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diff --git a/18107-8.txt b/18107-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8481bb2 --- /dev/null +++ b/18107-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6399 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of American Lutheranism Vindicated; or, +Examination of the Lutheran Symbols, on Certain Disputed Topics, by Samuel Simon Schmucker + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: American Lutheranism Vindicated; or, Examination of the Lutheran Symbols, on Certain Disputed Topics + Including a Reply to the Plea of Rev. W. J. Mann + +Author: Samuel Simon Schmucker + +Release Date: April 2, 2006 [EBook #18107] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMERICAN LUTHERANISM *** + + + + +Produced by Rev. Kurt A. T. Bodling, presently at the State +Library of Pennsylvania + + + + + +AMERICAN LUTHERANISM VINDICATED; OR, EXAMINATION OF THE +LUTHERAN SYMBOLS, +on +CERTAIN DISPUTED TOPICS: +INCLUDING A REPLY +TO THE PLEA OF Rev. W. J. MANN. +BY +S. S. SCHMUCKER, D. D., +Professor of Christian Theology in the Theological +Seminary of General Synod at Gettysburg, Pa. + +Earnestly contend for the faith, once delivered to the saints. JUDE 3. + +BALTIMORE: +PUBLISHED BY T. NEWTON KURTZ, +No. 151 WEST PRATT STREET. +1856 + +Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1856, +BY S. S. SCHMUCKER, +IN THE CLERK'S OF THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, +FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA. +STEREOTYPED BY GEORGE CHARLES, NO. 9 SANSOM ST., PHILA. +PRINTED BY C. SHERMAN & SON. + + +TO THE READER. +The design of the following treatise, and the occasion which elicited +it, are indicated both on the title page and in the introduction of the +work itself. Its primary object is not to discuss the obligation of +Synods to adopt the doctrinal basis of the Platform. What we felt it a +duty to the church to publish on that subject, we have presented in the +Lutheran Observer. But the pamphlet of the Rev. Mann, entitled Plea for +the Augsburg Confession, having called in question the accuracy of some +of the interpretations of that Confession contained in the Definite +Synodical Platform, and affirmed the Scriptural truth of some of the +tenets there dissented from; it becomes a question of interest among us +as Lutherans, which representation is correct. For the points disputed +are those, on the ground of which the constitutions of the General +Synod and of her Seminary avow only a qualified assent to the Augsburg +Confession. In hope of contributing to the prevalence of truth, and the +interests of that kingdom of God which is based on it, the writer has +carefully re-examined the original documents, and herewith submits the +results to the friends of the General Synod and her basis. Since these +results as to the question, what do the symbols actually teach? are +deduced impartially, as must be admitted, from the original symbolical +books themselves, as illustrated by the writings of Luther, Melancthon, +and of the other Reformers of the same date; those who approve of those +books should so far sustain our work: and those who reject these tenets, +that is, the New School portion of the church, will not object to seeing +a vindication of the reason why they and the General Synod avow only a +qualified assent even to the Augsburg Confession, namely, because these +errors are there taught. + +_The topics here discussed,_ are all such as are left free to individual +judgment, both by the Constitution of the General Synod, and that of her +Theological Seminary. Both explicitly bind to the Augsburg Confession, +only so far as the _fundamental_ doctrines, not of that confession, but +of the _Scriptures_ are concerned. A _fundamental_ doctrine of Scripture +is one that, is regarded by the great body of evangelical Christians as +essential to salvation, or essential to the system of Christianity; so +that he who rejects it cannot be saved, neither be regarded as a +believer in the system of Christian doctrine. The doctrinal +peculiarities of no denomination, though often highly important, can +therefore be regarded as _fundamental,_ without unchurching all other +denominations and consigning them to perdition. The topics here +discussed are, 1. Ceremonies of the Mass. 2. Private Confession and +Absolution. 3. The Divine institution of the Christian Sabbath. 4. +Nature of Sacramental Influence. 5. Baptismal Regeneration. 6. The +nature of the Saviour's presence in the Lord's Supper; and, 7. Exorcism. +Now, not one of these is found in the list of fundamentals published by +the Synod of Maryland, and by the great Evangelical Alliance of all the +prominent Christian denominations assembled in London in 1846, +consisting of more than a thousand ministers of Christ, delegated from +nearly all parts of Europe and America. That list is found in the +Lutheran Manual, and is the following:-- + +"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 Christian ministry, and the +obligation and perpetuity of Baptism and the Lord's Supper; and 9. The +immortality 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." Not one of these are here discussed. + +As to the _doctrines taught_ in this little volume, they are the same +inculcated in our Popular Theology twenty-one years ago, and in our +different works published since that time. And here it seems proper to +avail ourselves of this public opportunity to correct an error +committed by our esteemed friend, Dr. Schaff, of Mercersburg, in his +recent work on the American churches, in which he represents us as +denying the _reality,_ as well as the guilt of natural depravity. This +is entirely a mistake. The reality of Natural Depravity is a doctrine +so clearly taught in God's word, as well as by the history of the human +race, that we have never even been tempted to doubt it. In the eighth +edition of the Popular Theology, (p. 144,) which has recently left the +press, our views on this subject are thus summed up:-- "The Augsburg +Confession seems to combine, both these views, (_i.e._ both absence of +holiness and predisposition to sin,) 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 transmitted 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. Without the admission of such a disorder in the +human system, _no satisfactory reason can be assigned for the +universality of actual transgression_ amongst men." "Our own views on +this disputed subject, maybe summed up in the following features: 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 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, +moreover, 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;" (p. 147.) It is evident, therefore, that we +do maintain _the reality_ of natural depravity inherited from our first +parents, but _deny the imputation of it to us as personal guilt_. This +correction, we doubt not, Dr. Schaff will make in the future editions of +his work. Nor are we more chargeable with even the remotest tendency to +rationalism, than the great mass of American and English theologians, +including such men as Drs. Dwight, Mason, Woods and Alexander, who all +distinguish things _above_ reason from those _contrary_ to it, and +whilst they deny that revelation teaches any doctrine of the latter +class, admit and believe a number of its doctrines, such as the Trinity, +Incarnation, &c., to be _above_ the comprehension of human reason. With +them, moreover, we maintain, that in doctrines which lie within the +grasp of human reason, it is proper and a duty to expect and to +inculcate a harmony between the teachings of revelation and the dictates +of reason, thus to exhibit and confirm the _intrinsic moral fitness and +glory of those truths of revelation_. And it is these and similar things +which a certain class of German theologians of late are wont to style +rationalizing tendencies. + +As to the _necessity of this work;_ two little volumes have appeared, +assailing some of the positions of the Definite Platform, and none in +vindication of them. The New School must therefore receive credit for +moderation. Those volumes were hailed with exultation by the four or +five Old-School papers of our church, and all of them, even the +Missionary, invite the continuance of the discussion in pamphlet form. +Those publications did not agitate the church, neither will this. That +man must be ignorant of human nature, who does not perceive a vast +difference between a controversy conducted in the newspapers of the +church, and one confined to independent pamphlets or volumes. In the +former case, the dispute is forced upon all who see the paper, and +reaches fifty times as many persons, amongst whom may be many who, from +prejudice, or want of sufficient intelligence, do not appreciate the +importance of the discussion; in the latter, it reaches only those who +desire to see it, and feel sufficient interest to purchase the volume. +Yet the Definite Platform, be it remembered, was not the cause but the +result of Symbolic agitation, continual, progressive, and aggressive, in +the several Old-School papers and periodicals, for eight or ten years +past. As it evinced a spirit of resistance, they of course pounced down +upon it, and labored hard for its destruction. But their continued +discussion has brought to light such high-toned and intolerant grounds +of opposition, that the church generally, we doubt not, will settle +down, in a just appreciation of the case. + +The course pursued by the ministers of the General Synod, has always +been a liberal one. They have freely expressed their sentiments on these +disputed topics, and cheerfully conceded to others the same liberty. +This principle pervades the Constitution of the General Synod and of +her Seminary. Even within the last few weeks, the Directors of the +Seminary have listened to a vindication of the entire symbolic system, +in the Inaugural of their German Theological Professor, and resolved +to publish it, although it advocates some views rejected by the +majority of the Board, and by the other members of the Faculty. After +such a specimen of liberality, we may well hope that the propriety of +any of the other Professors advocating the doctrines, which have from +the beginning been taught in the institution, will be conceded by all. + +For the information of those foreign brethren who have recently taken +part in our ministry, we deem it just to remark, that the term +_American_ was employed in reference to our church, many years before +the existence of the political party now designated by this name, and +is used by us, not in distinction from those born in foreign lands, but +to designate those peculiarities of doctrine, discipline, and worship, +which characterize the great mass of the churches of the General Synod, +as the terms _Danish_ Lutheran, or _Swedish_ Lutheran, and _German_ +Lutheran, indicate the peculiarities of our church in those countries. +Some of our best _American_ Lutherans are natives of foreign lands. + +In conclusion, we repeat the assurance, that it has been with deep +regret that we have felt compelled, in defence of American, that is, +New School Lutheranism, to exhibit what we regard the errors of the +former symbols. But as the existence of these errors has of late years +been perseveringly denied, and New School Lutherans have been +incessantly reproached for not yielding an unqualified assent, to these +books, necessity was laid on us; and the evil of the controversy, if +any, lies at the door of the aggressors. + +Praying that our Divine Master may bless this little volume to the +advancement of his glory and the welfare of his church, we submit it +to the friends of truth. + +S. S. SCHMUCKER. +Gettysburg, April 23d, 1856. + + +CONTENTS. + +CHAPTER I. +INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.....13 +Religious Controversy. Plea of Rev. Mann. Apostolic Church. Authority +of Creeds. Apostles' Creed. Augsburg Confession-altered by Melancthon. + +CHAPTER II. +REPLY TO THE GENERAL OBSERVATIONS OF THE PLEA.....24 +Augsburg Confession the only universal symbol of the Lutheran Church. +Definite Platform liberal. The Episcopalians, Presbyterians and +Methodists, altered their European Creeds in this country. Creeds +subordinate, to Scripture. Progressive light of Scripture. Human +creeds fallible. Drs. Lochman, Endress, F. C. Schaeffer, Hazelius, +Bachman, &c. Origin of the Definite Synodical Platform. Dr. Kocher on +Creeds. + +CHAPTER III. +DISADVANTAGES UNDER WHICH THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION WAS PREPARED.....47 +Diet of Augsburg. Alarm of Melancthon-his complaints to Luther-his +letters to Camerarius, remarkable letter to Campegius. Luther checks +Melancthon's Concessions. + +CHAPTER IV. +POSITIONS OF THE DEFINITE SYNODICAL PLATFORM ESTABLISHED.....57 +The Reformers progressive. Rigid Symbolic System rejected in Germany. +Reinhard, Knapp, Storr, Olshausen, Tholuk, Hengstenberg, &c. Analysis +of the American Recension of the Augsburg Confession, it is almost the +entire Augsburg Confession. + +CHAPTER V. +SYNODICAL DISCLAIMER.....63 +Luther on the Elevation of the Host. Ceremonies of the Mass. Drs. +Murdock, Fuhrman. Import of the term Mass among Romanists, and amongst +the Reformers whilst in the Romish Church. Testimony of Luther in his +Treatise on the Mass, in his letters to Spangler, to Duke George, in +the Short Confession, letter to Justus Jonas, &c. Testimony of +Melancthon, in his letter to Luther during the Diet. Testimony of other +Reformers, Aurifaber, Spalatin. Testimony of the Romish Refutation of +the Augsburg Confession. Internal evidence from the Augsburg Confession +itself. Separate captions and articles for Mass and the Lord's Supper. +The two kept distinct in Melancthon's translation; if you exchange the +words the articles make nonsense. The Romanists understood the +Confession to mean mass proper. Melancthon in the Apology to the +Confession so understands it. Refutation of the proofs. Reference to +the author's former works, the Popular Theology, the History of the +American Lutheran Church. + +CHAPTER VI. +PRIVATE CONFESISONAND ABSOLUTION.....97 +Import of the phrase. Dr. Funck's early Lutheran Directories for +Worship. Formularies for private Confession and Absolution, Luther's, +that of Wolfgang, &c., in 1557. Proof that this rite is inculcated in +the Augsburg Confession. Siegel, Prof. Jacobsen. Augsburg Confession +admits the want of Scripture authority for it. God alone can forgive +sin. + +CHAPTER VII. +DENIAL OF THE DIVINE INSTITUTION AND OBLIGATION OF THE CHRISTIAN +SABBATH.....107 +Proofs of the Charge, Drs. Rucker, Hengstenberg, Walter, Murdock. +Ground taken by the Plea. The same opinion taught by Luther in his +Commentary, Larger Catechism, &c., and by Melancthon, in Loci +Communes, or system of Divinity, &c., in Augsburg Confession, and in +his Apology to it. + +CHAPTER VIII. +GENERAL NATURE OF THE SACRAMENTAL INFLUENCE.....121 +Doctrine of the Plea-not fully developed. Scriptural view of +Sacramental Influence. Man a sinner by nature and practice, Divine +truth the grand instrumentality of the Spirit in our spiritual +renovation. The stage of progress in this renovation, morally requisite +for pardon, is that of living faith, or entire surrender to God. +Evidence of this pardon or justification, is internal; peace, love, joy, +testimony of the Spirit, fruits of the Spirit, and not any outward +rite-Sacraments therefore only mediate and not immediate conditions of +pardon-proofs, Mosheim, Reinhard, Knapp. + +CHAPTER IX. +BAPTISMAL REGENERATION.....135 +Is taught in Symbolical books and by the Reformers and early +Theologians, Hunnius, Gerhard, Buddeus. Influence of this doctrine on +the pulpit-proofs against it. + +CHAPTER X. +THE LORD'S SUPPER.....148 +Extracts from the Symbols. Arguments. Supposed Sin-forgiving Power of +the Eucharist. + +CHAPTER XI.....155 +EXORCISM. +Altered interpretation of this rite. Proofs that it was regarded as +symbolic and was practised in different parts of the Lutheran Church. +Testimony of Drs. Guericke, Koellner, Baumgarten-Crusius, Augusti, +Siegel, Sigismund, Baumgarten. At some periods regarded as a test of +orthodoxy. + +CHAPTER XII. +CONCLUDING REMARKS.....161 +What is our duty under these circumstances? Erroneous reasonings of +the rigid Lutherans. Four different remedies considered--the true one. + +APPENDIX.....169 + + +EXAMINATION OF THE LUTHERAN SYMBOLS. +CHAPTER I. +INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. + +Religious controversy, though it often degenerates from that calm and +dignified character, which it should ever sustain as a mutual search +after truth, seems sometimes to be necessary and proper. It springs out +of the nature of that moral evidence, never amounting to demonstration, +by which religious doctrines are sustained, and from the fact, that +whilst the word of God reveals what is necessary to salvation with +entire distinctness, it leaves undecided, or to be deduced from clearer +passages of Scripture, many points which are both interesting and +important, as well as naturally sought for by the constitutional, +systematizing tendencies of the human mind. Discussions on such topics +of practical utility, are alike pleasing to God and beneficial to the +church, if conducted in a Christian spirit, and if the parties have +truth and not victory for their aim. Truth is the will of God, +exhibited in the diversified creations of his hand, either physical, +intellectual, or moral, and the revelations of his word, correctly +apprehended by the human mind. Since truth, therefore, is of God, it +need fear no investigation. The divinity that is in it, will secure its +ultimate triumph. Though it may for a season be obscured, or crushed to +earth by passion, prejudice, or irresponsible authority, it will sooner +or later assert its rights, and secure the homage of all upright minds. +No friend of truth should dread impartial investigation. If he has +unconsciously imbibed erroneous opinions, he will thus be conducted to +the truth; and if his views are correct, they will be confirmed by +investigation. "Eternal vigilance has been styled the price of civil +'liberty;'" and to "search the Scriptures daily," to "prove all things +and hold fast that which is good," is the grand safeguard of religious +truth and ecclesiastical purity. No new enterprise of Christian +benevolence has ever been achieved, no reformation of established +institutions or doctrines ever been accomplished in the church of +Christ, without discussion and controversy either oral or written; +because error when assailed by the truth, will always make more or less +resistance. The life of the greatest moral hero of the sixteenth +century, to whom Christianity is so hugely indebted, was almost +entirely expended in controversial efforts; and even the mild and +peace-loving Melancthon, though he advised his aged mother not to +trouble herself about religious controversies, himself felt it his duty +to devote much of his time, his learning, and his talents to the +vindication of the truth against its enemies. [Note 1] We are commanded +"earnestly to contend for the faith once, delivered to the saints," and +by inference for those regulations, which tend to secure that faith. We +are taught to pray for the unity of the disciples of Christ, "that they +may be one as He and the Father are one," and consequently to oppose +such regulations as tend to sever the bonds of union among God's people, +and cause divisions in the household of Christ. Such means for +defending the faith, are creeds which inculcate only those doctrines +clearly taught in Scripture; such hindrances to union and apples of +discord, are creeds embracing many minor points, not clearly decided in +Scripture, on which true Christians differ, and which are not necessary +for cordial co-operation among the children of God. + +Within the last few months, a discussion on creeds has occupied the +religious papers of our church in this country, the specific subjects +of which were the merits of the "_Definite Synodical Platform_" +recently adopted by several of our Western Synods, and the import and +scriptural truth of some portions of that venerable document, the +_Augsburg Confession_. In these discussions we took part, in a series +of articles over the initials of our name, in the Lutheran Observer, in +vindication of the Definite Platform, which we hold to be a faithful +and definite exhibition of the import of the _generic_ doctrinal pledge +of the General Synod. That pledge includes, in connection with absolute +assent to the Word of God, as the only infallible rule of faith and +practice, the belief "that the fundamental doctrines of Scripture are +taught in a manner substantially correct in the doctrinal articles of +the Augsburg Confession:" and the Platform is an unaltered copy of +these articles of that confession, only omitting those parts, which we +know by long acquaintance with American Lutherans, to be generally +regarded by them not only as nonfundamental, but _erroneous_. The +Definite Platform, therefore, retains _even more_ of the Augsburg +Confession than the General Synod's pledge requires; for it contains +some specifications of the Augsburg Confession, which though true, are +not fundamental. The Platform is, therefore, more symbolic than the +General Synod's doctrinal basis, though the contrary opinion has +repeatedly been expressed, by those who have not carefully examined. +Had both parties in this discussion exhibited more christian comity, +and abstained from personalities, levelling their logical artillery +against opinions instead of the persons entertaining them; the effect +upon the church would, we think, have been favorable, and unity of +sentiment might have been promoted. That a different impression has +been made on many minds is, doubtless, owing to the human infirmity +and passion that mingled in the contest. Which party exhibited the +largest amount of this weakness, we will not undertake to decide, +although we doubt not, that here as in most other cases, the judgment +of the Leyden cobbler would be found correct, who was in the habit of +attending the public Latin disputations of the university, and when +asked whether he understood Latin, replied, "No, but I know who is +wrong in the argument, by seeing _who gets angry first_." Nevertheless, +christian truth has often been defended in a very unchristian way, and +doubtless more depends on the natural temper and the manners of the +disputants, as well as the extent to which divine grace enables them to +subdue their passions. The disposition occasionally evinced, to frown +down discussion by invective and denunciation, is not only illogical, +as it proves neither the affirmative nor negative of the disputed +question; but in this free country, where we acknowledge no popes, and +in the judgment of free Americans, who think for themselves, it must +always reflect unfavorably on its authors. + +The same topic, so closely connected with the prosperity of our beloved +church, is to engage our attention on the present occasion, in reply to +an interesting, christian, and gentlemanly pamphlet, from the pen of +the _Rev. Mr. Mann_, of Philadelphia, who controverts some of the +positions of the Definite Synodical Platform. It shall be my earnest +effort to write in the same christian manner, and my prayer is that the +Spirit of our Divine Master may direct my pen, that it may record + "No line, which dying, I could wish to blot." + +In order that our readers may follow, with advantage, the reasonings of +this treatise, it is necessary that we should conduct them to the +proper stand-point, from which the interesting and important subject +before us should be examined. The same object, viewed from different +positions, often presents a very different appearance; but contemplated +from the same point of observation, by impartial observers of sound +vision, it will, by the laws of our organization, appear the same to +all. The questions before us relate to the meaning of certain +documents, which were adopted some centuries ago in a foreign land and +foreign tongue, as a creed or test of membership in the church. A very +brief glance at this church, the authority of human creeds, and the +circumstances under which this one was published, will prepare us for +the more satisfactory solution of the points in question. + +The most important visible organization of the human family, is +undoubtedly the church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The +political institutions of the world, such as republics, kingdoms and +empires, are instituted to administer the temporal affairs of men; but +the church of the divine Redeemer involves the never-dying interest of +immortal souls. The former are established and conducted by the +ordinary powers of men; the latter is heaven descended, and was founded +by the incarnate Son of God, and his inspired Apostles. The former are +sustained, as far as defensible, by the ordinary evidences of human +wisdom, manifest in their adaptation to secure our material interests; +the _divinity_ of the latter is established by the most stupendous +miracles of Jesus and his Apostles, as well as by internal evidence of +superhuman wisdom, goodness and knowledge, seen alike in the +institutions it embraces and the truths it inculcates. + +These _inspired_ Apostles left a _written record of this divine +institution_, of the church with its ordinances, as well as of the +doctrines and duties to be inculcated by its teachers. They also +pronounce this record to be _complete_, and threaten to blot out from +the book of life, the names of those who add to or subtract from it. +Hence it is evident, that the church of this record is not as Romanists +and Puseyites imagine, a mere seminal principle or germ, to which +equally binding additions may be made by the church of every generation; +but on the contrary, that the _church of the New Testament_ is the +church in its most perfect and faultless form, _is the model church for +all ages_, which in its development and adaptation to different +countries and generations, must ever remain faithful to its primitive +and inspired lineaments. This church, whilst administered by inspired +men during the first century, must also have been more pure, than in +its subsequent periods, when placed under uninspired and fallible +teachers, and in corrupting contact with Pagan philosophy, as well as +in debasing union with civil governments. + +Now, in this apostolic age, this golden era of the church, we hear of +no other creed than the word of God itself, which was regarded as +sufficient. And certainly, if as Romanists, after the report of +_Rufinus_, believed the Apostles had either written or employed this +creed, the piety of that age would have enrolled it in the Scripture +canon, and the early church have guarded it with special care. But +there is not a word in the Old or New Testament authorizing or +commanding the church of any future age to frame a creed in addition to +the Bible, as a rule for admission into the church, or exclusion from +it. The only scriptural ground for such a creed is inferential. We are +instructed "earnestly to contend for the faith (doctrines) once +delivered to the saints," and "not to bid God speed," to him who +preaches another Gospel, or denies that Jesus is the Christ. In order +to obey these injunctions we must demand, of applicants for church +membership or ordination, their views of the prominent doctrines of +the Bible, and judge whether they accord with ours. Or we may state to +them our views of these topics, and require their assent. In either +case, we have a creed, and for obvious reasons it is preferable for us +to prepare a carefully written statement of Bible truth, so that it may +be known, examined and improved by renewed comparison with God's word. +On the other hand, the Apostle commands us to "receive into our +community the brother (him whom we regard as a true disciple of Christ,) +who is weak in the faith, (imperfect in some of his views of the truth) +but not for doubtful disputations;" not for the purpose of disputing +with him on doubtful points. Moreover, the primitive disciples, of +contiguous residence, were all united into one church by the Apostles, +and the Savior enjoins it on _all_ his disciples to love one another, +to "be one, as He and his Father are one." Therefore, it was then +sinful to divide and separate true Christians from one another, and +must be so at present, as a general rule. Now, as human creeds, when +extended so as to embrace minor doctrines, on which good men differ, +necessarily do divide, them, such creeds are inconsistent with the +precepts of Christ. The result of these two principles, the duty to +exclude fundamental errorists on the one hand, and the command not to +separate, but to unite the true disciples of Christ on the other, by +reciprocal limitation, affords us the rule, to employ a human creed +specifying the cardinal truths of the Scriptures, but not to include in +it minor doctrines, which would divide the great mass of true disciples +of Christ; nor to introduce more specifications of government or modes +of worship, than are necessary to enable enlightened Christians to walk +harmoniously together. + +Accordingly, we find that such was the character of the earliest +uninspired creed of the church, the only one that was extensively +employed in the admission and exclusion of members during the first +three centuries of her history. We allude, of course to the Apostles' +creed, so called, not because the Apostles were at first supposed to +have written it, but because, it confessedly contained doctrines +promulged by the Apostles. This creed, which was for along time +circulated orally among the churches, embraces only fundamental +doctrines, forms less than half a page in the Definite Synodical +Platform, and is believed by all evangelical denominations at the +present time. Here then we have the christian church in her _golden +age_ of greatest purity, the first three centuries, relying on the +word of God alone, with only this brief human creed. + +In the fourth century, (A. D. 325,) the Council of Nice adopted a +creed, which is but a paraphrase of the above, following the order of +its subjects, and adding various specifications to repel heresies which +had arisen. Yet even this does not amount to one page in the Definite +Platform. Near the close of the fifth, or perhaps in the sixth century, +the so-called Athanasian Creed was adopted, which would form less than +three pages of the Platform. During the subsequent, centuries of +Romish corruption, different councils made various enactments for the +church, but they generally related to the multitudinous rites and +ceremonies introduced into the popish worship, or to the functions, +rights and privileges of the pope, the different ranks of priests, +bishops, arch-bishops and the inferior officers; and in the progress +of time, men were allowed to adopt almost any error, provided they +paid their dues to the priests, and performed the superstitious +ceremonies of the church. + +In the age of the Reformation, Luther had obligated himself to the +entire Romish system, yea, had at the receipt of his Doctorate, taken +an oath to _obey the Church of Rome, and not to teach any doctrines +condemned by her_ [Note 2] But having been enlightened by the study of +the Bible, which providentially fell into his hands, he saw his errors, +and wisely judging that _an oath to do any criminal deed ceases to be +obligatory after the sinfulness of the contemplated act is seen_, he +renounced those errors one after another, as fast as the light of +truth illumined his mind. This work he commenced in 1517, and continued +from year to year till near the close of his life. In 1530, eleven +years after, he began the work of reform, and sixteen before his death, +he approved the Augsburg confession, as drawn up by Melancthon, +although he told him in a letter during the diet, that he had yielded +too much to the papists, as will be seen in the sequel. But Luther +never signed any confession of faith; nor was a pledge to the Augsburg +confession or to any other symbol required of the ministers of the +church during his lifetime; although the Augsburg confession was +regarded as the exponent of the prevalent views of the Protestant +churches in Germany. It was not until a quarter of a century after +Luther had left the church militant, and not until the Lutheran church +had been established in Germany for full half a century, that the +so-called _symbolic system_ was regularly and generally introduced by +the civil authorities of the major portion of Protestant Germany. Now +it is in regard to the import of this Confession of Augsburg, +published before the middle of Luther's labors as a reformer, that +some differences of opinion have been entertained. To ascertain the +true sense of such passages according to the most impartial and just +principle of exegesis, is one principal object of our investigations +in the following pages. + +It has often been affirmed by some, who have not examined the history +of that eventful diet with particular care, that the Augsburg +Confession was prepared under the most favorable circumstances for an +impartial and full exhibition of all the views of the confessors, both +of positive truth and papal errors. The contrary was, however, the +case, as will be distinctly shown in the sequel. But we will first +reply to the _General Observations_ of the Plea of our esteemed brother, +the _Rev. Mr. Mann_. Let it be remembered, however, that whatever may +be the import of this and other creeds, they have all been formed since +the age of inspiration, they are all uninspired and therefore fallible. +Hence, it is equally the duty of the church, in every generation, to +test her existing creed by the word of God, and to correct and improve +it, if found unscriptural in any of its teachings, or if experience has +taught that it is too brief or too extended, successfully to accomplish +the legitimate purposes of such documents. The idea of the +infallibility of any human creed, or even its semi-inspiration, is +philosophically unreasonable, and either a remnant of Romish +superstition, or an amiable weakness of judgment. Melancthon himself +did not regard his Confession as perfect, for he made sundry +alterations in it in his successive editions. And even at Augsburg, +after the confession had been sent to Luther, at Coburg, and returned +with his approbation on the 16th of May, Melancthon, in a letter to +him, dated six days later, (May 22,) employs the following language: +"In the Apology, (which was the name first intended for the Augsburg +Confession,) I daily make _many changes_. The section concerning +'_Vows_,' which was too meagre, I have stricken out, and have treated +the subject more fully. I am now doing the name with the section +concerning '_The Keys_.' I wish you could have reviewed the doctrinal +articles," (namely, as now amended,) "and then, if you found nothing +defective in them, I would discuss the remaining articles as well as +may be. _For, in Articles of faith, some change must be made, from +time to time, and they must be adapted to the occasions." [Note 3] Here +is anything else than the idea of the immaculate and unalterable nature +of the Augsburg Confession for all after times. + +Note 1. In 1529, whilst Melancthon was attending the Conferences at +Spire, this great and good man made a little excursion to Bretton, to +visit his mother. During their interview, she asked him what she should +believe amid so many disputes, and repeated to him her prayers, which +were free from superstition. "Go on, mother," said he, "to believe and +to pray as you have done, and never trouble yourself about religious +controversies." + +Note 2. As this oath is a literary curiosity, we subjoin it, in the +original, for the gratification of our learned readers: Ego juro +Domino Decano et Magistris Facultatis Theologiae obedientiam et +reverentiam debitam, et in quocunque statu utilitatem universitatis, +et maxime Facultatis Theologicae, _pro virili mea_ procurabo, et omnes +actus theologicos exercebo in mitra, (nisi fuerit religiosus) vanas, +peregrinas _doctrinas, ab ecclesia damnatas, et piarum aurium +offensivas non dogmatisabo_, sed dogmatisantem Dn. Decano denunciabo +intra octendium, et manutenebo consuetudines, libertates et privilegia +Theologicae Facultatis _pro virili mea_, ut me Deus adjuvet, et +Sanctorum evangeliorum conditores. _Juro etiam Romanae ecclesiae +obedientiam_, et procurabo pacem inter Magistros et Scholasticos +seculares et religiosos, et _biretum_ in nullo alio gymnasio +recipiam." Lib. Statutorum facultatis theol. Academiae Wittemberg. +Cap. 7. + +Note 3. An der Apologie (Confession) aendere ich taeglich Vieles. Den +Abschnitt von den Geluebden, der zu mager war, habe ich gestrichen +und den Gegenstand ausfuehrlicher abgehandelt. Eben so verfahre ich +jetzo mit dem Abschnitt von "den Schluesseln." Ich wuenschte, du +haettest die "Glaubensartikel" ueberblickt, wo ich dann, wenn du nichts +fehlerhaftes darin gefunden, das uebrige, so gut es gehen will, +abhandeln werde. Denn es musz zum oeftern an den Glaubensartikeln +abgeaendert werden, und man musz sie den Gelegenheiten anbequemen. In +the Latin: Vellem percurisses articulos fidei, in quibus si nihil +putaveris esse vitii, reliqua utcunque tractabimus. "_Subinde enim, +mutandi stint atque ad occasiones accommodandi." Christian Niemeyer's +Philip Melancthon_, im Jahre der Augsburgischen Confession, pp. 13, 14. + + +CHAPTER II. +REPLY TO THE GENERAL OBSERVATIONS OF THE PLEA. + +In replying to the general observations, which constitute the +introduction of the Plea, we shall pursue the order of their occurrence. + +"We shall, in this short tract," says the author, "not speak of the +objections, which in the Definite Platform are set forth against some +errors, contained in some other symbolical books of the Lutheran Church, +but we shall confine ourselves exclusively to the errors pointed out in +the Augsburg Confession, the work of Luther and Melancthon themselves, +and _the only one of our Confessions which was universally received as +such, by the whole Lutheran Church in all parts of the world_," p. 4. +This concession is no less honorable to the reverend author, than the +fact itself is important in the discussion of the subject before us. As +the contrary has frequently been asserted in this country, in the face +of history, it seems proper to advert to its details. The facts in the +case are the following: + +_The Form of Concord_ was rejected in Denmark, Sweden, Hessia, +Pommerania, Holstein, Anhalt, and the cities of Strasburg, Frankfurt +a. m. Speier, Worms, Nuerenberg, Magdeburg, Bremen, Dantzig, &c. For +particulars see Koellner's Symbolik, Vol. I, pp. 575-77. + +_The Smalcald Articles_ were rejected by Sweden and Denmark. + +_The Apology_ to the Augsburg Confession, was denied, official +authority, by Sweden and Denmark. + +_The Larger Catechism_ of Luther, in Sweden and Denmark. + +Even _the Smaller Catechism_ of Luther was not received as symbolic in +Sweden. See Guericke's Symbolik, pp. 67, &c., 113. + +Here, then, we perceive, that those ultra Lutherans of our day, who +insist on the whole mass of former symbols as essential to Lutheranism, +must unchurch a very large portion of the Lutheran Church even of the +sixteenth century. But among these we can by no means class the author +of the Plea, who is evidently a Lutheran of the more enlightened and +liberal class. + +The author of the Plea represents "the Augsburg Confession, as the +_unexceptionable_ password of the adherents of the Lutheran Church for +three centuries." The idea designed probably is, that the _great mass_ +of doctrines taught in this confession has been thus received. For it +is a historical fact, that cannot be contested, that private confession, +which is enjoined in the eleventh, twenty-fifth and twenty-eighth +Articles of the Augsburg Confession, and was retained by Luther, +Melancthon and their churches, was from the begining [sic] rejected by +the _entire Lutheran Church in Sweden and Denmark_, as well as other +places, and a public confession of the whole church, such as is now +employed in Germany and this country, introduced in its stead. See +Siegel's Handbuch, Vol. I., p. 200. + +"Of course the accusation against the Augsburg Confession, involves an +exhibition of Luther and Melancthon, those pillars of the Reformation, +as teaching _heretical doctrines_, which are not in accordance with the +word of God." p. 4. This language we regard as not entirely correct. +Those errors alone are, in correct English, usually termed "heretical," +which are of fundamental importance, and deny some doctrine that is +necessary to salvation. That this is neither affirmed or implied by the +Platform, must, we think, be admitted by all. But that both Luther and +Melancthon did entertain some erroneous views in 1530, some of which +are taught in the Augsburg Confession, namely, those specified in the +Platform, is affirmed by the great body of our American Lutheran +Church. + +"The errors are not, on the side of the Augsburg Confession, but on the +side of those _who agitate our Lutheran Church_ with the introduction +of a fatherless and motherless child, the Definite Platform." To this +we reply, the Platform