fathers. For St.
Chrysostom states that the priest stood daily and invited some to
communion, and forbade others from approaching. The ancient
canons also show that one of the priests performed the Mass and
administered the communion to the other priests and deacons ; for
the canon of Nice uses this language : " The deacons shall ordi
narily receive the sacrament after the priests from the bishop or
priest."

290 ABUSES CORRECTED.
Inasmuch as no innovations have been attempted upon the cus
toms of the ancient church, and no perceptible change has been
made in the public ceremonies of the Mass, except that the other
unnecessary masses, perhaps introduced by abuse, beside the parish
Mass, have been abolished, this mode of celebrating Mass ought,
in justice, not to be condemned as heretical and unchristian. For
in former times, also, Mass was not celebrated every day, even in
the large churches, where large assemblies were convened on the
days of public meeting; as the Tripartite History, Lib. 9, states
that in Alexandria, it was customary on Wednesday and Friday to
read and expound the Scriptures, and to perform all other parts of
religious worship, without the Mass.]
In refutation of the tolerant views of the Mass above expressed,
let the reader now peruse the following extract from the Smalcald
Articles, written seven years later :
" That the Mass in the Papal Church, must be the greatest and
most terrible abomination, since it is directly and strongly opposed
to this chief article (of justification through faith in Christ); and
yet, of all Papal idolatries, it was the most embellished and ap
plauded. For it was maintained that such offering, or work of the
Mass, even when performed by an artful knave, liberates man
from sins, both in this life and in purgatory — a thing which the
Lamb of God alone can do, as already said. No part of this
article can be yielded or rescinded ; for the first article will not
allow it. But if there be a rational Papist anywhere, we might
speak to him in the following friendly manner : — First, Why do
you still adhere so strenuously to the Mass, since it is a mere
human device, not commanded of God ? And we may safely
abandon all human device, as Christ (Matt. 15:9) says: 'In
vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the command
ments of men.' Secondly, It is an unnecessary thing, which we
can . omit without sin or danger. Thirdly, We can, according to
the institution of Christ, obtain the sacrament in a far better and
a more acceptable- way ; yea, this way is alone acceptable. What
use is it then, to force men into difficulty and misery, for the sake
of a fictitious advantage, when we can have it otherwise more
happily and better? Let the doctrine be publicly preached to
the people, that the Mass, as a human invention, may be left un-

OF THE MASS. 291
observed without sinning, and that no one who does not observe
it will be condemned, but may be saved without the Mass and
through better means, and we will venture to assert that the Mass
will then be discontinued of itself, not only among the illiterate
populace, but also among all pious, sincere, and intelligent Chris
tians ; much more so, if they should hear that it is a dangerous
thing, invented and devised without the Word and will of God.
Fourthly, Inasmuch as incalculable and inexpressible abuses,
resulting from the mercenary purposes to which the Mass has been
devoted, have obtained in all the world, it should be discontinued
for the purpose of restricting these abuses alone, even if the Mass
itself had something useful and good in it. How much rather,
then, should we suffer it to cease, in order to prevent such abuses
perpetually, since it is entirely unnecessary, useless, and dangerous,
and since we can have everything necessary and useful, with cer
tainty, without the Mass. Fifthly, As the Mass neither is, nor can
be, anything else — as the canons and all the books declare — but a
work of man (even of artful knaves), by which each one wishes
to reconcile himself and others to God, and to merit and obtain
grace and remission of sins ; for so, even at best, it is regarded —
and how could it be otherwise ? Consequently, we should and
must condemn and reject it. For this is directly in opposition to
the chief article, which declares that neither a wicked nor a pious
performer of Mass, but the Lamb of God and the Son of God
bears our sins. And if any one, for the purpose of making a
pious appearance, should pretend that he would, as a devotional
exercise, give or administer the Lord's Supper to himself, there
could be no sincerity in this ; for if he had a sincere desire to
commune, it could be administered to him best and most appro
priately in the sacrament according to the institution of Christ.
But for a person to administer tbe Sacrament to himself, is a
human presumption, uncertain and unnecessary, as well as for
bidden. Neither does he know what he is doing, since, without
the Word of God, he follows false conceptions and fantasies of
men. Nor would it be right, if all else were unexceptionable, for
one to use the common sacrament of the church according to his
own caprice, and to sport with it at his pleasure, independently
of the Word of God, and apart from the communion of the church.

292 ABUSES CORRECTED.
This af tide, concerning the mass, will be the main point in the
Council. For if it were possible for them to yield to us in every
other article, yet they cannot yield in this. As Campegius said
at Augsburg : ' He would rather permit himself to be torn in
pieces, than allow the Mass to be discontinued.' So would I
rather, by the help of God, suffer myself to be reduced to ashes,
than permit a performer of Mass with his works, whether he be
good or bad, to be equal or superior to my Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ. Thus we are and remain eternally separated and
opposed to each other. They truly feel, that if the Mass falls,
Popery will cease ; before they would suffer this to come to pass,
they would put all of us to death, if it were possible. Moreover,
this dragon tail of the Mass, has produced a multiplicity of
abominations and idolatries." TOPIC IV.— OF CONFESSION.
[Confession is not abolished by the ministers of our churches.
For it is our custom not to administer the sacrament to those who
have not previously been confessed and absolved. At the same
time, the people are diligently instructed, how consoling the word
of absolution is, and how highly absolution should be valued; as
being not the word or voice of the present (officiating) human
being, but the word of that God who pardons sin ; for it is pro
nounced in God's stead and by his authority. How consoling and
necessary this command, and the power of the keys are for alarmed
consciences, is diligently taught, and also that God requires us to
believe this absolution, just as though his voice resounded from
heaven, and to have the joyful assurance that by this faith we
obtain pardon. Of these necessary articles ministers formerly said
nothing in their instructions on Confession; but they merely
tortured the consciences of their hearers with long details of their
sins, with making satisfaction, with indulgences, with pilgrimages,
&c. And many of our opponents themselves confess, that our
instructions and practice concerning true Christian Penitence are
better than had been inculcated a long time before.
Accordingly we teach concerning Confession, that no one should
be urged to enumerate his individual sins, for this is impossible,
as the Psalmist says (Ps. 19:12): 'Who can understand- his

OF DIVERSITY OF MEATS. 293
errors?' And Jeremiah (17:9) says: 'The heart is deceitful
above all things and desperately wicked.' Poor human nature is
therefore so deeply involved in sins, that we cannot see or know
them all, so that if we were absolved only from those which we
can enumerate, we should have but little relief. It is therefore
unnecessary to urge the people to enumerate their individual sins.
This accords with the teachings of the fathers, as we learn in the
Distinct. I. de Poenitentia, where these words of Chrysostom are
adduced : " I do not say that you should publicly expose yourself,
nor accuse yourself to another, or confess your guilt; but give
heed to the prophet who says, ' Commit thy way unto the Lord.'
(Ps. 37 : 5.) Therefore confess unto God, the Lord, the faithful
judge, in addition to your prayer. Do not repeat your sins with
your tongue, but in your heart." Here it is evident, that Chry
sostom did not require an enumeration of our sins. Thus also the
gloss in Decretis de Poenitentia, Distinct. 5, teaches, that confession
is not commanded in Scripture, but has been instituted by the
church. Yet do our preachers diligently teach that Confession
should be retained, for the sake of the absolution which is the
principal and most valuable thing in it, to bring consolation to
alarmed consciences, as well as for several other reasons.] On the
rejection of this rite by the Lutheran church, see Art. XL, p. 157.
TOPIC V.— OF DIVERSITY OF MEATS.
The doctrine was formerly inculcated that the diversity of meats
and other human traditions were useful, in order to merit grace
and make satisfaction for sin. Hence new fasts, new ceremonies
and new orders were daily invented, and strenuously insisted on
as necessary parts of worship, the neglect of which was attended
with heinous guilt. Thus occasion was given to many scandalous
corruptions in the church.
In the first place, the grace of Christ and the doctrine concern
ing faith are thereby obscured. Yet these doctrines are inculcated
in the gospel with great solemnity, the merits of Christ are repre
sented as of the utmost importance, and faith in the Redeemer is
placed far above all human merits. Hence the apostle Paul
inveighs bitterly against the observance of the Mosaic ritual and

294 ABUSES CORRECTED.
human traditions, in order to teach us that we acquire righteous
ness and grace not by our own works, but by faith in Christ.
This doctrine was however entirely obscured by the notion that
grace must be merited by legal observances, fasts, diversities of
meats, habits, &c.
Secondly, Such traditions were calculated to obscure the divine
law; for these traditions are elevated far above the word of God.
No one was regarded as leading a Christian life, who did not ob
serve these holydays, and pray and fast and dress in this peculiar
manner. Truly good works were regarded as mere worldly matter,
such as fulfilling the duties of our calling, the labors of a father
to support his family and educate them in the fear of the Lord,
that mothers should take charge of their children, that the govern
ment should rule the country, &c. Such works which God has
commanded, were pronounced worldly and imperfect; but these
traditions had the credit of being the only holy and perfect
works. For these reasons, to the making of such traditions there
was no end.
Thirdly, These traditions became extremely burdensome to the
consciences of men. For it was not possible to observe them all,
and yet the people were taught to regard them as necessary parts
of worship. Gerson asserts that many were thus driven to despair,
and some put an end to their own existence because they heard
of no consolation in the grace of Christ. How much the con
sciences of men were perplexed on these subjects, is evident from
the writings of those divines (summistis) who undertook to "com
pile these traditions and seek for mitigations of them (mkixeki;)
to relieve the conscience. So complicated an undertaking did they
find it, that in the mean time the salutary doctrines of the gospel
on more important subjects, such as faith and consolation in afflic
tion, and others of like import, were totally neglected. Accord
ingly many pious men of those times complained that these
traditions served only to excite contention and prevent devout
souls from attaining the true knowledge of Christ. Gerson and
several others uttered bitter complaints on this subject. And
Augustine also complains that the consciences of men ought not
to be burdened with these numerous and useless traditions.
Our divines were therefore compelled by necessity, and not by
COnteilipt Of their snirihinl entwn'nrc tr> „„-..™t tl»  -•' 

OF DIVERSITY OF MEATS. 295
which had grown out of the misapprehension of these traditions.
For the gospel absolutely requires that the doctrine of faith be
steadily inculcated in the churches : but this doctrine cannot be
rightly understood by those who expect to merit grace by works
of their own appointment. We therefore teach that the observ
ance of these human traditions cannot merit grace, or atone for
sins, or reconcile us unto God ; and ought therefore not to be
represented as a necessary part of Christian duty. The proofs of
this position are derived from Scripture. Christ excuses1 his
apostles for not observing the traditions, saying, In vain do they
worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
As he calls this a vain service, it cannot be a necessary one. And
again, Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man.2 Again
Paul says, Tlie kingdom of God is not meat and drink.3 Let no
man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, &c.4 Peter says,
Why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples
which neither our fathers nor we are able to bear ? Butt we
believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall
be saved.5 Here Peter expressly forbids that the consciences of
men should be burdened with mere external ceremonies, either
those of the Mosaic ritual or others. And Paul calls those prohibi
tions which forbid meats and to be married, " doctrines of devils." 6
For it is diametrically contrary to the gospel either to institute or
perform such works with a view to merit pardpn of sin, or under
the impression that no one can be a Christian who does not
observe them.
The charge, however, that we forbid the mortification of our
sinful propensities, as Jovian asserts, is groundless. For our
writers have always given instruction concerning the cross which
it is the duty of Christians to bear. We moreover teach, that it
is the duty of every one by fasting and other exercises to avoid
giving any occasion to sin, but not to merit grace by such works.
But this watchfulness over our body is to be observed always, not
on particular days only. On this subject Christ says, Take heed
to yourselves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged -with sur-
• Matt. 15 : 3, 9. » 15 : 11. ' Rom. 14 : 17.
' Col. 2:16. ¦ Acts 15 : 10. "1 Tim. 4:1,3.

296 ABUSES CORRECTED.
f citing.1 Again, The devils are not cast out except by fasting
and prayer.2 And Paul says, I keep under my body and bring
it into subjection : 3 by which he wishes to intimate, that this
bodily discipline is not designed to merit grace, but to keep the
body in a suitable condition for the several duties of our calling.
We do not therefore object to fasting itself, but to the fact that it
is represented as a necessary duty, and that specific days have
been fixed for its performance, and thus the conscience of men
become confused.
We also retain many ceremonies and traditions, such as the
order (of lessons) in the mass, and other hymns, festivals, &c,
which tend to preserve order in the church. At the same time
the people are taught that such external religious services do not
render them holy before God, and must be observed without bur
dening the conscience ; in such a manner, that if they are omitted
without giving offence, no sin is committed. This same liberty in
external ceremonies the ancient fathers also possessed ; for in the
East the festival of Easter was celebrated at a different time from
that observed at Rome. And as some were disposed to regard
this difference as a division in the church, they were admonished
by others that uniformity in such customs is not necessary.
Irenseus says: "Diversity in fasting does not destroy unity of
faith." Thus also Dislinctio 12 affirms concerning such diversity
in human ordinances, that they are not inconsistent with the unity
of the Christian church ; and the Sistor. Tripartita collects a
number of conflicting ecclesiastical customs, and subjoins this use
ful observation : " The design of the apostles was not to institute
holy-days, but to inculcate faith and love."
TOPIC VI.— OF MONASTIC VOWS.
In speaking of monasticism, it will be requisite to consider the
light in which it has been viewed, the disorders which have occur
red in monasteries, and the fact that many things are yet daily
done in them contrary both to the word of God and the papal
enactments. In the time of St. Augustine, the monastio life was
optional; subsequently, when the doctrine and the discipline of
¦ Luke 21 : 34. a Matt. 17 : 21. * Cor. 9 : 27.

