SECT I.

CEN TIt would be endless to enumerate the different XVI. reasons alleged by the different individuals or PART II communities, who declared their dissent from the Form of Concord.

The con

lius, duke

wick, in

this mat

ter.

XLII. This Form was patronized in a more duct of Ju- especial manner by JULIUS, duke of Brunswick, of Bruns- to whom, in a great measure, it owed its existence, who had employed both his authority and munificence in order to encourage those who had unde taken to compose it, and had commanded all the ecclesiastics, within his dominions, to receive and subscribe it as a rule of faith. But scarcely was it published, when the zealous prince changed his mind, suffered the Form to be publicly op posed by HESHUSIUS, and other divines of his university of Helmstadt, and to be excluded from the number of the Creeds and confessions that were received by his subjects. The reasons alleged by the Lutherans of Brunswick, in behalf of this step, were, 1st, That the Form of Concord, when printed, differed in several places from the manuscript copy to which they had given their approbation; 2dly, That the doctrine relating to the freedom of the human will was expressed in it without a sufficient degree of accuracy and precision, and was also inculcated in the harsh and improper terms that LUTHER had employed in treating that subject: 3dly, That the ubiquity, or universal and indefinite presence of CHRIST's human nature, was therein positively maintained, notwithstanding that the Lutheran church had never adopted any such doctrine. Besides these reasons for rejecting the Form of Concord, which were publicly avowed, others perhaps of a secret nature contributed to the remarkable change, which was visible in the sentiments and proceedings of the duke of Brunswick. Various methods and negociations were employed to remove the dislike which this prince, and the divines that lived in his territories, had conceived

XVL

conceived against the Creed of Berg. Particu-CENT. larly in the year 1583, a convocation of divines SECT.III. from Saxony, Brandenburg, Brunswick, and the PARTI Palatinate, was held at Quedlinburg for this purpose. But JULIUS persisted steadfastly in his opposition, and proposed that the Form of Concord should be examined, and its authority discussed by a general assembly or synod of the Lutheran church [i].

make new

their dos.

trine.

XLIII. This Form was not only opposed from The Crypto abroad, but had likewise adversaries in the very Calvinists country which gave it birth. For even in Saxony attempts to many, who had been obliged to subscribe it, be-spread held it with aversion, in consequence of their at-ri tachment to the doctrine of MELANCTHON. During the life of AUGUSTUS, they were forced to suppress their sentiments; but as soon as he had paid the last tribute to nature, and was succeeded by CHRISTIAN I. the moderate Lutherans and the secret Calvinists resumed their courage. The new elector had been accustomed, from his tender years, to the moderate sentiments of MELANGTHON, and is also said to have discovered a propensity to the doctrine of the Helvetic church. Under his government, therefore, a fair opportunity was offered to the persons abovementioned, of declaring their sentiments and executing their designs. Nor was this opportunity neglected. The attempts to abolish the Form of Concord, that had in time past proved unsuccessful, seemed again to be renewed, and that with a design to

open

[i] See LEON. HUTTERI Concordia Concors, cap. xlv. p. 1051.-PHIL. JUL. RICHTMEYERI Braunschweig Kirchen Historie, part III. cap. viii. p. 483.-See also the authors mentioned by CHRIST. MATTH. PFAFFIUS, in his Acta et Scripta Ecclesia Wurtemberg. p. 62. & Histor. Literar. Theologiæ, part II. p. 423.-For an account of the convocation of Quedlinburg, and the Acts that passed in that assembly, see the German work, entitled, Danische Bibliothec. part VIII. p. 595

XVI.

CEN Topen a door for the entrance of Calvinism into SECT.III. Saxony. The persons who had embarked in this PARTI design, were greatly encouraged by the protection they received from several noblemen of the first rank at the Saxon court, and, particularly, from CRELLIUS, the first minister of CHRISTIAN. Under the auspicious influence of such patrons it was natural to expect success; yet they conducted their affairs with circumspection and prudence. Certain laws were previously enacted, in order to prepare the minds of the people for the intended revolution in the doctrine of the church; and some time after [k] the form of exorcism was omitted in the administration of baptism [7]. These measures were followed by others still more alarming to the rigid Lutherans; for not only a new German Catechism, favourable to the purpose of the secret Calvinists, was industriously distributed among the people, but also a new edition of the Bible in the same language, enriched with the observations of HENRY SALMuth, which were artfully accommodated to this purpose, was, in the year 1591, published at Dresden. The consequences of these vigorous measures were violent tumults and seditions among the people, which the magistrates endeavoured to suppress, by punishing with severity such of the clergy as distinguished themselves by their oppo

