To the Readers, one and all, of these Writings of ours, we, the Electors, Princes, and
Deputies of the Holy Roman Empire in Germany, adherents of the Augsburg Confession, who have
subscribed
announce
and declare, according to the dig-
nity
rank
and
our names
of
each
one,
to the same,
our
devotion,
friendship, and greeting, combined willing service.
with
It is a remarkable favor of Almighty God that in these last times and in this old age of the world He has willed, according to His unspeakable
love,
forbearance,
and
mercy,
that after the darkness of papistical superstitions the light of His Gospel and Word, through which alone we receive true salvation, should arise and shine clearly and purely in Germany, our most beloved fatherland. And on this account, indeed, a brief and suc-
cinct confession was prepared from the Word of God, and the most holy writings of the Prophets and Apostles, and at the Diet of Augsburg, in the year 1530, was offered, by our most godly ancestors, in the German and Latin languages, to the Emperor Charles V, of excellent
memory,
and
laid
before
[all]
the deputies of the Empire, and finally, being
circulated publicly among all men professing Christian
doctrine,
and
thus
in the
entire
world, was diffused everywhere, and began to be current in the mouths and speech of all. Afterwards many churches and schools embraced and defended this Confession as a symbol of the present time in regard to the chief articles of faith, especially those involved in controversy with the Romanists and various corruptions of the heavenly doctrine [sects], and with perpetual agreement have appealed to it without any controversy and doubt. The doctrine comprised in it, which they knew both to be supported by firm testimonies of Scripture, and to be approved by the ancient and accepted symbols, they have also constantly judged to be the only and perpetual eonsensus of the truly believing Church, which was formerly defended against manifold heresies and errors, and is now repeated. ' But it ean be unknown
to no one that, im-
mediately after Dr. Martin Luther, that most distinguished hero, endowed with most eminent piety, was removed from human affairs, Germany, our dear fatherland, experienced most perilous times and most severe agitations.
In these
diffieulties,
and
in the
sad
distraetion of a government before flourishing and well regulated, the enemy of mortals eunningly labored to scatter in the churches and schools the seeds of false doctrine and dissensions, to excite divisions combined with
offense, and by these arts of his to corrupt the purity of the heavenly doctrine, to sever the bond of Christian love and godly agreement, and to hinder and' retard to a greater
degree the course of the most holy Gospel. It is also known to all in what manner the enemies of the heavenly doctrine seized this opportunity to disparage our churches and