was publicly adopted by three or four Synods in +the West, within a few weeks after its publication. As to its +authorship, we never denied having prepared it, at the urgent request +of some of those brethren, on the plan agreed on by them, and some +Eastern brethren of the very first respectability. It was carefully +revised by ourselves and Dr. B. Kurtz, and we have not yet found a +single one of its positions refuted. That the request was made and +complied with, will not be regarded as discreditable to either party by +impartial judges, after the smoke of battle shall have disappeared, and +the vision of men again be unobstructed. As to the friends of the +Platform being agitators of the church, we regard the supposition as +erroneous. The Platform was designed to be adopted by those Western +Synods, as it has been, publicly, but without controversy, as other +Synods had done before with their symbolic platforms. But enemies of +the Platform raised the alarm, and agitated the church with threatened +dangers. That the friends of the assailed instrument should stand up in +its vindication, was an indispensable act of self-defence, to which no +impartial man will object. + +"We shall endeavor to maintain in this controversy, a dignified and +Christian spirit, as becomes this holy subject, and those who, +differing in some points, know one Master and one service. People on +earth will always differ in their opinions. The truth will gain by +giving free scope to investigation, and by the illustration of the +different sides of the same question." This position is true, and +creditable alike to the head and the heart of the author. Church +government and doctrine are topics of primary importance to the +prosperity of the kingdom of the Redeemer, and no reason can be +assigned why they cannot be debated to the edification of the church, +except the human frailty of disputants. Had these subjects been +discussed in our religious papers with calmness, and in a Christian +spirit, they would have been alike instructive and edifying both to +ministers and laity. The discussion would have infused into laymen a +deeper interest for the welfare of the church, and a larger liberality +in the support of her institutions. Are we not commanded to prove all +things, and hold fast that which is good; and to be always ready to +give to him that asked us a reason for the hope that is in us? But let +us not despond; God will overrule even these controversies to the good +of his church. _Forsan et haec olim meminisse juvabit._ + +"The Synods adopting this Platform are expected to make it a principle +_not to receive into their membership any one who will not subscribe +this Definite Platform_," (meaning the whole pamphlet,) p. 6. On this +subject the Platform was entirely misapprehended, by the readers not +reflecting that the third resolution, on p. 6, must be construed in +connection with the two immediately preceding and numerically connected +with it. Resolutions first and second declare the "doctrinal Platform" +to consist of the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the American +Recension of the Augsburg Confession, together with the General Synod's +Formula of Government and Discipline. And the third resolution adds, no +one shall be received into this Synod who will not subscribe "_this_ +Platform," namely, the one just defined. This American Recension or +Revision of the Augsburg Confession, contains, _unaltered_, the +doctrinal articles of that Confession, except, that a few sentences are +omitted, and _nothing added in their stead_. Now, if it be admitted that +when an enumeration of the parts of a whole is professedly and +explicitly made, any thing not included in that enumeration is excluded, +then certainly, as the first two resolutions enumerated specifically +the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the American Recension of the +Augsburg Confession, as the parts constituting the Platform to which +assent was required, it follows that the list of Symbolic Errors +rejected, which is not named at all, and which formed a separate part of +the pamphlet, is excluded. But the misapprehension evidently arose from +the fact, that after the term _doctrinal platform_ had been used in the +work, to designate the doctrinal and disciplinarian basis contained in +the first part of it, the name _Definite Synodical Platform_ was +selected for the whole pamphlet, and the distinction not kept up with +sufficient prominence before the mind of the reader. This is remedied in +the second edition, by employing the phrase _Doctrinal Basis or Creed_ +for the first, and "_Synodical Disclaimer_, or List of Symbolical +Errors" for the second part. Moreover it is expressly stated, on p. 5, +that "whilst we will not admit into our Synod any one who believes in +Exorcism, Private Confession, and Absolution, or the Ceremonies of the +Mass," (not one of which is practiced, so far us we know, by a single +minister connected with the General Synod), the Platform "grants +liberty in regard to all the other topics, omitted from the Augsburg +Confession in the American Recension of it." For it adds, "We are +willing, as heretofore, to admit ministers who receive these views, +provided they regard them as _non-essential_" (that is, as +_non-fundamental_, not, as has been asserted by others, as of minor or +of little importance), "and are willing to co-operate in peace with +those who reject them." To the List of Errors rejected no one is +required to subscribe, and it is published by the Synod as a disclaimer +of these errors, which are often imputed to us, but which are rejected +by the great body of the American Lutheran Church. The Platform cannot, +therefore, with truth, be said to exclude old-Lutherans, unless they +are so rigid as to regard their own views on these disputed points as +essential, and are unwilling to co-operate in _peace_ with their +brethren: and in that case it is certainly preferable for all parties, +that they should organize a Synod for themselves. + +Says the author of the Plea, p. 6: "Suppose some Episcopal ministers +having arrived at the conviction that some of their church canons were +wrong," "would it be regarded as anything else than a most _astounding +presumption_, for such men to dare to change the character of the church +canons and denounce some of them as errors, and at the same time to +maintain that _they themselves are the true representatives of the +Episcopal Church_, and can _unchurch_ others?" Here are three +positions, all of which we regard as erroneous. In the _first_ place, +it is not presumptuous, but a Christian duty, when ministers of a +church are firmly convinced, that the avowed standards of their church +contain some tenets contrary to the word of God, publicly to disavow +them, that their influence may not aid in sustaining error; and if the +majority of a synod participate in this opinion, it is their duty to +change their standards into conformity with God's word. The Augsburg +Confession itself was such, a disclaimer of Romish errors, and avowal +of the truth: and if it was the duty of the ministry in the sixteenth +century to make their public profession conform to their belief of +Scripture truth, it is equally the duty of every other age. But +although their case involves the _principle_ objected to by the _Plea_, +the following cases are more exactly analogous. The Episcopal ministry +and laity did, after the American Revolution, change their doctrine, +that the king is the head of the church and adopted the opinion that no +civil officer, as such, has any office in the church. They accordingly +rejected from their creed Article XXI., and also excluded from their +liturgy and forms of prayer, all allusion to the king as the head or +governor of the church. Listen to the testimony of the _Episcopal_ +ministers of Maryland, in 1783, soon after the acknowledgment of the +independence of this country. They passed a number of resolutions, of +which the fourth reads thus: "That as it is the _right_, so it will be +the _duty_ of the Episcopal Church, when duly organized, constituted, +and represented in a Synod or Convention of the different orders of her +ministers and people, to revise her liturgy, forms of prayer and of +public worship, in order to adapt the same _to the late Revolution_, +and OTHER LOCAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF AMERICA," [Note 1] &c. + +Our _Presbyterian_ brethren also changed their Confession of Faith, and +adapted it to their belief. Hear the testimony of _Dr. Hodge_, in his +Constitutional History of the Presbyterian Church in the United +States: [Note 2] the Synod then "took into consideration the twentieth +chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith, the third paragraph of +the twenty-third chapter, and the first paragraph of the thirty-first +chapter; and having made some alterations, agreed that the said +paragraphs, as now altered, be printed for consideration, together with +a draught of a plan of government and discipline." They were +subsequently adopted. + +In like manner did our _Methodist Episcopal_ brethren deal with the +Thirty-nine Articles of the Episcopal Church, which they had avowed +from the days of Wesley. They not only rejected the recognition of the +king as the head of the church, but also entirely omitted Article +XVII., which is supposed by many to inculcate Calvinism, together with +several others; and materially altered Articles I., II., VI., IX., +XXVI., and XXXIV. If, then, it be competent for these several Synods, +or Conferences, to change the Westminster Confession and Thirty-nine +Articles, which were prepared far more deliberately, and with much less +restraint, and had become equally venerable by age, without any one +pretending to deny their authority, or to pronounce the measure +"presumptuous," why may not the Synod of Wittenberg, and other similar +bodies, correct the Augsburg Confession, by the omission of several +tenets, believed not only by her members, but by the great body of +American Lutherans, to be unscriptural? Now the Definite Platform was +prepared at the request of the leading members of those Western Synods, +according to a plan previously agreed on among them and others, for the +express purpose of being proposed for discussion, correction, and +_adoption by these Synods;_ and, until so acted on, was a mere +unofficial proposal, _such as any friends of the church have a right to +make_. And who can dispute their right, or the right of any Synod, to +adopt a Confession of Faith for herself, when the Constitution of the +General Synod originally conceded this power specifically to each +Synod, and still does so, in Article III., Section 3, by requiring them +only to adhere to the _fundamental_ doctrines of the Bible, as taught +by our church? Is not a Lutheran Synod possessed of as much power as an +Episcopal or Methodist convention? And although an individual +necessarily drew up the document, it was prepared according to the plan +decided on by about twenty brethren, and claimed no authority until +acted on by Synod. The Definite Platform could never, _with truth_, be +regarded as the work of a few individuals. Its inception was the result +of a consultation of a large number of influential brethren, especially +of the West, who had been convinced by the aggressions of surrounding +symbolists, that a decided, but also a more _definite_ stand on the +ground of the General Synod, was necessary in self-defence. It was +prepared and published at their request, not as an official document, +but as a draft of such a basis as they had agreed on. It was presented +to them, and taken up for consideration by their several Synods; and +the unanimity with which they adopted it is conclusive proof that it +was prepared according to the stipulated principles. By denying the +right of the several Synods of Ohio, and of any other Synod, to improve +or decide on their own doctrinal basis, within the fundamentals of +Scripture as taught in the Augsburg Confession, the enemies of the +Platform _renounce the principles of the General Synod_, which +expressly allows this right; and they also renounce the original and +universally acknowledged Independent or Congregational principles of +Lutheran Church Government, avowed by Luther, Melancthon, and all the +leading divines of our church, one part of which is the right and +obligation to form our own views of Scripture truth, and to avow them +to the world. + +No individual can justly pronounce the Platform an invasion of his +rights; for it has never even been proposed by _its friends_ to any +Synod other than those at the request of whose members it was prepared; +and should it, at any time hereafter, be presented, it will possess no +authority unless conferred on it by Synodical action, in which each +minister has a right to participate. The war that has been and is still +waged against the Platform, by old Lutheran Synods, and papers, to whom +it was never proposed for adoption, is wholly offensive; and whilst we +do not deny the right of any Synod to take it up by way of counsel, the +intolerant and aggressive principles avowed by Old School papers, is a +direct assault on the rights of American or New School Lutherans, which +cannot in the end fail to unite them in measures of self-defence. + +_Secondly_, the Plea is mistaken, in supposing that the friends of the +Platform profess to be the true representatives of the Lutheran Church +in the _symbolic_ sense of the term: for have they not reiterated, in a +score of publications, for five and twenty years past, that they do not +hold all the views of the former symbols; and does not the Platform +itself explicitly disclaim any such idea, by publicly protesting +against the errors of those books? + +_Thirdly_, the idea of our "unchurching others," is openly disclaimed +by the Platform, as was proved above. + +Again, says the Plea: "Those who undertake to change the doctrinal +basis of a church, take upon themselves an awful responsibility," p. 7. +True; but there is an equally awful responsibility resting on those +who, favored by Providence with the increased light of three centuries, +continue to avow in their creed, and thus lead multitudes to embrace +the superstitious and truly dangerous errors, which remain in these +documents issued in the earlier and immature stages of the Reformation, +and some of them under circumstances unpropitious to a free expression +of views of Scripture doctrine. If these errors constituted the essence +of Lutheranism, we ought to forsake the church; but as they do not, we +are under sacred obligation to expunge them from our creed, so that we +may not aid in their perpetuation. + +"From this renewed church (of the Reformation) as from a new heart, of +mankind, new and fresh and vigorous blood flows in an uninterrupted +stream through mighty arteries, into the whole world." p. 7. Or rather, +we would say, this fresh and vigorous blood flows not from the church, +much less from the errors which she retained in her symbols, but from +that amount, of _God's truth_, which constitutes the great mass of her +confession. The separation of these errors, instead of impairing the +efficiency of the church, will greatly multiply her energies, and pave +the way for new and enlarged conquests over the world. + +"Let any one examine the theological mastership, which this learned +and honored disciple of Christ (Melancthon) exhibited in his Apology +for the Augsburg Confession--and he will be convinced of the folly of +those, who presume to think, that he, or his mighty coadjutor, +(Luther,) might be materially benefited by the dogmatical and exegetical +instructions of the theological professors and authors of the present +times." p. 7.8. This all sounds well enough in the abstract, and we +ourselves have frequently and with equal sincerity, praised these great +reformers. But after all, they were fallible men. This same Melancthon, +in this same Apology for the Augsburg Confession, regards Private +Confession and Absolutism [sic] as the third _sacrament_. At +the Diet of Augsburg, he was willing to yield to Romish bishops the +dangerous powers which they formerly had exercised over the churches, +and when he saw danger thicken around him, he positively wrote to +Luther, inquiring whether they might not, yield to the papists in the +matter of _private and closet masses_, as will be seen in the sequel! +Besides, these modern "professors, authors," and, we will add, pastors, +do not propose to improve the Confession by any light of their own; but +by the progressive light, which the Providence of God has vouchsafed to +the prayers, the philological and exegetical studies of three centuries. +This light we receive with gratitude to God, and cannot for a moment +doubt, that if these noble servants of Christ were now living, they +would be amongst its most grateful recipients. They both continued +through life to study the word of God, and to profess their improved +views without the least hesitation. So far was Melancthon himself from +regarding any of his works perfect, that he continued deliberately to +make improvements, even in this same Augsburg Confession, after the +storms of papal persecution had subsided, till the end of his life. And +we might easily fill pages with the declarations of Luther, avowing his +sense of the imperfections of his publications, and of the work of +Reformation in his day. + +"We believe," says the Plea, "that they (Luther and Melancthon) are no +more than guides to the fountain of truth, to the gospel; and whenever +we find that they lead us off from the Word of God, we are bound not to +hesitate in our decided deviation from their views." p. 8. This is +precisely the noble, enlightened, and christian stand point of the +American Lutheran Church. In principle, the respected author of the +Plea, does not differ from us. It is only in its application to +particular cases, that we may occasionally not coincide. + +"The state of theology and religion of an age, does not at all depend +upon the progress of general science and social life." p. 10. From this +sentiment and the train of observation in reference to it on the same +page, we do not dissent. But no American Lutheran appeals to _this_ +spirit of the age, exhibited in the progress of the physical sciences, +as proofs of any advance in theology. The sciences to which we refer as +media of increasing life, are those on which the proper interpretation +of the sacred volume depends, philology, archaeology, hermeneutics, &e., +and certainly our brother cannot dissent from this position, he will not +maintain, that no progress has been made, in the knowledge of the +original languages of Scripture by continued studies of scores of the +ablest philologians the world has ever seen, especially during the last +half century. He will not deny, that the exploring labors of travellers +[sic] to the lands of holy writ, the increased study of the manners and +customs and institutions of the nations inhabiting them, have +illustrated some portions of the sacred volume. Nor will he affirm the +utter fruitlessness of all the prayerful efforts of men of God, during +the last three centuries, to understand the general principles of +languge, [sic] the different significations of words, (the literal, the +tropical, the typical, the allegorical, &c.,) and the proper rules for +the interpretation of the Sacred Record. He is too well acquainted with +the literary fame of Germany and the writings of that galaxy of +theological luminaries, that has reflected so much glory on the land of +the Reformation, not to admit that many parts of the Sacred Record are +better understood at present, than they were three centuries ago. But +the principal difficulty which prevented the full and clear appreciation +of divine truth in the earlier Reformers, was the fact that _they were +educated till adult age, [Note 3] in all the superstitious rites and +ceremonies of the Romish Church_, and we all know that it is impossible +entirely to emancipate ourselves from the prejudices of early education. +Under these circumstances the marvel is, not that they retained a few +papal views and practices, but that they accomplished as much as they +did, in unlearning the errors of their early education. + +"If all Christianity were to take its first start to-day;-to-morrow +already interpretations and confessions would spring up like mushrooms +in a hot-bed." p. 11. This idea is expressed rather too strongly for +the claims of history; as it is certain that during the golden era of +Christianity, the first three centuries, no other creeds were employed +by the churches generally, than the so-called Apostles' and the Nicene +Creeds. It is chiefly since the period of the Reformation, that the +church of the Redeemer has been cut up into so many denominations, +professing different and some of them very extended creeds. + +"Every denomination has an individual life, and the law of +self-preservation ought, to teach her, that she is throwing herself +away, if she, is not determined to stand by her banners and to defend +her position." p. 11. Whatever definition we may adopt of the +indefinite and cloudy term "_life_" in this passage, our reply is, the +life of every Christian church ought to be the _life of the Gospel_, +and the life of the church as established and conducted by the inspired +apostles. Every thing in the life of any church inconsistent with this, +must be wrong. It is true, since the formation of the different +Protestant denominations, each one of them has a different creed, and +is characterized by some peculiarities of government or worship, and if +these peculiarities are intended by the "peculiar life" of a +denomination, we judge it would be equally wrong for the members of any +church, to lay it down as a rule in every case to defend them. It would +bear some resemblance to the corrupt, political motto, so justly +denounced by all good men: _Our Country right or wrong_. Had Luther +adopted this rule, it would have required him to defend all the errors +of Rome, which had been fully sanctioned by that church. But his +judgment taught him differently, and he gradually rejected every one of +those elements of the peculiar _life_ of Romanism, which he found +hostile to the life of the [sic] God's word. But if it be replied, +that by "peculiar life" is intended those peculiarities of our +church, which are accordant with the Gospel; we fully assent to the +position. This is precisely the principle, on which we endeavor to act. +_We defend and retain every peculiarity of the church of our fathers, +which we find taught in the word of God, or consistent with its spirit_; +whilst we deem it a privilege and duty to labor at the improvement of +our church and her ecclesiastical framework or platform, by removing +from it every thing which, after a life of prayerful study, we are +persuaded is offensive to God, because opposed to His word. Even the +Form of Concord affirms the principle for which we here contend, by +representing creeds as exhibitions of the sense in which _Christians of +a particular age_ understood the Bible; and never, until the duty of the +church in every age to conform her standards to the word of God, is +conceded; can she as a whole become more united, more pure and +scriptural, and the kingdom of Christ be extended throughout the earth. + +The Plea objects to what it styles "the officious manner in which some +persons raise alarm throughout the church, promulgate their intention +to change the Augsburg Confession, and act in such a manner as if their +views in regard to the so-called errors of the Augsburg Confession were +absolutely above all possibility of error." p. 13. This objection is +probably based on a want of acquaintance with the history of our church +in this country, if it is designed to refer particularly to the +Definite Platform; which would be excuseable in our brother, as his +residence amongst us is comparatively of recent date. But the truth is, +that the rejection of the custom of requiring assent to the Augsburg +Confession by the fathers in the Pennsylvania Synod _fifty years ago_, +is proof enough of their dissatisfaction with that document. Nor did +they hesitate distinctly to declare their dissent from some of its +tenets. This was done not only privately, but also in their occasional +publications. As to private confession and absolution, _they never +adopted that practice in this country;_ but from the beginning +employed a _public_ and _general_ confession, preparatory to the Lord's +Supper, as our church in Sweden and Denmark did in the days of the +Reformation. As to the _ceremonies_ of the public mass, they were +rejected by our church universally, some years after the diet of +Augsburg, as private and closet masses had been before. The General +Synod, at the adoption of her constitution in 1820, freely expressed +her dissatisfaction in the public discussions, with some parts of the +Augsburg Confession, and inserted a clause in her constitution, giving +_power both to the General Synod and to each District Synod to form a +new Confession of Faith_, for their own use. _Dr. Lochman_, one of the +most active, pious, and respected divines of our church, in his +Catechism, published in 1822, states it as one of "_the leading +principles_ of our church, [sic on quotation marks] "that +the Holy Scriptures and _not human authority_, are the only source +whence we are to draw our religious sentiments, whether they relate to +faith or practice." "That Christians are accountable to God alone for +their religious principles," and says not a word about adherence to the +Augsburg Confession, as one of the principles of our church. + +He also published an edition of the Augsburg Confession, in his work, +entitled Doctrine and Discipline of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, in +which _he made more omissions than are found in the American +Recension;_ and yet no one found fault with him for doing so. That the +reader may judge of the extent of these omissions, we specify them: In + +Art. I. he omitted the definition of _person_, in the Trinity. + +Art. II. omits the condemnatory clause. + +Art. III. omits the epithet _pure_, in reference to the Virgin Mary, +and the reference to the so called "Apostles' Creed." + +Art. IV. omits the closing sentence, that God will regard this faith as +righteousness. + +Art. V. omits the condemnatory clause, and part of another sentence. + +Art. VI. omits the word "_true_" in reference to the unity of the +church. + +Art. VIII. omits the condemnatory clause concerning the _Donatists_. + +Art. IX. omits the name _Anabaptists_. + +Art. X. omits the condemnatory clause. + +Art. XII. omits "absolution" and part of the condemnatory clause. + +Art. XVII. omits the condemnatory clause. + +Art. XVIII. omits the name of Augustine's work, Hypognosticon, and +about _ten lines at the close_. + +Art. XIX. omits the _last sentence_. + +Art. XX. omits different portions of this long article, amounting to +one-half of the whole. + +Art. XXI. omits all that is said on war, and the Turks, &c., and the +entire concluding paragraph, amounting to half a page 12mo. + +Yet this work was circulated throughout the church, and we never heard +a single word of objection, although the notes appended to it are far +from being symbolic. + +Rev. J. A. Probst, in his work on the Reunion of the Lutheran and +Reformed Churches, published in 1826, speaking of this country, and +especially the Synod of Pennsylvania, of which he was a member, says, +"Zwingle's more liberal, rational, and scriptural view of this doctrine, +(election) as well as of the _Lord's Supper, has become the prevailing +one among the Lutheran and Reformed_," p. 74. The same fact, the +rejection of some of the articles of the Augsburg Confession, is taught +in some publications in 1827, by _Dr. Endress_, one of our most +respected and learned ministers; and is confirmed by the language of the +resolution passed by the Synod of Pennsylvania in 1823, on the subject +of union between the Lutheran and Reformed churches in this country, +between which bodies they affirm a _unity of doctrinal views_. This +dissent, was publicly avowed by Dr. _F. C. Schaeffer_, of New York, who, +in his edition of Luther's Catechism, published in 1820, omitted the +word "_real_ or _true_" in reference to the Saviour's body in the +eucharist, (p. 21,) and in his Address at the Laying of the Corner-stone +of St. Matthew's Church, thus expresses himself. "We rejoice with +thanksgiving before the Lord, because he has given us _our great +symbolical book, the bible_. This is preferable to all the "books" and +"_confessions" of men_. According to a fundamental principle of the +Lutherans, we depend not merely on the irrigating streamlets that +originate in the fountain to which we have access, but we rather drink +from that fountain itself. The study and proper interpretation of the +sacred writings, accompanied by the use of all outward helps which +God's providence has furnished, and aided by fervent prayer in the +acceptable name of Jesus Christ the Mediator, is mainly inculcated in +the Evangelical Lutheran Church." p. 10. + +This same dissent from the symbols, was also publicly avowed by _Dr. +Hazelius_, who in his Annotations on the Augsburg Confession, +published in 1841, says, "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 the subject." p. 21. This dissent in +non-fundamentals from the Augsburg Confession, is also avowed by _Dr. +Bachman_, in his Discourse on the Doctrines and Discipline of the +Lutheran Church, published in 1837, and sanctioned by his Synod: also +by _Dr. Lintner_, in his preface to the Augsburg Confession, in 1837, +pp. 3, 4; by _Dr. Krauth_, in his Sketch of the Evangelical Lutheran +Church in the United Slates, for Buck's Theological Dictionary, in +1830; in which he says the doctrines of the Evangelical Lutheran Church +are _substantially_ those of the Augsburg Confession," [sic on +quotation mark!] implying dissent from that creed in some +non-essentials; and recently his own dissent in an article in the +Lutheran Observer, and the Evangelical Review of July, 1850. _Dr. G. B. +Miller_ published his dissent from the Confession on some of its +representations of baptism, (baptismal regeneration, as he contends,) +and the _real presence_ in the Eucharist, in his Sermon before the +Ministerium of New York, in 1831. + +The same dissent was freely expressed by _Dr. Baugher_, in his Report +on the "Doctrines and Usages of the Synod of Maryland," in which he +thus describes his position and that of this Synod: + +"ON REGENERATION.--We believe that the Scriptures teach that +regeneration is the act of God, the Holy Ghost, by which, through the +truth, the sinner is persuaded to abandon his sins and submit to God, +on the terms made known in the gospel. This change, we are taught, is +radical and is essential to present peace and eternal happiness. +Consequently, it is possible, and is the privilege of the regenerated +person to know and rejoice in the change produced in him." + +"OF THE SACRAMENTS.--We believe that the Scriptures teach, that there +are but two sacraments, viz.: Baptism and the Lord's Supper, in each +of which, truths essential to salvation are symbolically represented. +We do not believe that they 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_." + +"OF THE SYMBOLICAL BOOKS.--Luther's Larger and Smaller Catechisms, the +Formula Concordiae, Augsburg Confession, Apology, and Smalkald +Articles are called in Germany the Symbolical Books of the church. We +regard them as good and useful exhibitions of truth, but do not receive +them as binding on the conscience, except so far as they agree with the +Word of God." + +To this catalogue we might add the names of many others, who have +avowed the same position of dissent from this venerable symbol, long +before the Definite Platform was thought of. No one in former times +presumed to deny the right of our ministers and synods expressing this +dissent, and proposing to form a new creed, if they deem it requisite. +To call the dissenting position of the _Definite Platform_ a new one, +is therefore a historical error; and to attempt to cast odium on it by +the charge of officiousness, is also an act of injustice. The same +charge would equally lie against the greater part of our best +ministers during the last half century, _and against the founders of +the General Synod themselves_. + +With this occasional disclaimer of these errors, American Lutherans +have hitherto been satisfied, nor would the question of officially +adopting a new creed have been raised at this time, had not the +Ultra-Lutherans of our land, of late become animated by a new zeal to +disseminate their symbolic errors, and to denounce as not Lutherans, +all who do not receive them. When the adoption of a new creed was thus +forced upon them, a number of the brethren advocated the formation of +one entirely new; but others believing it best to retain the venerable +mother symbol of Protestantism, as far as we could regard her +teachings as Scriptural, proposed the omission of the few disputed +points, and the adoption of the residue unaltered, thus retaining +nearly the whole of the doctrinal articles. The suggestion was +adopted, as being more respectful to the venerable symbol of our +church, we were urged to prepare the work for the consideration of +some of the Western Synods; and thus the American Recension of the +Augsburg Confession originated from respect for that creed, rather +than the want of it. The talk about sacrilege, &c., would sound more +natural among Romanists than Protestants; and the idea of deception +is utterly unfounded, because the very name adopted, "American +Recension," is a constant notification to the reader of some change. +Neither one or the other charge was ever made against the Methodist +Episcopal Church, for making four times as many changes in the +Thirty-nine Articles. As to respect for the Confession, we see but +little difference between several methods proposed amongst American +Lutherans; to adopt the Confession as to the fundamentals of Scripture +doctrine, leaving all free to reject the non-fundamentals; or to +publish the symbol, with a list appended of some of its articles, +which may be rejected; or to omit those same articles, leaving them +free, and adopting all the residue unconditionally. On neither of +these three plans does the _matter_ of the Confession remain intact, +even if the letter does; for in _all_, certain parts of it divested +of binding authority, and left to the judgment of each individual. +The American Recension is nothing more than a revised edition of the +Confession, in which those parts are omitted that had already been +divested of binding authority, and thus been superseded by subsequent +ecclesiastical legislation. + +And is it not creditable to any church, when she finds some tenets of +her creed in conflict with the Scriptures, and calculated to circulate +error, to reform and improve it? We should suppose that every +enlightened and reflecting theologian, and still more every intelligent +layman, would concur in the sentiments of that devoted friend and +defender of the Lutheran Church, _Dr. Koecher_, of Jena, in 1759, who, +discussing the charge that our church had changed her doctrines, says, +"It avails nothing merely to charge a church with having made changes +in her Creed; we must direct our attention to the subject or doctrine +itself, and inquire whether it is true or false. Because, _not every +alteration in matters of faith is inadmissible and censurable_. +Suppose a church to perceive that a doctrinal error has crept into her +creed, and to correct it by the exclusion of the error; does she not +merit our approbation, much rather that our censure or abuse? Suppose +that the Lutherans did formerly believe in transubstantiation (as has +been charged,) but in the course of time rejected this doctrine, +because they found it militate against divine truth; suppose the +earlier Lutheran divines did approve of the doctrine of unconditional +election, and limited grace of God, whilst our later theologians had +renounced them, because they are in conflict with the teachings of +God's word:--we say, suppose this had been the case, though it was not; +their procedure would not be improper, and their doctrinal change +would merit our approbation and praise, rather than censure." How much +more christian and manly are these views, than the position which, +though not avowed, is acted on by many, that the members of a church +should never attempt to improve her symbols; but, as a matter of +course, defend any doctrine taught by them, because it is there +inculcated. What is this else than practically to elevate Luther, +Melancthon, Zwingli, Calvin, or Wesley, above Christ? What is it else, +than prefering [sic] to be Lutherans rather than Christians, if we are +not ever ready to renounce anything Lutheran, if found not to be +Christian? How can the church of Christ continue to develope [sic] +herself in accordance with the divine purposes and plan, unless every +part of the church is kept in constant contact with the Bible, and is +ever willing to improve and conform its entire framework to the +increased light of God's word and Providence? It was Luther's deep +sense of obligation to the Bible, as paramount to all human authority, +which enabled him and his Spartan band of coadjutors, under God, to +reform the church of Germany from so many Romish errors, and nothing +short of the same noble principle can conduct the church safely in her +high and holy mission of converting the world. Whilst, therefore, we +love Luther much, let us, my brethren, ever love Christ more. And +whilst we respect the soul-stirring productions of the illustrious +reformers, let that respect never induce us to sanction any errors +contained in them, or bias our minds against the free and full +reception of the revelations of God's holy Word! + +Note 1. Colton's Genius of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the +United States, &c., p. 151. + +Note 2. Vol. ii., p. 498. + +Note 3. Luther was a faithful papist until he was upwards of _thirty +years_ did, when he began to protest against the errors of Rome. + + +CHAPTER III. +DISADVANTAGES UNDER WHICH THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION WAS PREPARED. + +In forming an idea of the estimate which should be placed on the +Augsburg Confession, as an expression of the results attained by the +biblical studies of Luther, Melancthon and their associates, at the +date of the diet in 1530; much depends on the question, whether the +circumstances under which it was prepared, and the design for which it +was intended, were favorable to a free and full exhibition of their +views. The affirmative of this question has often been declared in this +country; but the contrary is incontestably established by authentic +history, as well as by the declarations of the Reformers themselves. +The diet, it will be remembered, was appointed by the Emperor of +Germany, Charles V., for the purpose of settling the controversies +between the Pope and the Protestant princes of his empire, as well as +for other political purposes. The place selected was the City of +_Augsburg_, in Bavaria, about two hundred English miles from +Wittenberg, and about ninety miles from Coburg, where Luther was left +by the Elector during the diet. [Note 1] The Pope had long been urging +the emperor to adopt violent measures for the suppression of the +Protestants. He fondly anticipated that a deathblow would now be given +to the Protestant cause, and with which party the emperor would side +was not fully known, although, being a Romanist, little favor could be +expected by the Confessors. The Confession was composed by Melancthon +out of the Torgau Articles, at Augsburg, where he and the Elector John, +with his retinue, arrived on the 2d of May. On the 10th of May, it was +sent to Luther, at Coburg, for his revision, and he returned it with +his approbation on the 16th, remarking, "I have read Philip's Apology +(the Confession,) and am very well (_fast_ wohl, an obsolete meaning of +the term "fast,") pleased with it. I know nothing to improve or alter +at it; nor would it be suitable, as I cannot tread so softly and +lightly." [Note 2] As the emperor did not arrive until about a month +later, Melancthon continued to make various alterations, to render the +Confession more acceptable to the Romanists; for the fears of the +Protestants were greatly excited, as will appear by the following +extracts from Melancthon's own letters, penned at this eventful period. + +In a letter to _Luther_, dated Augsburg, June 15th, Melancthon says, +"On the day before Corpus Christi festival, at 8 o'clock, P. M., the +emperor arrived at Augsburg. From the imperial court, it appears, we +have nothing to expect; for the sole object which _Campegius_ seeks to +accomplish, is that we should be suppressed _by force_. Nor is there +any one in the emperor's entire court, who is milder than he himself." +[Note 3] This was indeed a gloomy prospect, for they were entirely at +the mercy of their emperor. He could reenact the scenes of the previous +century, and send them, like Huss and Jerome, to the dungeon and the +stake. + +On the 26th of June, the day after the public presentation of the +Confession, he