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CHAP.

1.

"After much dispute, the bishop of Augsburg, the diocesan of the place, and a man of prudence and firmness, rose, and in a pious and solemn discourse entreated the princes and prelates to guard, with anxious care, against determining any thing contrary to the word of God, and inconsistent with rectitude and justice. It was too true," he said, "and manifest to all men, that the Lutherans, in what they maintained, had hitherto opposed no one article of the Christian faith: and, this being the case, it became all, who feared God and loved peace, earnestly and frequently to consider, by what means the ancient tranquillity might be restored and preserved." On hearing him utter these sentiments, the archbishop of Salzburg, directing his discourse to him, demanded, "Whence comes this sudden change, and this unexpected sanctity of yours?-for I distinctly remember to have heard from your mouth, other sentiments, and other feelings than these, expressed concerning religion. The bishop of Augsburg replied: "I do not deny that in the course of my life hitherto I have done many things worthy of censure, and contrary to piety: but present circumstances imperiously require of me to renounce ungodliness and the allurements of sin, and to commence a new life. And, not to dissemble what I think, perhaps your manner of living, my lord of Salzburg, is not much more religious, or more virtuous, than my own and your proceedings are worse than mine, in proportion as you more obstinately and eagerly excuse your sins, palliate idolatrous abuses, and attempt to defend and uphold unholy doctrines of all which impiety God forbid that I should make myself a partaker!' The elector of Brandenburg

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then warmly took up the question against Luther; and the bishop of Augsburg as warmly defended what he had advanced, affirming that the Lutherans "assailed not the catholic church, but only the abuses prevailing in the church of Rome; and that no one could deny that many gross and dangerous errors remained in that community." The elector of Mentz was obliged at length to interfere, and terminate the discussion.1

Such a case not only strikingly illustrates the impressions which were made on men's minds, but it is extremely interesting and affecting in itself; and happy shall I be, should my future researches bring to light any decisive proofs, that the present was no mere passing conviction in the mind of this prelate, but that he was enabled to overcome the many temptations to which his station exposed him, and faithfully to confess Christ before men; to follow out his convictions, and, according to the hopes which he himself expressed, " to walk in newness of life." At present, however, I know of no such evidence. He was a friend and correspondent of Erasmus, who dedicated to him his Ecclesiastes,' or Discourse on Preaching, and always spoke highly of him. With respect to his leaning towards the reformers, Erasmus says, "The bishop of Augsburg thinks that some concessions should be made for the sake of peace: on which account he bears with many the character of a Lutheran; whereas there cannot be a more upright and blameless man than he is." 2

A. D.

1530.

If any should think that my narrative here be- Apology for

1 From Celestine, Hist. Comit. Aug. iii. 25, in Seck. ii. 2 Erasmi Epist. xxvi. 32.

159, 160.

minuteness.

i

CHAP

I.

Review

of the

comes too minute for general history, I would take the liberty of saying, that it is peculiarly consonant to the design with which the " History of the Church of Christ" was begun and carried on, to shew the power of divine truth, and the influence of divine grace upon the heart of man, of which individuals must necessarily be the subjects and this is done, as most illustriously in the case of the elector of Saxony and the leading characters of the reformation, so likewise, as far at least as conviction and "the strivings of the Spirit" go, in the case of the bishop of Augsburg. For myself also I must avow, that I feel so deeply interested in the noble struggle maintained at the diet of Augsburg, in the cause of Christian truth and Christian liberty, against the mighty powers which had for so many ages borne down both one and the other, throughout the greatest part of Christendom, that I cannot prevail with myself to withhold any material circumstance respecting it.

But it is time that we should give some more Confession, particular account of the contents of the celebrated Confession there exhibited. It is every way worthy of such notice, both for its own merits, and for the influence it has had, and indeed to a considerable degree yet retains, in the world. It is also quite in conformity with the design of this history, to make the reader thoroughly acquainted with the principles of works on which such men as Luther and Melancthon laboured, and which have proved eminently serviceable to the church of Christ.

The enemies of Lutheranism indeed have spoken of the Confession as not fairly repre

senting Luther's opinions, but only those of his more temperate and yielding friend and Luther, it is true, was sensible that "some things were omitted," and some "more softened than perhaps they should have been;" and he thought Melancthon unnecessarily nice about the wording of it in every part; yet, on all doctrinal points especially, Luther and Melanethon were one: and how well satisfied the former was with the Confession is evident, both from the exultation he expressed on its being publicly read, and from his own explicit declarations.2 The objection, however, it should be observed, only makes the evidence more strong as to the real doctrines of the reformation. It is agreed on all hands that those doctrines are not here overstated.

The work occupies seventy-six closely printed octavo pages in the Sylloge Confessionum, published at Oxford, 1804. It is introduced by a prefatory address to the emperor, and is subscribed by seven princes and the representatives of two cities. It purports to be "the Confession of their divines and preachers," to which they themselves fully assented.3 It consists of twenty-one" chief Articles of Faith," followed

1 "Justô mollius prolata." Seck. ii. 170, 171.

2 It was sent to him on the eleventh of May for his judgment and remarks. He answers on the fifteenth: "It pleases me exceedingly (eximiè); nor can I correct or alter any thing in it. It would not be well for me to attempt it; for I cannot tread with such softness and delicacy." Scultet. 155. Luth. Ep. Bud. 93. Again, July 3, "Yesterday I read over again. the whole of your Confession, and it pleases me excessively -vehementer." Bud. 127.

3 It appears that Melancthon would have had it presented merely as the Confession of the divines, and that the princes should not involve themselves with it: but in this he was overruled. Camerar. de Vita Melancth. § 37.

A. D. 1530.

1.

CHAP. by seven others concerning the changes made by the reformation of abuses in the practice of the church; and concludes with an "Epilogue," in which it is observed, that numerous other abuses might have been specified, but that, to avoid prolixity, and to promote conciliation, the writers had confined themselves to such as were most essential; and that, if on any points further explanation were desired, they should be most ready to afford it. To most of the articles of faith are subjoined rejections of the opposite errors: so that each topic may be said to be explained both positively and negatively.

The following are the subjects of the articles of faith.

1. The Trinity

2. Original Sin

11. Repentance

12. Confession

*3. The Person and Work *13. Sacraments

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The articles concerning the abuses, which had been reformed, are the following.

1. On the Mass

2. On Communion in both
kinds

3. On Confession

4. On the distinction of Meats,

and on Traditions

5. On the Marriage of Priests 6. On Monastic Vows

7. On the Ecclesiastical Power.

The articles marked thus (*), in the former

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