[k] In the year 1591.

sition

[] The custom of exorcising, or casting out evil spirits, was used in the fourth century at the admission of Catechumens, and was afterwards absurdly applied in the baptism of infants. This application of it was retained by the greatest part of the Lutheran churches. It was indeed abolished by the elector Christian I. but was restored after his death; and the opposition that had been made to it by Crellius was the chief reason of his unhappy end. See JUSTI. H. BOEHMERI Jus. Ecclesiast. Protestant. tom. iii. p. 843. Ed. Secund. Hale 1727.-As also a German work of MELCHIOR KRAFT, entitled, Geschichte des Exorcismi, p. 401.

XVI.

sition to the views of the court. But the whole C E N T. plan of this religious revolution was, all of a sud- SECT. III. den, overturned by the unexpected death of PART II. Christian, which happened in the year 1591. Then the face of affairs changed again, and assumed its former aspect. The doctors, who had been principally concerned in the execution of this unsuccessful project, were committed to prison, or sent into banishment, after the death of the elector; and its chief encourager and patron Crellius suffered death in the year 1601, as the fruit of his temerity [m].

XLIV. Towards the conclusion of this centu- The dis.. ry, a new controversy was imprudently set on foot pute set on foot by at Wittemberg, by Samuel Huber, a native of Huber. Switzerland, and professor of divinity in that university. The Calvinistical doctrine of absolute predestination and unconditional decrees was extremely offensive to this adventurous doctor, and even excited his warmest indignation. Accordingly he affirmed, and taught publicly, that all mankind were elected from eternity by the Supreme Being to everlasting salvation, and accused his colleagues in particular, and the Lutheran divines in general, of a propensity to the doctrine of Calvin, on account of their asserting, that the divine election was confined to those, whose faith, foreseen by an omniscient God, rendered them the proper objects of his redeeming mercy. The opinion of Huber, as is now acknowledged by many learned men, differed more in words than in reality, from the doctrine of the Lutheran church; for he did no more than explain in a new method, and with a different turn of phrase, VOL. IV. Аа

what

[m] See the German work of Godf. Arnold, entitled, Kirchen-und Ketzer Historie, part II. book XVI. cap. xxxii. p. 863. As also the authors mentioned by Herm. Ascan Engelken, in his Dissertat. de Nic. Crellio, ejusque Supplicio, Rostochii, 1724, edit.

CEN T. what that church had always taught concerning XVI. the unlimited extent of the love of God, as emPART II bracing the whole human race, and excluding

SECT. III.

The judg

troversies.

none by an absolute decree from everlasting salvation. However, as a disagreeable experience and repeated examples had abundantly shewn, that new methods of explaining or proving even received doctrines were as much adapted to excite divisions and contests, as the introduction of new errors, Huber was exhorted to adhere to the ancient method of proposing the doctrine of Election, and instead of his own peculiar forms of expression, to make use of those that were received and authorised by the church. This compliance, nevertheless, he refused to submit to, alleging, that it was contrary to the dictates of his conscience; while his patrons and disciples, in many places, gave several indications of a turbulent and seditious zeal for his cause. These considerations engaged the magistrates of Wittemberg to depose him from his office, and to send him into banishment [n].

XLV. The controversies, of which a succinct ment that account has now been given, and others of inferior ought to be formed con moment, which it is needless to mention, were highcerning all ly detrimental to the true interest of the Lutherthese con- an church, as is abundantly known by all who are acquainted with the history of this century. It must also be acknowledged, that the manner of conducting and deciding these debates, the spirit of the disputants, and the proceedings of the judges, if we form our estimate of them by the sentiments that prevail among the wiser sort of men in modern times, must be considered as inconsistent with equity, moderation, and charity. It betrays, nevertheless, a want both of candour

[] For an account of the writers, that appeared in this controversy, sec Christ. Matth. Piafhi Introductio in Histor. Liter. Toedie, part II. lib. iii. p. 431.