again addresses _Luther:_ "We live here in the _most +lamentable anxiety and incessant tears_. To this a new source of +consternation has been added today, after we had read the letter of +_Vitus_ (Dietrich, Luther's friend,) in which he states that you are so +much offended at us, that you are unwilling even to read our letters. +My father, I will not increase my sufferings by words, but I merely beg +you to consider, where and _in what danger we are_, where we can have +nothing to tranquilize us except your consolations. Streams of sophists +and monks collect here daily, to inflame the hatred of the emperor +against us. But the friends, if we could formerly number them amongst +our (party,) are no longer with us. Alone and despised, we are here +_contending against endless dangers_. Our Vindication (the Confession) +has been presented to the emperor, and I herewith send it to you for +perusal. (If it had not been altered after Luther had seen and approved +it, it would have been superfluous to send him another copy.) In my +judgment, it is strong enough; for you will here perceive the monks +depicted sufficiently. Now, it appears to me, that before our enemies +reply, we must determine, _what we will yield to them_ in reference to +the 'eucharist in both kinds,' what touching matrimony (_celibacy_ of +priests,) and what in regard to 'CLOSET MASSES.' In [sic] appears +they are determined in no case to yield the last two." [Note 4] + +In a letter to _Camerarius_, [Note 5] he thus describes his condition: +"My spirit is _filled with lamentable anxiety_, not for the sake of our +cause, but on account of the indifference of our associates. Be not +concerned about me, for I commit myself to God. But _something +remarkable disturbs us_, which I can only tell you personally." [Note 6] + +To _Luther_, he writers [sic] on the 27th of June, "I cannot +describe how deeply I was distressed, on reading in the letter of +_Vitus_, (or Dietrich, a favorite of Luther, who remained with him at +Coburg, as his associate,) that you are irreconciliably [sic] offended, +because I do not write with sufficient frequency." "The condition of our +affairs here is still such, that we spend the _greater part of our time +in tears_. We have written very often, as we can prove." From this and +other passages in Melancthon's letters, as well as from his complaints, +that he could not induce [Note 7] the _Protestant princes_ to send +messengers regularly to Luther, Niemeyer regards it as evident, that +Luther's displeasure arose in part from the fact, that the princes felt +disposed, at this important juncture, to act without either his +knowledge, counsel, or co-operation, probably under the impression, +that, they could more easily effect a reconciliation, if the intrepid, +firm and hated Luther were kept out of view. + +But to proceed with Melancthon's letter. "Our Confession (he says,) has +been presented to the emperor, and I have sent you a copy. I entreated +you (in my former letter) to inform me, how far we might _yield to our +opponents_, if it is practicable. It is true, as you know, we have +already consulted on these subjects; but they are always adjusted in a +different manner on the field of battle (sie geben sich im Schlachtfeld +allezeit anders,) from what they are when previously made the subjects +of discussion. I presume the greatest conflict will occur in regard to +_private masses_. But as yet I have no certain information." [Note 8] + +In another letter to Luther, dated Aug. 6, he says: "The Landgrave +proceeds with great moderation, and has openly told me, that in order +to preserve peace, _he would submit to still more severe conditions_, +provided they could be accepted without bringing reproach on the +gospel." + +During the pendency of these negotiations, Melancthon made repeated +efforts by letter to conciliate influential individuals of the papal +party. Among these is his letter to _Cardinal Campegius, the apostolic +legate, of July 6th, which reflects no little light on the state of his +mind. This intense anxiety to gain the imperial favor for the +Protestant cause, could not fail strongly to tempt him to make the +Confession as palatable as possible to the Romanists, by yielding +nearly everything that he did not regard as essential. Hear the letter: + +"_Most Reverend Sir:_--As many good men applaud the very great +moderation exhibited by your Eminence, amid your honors and elevation, +I am induced to cherish the hope, that your Eminence will receive my +letter with favor. Verily it was a true saying which Plato uttered, +that nothing more desirable, or better, or more divine, can happen to +men, than when wisdom is associated with power in government. Hence, +when the intelligence arrived, that your Eminence was sent to this Diet, +as judge in the pending religious controversy, many good men +congratulated Germany, that the investigation of these most important +affairs was confided to a man, who transcended others not merely by his +high (official) dignity, but also much more by his wisdom; for even +heretofore the fame of your Eminence's wisdom him resounded through all +Germany. Now, as I believed, that with this wisdom your Eminence would +greatly abhor violent measures, I was thereby induced to write to your +Eminence, that it might be made known to you, that we also long only +for peace and concord, and reject no condition for the restoration of +peace." + +"We have _no doctrine different from that of the Romish Church_, (wir +haben keinen von der Roemischen Kirche verschiedenen Lehrsatz,) yea, we +have restrained many who wished to disseminate pernicious doctrines, as +may be proved by public testimonies. [Note 9] _We are prepared to obey +the Romish Church, if, with that mildness which she has always +manifested toward all men, she will only overlook and yield, some +little_, (einiges Wenige,) _which we could not now alter if we would_." +[Note 10] Let not your Eminence believe our enemies, who wickedly +pervert our writings, and falsely impute to us anything which can +inflame the general hatred against us. We reverently _pledge obedience +[Note 11] to the authority of the Roman Pontif_, [sic] and to the entire +organization of the (Verfassung) of the [sic on repetition] +church, only let not the Pope of Rome reject us. Many feel assured, +that if your Eminence were better acquainted with our cause and views, +you would not approve of these violent counsels. For no other reason do +we incur greater hostility in Germany, than because we defend the +doctrines of the Romish [Note 12] Church with the utmost steadfastness. +This fidelity, if the Lord will, we will show to the Romish Church +_until our last breath_. There is indeed some _small_ difference in +usages, which seems to be unfavorable to union. But the ecclesiastical +laws themselves declare, that the unity of the church may continue even +amid such diversity of customs." [Note 13] + +Is it possible that any impartial man, after reading this letter can +suppose the circumstances of this diet to have been favorable to a free +and full expression of the points of dissent, between the Protestants +and Papists, even at that day? During the entire six weeks that +Melancthon was at Augsburg, before the arrival of the Emperor, his mind +was in this agitated and alarmed condition. According to his own +account he continued daily to make changes in the Confession, _after_ +it had been submitted to Luther. No wonder, therefore, that Luther, +responding to Melancthon's inquiry, "what more they could yield to the +Romanists," makes this rather dissatisfied reply, under date June 29: +"_Your Apology_ (the Augsburg Confession, as altered by Melancthon. +after Luther had sanctioned it on the 15th of May, and it had been +presented to tho diet on the 25th of June,) _I have received, and +wonder what you mean, when you desire to know, what and how much, may +be yielded to the papists. As far as I am concerned, TOO MUCH HAS +ALREADY BEEN YIELDED TO THEM IN THE APOLOGY (Confession)." [Note 14] +Here it in evident that the various changes, made by Melancthon between +the 15th of May and 25th of June, led Luther to affirm what American +Lutherans now maintain, that _he had yielded too much to the papists in +the Augsburg Confession_. "I daily altered and recast the greater part +of it, (says Melancthon himself,) and would [Note 15] have altered still +more if our counsellors [sic] had allowed it." And so much greater was +his dissatisfaction at the still more important concessions, [Note 16] +which Melancthon and his associates were willing to make, in their +negotiations after the Confession had been delivered, that, in a letter +of Sept. 20, to _Justus Jonas_, one of the principal Protestant +theologians at the Diet, he gives vent to his feelings in the following +remarkable language: "I almost burst with anger and displeasure, (Ich +boerste schier fuer Zorn und Widerwillen,) and I beg you only to cut +short the matter, cease to negotiate with them (the Papists,) any +longer, and come home. They have the Confession. They have the gospel. +If they are willing to yield to it, then it is well. If they are +unwilling, they may go. If war comes out of it, let it come. We have +entreated and done enough. The Lord has prepared them as victims for the +slaughter, that he may reward them according to their works. But us, his +people, he will deliver, even if we were sitting in the fiery furnace at +Babylon." [Note 17] Thus have we heard abundant evidence from the lips +of Melancthon and Luther themselves, that the circumstances under which +the Augsburg Confession was composed, in eight days, before its +submission for Luther's sanction, and the increasing pressure under +which Melancthon afterwards made numerous changes in it, during five +weeks before its presentation to the Diet, were far from being favorable +to a full and free exhibition of the deliberate views of the Reformers +even at that date, and fully account for some of the remnants of +Romanism still found in that confession, whose import we are now to +examine. The declaration of that elaborate historian _Arnold_, is +therefore only too true; "_Melancthon had prepared the Confession amid +great fear and trembling, and in many things accommodated himself to +the Papists_." (Nun hatte dieselbe Melancthon zuvor in grossen Zittern +und Angsten aufgesetzet, und sich in vielen nach den Papisten +bequemet." [Note 18] + +Of similar import is the judgment of _Dr. Hazelius." [sic on +quotation mark] [Note 19] In reference to the article of Baptism, says +he, we have first to remind the reader of the sentiments expressed by +the Confessors, in the preface to this (the Augsburg) Confession, +declaring there, and in various passages of their other writings, that +_it was their object_, not only to couch the sentiments and doctrines +they professed, in language the least offensive to their opponents, +but also to GIVE WAY AS FAR AS CONSCIENCE WOULD PERMIT. This being +premised, we shall endeavor to discover the meaning of the Reformers in +regard to the article of baptism from some of those portions of their +writings, where they had not cause to be so circumspect and careful of +not giving offence to the Roman party, as they had in the delivery of +the Augsburg Confession." + +Nor is it at all surprising, that, as Luther's views of the evils of the +mass were so much clearer even at this period, he should, after seven +years more time for study, and in times of peace and security, express +his abhorrence of this Romish error in such strong terms as we meet in +the Smalcald Articles. Indeed, it was this undecided character of the +Augsburg Confession on some points, which led the Elector, who, in other +respects valued it highly, to have this new Confession prepared by +Luther for the Council, which Pope Paul III. [sic] had +convoked, to meet at Mantua, in 1537, for the purpose of settling these +religious disputes. Because, says Koellner, "the Augsburg Confession +had been prepared with the view to give the _least possible offence to +the opponents_. But now, the Evangelical party, being stronger, were not +only able to avow the points of difference more openly; but they were +also determined to do so; and for such negotiations a different form +(from that of the Augsburg Confession) was of course requisite. Finally, +the transactions at Augsburg, during the reciprocal efforts at +reconciliation, and especially through the great mildness and yielding +disposition of Melancthon, had in regard to many doctrines, obliterated +the clear and real point of difference, so that in many of them the +_opponents affirmed, there was no longer any difference at all_." +Koellner's Symbolik, Vol. I., p. 441. + +Note 1. The reason why he was left, was because the civil authorities +of Augsburg excepted him in the safe passport, which they sent to the +Elector, under date of April 30. See Koellner, Vol. I., p. 172. + +Note 2. "Ich habe M. Philipsen's Apologie ueberlesen, die gefaellt mir +fast wohl, und weisz nichts daran zu bessern, noch zu aendern, wuerde +sich auch nicht schicken: denn ich so sanft und leise nicht treten +kann." + +Note 3. We mention here once for that all our extracts from +Melancthon's Letters are translated from _C. Niemeyer's_ work, entitled +_Philip Melancthon_ im Jahre der Augsburgischen Confession, Halle, 1830. + +Note 4. Niemeyer, pp. 26, 27. + +Note 5. At that time Professor of Greek and Latin Literature in the +Gymnasium of Nurenberg. + +Note 6. Niemeyer, p. 28. + +Note 7. Niemeyer, p. 78. "Ich kann es bei Hofe nicht erlangen, dasz von +heir [sic] ein bestimmter Bote an Luther geschickt wird." + +Note 8. Page 30. + +Note 9. Dogma nullum habemus diversum a Romana Ecclesia. + +Note 10. Here Niemeyer also gives the Latin: "Parati sumus, obedire +ecclesiae Romanae, modo ut illa pro sua dementia, qua semper ergo omnes +homines usa est, pauca quaedam vel dissimulet, vel relaxet, quae jam ne +quidem, si velimus, mutare queamus. + +Note 11. Ad haec Romani Pontificis auctoritatem et universam politiam +ecclesiasticam, reverenter colimus, modo non abjiciat nos Romanus +Pontifex. + +Note 12. Here, says Niemeyer, Melancthon probably means the Romish +church as she ought to be, and not as she was. + +Note 13. Page 32. + +Note 14. Eure Apologia habe ich empfangen, und nimmt mich wunder was +ihr meynet, dasz ihr begehrt zu wissen, was und wie viel man den +paepstlichen soll nachgeben. _Fuer meine person ist ihnen allzuviel +nachgegeben in der Apologia (Confession)_. Luther's Werke, B. XX., +p. 185, Leipsic Edit. + +Note 15. See his letter to Camerarius, dated June 26, 1530. "Ich +veraenderte und gosz das meiste taeglich um, und wuerde noch mehreres +geaedert [sic] haben, wenn es unsere Raethe erlaubt +hatten." Niemeyer, p. 28. + +Note 16. Melancthon had agreed to the restoration of the power of the +bishops, and evidently, as seen by his letter to Luther, of June 26, +if Luther had not objected, he would have made some retractions on the +celibacy of the clergy, the communion in both kinds and even the +private and closet masses. The Protestants did admit that the saints +pray for us in heaven, and that commemorative festivals might be kept +to pray God to accept the intercession of these saints; but by no +means that our prayers should be addressed to the saints themselves. +Niemeyer, p. 87. + +Note 17. Luther's Works, Vol. XX, p. 196. + +Note 18. Gottfried Arnold's Unpartheische Kirchen und Ketzer Historien, +Vol. I., p. 809, edit. 2d of 1740. + +Note 19. Doctrine and Discipline of the Synod of South Carolina, pp. +18, 19, published in 1841. + + +CHAPTER IV. +CUMULATIVE PROOF OF THE TRUTH OF THE SEVERAL POSITIONS OF THE DEFINITE +SYNODICAL PLATFORM. + +_The Preamble_. + +On the subject of the preamble, we will add a few authorities for one +or two of its positions, which we have heard called in question. On +page 3, we read:-- + +"Subsequently, Luther and his coadjutors _still further changed_ their +views on some subjects in that Confession, such as the mass." The truth +of this position is demonstrated even by the extract from the Smalcald +Articles, given on p. 22 of the Platform. In the Augsburg Confession, +Melanchon [sic] says (and Luther approved of it): "It, is +_unjustly_ charged against our churches, that they have abolished the +mass. For it is notorious that the _mass is celebrated among us_ with +greater devotion and seriousness than by our opponents." But seven +years later, in the Smalcald Articles, Luther employs this very +different language, which was sanctioned by his coadjutors: "_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,)" &c. Here the +contradiction in words is positive and unqualified. But we must +recollect that the term mass here, as will be fully proved hereafter, +does not signify the Papal mass in full. It is a well-known fact, and +the Confession itself informs us, that the confessors had long before +rejected _private and closet masses_, and also had rejected the idea of +the public mass being a _sacrifice_, or offering of Christ, for the +sins of the living or the dead. But that the word mass cannot be +regarded as merely synonymous with Lord's Supper, or communion, in this +passage, as it frequently is elsewhere, is clear from the context. For +we are told that by proper and diligent instruction "in the design and +proper mode of receiving the holy sacrament," "the people are attracted +to the _communion and to the mass_," (zur communion _und_ mess gezogen +wird;) clearly proving that by mass they here meant something else than +communion, namely, the public mass, divested of its _sacrificial_ +nature, and of its design to benefit any others than the communicants +themselves; in short, regarding it, thus modified, as an admissible +_preparation_ for the holy communion. This mass, which the Platform, +_with great moderation_, styles merely "_Ceremonies_" of the mass," p. +21, they confessedly did subsequently also abandon, as they had done +private and closet masses before. + +Again, if we may believe Luther himself, they certainly did a afterward +change their ground in regard to the jurisdiction of the Pope and +bishops. Hear his own language in 1533, three years later: "Hitherto we +have always, and especially at the diet of Augsburg, very humbly +offered to the Pope and bishops, that we would not destroy their +ecclesiastical right and power, but that we would gladly be consecrated +and governed by them, and _aid in maintaining their prerogatives and +power_, if they would not force upon us articles too unchristian. But +we have been unable to obtain this; on the contrary, they wish to force +us away from the truth, to adopt their lies and abominations, or wish +us put to death. If now, (as they are such hardened Pharaohs,) their +authority and consecration should fare as their indulgences did, whose +fault will it be?" He then proceeds to denounce the power and +consecration which he had admitted at the time of the Augsburg Diet, +and declares the church's entire independence of Rome for ordination. +[Note 1] + +Again, the Preamble asserts, "That the entire Lutheran Church of +Germany has rejected the symbolical books _as a whole_, and also +abandoned some of the doctrines of the Augsburg Confession, among +others the far greater part of them, the doctrine of the _bodily_ +presence of the Saviour in the eucharist." + +The truth of these positions is well known to those acquainted with +the churches in Germany generally. A few extracts from standard +authorities may be pleasing to those not well informed on this subject. +Says _Koellner_, in 1837: "The theologians of more recent times have, +as a body, departed from the rigid doctrinal system of the symbols, and +let it be particularly noted, not only those who in the opposing parties +are termed rationalists, but also those who, in antithesis to these, +desire to be regarded as _champions for the doctrines of the church._ +Accordingly, not only those who have been sufficiently denounced as +heterodox, have abandoned the doctrines of the symbols, but also the +so-called _orthodox_, such as _Doederlein, Morus, Michaelis_, the +venerable _Reinhard, Knapp, Storr, Schott, Schwartz, Augusti, +Marheinecke_, as well as _Hahn, Oltshausen, Tholuk_, and _Hengstenberg_. +In like manner has the public _pledge to the symbols_ been greatly +relaxed, and is _nowhere unconditional_; but in fidelity to the +principles of Protestantism, and guarding it, the obligation is always +expressed with the _explicit reservation_ of the supreme authority of +the Scriptures, as is evident from an inspection of the pledges +prescribed in the different Protestant countries." [Note 2] Again: "It +may as well be confessed and openly avowed, for the good of the church, +that, _there are but few theologians who still believe and teach the +doctrines of the symbols_." [Note 3] + +Professor _Schultz_, in his work on the Eucharist, [Note 4] in 1831, +says: "If, in the most recent times, individuals have here and there +arisen in the Lutheran Church itself, as defenders of Luther's views +of the Lord's Supper, it must not be overlooked, that even they, +sensibly feeling the difficulty of their undertaking, resort to all +manner of subtle explanations and arbitrary additions, in order to +explain away the objectionable aspects of this view." + +Finally, listen to the testimony of _Dr. Hagenbach_, of Basel, one of +the most distinguished orthodox divines of Europe: "_How few Lutherans_, +in this rationalizing period, firmly _adhere to the doctrine of the +bodily presence_ of Christ in the eucharist: and how few Reformed +adhered consistently to the doctrine of unconditional election. If, +therefore, the one, party relinquished the one, and the other party the +other point (or dividing doctrine,) then the union between them was of +course effected in the most natural way possible." [Note 5] + +We close our observations on this topic with the impressive counsels of +the venerable Dr. Knapp: [Note 6] "Speculations concerning the manner +of the presence of the body and blood of Christ, have not the least +influence upon the nature and efficacy of the Lord's Supper. What the +Christian chiefly needs to know is the object and uses of this rite, +and to act accordingly. Vide §145. He must there therefore believe from +the heart that Christ died for him; that now, in his exalted state, he +is still active in providing for his welfare; and that hence it becomes +him to approach the Lord's table with feelings of the deepest reverence +and most grateful love to God and to Christ. Upon this everything +depends, and this makes the ordinance truly edifying and comforting in +its influence. These benefits may be derived from this ordinance by all +Christians; and to all who have true faith, or who allow this ordinance +to have its proper effect in awakening attention to the great truths +which it exhibits, it is a powerful, divinely-appointed means of grace, +whatever theory respecting it they may adopt--the Lutheran, the Reformed, +or even the Roman Catholic transubstantiation, gross as this error is." + +_The American Recension of the Augsburg Confession_. + +The general principle, on which this Recension was constructed, is to +present the doctrinal articles entire, without the change of a single +word, merely omitting the several sentences generally regarded as +erroneous, together with nearly the entire condemnatory clauses, and +_adding nothing_ in their stead. All that the Recension contains is +therefore the unadulterated Augsburg Confession, slightly abridged. The +following list will show, that _almost the entire Confession is thus +retained,_ a single article only being omitted, viz.: that on Private +Confession and Absolution. + +ART. I. _Of God:_ retained _entire_. + +ART. II. _Of Natural Depravity:_ entire, except the omission of the +words, "by baptism and the Holy Spirit." The condemnatory clause is +also given, except the name " Pelagians and others, &c." + +ART. III. _Of the Son of God and his Mediatorial Work:_ retained +_entire_. + +ART. IV. _Of Justification:_ retained _entire_. + +ART. V. _Of the Ministerial Office:_ retained _entire_. + +ART. VI. _Concerning New Obedience_ (or a Christian Life:) _entire_. + +ART. VII. _Of the Church: entire_. + +ART. VIII. _What the Church is: entire_, except the omission of the +last two sentences. + +ART. IX. _Concerning Baptism:_ according to the German copy. _entire_. + +ART. X. _Of the Lord's Supper:_ omits the words "_body_ and _blood_" +and "_truly_," and the phrase "are dispensed_," &c. + +ART. XI. _Of Confession:_ omitted, as private confession and +absolution" [sic on punctuation] are confessedly not taught +in Scripture. + +ART. XII _Of Repentance (after Backsliding:) entire_, except the +omission of "the church's granting _absolution_ to those manifesting +repentance," and that faith is produced also "_by means absolution_." + +ART. XIII. _Of the Use of the Sacraments. entire_. + +ART. XIV. _Of Church Orders, (or the Ministry.) entire_. + +ART. XV. _Of Religious Ceremonies. entire_. + +ART. XVI. _Of Political Affairs;_ (excepting the word "imperial.") +_entire_. + +ART. XVII. _Of Christ's Return to Judgment. entire_. + +ART. XVIII. _Of Free Will. entire_. + +ART. XIX. _Of the Author of Sin. entire_. + +ART. XX. _Of God's Works. entire_. + +ART. XXI. _Of the Invocation of the Saints_, (except a reference to +the authority of the Romish church, the canons and the fathers.) +_entire_. + +Note 1. See Luther's Works, Vol. XXI., p. 34, Leipsic ed. See this +subject ably discussed in several articles in the Evangelical Lutheran, +of December, 1835, by Dr. S. Sprecher, President of Wittenberg +College, Ohio. + +Note 2. Koellner's Symbolik, Vol. I., p. 121. + +Note 3. Idem. p. 148. + +Note 4. P. 344. + +Note 5. Hagenbach's Church History of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth +Centuries, Vol. II., p. 358; also Hahn's Lehrbuch, 1828, p. 578. + +Note 6. See Knapp's Theology, translated by L. Woods, Jr., page 513,1 +(Glauben's Lehre, &c., 1827,) or German copy, Vol. II., p. 505. + + +CHAPTER V. +SYNODICAL DISCLAIMER, +_or List of Symbolic Errors rejected by the great body of the churches +belonging to the General Synod_. + +Having now arrived at the second part of the Definite Synodical +Platform, namely, that part which is not to be subscribed to by the +members of Synod; but which is published as the view of the majority, +from which individuals are allowed to dissent; we shall pursue the +following order in regard to each topic: + +1. We shall recapitulate, briefly, what the Platform does assert. + +2. State the objections made to these positions by the plea of Rev. +Mr. Mann. + +3. Examine these objections and vindicate what seems to be the truth. +And as the Rev. Mr. Mann confines himself to the alleged errors of the +Augsburg Confession, we shall, with little exception, do the same. + +CEREMONIES OF THE MASS. + +1. As to _what the Platform teaches_ on this topic, there ought to be +no difficulty; because, + +_a_. On page 5 of the Platform, we find a definite list of the errors +contained in the Augsburg Confession, viz.: + +1. The approval of the _ceremonies_ of the mass. + +2. Private Confession and Absolution. + +3. Denial of the Divine obligation of the Christian Sabbath. + +4. Baptismal Regeneration. + +5. The real presence of the body and blood of the Saviour in the +Eucharist. + +Here it is evident that the charge is, that the Confession advocates +the _ceremonies_ of the mass, but _not the mass itself_, as has been +alleged. + +_b_. In the same connexion it is stated, "These are the _only_ errors +contained in the Augsburg Confession." But if these are the only errors +charged, then it follows that the error of inculcating the mass itself, +or doctrine of the mass, is at all events _not charged in the +Platform_, if it is in words even contained in the Confession. + +_c_. The _caption_ in the list of errors on page 21 of the Platform, is +not headed the _Mass_, as is the article of the Confession to which it +refers; but what the Confession calls mass, the Platform, _with great +moderation_, styles _Ceremonies_ of the mass. + +_d_. In the list of errors, the profession of which should exclude from +membership in Synods accepting the Platform, we find p. 15, the +following: "Whilst we will not admit into our Synod any one who +believes in Exorcism, Private Confession and Absolution, or the +_Ceremonies_ of the Mass." Here again _Ceremonies_ of the mass are +stated, but if the Platform taught that the Mass itself is inculcated +in the Confession, believers in the Mass would, _a fortiori_, have also +been mentioned as excluded. + +What then is the meaning of the sentence on page 22 of the Platform, +"In refutation of the _tolerant views of the mass_ above expressed, +&c?" Why, of course we should suppose it meant those views of the mass +which the Platform charges against the Confession, as taught in these +passages, namely, retaining and approving the _ceremonial_ of the mass, +which constituted by far the greater part of the public mass, so +called, although its nature had been changed by denying the +_sacrificial_ character of the minister's act of self-communion, and +its being performed for the benefit of _others_, either living or dead. +We think also, some objectionable parts of the ceremonial itself were +changed, although the Confession asserts that the addition of some +German hymns, along with the Latin, was the only alteration made. Among +those objectionable parts retained, was _the elevation of the host_, +of which Luther thus speaks, in his _Short Confession about the +Sacrament_ against the Fanatics,in 1544. [Note 1] "It, happened about +twenty or twenty-two years ago, when I began to condemn the mass +(messe,) and wrote severely against the papists, to show that it (the +mass) was not a sacrifice, nor a work of ours, but a gift and blessing +or testament of God, which we could not offer to God, but ought and +must receive from him. At that time I was disposed to reject _the +elevation of the host_, on account of the papists, who regard it, as a +sacrifice, &c. But as our doctrine was at that time new and exceedingly +offensive over the whole world, I had to proceed cautiously, and on +account of the weak, to yield many things, which I, at a later period, +would not do. I therefore suffered the elevation of the host, to +remain, especially as it admits of a favorable, explanation, as I +showed in my little work '_De Captivitate Babylonica, &c._'" The +elevation of the host was still practised in Saxony generally in 1542, +[Note 2] twelve years after the Confession was written, approving of +the ceremonies of the mass, of which this was one. This remnant of +popery was, however, universally rejected soon after this period, +certainly before 1545, and in Wittenberg, in 1542. + +_Again_, what is the natural import of the phrase on page 21 of the +Platform: "Accordingly the Lutheran church, in Europe and America, has +unanimously repudiated alike the mass and its ceremonies." The passage +itself specifies no time, when either was rejected, and neither says +nor implies that both were rejected at the same time. The word +"accordingly" refers to what preceded. The whole reads thus: "Topic I., +_Ceremonies_ of the mass. The error taught on this subject by the +Augsburg Confession and Apology to it (namely, the error on these +ceremonies of the mass) was rejected by the reformers themselves a few +years after the Confession was first published. Accordingly, the +Lutheran Church, both in Europe and America, has unanimously +repudiated alike the mass and its ceremonies." As the Augsburg +Confession expressly teaches that private and closet masses had been +_previously_ rejected, and the Platform says the _only_ error in the +Augsburg Confession on this subject is the _ceremonies_ of the public +mass, its sacrificial and vicarious nature having also been repudiated +long before, it follows, that the thing here spoken of as the mass and +its ceremonies is that remnant of this rite, which, as proved above, +had not yet been rejected before 1530, the essential doctrine even of +the public mass having been rejected long before. Hence, the import of +this passage is: that whilst the reformers had long before the Diet of +Augsburg rejected the doctrine of the mass, as a sacrifice or a +vicarious service for the benefit of others, and had wholly rejected +_private and closet masses;_ they retained the ceremonies or ritual of +the public mass, preceding communion: but even this latter also they +renounced soon after; and accordingly, the Lutheran church, every where +in Europe and America, imitating their example, has repudiated alike +the mass and its ceremonies, which with the above-mentioned various +qualifications, are taught in the passages cited from the Confession. +Had we been writing for those unacquainted with the Augsburg +Confession, the qualifications here referred to, might have been +specified. + +2. Our _next inquiry is, What objection does the Plea make to the +representations of the Platform on this subject? + +The whole charge of our respected friend against the Platform is, that +it misapprehends the _import of the word mass_ in the 24th Article, and +therefore misrepresents the Confession, in charging it with sanctioning +the ceremonies of the Romish mass. To support this charge he affirms, +that the word mass (or missa, mess,) was at the time of the Confession, +in 1530, _in general use for the eucharist;_ and that in later years +the term mass, in this sense, was entirely given up by the Reformers, +page 15 of Plea. + +The charge is certainly a grave one, and if unfounded, a grievous +injustice is done to the venerable mother symbol of Protestantism. +Viewing it in this light, we were slow to admit its truth ourselves, +until a pretty extensive acquaintance with the writings of the +Reformers compelled us to yield our conviction. Still we would have +greatly preferred to remain silent on the subject and throw the mantle +of oblivion over this deformity of our symbolic mother; had not +ill-advised ultra-symbolists of late years carried on a crusade against +all Lutherans who will not adopt the entire symbolic system. The charge +in the Platform was advisedly made, after careful examination. Since +the charge has been denied, we have again extensively examined the +writings of the Reformers, and whilst it would afford us pleasure to +withdraw it, and acknowledge our error; our conviction has grown more +firm, and we shall be greatly surprised if the great majority of +impartial minds do not find the evidence of our position fully +satisfactory. At the same time, whilst we charge the Confession with +favoring merely the _ceremonies_ of the mass, other writers of the +first respectability, have expressed the charge in stronger language. +Thus _Fuhrmann_, in his Lexicon of Religious and Ecclesiastical History, +speaking of the Romish mass, says: "_That Luther for some time tolerated +it, and gave if a a German garb and afterwards abolished it, is +notorious_. [Note 3] And that impartial and highly respectable historian +of our own country, Dr. Murdock, whose extended and valuable additions +to the classic church history of Dr. Moshiem, abundantly prove his +acquaintance with the subject; in giving a synopsis of the contents of +the Augsburg Confession, thus epitomises the 24th Article: "_The +Protestants are falsely taxed with abolishing the mass_. They only +purified it; and discarded the idea of its being a work of merit, or +offering for the sins of the living and the dead, which militates +against the scriptural doctrine, that Christ's sacrifice is the only +sin offering." [note 4] + +In order that we may give this question an impartial and conscientious +investigation, let us first inquire into the meaning of the word mass +among the Papists, apart from the present dispute. "_Mass_ (missa, +Mess,) says _Fuhrmann_, in his Lexicon of Religious and Ecclesiastical +History, [Note 5] at first signified that worship of God, which +_preceded_ the celebration of the Lord's Supper. Subsequently, and +especially in the fifth century, ministers termed the public celebration +of the eucharist, _mass_ (or missa, dismissed); because this service +took place after the catechumens were dismissed. This word 'missa' was +gradually corrupted into _mass_. But how did that mode of celebrating +this ordinance arise in the Romish Church, _which consisted in the +priest's giving the sacrament to himself alone, connected with solemn +turnings around, and moving about from place to place, and changes of +attitude, resembling in some degree a theatrical exhibition, which is +termed mass?