OF MONASTIC VOWS. 297
monasteries were corrupted, vows were invented in order that the
evil might be remedied as it were by a species of incarceration.
In addition to these monastic vows, numerous other burdens were
invented, by which many persons were oppressed even during
their minority. Many adopted this mode of life through igno
rance, who, though of riper years, were not fully acquainted with
their infirmity. All these, in whatever way they may have been
enticed or coerced into these vows, are compelled to remain,
although even the papal regulations would liberate many of them.
And this has been more oppressive in nunneries than in monas
teries, although it would have been becoming to spare the females,
as being more delicate. This severity has frequently been cen
sured by many pious persons in former times ; for they well knew
that both boys and girls were often thrust into these monasteries
merely for the purpose of being supported. They saw also the
deplorable consequences of this course, what offences and burden
ing of conscience it caused, and many have complained that the
canons have been so grossly disregarded in so dangerous a matter.
Monastic vows were also represented in a very improper light, so
as to be disapproved even by some of the monks themselves.
They were represented as equal to baptism, and as a method of
deserving pardon and justification before God; yea, as being not
only a meritorious righteousness, but also the fulfilment of the'
commands and counsels of the gospel, and as superior to baptism.
They also taught that the monastic life was more meritorious than
all the other professions which God appointed, such as that of
minister and pastor, rulers, princes, lords, &c., &c, as their own
books will prove, and they cannot deny. In short, he that has
been enticed into a monastery, will learn but little of Christ.
Formerly schools were kept in monasteries, in which the Scrip
tures and other things useful to the Christian church, were taught,
so that ministers and bishops could be selected from them ; but
now the case is very different. Formerly they entered monaste
ries for the purpose of studying the Scriptures; but now they
pretend that the monastic life is so meritorious as to deserve the
grace of God ; yea, that it is a state of perfection far superior to
those modes of life which God himself has commanded. All this

298 ABUSES CORRECTED.
we here adduce without any detraction, in order that it may be
the better understood what and how we preach and teach.
In the first place, we teach that all who do not feel inclined to
a life of celibacy, have the power and right to marry. Their vows
to the contrary cannot annul the command of God.1 "Neverthe
less, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and
let every woman have her own husband." To this course we are
urged and compelled, both by the divine precepts, and the general
nature of man, agreeably to the declaration of God himself : " It
is not good for man to be alone, I will make an help-meet for
him."2 Now what can be adduced against this ? However highly vows
and duty may be extolled, they may be dressed up as much as
possible, yet the commands of God cannot be abrogated by them.
The doctors affirm that vows are not binding which contravene
papal laws — how much less can they be obligatory or possess
force against the law of God ?
If there were no 'other reasons why the obligation of vows might
be annulled, the popes would not have granted dispensations from
them; for it does not. become any man to abolish duties arising
from the laws of God. Therefore, the popes have wisely consid
ered that in this obligation equity must be observed, and have
repeatedly granted dispensations, as in the case of the King of
Arragon, and many others. Since, therefore, dispensations have
been granted for the attainment of temporal objects, how much
more reasonable is it to grant them on account of some necessity
of the soul ?
Again, why do our opponents so strenuously insist on the invio
lability of vows, without first inquiring whether the vow is a
proper one ? For a vow should contemplate possible things, and
be voluntary and unconstrained. But how perpetual chastity is
in the power and ability of man is well understood : and there are
few, either males or females, who have made the monastic vow
deliberately and of their own accord. They are persuaded to take
the vows of monastic life before they have attained their proper
senses ; and sometimes also they are compelled and urged to it.
» 1 Cor. 7:2. > Gen. 2 : 18.

OF MONASTIC VOWS. 299
Therefore it is not just that men should dispute so rashly and
severely of the obligation of vows, seeing all concede that it is
contrary to the nature and form of a vow, that it should not be
made voluntarily, with proper counsel and due deliberation.
Several canons and papal laws annul those vows which were
made under fifteen years of age : for they hold that persons under
that age have not sufficient understanding to decide upon their
entire course of life.
Another canon concedes still more years to human infirmity :
for it forbids any one to make the monastic vow under eighteen
years of age. By this canon the greater part of the inmates of.
monastic institutions are excused, and have cause to leave them,
for they generally entered them in childhood, prior to that age.
Finally, if even the violation of monastic vows might be censured,
it would still not follow that their marriages should be dissolved.
For Augustine, in his 27 Qusest. 1 cap. Nuptiarum, says such
marriages should not be dissolved. And St. Augustine has always
been held in high repute in the Christian church, although some
have since taught differently.
Although the divine precept concerning marriage, already
absolves many from their monastic vows, our writers assign many
other reasons to demonstrate that they are not binding. Every
species of worship invented by men, without a divine precept, in
order to merit justification and grace, is contrary to the gospel and
will of God. As Christ himself says, "But in vain do they wor
ship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." '
Coincident with this is the doctrine of Paul, that we should not
seek our righteousness in our own services, invented by men ; that
true righteousness in the sight of God must be sought iu faith,
and in our confidence in the mercy of God through Christ, his
only Son. But it is notorious, that the monks represent their
fictitious righteousness as amply sufficient to merit the pardon of
sin and divine grace. But what is this else than to rob the merits
of Christ of their glory, and to deny the righteousness of faith ?
Hence it follows that these vows were unjust and a false worship,
and of course not binding. For a vow to do anything contrary to
1 Matt. 15 : 9.

300 ABUSES CORRECTED.
the divine command, that is, an oath improper in itself, is not
obligatory, as even the canons declare ; for an oath cannot bind
us to sin.
St. Paul says to the Galatians,' " Christ is become of no effect
unto you, whosoever are justified by the law; ye are all fallen from
grace." Those, therefore, who would be justified by their vows,
have abandoned the grace of God through Christ : for they rob
Christ of his glory, who alone can justify us, and transfer this
glory to their vows and monastic life.
It cannot be denied that the monks taught and preached that
they are justified and merit pardon of sin by their vows and mo
nastic life ; yea, they have invented and affirmed things still more
unbecoming, namely, that they can communicate their good works
to others. Now, if any one desired to urge this matter with rigor
and dress up all these charges against them, how many things
could he not collect, of which the monks themselves would now
be ashamed, and what they would gladly deny ? Above all this,
they have persuaded the people that these spurious religious
orders constitute Christian perfection. This is certainly to glory
in works that we may be justified by them. Nor is this a small
offence in the Christian church, to inculcate on the people such a
system of worship, invented by man and unauthorized by the law
of God, and to teach them that such worship makes men pious
and just before God. For the righteousness of faith, which should
be most insisted on in the church, thus becomes obscured when
the people are made to stare at this rare angelic spirituality, and
false pretence of poverty, humility, and chastity.
It is, moreover, a corruption of the divine law and of true wor
ship, to hold up the monastic life to the people as the only perfect
one. For Christian perfection consists in this, that we love and
fear God with all our heart, and yet combine with it sincere re
liance and faith in him through Christ : that it is our privilege
and duty to supplicate the throne of grace for such things as we
need in all our trials, and in our respective callings ; and to give
diligence in the performance of good works. It is in this that
true perfection consists, and the true worship of God, but not in
begging, or in a black or white hood.
' Gal. 5 : 4.

OF THE POWER OF THE BISHOPS OR CLERGY. 301
But the common people are led into many injurious opinions by
the false commendation of monastic life. When they hear a life
of celibacy applauded without measure, it follows that their con
science is oppressed in their married state; for when the common
people hear that the mendicants alone are to be regarded as perfect,
they cannot feel assured that they are not guilty of sin, in holding
worldly possessions and pursuing a worldly calling. When the
people hear that it is merely a counsel not to take revenge, the
consequence is, that some imagine they can take revenge in pri
vate life without sin. Some suppose that revenge is entirely unbe
coming in a Christian, even in a Christian government. And we
read of many examples of persons who have forsaken their wives
and children, and also the duties of civil government, and confined
themselves in monasteries. They regarded this as fleeing from
the world, and seeking such a life as is more pleasing to God than
any other. They could not understand that it is our duty to serve
God according to those commands which he has given, and not
those invented by men. But that is certainly a good and perfect
state of life which is sanctioned by the law of God, whilst that is
a dangerous condition or mode of life which is unauthorized by the
divine law.
Jt was necessary to give good instructions to the people on such
subjects. Gerson also, in former times, censured the error of the
monks in regard to perfection, and shows that in his day it was a
novelty to assert that the monastic life is a state of perfection. So
numerous are the ungodly opinions and errors which adhere to mo
nastic vows, that they justify the sinner and make him pious
before God ; that they constitute Christian perfection ; that in
taking them, we obey both the counsels and precepts of the gospel ;
that they have works of supererogation which man does not owe
to God.
Now, as all this is false, groundless, and fictitious, it follows that
monastic vows are void and not binding.
TOPIC VII.— OF THE POWER OF THE BISHOPS OR CLERGY.
Much has been written on this subject in former times, and an
unnatural commixture of civil and ecclesiastical power has been
effected. Extensive wars and rebellions have thus been produced

202 ABUSES CORRECTED.
by the pontiffs, who, under pretence of authority from Christ,
have not only invented new methods of worship, and thus under
penalty of excommunication oppressed the consciences of men, but
even presumed to dethrone kings and emperors at pleasure, and
to place others in their stead ! This presumption has in former
times often been censured by learned and pious men. Hence we
have been compelled to point out the lines of distinction between
civil and ecclesiastical power; and have inculcated the duty of
paying due respect to each, as two of the highest gifts of God upon
earth. Accordingly we teach, that the power of the keys or of
the bishops, according to the gospel, consists in a divine command
and commission to preach the gospel, to remit and retain sins, 'and
to administer the sacraments. For Christ sent forth his disciples
with the command, "As my Father hath sent me, even so I send
you — receive ye the Holy Ghost ; whosesoever sins ye remit, they
are remitted unto them ; and whosesoever sins ye .retain, they are
retained." 2 But this power of the keys or clergy is exercised en
tirely by the doctrine and preaching of God's word and the admin
istration of the sacraments to few or many, according to our
calling. For thereby are conferred not temporal but eternal bless
ings, such as everlasting righteousness, the Holy Spirit, and eternal
life. These blessings cannot be obtained in any other way than
through the ministry of the word and the sacraments. For the
apostle Paul says, " The gospel is the power of God unto salvation
to every one that believeth." Inasmuch, then, as the power of
the church or of the clergy confers only spiritual gifts, and is
exerted through the preaching of the gospel, it cannot interfere
with the civil government. For the latter relates to matters en
tirely different, and protects not the souls of men, but their bodies,
against external violence, by the sword and bodily penalties.
The civil and ecclesiastical governments ought, therefore, not to
be united. The church is commanded to preach the gospel and
administer tho sacraments; and ought, therefore, not to interfere
with the powers of the civil government, by dethroning or making
kings, by absolving subjects from allegiance to the civil govern
ment, nor enact laws on subjects belonging to civil legislation.

1 See page 157-161. » l j0hu 20 : 21.

OF THE FOWER OF THE BISnOPS OR CLERGY. 303
Christ himself has taught us, My kingdom is not of this world ; '
and, Who hath made me a judge over you?2 And Paul to the
Philippians,3 says, our citizenship (thus has Luther correctly ren
dered jtoMsvua, biirgerscliaft, and not conversation, as in our Eng
lish version) is in heaven. And again, the weapons of our war
fare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down
of strongholds; casting down imaginations and every high thing
that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God.4
This, according to our view, is the difference between the civil
and ecclesiastical power ; and both are to be regarded and respected
as the greatest gifts of God on earth. If ministers have any
civil office at all, they derive it from their political government,
as the gift of emperors and kings, and it has nothing to do with
their office as ministers of the gospel. The bishop's (i. e., minis
ter's) office, according to divine right, is, therefore, to preach the
gospel, to remit sins, to judge of doctrine, and reject such doc
trines as are contrary to the gospel, to exclude open transgressors
from the Christian Church, without employing any human power,
but simply by the word of God. It is the duty of the church to
give heed to the bishops, according to the declaration of Christ,
He that heareth you, heareth me.5 But if they teach or appoint
anything contrary to the gospel, we are commanded by God him.
self not to obey them : " Beware of false prophets." 6 And Paul
says, " But though we or an angel from heaven, preach any other
gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let
him be accursed."7 And to the Corinthians8 he says, "For we
can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth." Also v. 10 :
" According to the power which the Lord hath given me to edifi
cation, and not to destruction." The ecclesiastical law also com
mands the same thing in 2 Quest. 7, in Cap. Sacerdotes, and in
Cap. Oves. St. Augustine says, in his Epistle against Petilian,
Nor is it our duty to obey those bishops who have been duly
elected, if they err, or teach or command anything contrary to the
word of God.
The other powers and jurisdiction of the bishops (or clergy)
in several matters, such as marriage and tithes, they derive from
' John 18 : 36. *¦ Luke 12 : 14. * Phil 3 : 20.
« 2 Cor. 10 : 4, 5. ' Luke 10 : 16. ' Matt. 7 : 15.

304 ABUSES CORRECTED.
human governments. But if the ecclesiastical judges are negli
gent in their office, it is the duty of the princes to adjudge justice
to their subjects, whether they do it reluctantly or not, for the
sake of preventing discord and dissatisfaction in the country.
Farther, it is disputed whether bishops also have power to pre
scribe ceremonies in the church, such as ordinances concerning
meats, holy-days, and different grades of ecclesiastical officers.
Those who ascribe this power to the bishops, appeal to the declara
tion of Christ, John 16 : 12. "I have yet many things to say
unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the
Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth." They
also adduce the example (of the Apostles) in Acts 15 : 20, where
they prohibited the use of blood and things strangled. In addi
tion to this, they alledge that the Sabbath was changed unto Sun
day (the Lord's day), contrary to the decalogue, as they consider
it ; and no example is urged and referred to so frequently as the
change of the Sabbath, by which they wish to establish the point
that the power of the church is great, as she dispensed with the
decalogue, and made a change in it.
But on this question we teach that the bishops have no power
to determine and appoint anything contrary to the gospel, as is
above proved, and as the ecclesiastical code inculcates through
out the whole of the 9th Distinction. Now it is manifestly con
trary to the word of God, to make or enjoin laws with the view
of thereby making satisfaction for sin and obtaining grace ; for
the honor of the Saviour's merits is tarnished when we presume
to merit grace by such human appointments. It is also notorious
that this opinion in the Christian church has given rise to num
berless human traditions, whilst the doctrine concerning faith and
the righteousness of faith was entirely suppressed. Every day
new holy-days and new fasts were prescribed, new ceremonies and
new honors to the saints were appointed, in order, by these works,
to merit grace and every blessing of God. Again, those who set
up human traditions also violate the law of God when they attri
bute sin to meats, to particular days, and other similar things;
thus burdening Christians with the servitude of the law, as though
they were bound, in order to merit the grace of God, to practice
a mode of worship similar to the Levitical service ; which wor
ship, they alledge, God commanded the apostles and bishops to

