The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology - Saint Mary ...

in her history, her restoration in the great Reformation. The most splendid
phase of that portion of her annals is to be found in the Diet of Augsburg,
and the "Good Confession" which she then "witnessed" before the mighty
of the world. The city of Augsburg has not been wanting in historical
associations of high interest, but they are dim before its chief glory. Its
ancient spires, on which the soft light of many a sinking sun had rested,
were then illumined by a milder radiance, which shall never set. It slopes
towards two considerable rivers, between which it lies embosomed, but
never had that "river which makes glad the city of God," so poured
through it its stream of life, as on that eventful day. Thrice since that period
the thunder of artillery and the clash of arms have sounded around and
within it--but it is our heroes whose glory still keeps its name fresh in the
memories of men, and shall keep it when its palaces have crumbled into
dust.
Romanism and its Creed.
An age of darkness is a creedless age; corruption in doctrine works
best when it is unfettered by an explicit statement of that doctrine.
Between the Athanasian Creed (probably about A. D. 434) and the
sixteenth century, there is no new General Creed. Error loves ambiguities.
In the contest with Rome the Reformers complained bitterly that she
refused to make an explicit official statement of her doctrine. "Our
opponents," says the Apology, 143 "do not bestow the labor, that there may
be among the people some certain statement of the chief points of the
ecclesiastical doctrines." Just in proportion to the blind devotion of men to
Popery were they reluctant to have its doctrines stated in an authorized
form, and only under the compulsion of a public sentiment which was
wrought by the Reformation, did the Church of Rome at length convene
the Council of Trent. Its decisions were not completed and set forth until
seventeen years after Luther's death, and thirty-three years after the
Augsburg Confession. The proper date of the distinctive life of a particular
Church is furnished by her Creed. Tested by the General Creeds, the
Evangelical Lutheran Church has the same claim as the Romish Church to
be considered in unity with the early
143 231, 43.