_" He then proceeds to explain the history of the Romish +mass here defined. + +_Siegel_, in his excellent Manual of Christian Ecclesiastical +Antiquities, published at Leipsic, in 1837, in four volumes, presents +an extended view of this subject, from which we will extract little +more than his definition of the mass. "The mass, in the Roman Catholic +sense of the term, belongs not to the centuries of Christian antiquity, +but to a later period." [Note 6] We take up the subject at the time +when the Catholic doctrine of _transubstantiation_ was fully developed, +(since the Lateran Council of 1215.) In conformity to this view of the +sacrament, (the doctrine of transubstantiation,) _the idea of the mass +was so developed, as to signify that solemn act of the priest, +decorated with many ceremonies, by which he offers the unbloody +sacrifice at the altar." [Note 7] The mass service is a commixture of +Scripture passages, long and short prayers, extracts from the gospels +and epistles (pericopen,) liturgic forms, which are divided into +several chief parts, designated by different names, Introitus, +Offertorium, Canon missae," &c. [Note 8] This whole service amounts to +some fifteen or twenty octavo pages, including the directions for +genuflections, crossings, tergiversations, &c., occupying about an hour +in the reading, the performance of which by the priest was termed +"reading mass," as the listening of the audience was called "hearing +mass." + +In view of these authorities, we may take for granted, what we suppose +no one will deny, that in the Romish Church, not only of the present +day, but since several centuries before the Reformation, and, +therefore, in 1530, the most common and primary meaning of the word +_mass_, was not Lord's Supper; but that long ceremonial, including the +consecration of the elements, elevation of the host, and self-communion +of the priest, as an offering of the body of Christ a sacrifice for the +sins of the living and dead, _which preceded_ the distribution of the +sacrament to the people. + +_Again_, it will be admitted, that whilst among Papists the above +specific meaning of the word mass was the most common one, that term +was also not unfrequently used by synecdoche, as a part of the whole, +to designate the sacramental celebration in general: just as we use the +word "_preaching_" which specifically signifies the delivery of a +sermon, for the whole services of public worship in the phrase, "will +you go to preaching to-day?" + +_Finally_, it will be admitted, that the Reformers, having been +educated as Papists, were trained up to this twofold use of the word +mass, namely, specifically the extended services above described, which +_preceded_ the communion, and sometimes informally the eucharist, +communion or sacrament in general. + +The question then seems definitely to be reduced to these two inquiries; +first, _Did the Reformers retain this distinction in the use of the word +mass at the time of the Diet at Augsburg; and, secondly, did they employ +the word in its specific sense in the disputed passages of that +Confession? + +_First Inquiry_. + +We shall _first_ inquire whether this distinction in the use of the word +mass was observed by the Reformers at and before the time of the +Augsburg Diet? + +I. And _first_ let us listen to _Luther_ himself. In 1523, the great +Reformer, 1, in his "_Method of conducting Christian Mass_," addressed +to Rev. Nicolas Hausman, after having rejected such portions of the +Romish mass, as he thought wrong, he approved others, as explained by +himself, such as the, Introitus, the Kyrie eleison, the Collecta or +prayer epistles, the Singing of the Gradual, a short sequens, the +Gospel, the Nicene Creed, and a number of other matters, including the +elevation of the host, but not for worship, [Note 9] he proceeds to the +next part of the Treatise which is headed "How to _administer the most +holy sacrament to the people," [Note 10] and his first sentence is the +following: "Let this much suffice to be said of the _Mass_, and service +of the minister; we will now proceed to treat of the manner in which the +holy _sacrament_ shall be administered to the people, for whose benefit +especially the Supper of our Lord was instituted." Here we clearly see +the distinction between the performances of the priest _before_ the +communion which constitute the _Mass_, and the distribution of the +elements to the people, which he terms holy _sacrament_. Then, after +having discussed the subject of the communion, that it should be +received in both kinds, &c., he adds, "Let this suffice for the present +on the subject of the mass _and_ communion." [Note 11] + +2. In his _letter to Lazarus Spengler_, in 1528, Luther observes this +same distinction. "In the first place," he remarks, "it is unreasonable +that any one should be forced to receive the sacrament or to abstain +from it." And he adds: "All masses, at which there are _no +communicants_" (that is, at which the sacrament is not administered,) +"should absolutely be omitted." [Note 12] Here the administration of +the supper to the laity is termed _sacrament_, and that service +performed by the minister, which was sometimes succeeded by the +sacrament or communion, and at others not, is called _mass_. + +3. _The Counsel of Luther and Pomeranius_, in 1528, to Duke George: +"First, as you inquire concerning _parish_ masses, &c. Be it known to +you that no minister can with good conscience perform mass alone, when +there are no communicants. Therefore here there is no room for further +inquiry; either there must be communicants, or them should be no +mass." [Note 13] + +4. Luther's "_Confession of the Christian Doctrines, in XVII. +Articles_," published in 1530. This is a very short Confession, each +article containing but three or four sentences, and the whole amounting +to only three or four 8vo. pages. In Article X. he says: "The +_eucharist_ or _sacrament_ of the altar also consists of two parts, +namely that the true body and blood of Christ should verily be present +in the bread and wine;" and in Article XVI. he says: "Above all other +abominations, the _masses_, that have hitherto been regarded as a +_sacrifice_ or _good work_, by which one designed to procure grace for +the other, are to be rejected." [Note 14] Here the distinction is not +only made between the mass and eucharist, but the doctrine of the mass +as a sacrifice of Christ offered by the priest for others, is also +denounced. It will also be recollected that this view of the mass as a +sacrifice, and as vicarious, is strongly denounced in the Augsburg +Confession, whilst the charge of having rejected the rite itself with +these and other modifications, is flatly denied, in these words: "It is +_unjustly_ charged against our churches, that they have abolished the +mass," (Art. XXIV., p. 21 of the Platform,) a thing never charged +against them in reference to the eucharist, for from the very beginning +of the Reformation, they charged the Papists with having mutilated it, +and claimed the restoration of the cup also to the laity. + +5. In a _letter_ of September 20, 1530, addressed _to Justus Jonas_, one +of the theologians at the diet, Luther thus expresses himself: "For, +what else do our opponents, (the Papists,) presume to propose, than that +they shall not yield a hairsbreadth, but that we not only yield on the +subject of the canon, _the mass_, the _one kind_, (in the eucharist,) +celibacy, (of the clergy,) and jurisdiction (of the bishops); but shall +also admit that they have taught the truth, and acted properly in all +things, and were falsely accused by us." [Note 15] Here the mass is +again distinguished from the eucharist in one kind. He then adds: "If we +will get at it (yielding to the Papists,) let us yield only the canon, +and the closet masses; and either of these two is sufficient fully to +deny our doctrine and to confirm theirs." The _canon_ was that part of +the ritual of the mass which contained the forms of transubstantiation, +which were positively rejected by the reformers, the closet masses are +rejected in the Augsburg Confession; but Luther says nothing against the +public mass, qualified as it is in the Confession. + +6. In his _Exhortation to the Sacrament_ of the body and blood of +Christ, published in 1530, he says: "If the Papists do, as usual, +quibble at my language, and boast that I myself here make a sacrifice +in the _sacrament_, although I have hitherto contended that the _mass_ +is no sacrifice; then you shall answer thus: I make _neither the mass +nor the sacrament_ a sacrifice, ("Ich mache _weder_ Messe _noch_ +Sacrament zum opfer,") but the remembrance of Christ," [Note 16] &c. +Here the two are distinguished as clearly as language can discriminate +between two separate objects, and even placed in antithesis to one +another: and let it be remembered, that all the examples are taken from +works published either before or in the very year in which the Augsburg +Confession was written. A few years later, in 1534, in a letter to a +friend, in which he inveighs strongly against the closet masses and the +perverted order or arrangements of the mass, (verkehrte ordnung der +Messe,) and against the Romish mass in general: "I wish, and would very +gladly see and hear, that the two words mass and sacrament were +considered by every one as being as far apart as light and darkness, +yea, as the devil and God. For they (the Papists) must themselves +confess, that mass dues not signify the reception of the sacrament as +Christ instituted it; but the reception of the sacrament they do, (and +no thanks to them,) they _must_ call _communion. But that is called_ +MASS _which the priest alone performs at the altar, in which no common +christian or layman takes part_." All other christians do nothing more +than receive the sacrament, _and do not perform mass_. [Note 17] +Certainly it must be evident that Luther did not regard the word mass as +the ordinary term for eucharist, but had a clear idea of the +distinction, and of the importance of observing it. + +II. Let us now adduce similar evidence from the writings of +_Melancthon himself_, who wrote the Confession, to show that he also +observed the distinction between _mass_ and _eucharist_. This evidence +will be the stronger as all his letters quoted, were written from +Augsburg itself, during the very time that he composed the Confession, +and whilst it was under consideration in the Diet. [Note 18] + +1. In a letter to Luther, dated Augsburg, July 30, 1530, Melancthon +says: "Zwingle has sent hither a printed Confession. His views of the +_Eucharist_ (Abendmahl) he urge strongly. He wishes all bishops to be +extirpated." Then after speaking of human traditions, he adds: "In the +matter of the _mass_, (not eucharist, which he had just mentioned +before,) and in the first discussion (Aufsatz, composition) of the +doctrinal articles I think I was cautions enough, but on the topics +concerning unwritten traditions, I was never rightly satisfied with +myself." [Note 19] + +2. In another letter to Luther, of August 6th, he says: "At last, on +Aug. 3d, we heard the (Romish) Refutation (of the Augsburg Confession), +and also the declaration of the emperor. His declaration was terrible +enough, but the Refutation was composed in such a puerile manner, that +we could not but heartily congratulate each other. There is not a +single composition of Faber, (the pensman of the Refutation,) however +silly it may be, that is not exceeded in silliness by this. On the +doctrine concern the two kinds, (in the Eucharist,) he adduced the +history of the sons of Eli, who desired bread to eat; and wished to +prove by it, that it becomes laymen to be satisfied with the mere bread +in the _Eucharist_. His defence of the _Mass_ was very frosty." [Note +20] Here we find the eucharist and the mass spoken of as separate +things, and the discussion of the one represented as silly, and that of +the other frosty. + +3. In a letter to Luther, dated August 22d, he thus writes: "Yesterday +we closed the discussion, or rather the quarrel (Gezaenk) which has been +conducted before the umpires. The third point was the question of merit, +&c. Then he came to the _two kinds_ (in the eucharist). Here he exerted +himself to the utmost to prove that _both_ kinds are not commanded. He +maintained that it was a matter of indifference whether one or both +kinds are received, and and [sic] that if we would teach +this, he would cheerfully allow us both kinds. This I could not accede +to; nevertheless, I excused those who had hitherto erroneously received +but one kind; for they cried out, the whole church is condemned by us. +What think you of this? The command of Jesus refers to ministers and +laymen. Hence if it is our duty to receive the _sacrament_, we are also +obligated to retain the form of the entire sacrament. If you also are +of this opinion, then inform me of it distinctly. On the subject of the +_mass_, vows and marriage, there was no discussions, only some +conditions were proposed, which we, however, did not accept." [Note 21] +Here again, the distinction between the sacrament and the mass is +clearly made, and we are told that at the disputation before the +umpires, the former was debated and the latter not. Can anything be +plainer, than that a distinction is here made between eucharist and +mass? + +4. Under date of August 28, Melancthon thus writes to _Luther:_ "They +(the Papists,) wish us to admit, that neither those who administer but +one kind, nor those who receive it, are guilty of sin. We have, indeed, +exonerated those from blame, who receive but one kind; but as to those +who administer but one,--there is the knot. The Synod of Basil conceded +the _whole sacrament_ to the Bohemians, on condition that they would +acknowledge that it may, with propriety, be taken and received in one +kind only. This confession they also wish to extort from us. _Eckius_ +says he contends for this point, merely because the people cannot be +retained in the discharge of duty, unless _we_ also release their +consciences in regard to the _sacrament_ (that is, unless the reformers +would admit, that its reception in one kind was also allowable). We +therefore desire to know your judgment on the case. As to the +application of _masses_, they are willing to postpone this till the +meeting of the synod (or council); and thus they intimate, that they +will not oppress us with the reception of their ungodly views on the +_mass_ (Koethe's edition: mit der gottlosen Application der Messe, with +the ungodly application of the mass, _i.e._ to the living and dead). +And yet they desire us to receive the _canon_ of the mass, (_i.e._ the +most objectionable part of the ritual of the mass, relating to the +transubstantiation of the bread and wine, its application to others, +&c.,) but with a convenient and devout explanation." [Note 22] Here +again, the distinction between the mass and the sacrament is clearly +seen. + +5. On Sept. 4th, he again writes to _Luther:_ "I know that this long +silence must be very annoying to you, especially at this time, when we +ought to consult one another most frequently; but believe me, nothing +is so much opposed to my wishes in the court, as this indifference in +dispatching more frequent messengers to you, and yet I am unable to +induce them to do it. We have not yet received from our opponents the +proposed conditions in reference to the _two kinds_ (in the eucharist), +marriage and _the_ mass." [Note 23] Here again, who does not see the +distinction? + +6. In a document, which Melancthon prepared for a friend of the +chancellor of the bishop of Luettich, in which he states how far they +yielded, and also the points in which they could not agree, we find the +following: "_Of the two kinds_.--Here we excused those (the laity,) who +receive one kind alone (that is, merely the bread in the eucharist), +for as they do not distribute the sacraments, they have to receive the +sacrament as it is given to them." [Note 24] "_Of the mass_.--In regard +to the mass we have already given our reply: namely, that our party +retain the substantials (substantalia,) and principal parts of the +mass, so far as the consecration is concerned, &c." [Note 25] "_The +mass is not_ a work which, when applied to others, merits grace for +them _ex opere operato;_ but according to the confession of the whole +church, the _Lord's Supper is_ the sacrament, through which grace is +offered to him that receives it, which grace he also really receives, +but not by the more external act, but through faith, when he is certain +that, in it., grace and pardon of sins are offered." [Note 26] + +III. We will add a few short _extracts from other reformers_, written +at the time of the Diet, to confirm our position that they also made a +distinction between the mass and the eucharist, and that by the former +they meant that performance of the priest alone at the altar, which +preceded the communion. + +1. _Aurifaber_, who was a particular personal friend of Luther, and was +present at his death. In his account of the incidents of Luther and his +doctrines in the year 1530, speaking of the special committee which was +appointed on the 16th of August, consisting of seven members on each +side, he remarks: [Note 27] "These assembled and took into +consideration the Augsburg Confession of the Protestant States, +deliberating on one article after another, and the first day agreed +upon eleven articles. The second day they continued their negotiations +and agreed toll [sic] to twenty-one articles. But on the +articles concerning _the mass_, marriage of priests, _the Lord's +Supper_, monastic vows and the jurisdiction of the bishops, &c., they +could not agree and remained at variance." Here the mass and the Lord's +Supper are distinctly classed as different topics. + +2. _Spalatin_, one of the theologians who attended the Elector to +Augsburg, in his narrative of what occurred during the diet, giving a +brief abstract of the contents of the Augsburg Confession, epitomises +the, Xth Article thus: Of the Holy _Sacrament of the true body and +blood of Christ_ in the Sacrament of the altar; and the XXIV Article, +"of the _Mass_, how it is celebrated amongst us, and the reason why +closet masses have been rejected by us." Here again, who does not see +that the two are represented as distinct? + +IV. We shall close this cumulative mass of evidence for the +distinction between the terms mass and eucharist or Lord's supper, at +the time of the diet of Augsburg, by an extract from the professed +_refutation of the Augsburg Confession_, prepared by the _papists_ +during the diet; from which it will be evident, not only that they make +this distinction themselves, which no one denies, but that _they +understood the Augsburg Condition as making it also_. + +In their reply to Article XXIV. of the Confession, (or the III. of the +Abuses Corrected) they state: "For the _mass_ is celebrated, in order +that the _holy eucharist_ may be offered in memory of the passion of +Christ." [Note 28] "In those churches, (which apostatize in the latter +times) _no more masses_ will be celebrated, _no more sacrament_ +distributed, no more altars, nor images of the saints, &c." [Note 29] +Finally, near the close of their pretended refutation of this Article +of the Augsburg Confession, (XXIV.) the papist Refutation says, "It is +therefore not rejected or regarded as wrong that the (Protestant) +Princes and cities (according to their Confession, Article XXIV.,) +celebrate one common (public) mass in their churches; if they only +performed it properly, according to the holy rule and canonical +regulations, as all Catholics perform it. But that they (the +Protestants, in their Confession) reject all _other_ masses, can +neither be tolerated nor suffered by the christian faith and Catholic +profession, (that is, cannot be allowed by us, who profess the Roman +Catholic faith.) [Note 30] + +Here then, in view of all this mass of evidence, we appeal to every +candid and conscientious reader, whether it is not impossible, fairly, +to resist the conviction, that the Reformers did, at and before the +diet at Augsburg in 1530, ordinarily observe the distinction to which +they had been trained in the Romish church, between the words _mass_ +and _eucharist_, or _Lord's supper_, so that in all cases where +precision was necessary, and especially where both were spoken of, each +was called by its appropriate name? We say "ordinarily," because we +freely admit that sometimes they did use the word mass in a more general +sense, as a part for the whole, to include both the eucharist and the +mass proper, just as we now use the term preaching for the whole of the +public service, in the inquiry, "Will you go to preaching to day?" +whilst in its proper meaning, preaching has reference only to the +sermon. Our chain of argument is therefore not complete until we add +another link, and prove that the Reformers employed the word mass in +its specific and proper signification, in the disputed passages of the +Augsburg Confession, as they did in the numerous passages above cited, +and as the Papists themselves understood them to do. + +_Second Inquiry_. + +Let us now, in _the second_ place, inquire, _Whether the Reformers +employed the word mass in its proper and specific meaning in the +disputed passages of the Augsburg Confession_. + +The affirmative of this question is, we think, certain, from a variety +of evidences. + +1. Because we find _two different articles of the Confession, the one +with mass (Messe) for its caption, and the other headed:_ OF THE HOLY +SUPPER (vom Heiligen Abendmahl.) Now, if mass here signified Holy +Supper, the probability is that one or the other term would have been +used in both places. The design of captions prefixed to a chapter or +article, is to indicate the general contents of such article; and a +diversity of caption or title, naturally raises the presumption that +different subjects are discussed. The most natural method of deciding +this question concerning the meaning of the caption, is to inquire what, +are the subjects discussed in each article. If the subjects discussed in +both articles are the same, then the captions are or ought to be +synonymous, and as the Lord's Supper never signifies mass in its +specific sense, it follows that mass would have to mean Lord's Supper. +But if different subjects are treated of in the two articles, then the +captions, if appropriate, must mean different things. Now, it will not +be denied, that whilst the Article X., headed Lord's Supper, discusses +matter specifically relating to the eucharist, (namely the real presence +of the body and blood of the Saviour in the Holy Supper;) the Article +XXIV., headed the _Mass_, actually discusses what is specifically termed +the mass, namely, the ceremony and acts of the priest or minister +_preceding_ the Lord's Supper. Thus, the article states, "No perceptible +change was made in the public ceremonies of the mass, except the +addition of German hymns along with the Latin; but it is well known that +there are no other "public ceremonies" connected with the Lord's Supper +in the Romish church, except those embraced in _the_ mass, specifically +so called, and that the _Latin_ hymns were part of this mass, "Masses +are bought and sold at annual fairs, and the greater part of them (the +masses) in all the churches, were sold for money;" but we have never +heard that Romanists had to pay for receiving the communion, it is only +for a certain performance of the priest, called mass, that they pay the +priest. These "money masses and closet masses," are condemned; whilst no +objection is made to public mass, at which the sacrament is +administered; on the contrary, it is stated, that by proper instruction, +"the people are attracted to communion _and_ the mass." The question is +referred to "whether a mass performed for a number of persons +collectively, was as efficacious as a separate mass for each +individual;" but who ever heard of christians receiving one Lord's +Supper collectively, for a number of other persons, or for an +individual? And if the thing is done by the priest, then it is what is +specifically called mass. So also, who ever heard of the Lord's Supper +being received "for the dead;" but it is very common for the priest to +say _mass_ for the dead. Thus, might we add additional sentences from +this Article XXIV., which applied to the Lord's Supper, make no sense, +but are appropriately and historically true of the mass in its specific +sense. Since then almost the whole article treats of the mass proper, +does not common sense, as well as the legitimate principles of +interpretation, require us so to interpret the word mass in the caption +and passages cited from this article? The same reason would apply to a +comparison of the caption of Article XXII., or I, of the Abuses +Corrected, namely, "Of Communion in both kinds," compared with the word +mass; but we deem it unnecessary. + +2. That the word mass is here used in its appropriate sense, is evident, +_because Melancthon himself, in translating the Latin original into +German_, always renders the Latin term for mass (missa) by the German +term messe (mass); whereas if he had used the Latin term in its more +general sense in Article XXIV., he would at least sometimes have +translated it eucharist, or Lord's Supper. But so far as we have +examined, the word mass (messe) is always employed in this article, +where the German is a translation of the Latin. In one case at least we +have found the German and Latin Confessions pursue different trains of +thought; so that though mass is found in the one, nothing corresponding +is contained in the other. The same may be affirmed of all translations +into English that we have seen, whether made in this country or in +Great Britain. No translator, so far as our knowledge extends, has +ventured to render "missa" or " messe," by Lord's Supper or eucharist; +but by the appropriate term "_mass;_" because they all felt that the +context and scope of the Article demanded it. + +3. Another proof in Article XXIV. itself, that the word mass is used to +designate that ceremonial, which preceded the distribution of the +sacrament, is found in _the fact that both the word mass and sacrament +are used together, with the copulative conjunction_ AND _connecting +them. a_. Thus, near the commencement of the article, we read: "Our +people are instructed repeatedly, and with the utmost diligence, +concerning the design and proper mode of receiving the holy sacrament; +namely, to comfort alarmed consciences; by which means the people are +attracted to the _communion_ AND _the mass_," [Note 31] (dadurch das +volk zur communion _und_ Mess gezogen wird.) The Latin copy here has a +different train of remarks. + +_b_. Again, the following passage near the close of the Article: "The +ancient canons also show that one of the priests performed the mass, +_and_ administered the communion to the other priests and deacons." +[Note 32] (Auch zeigen die alten canones an, dasz einer das Amt +gehalten hat UND die andern Priester und Diakon communicirt.) _c_. Also +the passage preceding this: "Our custom is, that on holy days, and also +at other times, if communicants are present, _we hold mass_ AND _admit +to communion_ such as desire it." (So wird diese Weise bei uns gehalten, +dasz man an Feiertagen, auch sonst so communicanten da sind, mess haelt, +und etliche so das begehren, communiciert. _Servatur_ apud nos _una +communis missa_ singulis feriis, atque aliis etiam diebus, si qui +sacramento velint uti, _ubi porrigitur sacramentum his qui petunt_.) +Here, then, we find three passages in this very Article itself, in which +the mass is distinguished from the distribution of the supper, and the +two things are connected by "and," necessarily implying their diversity. + +4. That the words [sic] mass is used in its appropriate specific sense +in this Article, and not as synonymous with Lord's Supper, or eucharist, +as the Plea for the Augsburg Confession [Note 33] asserts, is proved by +the fact, that _if you substitute either of these words for it, many +passages in the Article will not make sense_. We will present a few +specimens, which may be multiplied by any one who will take Article +XXIV. of the Confession and read it, substituting either Lord's Supper +or eucharist in place of the word mass. + +"By which means the people are attracted to the communion and the +_eucharist_, (the mass;") which is equivalent to saying, they were +attracted to the eucharist and the eucharist. + +"An annual fair was made, at which _eucharists_ (masses) were bought +and sold." This would be historically untrue. + +"And the greater part of them (the _eucharists_) in all the churches, +were performed for money." To this the same remark applies. + +"These money-_eucharists_ and closet _eucharists_ (masses,) have ceased +in our churches:" but the eucharist certainly had not ceased. + +"Hence also arose the controversy, whether a _eucharist_ (mass) +performed for (not by) a number of persons collectively, was as +efficacious as a separate _eucharist_ for each individual." This +question applies only to the mass proper, and was never mooted about +the eucharist. + +"The ancient canons also show, that one of the priests performed or +celebrated (halten, celebrare) _eucharist, and administered the +communion to the other priests and deacons." [Note 34] This specimen, +like the first, would be purely tautological. + +5. That the word mass is used in Article XXIV., distinctively for the +mass, is evident from the fact that the _Romanists so understood_ it, +and in their answer to the Confession attempt to refute the Protestant +rejection not of the Lord's Supper, but of the private _masses_, the +closet _masses_, and the sacrificial and vicarious nature of the _mass_ +in general whilst they applaud the retention of public mass by the +Reformers, if they would only celebrate it according to canonical +regulations. We will cite a single passage, out of many that might be +adduced:-- + +"It, is therefore not rejected, nor regarded as wrong, that the +(Protestant) princes and cities (according to Article XXIV. of their +Confession, on which they are commenting,) celebrate one common (or +public) mass in their churches; if they only performed it properly, +according to the holy rule and canonical regulations, as all Catholics +perform it. But that they (the Protestants) reject all _other_ masses, +can neither be tolerated nor suffered by the Christian faith and +Catholic profession;" (that is, cannot be allowed by us who profess the +Roman Catholic religion. [Note 35]) As this Romish Refutation is rarely +met with, we add the exact original: "_Wird demnach nicht verworfen +noch fuer unrecht erkannt, dasz die Fuersten und Staedt halten ein +gemeine Mess in der Kirchen, wann sie solche nur ordentlich und richtig +nach der heiligen Richtschnur und canonischen Regel hielten und +thaeten, we es alle Catholischen halten: Dieweil sie aber alle andere +Messen abschaffen, das kann der Christlich glaub und Catholische +Profession und Bekaentnisz weder dulden noch leiden_." + +6. The same fact is confirmed still further by _the Apology to the +Augsburg Confession_, written by Melancthon, in reply to the Romish +Refutation, from which we have just presented an extract. From this it +is evident that the Papists had correctly understood the Augsburg +Confession as speaking of the mass properly so called; and that we have +therefore also not misunderstood or misrepresented it. Speaking of the +very part of the Refutation from which the above passage is cited, +Melancthon says: "In the first place, we must state, by way of +introduction, that we _do not abolish the mass_. For on every Sunday +and Festival, _masses_, (Messen) (not Lord's Suppers) are held in our +churches, at which the _sacrament_ is administered to those who desire +it." Here evidently mass and the sacrament are two things. + +"Our opponents make a great talk (geschwaetz) about the _Latin_ mass, +that is about the Mass which, as is well known, was and is _read_ in +Latin; but certainly they did not talk about the Latin Lord's Supper. + +"But where do we find the Pharisaic, doctrine written, that the +_hearing_ of the mass without understanding it, is, ex opere operato, +meritorious and saving?" The term _hearing_ evidently refers to the +mass, which was read; but what sense would there be in the phrase +_hearing_ the Lord's Supper? + +"That we do not celebrate private masses, but only a _public mass_ +(eine oeffentliche Messe,) when the people also commune, is not at all +contrary to the common (or general) Christian church." Here the +_private_ masses are distinguished from the _public_ mass, and the fact +affirmed, as clearly as language can convey the idea, that the +_Reformers did retain and practice_ PUBLIC _mass on sacramental +occasions_." [Note 36] We might easily adduce a number of other +passages from this book, but really it seems to be a work of +supererogation. + +To this decided declaration of Melancthon, we might add his assertions +on other occasions. Let a single one suffice. In his letter to Margrave +George, of Brandenburg, on the _private_ mass, he uses this language: +"Finally, as your excellence wishes to know what we retain in our +churches of the ceremonies of the mass, I would inform your excellence, +that the mass is entirely abolished, _except when are persons present_ +who wish to receive the Lord's Supper;" [Note 37] that is, we have +entirely abolished private masses; at which, as it is well known, no +one communed but the priest himself, but retain the _public mass_ at +communion seasons. + +_Finally_, to make assurance doubly sure, we will add a similar +testimony from Luther himself, in a letter of Counsel to Lazarus +Spengler, in 1528: "In the _first place_, let all masses be absolutely +dispensed with at which there are no communicants present; as they +properly ought to be set aside. Secondly, that in the two parish +churches (namely, in Nuerenberg, where Spongier resided,) one or two +masses should be held on Sabbath and holy days, according as there may +be many or few communicants." [Note 38] + +Now, in this passage, the word mass either means Lord's Supper in +general or mass in particular. It does not mean the former, because it +was something which Luther says had been performed _without any_ +communicants being present, but should not be performed hereafter, +unless there were communicants. Again, he says, that on Sabbath or holy +days, when there are communicants present, this mass, which from its +nature _could_ be and had been performed without communicants, should +be performed once or twice. But what sense is there in terming that the +administration of the Lord's Supper at which there are no communicants. +Or in talking about administering one or two Lord's Suppers, as the +number of communicants might be large or small? For ourselves, it is +impossible to doubt, that the mass proper is here intended, which was +often celebrated by the minister alone, and which, at communion +seasons, was the usual preparation for the communion. + +_And now, what is the result of our inquiry?_ + +We premised, as conceded by all, that as the word mass among the +Romanists does now, so it did at the time of the the [sic] +Reformation, and several centuries before, specifically signify a +certain service of about an hour's length, consisting of a commixture +of Scripture passages, long and short prayers, invocations, extracts +from the gospels and epistles, liturgic forms, the forms of +consecration of the elements and transubstantiation of them into the +Saviour's body and blood, with numerous crossings, genuflexions, the +elevation of the host and especially the self-communion of the priest, +as an offering of the body of Christ a bloodless sacrifice for the sins +of the living or dead; all of which was read and done by the _priest +himself_ before the altar; and which preceded the sacramental +communion of the congregation, and was the only preparation for the +communion. + +We also admitted, that then, as now, the word mass was sometimes used +by the Romanists for the sacramental celebration in general, including +the mass proper. + +Thirdly, we assumed as undenied, that the Reformers, having been born +and educated in the Romish religion till their majority, were +accustomed to this two-fold use of the term mass. + +We then asserted that the Reformers continued the twofold use of the +term, and as its occasional use for the eucharist in general is not +disputed, we especially proved that they continued to observe the +distinction and to employ it in its _specific sense_, whenever the +mass proper was spoken of. + +We proved from various letters and other documents of _Luther_, written +in the year of the Diet, that he makes the distinction and uses the +term mass for the above described mass proper. + +We proved from various letters and other articles of _Melancthon_, +written during the session of the Diet, that he employed it in this +specific sense. + +We proved that the other Reformers used the word in this specific +sense, such as Aurifaber, and Spalatin. And finally: + +We proved that the _Romanists_ used it in this sense at the Diet, in +their pretended Refutation of the Augsburg Confession. + +There being no possible doubt of the Reformers using the word mass to +mean the specific mass, in their other writings at that time; the, only +remaining question was, whether Melancthon so used it in the disputed +passages of the Article XXIV. of the Augsburg Confession. + +That he did here employ it, in this specific sense, we proved by the +following facts: Because he made two different captions or headings for +two different articles, and in the one headed "Of the Lord's Supper," +he discusses that subject, and in the other headed "The Mass," he +discusses what is specifically termed mass. + +We proved, that Melancthon and all other translators from the Latin or +German copy, have translated these passages, messa, and _mass_, and not +Abendmahl, or Lord's Supper, or Eucharist. + +We have proved, that in this very Article XXIV., the mass and sacrament +are spoken of in the same sentence as different things, being connected +together by the word "_and_." + +We have proved, that if we substitute the Lord's Supper instead of mass +in this Article, many of the passages will make nonsense. + +We have proved, that the Romanists themselves in their Refutation of +the Augsburg Confession, understood this Article XXIV. as speaking of +the Mass proper, and censured it for rejecting private masses, _whilst +it approved of it_ for retaining public masses. + +_Finally_, we have proved, that Melancthon, in replying to this Romish +Refutation, does not charge them with having misunderstood the XXIV. +Article; but goes on to refute their arguments, implying that they had +understood him correctly. + +In view of all these facts it is impossible for us to doubt, that the +word mass in the objected passages of the Article XXIV., signifies the +mass in its specific sense, and not the Lord's Supper in general: and +that when the Reformers affirm in their Confession, that "they are +unjustly charged with having abolished the mass" they meant that they +retained the mass on sacramental occasions, with the limitations and +altered explanations of the nature and application of it, specified in +different parts of the Confession; whilst they freely admitted, that +they had rejected private and closet, masses, and indeed all masses, +except on occasions when the sacrament was administered to the people. +What the Romanists considered as the essential doctrine of the mass, +viz., its being a sacrifice of Christ, offered by the priest, and its +being offered by him for others than himself, either living or dead, +and its being performed at any other time, or for any other purpose +than as a preparative for Sacramental Communion, the Confession +rejects, but the _outward_ rite itself, on public sacramental occasions, +it professes to retain: and this being the only charge made in the +_Platform_ on this subject, we appeal to every candid reader to decide, +whether it has not been fully established. + +Whether Melancthon and the princes had yielded more in this Confession +than Luther approved, and whether any of the alterations confessedly +made in the Confession after Luther had approved it, related to this +Article, is quite a different question, and cannot affect the meaning +of the Article itself. It is not improbable that such was the case; +but even the ritual, which Luther prepared in 1523, contained the +greater part of the Romish mass, such as the _Introitus_, the _Kyrie +Eleison_, the _Collecta_, or prayer and _epistles, Singing of the +Gradual_, a _Short Sequens_, the _Gospel_, the _Nicene Creed_, and a +number of other matters, not excepting even the _elevation_ of the host, +but not for adoration, which latter he retained till [sic] +_till twelve years after the Diet at Augsburg!