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.