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

the objects of the Diet, the comparison and harmonizing of the conflicting
views which were dividing the Church, and to this end required of the
evangelical princes a statement of their doctrine. The Elector of Saxony,
the leader of the Evangelical States, foresaw that for any such comparison
a clear and judicious statement in writing, both as to doctrines and abuses,
would be necessary on the part of the Protestants, (Lutherans,) and gave
the command to the four theologians, to prepare the needed statement, and
present it to him in eight days at Torgau. The shortness of the time allotted
is the solution of the fact, that "these theologians joined upon the work that
had already been performed by one of their number," though it is not
strictly accurate to say that the work had been performed by one of their
number, as Luther says, in so many words, in his Preface to these Articles,
that they were not his exclusive work. 236 His co-laborers in preparing
them were Melanchthon, Jonas, Osiander, Brentius and Agricola. "In the
preceding year, (1529,) Luther, at a Convention of Protestants, at
Schwabach, had prepared seventeen Articles, to be adopted as the
doctrinal bond of union. These Articles, this body of Commissioners
appointed by Prince John adopted, and, having added to their number
some new ones that had respect to certain ecclesiastical abuses, presented
the whole to, the Crown Prince, in Torgau, in March, 1530. Hence, they
are sometimes denominated the 'Articles of Torgau.'" The reader must not
suppose, as he might, that "Prince John" was one person, and "the Crown
Prince" another. We do not know why Dr. Shedd prefers the title
"Prince" to the more definite and historical term Elector, unless as a
resident of New York, there is special music to his ear in the style and title
of that old time pet of the Empire State, "Prince John" Van Buren. And
why does he style the Elector the "Crown Prince?"
In the nomenclature of the best recent writers on the history of the
Augsburg Confession, the title "Schwabach Articles" is confined to those
of the 27th of October, 1529, and the name of "Torgau Articles" is
restricted to the Articles prepared by
236 Sie sind nit von mir allein gestellet. The whole are given in Cyprian's Historia, (Gotha, 1730,) Beilage, p. 159.
Corpus Reformatorum, xxvi. 138.