_ Yet, even at that time, +he had rejected the greater part of the most objectionable portions of +the mass. Hence, as the Platform charges the Confession only with +favoring the _Ceremonies of the Mass_, the charge is not only sustained, +but falls short, of what we have established in the preceding pages: and +all the vituperation aimed at us by different individuals, who have +studied the subject imperfectly, or not at all, we cheerfully forgive, +conscious that the aim of all we have published on this subject has been +the prosperity of the church, and assured that it will be blessed by the +Master to this glorious end. + +_Reference to the author's former works containing representations_ of +this subject. + +In view of these indisputable results of a careful investigation of the +original sources, it may not be amiss to cast a glance at the +representations of this subject in our former publications during the +last quarter of a century, as we have frequently been charged, not +indeed by the author of the Plea, but by superficial writers, with +self-contradiction and misrepresentation. It would indeed have been in +perfect unison with the habit of the best authors of Europe and America, +to change our opinions as we extended our investigations, and freely to +profess such change. Nor should we feel any reluctance in following such +distinguished authorities, if we felt that our case required it. But in +reperusing our former statements, we cannot see that they differ, in any +material point, from the results of our latest investigations above +given. + +In the Popular Theology, (page 406 of the seventh edition,) first +published in 1834, speaking of the article of the Augsburg Confession on +the Mass, we find the following:--"On this subject, (the mass,) the +language of the Confession was less condemnatory, than that which they +soon after employed. In the Smalcald Articles, which were published +seven years after this Confession, in 1537, Luther declares the Papal +mass to be a most momentous and abominable corruption; because it +militates directly and powerfully against the fundamental doctrine, +(justification by faith in Jesus Christ.") We then add several extracts +from the Augsburg Confession, showing that the confessors rejected the +_sacrificial_ and _vicarious_ nature of the mass, as well as other +objectionable features of it. Now here we find the same two positions +taken, which the preceding discussions of this chapter have established, +namely, that the Confession is less condemnatory than the later Smalcald +Articles; that it favors the mass more, and speaks of it in milder +language than was employed at a subsequent period. As no one of any note +at that day pretended to urge the adoption of the entire Augsburg +Confession, much less of all the symbolical books, there was no +necessity of dilating on the objectionable features of the Confession, +and we of course abstain from doing so. In this silence we would have +persevered to this day, had not a new generation of European symbolists +since then sought refuge on our shores, and carried on aggressive +operations, incessantly assailing the General Synod and her members, and +charging them with unfaithfulness to Confessions which they never +adopted, except as to fundamentals; thus compelling us to expose these +remnants of Romish error which they certainly do contain. + +When, we turn to our _History of the American Lutheran Church_, +published in 1852, we find on pages 240, 241, the following statement:-- +"The mass, that is, _the name and some of the ceremonies_ of the Romish +mass, were retained in the Augsburg Confession; although the errors in +doctrine, by which the Romish mass grew out of the Scripture doctrine +of the Lord's Supper, were rejected in that as well as subsequent +symbols." "Our churches," (says the Augsburg Confession, Art. XXIV.) +"are _unjustly_ charged with having rejected the mass, (messe.) For it +is publicly known that the mass is celebrated amongst us with greater +devotion and earnestness, than amongst our opponents." "Nor has there +been any perceptible change made in the public ceremonies of the mass, +except that at several places _German_ hymns are sung along with the +_Latin_ ones." "Our custom is on holy days (and at other times also, _if +there be communicants_) to _say mass_, (not to say a Lord's Supper,) and +those who desire it, receive the Lord's Supper." Subsequently, however, +great changes were made in the public ceremonies attendant on the Lord's +Supper, and Luther in his Smalcald Articles rejects the mass entirely, +both the name and accompanying ceremonies. And soon after the whole +Lutheran church followed him. Still, if the Augsburg Confession were +_strictly binding on us_, we should be under the necessity of adopting +on sacramental occasions all the public ceremonies then and now usual in +the Romish Church in celebrating public mass." Here again we see the +following points, which were clearly proved above: 1. That the Augsburg +Confession denies having rejected the mass. 2. That she does reject +those doctrinal errors which gave rise to the Romish mass. 3. That it +was their custom on public occasions (when persons were present who +desired to commune) to say a mass, and then administer the sacrament to +them. 4. That the Confession explicitly asserts that "_no perceptible +change_" had been made in the public ceremonies of the mass, except the +introduction of German hymns along with the Latin ones in several +places. Hence the inference would necessarily follow, that if they had +made no perceptible change in the public ceremonies of the mass, we +could make none, if the Confession was _strictly binding_ on us: and as +the ceremonies of the Romish mass are the same now as then, the +ceremonies which the Confession prescribes are the same as those now +observed in the church, and if we obeyed the Confession, we should have +to perform the same without any "_perceptible_" difference, except the +addition of German hymns along with the Latin, which were at that time +used in the Lutheran Church. These, Luther for sometime himself +defended, as it is certain he did the elevation of the host, (but not +for adoration,) till 1542, more than _twenty years_ after he commenced +the Reformation. Those who object to these statements confound the +teachings of the Confession with the _subsequent practice of Luther and +the churches_; yea, it has appeared to us, in the course of our recent +examinations on these subjects, that the Augsburg Confession was not +even up to the progress of reform attained by churches at that day, and +this may be one reason why Luther told Melancthon he had yielded too +much to the Papists in the Confession. In our Lutheran Manual, we have +simply presented the article of the Confession in full, in +juxtaposition with the Smalcald Article, treating of the same subject; +and have done so without note or comment, except the remark, that the +latter refutes the tolerant views of the mass expressed in the former. +We can, therefore, see no inconsistency between what we have published +on this subject at distant intervals, certainly much less than might +have occurred to the most careful and conscientious writer, on a +subject so closely connected with the fluctuations of language. +Doubtless, by taking detached portions of a paragraph apart from the +limitations connected with them, and falsely imputing sinister motives +to almost every sentence, it in possible to make the most correct author +contradict himself and misrepresent his subject; but with such men, +whether their misrepresentations arise from deliberate design or +inveterate general habit, we cannot consent to debate. The injury done +is rather to the cause of Christ and of truth than ourselves, and we can +well afford to commit the case for adjudication to that Omniscient +Being, "who judgeth righteously." + +Note 1. See Luther's Works, Leipsic ed., Vol. xxi, pp. 447, 448. + +Note 2. See Luther's letter to Prince George in his Works, Vol. xxi., +p. 430. + +Note 3. Vol. iii., p. 114. + +Note 4. See Murdock, Edition of Moshiem's History, Vol. iii, page 53, +Harper's edition. + +Note 5. Fuhrmann's Lexicon, Vol. iii., p. 3. + +Note 6. Siegel's Manual, Vol. iii., p. 362. + +Note 7. Ibid, p. 366. + +Note 8. Ibid, p. 375. + +Note 9. Luther's Works, Vol. xxii., p. 233-37. + +Note 10. Ibid, p. 237. + +Note 11. Ibid, p. 240. + +Note 12. Ibid. p. 338. + +Note 13. Luther's Works, Vol. xix., p. 666. + +Note 14. Ibid., Vol. xx., p. 3. + +Note 15. Luther's Works, Vol. xx., p. 195. + +Note 16. Ibid., p. 257. + +Note 17. Luther's Works, Vol. xxi., p. 63. + +Note 18. The edition from which all our translations of Melancthon's +Letters are made is that of Niemeyer, published at Halle, in 1830, +entitled Philip Melancthon in Jahre der Augsburgischen Confession. + +Note 19. Niemeyer's Melancthon, pp. 41-43. + +Note 20. Ibid., p. 56. + +Note 21. Niemeyer's Melancthon, p. 71. + +Note 22. Niemeyer's Melancthon, p. 76. + +Note 23. Niemeyer, p. 90, 91. + +Note 24. Koethe's Melancthon's Works, Vol. I., p. 263. + +Note 25. Ibid., p. 265. + +Note 26. Ibid., p. 267. + +Note 27. Luther's Works, Vol. XX., p. 199. + +Note 28. Pfeiffer's Augapfel, second edit., p. 1045. + +Note 29. Ibid. p. 1048. + +Note 30. Pfeiffer's Aug. Appel., second edit., p. 1050. + +Note 31. See the Lutheran Manual, p. 288, and Muller's Symb. Bucher, +p. 51. + +Note 32. See Lutheran Manual, p. 289. + +Note 33. Plea, &c., p. 15. + +Note 34. Lutheran Manual, pp. 288, 289, and Muller's Symb. pp. 51, 52, +53. + +Note 35. Pfeiffer's Augapfel, 2d ed., p. 1045. + +Note 36. Mueller's Symb. Books, pp. 248, 249. + +Note 37. Koethe's Melancthon's Werke, Vol. i., p. 250. + +Note 38. Luther's Works, Leipsic ed., Vol. xxii., p. 338. + + +CHAPTER VI. +OF PRIVATE CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION. + +This rite, in any sense of the term, that can be given to it in the +Augsburg Confession and other former symbols of the Lutheran church, +has long since been abandoned throughout our church in Europe, +excepting in that small portion of German churches, known as Old +Lutherans, and among those foreigners in the west of our country, who +constitute the Missouri Synod. It is historically unjust to apply the +term _private_ confession to that public confession of sins, made by +the congregation collectively, as part of our preparatory exercises +on sacramental occasions, and usually a misnomer to apply the name +private confession, to the habit of some of our German ministers, +(termed Anmeldung,) of having all communicants call on them for +conversation on their spiritual state, prior to sacramental communion. +Although these customs both grew out of private confession properly so +called, neither of them retains its essential elements. + +Let us first inquire _what does the Augsburg Confession mean by the +phrase Private Confession_. Among the Romanists, _Auricular_ +Confession is that rite, in which every individual of both sexes must, +at least once a year, appear before the priest at the confession box +in the church or chapel, and confess in detail all the sins that he +can recollect; after which, the priest assigns the penitent some acts +of penance, and on his promising to perform them, he then, as in the +stead of God, professes to forgive him his sins. The Reformers, however, +distinctly rejected the necessity of the penitents enumerating his +individual sins, and the propriety of the minister's prescribing any +penance to the penitent. They also distinctly made confession optional +with the penitent, and the absolution dependent on his faith; and this +purified rite they termed _Private_ Confession, although in some parts +of the church it was still called Auricular Confession (Ohrenbeicht). +[Note 1] The manner in which this rite was performed in the Lutheran +Church, is thus described by _Funk_ in his work entitled +"Kirchenordnungen of the first century of the Lutheran Church in +Germany," in which he presents the results of thirty of the _oldest_ +Lutheran Formulas of Church Discipline and Worship. "Absolution was +received _privately_, by each one _individually, kneeling_ before the +_confessional_, the confessor _imposing his hands_ at the time. Private +confession was given only _in the church_, in which the confessional +was so located _near the pulpit_, that _no other person could be near, +or hear what was said_ by the penitent." [Note 2] + +But + +I. What does the Platform teach in regard to _this Private Confession?_ +The Platform teaches, 1. That it was retained by the Augsburg +Confession and other symbolical books. 2. It is objected to by the +Platform, as unauthorized by the Word of God. 3. And thirdly, as being +inconsistent with the fundamental doctrine of the Reformation, that +_faith it the only condition_ of the justification or pardon of the +sinner. + +II. What does the Plea object to these positions? + +1. That the impression might be made by the Platform, that the Lutheran +doctrine has some affinity to the Romish doctrine of Auricular +Confession. But the Platform expressly states the rejection of +_Auricular_ Confession by the Reformers, and their retention of what +they called private confession in its stead, the latter differing from +the former as above stated. The Plea next introduces a formula of +absolution, used in Wittenberg, in 1559, to show the harmlessness of the +rite. But here, unfortunately, if we are not entirely mistaken, our +friend has overlooked the fact, that it is a formula for _public_, and +_not private_ confession which he cites. This is certain from the +language throughout, being addressed "_to all such as are here +present_," &c. It is well known that _private_ confession was rejected +in the Lutheran Church in Denmark and Sweden in the beginning, as well +as by different portions of Germany at an early day, and a public or +general confession adopted in its stead. In Luther's Short Directory +for Confession, &c., [[Note 3] tr. note: there is no note number in the +original to go with the corresponding footnote, but this appears to be +where it should go] we have his formula for _private_ or individual +absolution, which will convey to the reader a more correct idea of its +form: After the directions for confession of sins; the + +Confessor says: "_God be merciful to thee and strengthen thy faith. +Amen_." + +"_Dost thou believe that my remission of thy sins is God's remission?_ + +Answer of the penitent: "_Yes, dear sir, I do_." + +Then the confessor says: "_According to thy faith, so be it unto thee. +And I, by command of our Lord Jesus Christ, forgive thee thy sins, in +the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen. Depart in +peace_." + +Another specimen of private absolution we find in the Kirchenordnung, +[Note 4] or Church Directory of Count _Wolfgang_, of the Palatinate, +on the Rhine, &c., published in Nuernberg, 1557. + +"The Almighty God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, will be gracious +and merciful to thee, and will pardon all thy sins, for the sake of his +dear Son Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for them. And in the name +of this, our Lord Jesus Christ, by his command, and in virtue of his +declaration, 'Whose sins ye remit they am remitted,' &c., _I pronounce +thee free and clear of all thy sins_, that they shall all be forgiven +thee, as certainly and completely, as Jesus Christ by his sufferings and +death merited the same, and in his gospel has commanded it to be +preached to all the world. Receive, therefore, this consoling promise, +which I have now made to thee in the name of the Lord Christ, let thy +conscience be at rest, and do thou confidently believe, that thy sins +are assuredly forgiven thee, for Christ's sake, in the name of the +Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen." + +2. The Plea affirms, that private confession may be useful as a means +of bringing the, members of the church into personal interview with +their pastor. The advantage of such interviews we freely admit; but +they can be and are secured in our churches without this rite; and as +it is confessedly destitute of Scripture authority, we have no right to +invent a _new ordinance_ in Christ's church for any purpose. + +3. The Plea maintains that explanation of "the power of the Keys," +which authorizes a minister to pronounces absolution of sins, and +appeals to Matth. xviii. 18, "Whatsoever ye shall bind one arth," [sic] +&c. But the previous context "tell it to the _church_" &c., clearly +shows that it refers to church discipline, and signifies "whatever acts +of discipline ye enact in regard to such an individual, I will ratify in +heaven." But this has no bearing on private confession and absolution. +The other passage from John, xx. 23, "Whosoever's sins ye remit," &c., +was uttered on a different occasion, after the Saviour's resurrection; +and either refers to a miraculous power bestowed on the apostles, to +discern the condition of the heart, and to announce pardon to those +whom they knew to be truly penitent and believing; or it confers on the +ministry, in all ages, the power to announce _in general_ the +conditions on which God will pardon sinners. But it contains no +authority to uninspired ministers to apply these promises to +individuals, the condition of whose hearts they cannot know, as is done +in private absolution. + +III. We therefore feel constrained to maintain the positions of the +Platform on this subject also. + +1. _That private confession and absolution were inculcated by the +Augsburg Confession_, is so evident, that it cannot be successfully +denied. Nor is this done only in the Abuses Corrected, as the Plea +seems to suppose, p. 20. In Art. XI. of the Confession, we read: "In +regard to confession, they teach, _that private absolution ought to be +retained in the church;_ but that an enumeration of all our +transgressions is not requisite to confession." + +In the _Apology [Note 5] to the Confession_, Melancthon employs this +language: "Wherefore it would be _impious_ to take away private +absolution from the church." (Quare impium esset, &c.) _Luther_, in the +Smalcald Articles, Art. VIII., says, confession and absolution ought _by +no means_ be abolished in the church, &c., (Nequaquam in ecclesia +confessio et absolutio abolenda est, &c.;) and he is speaking of +_private_ confession. + +The Romish alleged Refutation of the Augsburg Confession, on the above +cited Art. XI., thus expresses its approbation: "This article (Art. +XI.) that private and special absolution should remain, and be +preserved in the churches is _Catholic_. Yet two things must be required +of them, (of the Reformers,) that both men and women should attend +confession at least once a year, &c.; secondly, to confess all the sins +you _can_ recollect." [Note 6] + +_Dr. Plank_, in his celebrated and elaborate History of the Origin and +Changes of the Protestant Doctrinal System, [Note 7] speaking of the +negotiations between the Reformers and Papists during the Diet of +Augsburg, says, "On the subject of the Confessional _there was an entire +agreement_, for they (the Reformers) had declared that they regarded +Confession as a very useful institution, and had no idea of suffering it +to fall, and also regarded it as good, that the people should be +accustomed to confess their sins," viz., at the confessional. + +_Siegel_, in his Manual of Christian Ecclesiastical Antiquities, +[Note 8] after stating that Luther rejected _Auricular_ Confession, as a +sacrament, and a means of oppressing the conscience, adds: "But, on the +other hand, Luther was as unwilling as Melancthon, to have _private +confession_ abolished, and the latter had, in his Loci Theologici, +pronounced private absolution to be as necessary as baptism." In regard +to confession in the Lutheran Church of Germany, the fact is, that +private confession, which the Reformers so earnestly recommended, is +almost entirely abandoned and changed into a general (and public) +confession, which may with more propriety be termed preparatory services +to the Lord's Supper." + +Finally, we will add the testimony of only one more witness, _Prof. +Jacobson_, in the excellent _Theological Encyclopedia of Dr. Herzog_, +now in progress of publication in Germany, who says, "Whilst the +compulsory part of the institution (private confession,) fell to the +ground, each one was left to judge whether and how much he would +confess. The institution itself _was retained_, and _private +confession_ especially recommended. The Augsburg Confession presupposes +it (private confession,) _as the rule:_" Our custom is not to give the +sacrament to those who have not first been confessed and absolved;" and +the Smalcald articles [sic] teach that Confession and +Absolution must by no means be allowed to be omitted in the church." +[Note 9] + +After all this testimony, it may be regarded as incontestably +established, that the former symbolical books of our church do teach +_private confession_ and absolution, with some modifications, and +hence, that the church in Sweden and Denmark _always rejected this part +of the Augsburg Confession_, in practice, and that the entire church in +Germany and the United States, which now use a _public_ confession, +have made a similar departure from the teachings of the Augsburg +Confession as well as of Luther, Melancthon and the other Lutheran +reformers. + +2. That _this rite of private confession, is unauthorized by any +command of the Word of God, in so clear, that the Symbolical books +themselves admit it_, and commend the rite merely on the ground of +human expediency, and inferential scriptural reasoning. The same +acknowledgment is made by the Plea of the Rev. Mr. Mann. In Art. XXVI. +of Augsburg Confession, being Topic V. of the Abuses Corrected, the +confession says: "Confession is _not commanded in Scripture_, but has +been instituted _by the church_." [Note 10] + +3. The rite of _private absolution_, on which the Reformers lay much +stress, is in like manner destitute of scriptural authority, and most +injurious to the interests of spiritual religion. The _omniscient_ +Saviour could well say to the sick of the palsy, "Son, be of good cheer, +thy sins be forgiven thee," Matt. ix. 2; for he knew the heart of man. + +For the same reason he could say to Mary Magdalene, "Thy sins are +forgiven." Luke vii. 48. + +But, even the inspired apostles never in a single instance, either +undertook to forgive sins themselves, or to announce the pardon of sin +to any _individual personally_. It is therefore a solemn thing for +ministers, unguided by inspiration, to assume greater power. To +proclaim publicly and privately the willingness of God to pardon the +impenitent, is an important and delighful [sic] part of the minister's +duty; but for uninspired men to institute a special rite in the church, +for the express purpose of announcing _pardon to individuals_, even when +done conditionally, as the reformers maintained it always should be, is +inevitably calculated to lead, especially the less intelligent, to +believe their sins forgiven, at least in part, because the ministers +announce the fact, and because they have professed penitence to him. +But this is wholly unauthorised in God's Word. On the contrary:-- + +(_a_) The Scriptures throughout represent _God_, and _the Lamb of God_, +as the only beings that can "forgive" and "take away" sin. Exod. xxxiv. +6, 7. The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed, "The Lord God, +merciful--_forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin_." + +The blessed Saviour, in his memorable prayer, teaches us to address +our supplication, not to the minister, but to our _heavenly Father_, +"forgive us our sins," &c., Luke xi. 4. He says nothing, nor does any +writer of the Old or New Testament _say a word_ about advising a resort +to the priest or minister to obtain forgiveness of sins. The same truth +is taught in a multitude of other passages. We refer the reader to a +few: Eph. iv. 32; Acts viii. 22; 1 John i. 9; Matth. ix. 6; Mark xi. 25; +1 Kings viii. 30; 2 Chron. vii. 14; Psalm lxxxvi. 5; Jerem. xxxi. 34; +Dan. ix. 19. + +(_b_) The very fact, that sin is committed essentially _against God_, +is a violation of _his_ law, implies that no other being, not even an +angel or archangel, much less a man, can forgive it, "Against thee, +thee only have I sinned," said the Psalmist, "and done this evil in +thy sight." + +(_c_) The offers of pardon in God's Word, are all _conditional_ and +_general_, and these alone has the minister the right to proclaim, +either to a congregation or to an individual. The implication of the +promise to individuals is made by the Holy Spirit, working faith in the +individual, or enabling him to trust in Christ. "Being justified by +faith, we have peace with God," and this peace is the believer's +evidence, is the Testimony of the Spirit, that our sins are forgiven. + +(_d_) The actual pardon of individuals by God, depends on their +possessing the moral fitness required by him. It is based on their +having performed the prescribed moral conditions sincerely, of which +none but the Omniscient Jehovah can certainly judge; hence, even the +declarative annunciation of pardon to individuals, is not only +unauthorized but dangerous. Because, even if conditionally announced, +the formality of the absolution, and the fact that the church has made +a _special rite_ of it, are calculated to beget the idea, especially in +the unintelligent, that the granting of absolutions by the minister, is +proof of the genuineness of their faith, and reality of their pardon. + +(_e_) Finally, the doctrine of ministerial absolution, or the supposed +sin-forgiving power of the ministry, is inconsistent with the doctrine, +that justification or pardon can be attained only by a living faith in +Jesus Christ, a doctrine of cardinal importance in the eyes of the +Reformers, and the one which Luther has styled the _articulus stantis +vel cadentis ecclesiae_, the doctrine with which the church must stand +or fall." The Scriptures and also the Reformers, teach that pardon or +justification can be obtained only through the merits of Christ, which +merits must be apprehended by a living faith, which living faith can be +found only in the regenerate or converted soul. Hence, as none but a +regenerate sinner can exercise living faith, no other can be pardoned, +whatever else he may do or possess. Now those who attend confession are +either regenerate, or they are not. If they were regenerated or +converted before they went to confession, they had faith, and were +pardoned before; if they were unregenerate or unconverted, then neither +their confession, nor the priest's absolution, can confer pardon on +them, because they have not a living faith, although they may be +sincere and exercise some sorrow for their sins. On the other hand, if +any amount of seriousness and penitence, short of true conversion or +regeneration, could, through the confessional, or any other rite, +confer pardon of sin; the line of distinction between converted and +unconverted, between mere formalists and true Christians would be +obliterated; we should have pardoned saints and pardoned sinners in the +church, converted and unconverted heirs of the promise, believing and +unbelieving subjects of justification, and the words of the Lord Jesus +would prove a lie, "That, _unless a man be born again, he cannot enter +the kingdom of heaven!_"-Def. Platform, p. 25. + +On the subject of this rite, we regret to state, that a more careful +study of the subject, as presented in the above results, will not +permit us to speak as favorably of the practice of the Reformers, as we +did in some of our former publications, twenty years ago, and even +later. The positions above maintained, we think, cannot be successfully +controverted, as our investigations of the original sources has been +sufficiently extensive to dispel all doubt. + +Note 1. See Koecher, p. 515. + +Note 2. Funk's Kirchenordnungen, pp. 189, 190. + +Note 3. Mueller's Symb. B., p. 364. + +Note 4. Page 97. + +Note 5. Mueller's Symb. B., p. 185. + +Note 6. Pleiffer, p. 534. [sic] + +Note 7. Vol. iii. pt. 1, p. 125. + +Note 8. Vol. i., pp. 199, 206. + +Note 9. Vol. iv., p. 781. + +Note 10. Lutheran Manual, p. 293. + + +CHAPTER VII. +DENIAL OF THE DIVINE INSTITUTION AND OBLIGATION OF CHRISTIAN SABBATH. + +The incalculable importance of the proper observation of the Christian +Sabbath to the progress of the kingdom of Christ in general, and to +the growth of piety in the heart of every Christian in particular, is +a point on which, we are happy to state, there is no difference between +the Plea and the Platform. Yet we cannot resist the conviction, that in +our efforts to observe this day, not with the pharisaic formalities of +the Jew, but with the conscientious spirituality of the Christian, the +question whether in doing so, we are obeying an injunction of God, +exhibited in the inspired example of his apostles, or are merely +conforming to an uninspired regulation of the church, must be of great +importance. + +The lax views of the early reformers on this subject are so frequently +met with in theological discussions, that we had not expected to find +the position of the Platform disputed; but rather that the theory of +the Reformers would be defended, as is done by writers of no mean name +in Germany at the present day. The author of the Plea, however, takes a +different view of the Confession, and affirms that this venerable +document does not deny the divine institution and obligation of the +Christian Sabbath. "Luther and Melancthon (says he,) had received from +the older church, the doctrine and practice of the Christian Sabbath, +as a holy day, as a divine institution and obligation, and they had not +a word to say against this view of the Sabbath. But they had a great +deal to say against the abuses, by which the bishops made the Sabbath a +day of sin and dishonor to God and his church, instead of making it a +day devoted to his glory," p. 28. + +This opinion is different from that commonly entertained among the +learned. A few authorities alone may suffice to sustain our statement. +_Dr Ruecker_, in his work on _The Lord's Day_, in which he thoroughly +examines the views of the church on this subject, in all the different +ages of her history, fully confirms the position of the Definite +Platform. He says, "_The Reformers do not recognize in the religious +observance of Sunday an institution resting on an immediate divine +command;_ and the idea of a transfer of the Sabbatic law of the Old to +the New Testament Sunday, is altogether strange to them, and is +positively rejected by them, as in consistent with the gospel" (Die +Reformatorem erkennen in der Sonntagsfeier _keine unmittelbar +goettliche anordnung, &c._) Ruckert, von Tage des Herrn, p. 48. + +And again, on p. 67, he affirms this more liberal view of the Lord's +Day, to be the more general one in Germany at the present time. "So +far," says he, "as we know, the most important, living, theological +writers, of the present day, entertain this so-called more liberal or +lax view, (namely, that of Luther.)" + +_Dr. Hengstenberg_, the well-known editor of the Evangelical Church +Paper at Berlin, Prussia, and author of numerous learned and valuable +works, uses the following language: "What Luther's views were, on the +law concerning the Sabbath, may easily be inferred from his views of +the Old Testament law in general, and of the Decalogue in particular. +The distinction which became current after his day, between the moral +and ceremonial law, according to which Christ abrogated only the +latter, whilst the former is regarded as universal and binding on all +ages, was distant from his views. He regards the whole law as an +external, coercive letter, designed only for the Jews." "How _Luther_ +regarded the Sabbath from this general view, is so clearly exhibited in +his Larger Catechism, that the introduction of other passages from his +writings, is entirely superfluous." He then quotes the passages which +will be given in full in our next section, in which Luther declares the +Sabbath to be designed only for the Jews, and that in its outward sense +it does not concern Christians. (Darum, says Luther, gehet nun dies +gebot nach dem groben Verstande uns Christen nichts an, &c.) Melancthon +(continues Hengstenberg,) agreed with Luther, and this view was +introduced into the Augsburg Confession." See Hengstenberg, ueber den +Tag des Herrn, Berlin, 1852, pp. 108, 109, 110. + +But the accuracy of the Platform will no longer be disputed, when even +_Dr. Walter_, [sic; should be Walther] the leader of the old Lutheran +Synod of Missouri, and editor of their periodical, a man of acknowledged +theological learning and rigid advocate for the entire Augsburg +Confession, bears testimony in favor of our position. In the March No. +of the Lehre und Wehre, p. 93, he thus expresses his views: "We cannot +agree with him (the author, whom he is reviewing) in the views he +expresses concerning the Sabbath. He asserts that the Sabbath or +Christian Sunday _is a divine institution_, and that this is the +doctrine of the Lutheran Symbols: That the Lutheran Church differs from +the Calvinistic only in the mode of observing the Sabbath, the former +advocating an evangelical, the latter, a legal method. _The contrary of +this is clearly evident from Article XXVIII. of the Augsburg +Confession_, and it would be _almost incomprehensible how the author +could fail to perceive this_, were it not for his manifest desire to +make the sanctification of the Sabbath as binding a duty as any other +precept in the decalogue, and his apprehension that this could not be +accomplished any other way, than by maintaining the divine appointment +of the Sunday. + +Once more, let us listen to the the [sic] testimony of that +learned and impartial historian of our own country, _Dr. Murdock_, +himself, though a native American, a highly respectable German scholar: +"The XXVIII. Article of Augsburg Confession," says he, "teaches that as +to Sundays and other holy days, and rites and forms of worship, bishops +may and should appoint such as are convenient and suitable; and the +people should observe them, NOT AS DIVINE ORDINANCES, but as conducive +to good order and edification." Murdock's Mosheim, Vol. iii., p. 53, +Harper's edition. + +I. _What is the charge of the Definite Platform against the Augsburg +Confession on this subject?_ It is, that + +The Augsburg Confession "treats the Sabbath as a mere Jewish +institution, and supposes it to be totally revoked whilst the propriety +of our retaining the Lord's Day or Christian Sabbath as a day of +religious worship, is supposed to rest only on the agreement of the +churches for the convenience of general convocation. + +II. What ground does the Plea take? + +It denies the position, and affirms the contrary, as above stated, while +it supposes the Confession to object not to the divine institution and +obligation of the Lord's Day, but to the corruptions which the Romish +church had connected with it, and especially the idea that the +observance of the Lord's Day was a meritorious work, which would secure +our justification before God. + +The observations of the Plea against the self-righteous abuse of the +Sabbath are just and Christian, but do not affect the position of the +Platform. The author also intersperses other useful practical remarks, +which we have not have room to quote. The simple point of difference, +of any moment, is that relating to the question whether our obligation +to observe the Christian Sabbath rests on its appointment by God or by +the church. Indeed, it can scarcely be said that this question remains, +for the author of the Plea, at the close of his discussion, virtually +acknowledges the point affirmed by the Platform, when he says: "The +Augsburg Confession, notwithstanding her definite assertion that the +Christian Sabbath rests on _no special dictate of the Word of God_, +maintains that by necessity, and by right, the _church_ instituted our +Christian Sabbath, and we ought to keep it." P. 34. To this we shall +confine our proof. + +III. _We shall prove that the Augsburg Confession does deny the divine +appointment of the Christian Sabbath or Lord's Day_. + +In establishing this position, we shall first prove from the other +writings of Luther and Melancthon, that they both rejected the divine +appointment of the Christian Sabbath or Lord's day; secondly, show from +the Augsburg Confession itself, as well as the Apology to it, both +written by Melancthon, that its divine appointment is there denied. + +Let us listen to the _declarations of Luther_ on this subject. In his +Commentary on the Pentateuch, speaking of the decalogue, he says: +"Saint Paul and the entire New Testament have abolished the Sabbath of +the Jews, in order that men may understand that the Sabbath concerns +the Jews alone. It is therefore unnecesssary [sic] that the Gentiles +should observe the Sabbath, although it was a great and rigid command +among the Jews." [Note 1] "Among Christians, under the New Testament, +every day is a holy day, and _all days are free_. Therefore, says +Christ, the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day. Matt. xii. 8. +Therefore Paul, at different places, admonishes the Christians, not to +suffer themselves to be bound to any particular day. Ye observe days and +months, and times and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed +upon you labor in vain. Gal. iv. 10, 11. And still more clearly in +Colossians ii. 16, 17. Let no mint therefore judge you in meat or in +drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of Sabbath +days: which are a shadow of things to come." "But although the Sabbath +is _now revoked_, and the consciences of men are free from it, it is +nevertheless good and necessary that _some_ particular day of the week +be observed, in order that the word of God may be dispensed on it, may +be heard and learned; for not every one can attend to it every day. +Moreover, nature demands that both man and beast rest one day in the +week, and abstain from labor. Hence, if any one desires to make a +necessary command out of the Sabbath, as a work required of God, he must +observe Saturday and not Sunday, for Saturday was enjoined upon the +Jews, and not Sunday. But Christians have hitherto observed Sunday, and +not Saturday, because on that day Christ, arose. Now this is a certain +evidence to us that the Sabbath, yea the entire Moses (Mosaic +dispensation) no longer concerns us, else we would be under obligation +to observe Saturday. This is a great and strong proof that the Sabbath +is revoked; for throughout the whole New Testament we find no place in +which the observance of the Sabbath in enjoined upon Christians." + +"But why (continues Luther,) is Sunday observed among Christians? +Although, _all days are free and one day is like another_, it is still +necessary and good, yea, very necessary, that some one day be observed, +_whether it be Sabbath, Sunday or any other day_. For God designs to +lead the world decently, and govern it peaceably; therefore he gave six +days for work, but on the seventh day, servants, hirelings, and +laborers of every kind, yea, even horses and oxen and other laboring +animals shall have rest, as this precept requires, in order that they +may be refreshed by rest. And especially in order that those, who at +other times have no leisure, may hear the preached word and thereby +learn to know God. And for this reason, namely, of love and necessity, +Sunday has been retained, not on account of the Mosaic precept, but for +the sake of our necessities in order that we might rest and learn the +word of God." [Note 2] + +In his larger Catechism, Luther thus expresses himself. [Note 3] + +"_This commandment, therefore, with respect to its outward and literal +sense, does not concern us Christians; for it is wholly an external +thing, like other ordinances of the Old Testament, confined to certain +conditions, and places, which are all now left free through Christ_. +But in order that we may draw up for the uninformed, a Christian +meaning of what God requires of us in this commandment, is is necessary +to observe, that _we keep the Sabbath-day, not for the sake of +intelligent and learned (gelehrten) Christians; for these have no need +of it:_ but in the first place, on account, of physical reasons and +necessities, which nature teaches and requires for the _common mass_ of +people, _men-servants_ and _maid-servants_, who attend during the whole +week to _their labor and employments_, so that they may also have a day +set apart for _rest and refreshment (erquicken:_) in the second, mostly +for the purpose of enabling us to take time and opportunity on these +Sabbath-days, (since we cannot otherwise attain them,) to attend _to +divine service_, so that we may assemble ourselves to hear and treat of +the Word of God, and then to praise him, to sing and pray to him. + +"But this, I say, is not so confined to time, _as ii was among the Jews, +that it must be precisely on this or that day; for one day is not +better in itself than another, but it should be daily attended to;_ but +since the mass of the people cannot attend to it, we should _reserve +one day in the week, at least, for this purpose_. Inasmuch, however, as +Sunday has been _set apart from of old_ for this purpose, we should +therefore let it remain so, that the Sabbath may be observed with +_uniformity_, and that no one create disorder through unnecessary +innovation." + +The above testimony of Luther is so distinct and decided, that he +certainly would not have approved of the Augsburg Confession if +Melancthon had introduced a different doctrine into it. But there was +no difference of opinion on this point, between these two luminaries of +the church. + +2. _Melancthon_, in a letter addressed to Luther from Augsburg, dated +July 27, 1530, thus speaks of the Christian Sabbath: "When St. Peter +appoints the religious observance of Sunday, I regard this work (the +observance of the day) _not as divine worship_, (Gottesdienst, cultus,) +but as being attended by bodily advantage, (leiblichen Nutzen,) if the +people assemble together on a fixed day." [Note 4] + +Again, in his _System of Divinity_, or _Loci Theologici_," [Note 5] we +find the following unequivocal declaration: "We have, heard above that +the Levitical _ceremonies_ are abolished. But the law concerning the +Sabbath is a Levitical ceremony, and _St. Paul_ expressly says, +Col. ii., Let no one judge you, if you do not observe the Sabbaths," +(Niemend [sic] soll euch richten, so ihr die Sabbathe nicht haltet;) why +then (it may be asked) do you insist so rigidly on this precept? Answer. +This precept in the words of Moses embraces two things, one _common_, +that is necessary to the church at all times, and a _particular day_, +which concerned only the government of Israel. The _common_ part (of +this precept) is the proper public office (or duty) to preach and to +observe the divine ceremonies, which God has at any time enjoyed. This +_common_ precept binds all men; for this honor all rational creatures +owe to God, to aid in sustaining the office of preacher, and Christian +assemblies, (public worship,) according to the condition and calling of +each one, as shall be farther stated hereafter. _But the particular +part, concerning the seventh day_, DOES NOT BIND US: therefore we hold +meetings on the _first day and on any other days_ of the week, _as +occasion offers_." + +Such then being the views of the illustrious reformers, one of whom +penned the Augsburg Confession, and the other sanctioned it, we might +naturally expect to find them expressed in the Confession itself, which +a bare recital of a few passages, will prove to be the case. + +And, I. From the _Augsburg Confession_, Art. XXVIII. + +"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 regulations, 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 offence to others. Thus St. Paul to the Corinthians +(1 Cor. xi. 5,) has ordained that _women shall have their heads_ covered +in the congregation; also, that ministers should not all speak at the +same time in the congregation, but in an orderly manner, one after +another. + +"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 uncovered, without giving offence to the +people. SUCH ALSO IS THE ORDINANCE CONCERNING SUNDAY, Easter, +Whitsunday, and similar 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_, (not the +apostles,) has up 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 +necessary_. 