OF THE POWER OF THE BISHOPS OR CLERGY. 305
establish. Thus some writers contend, and it is quite credible,
that some bishops (Latin copy, popes) were deceived by the ex
ample of the Mosaic law. Hence originated the numberless tra
ditions, that it is a mortal sin to do any work on holy-days, even
if done without any offence to others ; that it is a mortal sin to
omit the canonical hours ; that some kinds of food pollute the
conscience ; that fasting is such a work as will reconcile God ; that
sin in a reserved case cannot be pardoned, unless the consent of
the reserver be first sought, whereas the ecclesiastical code speaks
not of the reservation of the guilt, but of the penalty imposed
by the church.
For whence have the bishops the authority and power to impose
such injunctions upon Christians — to ensnare the consciences of
men ? St. Peter forbids the imposition of a yoke upon tbe neck
of the disciples (Acts 15 : 10) ; and St. Paul says to the Corin
thians (2 Cor. 13 : 10) that "power was given to him unto edifi
cation, and not to destruction." Why, then, do they multiply
sins by such traditions ? But we have clear passages of the sacred
Scriptures which forbid the appointment of such traditions, as
means to merit the grace of God, or as necessary to salvation.
Thus St. Paul to the Col., 2 : 16, says, " Let no man, therefore,
judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of a holy-day, or of
a new moon, or of the Sabbath days, which are a shadow of things
to come, but the body is of Christ." " Wherefore, if ye be dead
with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living
in the world, are ye subject to ordinances," " Which say, Touch
not this, neither eat nor drink this, haudle not that which all per
sist in the using, and are commandments and doctrines of men,
which have a show of truth." In like manner, Paul to Titus,
1 : 14, publicly forbids that they should " give heed to Jewish
parables and commandments of men, that turn from the truth."
Thus Christ, also, himself, speaking of those who urge the
people to the observance of human ordinances (Matt. 15 : 14),
says, " Let them alone, they are blind leaders of the blind." He
rejects such worship, and declares " Every plant which my hea
venly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." But if bishops
had the power to burden the churches with innumerable traditions,
and to ensnare the consciences, why do the Scriptures so often

306 ABUSES CORRECTED.
forbid the making of human traditions, or paying any regard to
them ? Why do they term them doctrines of devils-? Would
the Holy Spirit have uttered all these admonitions in vain ?
Therefore, since such ordinances which have been appointed,
and been represented as necessary to appease God and merit grace,
are opposed to the gospel, it is utterly unbecoming iu the bishops
to enforce such worship. For it is necessary to preserve the doc
trine of Christian liberty in the Christian church ; namely, that
the servitude of the law is not necessary to justification; as St.
Paul writes to the Galatians (5 : 1) " Stand fast, therefore, in the
liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled
again with the yoke of bondage." For it must always be retained
as the cardinal article of tbe gospel, that we obtain tbe grace of
God by faith in Christ, without any merit of our own, and do not
merit it by any works appointed by men.
And what are we to believe concerning Sunday (the Lord's
day), and other similar ordinances and ceremonies of the church ?
To this inquiry we reply, the bishops and clergy may make regu
lations, that order may be observed in the church, not with the
view of thereby obtaining the grace of God, nor in order thus to
make satisfaction for sins, nor to bind the consciences, to hold and
regard this as a necessary worship of God, or to believe that they
would commit sin if they violated these regulations without of
fence to others. Thus St. Paul to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 11 : 5),
has ordained that women should have their heads covered in the
congregation ; also, that the ministers should not all speak at the
same time in the congregation, but in an orderly manner, one
after auother.
It is becoming in a Christian congregation to observe such order,
for the sake of love and peace, and to obey the bishops and clergy
in these cases, and to observe these regulations so far as not to
give offence to one another, so that there may be no disorder or
unbecoming conduct in the church. Nevertheless, the consciences
of men must not be oppressed, by representing these things as
necessary to salvation, or teaching that they are guilty of sin, if
they break these regulations without offence to others ; for no one
affirms that a woman commits sin who goes out with her head un
covered, without giving offence to the people. Such also is the
ordinance concerning Sunday, Easter, Whitsunday, and similar

OF TnE POWER OF THE BISHOPS OR CLERGY. 307
festivals and customs. For those who suppose that the ordinance
concerning Sunday instead of Sabbath, is enacted as necessary,
are greatly mistaken. For the Holy Scripture has abolished the
Sabbath, and teaches that all the ceremonies of the old law may
be omitted, since the publication of the gospel. And yet, as it
was necessary to appoint a certain day, in order that the people
might know when they should assemble, the Christian church has
appointed Sunday (the Lord's-day) for this purpose, and to this
change she was the more inclined and willing, that the people
might have an example of Christian liberty, and might know that
the observance of neither the Sabbath nor any other day is neces
sary. There have been numerous erroneous disputations published,
concerning the change of the law, the ceremonies of the New
Testament, and the change of the Sabbath, which have all sprunir
from the false and erroneous opinion, that Christians must have
such a mode of divine worship as is conformed to the Levitical or
Jewish service, and that Christ enjoined it on the apostles and
bishops, to invent new ceremonies, which should be necessary to
salvation. The same errors have intertwined themselves with the
Christian church, when the doctrine concerning the righteousness
of faith was not taught and preached in its purity. Some argue
that Sunday ought to be kept, although not on the ground of di.
vine obligation, and prescribe what kind and how much labor may
be performed on holy-days. But what else are such disputations
than snares of conscience ? For although they undertake to miti
gate human traditions and give them a modified explanation, yet
no mitigation Qyti,ii.xeia) can be adopted, as long as the belief of
their necessity is entertained. And this belief must continue as
long as the doctrine concerning the righteousness of faith and of
Christian liberty is unknown. The apostles have commanded
that men should abstain from blood and from things strangled.
But who at present observes their injunction ? And yet those are
not guilty of sin who do not observe it, for the apostles themselves
did not wish to burden the consciences of men with such servi
tude, but prohibited those things for a season, to avoid giving of
fence. For in explaining his ordinance, we must have regard to
the cardinal article of Christian doctrine which is not abrogated
by it.
K/>or.<inliT nmr nf thp old canfms are observed according to their

308 ABUSES CORRECTED.
literal import, and many of these traditions are daily neglected,
even by those who are most diligent in such observances. Nor
can any relief be afforded to the conscience of men unless we
adopt this principle of mitigation, namely, that we must under
stand how to observe those traditions in such a manner as not to
regard them as necessary, or to suppose that conscience is violated
even if their observance is neglected. And the bishops would
readily be obeyed if they did not insist upon exacting obedience
to those traditions which cannot be observed without sin. At
present they prohibit the holy Sacrament in both kinds, and the
marriage of the clergy, and will receive no one until he has taken
an oath not to preach these doctrines, which are nevertheless un
doubtedly accordant with the gospel.
Our churches do not desire that the bishops should make peace
and restore harmony to the detriment of their honor and dignity ;
although, in a case of necessity, it would be proper for. them even
to do this. They merely request that bishops should remove cer
tain unjust burdens, which formerly did not exist in the church,
which were adopted contrary to the usage of the universal church,
and which, although at first there may have been some reason for
their adoption, are not suited to our times. Nor can it be denied
that several traditions were adopted through ignorance. The
bishops ought therefore to have the goodness to mitigate these or
dinances to preserve the unity of the church ; since such a change
would do no injury, and many ordinances appointed by men, were
of their own accord abandoned, in the course of time, as unne
cessary, as the Papal code itself shows. But if they cannot grant
our request, and mitigate or abolish such human ordinances which
cannot be observed without sin, we are bound to follow the direc
tion of the apostles, which commands us to ' obey God rather than
men.' St. Peter forbids the bishops to exercise lordship, as though
they possessed the power to compel the church to do as they
pleased. But the object at which we aim is not to take from the
bishops their power, but we desire and entreat them not to coerce
the conscience to sin. But if they fail to do this, and despise this
petition, then let them remember that they must answer to God
for having, by their severity, caused division and schism in the
church, which it was certainly their duty to prevent.

ABUSES CORRECTED. 309

Conclusion.

The foregoing are the principal subjects of dispute between us.
It were indeed easy to enumerate many other abuses and errors,
but for the sake of brevity we have omitted them. Much com
plaint, for example, has existed concerning indulgences, pil
grimages, and the abuse of excommunication. The clergy have
also had endless disputes with the monks about confession,
burials, funeral discourses, and numberless other subjects. All
these we have omitted for the sake of moderation, in order tbat
the most important points in this matter may the more easily
be understood. Nor should it be supposed, that anything has
been spoken or adduced out of hatred or severity towards any one ;
but we have enumerated only those points, which we regarded it
necessary to adduce and mention, in order that it might the more
easily be seen, that we have adopted nothing, either in regard to
doctrine or ceremonies, that is opposed to the Holy Scriptures or
to the universal Christian church. For, not to indulge in boast
ings, it is notorious and publicly known, that we have labored
with all diligence to prevent any new or impious doctrine from in
sinuating itself into our churches, or from spreading and prevailing
in them.
The above-enumerated articles we have desired to present, in
accordance with the (imperial) Citation, as an exhibition of our
Confession and of our doctrine. If any one should find defects
in it, we hold ourselves ready to furnish him with additional in
formation, on the ground of the divine and Holy Scriptures.
Signed, John, the Elector of Saxony,
George, Earl of Bradenburg,
Ernest, Duke of Luneberg,
Philip, Landgrave of Hesse,
John Frederick, Duke of Saxony,
Francis, Duke of Luneberg,
Wolfgang, Prince of Anhalt,
The Senate and Magistracy of Nuremberg,
The Senate of Reutlingcn.

THE LORD'S DAY.

CHRISTIAN SABBATH.

As the views of the Lord's day, expressed in the last Topic of
the Abuses Corrected, fall far short of the dignity and obligation,
which the Scriptures (as generally understood by the Evangelical
churches of our land), attribute to that day ; and as lax notions of
the divine obligation of the Lord's day cannot fail to be prejudicial
to the interests of piety and the progress of Christ's kingdom ; we
have deemed it a duty to introduce an argument on the opposite
side of this question. The almost universal desecration of the
Christian Sabbath by the different nations of Europe to secular
business and amusements, may in a great degree be traced to the
lax notions of the Reformers on this subject ; and it is no less
pleasing than suggestive to find, that among the efforts of Evan
gelical Christians, especially in Germany and England, for the
revival of genuine Protestant religion and piety, efforts to promote
higher views and holier observance of the Lord's day, hold a
prominent place.
The Reformers erroneously regarded the Sabbath merely as a
Mosaic institution, and did not attribute sufficient weight to the
fact, that it had existed long before the time of Moses, yea had
been instituted by God at the close of the creative week. Now,
that the Sabbath, so far as it was a ceremonial institution, fell to
the ground at the abrogation of tbe Mosaic ritual, is admitted.
But that the abrogation of the Mosaic additions could not annul
the moral obligation of the Sabbath which existed before the time
of Moses, yea, existed from the commencement of the human
race, is equally clear. This obligation to devote one day in seven
to religious purposes, therefore remained, after its ceremonial
(310)

the lord's day, etc. 311
appendages had been abrogated. This obligation the inspired
apostles and the primitive church under their guidance still
acknowledged, and for wise reasons adopted the first day of the
week, instead of the seventh, for these public religious observances.
In inviting the attention of our readers to the important sub
ject of the Christian Sabbath, we address them as American free
men, as those whom the Creator has invested with the power of
moral agents, and to whom he has granted free institutions; as
those, on whom he has devolved the high but arduous duty of
self-government. No despot controls our civil interests : no bigot
has power to infringe our rights of conscience. We are as yet
secure in the enjoyment of life, liberty, and the pursuit of tempo
ral happiness, under the progressive lights of reason and science ;
and in the prosecution of our higher, our immortal interests,
according to the dictates of our own consciences, none daring to
molest us or make us afraid. Both these interests, however, need
to be guarded against dangerous enemies, and both are materially
affected by the proper observance of the Christian Sabbath.
Of the divine obligation to consecrate one day in seven to rest
from secular toil, and to exercises of religious devotion, is strenu
ously urged in Scriptures. The reasons for which it was enacted
at the end of the creative week are equally applicable to all nations
and all generations : " Because in six days the Lord created the
heavens and the earth, and rested on the seventh from all the
works which he had made." And as he created the heavens and
the earth, not for the Jews only, but for all nations, so the example
of his resting and sanctifying the seventh day, must also have been
designed for all. Here we find the original and formal institution
of the Sabbath. In Exod. 20 : 8—11, it is evidently spoken of as
already existing and known. The language, "Remember the
Sabbath day," etc., implies a previous acquaintance with it. _The
fame is true of Exod. 16. Moreover, the declaration of the
Saviour, that the Sabbath was made for man (not alone for the
Jews), forbids the idea of its restriction to the Israelites alone, and
•implies that it was intended for all mankind, and therefore appro
priately instituted at that early day. That the Sabbath was ap
pointed at the time just stated, is moreover sustained by the fact,
that the division of time into weeks was found among the most

312 the lord's day; or,
ancient nations, as far back as history and tradition extend. It
was found among the Egyptians, Assyrians, Phoenicians, Ancient
Chinese, Indians, Arabians, and others. No other rational account
of the general prevalence of the hebdomadal division of time in
the earliest ages of antiquity can be given, than that it was spread
by tradition from the family of Noah, who had derived it from
our first parents.
We claim not that the identical hours must be observed over
the whole earth ; for, unless the night were employed, this would
be physically impossible. Had tbe popular theory of antiquity
proved true, that the earth is an extended plain, the same twelve
hours might have been observed for the active duties of the Sab
bath by all men. But how can the inhabitants of a revolving
sphere, illuminated from one fixed point, all have their Sabbath
day, or any other day, at the same time ? We need scarcely
remind any of you, that if colonies had simultaneously emigrated
from Eden, in opposite directions, and proceeded half round the
globe, they would have been involved in midnight, whilst the
meridian sun illumined their starting point : and if they continued
their progress till they completed the circuit, each having faith
fully kept the seventh day as Sabbath, they would find themselves
observing different days, the one Saturday, and the other Monday ;
the one colony having lost and the other gained a day. But though
the simultaneousness of Sabbatic observance will be conceded as un
necessary, it is evident, that whilst these divergent colonies might
both regularly observe the seventh day, counting from the time
they started, yet when they met, as they would be observing dif
ferent days, they must either have two conflicting Sabbaths, or
one of them must change its day and adopt that of the other.'
' These remarks are strikingly illustrated in the case of the Christians
in Tahiti and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean :
" When the first English missionaries went to Tahiti, they passed round
the Cape of Good Hope, to the east ; and the American missionaries to
Hawaii passed round Cape Horn, to the west. As a necessary conse
quence, there is between them the difference of one day and one night,
in the reckoning of time. And hence, for thirty years there has existed,
and still exists', in the Pacifio Ocean, this singular fact — two groups of
islands, lying nearly north and south of each other, and no farther apart

