# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Februar 1857_S43
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Lutheran-theological Pastor's Library. 43

...report on the difference between the true Evangelical Lutheran and the Reformed doctrine. By Dr. Hector Gottfried Masius. Copenhagen, 1691." 12mo. The author of this excellent work, Masius, was for a time Danish embassy preacher in Paris, later court preacher and professor at Copenhagen; he died in 1709. The little book deserves to be preferred far above many other such writings, both for the earnest, gentle spirit of truth in love *), and for the clarity and thoroughness of its argumentation. Besides the content indicated on the title page, it also contains as an appendix the "Discussion of the question: 1. Whether religious unity and friendship may be hoped for between the Lutherans and the Reformed? 2. Whether the Reformed are not bound in conscience, by force of their own doctrinal propositions, to come over to us?" To show the spirit that characterizes the little book, a few words from the author's own preface may best serve. There it is said, among other things, as follows: "As for the controversy between us and the Reformed body, who among us should be so unchristian and so far removed from love and unity that he would not wish with his whole soul that the divided Mount of Olives might grow together again (Zech. 14:4) and that the envy between Manasseh and Ephraim might cease (Isa. 11:13), and that those who have both come out of Babel might not wear themselves out and consume one another among themselves; whereby only this comes to pass, that both parties become prey to the apocalyptic beast, which is drunk with the blood of the slain. It is beyond dispute that Rome has nothing greater to fear than the union of the Lutherans and the Reformed, and that the pillars of the Vatican tremble at the mere name of such a union. It is also certain that right and godly theologians would not hold their blood too dear to purchase with it a peace of the church, so long as it were not prejudicial to the truth. But alongside the love of peace, the holy God has also set the love of truth, etc. Were we already at one in the foundation of the faith, our pens would have to be accursed that we should moisten them for an unnecessary strife against our brethren. But because the difference in our doctrine is so great, we do rightly in repeating the truth again and again, in case we might thereby win some souls."

Although it does not lie within our plan to give guidance as to where in Luther's collected writings the best material on the individual branches of theological science is to be found, we cannot forbear, here, where we are giving notice of the best writings directed against the errors of the Reformed, to call to mind Luther's relevant polemical writings. We have come, after many years of uninterrupted study of these writings, to the clear conviction that Luther not only under

*) Masius' gentleness was proverbial in his time; from the year 1703 until his death he devoted his entire salary to pious purposes.