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 sprung 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." [Note 6] + +Here we are distinctly taught, (_a_) that the Jewish Sabbath is +entirely abolished; (_b_) that no particular day was divinely appointed +in its stead; (_c_) that those who suppose the ordinance concerning +Sunday instead of Sabbath is enacted as necessary, "are greatly +mistaken." (_d_) But that, as it was necessary to appoint a certain day +for the, convocation of the people, "the _Christian church_ (not the +apostles,) appointed Sunday." + +II. Of similar import are the teachings of the _Apology to the +Confession_, which also flowed from the pen of Melancthon. + +_Apology to the Confession, Art. IV._ + +"But we maintain, that the harmony of the church is no more broken by +variations in such _human ordinances_, than it is by variations in the +natural length of the day in different places. Yet we like to see the +_general ceremonies_ uniformly kept, for the sake of harmony and order, +as in our churches, for instance, we retain (behalten) the _mass_, the +_Lord's Day_, and _other great festivals_. + +"And we approve, all _human ordinances_ which are good and useful, +especially those which promote good external discipline among youth and +the people generally. But the inquiry is not, shall human ordinances be +observed on account of external discipline and tranquillity? [sic] The +question is altogether different; it is, is the observance of such +human ordinances a divine service by which God is reconciled; and that +without such ordinances, no one can be righteous before God? This is +the chief inquiry, and when this shall have been finally answered, it +will be easy to judge whether the unity of the church requires +uniformity in such ordinances." [Note 7] + +Here again the Lord's day (_a_) is classed in the category of _human_ +ordinances, the observance of which is free, and may differ in +different places. + +(_b_) Yet uniformity in general ceremonies is pleasing, such as "the +mass, the Lord's day, and other great festivals." + +(_c_) It is classed again with _human_ ordinances which promote good +external discipline among the people. + +And now having proved that the lax views of the Christian Sabbath, +charged by the Platform on the Augsburg Confession, are attributed to +it by the learned in Germany generally, that Luther and Melancthon +teach them in their other writings: in view of all these evidences, we +ask every impartial, conscientious reader, whether it is possible to +doubt the accuracy of the positions maintained by the Platform on this +subject--namely, that the Augsburg Confession treats the Sabbath, or +religious observance of the _seventh_ day of the week, as a mere +Jewish institution, an institution appointed of God for the Jews alone; +whilst the propriety of retaining the _Lord's day_ or Christian Sabbath, +as a day of religious observation and worship, in their judgment, rests +on the appointment of the church, and the necessity of having some one +day for the convenience of the people in assembling for public worship. +The act of keeping any one day _entirely_ for religious observance, +they regard as ceremonial and temporary, and the moral or common part +of the precept, as stated in our extract from Melancthon, they resolve +into the general duty of preaching and hearing the gospel, and of +sustaining public assemblies for this purpose; that is, of bearing the +expenses incident to the support of the ministry and the ordinances of +God's house. + +"Our American churches, on the contrary, as well as some few in +Germany, believe in the divine institution and obligation of the +Christian Sabbath, or Lord's day, convinced that the Old Testament +Sabbath was not a mere Jewish institution; but that it was appointed by +God at the close of the creative week, when he rested on the seventh +day, and blessed it, and sanctified it, (Gen. ii. 2, 3,) that is, set +it (namely, one whole day in seven,) apart for holy purposes, for +reasons of universal and perpetual nature, Exod. xx. 11. Even in the +re-enactment of it in the Mosaic rode, its original appointment is +acknowledged, '_Remember_ the Sabbath day--because in six days God made +heaven and earth--and rested on the _seventh; wherefore_ he, (_then_, in +the beginning,) _blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it_.' Now this +reason has no more reference to the Jews than to any other nation, and +if it was sufficient to make the observance of the Sabbath obligatory +on them, it must be equally so for all other nations before and after +them. + +'Since therefore the observance and sanctification of a portion of his +time, is based on universal reasons in the nature of man, especially as +a religious being, and the proportion of time was fixed at a _seventh_, +by the example and precepts of the Creator in the beginning; the +Sabbath or religious observance of one day in seven, must be +universally obligatory, and the abrogation of the Mosaic ritual, can at +most only repeal those ceremonial additions which that ritual made, and +must leave the original Sabbath as it found it. Now whilst the apostles, +and first Christians under the inspired guidance, for a season also +attended worship on the Jewish Sabbath, they observed the day of the +Lord's resurrection, the first day of the week, as their day of special +religious convocations; and this _inspired example_ is obligatory on +Christians in all ages. Still the essence of the institution consists, +not in the particular day of the week, though that is now fixed, but in +the religious observance of one entire day in seven." [Note 8] + +We do not, indeed, maintain that the conduct of the apostles was +inspired on all occasions; but it seems just and necessary to maintain, +that when engaged in the specific and appropriate duties of that +office, for which they were inspired, they were as much under the +guidance of the Spirit in their _actions_, as their words. + +On the divine institution and obligation of the Christian Sabbath, we +refer the reader to an extended argument in its favor, in the author's +Lutheran Manual, pp. 310-24. + +Note 1. Luther's Works, Leipsic edit., Vol. iii., pp. 642, 643. + +Note 2. Luther's Works, Vol. iii., p. 643. + +Note 3. Symbolical Books, pp. 449, 450, corrected by the original. + +Note 4. Niemeyer's Briefe Melanchthons, [sic] p. 50. + +Note 5. Vol. iv., p. 113, of Koethe's edit. + +Note 6. See Schmucker's Lutheran Manual, pp. 306, 307. + +Note 7. See Symb. B. Newmarket, ed. 2d., corrected by the German, +p. 223. + +Note 8. See Definite Synodical Platform, p. 27. + + +CHAPTER VIII. +GENERAL NATURE OF THE SACRAMENTS. + +On this subject the author of the Plea does not pursue the order of the +Platform, in which baptism and the eucharist are discussed separately; +but he unites the two under the caption of Baptismal Regeneration and +the Real Presence in the Eucharist, and enters into some discussions of +the sacraments in general, and then introduces remarks on each in +particular. Whilst we deem a separate discussion of each sacrament +necessary to its proper elucidation, there are certain general views +common to them both, which may with propriety be considered in +connexion. We, therefore, devote some pages to this purpose, under the +head of the _General Nature of the Sacraments_, and reserve the +discussion of each one individually to subsequent chapters. It would +require an extended volume to discuss all the several aspects of this +interesting and solemn subject glanced at by our author. He does not, +however, present in definite lineaments the precise system, which he +attributes to the Lutheran Symbols; and lest we should do him injustice +in endeavoring to present his system in detail, in order to controvert +it, we deem it more Christian and courteous to specify only a few items +of his chapter, and occupy our space chiefly in presenting and +defending what we regard as the doctrine taught in the Word of God on +this subject. This doctrine is also the theory that underlies the +positions of the Definite Platform, and, we suppose, is assented to by +its friends. + +The Plea affirms, "The Lutheran doctrine maintains that the Sacraments +have an _intrinsic value; but the Definite Platform seems to regard +them as mere _signs_, which may have a tendency to _promote piety_, +p. 35. On this point we think our author has not clearly presented the +point of difference between the friends of the Platform and the Plea. +We not only admit, but strenuously affirm, that the sacraments have an +important _intrinsic_ influence. The Platform thus describes it: +"Baptism in adults is a means of making a profession of previous faith, +or of being received into the visible church, as well as a _pledge_ and +_condition_ of obtaining _those blessings purchased by Christ_, and +offered to all who repent, believe in him and profess his name by +baptism," p. 30. As to the question, whether this influence is intrinsic +or not, it is not touched in the Platform; although we doubt not its +adherents very generally hold the affirmative. But the real point of +dispute is the _precise nature_ of the influence exerted by the +sacraments. The symbols _seem_ to regard _forgiveness of sins_, that is, +justification, as the _immediate_ effect of every worthy reception of +these ordinances; whilst the friends of the Platform hold this influence +to consist in their tendency to produce that _living faith_, resulting +from regeneration, which is the _only condition of pardon_, and without +the possession of which God has not promised to forgive the sins of any +one, no matter what outward duties he may perform. For God will not +forgive the sins of an unconverted sinner. The symbols do, indeed, often +insist on the necessity of faith, yet they speak as though in those who +do believe, it was the sacrament, and not their faith in the Redeemer, +which secured the blessing. Nor do they in many passages sufficiently +discriminate, that it is not a mere historical or intellectual, but a +living faith, a faith of the heart also, a faith that works by love and +purifies the heart and overcomes the world, a faith that involves an +entire surrender to the soul of God, which is required to the full +efficacy of the sacraments. + +The Plea affirms that the primitive church regarded the sacraments as +"_mysteries_;" p. 37. But the author presents no evidence of this fact +from God's word, or the _apostolic_ church; and the church of subsequent +ages is no conclusive doctrinal authority for us as Protestants. + +The Plea states: "He (God) is able to accomplish by the Holy Baptism, +performed in the mysterious name of the ever adored Trinity, a work of +regeneration in the heart of the little child." "The expression used in +the Augsburg Confession, Art. II., is, regenerated by baptism and the +Holy Ghost, (John iii. 5.) This doctrine, however, is not to be +understood as if the new creation was fully completed by new generation. +It is complete so far as a _live seed_ is complete in itself. This does, +by no means, exclude subsequent development brought about by favorable +internal and external influences;" p. 36. "And Christ, the Godman, is +able to make us poor earthly creatures partakers of his celestial +nature_, (2 Pet. i. 4,) in the most solemn rite of his church, (the +eucharist,) which is therefore communion between Christ and man, in the +fullest manner possible on earth;" p. 37. Here the respected author, by +adopting the theory that _a living seed_ is implanted _by baptism_, +(whether into the soul or body he does not specify,) and then that the +Godman Christ Jesus makes these baptized individuals _partakers of his +CELESTIAL NATURE by the sacramental supper_, seems to favor something +like that theory of concorporation, or a physical union between Christ +and the believer, which is known in _various_ phases as Puseyism in +England, and Nevinism in the German Reformed Church of this country, +and which has spread a withering influence over the interests of +practical piety wherever embraced. Yet we would by no means affirm that +the Rev. Mr. Mann has embraced all the cardinal features of this system. +The objection that is fatal to it in our mind is, that we cannot find it +in God's word. [Note 1] + +We shall therefore proceed to ascertain the Scripture doctrine in regard +to the influence of the sacraments in general. For the sake of brevity +and perspicuity, we shall present it in a concatenation of propositions, +that in the end will cover the whole ground, and conduct us safely to +the surest biblical results. + +_Scripture view of the Influence of the Sacraments_. + +I. The plan of salvation, revealed in God's word, presupposes that, man +is a _fallen creature, depraved in nature and practice_,--that all men +are rebels against the righteous government of God, lying under his +righteous displeasure, and morally disqualified for heaven. And also, +that without holiness no man shall see the Lord! [Note 2] "That which +is born of the flesh, is flesh," is sinful, and except a man be _born +again_, he cannot see the kingdom of God." [Note 3] Consequently, +without a new-birth, an entire moral renovation, in which the rebel +lays down the arms of his rebellion, and the slave of sin is delivered +from the dominion of his depraved habits, and becomes an obedient +servant of Christ, loving holiness and delighting in the service of +God, it is impossible for him to obtain pardon or to be justifled. + +II. The _grand means_ by which the Holy Spirit effects this moral +reformation, is _divine truth_, either oral, written or symbolic. "Go +ye into all the world, says the Saviour, and _preach the gospel_ to +every creature; he that _believeth_ and is baptised, shall be saved, +and he that _believeth_ not shall be damned." Here preaching the +"gospel," the truths of God's word, is placed _foremost_ in the list of +instrumentalities, and baptism is only appended as a rite to be +performed _after_ the Holy Spirit, through the preached word, has +wrought faith in the hearer's soul. But faith presupposes regeneration. +Hence, as truth is the instrumentality employed by the Holy Spirit in +the production of _regeneration_, and _faith_, as baptism is to be +added _after_ the great moral change, conversion has been effected in +adults, it follows that the truth or word is the grand and principal +means of grace, and not secondary to baptism. + +In other passages the _mission of the apostles_ is characterized as a +mission to _preach_, and baptism is not even named at all. Jesus +ordained the twelve, we are told, that they might be with him, and that +he might send them forth to _preach_, &c.; Mark iii. 14, 15. And Paul +even thanks God, in his epistle to the Corinthians, [Note 4] that he +had baptized none of them save Crispus and Caius, and adds: "For Christ +sent me, _not to baptise_, but to _preach_ the gospel." Paul, therefore, +certainly regarded preaching as far more important than baptism. Of the +apostles, Luke informs us, they _daily_ in the temple and in every +house, ceased not _to teach and preach_ Jesus Christ; Acts v. 41, 42. +And in order to gain more time for their great work, they appointed +deacons to attend at tables, that they might give themselves +"continually to prayer and the _ministry of the Word_," but they say +nothing of baptism and the Lord's Supper. Paul expressly tells the +Romans (x. 13-15,) that faith comes by _hearing_ (not by baptism); and +to the Corinthians he says, "For in Christ, Jesus I have begotten you, +through the _gospel_. 1 Cor. iv. 15. We are regenerated by the +incorruptible "_seed of the word_." [Note 5] We are sanctified by "_the +truth_." In short, our call, [Note 6] our convictions, [Note 7] +regeneration, our faith, our sanctification, [Note 8] our preservation +[Note 9] and salvation, [Note 10] are all produced by the _word_ or +_truth_, and it must be the grand means of grace. [Note 11] + +This truth, contained in God's Word, is therefore fully adequate to the +production of all the progressive changes, by which we pass from the +condition of the careless sinner to that of the advanced and sanctified +believer. + +III. The _stage of progress_ in this moral renovation which in +_requisite_ before the returning sinner is _morally_ qualified for +pardon or justification, is that implied by a _living faith_. This +justifying faith may 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." [Note 12] A more historical faith implies no such +preparation, nor the more intellectual belief of the reality and truth +of the statements of God's Word, whilst the heart is estranged from him; +for with such a faith the devils believe and tremble but remain devils +still. Nor does the state of the convicted, or penitent, or seeking, but +yet unconverted sinners furnish such moral preparation to receive +pardon. Evidently nothing short of living faith will satisfy the +representations of God's Word and the nature of the case. Whenever the +returning sinner exercises the first act of this living faith, he is +justified, that is, then God performs that judicial or forensic act, by +which a believing sinner, in consideration of the merits of Christ, is +released from the penalty of the divine law, and is declared to be +entitled to heaven. [Note 13] In this state of justification the +believer continues through life, unless he by voluntary transgression +falls from a state, of grace and becomes a backslider. + +IV. _The evidence of this pardon or justification, to the believer +himself, is within his own heart:_-- + +(_a_) It is that peace of God, or sense of pardoned sin, wrought in the +soul by the Holy Spirit. "Being justified by faith, we have _peace with +God_, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. v. 1. + +(_b_) "_The love of God shed abroad in our hearts_ by the Holy Ghost +which is given unto us. [Note 14] + +(_c_) It is the testimony of "the Spirit bearing witness with our +spirits that we are children of God." [Note 15] "He that believeth hath +the witness in himself." [Note 16] + +(_d_) It is the _fruit of the Spirit_, exhibited in the believer's life, +"which is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, +meekness, temperance." [Note 17] + +(_c_) It is "being led by the Spirit of God," for then, says the +apostle," [sic on punctuation] they are the sons of God. +[Note 18] + +All these evidences presuppose or involve that great change of heart +and life, termed by the Saviour new birth, by which the sinner becomes +morally qualified for that pardon, purchased by the blood of Christ, +and appropriate to the believer by his faith. But no outward rites +_necessarily_ imply such moral preparation, and hence they could not be +the conditions of justification, according to the analogy of God's +Word. + +V. Hence the sacraments, baptism and the Lord's Supper, are not the +_immediate_ conditions or means of pardon or justification; _but they +are means of grace, like the Word of God, and seals of grace to all +worthy recipients_. They have _an intrinsic efficacy_ by virtue of the +truths symbolically represented by them, and an _additional specific +efficacy_ in virtue of their peculiar nature, in connexion with the +influence of the Holy Spirit, to awaken, convert and sanctify the soul. +The distinguished Lutheran divine, _Dr. Baumgarten_, speaking of adult +receivers of these ordinances, thus expresses his view: "The sacraments +stand in the same relation to these influences, (namely, those of +covenant grace,) as does the _Word of God_. Hence they are also called +the visible word of God, _verbum visible;_ because the _offer_ of their +reformatory, changing and restoring influence is universal, and reaches +every recipient of these ordinances; but its actual communication and +full effect take place only in those, who permit themselves to be made +susceptible of it." [Note 19] In regard to children, however, he with +equal propriety adds, that the blessings which baptism confers on them, +are bestowed irrespectively of any action of their own. + +These sacraments, however, do not necessarily prove the existence of any +particular progress in the work of conversion, or any definite state of +mind, except, a general disposition to seek the Lord, which is implied +in the willingness to attend on these ordinances. They cannot therefore +be the condition of pardon or justification. + +These influences, like those of the truth, may be resisted, and depend +for their success on the disposition of the recipient; they do not act +_ex opere operato_. The _special_ influence of the sacraments, so far as +known, is the same in kind_ as that of the truth. + +_That the sacraments are not_ IMMMEDIATE _conditions of pardon or +justification_, is evident, from a multitude of considerations. + +1. If the sincere reception of the sacraments actually secures pardon +or justification _per se, immediately_, without the intervening +instrumentality of a living faith, then faith is not the only condition +of justification as the scriptures teach, but we are justified either +by faith, or by the sacraments, and then there will be _three conditions +of justification_, faith, baptism, and the Lord's Supper! For thousands +receive the eucharist sincerely, who are unregenerate, and have not a +living faith. + +2. Because no sinner is morally qualified for pardon, until he has been +regenerated, and has consecrated himself to the service of God; but +multitudes receive the sacrament who are unregenerate, and who +therefore cannot be justified or pardoned, even by the sincere +reception of the sacraments. Hence as the reception of the sacraments +is no certain proof of pardon, it cannot be the immediate condition of +it. + +3. The sacraments are not immediate conditions of justification or +pardon, because _previous faith_ is required in the recipients of each +of them. "He that believeth and is baptised, shall be saved," [Note 20] +says the great Redeemer; "but he that believeth not shall be damned." +But if some may be baptised who are destitute of faith, then the +existence of faith is not necessarily involved in baptism. And as +baptism without faith does not rescue the soul from damnation, it +evidently cannot be the _immediate_ or certain condition of pardon; for +if the immediate condition of a blessing is performed, that blessing +must be conferred. And since previous faith is required in baptism, and +none but the baptised are admitted to the Lord's Supper, it is evident +that faith is also required of communicants. + +4. That they are not _immediate_ conditions of pardon, is evident, +because the same truths which the sacraments inculcate, do not when +taught orally or in God's word, invariably or necessarily secure the +pardon or justification of all attentive hearers. The result of the +proper use of the truth preached or read, is invariably the spiritual +advancement of the sinner, whatever the stage of his progress may be. +And such appears to be the operation of the sacraments. As it is absurd +to affirm that each sermon preached, will convert or affect the pardon +of every sinner who attentively hears it; so it were equally gratuitous +to affirm the same of the sacraments. If the sinner had been on the +verge of regeneration and faith _before_ he heard the sermon in +question, and the hearing of that discourse completed the change, the +result might be affirmed of the last sermon which preceded his faith, +but not of its predecessors; and so also of the sacraments as means of +grace. Every sermon attentively heard will benefit all who thus hear it. +But whether it will produce conviction, or penitence, or faith, or a +sense of pardoned sin, depends on the recipient's previous stage of +progress in the divine life. + +5. If the sacraments were possessed of a sin-forgiving power, in such a +sense, as to be the _immediate_ conditions of pardon or justification, +then the sinner would be dependent for pardon on the sacraments, and on +the clergyman who administers them, and not immediately on the Spirit +of God. But this would virtually be one of the most dangerous features +of Puseyism and Romanism, by which the minister is thrust in between +the penitent, sinner and his God, and the priest is elevated to the +position of the dispenser of pardon, holding in his hand the keys of the +kingdom of heaven. Now it is indeed flattering to the frail heart of the +minister (for we are all mere men) to find himself elevated to such an +exalted post, to stand (as the Papists say of their priest) in the place +of God, and have his whole congregation _look to him_ for the pardon of +sin, in private confession and the sacraments; and this may possibly be +one of the reasons why this Puseyite, semi-Romish system is more popular +with the clergy than with the laity. But Protestant ministers should +never forget, that the Saviour himself asserted it as his peculiar +characteristic, "that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive +sin." Mark ii. 7. + +6. That the sacraments are not the necessary or certain conditions of +pardon, is evident, also, from the fact, that some, as the thief upon +the cross, were saved without them after their institution, whilst +others who had partaken of them were lost, of which Judas and Simon +Magus are examples. + +7. That the sacraments are not immediate conditions of pardon is +finally evident from the declaration of the apostle Peter, "The like +figure whereunto baptism doth now save us; _not the putting away of the +filth of the flesh_, that is, _not the mere outward rite_ of applying +the water, but the answer of a good conscience toward God." [Note 21] +that is, the faithful performance of the duties to which our Christian +profession, made in baptism, obligated us, by keeping a conscience void +of offence before God and man. + +From all this, it is very clear, that whilst the sacraments are divinely +appointed as means and seals of grace, they operate like divine truth, +either oral or written, by promoting that great change of heart, without +which no man can see God: that where they are received with a living +faith, there is indeed pardon of sin or justification; but this pardon +is the result of that living faith, the appointed condition of +justification, and not of the sacraments, which can only tend to secure +pardon by promoting faith. + +That these views of the mode of operation of the sacraments, are +sustained by many of our ablest divines, is evinced by the following +extracts from their works. _Dr. Mosheim_, one of the greatest ornaments +of the Lutheran Church, expressly affirms, "Those who possess _faith_ +have the benefits of Christ sealed and confirmed to them. Let it +therefore be remarked, that _faith is necessary to the salutary fruit +and effect of the sacraments_, though not required as necessary to their +essence (namely, as valid outward ordinances.") [Note 22] The +distinguished _Dr. Reinhard_ says, "We attribute to the sacraments a +really beneficial influence in effecting our salvation, only in as far +as they are used in accordance with their design. This is a necessary +inference from the nature of a ceremony (or rite) in general, which can +only then be of any service, when it excites _those views and feelings_, +which it is designed to produce." Here this illustrious divine evidently +implies that the sacraments exert their influence by promoting certain +views and feelings, and that these are the _immediate_ causes of the +beneficial results, such as pardon and salvation: consequently the +sacraments are mediate, but not immediate conditions of pardon. + +One extract more, taken from the "Biblical Theology" of the venerable +_Dr. Knapp_, of Halle, edited by _Dr. Guericke_, may suffice: "The power +and influence of these several religious ordinances or sacraments, is +_not physical_ and _mechanical_, and also _not magical_, or operating by +enchantment (or charm.) Nor does the mere external rite exert any +influence. On the contrary, they stand in the most intimate connexion +with the doctrines themselves, which they represent, and never exert any +influence without them. Therefore they can by themselves exert no +influence in the case of a person who has no knowledge and lively +conviction of the doctrines which they represent. But the truths which +are thereby represented to the senses, and are to be appropriated to +ourselves, operate precisely in the same way, or the Holy Spirit works +through them on the hearts of men, in exactly the same way as these +truths are wont to act apart, (from the sacraments,) when they are +heard, read or meditated on by any person; only, that in the case of +the sacraments, these truths are not communicated by words, but in a +different way presented to the senses. All that we have said (Part. I., +Art. 8) on the influences exerted by the Holy Spirit, through the word, +(or divine doctrine,) and in the use of the divine doctrines on the +hearts of men, is also applicable to this subject. For he operates in +a similar manner in these religious ordinances, through the divine +doctrines which are represented by them to the senses, and appropriated +by ourselves. Against the abuse of such divinely appointed religious +ordinances, when their mere external performance is regarded as +sufficient, (as in the case of the sacrifices,) even Moses and all the +prophets, protest in the most emphatic manner." [Note 23] + +From all those considerations it is most evident, that although _baptism +and the Lord's Supper are important, and influential, and divinely +appointed ordinances; neither of them can be the immediate condition of +pardon or justification, because neither necessarily involves that state +of moral qualification, which, the Scriptures require for pardon_, +namely, genuine conversion or regeneration, evinced by its immediate and +invariable result, a _living faith_. + +Note 1. For the information of such of our readers as prefer a +skeleton of the Puseyite system of the sacraments, rather than wade +through volumes of Semi-romish discussion, we annex its features:--- + +I. That man is "made a member of Christ, the child of God, and an +inheritor of the kingdom of heaven," in and by holy Baptism. + +II. That man "made a member of Christ, the child of God, and an +inheritor of the kingdom of heaven," in and by holy Baptism, is renewed +from time to time in holy Communion. + +III. That a "death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness" is +given to every adult, and every infant, in and by the outward visible +sign or form in Baptism, "water, in the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Ghost." + +IV. That the gift may be received, in the case of adults, worthily or +unworthily, but that it is always received. + +V. That the body and blood of Christ are given to every one who +receives the Sacramental Bread and Wine. + +VI. That the gift may be received worthily or unworthily, but that it +is always received. + +There is no mistaking the meaning of this. It is clear and explicit; +but wherein it differs from Romanism it would be difficult to tell. + +Note 2. Heb. xii. 14. + +Note 3. John iii. 6, 2. + +Note 4. 1 Cor. i. 14-17. + +Note 5. See also 1 Pet. i. 23. Luke viii. 4, 11, 15. Here the whole +process of conversion is described, and the grand instrumentality is the +word or seed, but not a syllable is said of baptism. Also James i. 18. + +Note 6. 2 Tim. ii. 14. + +Note 7. Jer. xxiii. 29. + +Note 8. John xvii. 17. + +Note 9. Psalm cxix. 11. + +Note 10. 1 Tim. 4. + +Note 11. Verbum Dei est medium salutis _efficacissimum_, quippe cujus +vis non est tantum objectiva, sed etiam effectiva. Hollazii Theol. Dog. +II. p. 452. See the writer's Elemental Contrast, pp. 26, 27. + +Note 12. Mark i. 15. _Repent_ ye and _believe_ the gospel. James ii. +14-17 Even so _faith_, if it have not works is dead, being alone, &c. + +Note 13. Rom. v.1, 2; iii. 21, 22, 23. John iii. 18. + +Note 14. Rom. v. 5. + +Note 15. Rom. viii. 16. + +Note 16. 1 John v. 10. + +Note 17. Rom. viii. 15. + +Note 18. Gal. v. 22. + +Note 19. Dogmatik, Vol. iii., p. 285. + +Note 20. Mark xvi. 16. Acta ii. 37, 38: viii. 37, &c. Acts ix. 11. &c. + +Note 21. 1 Peter, iii. 21. + +Note 22. Elementa Theol. Dog., Vol. ii, p. 295. Qui fidem habent, illis +beneficia Christi obsignantur et confirmantur. Notandum ergo est, fidem +quidem ad salutarem fructum et effectum sacramentorum, non autem ad +corum essentiam requiri. + +Note 23. Biblische Glaubenslehre von Dr. H. E. F. Knapp, Prop. Halle, +1840, p. 292. + + +CHAPTER IX. +BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. + +In regard to this error, the author of the Plea, relieves us from the +necessity of proving that it is contained in the Symbolical books, by +himself not only acknowledging the fact, but also defending the +doctrine. For ourselves we do not think it taught as clearly in the +Augsburg Confession, as most of the other errors touched on in the +Definite Platform. But although not inculcated as explicitly as the +others, the substance of the doctrine runs through the entire symbolic +system, and therefore is justly chargeable on it. The name is not often +distinctly met with there, but the thing meets us on many occasions. +This seems evident even from the following few citations. + +_Proof that this doctrine was taught by the Lutheran Symbols and early +Lutheran divines. + +ART. II. - _Augsburg Confession_ + +"Our churches teach that this innate disease and original sin, is truly +sin, and condemneth all those under the eternal wrath of God, who are +_not born again by Baptism and the Holy Spirit_." + +_Apology to Augsburg Confession_, p. 226. + +"Our opponents also agree to the ninth article, in which we confess that +_Baptism is necessary to salvation_, and that the baptism of infants is +not fruitless, but necessary and salutary. + +_Luther's Smaller Catechism_. + +"_What does Baptism confer or benefit?_ + +"_Ans_.--It effects the _forgiveness of sins, delivers from death_ and +_the devil_, and confers _everlasting salvation_ upon all who believe +it, (not believe in Christ,) as the words and promise of God declare." + +"_How can water effect such great things?_ + +"_Ans_.--Indeed it is not the water that has such effect, but the Word +of God that is with and in the water, and the faith trusting such Word +of God in the water. For without the Word of God the water is mere +water, hence no baptism; but with the Word of God it constitutes a +baptism, that is, a gracious water of life, and a _washing of +regeneration_, in the Holy Ghost."--_Symb. B_., p. 421. + +_Luther's Larger Catechism_. + +"Every Christian, therefore, has enough to learn and practice in +baptism during his life; for he must ever exert himself to _maintain_ a +firm faith in _what it promises and brings_ him, namely, triumph over +the devil and death, the _remission of sins_, the grace of God, Christ +with all his works, and _the Holy Ghost with all his gifts_. In short, +the blessings of baptism are so great, that if feeble nature could but +comprehend them we might justly doubt their reality. For, imagine to +yourself a physician, who possessed an art preventing persons from +dying; or, even if they died, immediately restoring them to life so as +to live eternally afterwards, how the world would rush and flock around +him with money, while the poor, prevented by the rich, could not +approach him! And yet, here in _baptism_, every one has such a treasure, +and medicine gratuitously brought to his door-a medicine which abolishes +death, and preserves all men to eternal life_."--_P_. 525. + +_Luther's Larger Catechism_. + +"It (baptism) is, therefore, very appropriately called food for the +soul, which flourishes and strengthens the new man; _for through baptism +we are born anew;_ but beside this, the old vicious nature in the flesh +and blood nevertheless adheres to man, in which there are so many +impediments and obstacles, with which we are opposed as well by the +devil as by the world, so that we often become weary and faint, and +sometimes stumble."--_Symb. B_., p. 533. + +In the _Visitation Articles_, published fourteen years after the other +symbolical books for the purpose of explaining their true import, and +then made symbolic in Saxony: + +ART. III.--_On Baptism_. + +SECT. II. "By baptism as the _laver of regeneration_, and _the renewing +of the Holy Ghost_, God saves us, and works in us such righteousness +and purification from sins, that whosoever _perseveres_ in such +covenant, and reliance, _will not be lost_, but have eternal life." + +SECT. IV. "Baptism is the bath (laver) of regeneration, _because in it +we are regenerated_, and sealed with the spirit of sonship and obtain +pardon."-_Mueller's Symb. Buecher_, pp. 848, 849. + +That the doctrine of baptismal regeneration was taught by Luther, and +the prominent older divines of our church, is well known to those +acquainted with their works. + +1. _Luther_, indeed, sometimes expressed the most extravagant ideas of +baptism, maintaining that the water in baptism, was pervaded by the +divine majesty, and was a (durch goettertes Wasser,) water penetrated +through and through with God! [Note 1] He compares the water in baptism +to heated iron, in which, though you see nought but iron, fire also is +contained, which represents the divine name and power pervading the +water. But we will not enter any further into his extravagant +illustrations of the power of baptism. The result at which he arrives +is thus expressed: "Therefore, he (this omnipotent name or power of +God,) must also in baptism, make pure and holy, heavenly and divine +persons, as we shall hereafter further see." (Darum musz er auch in der +Taufe reine und heilige und eitel himmlishe, goettliche Menschen machen, +wie wir hernach sehen werden.") [Note 2] + +In his sermon on Baptism, Luther thus describes the influence of this +ordinance:--"The import of baptism is a blessed dying unto sin, and +resurrection in the grace of God, that the old man that was conceived +in sin, may arise and go forth _a new man_ born of grace. Thus St. Paul +in, Tit. iii. 5, terms baptism a bath of _the new birth_, that in this +bath men may be _born again_ and renewed. Thus also Christ, in John iii. +3, says: Unless ye are born again of water and the Spirit (of grace), ye +cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven. For just as a child is born of +its mother, and by this bodily birth is a sinful being and a _child of +wrath;_ thus also is man taken and _born spiritually_ from the baptism, +and by _this birth he is a child of grace and a justified person_. Thus +are sins drowned in baptism, and thus does righteousness arise in the +place of sin." [Note 3] + +2. _Melancthon_, whilst he by no means indulges in the extravagant and +unscriptural views of a change in the water employed in baptism, by the +Deity's pervading it, &c., seems however in substance to have +entertained views of the efficacy of this ordinance, amounting to +baptismal regeneration. + +"The real use of baptism," (says he,) "is taught by these two +particulars, the outward sign and the promise, 'he that believeth and +is baptised shall be saved;' also the words which are used in baptism, +'I baptise thee in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy +Ghost:' that is, through this outward sign (baptism) I, in the place of +God, _testify that you are reconciled to God, and accepted of him_, who +is Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The Father receives you for the sake of +the Son, and grants you the Holy Spirit, by which he will renew, make +alive, comfort, and sanctify you." [Note 4] + +And, again, when discussing the subject, of pedobaptism, he thus +describes his view:--"In and by baptism the Holy Spirit is given to +children, who operates in them according to their measure (masse) or +capacity, as he operated in John in the womb of Elizabeth. And although +there, is a difference between the old and the young, inasmuch as the +old are attentive to the works, still the influences of the Holy Spirit +are in both old and young a tendency toward God." [Note 5] + +That this doctrine was also taught by the great majority of the most +distinguished older theologians of our church, is a point which requires +no proof to those acquainted with those authors. As their works are +accessible to comparatively few of our readers, we will annex a +quotation from several of them, at the same time abbreviating them as +much as is consistent with perspicuity. Thus, Dr. Hunnius, professor at +Wittenberg, and subsequently Superintendent at Luebeck, [Note 6] in his +Epitome Credendorum, says:--"The sacrament of baptism is a spiritual +action, instituted and ordained by Christ, by the performance of which a +man is baptised with water, in the name of the Father, and the Son and +the Holy Ghost; and by means of which he receives _forgiveness of sins_, +is received into God's covenant of mercy, and is made partaker of the +merits of Christ, of _adoption_ and of _eternal salvation_." [Note 7] +Again, "Baptism is not a sign of regeneration, that is to take place +some time after baptism had been administered to him. For as _baptism +causes regeneration_, it cannot be said to signify the same," &c. [Note +8] And again, "Nevertheless, we have seen it to be the will of God, that +they (children) should enter the kingdom of heaven, and it therefore +becomes indispensably necessary for them to be regenerated. But this +_regeneration is brought about by no other means than by baptism_, which +we know to be the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy +Ghost," &c. [Note 9] The celebrated _Dr. Gerhard_ says, "The holy +Trinity is present with his grace (in baptism). The Father receives the +baptized person into favor; the Son bestows his righteousness upon him, +and the Holy Spirit _regenerates_ and _renews him_,--produces faith, +_regeneration_ and renovation, and seals the covenant of grace in the +hearts of the baptized." [Note 10] + +Again, "Baptism is the first gateway of grace, the sacrament of +initiation: the Lord's Supper is the sacrament of confirmation; by +baptism we are _regenerated_, by the Holy Supper we are nourished and +strengthened to eternal life. As in nature so in grace, we are first +born and then fed, first generated and then we increase, (ix. 67.) _Dr. +Buddeus_, one of the most distinguished theologians of the School of +Halle, in his "Theologia Dogmatica, [sic on punctuation] p. +1127, says, "The design of the baptism of infants is their +_regeneration;_ in the case of adults, the confirmation and sealing of +that faith, which they should have before (the reception of the rite.") + +Since therefore we have seen that the doctrine of baptismal +regeneration was taught not only by the symbolical books, but also by +Luther and Melancthon in their other writings, as well as by the +leading divines of the first two centuries after the Reformation, who +all received the symbolical books, and understood their import, we may +regard the charge of the Platform as established beyond contradiction, +that this tenet was a part of Symbolic Lutheranism. + +_Influence of this Doctrine on the Pulpit_. + +Now the influence of this doctrine on the ministrations of the pulpit, +is of the most deleterious nature. The word of God represents all +mankind as by nature dead in trespasses and sins. Paul tells us that +"there is none righteous, no not one, for all have sinned and come short +of the glory of God:" and affirms that the carnal mind is enmity against +God. The faithful ambassador of Christ must therefore announce the +command of God, "that all men every where should repent: and that unless +they do repent, they shall all likewise perish. He must divide his +congregation into two classes, the friends and the enemies of God, those +who are for the Saviour and those who are against him: and he must +insist upon judging not by their profession, "Lord, Lord, but by the +question, whether they _do the will of our Father in heaven_." Thus when +the faithful servant of Christ represents all as unconverted, and +exposed to the curse of the divine law, who do not give evidence of +regeneration in their walk and conversation; careless sinners become +alarmed and feel the necessity of fleeing from the wrath to come, by +repenting and turning to God, by seeking pardon and a new heart, and +consecrating all their powers of mind and body to the service of God. + +But all this the believer in baptismal regeneration cannot consistenly +[sic] do. Because 1. If we believe all our hearers _regenerated_, (for +they are generally all baptised) even those whose life presents not the +least evidence of piety, and many proofs to the contrary; we still +must believe them in some sense the children of God, as they are born +again! We cannot tell them that they are in the gall of bitterness and +bonds of iniquity; because we profess to believe them regenerated-- +therefore children of God in some sense. + +2. We cannot exhort the impenitent baptised, though apparently dead in +trespasses and sins, to pray for a _new heart_ and a new spirit; for +these, as regenerated persons, they have obtained. + +3. The minister who believes in baptismal regeneration, cannot with +Paul proclaim, "If any man be in Christ Jesus and is a new creature, +old limits are passed away, behold all things have become new;" for his +ungodly baptised hearers are all new creatures by baptism, and yet their +old sinful habits _have not passed away_, and all things have not become +new to them. + +4. He cannot consistently preach, that those who have put on the new man +(Ephes. iv. 24,) are created in righteousness and true holiness; for the +majority of those said to be regenerated, or to have put on the new man +by baptism, continue in sin and are destitute of righteousness and trim +holiness. + +5. He cannot, with the blessed Master, preach, "by their fruits ye shall +know them; for here, on his theory, are regenerate souls bringing forth +the fruits of death, good (regenerate) trees bringing forth rotten +fruits," which is as incredible as thorns producing grapes, and thistles +yielding figs. + +6. The believer in baptismal regeneration cannot consistently preach, +that "not every one who saith, "Lord, Lord," shall enter into the +kingdom of heaven, but only those who also do the will of our heavenly +Father; for here are regenerate men who have the germ of eternal life in +them (by baptism) who do not the will of God. Now as these on his theory +are regenerate men, the bible promises them salvation. But according to +the Saviour they shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. + +The apostle James Inquires, [sic] "What doth it profit, my +brethren, though a man say he hath faith and have not works? Will his +(dead) faith save, him?" Or we may add, can his dead baptismal +regeneration do it? As the apostle of the Gentiles declares, that +circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping +of the commandments of God: so as baptism occupies the place of +circumcision, baptism is nothing and the want of it nothing, unless +accompanied with a sincere, universal and irrevocable purpose to keep +the commandments of God. + +If any one responds, we do not mean regeneration in its proper sense, +when we ascribe it to the influence of baptism; then do not deceive +yourselves and others by employing the name, when you do not mean the +thing. The Saviour uses it for an entire, and radical change, and we +have no right to use it for anything else. + +Or does any one say, by baptismal regeneration, we understand an +inferior kind or degree of regeneration, the beginning of the change. If +so, then do not mistake the beginning for the completion of this great +spiritual renovation; nor ascribe to the one, the precious promises and +spiritual benefits which belong only to the other. + +In short, if the word regeneration, in connexion with baptism, be +employed to signify anything resembling its proper meaning, its +influence on the preached gospel must be baneful; and just in proportion +as we use it in a sense approximating to its legitimate import, does it +obscure, confuse and derange the ideas of men as to the great and +glorious plan of salvation in the gospel, which represent all men as +either for or against Christ, and appeals to their works as decisive of +their actual, spiritual character, as friends or as enemies of the +Redeemer. + +Such being the deleterious influence of this doctrine, it is important +to show, that it finds no sanction from a just interpretation of the +Word of God. + +By baptismal regeneration is properly meant the doctrine that baptism +is necessarily and invariably attended by spiritual regeneration; and +that such water baptism is essential to salvation. + +In the case of all adults, the Scriptures represent _faith in Christ_ as +the necessary prerequisite to baptism, and baptism as a rite by which +those who had already consecrated themselves to Christ, or been +converted, made a public profession of the fact, received a pledge of +the divine favor, or of forgiveness of sins, and were admitted to +membership in the visible church. The same inspired records also teach, +that if men are destitute of this faith, if they believe not, they shall +be damned, notwithstanding their baptism. "He that _believeth_ and is +baptized shall be saved, and he that _believeth_ not, shall be damned," +Matt. xvi. 16. And Philip said to the eunuch, "If thou _believest_ with +all thy heart, thou mayest be baptized," Acts viii. 37. "_Repent_ and be +baptized," Acts ii. 38; viii. 62; xviii. 