September 7.--The Emperor summoned the Evangelical States to appear before him. His answer, given by the Elector of the Palatinate, Frederick, was an ungracious one. He had heard with displeasure that they disagreed with others in the principal articles. He would speak with the Pope in regard to a General Council, yet on the condition that they would, in the mean time, adhere to the Catholic Church. But the Protestants now behaved like true Protestants, by declaring that they would abide by the word of God. The more moderate Catholics, at the head of whom were the Baron of Truchsess, and Vehus, the Chancellor of Baden, once more made efforts to bring about an accommodation, but without success. There were thirteen articles on which they could not unite. These were delivered to the mediators just mentioned. The _first_ treats of justification through grace by faith in Christ; the _second_, that works indeed are necessary, but do not earn grace. The _third_ declares that the enumeration of particular sins is not needful in confession; the _fourth_, that repentance is necessary, but that our sins are not forgiven on this account, but on account of our faith, by which we believe the Gospel; the _fifth_, declares the ecclesiastical exercises of penance unnecessary for the remission of punishment; and the _sixth_ declares that uniform human ordinances are not, but unity in doctrine and sacrament are needful to constitute a true unity. The _seventh_ rejects the self-elected service of God, by which men wish to earn his grace, and which has been established without God's command. The _eighth_ declares monastic vows, which men consider meritorious, opposed to the Gospel. The _ninth_ permits the observance of such rules of the Church as may be kept without sin, but not as if they were needful to salvation. The _tenth_ declares the invocation of saints to be a very dangerous practice, and one greatly diminishing the glory of Christ. The _eleventh_ declares that the denial of the cup is opposed to Scripture; and the _twelfth_, that the prohibition of marriage to priests is also unscriptural. The _thirteenth_ and last article maintains that the mass is not a work with which to earn grace, but that grace is offered in the Lord's Supper, and faith obtains it.
Architecture Review
The Life of Philip Melanchthon — Part 57
2026-11-16 03:56:07 · Cedar Herald Index
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