CHRISTIAN SABBATH. 313
Since the Creator has made it physically impossible to observe the
same hours, or even, in some cases, the same day; does be not
thus evidently teach us, that it was not unalterably the seventh
day of the week, but the religious observance of the seventh portion
of time which essentially constitutes his Sabbath ? while, in the
Old Testament dispensation, the seventh day was confessedly
appointed. During the Mosaic dispensation, the same proportion
of time was reiterated, with various ceremonial injunctions,1 and
the Sabbath, like the rainbow of old, employed as a type or sign *
to the Israelites, without altering its primitive relation to other
than New York and California, and yet their inhabitants, who are Chris
tianized, observe the Sabbath on different days of the week. This
singular fact may be explained, even to the comprehension of children.
Even our young readers are sufficiently acquainted with astronomical
geography to know that the succession of day and night is caused by the
apparent revolution of the sun from east to west, or the actual revolution
of the earth on fts own axis, from west to east. If, then, a person should
set out and travel entirely around the world, in the same direction with
the earth's motion, he would gain one apparent revolution of the sun, or
exactly one day and night. Or, if he should go in the opposite direction,
or with the sun, he would lose one apparent revolution of the sun, or one
day and night. Therefore, if two persons should travel around the earth,
in opposite directions, when they met at the point they started from,
they would differ exactly two days in their reckoning of time ; the one
being one day ahead, and the other one day behind the reckoning of those
who had remained stationary in the place. Or, if they had met on the
other side of the globe, and compared notes, they would have differed
one day ; the one having gained, and the other haviDg lost, just half a
revolution of the earth on its axis.
" This consideration fully explains the above remarkable fact, now ex
isting in the evangelized islands of the Pacific Ocean. If you should go
west to the Sandwich Islands, you find them keeping the Sabbath on the
same day with yourselves. If, then, you should pass almost directly south,
to the Society Islands, you would find that their Sabbath had occurred
the day before yours. Or, if you go from here east, and stop first at the
Society Islands, yon would find them keeping Sabbath on the same day
with yourselves. Then pass north to the Sandwich Islands, their Sabbath
would occur the day after yours."
'Exod. 31: 12-18. Numb. 15 : 32-36. Exod. 34 : 21 ; 35 : 3. Nehem.
10 : 31 ; 13 : 15-21. Jer. 17 : 21, 22.
' Exod. 31 : 13 ; 20 : 12. Deut. 5 : 15. Exod. 23 : 11. Ezek. 20 : 20.
27

314 THE LORD'S DAY; OR,
nations. This ceremonial character and its appendages, which
were peculiar to the Mosaic economy, and " were shadows of
things to come, of which Christ is the body," Paul tells the Collos-
sians (2 : 16) were abolished in the New Testament with the other
types and shadows of the old ; but the primitive design and obli
gation remained to sanctify the seventh portion of time. The
inspired apostles, doubtless for wise reasons, selected the day of our
Lord's resurrection, the first day of the week, for their stated
seventh-day religious services, perhaps to connect the Saviour's
triumph over death and the powers of hell, with the perpetual
public devotions of Christians, and possibly to prevent the cere
monial aspects of the Jewish Sabbath from becoming connected
with that of Christians, to which there would have been a constant
tendency, if the same day had been retained.
That the inspired apostles, and primitive Christians under their
guidance, selected the first day for their regular weekly public ex
ercises, we think, needs no labored argument. Luke the evan
gelist, not only tells us, that the disciples came together on the
first day to break bread, that is, to celebrate the communion, but
he says, on the first day of the week, when ' they came together
for this purpose, Paul preached to them; implying that it was
their custom so to convene. Paul also directs the Christians of
Corinth and Galatia to hold their charitable collections on the first,
or, as St. John calls it, ' the Lord's day,' for the obvious reason,
that then they were assembled. (1 Cor. 16 : 1, 2.) Indeed, the
resurrection of Christ was so decidedly the culminating and
crowning scene in the work of redemption, it was so obviously
the day of triumph for Christ, for Christianity, and for Christians,
that the disciples from the beginning very naturally regarded it as
the day most closely connected with their religion and worship,
and observed it as such. And the divine Saviour himself seems
to have evinced his approbation of the practice. We have no ac
count of his having met with them after his resurrection on the
Jewish Sabbath ; but every instance of his appearance to them
was on the first day of the week, on the Lord's day. It was on
this day that he favored their assembly with his presence, and

Acts 20 : 7.

CHRISTIAN SABBATH. 315
pronounced his benediction, ' Peace be with you.' It was on this
day that he poured out his Spirit upon them, and bestowed the
gift of tongues ; and it was on this day, also, that he revealed
himself and the prophetic history of his church to St. John at
Patmos. (Luke 24 : 36; Levit. 23 : 15, 16; Acts 2 : 1.)
That this day was religiously observed by Christians, in regular
succession during the first three centuries, is evident from the tes
timony of Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Clement of Alex
andria, and Cyprian. Eusebius, of the fourth century, tells us
that Christians were so well known by the fact of their observing
the Lord's day, that the heathen, when wishing to know whether
any person was a disciple of Christ, decided by his answer to the
inquiry, 'Dost thou observe the Lord's day ?' In the fourth cen
tury, Constantine, the first Christian emperor, enacted civil laws,
requiring abstinence from secular labor on the Lord's day ; and
from that time to the present, similar prohibitions, more or less
stringent, are embodied in the code of every Christian nation.
Nor do these United States form an exception. It is true, our
national constitution provided that Congress shall not give the
preference of legal establishment to any form of religion, by which
is meant form of Christianity ; for Christianity was at that time
legally acknowledged in all the colonies, and in several of them,
one or other Christian denomination was established by law in
preference to all others. But though they made no formal enact
ment either of Christianity or the Christian Sabbath, by implica
tion they acknowledged both. The constitution ¦ did not revoke
the well-known existing acknowledgment of Christianity in the
State governments, and itself provides that Sunday shall not be
counted in the ten days, within which bills are ordinarily to be
returned by the President. And the same men who framed that
instrument, also decreed that all the public offices of the Legisla
tive, Judicial, and Executive departments of government shall be
closed on that day. The government also directs all chaplains in
the navy to perform service twice on the Lord's day, and even
prescribes the infliction of penalties, if any members of the crew
are guilty of disorderly conduct on such occasions. In many
States of our Union, where the day of the Lord is grossly dese
crated, the legal provision is satisfactory, if faithfully executed.

316 the lord's day; or,
It is only the negative observation of the Sabbath, abstinence
from secular labor, that civil government has a right to enforce :
far be the day, when our rulers shall venture the dictation of any
particular religious exercises; and should the attempt ever be
made, we trust there will be patriotism enough 'in the land to
defeat it. While yet a British colony, as early as 1705, the
service of civil process was prohibited by law, in Pennsylvania ;
and about ten years after our independence was achieved, in 1794,
a general prohibition of all worldly employment on the Lord's
day was enacted. Similar laws were passed by other State Legis-
tures at an early day. It remains for you, fellow-citizens, to give
efficacy to these laws as well by your faithful example, as by the
infliction of their penalties on transgressors.
And can it be questioned, at this late day, whether this recogni
tion of the Christian Sabbath was the dictate of wisdom in our
fathers ? Can it have been the result of weak-headed superstition ;
or rather, was it not the product of matured civil wisdom, and
enlightened political philosophy ? Do we not recognize in it the
action of minds capable of rising above the clouds of prejudice and
sense, and enjoying a pure and just perception of the highest
interests of humanity, not only present, but prospective, and
eternal ?
To decide this question, let us inquire what are the influences
of the Sabbath on all tbe cardinal interests of man, in his physical,
intellectual, and moral nature. What are called our physical
wants and comforts, constitute by far the larger portion of the ne
cessities and happiness of the mass of the community. Whether
the observance of the Sabbath tends to relieve the one and secure
the other, therefore, presents itself as a most pertinent inquiry to
every friend of his country and humanity.
This is not simply a theological or political question, but a vital
topic of personal and individual economy. Physicians of great
eminence and number have attested that the necessity of a Sabbath
is a law of our physical nature, written by tbe finger of God on
our mental and bodily constitution. The Sabbath is emphatically
the poor man's boon : it relieves the laborer from worldly toil,
from corroding cares of business, and from incessant physical
efforts; thus promotiug health of body, and vigor of mind. Expe-

CHRISTIAN SABBATH. 317
rience has clearly proved the universal necessity of something like
a hebdomadal recess for permanent health and vigor ; has evinced
the claims of the seventh day of rest to be founded in nature as
well as revelation. The bow, never unstrung, loses its elasticity.
Labor unremitted consumes the vital powers of body and mind.
If, therefore, man has no right to commit suicide, he is not autho
rized to labor on the Sabbath, for by so doing he must abridge his
life. God, who knows what is in man, compels us to daily inter
missions of labor, by the alternation of day and night. But this
being insufficient, he has also appointed one day of rest in seven,
by which the recuperative powers of the system are preserved, and
life prolonged.
Dr. Harrison says, "Incessant toil wears out the energies of
man's limited strength." All experience is expressive of, this
universal proposition, that a longer life and a greater degree of
health are the sure results of a careful regard to the command
ment, " Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy." Dr.
Mussey, of Ohio Medical College, a close and enlightened observer
of nature, affirms, " There cannot be a reasonable doubt, that
under the due observance of the Sabbath, life would, on the ave
rage, be prolonged more than one-seventh of its whole period."
Dr. Farre, in his testimony before the Committee of the British
House of Commons, maintains these two positions : 1. " That men
who labor but six days in a week, will be more healthy and live
longer than those who labor seven ; and 2. That they will do more
work, and do it in a better manner." And the distinguished Dr.
Warren, of Boston, confessedly standing in the foremost ranks of
his profession, says, " I concur entirely in the opinion expressed
by Dr. Farre, whom I know to be a physician of the highest
respectability." Scores of other physicians of the first rank in our
country and in England, have testified to the same positions.
Thus it is evident, that the religion of the Sabbath secures the
temporal as well as the spiritual interests of man, by reinvigorating
his physical energies. But it also advances the same object by
increased moral impulse. With motives drawn from eternity, it
enforces those habits of integrity, industry, frugality, and fore
thought, in "providing for them that are of our own household,"
which naturally secure the comfort of families and the prosperity

318 the lord's day; or,
of nations. Does the amount of our profits depend on the labor
performed by us and those in our employment ? It is the observ
ance of the Sabbath which enables us to accomplish more than its
neglect. Does the success of our business depend on the honesty
and trustworthiness of those to whom portions of it must be con
fided ? What can better promote this object than the ordinances
of the Sabbath, by which they and all their doings through the
week are statedly brought under the all-seeing eye of Jehovah,
and fidelity is impressed on them by the anticipated retribution of
eternity ? How many thousands of dollars are lost by employers,
in little petty sums, purloined by laborers and clerks, who would
never allow themselves such liberties, if their consciences were
quickened by the stated ministrations of the Sabbath ! And how
many thousands of cases of gross dishonesty, of larceny, and even
robbery, may be traced to the neglect of the restraining influence
of the Sabbath ! This sacred institution has therefore a just and
urgent claim on all the laboring and business classes, and ought to
receive their hearty and efficient support.
But man is an intellectual as well as a physical being; he par
takes of the nature of angels as weli as of the lower animals, and
it becomes us as philanthropists and as Christians to inquire, how
this second department of our interests is affected by the Sabbath.
So intimate is the connection between sOul and body, so various
and constant the reciprocal influence of tbe one upon the other, as
to have led Dr. Rush to maintain, that for all the purposes of
medical practice, they may be treated as one. Without admitting
the philosophical absurdity, which he does not affirm, that matter
and mind, that flesh and thoughts are the same, the intimacy of
their connection, the. strength of their sympathies, and the con
stancy of their reciprocal influence, are matters of daily observa
tion. Does not tbat which fatigues the body, also disqualify the
mind for action ? And is not occasional stated rest as much a
matter of constitutional necessity, as deeply engraven as a law of
nature and of God on the structure of the mind as of the body ?
All the testimony we have adduced for the necessity and advan
tage of bodily rest, is equally applicable to the mind. Indeed,
if there is any difference, the necessity for occasional mental relax
ation is greater. The neglect of Sabbath rest not only impairs

CHRISTIAN SABBATH. 319
the efficiency of those who are guilty of violence to this law of
their nature, but has often unhinged the most powerful intellects,
and prematurely extinguished the most brilliant lights of literature
and science.
Among the former we may mention, as a melancholy example,
Lord Castlereagh, of England; and of the latter, if we are rightly
informed, a late eminent jurist of Pennsylvania, whose life-strings
seem to have been snapped by over-tension, unrelieved by Sabbath
intermissions. Do not such solemn cases present a powerful
appeal to the sons of genius, in the different professions ? If they
neither fear God or regard man, yet for their own sakes ought
they not to regard this divine institution ? Nor are these cases
rare. The nervous system especially requires rest. " The sacred
quietness of the Sabbath," says Dr. Harrison, " takes off from the
brain that excessive fulness of blood which the mental and bodily
exercise of six days is calculated to produce." "And the working
of the mind," says Dr. Farre, "in one continued train of thought,
is destructive of life in the most distinguished class of society, and
senators themselves need reform in this particular. I have
observed many of them destroyed by neglecting this economy in
life." But the whole of man is not discussed, when his physical and
intellectual nature has been viewed. The highest, the noblest, the
moral powers, yet remain : those which, rightly improved, make
the good man kin to angels ; those which give proper direction to
all his energies on earth, and qualify him for taking his place in
the ranks of the ministering spirits in heaven. It is these powers
that the Sabbath is especially calculated to cultivate. These it
elevates and links in sympathy to the throne of God, and by thus
bringing our whole life into near relation with eternity and heaven,
diffuses the fragrance of the better world over the occupations and
enjoyments of this. The faithful consecration of the Sabbath gives
a higher direction to the efforts of the individual; it purifies and
elevates the intercourse and enjoyments of the domestic ami -neial
circles ; it is a balance-wheel to the nation amid the heaviugs and
commotions of the political elements ; it promises to bind nations
together in the bond of one united brotherhood; and it conducts
the Church universal, as the light of the world, through the wil-

320 the lord's day; or,
derness of life, to that eternal Sabbath in heaven, of which it is on
earth the delightful emblem. Let us contemplate these influences
a little more in detail.
Must we not all concede, that man, as an individual, has various
adverse influences to contend with ? Do not his passions natu
rally tend to earth ? Is he not in danger, in the pursuit of earthly
enjoyments and possessions, to forget his eternal destiny? Amid
the fascinations of pleasure, the delusions and infatuation of wealth
and honor and power, is he not in danger of regarding these as
ends instead of means, and mistaking them for his chief good ?
How necessary and salutary to him must be the influence of the
Sabbath, which, by statedly interrupting bis career, and invitiog
him to the house of God, teaches him the guilt and danger of his
error, shows him the proper use of every earthly good, and points
him to that hereafter where he must render an account, not only
of all the earthly advantages he possessed, but also of the manner
in which he acquired them !
How many individuals, through neglect of Sabbath ordinances,
have had the sense of moral obligation effaced from their minds,
and, in an hour of temptation, have fallen into dishonesty or other
crime, involving themselves and their family in ruin and disgrace !
In bow many Sabbath-breaking families are there discord and
envyings and jealousy, which the ordinances of God's holy-day
would allay ! What can be better calculated to commend to hus
band and wife mutual forbearance and affection, to teach children
to love and obey their parents, to cultivate mutual affection for
each other, and thus to make the family on earth, in some humble
measure, resemble the family in heaven ? May not many unhappy
families here 'see the cause of their misfortunes? Need parents
wonder at the disobedience, or dishonesty or dissipation of their
children, if they have withheld from them the restraining, purifying
influence of Sabbath ordinances, if they have taught them by their
own example, that the doctrines and duties inculcated by religion
are of no importance ?
What better corrective can be applied to the corrosions of envy,
jealousy, and strife in social circles, than to have their members
statedly convened in the house of God, and to sit under the puri
fying, harmonizing, elevating influence of the Gospel ? There the