8. Hence if baptism required +previous faith and repentance, or conversion in adults, and if, when +they were destitute of this faith or conversion, they were damned, +notwithstanding their baptism; it follows that baptism was not, and is +not, a converting ordinance in adults, and does not necessarily effect +or secure their regeneration. + +Now that baptism cannot accomplish more in infants than in adults, is +self-evident; hence if it is not a converting ordinance in adults, it +cannot be in infants. + +The effects of baptism on _infants are nowhere specified in Scripture;_ +hence we must suppose them to be same as in adults, so far as children +are naturally capable of them. Of _regeneration_, in the proper sense of +the term, infants are incapable; for it consists in a radical change in +our religious views of the divine character, law, &c.; a change in our +religious feelings, and in our religions purposes and habits of action; +of none of which are children capable. + +Again, as regeneration does not destroy but merely restrains the natural +depravity, or innate, sinful dispositions of the Christian, (for these +still remain in him after conversion,) it must consist mainly in a +change, of that _increased predisposition to sin arising from action, of +that preponderance of _sinful habits_ formed by voluntary indulgence of +our natural depravity, after we have reached years of moral agency. But +infants have no such _increased_ predisposition, no _habits_ of sin +prior to moral agency, consequently there can be no change of them, no +regeneration in this meaning of the term. Hence, if baptism even did +effect regeneration in adults, which we have proved not to be the case; +still it could have no such influence on infants, as they are _naturally +incapable_ of the mental exercises involved in it. The child, on its +first attainment of moral agency, has merely natural depravity, until by +voluntary indulgence in sin, it contracts personal guilt, and forms +habits of sinful action. If the child, by the grace of God and proper +religious instruction, continues to resist the solicitations of its +depraved nature, its continued obedience will form holy habits, and this +preponderance of holy habits, when established, constitutes its +regeneration. If the growing child, as its powers of moral agency are +developed, for any reason indulges its innate sinful propensities, it +becomes a confirmed sinner, and its subsequent regeneration, if it take +place, will be the more striking, as its change of habits must be +greater. + +Baptism in _adults_, is a means of making a public profession, of +previous faith, or of being received into the visible church, as well +as a pledge and condition of obtaining those blessings purchased by +Christ, and offered to all who repent, believe in him, and profess his +name by baptism. + +Baptism in _infants_, is the pledge of the bestowment of those blessings +purchased by Christ for all. " As in Adam all die, even so in Christ +shall all be made alive." And "The promise is to you and your +_children_," Acts ii. 39. These blessings are forgiveness of sins, or +exemption from the penal consequences of natural depravity, (which would +at least be exclusion from heaven on account of moral disqualification +for admission,) reception into the visible church of Christ, grace to +help in every time of need, and special provision for the nurture and +admonition in the Lord, to which parents pledge themselves. + +The language of the Saviour to Nicodemus, John iii. 6, "_Unless a man be +born of water and the spirit_" doubtless refers also to baptism, which +had been known to the Jews, and practiced by John the Baptist, before +the ministry of Christ, as a mode of _public reception_ of proselytes, +who were then said to be new born. Its import is to inform Nicodemus, +that he must _publicly_ profess the religion of Jesus by baptism, and +also be regenerated by the Holy Spirit, if he desired to enter the +kingdom of heaven. Thus, also, the words, Acts xxii. 16, "_Arise and be +baptized, and wash away thy sins_," were addressed to Paul _after_ he +had surrendered himself to Christ, and signifies: "Arise, and publicly +profess Christ by baptism, and thus complete your dedication of +yourself to his cause, the condition, on the sincere performance of +which, God will for Christ's sake, pardon your sins." + +Baptismal regeneration, either in infants or adults, is therefore a +doctrine not taught in the Word of God, and fraught with much injury to +the souls of men, although inculcated in the former symbolical books. +At the same time, whilst the doctrine of baptismal regeneration +certainly did prevail in our European churches, and is taught in the +former symbolical books, it is proper to remark, that the greater part +of the passages in the symbols relating to this subject, are explained +by many in the present day, to signify no more than we above inculcate, +and therefore a not teaching baptismal regeneration. + +Note 1. Luther's Works, Vol. xii., p. 339. + +Note 2. Ibid. + +Note 3. Ibid. Vol. xxii., p. 139. + +Note 4. Melanchthon's [sic] Works, Koethe's edit., Vol. iv., p. 234. + +Note 5. Ibid. pp. 251, 242. + +Note 6. Died in 1643. + +Note 7. Gottheil's Translation, p. 187. + +Note 8. Ibid. p. 188. + +Note 9. Ibid. p. 193. + +Note 10. Loc. Com. Vol. iv., p. 260. + + +EXAMINATION OF THE LUTHERAN SYMBOLS. +CHAPTER X. THE LORD'S SUPPER. + +That the doctrine of the _real presence_ of the body and blood of the +Saviour in the eucharist, is taught in the symbolical books, is +acknowledged by the Plea of the Rev. Mr. Mann, and indeed generally +admitted, though variously stated and explained. It would therefore be +unnecessary to quote those symbols in proof, were it not that many of +our readers have not access to them elsewhere, and that the +completeness of our representation, as well as the plan of our work +require it. The following passages will suffice to explain this view:-- + +_Augsburg Confession_, Art. X. + +OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. + +"Concerning the holy Supper of the Lord, it is taught, that the _true +body and blood_ of Christ are truly present, under the form of bread +and wine, in the Lord's Supper, and are there administered and +received."--_Symb. Books_, p. 112. + +_Apology to the Confession_, Art. VII., VIII. (IV.) + +"Our adversaries (the Romanists,) do not object to the tenth article +(of the Augsburg Confession,) in which we confess that the _body and +blood_ of Christ our Lord, are _truly present_ in the holy supper, and +administered and received with the visible elements, the bread and wine, +as hitherto maintained in the (Romish) church, and as the Greek Canon +shows."--_Symb. Books_, p. 227. + +_Smalcald_, Article VI. + +"Concerning the Sacrament of the Altar, we hold that the bread and wine +in the Eucharist, are _the true body and blood_ of Christ, which are +administered and received, not only by pious, but also by impious +Christians."--_Symb. Books_, p. 384. + +_Luther's Smaller Catechism_. + +"_What is the Sacrament of the altar?_ + +"_Ans_.--It is the _true body and blood_ of our Lord Jesus Christ, with +bread and wine, instituted by Christ himself, for us Christians to eat +and drink."--_Symb. Books_, p. 124. + +_Form of Concord_, Pt. I., Art. VII. + +"We teach that the _true body and blood_ of our Lord Jesus Christ, are +truly and essentially, or substantially, present in the Lord's Supper, +administered with the bread and wine, and _received with the lips by +all_ those who use this sacrament, be they worthy or unworthy, good or +evil, believing or unbelieving; being received by the believing unto +consolation and life, but by the unbelieving unto judgment."-_Symb. +Books_, p. 570. + +"We believe, teach, and confess, that the words of the testament of +Christ, are not to be understood otherwise than according to their +_literal_ sense, so that the bread does not signify the absent body of +Christ, and the wine the absent blood of Christ, but on account of +their sacramental union, _that the bread and wine_ ARE _truly the body +and blood of Christ_." (Sondern dass es wahrhaftig um sacramentlicher +Einigkeit willen der Leib und Blut Christi sei. Sed ut propter +sacramentalem unionem panis et vinum _vere sint corpus et sanguis +Christi_.)--_Idem_., p. 571. + +"We believe, teach, and confess, that not only the truly believing and +the worthy, but also the unworthy and the unbelieving, _receive the +true body and blood of Christ_."-Page 572. + +"In addition to the above clear passages, incontestably teaching the +real presence, it deserves to be ever remembered, that only fourteen +years after the Form of Concord was published, when Duke Frederick +William, during the minority of Christian II., published the VISITATION +ARTICLES OF SAXONY, in 1594, in order to suppress the Melancthonian +tendencies to reject this and other peculiarities of the symbols, the +Article on this subject which was framed by men confessedly adhering to +the old symbols, and designing to re-enunciate their true import, and +which was enforced upon the whole church in Saxony as symbolic, gives +the most objectionable view of this doctrine, viz.: I. 'The pure +doctrine of our church is, that the words, '_Take and eat, this is my +body: drink, this is my blood_, are to be understood _simply and +according to the letter_.' II. That the body (which is received and +eaten,) is the _proper_ and _natural body_ (der rechte natuerliche Leib) +of Christ, _which hung upon the cross;_ and the blood (which is drunk) +is the _proper_ and _natural blood_ (das rechte natuerliche Blut) _which +flowed from the side of Christ_.' Mueller's Symb. Books, p. 847. Now we +cannot persuade ourselves, that this is the view of a single minister of +the General Synod, or of many out of it; and yet these are the views +that those are obligated to receive, who avow implicit allegiance to the +former symbolical books of our church in Europe. If any adopt the +modification received by many of our distinguished divines, such as +Reinhard Storr, Knapp, and others, they do not faithfully embrace the +symbolical doctrine, and cannot fairly profess to do so." + +In regard to the arguments against this view of the _mode_ of the +Saviour's presence, we shall merely add an enumeration of the principal, +and refer the reader for a more full and detailed discussion of the +subject to Discourse IV. contained in our History of the American +Lutheran Church, pp. 120 to 154, 5th edition. + +The Reformers justly rejected the Romish error, that the bread and wine +were transformed and transubstantiated into the body and blood of +Christ. But they still adhered to the opinion, that the real body and +blood of the Saviour are present at the Eucharist, in some mysterious +way, and are received by the month of every communicant, worthy and +unworthy. This view of the subject appears inconsistent with the Word +of God, for various reasons:- + +(_a_) When Christ uttered the words, this (bread) is my body, his body +was not yet dead, but living and reclining, at their side at the table. +It was therefore certainly not received by them into their mouths. The +language must, therefore, have been figurative, such as Jesus was +accustomed often to employ. Thus, when he said, "I am the _door_" John +x. 9, he certainly does not mean a literal door, such as a door of wood +or stone or brass or of any other material. He means that the +acceptance of the atonement and mediation by the sinner is the +appointed condition of salvation to him. Thus also when he says, "I am +the _true vine_" John xv. 1; or "The field is the world," "The seed is +the word," &c., he evidently is speaking figuratively and communicating +important moral truth, by images drawn from physical nature, as is +naturally done by nearly all writers and speakers of all ages and in +all languages. + +(_b_) The blessed Saviour himself exhorts us, "Do this in remembrance of +me;" but we can remember only that which is past and absent. Hence when +he admonishes us to do this in remembrance of him, he teaches us, that +he is not personally or bodily present at the eucharistic celebration. + +(_c_) Paul also represents the design of this ordinance to be, "To show +or publish the _Lord's death_," until he comes. But the Lord's death +upon the cross occurred about eighteen hundred and twenty years ago. +Therefore, according to Paul, the object of the holy supper is to +commemorate a _past event_, and not a present person. + +(_d_) The doctrine of the real presence of the true body and blood of +Christ, contradicts the clear and indisputable testimony of our senses, +for as the body and blood are to be received by the mouth of the +communicant, they must be circumscribed by space, and the reception must +be a local and material one, which if it did occur at sacramental +occasions, could be observed by the senses. + +(_e_) It contradicts the observation of all nations and all ages, that +every body or material substance must occupy a definite portion of +space, and cannot be at more than one place at the same time. + +For these and other reasons the great mass of our ministers and +churches, connected with the General Synod, reject this doctrine, as +inconsistent with the word of God. The disposition to reject this error, +or at least to leave the mode of the Saviour's presence undecided, was +manifested by Melancthon himself, as is evident from his having stricken +out the words which teach it from the Augsburg Confession, and from his +having inserted others in their stead of a general nature, leaving room +for different opinions on this question. The same disposition prevailed +extensively in Germany in the latter third of the sixteenth century. +But during the first quarter of the present century, the conviction that +the Reformers did not purge away the whole of the Romish error from this +doctrine, gained ground universally until the great mass of the whole +Lutheran Church, before the year 1817, had rejected the doctrine of the +real presence. During the last twenty years the doctrines and writings +of the Reformation in general have been the subject of extensive study +by the reviving church in Germany, and as is natural, a small portion +of the churches have embraced the symbolic view of this doctrine in +full, and have become known as Old Lutherans, whilst others, both there +and in this country, have embraced various modifications of it. But the +great body of the ministers and churches regard the real presence of +the _body_ and _blood_ of the Saviour, in any proper sense, which the +words convey, as a misapprehension of the word of God. + +_The supposed special Sin-forgiving Power of the Lord's Supper_. + +On this subject, important as it is, especially to the masses of the +less educated, who are most liable to these erroneous views, but little +need be said in addition to the principles established on the subject +of the sacraments in general. The word of God clearly inculcates the +doctrine, to which Luther and his coadjutors gave such prominence, that +no one can be justified or pardoned except by a living faith in Christ, +and such a faith is found only in the regenerate mind. And whenever the +sinner exercises this living faith in Christ he is justified, that is, +his sins are pardoned, he is in a _state of justification_, and +continues in it, until by deliberate, voluntary violation of God's law, +he falls from grace. Now, every communicant either possesses this faith, +or he does not. If he does, he is justified or pardoned before he +communes; if he is destitute of this faith, his communing cannot justify +or pardon him; for man is justified by faith alone. Yet are there +thousands of church members who afford no satisfactory evidence of +regeneration, or of that faith which works by love, and purifies the +heart, and overcomes the world; who, because they approach the +sacramental table with seriousness and sincerity, and perhaps with some +sorrow for their sins, believe that they obtain pardon for their +transgressions, and yet still continue in their unregenerate state. It +cannot be said that the symbolical books clearly teach the above error, +but they are not sufficiently guarded, and are understood by many as +inculcating the doctrine, that a sincere and devout participation of +the Lord's Supper secures the pardon of sin, even where satisfactory +evidences of regeneration are wanting, the persons referred to +mistaking a mere historical belief for a living faith. Hence, as the +_Scripture nowhere connects the forgiveness of sins with the duty of +sacramental communion_, any more than with the performance of any other +prominent christian duty, it is not proper that we should do so. The +design of the Holy Supper is to show forth the Lord's death, to profess +the name of the Redeemer before the world, to confirm the previous +faith of the communicant, to bring him into closest spiritual communion +with his blessed Saviour, and to secure his special spiritual blessing: +but not to bestow forgiveness of sins upon the unregenerate, however +serious they may be. Against this dangerous error all should therefore +carefully guard, and ever remember the declaration of the Lord Jesus +when he said, "_Unless a man be born again_ (become a new creature in +Christ Jesus) _he cannot see the kindom [sic] of God_." + + +CHAPTER XI. +EXORCISM. + +This superstitious practice, which consists in a prescribed formula of +adjuration, accompanied by various menacing demonstrations, by the use +of which the priest professes to expel the evil spirits from an +individual, of whom they are supposed to have taken possession, was +practised in the Romish Church, principally before the baptism of +infants. The rite was retained, with an altered interpretation, in +various parts of the Lutheran Church in Europe, for several centuries. +In the American Lutheran Church, it was never received by the fathers +of our church, and is regarded as unscriptural and highly objectionable, +under the most favorable interpretation that can be given it. + +As exorcism is not touched by the Augsburg Confession, it is also not +discussed by the Rev. Mr. Mann, in his Plea. But as others have +objected to the Platform for representing it as in any degree a part of +the Symbolic system, we will adduce evidence enough to satisfy every +impartial and reasonable reader, that it was so regarded for several +centuries, by a considerable portion of the Lutheran Church in Europe; +and that the assertion of the Platform, "_that this rite was retained, +with an altered interpretation, in various parts of the Lutheran Church +in Europe, for several centuries_," (p. 23,) is even more than +sustained. + +As our church, in common with the other state churches of Europe, is +controlled by the civil government, the ministers and members of the +church were never invited or permitted to deliberate and decide on the +question what books they will receive as symbolical or binding. This +work the political rulers or princes determined for them, in +consultation with some leading divines. Still we may fairly regard those +confessional writings as symbolical, which have been prescribed by the +government, and received and _practiced_ on by the churches. Now, if the +"Taufbuechlein," " Tract or Directory for Baptism," of Luther, _in which +Exorcism is commanded_, was thus prescribed and received [tr. note: +there is a space here which could be meant to contain the word "by"] two +or three principalities or provinces of Europe, the position of the +Platform is vindicated; but the truth is, it was received by entire +kingdoms and provinces, and retained in practice for centuries; so that +the Platform is more than sustained. Let us _first_ hear the testimony +of the best authorities of Germany on the subject, and _then_ sum up +the results. + +(_a_) _Dr. Guericke, [Note 1] Professor of Theology at Halle, the author +of a well-known Church History, testifies: "Moreover, the Smaller +Catechism (of Luther) contained, even in the oldest known German +edition, (Wittenberg, 1529,) several forms of prayer, the Family +diretory [sic] or selection of Scripture passages on the +duties of all orders and conditions of men, and the Directory for +marriage and _baptism, all of which supplementary tracts were also +received into the_ FIRST _authentic edition of the German "Book of +Concord_." The baptismal directory was therefore received into the very +first authentic edition of the symbolical books. + +(_b_) _Dr. Koellner_, Professor of Theology at Goettingen, in his +excellent "Symbolik," p. 501, states: "There was a Latin Directory for +Baptism extant, (in the Romish church,) which Luther translated into +German unaltered in 1523. It is found in Vol. II. of his works, Jena +edition, pp. 248-252, and Vol. II. All, pp. 304-327. But in 1524 or 1526 +he wrote the Baptismal Directory, and brought it into the form in which +it was added to the Catechism. Thus it is found Vol. II. of Altenb. ed. +p. 227. It was therefore added to the Catechism by Luther himself, and +at the earliest period (of the Reformation.) [Note 2] The directory for +the solemnization of matrimony was also added by Luther in the 2d +edition. Both those Tracts were usually published together with the +smaller Catechism; and were also received into the Corpus Thuring. and +into _the first edition of the Book of Concord_, June, 1580." + +Again, we see that this Directory for baptism in which exorcism is +prescribed, was not only the production of Luther, but also added by +him to his Catechism, and introduced into the very first collection of +the symbolical book. + +(_c_) _Dr. Baumgarten Crusius_, Professor of Theology at Jena, in his +History of Christian Doctrines, Vol. II. p. 322, thus testifies: "By +means of the religiously energetic language of Luther, _exorcism_ was +introduced among his party, and established itself amid much opposition, +(amongst others from the Papists) in rigid opposition to Calvinism, and +as is the case amongst us _at present_, (1846,) from attachment to +ancient, stern orthodoxy, and their idea of genuine Lutheranism, as well +as from the superstitious belief of a magic influence over the kingdom +of evil spirits."--"The liturgic formula (for exorcism) retained in the +Lutheran church, was first zealously espoused by the populace, when the +Crypto-Calvinists especially in Saxony, raised opposition to it; and +since then it has been regarded as a _criterion of Lutheranism_, +although exorcism is not mentioned in the Saxon Articles of Visitation, +and from an early period it was defended by the Lutheran theologians +merely as a free matter of indifference, with only a figurative +meaning." Here we find not only that exorcism has extensively prevailed +in the Lutheran church of Germany, but that as late as 1846, it still +was adhered to by some in Saxony: and that for a long time after the +rise of Crypto-Calvinism in the latter part of the sixteenth century, +adherence to this rite was regarded as a _test_ of genuine Lutheranism. +How vain therefore the attempt to deny that it was regarded as a part of +symbolic Lutheranism in some parts of the church! + +(_d_.) _Dr. Augusti_, Professor of Theology at Bonn, and more recently +at Berlin, the celebrated author of numerous works, bears the following +testimony: "At the close of the sixteenth century the vindication of +exorcism was considered a proof of _Lutheran orthodoxy_ in opposition to +the Reformed and Crypto-Calvinists. In the seventeenth and eighteenth +centuries there was much contention for and against it; and even in the +_nineteenth_ century its retention or rejection was not yet regarded as +a matter of indifference." p. 350. + +(_e_) In _Siegel's_ Manual of Christian Ecclesiastical Antiquities, (a +learned and excellent work in four volumes, published in Leipsic, 1836,) +vol II. p. 64, 65, 67, we find the following testimony: "Inasmuch as he +(Luther) pronounced this rite not indeed as necessary, but yet as +_highly useful_, in order to remind the people very impressively of the +power of sin and the devil; it was not remarkable that the zealous +adherents of Luther were also unwilling to abandon his views on this +subject. Hence we find that _in all countries in which the views and +example of Luther were rigidly adhered to, as in Saxony, Wuertemburg, +Hanover, Sweden, and other places_, a strong attachment to exorcism +prevailed, which was often regarded _as the criterion of orthodoxy_." +"Some Lutherans cherished exorcism with a kind of _passionate +fondness_." "In the sixteenth century exorcism was alternately defended +in one place and disapproved in another; and in the latter half of the +eighteenth, attention was again directed to the subject partly by +accidental circumstances, and partly also by the great changes in the +department of theology. The result has been that exorcism has been +entirely abolished in different individual towns; and in several +countries. This, for example, was the case in Regensburg in 1781, in +Hamburg in 1786, and since 1811, in all Sweden." "In other Protestant +Lutheran Stales, it is still left to the choice of the parents, whether +they will have their children baptised with or without exorcism." "The +author (says Siegel) was himself placed in the unpleasant predicament +in the year 1836," of having been requested to perform baptism with +exorcism!! + +(_f_) _Dr. Sigismund J. Baumgarten_ of Halle, one of the most learned +and profound divines that ever adorned the Lutheran church, who himself +published one of the best and the most extensively circulated editions +of the symbolical books in 1747, not only inserts the Directory for +Baptism (which inculcates exorcism) among the symbolical books, but on +p. 637 bears the following testimony: "The Directory for solemnizing +marriage, as well as the following _Directory for Baptism_, are found in +the _oldest Corp. Doctrinae_, in the _Thuringian, Julian, Brandenburg_, +and first DRESDEN EDITIONS, and also subsequently, in the Leipsic and +Reineccian," p. 637. + +From these historical testimonies the following points are clearly +established: + +1. That the Directory for Baptism, in which _exorcism_ is prescribed, +was certainly received into the first and authentic edition of the +German Book of Concord, or collection of symbolical books. This is +attested by Drs. Guericke, Sig. Baumgarten, and Koellner. It was +subsequently republished in various other editions, down till the recent +editions of Mueller, and also of Ludwig in our own country. In other +editions [Note 3] it was omitted, because in some portions of Germany +exorcism was rejected at an early day, as stated in the History of the +American Lutheran Church. + +2. It is proved that the _practice of exorcism_ was for a long time +regarded as a _test of orthodoxy_ in many Lutheran territories of +Germany. Attested by Drs. Augusti, Baumgarten Crusius and Siegel. In +these countries editions of the symbolical books containing the +Baptismal Directory were in use, and the rite was regarded as +symbolical. + +3. The rite was received and practised throughout Sweden, the entire +kingdom of Wuertemberg, Hanover, Saxony, &c., &c. Siegel and others. +[sic] + +4. It is established incontestibly [sic] that the practice was continued +for centuries in some of these countries, and was but recently renounced +by others. Siegel and others. [sic] + +We may therefore well affirm, that the position of the Definite +Platform on this subject has been established beyond the possibility of +serious doubt, namely, "_That this rite was retained, with an altered +interpretation, in various parts of the Lutheran Church in Europe for +several centuries_." p. 23. + +As to making the symbolic character of a book depend on its being found +in any particular number of editions or in them all, it is inadmissible, +because, as Dr. Hase remarks, and the respected author of the Plea +admits, the Augsburg Confession is the only one of the Lutheran +symbolical books which has been universally received throughout the +church. These editions, moreover, have been published, some by the civil +governments, and others by private individuals; and the Lutheran church +as such, has never been called on to decide which books are symbolic. +The practice of different portions of the church is different, therefore +the distinction must be made as to the extent to which each book was +received; and as it is certain that exorcism was in some countries and +periods even regarded as a _distinctive test_ of orthodoxy, _then +and there_, this rite must have been regarded as symbolic in the +highest degree. + +Note 1. Symbolik, p. 103, n. 2. + +Note 2. The original is: Also von Luther selbst und schon in den ersten +_Zeugen_ von ihm dem Katechismus ange haengt." [sic on +punctuation] _Zeugen_ here is evidently a typographical error for +Zeiten. + +Note 3. For particulars see the writer's History of the American +Lutheran Church, pp. 239-241. + + +CHAPTER XII. +CONCLUDING REMARKS. + +We have thus found the statements of the Definite Platform, as to the +tenets taught in the Augsburg Confession and other Symbolical books, +established by the most careful and conscientious investigation of the +original sources. Such are the facts incontestibly [sic] proved. They +are true, and will remain true, notwithstanding all the ill-advised +efforts to hide them. The Augsburg Confession, and other symbols, do +teach the tenets ascribed to them in the Platform, and, in the judgment +of the great mass of American Lutherans, the Word of God rejects them, +and inculcates the contrary. All the invective and vituperation, not of +the author of the Plea but of multitudes of old-Lutherans, &c., cannot +change the truth, for it is unchangeable and eternal; nor is it their +duty to deny it, any more than it is ours. + +The question then arises, what is our duty under these circumstances? +What does God expect of us, in view of these facts, as men to whom the +interests and management of a portion of his church are confided? As men +to whom he has given his inspired oracles, as the sure word of prophecy, +to which we are to give heed? As men who love Luther and his +fellow-laborers much, but desire to love Christ more? + +Does our duty call on us to deny the truth, and say, these doctrines are +not taught in these books, when the most careful examination has assured +us of the contrary? No honest man can affirm this. + +Is it honest or honorable to avow, unconditionally, creeds containing +errors, and then labor to gloss over or defend these errors, because +they are there? This would be to descend to the level of corrupt +politicians, who professedly defend every measure of their party, +whether right or wrong. + +Is it our duty to profess such creeds, then by arbitrary interpretations +to explain away these errors, and thus endeavor to hide them from the +public view? This would be injustice to the memory of their authors, and +cast reproach on the principles of the Reformation, the essence of which +was, that human errors must be rejected in favor of God's Word; and that +the standards or professed doctrines of the church, must in every age be +conformed to her views of Scripture truth. + +Is it our duty, is it the Master's will, that we should try to believe +those tenets of a creed which the Scriptures condemn? This would be +treason to the Master, and be hearkening to the teachings of man rather +than of God! Yet how many are there from whose lips the phrase +confessional fidelity (Bekenntnisstreue,) is heard far oftener than +fidelity to God's word (Bibeltreue)! + +Is it our duty to renounce the Augsburg Confession altogether? This +would be the case, _if its errors were fundamental_. But as they are few +in number, and all relate to non-fundamental points, this does not +necessarily follow. As nineteen twentieths of the creed are sustained by +Scripture, and embody a rich and ample exhibition of divine truth, ten +times as extended as that which was invested with normative authority in +the golden age, the first three centuries of the Christian church, and +used as a term of Christian fellowship, we may well retain the creed, +after in some way disavowing its several errors. And the historical +importance of the document, as the type of a renovated Christianity, +authenticated by the blessing of Heaven, renders its retention +desirable, as far as it has approved itself to the conscience of the +church, after the increasing philological, exegetical, and historical +light of three progressive centuries. + +The position of those who maintain that _genuine Lutheranism_ demands +perpetual adherence to everything contained in this Confession, yea, as +some affirm, to all the former symbolical books, is utterly untenable. +In the _first_ place, these brethren forget that the symbolic system, +_i.e._, the practice of binding ministers to the so-called symbolical +books, was _not_ adopted at the organization of the Lutheran Church, +_nor at any time during Luther's life_, nor until more than half a +century after the rise of Lutheranism, and more than a quarter of a +century after the noble Luther had gone to his heavenly rest. +_Symbolism is therefore no part of original Lutheranism_. The efforts of +Luther to reform the Romish Church began in 1517--the first regular +organization of Lutheran churches was not made until some time after his +excommunication by the Pope, in 1520. The first directory for Lutheran +worship was published by Luther in 1523, in which, although private +masses and the idea of the mass being a sacrifice had been rejected, the +_ceremonies_ of the mass, even the _elevation of the host_, (though not +for adoration) were retained; another improved one in 1526; and the +Augsburg Confession was presented to the Diet in 1530; but the full +symbolic system contended for by some of our opponents, was not adopted +until 1580, _after the Lutheran church had existed more than half a +century!!