Part I Protheoria: Adiaphora made necessary; charity's defect; joining hands with moderate Evangelicals

There are those who of themselves order things indifferent (ἀδιάφορα) to become necessary, or order what belongs to the pattern of external discipline or of order — variable of course with the variety of Places, Nations, and Customs — to pass over into the very substance of Christianity, and as it were its soul! There are those who, theoretically immune from fundamental error (as we are ready to judge gently, ἐπιεικῶς), yet distinguish themselves practically by something far heavier: namely by a defect of charity (Matthew 5:23-24; 1 Corinthians 13:1, and so on)! It is already certain that all these things are done when our Savior's mandate, example, character, and last words are set aside (John 14:27), and when the rules and warnings of the holy Apostle of the Gentiles are despised (Ephesians 4:2-3; Philippians 3:16; 1 Timothy 6:4, and so on). The dignity and Office of their own Order are neglected as well; the pious efforts of the Greatest Princes, the most ardent vows of Theologians of either Party, and the groans and sighs of all the Good are tossed up and down as of no account; and no attention is paid to the weight of restoring Evangelical Peace.

We for our part do not cease either to lament in spirit and to grow sick at heart over the most unjust affections of men — with so great a loss to Evangelical truth, harm to the Church, joy to Enemies, offense to the Pious, and increase of Antichristian tyranny — or also to join right hands with those for whom the Divine Majesty has shaped the heart of better clay, who think more fairly and moderately of us and of our Churches, and who understand the fundamental consensus. Such men there are, by God's kindness, here and there through nearly all Germany and the Northern world; especially in these most mournful times, when the Church is already oppressed by the common Enemy and will be oppressed still further unless, with forces and minds joined under the auspices of the highest Powers, she has repressed that fury. And already we hear with joy that in the ample Dominions of the Most Powerful Brandenburg Elector studies are gradually coalescing, hatreds are departing, eristic strife is being barred, common counsel is being taken, and there are being recalled to minds formerly more stirred what men of proven piety, moderation, and prudence urged in this matter in the last century and in ours — Capito, Bucer, Melanchthon, Strigelius, Peucer, Pierius, Himmel, Palladius, Donauer, Chytraeus, Pelargus, Osiander, Calixtus, Meyfart, Matthias, Dilher, Dreier, Conring, Musaeus, Heinich, the Helmstedt men, and others.