CHRISTIAN SABBATH. 321
rich and the poor are brought together, where the distinctions of
riches are forgotten. There all are taught humility in the pre
sence of Jehovah, whilst the infinite sublimity and elevation of the
Creator over his creatures, throws into the shade the little hair
breadth differences between the creatures themselves. There rulers
are taught to feel on an equality with those they govern, to feel
that they have a ruler over them, to whom they must render an
account for their public and official, no less than their private
actions. In short, the interests and influence of the Sabbath are
identical with those of religion itself, and of the church of God.
Well did the French infidels understand this connection, when,
during their reign of terror, they abolished the Sabbath, and sub
stituted the tenth day for a time of rest, as the surest method of
obliterating Christianity itself from the minds of men.
Far be it from us to stigmatize as infidels all who differ from us
on the sanctification of the Sabbath ; yet it cannot be denied, that
just in as far as they promote its desecration, they actually under
mine one of the main pillars of the Christian church, and sacrifice
the highest interests of our race. Is it not mainly by the exercises
of the Sabbath, that sinners are converted from the paths of error
and added to the people of God ? That members of the church
are instructed in their duties and quickened in their discharge ?
That they are taught to feel their high and holy calling to be the
salt of the earth and the lights of the world ? In sho.rt, is it not
by the stated ordinances of the Lord's day, that the Christian
church publishes and extends those high and holy principles of
moral purity, benevolence and charity, of good will towards men
and glory to God in the highest, by which the family of man are
to be united in one universal brotherhood ; by which all violence
and oppression, and wars and rumors of wars are eventually to be
banished from the earth, and this world of sin and misery to be
brought under the benign and happy reign of the Prince of Peace ?
Surely, then, the highest interests of all men are wrapped up in
the proper consecration of the Sabbath, nor can he be regarded as
their enlightened friend, who allows himself directly or indirectly
to lend his aid to bring into disrepute that ordinance of heaven,
"Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy."
If these views be correct, fellow-citizens, how greatly is it to

322 TnE lord's vjHy; or,
be deplored, that so many in our land yet act in violation of them !
Of the openly vicious, who spend the day in rioting and drunk
enness, we do not now speak. They can be effectually restrained
only by the arm of the law. But how many, who are otherwise
moral men and good citizens, desecrate this holy day ! How many
merchants travel to or from the marts of business ! How many
farmers on the highways deny to themselves and their teams that
rest which God designed for them, and which they have no right
to withhold from the irrational animals that toil for their benefit !
And are there not great men who have lent their influence to
Sabbath desecration ? Do not some dignified judges employ the
Sabbath in reaching their place of business, thus lending their
potential example to promote that immorality which they are wont
officially to deplore ? Yea, are there not some professed disciples
of him who was the Lord of the Sabbath, who allow themselves,
for other than works of necessity and mercy, to invade the sacred
hours of that holy day ? We implore all of every class who feel
guilty, to reflect upon the influence of their . example. If it is
allowable for you to disregard this holy day, why is it not equally
so for all others ? And what would thus become of the Lord's
day, of the order of society, of the stability of our civil institu
tions, of the church of God, of the best interests of our race ?
The conservatory influence by which alone the Sabbath can be
rescued from continued desecration, cannot be expected to emanate
from the unprincipled and irreligious. It is therefore to those
otherwise virtuous, to the disciples of Christ, and especially to
ministers of the gospel, that we make our appeal. We beseech
you to unite your influence in sustaining the laws which prohibit
all secular labor on the Sabbath, and to extend and deepen the
popular conviction of the importance, benevolence, and salutary
tendency of the proper observance of that day of rest.
Especially, also, should you exert your influence to rescue the
public works throughout our land from heing perverted to Sabbath
desecration. Is it not a melancholy fact, that the spirit of moral
anarchy which is abroad in the world, has seized the grandest in
ventions of the age, and made the discoveries of science tributary
to the cause of iniquity instead of holiness, of Satan instead of
God ; and instead of erecting them into pillars to support the fair

CHRISTIAN SABBATH. 323
temple of our liberties, has converted them into battering-rams to
shatter its walls ? Yes, is it not true, that our public works are
vast engines of Sabbath desecration ? Are not our railroads and
canals, with few praiseworthy exceptions, so many great channels
through which a regular stream of Sabbath desecration, week after
week, flows throughout the length and breadth of our land ? This
need not, and ought not to be so. The laws of many states nei
ther require nor justify it ; and all friends of our country should
unite in respectful but urgent appeals to canal commissioners and
railroad companies for speedy reform. If further legislative action
is deemed requisite, all true patriots and Christians should cordially
cooperate in obtaining it.
Amongst the most fruitful sources of crime in our country is
Sabbath desecration. Of one hundred men admitted to the Mas
sachusetts state prison in one year, nine out of ten had been habi
tual violators of the Lord's day and neglecters of public worship ;
and the keeper affirms that hundreds of convicts have lamented
their desecration of the Sabbath, as the first and fatal step in
their downward progress to ruin. Self-interest, therefore, as well
as patriotism, philanthropy, and religion, call on us to be active
in removing these prolific sources of human misery, and crime,
and public expenditure. The proper observance of the Sabbath
will do more to suppress criminal offences, and to secure the rights
of person and property, than all the jails, penitentiaries, and gib
bets in the land. For the Sabbath was designed, not only to vin
dicate the rights of God to our adoration, love, and obedience,
but also to promote the security and happiness of man, and the
requisite repose even for irrational animals in our employment ;
which, if permitted to rest one day in seven, will do more work
in the remaining six, will live longer, and enjoy better health.
Nor are we without encouragement in this enterprise. The
God of the Sabbath has smiled on the efforts of his children.
Great progress has been made in waking up public attention.
Numerous conventions have been held in different parts of the
country, and the first intellects of the nation have brought the
tribute of their influence and prayers. Sabbath mails have been
stopped on about 100,000 miles of road, and thus thousands of
persons previously employed on the Lord's day have been restored

324 THE LORD'S DAY; OR, CHRISTIAN SABBATH.
to its rest and privileges. Sabbath-breaking, ¦ by travelling and
other secular pursuits, is becoming more disreputable. Steam
boats, canal-boats, and stages have been discontinued on some
routes ; and there is every reason to believe that if the wise, and
good, and patriotic of our land persevere, and especially if minis
ters of the gospel generally bring the influence of the pulpit to
bear on this subject, the day is not far distant when, by the bless
ing of the God of the Sabbath, the greater part of our nation
will be, at least externally, a Sabbath-keeping people.
But let us remember at every step of our progress, that absti
nence from secular employment does not constitute the whole of
Sabbath consecration, though it is all that the arm of civil power
can or ought to enforce. Let us at the same time, by the light
of our example, and by the kindly influence of moral suasion,
invite our fellow-citizens to the higher, the spiritual consecration
of the day of God. Especially, let the attractive influences of
the Christian pulpit exert their power and carry on the blessed
work, by diffusing intelligence, by inculcating correct principles,
and, through the aid of the Spirit, by cherishing that love to God
and love to man which constitutes the best worship of the Cre
ator. Thus combining external with internal consecration, we
shall yield acceptable obedience to the command of Jehovah, to
remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy; individual and do
mestic happiness will be diffused throughout our borders, the
pillars of our government will be strengthened, the Church of
God in all her branches will prosper, and our nation enjoy the
blessedness of that people whose God is the Lord ! '
1 See the writer's Appeal in behalf of the Christian Sabbath, published
by the American Tract Society.

DIE AUGSBURGISCHE CONFESSION,
ODER
GLAUBENS-BEKENNTNISZ.  * 
DER I. ARTIKEL.
VON GOTT, DER ALLERHEILIGSTEN DREIEINIGKEIT.
Erstlich wird eintriichtiglich gelehrt und gehalten, laut des
Beschlusses Concilii Nicaeni, dasz ein einig ' gottlich Wesen sey,
welches genannt wird und wahrhaftiglieh ist Gott, und sind doch
drei Personen in demselbigen einigen gbttlichen Wesen,2 gleich
gewaltig, gleich ewig, Gott Vater, Gott Sohn, Gott heiliger Geist;
alle drei Ein gottlich Wesen,3 ewig, ohne Stiick, ohne End, uner-
meszlicber Macht, Weisheit und Giite, ein Schopfer und Erhalter
aller sichtbaren und unsichtbaren Dinge. Und wird durch das
Wort Persona verstanden nicht ein Stiick, nicht eine Eigenschaft
in einem Andern, sondern das selbst besteht, wie denn die Vater
in dieser Sache dies Wort gebraucht haben.
Derhalben werden verworfen alle Ketzereien, so diesem Artikel
zuwider sind, als Manichaei, die zwei Gotter gesetzt haben, einen
bosen nnd einen guten. Item Valentiniani, Ariani, Eunomiani,
Mahometisten, und alle dergleichen, auch Samosateni, alte und
neue, so nur Eine Person setzen, und von diesen zweien : " Wort
und heiligem Geist," Sophisterei machen und sagen, dasz es nicht
miissen unterschiedene Personen seyn, sondern Wort bedeute leib-
lich Wort oder Stimme, und der heilige Geist sey erschaffene
Regung in Creaturen.
• 5. Mose 6 : 4. Matth. 19 : 17. Marc. 12 : 28—33.
3 Matth. 28 : 13. 2. Cor. 12 : 13.
" 1. Joh. 5 : 7.
oe (325)

326 DIE AUGSBURGISCHE CONFESSION,
DER II. ARTIKEL.
VON DER ERBSUNDE.
Weiter wird boi uns gelehrt, dasz nach Adams Fall alle Men
schen, so natiirlich geboren werden, in Siinde empfangen und
geboren werden,' das ist, dasz sie alle von Mutterleib an voUer
bbser Lust und Neigung smd,2 und keine wahre Gottesfurcht,
keinen wahren Glauben an Gott von Natur haben konnen, dasz
auch dieselbige angeborne Seuche und Erbsiinde wahrhaftiglieh
Siinde sey, und verdamme alle die unter ewigen Gottes Zorn,3 so
nicht durch die Taufe und heiligen Geist wiederum neu geboren
werden.4 Hieneben werden verworfen die Pelagianer und Andere, so die
Erbsiinde nicht fur Siinde halten, damit sie die Natur fromm
machen durch naturliche Krafte, zu Schmach dem Leiden und
Verdienst Christi.
DER III. ARTIKEL.
VON DEM SOHNE GOTTES.
Item5 es wird gelehrt, dasz Gott der Sohn sey Mensch worden,6
geboren aus der reinen Jungfrau Maria, und dasz die zwei Naturen,
gottliche und menschliche, in Einer Person, also unzertrennlich
vereinigt,7 Ein Christus sind, welcher wahrer Gott und Mensch
ist, wahrhaftig geboren, gelitten, gekreutziget, gestorben und be
graben, dasz er ein Opfer8 ware nicht allein fur die Erbsiinde,
sondern auch fur alle andere Siinde,9 und Gottes Zorn versohnete.
Item, dasz derselbige Christus sey abgestiegen zur Holle,10
wahrhaftig am dritten Tage von den Todten auferstanden, aufge-
fahren gen Himmel, sitzend zur Rechten Gottes, dasz Er ewig
herrsche iiber alle Creaturen und regiere, dasz Er alle, so
' Psalm 51 : 7. Rom. 5 : 12. » 1. Mose 8 : 21. Eom. 7 : 5 ff.
• Ephes. 2 : 1—7. « Joh. 3 : 5.
1 D. i. " desgleichen." = Joh. 1 : 14. Phil. 2 : 5—8.
' Co1- 2 : 9' 8 Eph. 5:2. 1. Petr. 2 : 24.
' ]- Joh- 1 : 7. 2 : 2. »1, Petr. 3 : 19. Ephes. 4 : 9.

ODER GLAUBENS-BEKENNTNISZ. 327
an Ihn glauben, durch den heiligen Geist heilige, reinige, st'arke
und troste, ihnen auch Leben und allerlei Gaben und Giiter aus-
theile, und wider den Teufel und wider die Siinde schiitze und
beschirme.1 Item, dasz derselbige Herr Christus endlich wird offentlich
kommen, zu richten die Lebendigen und die Todten, u. s. w.,
laut des Symboli Apostolorum.
DER IV. ARTIKEL.
VON DER RECHTFERTIGUNG.
Weiter wird gelehrt, dasz wir Vergebung der Siinden und Ge-
rechtigkeit vor Gott nicht erlangen mogen durch unser Verdienst,
Werk und Genugthun, sondern dasz wir Vergebung der Siinden
bekommen und vor Gott gerecht werden aus Gnaden, um Christus
willen-, durch den Glauben, so wir glauben, dasz Christus fiir uns
gelitten hat, und dasz uns um seinetwillen die Siinde vergeben,
Gerechtigkeit und ewiges Leben geschenkt wird. Denn diesen
Glauben will Gott fiir Gerechtigkeit vor ihm halten und zurech-
nen, wie St. Paulus sagt zu den Rom. am 3. und 4.2
DER V. ARTIKEL.
VOM PREDIGTAMT.
Solchen Glauben zu erlangen, hat Gott das Predigtamt einge-
setzt, Evangelium und Sacramente gegeben, dadurch er, als durch
Mittel, den heiligen Geist gibt, welcher den Glauben, wo und
wenn er will, in denen, so das Evangelium horen3 wirket, welches
da lehret, dasz wir durch Christus Verdienst, nicht durch unser
Verdienst, einen gnadigen Gott haben, so wir solches glauben.
Und werden verdammt die Wiedertaufer und andere, so lehren,
dasz wir ohne das leibliche Wort des Evangelii den heiligen Geist
durch eigene Bereitung, Gedanken und Werke erlangen.
• Ebr. 2 : 14— 18. . ' Vergl. Gal. 1— 4. Eph. 2, u. s. w.
* Rom. 10 : 17. 1. Cor. 1 : 21. Cap. 2.