_ That system, historically considered, is not, therefore, +Lutheran, but _Post_-Lutheran and _Ultra_-Lutheran, for it is after him +in time, and goes beyond him at least in one point of doctrine, and far +beyond him in the abridgement [sic] of ministerial liberty of doctrinal +profession, and in exaction of uniformity on minor points. Again, these +brethren forget that Luther thought it his duty to _reform_ the church +of his birth, and did _not leave it until driven out by the Pope_. The +efforts of American Lutherans to reform and render more biblical the +ecclesiastical framework of our church, is therefore, _truly Lutheran in +principle_, indeed far more Lutheran, than to retain unaltered those +symbols, when we believe that the progress of Protestant light and +biblical investigation for three hundred years, has proved them to +contain important errors. + +Thirdly, they forget that _Luther himself never saw, much less approved, +the most objectionable and stringent of these books_, the Form of +Concord, the profession of which they would make essential to +Lutheranism. + +Fourthly, they overlook the fact that _entire Lutheran kingdoms, such as +Denmark and Sweden, from the beginning rejected some of these books_, +and yet are everywhere acknowledged as Lutherans. + +Fifthy, [sic] they forget that the _Form of Concord itself professes to +regard Confessions of faith only an exhibitions of the manner_ in which +Christians of _a particular age understand the Scriptures;_ implying +that they were not supposed even by the authors of the symbolic system +themselves to be unchangeable, although their incorporation with the +civil law of the land, closed the door against all subsequent +improvement. + +A revision of our symbolic standpoint, is therefore perfectly consistent +with primitive Lutheranism; and according to the Congregational or +Independent principles of Lutheran church government, advocated by +Luther, and hitherto practiced on by our American church, as well as +avowed by the Constitution of the General Synod, each District Synod is +competent to do this work for herself as long as she retains "the +_fundamental_ doctrines of the Bible as taught by our church." + +How then can this important work be best accomplished, of releasing +ourselves on the one hand from the profession of the errors contained +in the Confession, and on the other of avowing the unadulterated truths +of God's word? + +1. Shall we _drop the practice of binding our ministers to any creed +except the Bible_, and refer in unofficial ways to the _Augsburg +Confession_, as in general a correct summary of our views of Bible +truth? This was the practice of the _fathers of our church in the Synod +of Pennsylvania from the beginning of this century, till within two or +three years_. It was practiced by that body whilst it was controlled by +_Drs. Helmuth, Schmidt, Muhlenberg_, of Lancaster, _Schaeffer_, of +Philadelphia, _Endress, Lochman, J. G. Schmucker, Geissenhainer_ +subsequently of New York, _Muhlenberg_, of Reading, and the present +venerable Senior of the Ministerium, Rev. _Baetis_. This plan we always +regarded as too lax, and preferred the distinct avowal of the Augsburg +Confession as to the fundamental doctrines of the Bible, and were +ourselves instrumental in introducing its qualified recognition into +the General Synod's Theological Seminary in 1825, and her Constitution +for District Synods in 1829. Still we have recently been denounced as +unfaithful to the confession, by those unacquainted with the history of +our church during the last five and thirty years. + +2. Shall we _adopt a new creed_, to supercede [sic] the venerable +Augsburg Confession? This is unnecessary, because the points regarded as +erroneous in it, are confessedly few and non-essential. When these are +erased, the great mass of Christian truth remains intact, and not one +of all the cardinal doctrines of the Reformation is affected. + +3. Shall we adopt and publish the entire Augsburg Confession, _with a +list annexed to it, of those points believed by the majority to be +erroneous_, providing that they may be rejected by all who do not +believe them? This would be a contradictory procedure, first to publish +the whole, and then to reject a portion of it as not symbolic or +binding. If these supposed errors are not to be received, why +perpetuate their memory, and afford to the enemies of our venerable +church, a constant supply of material to fight against us, and render +the church odious in the popular eye? + +4. Shall we remain satisfied with _the General Synod's doctrinal basis_, +of absolute assent to the _Bible_, and agreement with the _Augsburg +Confession_ as far as the _fundamentals_ of God's Word are concerned? + +This pledge we always regarded as accordant with the principles of God's +Word, and sufficient for the necessities of the church. Amid the recent +progress of more rigid symbolism, and symbolic sympathies, it has, +however, been disparaged by some connected with the General Synod. We +still believe it sufficient, _provided all_ the Synods embraced in the +General Synod will adhere to it; and those who have recently adopted the +entire symbolic system, will return to it. But if District Synods of +symbolic tendencies, will adopt the obligation to the mass of symbolic +books; New School Lutherans are compelled, in self-defence, also to +define their position more minutely, that the christian public may not +hold them responsible for the errors of the former symbols, nor their +supposed adherence to them tend to give them currency. If, therefore, +Old School Synods adhere to their recent pledge to all the symbolical +books, we prefer the following course for other District Synods. + +5. The best plan by far in our judgment is to _retain the great body of +the Confession unaltered, and simply to omit the few sentences +inculcating the disputed or erroneous topics_. The remainder is believed +by all, and can be subscribed by all, whether they believe the omitted +topics or not. + +This is precisely the thing done by the American Recension of the +Augsburg Confession. _It's [sic] principle is to omit the +disputed points and, retain unaltered the remainder, on which we all +agree_. On the three disputed points which alone are believed by any +amongst us, namely, baptismal regeneration, the real presence of the +Saviour in the eucharist, and the denial of the divine appointment of +the Christian Sabbath, entire freedom is allowed. As to the others, +private confession and absolution, the ceremonies of the mass, and +exorcism, which was taught not in the Augsburg Confession, but in the +Appendix to Luther's Smaller Catechism,--they are not received by any +one within the pale of the General Synod, and are so distinctly +semi-Romish that they are prohibited by the Platform. The adoption of +the name, _American Recension_, always notifies th reader of some +revision, and precluded the charge of an attempt to pass it off for the +unaltered Confession of the sixteenth century. + +The Synodical Disclaimer or List of these rejected errors, which is +annexed to the Platform, can be dropped as soon as the churches are +fully informed of the ground of our not receiving the other symbolical +books, or if this be deemed unnecessary, it may be dropped at once. By +the adoption of either of the latter two methods, and especially of the +last, by the individual District Synods, they would present to the +world a clear profession of their faith, have a sufficient test for the +admission of members, and the rejection of heretics, and could +harmoniously labor together for the furtherance of the gospel. We have +thus in the fear of God and in the spirit of Christian love; but +uninfluenced by the fear or favor of man, presented our deliberate +convictions on the subjects now agitating the church, after six and +thirty years of study of the Bible, and experience in the ministry of +our divine Master. And we close with the earnest prayer, that the Great +Head of the Church, may employ these pages for the advancement of his +glory, that he may conduct his beloved Zion onward in her march of +development and progress, until she has attained her millennial +features, and her world-wide extension, and until "the kingdoms of this +world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ, and he shall +reign for ever and ever." + + +APPENDIX. +DEFINITE PLATFORM; +BEING THE +DOCTRINAL BASIS OR CREED, +CONTAINED IN +PART I. +OF THE +DEFINITE SYNODICAL PLATFORM, +REFERRED TO IN THE PRECEDING WORK, AND CONSTRUCTED +IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF THE +GENERAL SYNOD. + +PREFACE. +As the American Recension, contained in this Platform, adds not a single +sentence to the Augsburg Confession, nor omits anything that has the +least pretension to be considered "a fundamental doctrine of Scripture," +it is perfectly consistent with the doctrinal test of the General Synod, +as contained in her Formula of Government and Discipline, Chap. XVIII., +§ 5, and XIX., § 2. The Apostles' and Nicene Creeds are also universally +received by our churches. Hence any District Synod, connected with the +General Synod, may, with perfect consistency, adopt this Platform. + +DOCTRINAL BASIS OR CREED. + +Whereas it is the duty of the followers of Christ to profess his [sic] +religion before the world (Matt. x. 32), not only by their holy walk +and conversation, but also by "walking in the apostles' doctrines" +(1 Cor. xiv. 32), and bearing testimony "to the faith once delivered to +the saints" (Jude 3), Christians have, from the earlier ages, avowed +some brief summary of their doctrines or a Confession of their faith. +Such confessions, also called symbols, were the so-called Apostles' +Creed, the Nicene Creed, &c., of the first four centuries after Christ. + +Thus also did the Lutheran Reformers of the sixteenth century, when +cited by the Emperor to appear before the Diet at Augsburg, present the +Confession, bearing the name of that city, as an expose of their +principal doctrines; in which they also professedly reject only the +_greater part_ of the errors that had crept into the Romish Church. +(See conclusion of the Abuses Corrected.) + +Again, a quarter of a century after Luther's death, this and other +writings of Luther and Melancthon, together with another work which +neither of them ever saw, the Form of Concord, were made binding on +ministers and churches, not by the church herself, acting of her own +free choice, but by the civil authorities of certain kingdoms and +principalities, in consultation with some prominent theologians. The +majority of Lutheran kingdoms, however, rejected one or more of them, +and the Augsburg Confession alone has been acknowledged by the entire +Lutheran Church. (Hutterus Red. p. 116, § 50.) + +Whereas the entire Lutheran Church of Germany has rejected the binding +authority of the symbolical books as a whole, and also abandoned some +of the doctrines of the Augsburg Confession, and our fathers in this +country more, [sic] than half century ago, ceased to require +a pledge to any of these books, whilst they still believed and in +various ways avowed the great fundamental doctrines contained in them: + +And whereas the General Synod of the American Lutheran Church, about a +quarter of a century ago, again introduced a qualified acknowledgment of +the Augsburg Confession, in the Constitution of her Theological +Seminary, and in her Constitution for District Synods, at the ordination +and licensure of ministers, without specifying tho doctrines to be +omitted, except by the designation that they are not fundamental +doctrines of Scripture; and whereas a desire has extensively prevailed +amongst our ministers and churches, to have this basis expressed in a +more definite manner; and the General Synod has left this matter +optional with each district Synod: + +_Therefore, Resolved_, That this Synod hereby avows its belief in the +following doctrinal Basis, namely, the so-called _Apostles' Creed_, the +_Nicene Creed_, and _the American Recension of the Augsburg Confession_, +as a more definite expression of the doctrinal pledge prescribed by the +General Synod's Constitution for District Synods, and as a correct +exhibition of the Scripture doctrines discussed in it: and that we +regard agreement among brethren on these subjects as a sufficient basis +for harmonious co-operation in the same church. + +DOCTRINAL BASIS OR CREED. + +_The Old and New Testaments the only Infallible Rule of Faith and +Practice_ + +1. "We believe, teach, and confess, that the only rule and standard, +according to which all doctrines and teachers alike ought to be tried +and judged, are the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments alone, as +it is written, Psalm cxix. 105: 'Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a +light upon my path.' And St. Paul, Gal. i.8, says 'Though an angel from +heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached +unto you, let him be accursed.' + +2. "But all human writings and symbols, are not authorities like the +Holy Scriptures; but they are only a testimony and explanation of our +faith, showing the manner in which at any time the Holy Scriptures were +understood and explained by those who then lived, in respect to articles +that had been controverted in the church of God, and also the grounds on +which doctrines that were opposed to the Holy Scriptures, had been +rejected and condemned."--_Form of Concord, pp_. 551, 552. + +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, born 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 the Father +Almighty, from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. + +I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy universal church; the communion +of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and +the life everlasting. + +THE NICENO-CONSTANTINOPOLITAN CREED. + +I 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 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 was made man and was crucified also for us under Pontius +Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again, +according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on +the right hand of the Father; and he shall come again with 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 [sic] and glorified, who spake by the prophets. +And I believe in one holy universal and apostolic church. I acknowledge +one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection +of the dead and the life of the world to come. + +AMERICAN RECENSION OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. + +ARTICLE I. - OF GOD. + +Our churches with one accord teach, that the decree of the Council of +Nice, concerning the unity of the Divine essence, and concerning the +three persons, is true, and ought to be confidently believed, viz.: that +there is one Divine essence, which is called and is God, eternal, +incorporeal, indivisible, infinite in power, wisdom and goodness, the +Creator and Preserver of all things visible and invisible; and yet, that +there are three persons, who are of the same essence 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. + +ARTICLE II. - OF NATURAL DEPRAVITY. + +Our churches likewise teach, that since the fall of Adam, all men who +are naturally engendered, are born with sin, that is, without the fear +of God or confidence towards Him, and with sinful propensities: and that +this disease, or natural depravity, is really sin, and still causes +eternal death to those who are not born again. And they reject the +opinion of those who, in order that they may 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. + +ARTICLE III. - OF THE SON OF GOD AND HIS MEDIATORIAL WORK. + +They likewise teach, that the Word, that is, the Son of God, assumed +human nature, in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, so that the two +natures, human and divine, inseparably united in one person, constitute +one Christ, who is true God and man, born of the Virgin Mary; who truly +suffered, was crucified, died, and was buried, that he might reconcile +the Father to us, and be a sacrifice not only for original sin, but +also for all the actual sins of men. Likewise that he descended into +hell (the place of departed spirits), 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 creatures, and might sanctify +those who believe in him, by sending into their hearts the Holy Spirit, +who governs, consoles, quickens, and defends them against the devil and +the power of sin. The same Christ will return again openly, that he may +judge the living and the dead, &c., according to the Apostolic Creed. + +ARTICLE IV. - OF 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 favor, and that their sins are remitted on +account of Christ, who made satisfaction for our transgressions by his +death. This faith God imputes to us as righteousness. ROM. iii. 4 + +ARTICLE V. - OF THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE. + +In order that we may obtain this faith, the ministerial office has been +instituted, whose members are to teach the gospel, and administer the +sacraments. For through the instrumentality of the word and sacraments, +as means of grace, the Holy Spirit is 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, namely, that God, for +Christ's sake, and not on account of any merit in us, justifies those +who believe that on account of Christ they are received into (the +divine) favor. + +ARTICLE VI. - CONCERNING NEW OBEDIENCE (OR A CHRISTIAN LIFE). + +They likewise teach, this faith must bring forth good fruits; and that +it is our duty to perform those good works which God has commanded, +because he has enjoined them, and not in the expectation of thereby +meriting justification before him. For, remission of sins and +justification are secured by faith; as the declaration of Christ himself +implies: "When ye shall have done all those things, say, we are +unprofitable servants." + +The same thing is taught by the ancient ecclesiastical writers: for +Ambrose says, "this has been ordained by God, that he who believes in +Christ is saved without works, receiving remission of sins gratuitously +through faith alone." + +ARTICLE VII. - OF THE CHURCH. + +They likewise teach, that there will always be one holy church. The +church is the congregation of the saints, in which the gospel is +correctly taught and the sacraments are properly administered. And for +the true unity of the church nothing more is required, than agreement +concerning the doctrines of the gospel, and the administration of the +sacraments. Nor is it necessary, that the same human traditions, that +is, rites and ceremonies instituted by men, should be everywhere +observed. As Paul says: "One faith, one baptism, one God and Father of +all," &c. + +ARTICLE VIII. - WHAT THE CHURCH IS. + +Although the church is properly a congregation of saints and true +believers; yet in the present life, many hypocrites and wicked men are +mingled with them. + +ARTICLE IX. - CONCERNING BAPTISM. + +Concerning baptism, our churches teach, that it is "a necessary +ordinance," [Note 1] that it is a means of grace, and ought to be +administered also to children, who are thereby dedicated to God, and +received into his favor. + +ARTICLE X. - OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. + +In regard to the Lord's Supper they teach that Christ is present with +the communicants in the Lord's Supper, "under the emblems of bread and +wine." [Note 2] + +ARTICLE XI. - OF CONFESSION. + +[As Private Confession and Absolution, which are inculcated in this +Article, though in a modified form, have been universally rejected by +the American Lutheran Church, the omission of this Article is demanded +by the principle on which the American Recension of the Augsburg +Confession is constructed; namely, to omit the several portions, which +are rejected by the great mass of our churches in this country, and to +add nothing in their stead.] [tr. note: bracketed in the original] + +ARTICLE XII. - OF REPENTANCE (AFTER BACKSLIDING). + +Concerning repentance they teach, that those who have relapsed into sin +after baptism, may at any time obtain pardon, when they repent. But +repentance properly consists of two parts. The one is contrition, or +being struck with terrors of conscience, on account of acknowledged sin. +The other is faith, which is produced by the gospel; which believes that +pardon for sin is bestowed for Christ's sake; which tranquilizes the +conscience, and liberates it from fear. Such repentance must be +succeeded by good works as its fruits. + +ARTICLE XIII. - OF THE USE OF THE SACRAMENTS. + +Concerning the use of the sacraments our churches teach, that they were +instituted not only 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 confirming the faith of those +who use them. Hence the sacraments ought to be received with faith in +the promises which are exhibited and proposed by them. + +They therefore condemn the opinion of those who maintain, that the +sacraments produce justification in their recipients as a matter of +course, [Note 3] who do not teach that faith is necessary, in the +reception of the sacraments, to the remission of sins. + +ARTICLE XIV. - OF CHURCH ORDERS, (OR THE MINISTRY.) + +Concerning church orders they teach, that no person ought publicly to +teach "or preach," [Note 4] in the church, or to administer the +sacraments, without a regular call. + +ARTICLE XV. - OF RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES. + +Concerning ecclesiastical ceremonies they teach, that those ceremonies +ought to be observed, which can be attended to without sin, and which +promote peace and good order in the church, such as certain holy-days, +festivals, &c. Concerning matters of this kind, however, men are +cautioned, lest their consciences be burdened, as though such +observances were necessary to salvation. They are also admonished that +human traditionary observances, instituted with a view to appease God, +and to merit his favor, and make satisfaction for sins, are contrary to +the gospel and the doctrine of faith "in Christ." [Note 5] Wherefore +vows and traditionary observances concerning meats, days, &c., +instituted to merit grace and make satisfaction for sins, are useless, +and contrary to the gospel. + +ARTICLE XVI. - OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS. + +In regard to political affairs our churches teach that legitimate +political enactments are good works of God; that it is lawful for +Christians to hold civil offices, to pronounce judgment, and decide +cases according to existing laws; to inflict just punishment, wage just +wars, and serve in them; to make lawful contracts; hold property; to +make oath when required by the magistrate, to marry, and to be married. + +Hence Christians ought necessarily to yield obedience to their civil +officers and laws; unless they should command something sinful; in +which case it is a duty to obey God rather than man. Acts v. 29. + +ARTICLE XVII. - OF CHRIST'S RETURN TO JUDGMENT. + +Our churches also teach, that at the end of the world, Christ will +appear for judgment; that 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. + +ARTICLE XVIII. - OF FREE WILL. + +Concerning free will our churches teach, that the human will possesses +some liberty for the performance of civil duties, and for the choice of +those things lying within the control of reason. But it does not possess +the power, without the influence of the Holy Spirit, of being just +before God, or yielding spiritual obedience: for the natural man +receiveth not the things which are of the Spirit of God: but this is +accomplished in the heart, when the Holy Spirit is received through the +word. + +The same is declared by Augustine in so many words: "We confess that all +men have a free will, which possesses the judgment of reason, by which +they cannot indeed, without the divine aid, either begin or certainly +accomplish what is becoming in things relating to God; but only in +'outward' [Note 6] works 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 have clothing, to build a house, to take a wife, to feed +cattle, to learn various and useful arts, or to do any good thing +relative 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. + +It is not possible by the mere powers of nature, without the aid of the +Holy Spirit, to love God above all things, and to do his commands +according to their intrinsic design. For, although nature may be able, +after a certain manner, to perform external actions, such as to abstain +from theft, from murder, &c., yet it cannot perform the inner motions, +such as the fear of God, faith in God, chastity, patience, &c. + +ARTICLE XIX. - OF THE AUTHOR OF SIN. + +On this subject they teach, that, although God is the Creator and +Preserver of nature, the cause of sin must be sought in the depraved +will of the devil and of wicked men, which, when destitute of divine +aid, turns itself away from God: agreeably to the declaration of Christ, +"When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own." - JOHN viii. 44. + +ARTICLE XX. - OF GOOD WORKS. + +Our writers are falsely acccused [sic] of prohibiting good works. Their +publications on the ten commandments, and other similar subjects, show, +that they gave good instructions concerning all the different stations +and duties of life, and explained 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, rosaries, monastic vows, &c. These +useless things, our adversaries, having been admonished, now unlearn, +and no longer teach as formerly. Moreover, they now begin to make +mention of faith, about which they formerly observed a marvellous [sic] +silence. They now teach, that we are not justified by works alone, but +join faith to works, and maintain that we are justified by faith and +works. This doctrine is more tolerable than their former belief, and is +calculated to impart more consolation to the mind. Inasmuch, then, as +the doctrine concerning 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 concerning works alone was +discussed in the churches; our divines have admonished the churches as +follows:- + +First, that our works cannot reconcile God, or merit the remission of +sins, grace, and justification: but this we can attain only by faith, +when we believe that we are received into favor, for Christ's sake, who +alone is appointed our mediator and propitiatory sacrifice, by whom the +Father can be reconciled. He, therefore, who expects to merit grace by +his works, casts contempt on the merits and grace of Christ, and is +seeking the way to God, in his own strength, without the Saviour; who +nevertheless has told us, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." This +doctrine concerning faith, is incessantly inculcated by the 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. 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 +Augustine devotes many volumes to the defence of grace, and the +righteousness of faith, in opposition to the merit of good works. And +Ambrosius, on the calling of he Gentiles, &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 justification, 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 reward of him that earned +it." But, although this doctrine is despised by the inexperienced, the +consciences 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 confident belief that, for Christ's sake, +God is reconciled to them. Thus Paul teaches us (Rom. v.), "Being +justified by faith, we have peace with God." This whole 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 that the +righteousness of the Christian is nothing else than what in common life +and in the language of philosophy is termed morality. + +Formerly, the consciences of men were harassed by the doctrine of works, +nor did they hear any consolation from the gospel. Some conscience drove +into deserts, and into monasteries, hoping there to merit the divine +favor by a monastic life. Others invented different kinds of works, to +merit grace, and make satisfaction for their sins. There was therefore +the utmost necessity, that this doctrine concerning faith in Christ +should be inculcated 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 acquaintance with the consequences of the history, such as +remission of sins, by grace through Christ, righteousness, &c., &c. + +Now, he who knows that the Father is reconciled to him through Christ, +possesses a true acquaintance with God, confides in his providence, and +calls upon his name: and is therefore not without God, as are the +Gentiles. For the devil and wicked men cannot believe the article +concerning the remission of sins. But they hate God as an enemy, do not +call upon his name, nor expect any thing good at his hands. Augustine, +in speaking of the word faith, admonishes the reader that 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 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 because the Holy Spirit is received by faith the heart of man +is renovated, and new affections produced, that he may be able to +perform good works. Accordingly, Ambrosius states, faith is the source +of holy volitions and an upright life. For the faculties of man, unaided +by the Holy Spirit, are replete with sinful propensities, and too feeble +to perform works that are good in the sight of God. They are moreover +under the influence of Satan, who urges men to various sins, and impious +opinions, and open crimes; as may be seen in the examples of the +philosophers who, though they endeavored to lead moral lives, failed to +accomplish their designs, 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 doctrine, instead of being +charged with prohibiting good works, ought much rather to be applauded, +for teaching the manner in which truly good works can be performed. For, +without faith, human nature is incapable of performing the duties either +of the 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, Without thy favor there is nothing good +in man. + +ARTICLE XXI. - OF THE INVOCATION OF SAINTS. + +Concerning the invocation 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 emperor may +imitate the example of David, in carrying 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 us our only mediator, propitiation, high priest, and +intercessor. On his name we are to call, and he promises, that he will +hear our prayers, and highly approves of this worship, viz.: that he +should be called upon in every affliction (1 John ii.): "If any one sin, +we have an advocate with the Father," &c. + +This is about the substance of our doctrines, from which it is evident +that they contain nothing inconsistent with the Scriptures. Under these +circumstances, those certainly judge harshly, who would have us +regarded as heretics. But the difference of opinion between us (and the +Romanists) relates to certain abuses, which have crept into the (Romish) +churches without any good authority; in regard to which, if we do +differ, the bishops ought to treat us with lenity, and tolerate us, on +account of the confession which we have just made. + +Note 1. German reading. + +Note 2. German reading. + +Note 3. Ex opere operato, from the mere outward performance of the act. + +Note 4. German reading. + +Note 5. German reading. + +Note 6. German copy. + + +INDEX. + +Absolution, form of, 99, 100. +Additions, no heterogeneous ones to be made to the divinely constituted +church, 18. +Alterations in Augsburg Confession by Melancthon, 54. +American, Lutheran, has no reference to place of birth, 9. +American Recension, Digest of, 61. +--------- --------- originated from respect to Augsburg Confession, 44. +Anecdote of the Leyden cobbler, 16. +--------- of Melancthon's mother, 14. +Apology to Augsburg Confession, 25. +Apostles' Creed, when and by whom formed, 20. +Arnold on the diet at Augsburg, 55. +Athanasian Creed adopted, 21. +Augsburg Diet, Papists predominant at, 55. +--------- --------- Melancthon's alarm at, 55. +--------- --------- subscription to, not required in Luther's time, 22. +--------- --------- itself a disclaimer of error, 30. +--------- --------- practice of requiring assent to, rejected, by the +fathers of Pennsylvania Synod fifty years ago, 39. +Augsburg Confession, disadvantages under which it was prepared, 47. +--------- --------- dissented from by Dr. Lochman, 39. +--------- --------- parts of, omitted by him in his edition, 40. +--------- --------- dissented from by many of our principal divines, 41, +42. +Aurifaber's narrative of Augsburg Diet, 78. + +Bachman, Dr., dissents from Symbolical books, 42. +Baptism, its influence on adults, 143-144. +--------- --------- infants, 144, 145, 146. +Baptismal Regeneration, see Regeneration baptismal. +Basel, Synod of, it conceded both kinds, 76. +Bible, Luther's deep sense of obligation to, 46. +--------- true and infallible symbol, 41. +Bishops, Reformers willing again to submit to them, 58. +Bohemians claim eucharist entire, 76. + +Campegius, Letter of Melancthon to, 51. +Canon of the mass, 73, 77. +Ceremonies of the mass, 64. +Church of Christ, importance of the, 17. +--------- no essential additions to be made to her, 18. +Confession, Dr. Plank on, 102. +--------- private, unscriptural, 103. +--------- how performed, 98-100. +Concessions, Melancthon's, 54, 49. +--------- of the Reformers to Papists, 49. +Concluding remarks, 161-68. +Controversy, religious, sometimes necessary and useful, 13. +--------- how it should be conducted, 16. +--------- the present commenced by Old Lutherans, 8. +Creed of the Council of Nice, 20. +Creeds not commanded by the Bible, 19. +--------- only inferential, 19. +--------- human, all uninspired, 23. +--------- not all changes in, to be deprecated, 45. +--------- must be conformed to Bible truth in every age, 23, 29. + +Definite Platform, its origin, 26. +--------- --------- its authors not agitators, 26. +--------- --------- not a new rejection of errors, 43. +--------- --------- retains more of the Augsburg Confession than the +General Synod's Pledge, 15. +--------- --------- adopted by several Synods, 15. +--------- --------- misunderstood, 28. +--------- --------- an unofficial proposal till adopted by Synods,--right +to make it, 32. +--------- --------- claimed no authority till adopted, 32. +Denomination, a Christian bound not to defend, but to reject the errors +of its symbols, 38. +Depravity natural, a scriptural doctrine, 6, 7. +Design of this work, 3, 4. +Disadvantages attending the preparation of Augsburg Confession, 48. +Disclaimer, Synodical, 63. +Doctrine, fundamental, list of, 5. +Duty of a church to test her creed by Scripture, 23. +--------- --------- to alter her creed if found erroneous, 29, 162-68. +--------- --------- cannot be to deny the truth, 162. + +Elevation of the host, long retained by Luther, 65. +Endress, Dr., disavows parts of the Augsburg Confession, 41. +Episcopal Church in America changed her standards, 30. +Eucharist, the symbols on, 148, 149, 150. +--------- real presence of Christ's body in, refuted, 151-52. +--------- supposed sin-forgiving power of, not scriptural, 153-54. +Exorcism, altered interpretation of, 155. +--------- long retained in some parts of the church, 155, &c. +--------- Koellner, Guericke, other authorities, 156. +--------- ascertained facts in the case, 160. +Faber, his attempted refutation of Augsburg Confession, 76. +Faith, a living, always required for pardon, 130. +Forgiveness of sin belongs to God alone, 104, &c. +Form of Concord rejected by a large part of the Lutheran Church, 24. +--------- --------- acknowledges the right of altering confessions, 38. +Fuhrman on the mass, 68. +Fundamental doctrine, what? 4. +Funk on Private Confession, 98. + +General Synod, liberality of her basis, 9. +Golden age of the Christian church, 20. +Gospel, life of the, the true life of a church, 37. + +Hagenbach, Dr., on bodily presence in the supper, 60. +Hazelius, Dr., on the Diet of Augsburg, 55. +--------- Dr., dissents from the Augsburg Confession, 42. +History of American Lutheran Church, 93. +Host, elevation of, long retained, 65. + +Improvement of erroneous creeds creditable to a church, 45. +Investigation the safeguard of religious truth, 14. + +Jacobsen, Professor, on Confession, 102. +Jonas, Justus, Luther's Letter to, 54. +Justification, faith and not the sacraments the immediate condition +of, 130. + +Keys, power of, 100, 101. +Knapp, Dr., not symbolic, 59. +--------- on the eucharist, 60. +--------- influence of the sacraments defined, 133. +Koecher, Dr., views of the duty of a church to correct her +confession, 45. + +Larger Catechism of Luther rejected, 25. +Latin hymns in the mass, 82. +Life, the true, of the church, what? 37. +Lintner, Dr., dissents from the Augsburg Confession, 42. +Lochman, Dr., omits large portions of the Augsburg Confession in his +recension, 40. +Lord's Supper, see Eucharist. +Luther, the Protestant princes abstain from consulting him during the +Diet at Augsburg, 50. +--------- progressive reformer, 65. +--------- his use of the word mass, 71, &c. +--------- engaged in constant controversy, 14. +--------- was originally pledged to the whole Romish system, 21. +--------- enlightened by the study of Scripture, 21. +--------- never signed any confession of faith, 22. +--------- his defiance of papists, 54. +--------- his letter to Lazarus Spengler, 71, to Hausmann, 71, to +Jonas, 72. +--------- acknowledges the imperfection of the reformation, 35. +--------- his oath of obedience to Papacy, 21. +--------- his sense of obligation to the Bible, 46. +Lutheran Church, American, founded on Independent or Congregational, +or Republican principles, 32, 33. + +Mass, closet, early rejected, 65. +--------- public, rejected after Augsburg diet, 66. +--------- ceremonies of, retained by Augsburg Confession, 66, 68. +--------- its nature, 69, 71. +--------- reformers trained to its Papal use, 70. +--------- the usus loquendi of the word, 71, 72, 81-90. +--------- distinct from sacrament or Lord's Supper, 71, &c., 74. +--------- Canon of, what, 73. +--------- Luther's definition of, 74. +--------- meaning, in the symbols, 81, &c., 90. +Mann, Rev., misapplies the word heretic, 26. +--------- misapprehends the profession of the New School Lutherans, 33. +Melancthon, his concessions to Popery, 53, 54. +--------- Luther's rebuke for his concessions, 53, 54. +--------- on the mass, 74-78. +--------- Letters to Luther, 75, 76, 77, 48. [sic] +--------- advice to his mother, 14. +--------- did not regard the Augsburg Confession as perfect, 23. +--------- ready to submit to Romish bishops again, 35. +--------- describes his danger and depression at the Diet, 49. +--------- complains about the indifference of the princes to consult +Luther, 50. +--------- his remarkable letter to Campegius, 51. +Methodists, Episcopal, made extensive changes in the Thirty-nine +Articles, 31. +Miller, Dr. G. B., dissents from the Augsburg Confession, 42. +Mosheim, Dr., 68, 132. +Murdock, Dr., on the mass, 68. + +Natural Depravity, a Scriptural doctrine, 6, 7. +--------- --------- reality of it taught by the author, 6, 7. +New creed, advocated by some, 44. + +Our church, right or wrong, an unchristian motto, 38. +Obedience, offered to the Romish church by Melancthon, to obtain +peace, 52. + +Pardon or justification, faith the condition of, 130. +Peculiarities of our church when scriptural, to be retained, 38. +Plank, Dr., on confession, 102. +Platform, Definite, see Definite Platform. +Political institutions less important than the church, 17. +Popular Theology, reference to, 93. +Presbyterians changed their confession, 31. +Private confession, how performed, 98. +--------- --------- rejected, 25. +Public confession substituted for private, 25. +Puseyism, 131. +--------- flatters the vanity of ministers, 131. + +Question, the true state of, 17. + +Rationalism, unjustly charged on some American writers by Germans, 7, 8. +Recension, American, digest of, 61. +Reformation, time of, at the diet, not favorable to the formation of a +full, impartial creed, 22, 47. +Reformers, progressive, 57, 58, 65. +--------- fallible men, 35. +Refutation, papal, of Augsburg Confession, 79. +--------- distinguishes between mass and eucharist, 79. +Reinhard, Dr., not symbolic, 59, 132. +Reply to Rev. Mann's general observations, 22-24. +Responsibility, fearful, of disseminating error in creeds, 34. +Right of ministers to dissent from the Augsburg Confession conceded, 43. +Reformer's, the, if living would themselves reject these errors, 35. +--------- were educated till adult age in all the superstitions +of Rome, 37. +Regeneration, baptismal, 135, &c. +--------- --------- taught by the symbolical books, 135, 136, 137. +--------- --------- taught by the Reformers, 138-140. +--------- --------- taught by the early theologians, 140, &c. +Regeneration, baptismal, influence of this doctrine on the +pulpit, 141, &c. +Rufinus' report on the origin of the Apostles' creed, 19. +Romanists and Puseyites in error, 18. + +Sabbath, views of the Reformers on, 107, 111, 112, &c. +--------- Ruecker, Hengstenberg, Waler, on, 108, 109. +Sacraments, their relation to pardon or justification, 9. +Schaeffer, Dr. F. C., dissents from the Augsburg Confession, 41. +Schaff, Dr., an inadvertence corrected, 5, 6. +Schultz, Dr., on German theology, 60. +Scriptures, why better understood more than three centuries ago, 36. +Siegel, on history of the mass, 69; confession, 102. +Sin, pardon of, belongs to God, 104, &c. +Smalcald Articles, more decided, 55. +--------- --------- rejected by Sweden and Denmark, 25. +Smaller Catechism of Luther, rejected in Sweden, 25. +Spalatin, his abstract of Augsburg Confession, 79. +--------- distinguishes between mass and Lord's Supper, 79. +Standpoint of the American Lutheran Church, 35. +Storr, Dr., 59. +Symbolism, Post-Lutheran and Ultra-Lutheran, 164. +Symbolic, what makes a book such, 160, 161. +Symbols, departure of German theologians from, 59. +Symbolic System, when introduced, 22. +--------- --------- no part of original Lutheranism, 163. +Symbol, the mother, of Protestantism retained, 44. +Synods, General, doctrinal basis defended, 4. + +Theologians, German, unsymbolic, 59. +Theological Seminary, liberality of her doctrinal basis, 9. +Topics discussed in this work, 4. +Truth fears not investigation, 44. + +Ultra-Lutherans must unchurch the Lutherans of Luther's lifetime, 25. + +War on the Platform by Old Lutherans, offensive and not defensive +war, 25. +Western Synods, the Platform primarily designed for them 27. +Word of God, the inspired, complete, 18. +--------- --------- the only creed used in the apostolic age, 18. + +Zwingle's Confession, 75. + + +[tr. note: after the index, the copy transcribed includes a 12 page +catalog of books available from the publisher T. 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