constrained to interfere. Under their auspices, Andreas and Chemnitz, assisted by other theologians, drew up what is known as the " Form of Concord," in which with great clearness and skill thev reviewed all the matters in dispute, and endeavoured to adopt a mode of statement which should secure genei'al assent. In this they were not disappointed. The Form of Concord was so ofenerally adopted that it received full symbolical authority, and has ever since been regarded as the standard of orthodoxy among the Lutherans.^
As to original sin, and the consequent utter inability of man to any spiritual good, the doctrine of Luther was retained in its integ- rity. Luther had said in his book, " De Servo Arbitrio,'" ^ " Ad- monitos velim liberi arbitrii tutores, ut sciant, sese esse abnegatores Christi dum asserunt liberum avbitrium. Nam si meo studio gra- tiam Dei obtineo, quid opus est Christi gratia pro mea gratia accipienda ? " " Humiliari penitus non potest homo, donee sciat, prorsus extra suas vires, studia, voluntatem, opera, omnino ex alterius arbitrio, consilio, voluntate, opere suam pendere salutem, nempe Dei solius." ^ On this point the " Form of Concord " says, inter alia, " Credimus, quantum abest, ut corpus mortuum seipsum vivificare atque sibi ipsi corporalem vitam restituere pos- sit, tantum abesse, ut homo, qui ratione peccati spiritualiter mor- tuus est, seipsum in vitam spiritualem revocandi ullam facultatem habeat." * Of course, if such be the state of the natural man, there can be no cooperation on the part of the sinner in the work of regeneration. This Symbol, therefore, says, " Antequam homo per Spiritum Sanctum illuminatur, convertitur, regeneratur et tra- hitur, ex sese et propriis naturalibus suis vii'ibus in rebus spiritual- ibus et ad conversionem aut I'egenerationem suam, nihil inchoare operari, aut cooperari potest, nee plus, quam lapis, truncus, aut li- mus." ^ Again, " Quamvis renati etiam in hac vita eousque pro- grediantur, ut bonum velint eoque delectentur, et bene agere atque in pietate proficere studeant : tamen hoc ipsum non a nos- tra voluntate aut a viribus nostris proficiscitur, sed Spiritus Sanctus operatur in nobis illud velle et perficere." ^
If original sin involves spiritual death, and spiritual death im-
1 The Form of Concord consists of two parts; the first is called the Epitome and contains a brief statement of the several articles of faith and of the opposing errors; and the second is the Solii/a Beclaratio or more extended exhibition and vindication of the doctrines taught. The Epitome itself occupies fifty pages in Hase's edition of the Libri SymboUci of the Lu- theran Church.
2 Works, edit. Wittenberg (Latin), 1546, vol. ii. p. 522. 8 [Md. p. 467, b. * Epitome, it. 3; Hase, Libri SymboUci, 3d edit. Leipzig, 1836, p. 579.
8 II. 24; Hase, p. 662. 6 II. 39; Ibid. p. 666.
VOL. n. 46
722 PART m. Cu. XIV. — VOCATION.
plies utter inability to spiritual good, and to all cooperation in the work of regeneration, it follows that regeneration is exclusively the work of the Spirit, in which the subject is entirely passive. This, also, the " Form of Concord " admits. " Item, quod D. Lutherus scripsit, hominis voluntatem in conversione pure passive se habere : id recte et dextere est accipiendum, videlicet respectu divinje gratiae in accendendis novis motibus, hoc est, de eo intelligi oportet, quando Spiritus Dei per verbum audltum, aut per usuui sacramentorum hominis voluntatem aggreditur, et conversionem atque regenerationem in homine operatur. Postquam enim Spiri- tus Sanctus hoc ipsum jam operatus est atque effecit, hominisque voluntatem sola sua divina virtute et operatione immutavit atque renovavit : tunc revera hominis nova ilia voluntas instrumentum est et organon Dei Spiritus Sancti, ut ea noii modo gratiam ap- prehendat, varum etiam in operibus sequentibus Spiritui Sancto cooperetur." ^
But if the reason why any man is regenerated is not that he yields of his own will to the grace of God, or that he cooperates with it, but simply that God gives him a new heart, then it would seem to follow that God saves some and not others of the fallen race of men, of his own good pleasure. In other words, it follows that election to eternal life is not founded in anything In us, but solely in the will or purpose of God. This conclusion the " Form of Concord" admits, so far as the saved are concerned. It teaches (1) That predestination has reference only to the saved. That God predestinates no one either to sin or to eternal death. (2 ) That the election of some persons to salvation is not for any- thing good in them, but solely of the mercy or grace of God. (3.) That predestination to life is the cause of salvation. That is, it is because God from eternity purposed to save certain individu- als of the human family, that they are saved. (4.) That this predestination or election renders the salvation of the elect cer- tain. Should they for a time fall away, their election secures their restoration to a state of grace. The following passages contain the avowal of these several principles. " Prsedestinatio, sen ffiterna Dei electio, tantum ad bonos et dilectos filios Dei pertinet ; et haec est causa ipsorum salutis. Etenim eorum salutem procurat, et ea, quae ad ipsam pertinent, disponit. Super banc Dei prsdes- tinationem salus nostra ita fundata est, ut inferorum ports earn evertere nequeant." ^ " Hac pia doctrina et declaratione articuli
1 Epitome «. 18; Ibid. pp. 582, 583.
s Formula CmicordicB, Epitome, XI. 5; Hase, p. 618.