328 DIE AUGSBURGISCHE CONFESSION,
DER VI. ARTIKEL.
VOM NEUEN GEHORSAM (S. AUCH ART. XX.).
Auch wird gelehrt, dasz solcher Glaube gute Friichte und gute
Werke bringen soil, und dasz man miisse gute Werke thun,1
allerlei, so Gott geboten hat, um Gottes wilkn, doch nicht auf
solche Werke zu vertrauen, dadurch Gnade vor Gott zu verdienen.
Denn wir empfahen Vergebung der Siinde und Gerechtigkeit
durch den Glauben an Christum, wie Christus selbst spricht :s
" So ihr dies alles gethan habt, sollt ihr sprechen : wir sind
untiichtige Knechte." Also lehren auch die Vater. Denn Am
brosias spricht: "Also ist's beschlossen bei Gott, dasz wer an
Christum glaubt, selig sey, und nicht durch Werke, sondern
allein durch den Glauben, ohne Verdienst, Vergebung der Siin
den habe."
DER VII. ARTIKEL.
VON DER KIRCHE.
Es wird auch gelehrt, dasz alle Zeit miisse Eine heilige christ
liche Kirche seyn und bleiben, welche ist die Versammlung aller
Gldubigen, bei welchen das Evangelium rein gepredigt, und die
heiligen Sacra mente laut des Evangelii gereicht werden.3
Denn dieses ist genug zu wahrer Einigkeit der christlichen
Kirche, dasz da eintrachtiglich nach reinem Verstand das Evan
gelium gepredigt und die Sacramente dem gottlichen Worte ge-
miisz gereicht werden. Und ist nicht noth zu wahrer Einigkeit
der christlichen Kirche, dasz allenthalben gleichformige Ceremo-
nien, von den Menschen eingesetzt, gehalten werden, wie Paulus
spricht Ephes. 4. : " Ein Leib, Ein Geist, wie ihr berufen seyd
zu einerlei Hoffnung eures Berufs, Ein Herr, Ein Glaube, Eine
Taufe." 'Jac. 2:17. Ephes. 2 : 10. Matth. 7 :M.
1 Luc. 17 : 10. . ' Matth. 28 : 20. Joh. 8 : 31.

ODER GLAUBENS-BEKENNTNISZ. 329
DER VIII. ARTIKEL
WAS DIE KIRCHE SEY? (ODER VON HEUCHLERN UND BOSEN
KIRCHENDIENERN.)
Item, wiewohl die christliche Kirche eigentlich nichts anders
ist, denn die Versammlung aller Glaubigen und Heiligen, jedoch
dieweil in diesem Leben viel falscher Christen und Heuchler
sind, auch offentliche Sunder unter den Frommen bleiben,' so
sind die Sacramente gleichwohl kraftig, obschon die Priester, da
durch sie gereicht werden, nicht fromm sind, wie deDn Christus
selbst anzeigt Matth. 23. : "Auf dem Stuhl Mosis sitzen die
Pharis'aer," u. s. w. Derhalben werden die Donatisten und alle
Anderen verdammt, so anders halten.
DER IX. ARTIKEL.
VON DER HEILIGEN TAUFE.
Von der Taufe wird gelehrt, dasz sie nothig sey,2 und dasz
dadurch Gnade angeboten werde ;3 dasz man auch die Kinder
taufen soil, welche durch solche Taufe Gott iiberantwortet und
gefallig werden.4
Derhalben werden die Wiedertaufer verworfen, welche lehren,
dasz die Kindertaufe nicht recht sey.
DER X. ARTIKEL.
VOM HEILIGEN ABENDMAHL.
Vom Abendmahl des Herrn wird also gelehrt, dasz [wahrer]
Leib und Blut Christi [wahrhaftiglicK] unterder Gestalt des Brods
und Weins im Abendmahl gegenwdrtig sey, und da ausgetheilt
und genommen wird? Derhalben wird auch die Gegenlehre
verworfen. 1 Matth. 13 : 24—43, 47—50. * Joh. 3 : 5.
• Apostelg. 2 : 38. Tit. 3 : 4 ff. < Marc. 10 : 14—16.
¦ Matth. 26 : 26—28. Marc. 14 : 22—24. Luc. 22 : 19, 20. 1. Cor.
10 : 16, 17. 11 : 23—29.

330 DIE AUGSBURGISCHE CONFESSION,
DER XI. ARTIKEL.
VON DER BEICHTE.
[Von der Beichte wird also gelehrt, dasz man in der Kirche
Privatam absolutionem erhalten, und nicht fallen lassen soil;
wiewobl in der Beicht nicht Noth ist, alle Missethaten und
Siinden zu erz'ahlen, dieweil doch solches nicht moglich ist,
Psalm 18. : " Wer kennet die Missethat ? "]
DER XII. ARTIKEL.
VON DER BUSZE.
Von der Busze wird gelehrt, dasz diejenigen, so nach der Taufe
gesiindigt haben, zu aller Zeit, so sie zur Busze kommen, Ver
gebung der Siinde erlangen mogen, und ihnen [die Absolution] von
der Kirche nicht soil geweigert werden ;' und ist wahre, rechte
Busze eigentlich Reu und Leid oder Schrecken2 haben iiber die
Siinde, und doch daneben glauben an das Evangelium und Abso
lution, dasz die Siinde vergeben, und durch Christum Gnade er-
worben sey, welcher Glaube wiederum das Herz trostet und zu-
frieden macht.3
Darnach soil auch Besserung folgen, und dasz man von
Siinden lasse ; denn dies sollen die Friichte der Busze seyn,
wie Johannes spricht Matth. 3. : " Wirket rechtschaffene Friichte
der Busze."
Hie werden verworfen die, so lehren, dasz diejenigen, so einst
sind fromm worden, nicht wieder fallen mogen. Dagegen werden
auch verdammt die Novatiani, welche die Absolution denen, so
nach der Taufe gesiindigt hatten, weigerten. Auch werden die
verworfen, so nicht lehren, dasz man durch Glauben Vergebung
der Siinde erlange, sondern durch unser Genugthun.
1 Luc. 15 : 18, 19. * 2. Cor. 1 : 10.
3 Luc. 7 : 36- 50.

ODER GLAUBENS-BEKENNTNISZ. 331
DER XIII. ARTIKEL.
VOM GEBRAUCH DER SACRAMENTE.
Vom Gebrauch der Sacramente wird gelehrt, dasz die Sacra
mento eingesetzt sind, nicht allein darum, dasz sie Zeichen seyen,
dabei man iiusserlich die Christen kennen moge, sondern dasz es
Zeichen und Zeugnisse sind gottlichen Willens gegen uns, unsern
Glauben dadurch zu erwecken und zu st'iirken ; derhalben sie
auch Glauben fordern, und dann recht gebraucht werden, so man's
im Glauben empfahet und den Glauben dadurch starkt.
DER XIV. ARTIKEL.
VOM KIRCHENREGIMENT.
Vom Kirchenregiment wird gelehrt, dasz Niemand in der
Kirche offentlich lehren oder predigen oder Sacramente reichen
soil, ohne ordentlichen Beruf.1
DER XV. ARTIKEL.
VON KIRCHENORDNUNGEN.
Von Kirchenordnung, von Menschen gemacht, lehrt man die
jenigen halten, so ohne Siinde mogen gehalten werden, und zu
Frieden und guter Ordnung2 in der Kirche dienen, als: gewisse
Feier, Feste, und dergleichen. Doch geschieht Unterricht dabei,
dasz man die Gewissen nicht damit beschweren soil, als sey solch
Ding nothig zur Seeligkeit. Dariiber wird gelehrt, dasz alle
Satzungen und Tradition, von Menschen dazu gemacht, dasz man
dadurch Gott versbhne und Gnade verdiene, dem Evangelio und
der Lehre vom Glauben an Christum entgegen sind. Derhalben
sind Klostergeliibde und andere Tradition von Unterschied der
Speise, Tag, u. s. w.,3 dadurch man vermeint Gnade zu verdienen,
und fiir Siinde genug zu thun, untiichtig und wider das Evangelium.
"Apostelg. 6:3. 13:1—4. 14:23. 1. Tim. 4:14. Tit. 1:5. Jac. 3:1.
* 1. Cor. 14 : 33, 40. » Vergl. Art. 26, 27, 28.

332 DIE AUGSBURGISCHE CONFESSION,
DER XVI. ARTIKEL.
VON POLIZEI UND WELTLICHEM REGIMENT.
Von Polizei und weltlichem Regiment wird gelehrt, dasz alle
Obrigkeit in der Welt und geordnete Regimente und Gesetze,
gute Ordnung, von Gott geschaffen und eingesetzt sind, und dasz
Christen mogen in Obrigkeit-, Fiirsten- und Richter-Amt ohne
Siinde seyn, nach kaiserlichen und andern iiblichen Rechten
Urtheil und Recht sprechen, Uebelthater mit dem Schwert strafen,'
rechte Kriege fiihren, streiten, kaufen und verkaufen, aufgelegte
Eide thun, Eignes haben, ehrlich seyn, u. s. w.
Hie werden verdamm't die Wiedertaufer, so lehren, dasz der
obangezeigten keines christlich sey.
Auch werden diejenigen verdammt, so lehren, dasz christliche
Vollkommenheit sey Haus und Hof, Weib und Kind leiblich
verlassen, und sich der vorberiihrten Stiicke aussern, so doch dies
allein rechte Vollkommenheit ist : rechte Furchl Gottes und rech-
ter Glaube an Gott. Denn das Evangelium lehrt nicht ein iiusser-
lich, zeitlich, sondern innerlich, ewig Wesen und Gerechtigkeit des
Herzens, und stoszt nicht um weltlich Regiment, Polizei und
Ehestand, sondern will, dasz man solches alles halte, als wahr-
haftige Gottesordnung, und in solchen Standen christliche Liebe
und rechte gute Werke, ein jeder nach feinem Beruf, beweise.
Derhalben sind die Christen schuldig, der Obrigkeit unterthan,
und ihren Geboten gehorsam zu seyn, in allem, so ohne Siinde
geschehen mag; denn so der Obrigkeit Gebot ohn' Siinde nicht
geschehen mag, soil man Gott mehr gehorsam seyn denn den
Menschen. (Apost. Gesch. 4 : 19. 5 : 29.)
DER XVII. ARTIKEL.
VON CHRISTI WIEDERKUNFT ZUM GERICHT.
Auch wird gelehrt, dasz unser Herr Jesus Christus am jiingsten
Tage kommen wird, zu richten, und alle Todten auferwecken, den
1 Rom. 13 : 1—7.

ODER GLAUBENS-BEKENNTNISZ. 333
Gliiubigen und Auserwahlten ewiges Leben und ewige Freude
geben, die gottlosen Menschen aber und die Teufel in die Holle
und ewige Strafe verdammen.
Derhalben werden die Wiedertaufer verworfen, so lehren, dasz
die Teufel und verdammten Menschen nicht ewige Pein und Qual
haben werden.1
Item, hie werden verworfen etliche jiidische Lehren, die sich
auch jetzund ereignen, dasz vor der Auferstehung der Todten eitel
Heilige, Fromme ein weltlich Reich haben und alle Gottlosen
vertilgen werden.
DER XVIII. ARTIKEL.
VOM FREIEN WILLEN.
Vom freien Willen wird gelehrt, dasz der Mensch ptlicher
Maszen freien Willen hat, ausserlich ehrbar zu leben, und zu
wahlen unter denen Dingen, so die Vernunft begreift ; aber ohne
Gnad, Hiilfe und Wirkung des heiligen Geistes vermag der
Mensch nicht, Gott gefallig zu werden, Gott herzlich zu fiirchtenj
oder zu glauben, oder die angeborne Lust aus dem Herzen zu
werfen, sondern solches geschieht durch den heiligen Geist, wel
cher durch Gottes Wort gegeben wird. Denn Paulus spricht
1. Cor. 2 : 14 : "Der natiirliche Mensch vernimmt nichts vom
Geist Gottes.".2
Und damit man erkennen mbge, dasz hierin keine Neuigkeit
gelehrt werde, so sind das die klaren Worte Augustini vom freien
Willen, wie jetzund hiebei geschrieben aus dem 3. Buch Hypo-
gnosticon : —
" Wir bekennen, dasz in alien Menschen ein freier Wille ist ;
denn sie haben je alle natiirlichen, angebornen Verstand und
Vernunft, nicht dasz sie etwas vermogen mit Gott zu handeln,
als : Gott von Herzen zu lieben, zu ftirchten ; sondern allein in
auszerlichen Werken dieses Lebens haben sie Freiheit, Gutes oder
• Jesai. 66 : 24. Dan. 12. 2. Offcnb. 14 : 11. Matth. 25 : 41, 46.
* John. 15 : 1—5. 2. Cor. 3 : 4 ff. Rom. 7.

334 DIE AUGSBURGISCHE CONFESSION,
Boses zu w'ahlen. Gut mein ich, das die Natur vermag, als :
auf dem Acker zu arbeiten oder nicht, zu essen, zu trinken, zu
einem Freuude zu gehen oder nicht, ein Kleid an- oder auszuthun,
zu bauen, ein Weib zu nehmen, ein Handwerk zu treiben, und
dergleichen etwas niitzliches und gutes zu thun, welches alles
doch ohne Gott nicht ist, noch bestehet, sondern alles aus Ihm
und durch Ihn ist. Dagegen kann der Mensch auch Boses aus
eigner Wahl vornehmen, als vor einem Abgott niederzuknieen,
einen Todschlag zu thun," u. s. w.
DER XIX. ARTIKEL.
VON URSACH DER SUNDEN.
Von Ursach der Siinden wird bei uns gelehrt, dasz, wiewohl
Gott, der Allmachtige, die ganze Natur geschaffen hat und erhalt,
so wirket doch der verkehrte Wille die Siinde in alien Bosen und
Verachtern Gottes, wie denn des Teufels Wille ist und aller Gott
losen, welcher alsbald, so Gott die Hand abgethan, sich von Gott
zum Argen gewandt hat, wie Christus spricht Joh. 8 : 44 : "Der
Teufel redet Liigen aus seinem Eigenen." '
DER XX. ARTIKEL.
VOM GLAUBEN UND GUTEN WERKEN.
Den Unsern wird mit Unwahrheit aufgelegt, dasz sie gute
Werke verbieten; denn ihre Schriften von zehn Geboten und
andere beweisen, dasz sie von rechten christlichen Standen und
Werken guten, niitzlichen Bericht und Ermahnung gethan haben,
davon man vor dieser Zeit wenig gelehrt hat, sondern allermeist
in alien Predigten auf kindische, unnbthige Werke, als Rosen-
kriinze, Heiligendienst, Mbnchewerden, Wallfahrten, gesetzte Fa
sten, Feier, Briiderschaften, u.s. w., getrieben. Solche unnbthige
Werke riihnit auch unser Widerpart nun nicht mehr so hoch, als
vor Zeiten ; dazu haben sie auch gelernet, nun vom Glauben zu
' 1. Joh. 1:5. 2 : 15, 16. 3 : 8.

