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

on the troubles of the time, said that he would gladly correct the evils,
especially those charged upon the Wittenberg theologians, if he could be
furnished with a distinct statement both of the false doctrines charged, and
of the truths opposed to them. The Count promised to have a paper, of the
kind desired, drawn up.
2. The Count of Henneberg (Nov. 1575,) met Louis Duke of
Würtemberg, at the nuptials of the Duke to the daughter of Charles,
Margrave of Baden. When the festivities were over and the other princes
had departed, the Count, the Duke, and the Margrave, agreed to commit to
Luke Osiander and Bidenmbach the preparation of such a writing as the
Count had promised.
3. These divines laid as the groundwork of their paper the Suabian-
Saxon Formula (see Divis. First viii.), compressing it and adding proof
passages from Scripture, and citations from Luther. Their work was
finished Nov. 14, 1575.
III. 1576. Jan. 19. The Maulbrunn Formula.
1. The document thus prepared was submitted to a number of
theologians, delegates of the princes. They tested and approved it in the
Convention at the Cloister of Maulbrunn (Jan. 19, 1576.)
2. The Maulbrunn Formula was sent, Feb. 9, 1576, by the Count of
Henneberg to the Elector of Saxony. The Elector had meanwhile obtained
(Jan. 17, 1576) a copy of the Suabian-Saxon Formula (Div. First. viii.)
from Duke Julius. The Elector now placed both the Formulas, the
Maulbrunn and Suabian-Saxon, in the hands of Andreae, for his advice.
3. Andreae pursued a course in the matter worthy of his venerable
name, and of the confidence reposed in him at the great crisis. Though the
Suabian-Saxon Formula was built so largely upon his own labors, he
confessed that it was unfitted for its end by the irregularities of its style, its
copious use of Latin words, and its diffuseness, while its indeterminateness
toward Melanchthon's writings might give rise to new controversies. The
Maulbrunn Formula, on the other hand, which was in some sense an
abridgment of the Suabian-Saxon, was too brief. His counsel, therefore,
was that the two should be