ODER GLAUBENS-BEKENNTNISZ. 335
reden, davon sie doch in Vorzeiten gar nichts gepredigt haben;
lehren dennoch nun, dasz wir nioht allein aus Werken gerecht
werden vor Gott, sondern setzen den Glauben an Christum dazu,
sprechen : Glauben und Werke machen uns gerecht vor Gott,
welche Rede mehr Trostes bringen mbge, denn so man allein
lehrt, auf Werke zu vertrauen.
Dieweil nun die Lehre vom Glauben, die das Hauptsluck ist im
christlichen Wesen, so lange Zeit, wie man bekennen musz, nicht
getrieben worden, sondern allein Werklehre an alien Orten gepre
digt, ist davon durch die Unsern solcher Unterricht geschehen :
Erstlich dasz uns unsere Werke nicht mogen mit Gott ver-
sbhnen und Gnade erwerben, sondern solches geschieht allein
durch den Glauben, so man glaubt, dasz uns um Christus willen
die Siinden vergeben werden, welcher allein der Mittler ist, den
Vater zu versb'hnen.1 Wer nun vermeinet, solches durch Werke
auszurichten, und Gnade zu verdienen, der verachtet Christum,
und suchet einen eignen Weg zu Gott, wider das Evangelium.'
Diese Lehre vom Glauben ist bffentlich und klar im Paulo an
vielen Orten gehandelt, sonderlich zu den Ephesern am 2:8:
"Aus Gnaden seid ihr selig worden, durch den Glauben, und
dasselbige_ nicht aus euch, sondern es ist Gottes Gabe, nicht aus
Werken, damit sich niemand ruhme," u. s. w. Und dasz hierin
kein neuer Verstand eingefiihrt sey, kann man aus Augustino
beweisen, der diese Sache fleiszig handelt, und auch also lehrt,
dasz wir durch den Glauben an Christum Gnade erlangen und vor
Gott gerecht werden, und nicht durch Werke, wie sein ganzes
Bueh de Spiritu et Litera ausweist.
Wiewohl nun diese Lehre bei unversuchten Leuten sehr verachtet
wird, so befindet sich doch, dasz sie den bidden und erschrockenen
Gewissen sehr trbstlich und heilsam ist ; denn das Gewissen kann
nicht zu Ruhe und Friede kommen durch Werke, sondern allein
durch den Glauben, so es bei sich gewiszlich schlieszt, dasz es um
Christus willen einen gniidig en Gott habe, wie auch Paulus spricht
1 1. Tim. 2:5. ' Joh. 14 : 5, 6.

336 DIE AUGSBURGISCHE CONFESSION,
Rom. 5:1: "So wir durch den Glauben sind gerecht worden,
haben wir Ruhe und Friede mit Gott."
Diesen Trost hat man vor Zeiten nicht getrieben in Predigten,
sondern die armen Gewissen auf eigne Werke getrieben und sind
maneherlei Werke vorgenommen. Denn Etliche hat das Gewissen
in die Klbster gejagt, der Hoffnung, daselbst Gnade zu erwerben
durch Klosterleben ; Etliche haben andere Werke erdacht, damit
Gnade zu verdienen, und fiir Siinde genug zu thun. Derselbigen
viel haben erfahren, dasz man dadurch nicht ist zu Fried-en
kommen. Darum ist Noth gewesen, die Lehre vom Glauben an
Christum zu predigen und fleiszig zu treiben, dasz man wisse,
dasz man allein durch den Glauben, ohne Verdienst, Gottes
Gnade ergreift.
Es geschieht auch Unterricht, dasz man hie nicht von solchem
Glauben redet, den auch die Teufel und Gottlosen haben, die
auch die Historien glauben, dasz Christus gelitten habe und auf-
erstanden sey von den Todten, sondern man redet vom wahren
Glauben, der da glaubt, dasz wir durch Christum Gnade und
Vergebung der Siinde erlangen. Und der nun weisz, das er
einen gnadigen Gott durch Christum hat, (der) kennt also Gott,
ruft ihn an, und ist nicht ohne Gott, wie die Heiden. Denn der
Teufel und Gottlose glauben diesen Artikel " Vergebung der
Siinde" nicht, darum sind sie Gott feind, konnen Ihn nicht an-
rufen, nichts Gutes von Ihm hoffen. Und also, wie denn jetzt
angezeigt ist, redet die Schrift vom Glauben, und heiszet Glauben
nicht ein solches Wissen, das Teufel und gottlose Menschen haben;
denn also wird vom Glauben gelehrt zu den Hebraern am 11.
dasz Glauben sey nicht allein die Historien wissen, sondern Zuver-
versicht haben zu Gott, Seine Zusage zu empfahen. Und Augu-
stinus erinnert uns auch dasz wir das Wort Glauben in der Schrift
vcrstehen sollen, dasz es heisze Zuversicht zu Gott, dasz er uns
gn'adig sey, und heisze nicht allein solche Historien wissen, wie
auch die Teufel wissen.
Ferner wird gelehrt, dasz gute Werke sollen und miissen ge
schehen, nicht dasz man darauf vertraue, Gnade damit zu ver-

ODER GLAUBENS-BEKENNTN1SZ. 337
dienen, sondern um Gottes willen, und Gott zu Lob ; der Glaub
ergreift allzeit allein Gnade und Vergebung der Siinde. Und
dieweil durch den Glauben der heilige Geist gegeben wird, so
wird auch das Herz geschkkt, gute Werke zu thun. Denn zuvor,
dieweil es ohne den heiligen Geist, ist es zu schwach ; dazu ist es
in's Teufels Gewalt, der die arme menschliche Natur zu viel
Siinden treibt, wie wir sehen in den Philosophen, welche sich
unterstanden, ehrlich und unstraflich zu leben, haben aber den
noch solches nicht ausgerichtet, sondern sind in viel grosze, bffent-
liche Siinde gefallen. Also geht es mit dem Menschen, so er
auszer dem rechten Glauben ohne den heiligen Geist ist, und sich
allein durch eigne menschliche Kriifte regiert. Derhalben ist die
Lehre vom Glauben nicht zu schelten, dasz sie gute Werke ver-
biete, sondern vielmehr zu riihmen, dasz sie lehre, gute Werke zu
thun, und Hiilfe anbiete, wie man zu guten Werken kommen
moge. Denn ausser dem Glauben, und ausserhalb Christo ist
menschliche Natur und Vermogen viel zu schwach, gute Werke
zu thun, Gott anzurufen, Gednld zu haben im Leiden, den Naeh-
sten zu lieben, befohlene Aemter fleiszig auszurichten, gehorsam
zu seyn, bose Lust zu meiden. Solche hohe und rechte Werke
mogen nicht geschehen ohne die Hiilfe Christi, wie Er selbst
spricht, Joh. 15 : 5 : " Ohne mich kbnnt ihr nichts thun," u. s. w.
DER XXI. ARTIKEL.
VOM HEILIGENDIENST.
Vom Heiligendienst wird von den Unsern also gelehrt, dasz
man der Heiligen gedenken soil, auf dasz wir unsern Glauben
starken, so wir sehen, wie ihnen Gnade widerfahren, auch wie
ihnen durch Glauben geholfen ist, dazu, dasz man Excmpel nehme
von ihren guten Werken, ein jeder nach seinem Beruf, gleichwie
die kaiserliche Majestat seliglich und gottlich dem Exempel
David's folgen mag, Kriege wider den Tiirken zu fiihren ; denn
beide sind in kbniglichem Amt, welches Schutz und Schirm ihrer
Unterthanen fordert. Durch Schrift aber mag man nicht bewei-
9Q

33R DIE AUGSBURGISCHE CONFESSION,
son, dasz man die .Heiligen anrufen oder Hiilfe bei ihnen suchen
soil; denn " es ist allein ein einiger Versohner unci Mittler gesetzt
zwischen Gott und den Menschen, Jesus Christus," 1. Tim. 2 : 5,
welcher ist der einige Heiland, der einige oberste Priester, Gna-
denstuhl und Fiirsprecher vor Gott, Rom. 8 : 34. Und der hat
allein zugesagt, dasz er unser Gebet erhbren wolle.1 Das ist
auch der hbchste Gottesdienst nach der Schrift, dasz man densel-
bigen Jesum Christum in alien Nbthen und Anliegen von Herzen
suche und anrufe. 1. Joh. 2:1: "So jemand siindiget, haben
wir einen Fiirsprecher bei Gott, der gerecht ist, Jesum," u. s. w.

Dies ist fast die Summa der Lehre, welche in unsern Kirchen
zu rechten christlichen Unterricht und Trost dor Gewissen, auch
zur Besserung der Glaubigen gepredigt und gelehrt ist ; wie wir
denn unser eigen Seel und Gewissen je nicht. gerne wollten vor
Gott mit Miszbrauch gottlichen Namens oder Worts in die hbchste
und grbszte Gefahr setzen, oder auf unsre Kinder und Nachkom
men eine andere Lehre, denn so dem reinen gottlichen Wort und
christlicher Wahrheit gemiisz,2 fallen oder erben. So denn die-
selbige in heiliger Schrift klar gegriindet, und dazu auch gemeiner
christlicher, ja rbmischer Kirche, so viel aus der Vater Schrift
zu vermerken, nicht zuwider noch entgegen ist, so achten wir
auch, unsere Widersacher konnen in obangezeigten Artikeln nicht
uneinig mit uns seyn. Derhalben handeln diejenigen ganz un-
freundlich, geschwind und wider alle christliche Einigkeit und
Liebe, so die Unsern derhalben als Ketzer abzusondern, zu ver-
werfen und zu meiden ihnen selbst ohne einigen bestiindigen
Grund gottlicher Gebote oder Schrift vornehmen ; denn die
Irruog und Zank ist vornehmlich iiber etlichen Traditionen und
' Joh. 14 : 13, 14.
2 Joh. 5 : 39, 46. Rom. 15 : 4. Gal. 1 : 8, 9. 1. Tim. 4 : 15. 2. Tim
3:15—17. 1. Joh. 1 : 1— 4. 2. Petr. 1 : 19— 21.

ODER GLAUBENS-BEKENNTNISZ. 339
Miszbrauchen. So denn nun an den lluuptartikeln kein befind-
licher Uogrund oder Mangel, und dies unser Bekenntnisz gbttlich
und christlich ist, sollten sich billig die Bischbfe, wenn schon bei
uns der Tradition halben ein Mangel ware, gelinder erzeigen,
wiewohl wir verhoffen, bestandigen Grund und Ursach darzuthun,
warum bei uns etliche Traditionen und Misbriiuche geandert sind.
*
Ew. Kaiserl. Majestiit unterthanigste,
Johannes, Herzog zu Sachsen, Cliurfurst.
Georg, Margraf zu Brandenburg.
Ernst, Herzog zu Luneburg.
PHILTPP, Landgraf zu Hessen.
Wolfgang, Fiirst zu Anhalt.
Die Stadt Number g.
Die Stadt Reutlingen.

INDEX.

Absence from Synod, when excusable, 258.
Absolution, 161 ; rejected, 156.
Abuses corrected, 283.
Adam, fall of, 57.
Advisory members of Synods cannot vote, 258.
Aenon, baptism at, 145.
Affections, moral, 66.
Americo-Lutheran Church, the, 126.
Amsterdam, Lutherans in, 27.
Anabaptists, 159.
Appeals from Church Council, 251 ; from Decisions of Synods, 253.
Apocrypha, refuted, 20.
Apology to Augsburg Confession, cited, 112.
Apostle, election of, 90.
Apostle's Creed, formation of, 32, 33.
Archives of Synod, 260.
Aristocracy, 180.
Ascension of Christ, 82.
Ascension-day, 176.
Athanasian Creed, when formed, 33.
Atonement, different views of the, 77.
the, 74.
Luther on, 74.
how it strikes the heathen mind, 75.
Calvinistic view, 78.
Lutheran view, 78.
Attributes, Divine, harmony of, 43
Augsburg, Diet at, 24.
* B
Eachman, on unity of our race, 57, Eucharist, 153.
Backsliders to be restored, 160.
Baier, J. W., D.D.. 7. (311)

342 INDEX.
Baptism, 134.
" the necessity of, 136.
" the initiatory ordinance, 136.
" different theologians on, 136.
" a means of grace, 137.
" benefits of, 137.
" of entire families, 140.
" necessity of the Spirit's influence to, 138.
" mode of, 141.
" argument on, 142.
" meaning of the word in New Testament, 142, 143.
" its attendant circumstances, 143.
" of the three thousand, 143.
" of Jesus, 144.
" of Philip, 144.
Baptismal regeneration, 139.
Baugher, Dr., on the Lord's Supper, 153.
Baumgarten, S. J., D.D., 8; on the power of the Keys, 161.
Baxter, on the Atonement, 79.
Bengelius, referred to, 199.
Brunnholtz, on Catechetical Instruction, 94.
Buddeus, J. F., D.D., 7.
Business, order of in Synod, 262 ; in Ministerium, 270.
By-laws, each Synod can form, 274.

c.

Cail, or Vocation, 107.
Canonical Books of Scripture, 19.
Capernaitish eating of Christ's body, 148.
Catechism to be taught to the Children, 251.
Celibacy of Priests, 285 ; demoralizing influence, 285.
Ceremonies religious, of, 171, 173.
" " Chemnitz on, 174.
Certificates of good standing, on removal, 253.
Chalmers on the relation of Geology to Genesis, 46.
Charles V., 24.
Chemnitz, 7 ; on Ordination, 97.
Children of the Church, Church's care of, 181.
Chiliasts, 196.
Christian life, a, 106.
Christmas, 176.
Church, the, What is it? 119.
" the definitions of, 121, 242.

INDEX. 343
Church, analytic definition of, 121.
" of the, 118.
" the invisible, 242.
" the duty of uniting with her, 13.
" the visible, 243 ; its head, 243.
" the nature of, 14, 120.
extension of the, 16.
" membership, 17 ; suspension of, 250, 252.
" different forms of organization, 122, 241.
" rights and duties of the, 130, 152.
" orders, 171.
" council, 248, duties of, 249, 450.
Church discipline of our early Fathers, 128.
Church-members, duties of, 152.
Church and State, relation between, 188.
Civil Courts, conflicts in to be avoided between Christians, 253.
Collection, Congregational, for Synodical Treasury, 257.
Commission, final, of Christ, 90.
Communicants, a list of the, 133.
Communion, private, Luther on, 155.
" in both kinds, 284.
Concord, form of, on Illumination, 107.
Conferences, special, 2G7 ; business of, 268.
Confession, 161, 292.
" the Augsburg, 24, 37 ; German copy of, 325.
" " professedly enumerates only part of the Romish
errors, 309.
Confession, Westminster, 29.
" private, rejected, 156, 157.
Confirmation, 15.
" Muhlenberg's mode of, 95.
Congregation, refractory, how dealt with by Synod, 257.
Congregational Church, the, 126.
Conscience, liberty of, a natural right, 240.
Constantinople, Patriarchs of, 181.
Constitution, our national, different theories of, 191, 193.
" Synodical, 267 ; of General Synod, 275.
Consubstantiality of Son of God, 33.
Conviction, definition of, 111.
Convictions, grades of, 111.
Creation, Mosaic, 46.
" import of the term, 45.
Creeds, origin of human, 23.
" extensive, the evils of, 30.
" ancient Ecumenical, 31.

344 INDEX.

D.

Deacons, the New Testament, 130, 247.
Death, eternal, 210.
Delegate, Lay, to Synod, 263 ; to General Synod, 264.
Democratic form of government, 180.
Depravity, general view of, 65.
" natural, 55, 58; its intrinsic nature, 60; consequences of, 63.
" nature of, 58.
" innate, experimental view of, 59.
Descent, Christ's, into the spirit-world, 80.
Despotism, 180.
Directors of Theological Seminary, election of, 264
Discipline, the Church's duty of exercise, 133.
Diversity of meats, 293.
Dort, Articles of Synod of, 29. E.
Earth, geological age of, 47, 48, 49.
Easter, 176.
Education, religious, of children, 251, 253.
Elders (lay), their duties, 247, 248.
Elections, 253; of elders and deacons, 254; of pastors, 254; delegates to
General Synod, 267 ; directors to Seminary, 269.
Election, 162.
" absolute, abandoned, of the Lutheran church, 164.
" of ministers, 253.
Electors, who ? 254.
Endress, C. F., D. D., 9.
Dr., 151.
Episcopal church, thirty-nine articles of, 29.
" " the, 123.
" " her cumbrous ritual, 123.
Eucharist, prevailing view of our American Church, 154.
Examination of applicants by the Ministerium, 271.
Excommunication, when valid, 98.
Existence of God, 39. F.
Faber, on the prophecies, 199.
Faith, definition of, 113.
" different significations of, 113.
" exact nature of, 114.

INDEX. 345
Faith, justifying, 85.
Family worship, recommended, 255.
Fasting, sometimes proper as a spiritual discipline, 296
Festivals in the American Lutheran Church, 127.
174.
" ecclesiastical, 175.
Foreigners, reception of into the Ministerium, 269.
Form of concord on Lord's Supper, 148.
Formula of government and discipline, 239, et seq.
Friends or Quakers reject the Lord's Supper, 147.
G.
General Synod, ratio of representation in, 276 ; business of, 276, 277 ;
may publish new books for church use, 276 ; promotes Christian uuion,
278, 279.
General Synod, her relation to Augsburg Confession, 30.
" an advisory body, 241 ; constitution, when formed, 281.
" appeals to, when allowed, 278.
Gerhard, J., D. D., 8.
Gerson, cited, 294.
Germanic confederacy, its nature, 179.
Glorified body in the Eucharist, 149.
" of men, 206.
God, Article on, 37.
" argument of a Greenlander for a, 40.
" attributes of 42.
" definition of, 42.
" existence of, 39.
" his objective reality, 39.
" names of, 41.
" obligation to is paramount, 187.
" works of, 45.
Goering on baptismal regeneration, 139.
" Jacob, 9; on baptism, 136.
Good Friday, 176.
Government, civil, our own, p. 190.
" "a divine institution, 178.
" division of its powers, 191.
" different forms of civil, 179.
" human, subordinate to divine, 181.
" proper end of civil, 181.
Grace, kinds of, 100.
" not irresistible, 100.
" means of, 101.

346 INDEX.

H.

Habits, man's responsibility for, 66.
Hazelius, Dr., on the Eucharist, 152.
Heaven, its locality, 214; its nature, 214; diversity of sex there, 215;
recognition of friends, 215.
Heaven, gradations of its felicity, 216 ; its joys eternal and progressive, 216.
Hell, where is it ? 210 ; no repentance there, 212.
" punishments of, 210 ; degrees of, 211 ; eternity of, 211.
Helmuth, J. C. II., D. D., 9.
Hollazius, D., 7, 43, 210.
Holy-days, 172.
Holy Spirit, influence of, 108.
Huss, 24.
Hutter L., D.D., 8 ; on locality of hell, 210.
Hypostatic union, the, its nature, 72.

Illumination, definition of, 109.
Imputation, literal, rejected, 64.
" New England views of, 64.
" Dr. Dwight on, 65.
Incarnation, the, 71.
Induration of the Sinner, 62.
Installation, 274.
Invitations of the Gospel, 13.
Invocation of Saints sinful, 234.

Jailor's Baptism, 144.
Jerome of Prague, 24.
Jesus, his incarnation, life, death, &c, 70.
Johnson, Dr., 18.
Judgment, Christ's return to, 195; the final, 82, 206.
" nature of, 207, 208.
" signs of, 207.
" theory of its process, 207, 208.
Jurisdiction of the Church is purely spiritual, 244.
Justification, 83 ; by faith, 228.
" nature and grounds of, 84.
" definition of, 85.
" effects of, 86.
" Muhlenberg's view of, 86. ,

INDEX. 347
K.

Kings dethroned by Popes, 302.
Kirchen Agende, or formula of 17S6, 133.
Knapp, G. C, D.D., 8.
Konig, J. F., D.D., 8.
Kunze, J. C, D.D., 9.
" on irresistibility of grace, 100.
" on the Eucharist, 151.
" on war, 184.
Kurtz, Dr., on the Lord's Supper, 153.

Lay delegates to Synod, 262.
Lay elders, 130.
Licensure, ceremony of, 270, 271.
Licentiates, their duties and privileges, 261, 262, 270, 272.
Liturgy, the, of the Lutheran Fathers, 127.
Lochman, J. G., D.D., 9.
" on Trinity, 53.
" on the Eucharist, 152.
Lord's Supper, the, 145.
" " its importance, 146.
" " its divine institution and perpetuity, 146.
" " different names of, 146.
" " nature of the, 148.
Lord's Day of divine appointment, 304.
Luther on binding creeds, 31.
" on the name God, 41.
" on Trinity, 53.
" on Baptism, 138.
Lutheran, the name not sufficient, 84.
" Church, works od, 29.
" the American, her eclecticism, 127.
M. .
Man, his nature is religious, 11.
" a sinner, 12.
" primitive state of, 57.
Marriage ordained by God, and honorable in all, 287, 298.
" more holy than celibacy, 301.
Mass, first reformed and approved, 288, et seq.
" afterwards wholly rejected, 290, 291, 292.
" a papal idolatrv. 290.

348 INDEX.
Mass, a human invention, 290.
" the work of artful knaves, 291.
Means, generic nature of, 101.
" of grace, their influence, 104.
Meats, diversity of, 293 ; condemned, 293.
Melanchthon, 25.
" on Providence, 50.
" forsakes election, 165.
Millennium, nature of, 196, 197.
" means of its production, 199.
" grounds of its expectation, 198.
" cause of its delay, 200.
Miller, Hugh, Geological theory of, 47, 48, 49.
Miller, Dr., on the Lord's Supper, 153.
Ministerial office, 88.
" " its divine institution, 89.
session, 268.
" " business of, 268, 269.
Ministers, by whom constituted, 92.
" process against, 264.
" duties of, 94, 203, 245, 246.
" entitled to support, 181.
Ministerium, 268, 269.
Ministry, ordination and perpetuation of, 96, 171.
Missions, 267,
Missionaries, how many needed to convert the world, 201.
" must all be classically educated, 202.
Mode of baptism, 141.
Monarchy, mixed or limited, 180.
Monasteries, professed design of retiring to, 228.
Monastic vows, 296.
Moravians retained the Augsburg Confession, 27.
Mosheim J. L., D.D., 8, 43, 81.
Mosheim on the Lord's Supper, 149.
" on Heaven, 216.
Muhlenberg, H. M.,"D.D., 9.
" on prayer, 103. N.
Natural body in the Eucharist, 148.
Newton, Sir Isaac, 18.
Nicene Creed, adoption of, 33.
Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, 34.
Novatians, 159.
Nullification, 191.

INDEX. 349
0.

Oaths, 177.
« to do anything sinful, are not binding, 300.
" judicial, lawful, 187.
Obedience, passive, to kings, 181.
Officers of the Church, 129.
" of Synod, 158.
Ordained ministers, their rights and duties, 251, 262.
Order of business in Synods, 202.
" in General Synod, 280.
Ordination, ministerial, 96, 171, 270, 272.
" pledge, 273.
Origen, teaches Universalism, 212.
Oxensteirn, 17.

Parity of ministers, 245.
Pastor, duty of supporting him, 244, 245.
" amenable to Synod, 246.
Paulicians, 147.
Peace Society, the American, 185.
Pedobaptism, 139.
Penalties, divine, the design of, 213.
Penitence, or repentance, definition of, 111.
Perfection, sinless, 167.
Persecution, not tolerated by our laws, 195.
" Luther on, 195.
Perseverance, final, 162.
Periods, three geological, 47, 48, 49.
Plank, Dr., cited, 164.
Platform, the Saybrook, 29.
Political affairs, 176.
Power of the keys, 161, 302.
" of the church, declarative and moral, 245.
" of the clergy, 301.
Prayer, its nature, 102.
Prayers, children should be taught them, 103.
Prayer meetings recommended, 255.
Predestination, Luther on, 164.
President of Synod, his duties, 259 ; death of, 260.
Presbyterian Church, the, 126.
Principles, preliminary, of church government, 239.
Private cnmmrm'nn nn 155

350 INDEX.
Process against ministers, 264-266.
Punishment, future, of the wicked, 209.
" " eternal, 211.
Purgatory, 209.

Quenstedt, J. And., D.D., 7.

Q-

K.

Real presence, the doctrine of, almost universally renounced in Ger
many, 153.
Reformation, influence of the, on political condition of Europe, 181.
Regeneration, its nature, 61.
Reinhard on the Supper of our Lord, 150.
Reinhard, F. V., D.D., 8, 150.
" on the descent of Christ to the Spirit-world, 81.
Religion not to be established by law, 194.
Repentance, 158.
" legal, 112.
" evangelical, 112.
Republican form of government, 180.
Resurrection, 204.
" circumstances of the, 205, 206.
of Christ, 205.
of the body, 205, 206.
Revivals of religion, how granted, 333.
Rites, diversity of, allowable, 235, 236.
Romish Church, the, 123.
Rule of faith and practice, Scripture, 20.
Russia, Lutherans in, 27. s.
Sabbath instituted at the close of Creation, 310.
" Christian, or Lord's Day, 304.
Sacrament, definition of, 135.
Sacraments, Papists adopt seven, 135.
" principal signification of the word, 135
" the, in general, 134.
use of, 169.
Sanctification, definition of, 115.
" Say brook platform, 29.
" means of, 115.

INDEX. 351
Saints, invocation of, sinful, 234.
Salvation, by grace through faith, 226, 227.
Schmucker, J. G., D. D., 9; on the evil of sin, 76, 200.
Schools, monastic, 297.
Schoolhouses of the church, 251.
Secretary of Synod, his duties, 260.
Sex, diversity of, excluded from heaven, 215.
Sin, author of, 222.
" evil of, 76.
" Dr. J. G. Schmucker on, 76.
" origin of, Buddeus on, 223.
Sinner, the states of, 62.
Smith, Dr. Pye, 47.
Socinians reject the Lord's Supper, 147.
Soul, the, its constitutional inclination, 59.
Sovereignty of the Spirit's influences, 105.
State and Church to be kept entirely distinct, 188.
State rights, 191.
Statistical view of Lutheran Church, 27.
" « " " in the United States, 28.
Storr, Ch. G., D. D., 8, 169.
" on the Holy Supper, 150.
Subjects and citizens absolved by popes from allegiance to their govern
ments, 302.
Support, ministerial, 131, 244.
Suspension of church-members, 250 ; of ministers, 266.
Synodical meetings, the early, 128.
" conferences, " 128.
Synods, 256 ; duties of, 257 ; source of their power, 97 ; members of,
who, 256. T.
Theology Natural, its uses, 40.
Traditions and human rites cannot save us, 295.
translation, German, of Luther, 22.
English, « 22.
Treasurer of Synod, his duties, 261.
Trinity, the, 50, 51.
Twesten, Dr., 39. U.
Union of Church and State wrong, 302.
Union of two natures in Christ, Luther on the, 73.
Universalism, its fruits, 212; Dr. J. G. Schmucker on, 212.

352 INDEX. V.
Vacant congregations, 266.
Visitation Articles on the Eucharist, 149.
Vows, monastic, 296 ; at an early age, censured even by some Romanists,
297, 299.
Vows contrary to God's word are not binding, 300.
w.
Wars, 177.
" aggressive, contrary to Christianity, 184.
" pacific substitutes for, 185.
" physical suffering in, 184.
" sinfulness of all, 182.
Westminster Assembly and Confession, 29.
Whitsunday, 176.
Wickliffe, 29.
Will, free, 219; Augustine on, 219.
Witnesses, citation of 257.
Witherspoon, Rev. Dr., 189.
Woods, Dr., on natural depravity, 59.
Works, good, 223 ; necessary, 223, 230 ; no ground of justification, 225.
World, conversion of, how soon to be expected, 203.
z.
Zwinoli, 162.

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WELD'S SACRED POETICAL QUOTATIONS;
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PUBLISHES BY LINDSAY AND BLAKISTON, PHILADELPHIA.
Dr. J. H. Kuetz's Manual of Sacred History is the production of a very
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originality. He writes with great clearness and condensation, and presents in
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as far as I have examined it, to do full justice to the German original, as well
as to the English idiom. PHILIP SCHAFF,
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Mercersburg, Pa., Jan. 31, 1855.
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LIFE OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.
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The Philadelphia Library, founded by Franklin.
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Ft ankiin Signing; the Declaration of Independence.
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LIFE OF GENERAL WASHINGTON.
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Washington at .Eighteen.
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Lift oF LAFAYETTE.
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LIFE OF MARION.
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LIFE OF DANIEL WEBSTER.
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fr »»»»»»»»»»%»»»»%»'*j»»%%»»*

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Jackson and the Acorns.

| Jackson as Judge.
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LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
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Hezekiah Wyman.
Mr. Bleeber and his Son.
Tarleton Breaking the Horse.

THE YANKEE TEA-PARTY,
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Seizure of the Bettys.
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General Morgan.

THE OLD BELL OF INDEPENDENCE,
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MY NEIGHBOR'S CHILDREN.
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Bull on the Maternal Management of Children
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MAYO'S PHILOSOPHY OF LIVING.
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JARVIS' PIANO FORTE INSTRUCTOR.
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WYTHES' MICROSCOPIST'S MANUAL.
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THE CURIOSITIES OF THE MICROSCOPE,
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"Every grain of sand is an immensity, every leaf a world." — Lavaler.
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A CURIOUS, PHILOSOPHICAL, AND INTERESTING WORK.
HALLUCINATIONS ;
Or, The Rational History of Apparitions, Visions, Dreams, Ecstasy, Magnetism,
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MAYO'S POPULAR SUPERSTITIONS,
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"WALKER ON INTERMARRIAGE;
Or, the Mode in which, and the Causes -why Beauty, Health, and Intellect, result
from certain Unions, and Deformity, Disease, and Insanity, from others. De
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DARLINGTON'S FLORA CESTRICA,
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Price $2 25. COULTAS'S PRINCIPLES OF BOTANY,
As Exemplified in the Cryptogamia. By Hakland Coultas. With Illustra
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