he opportunity of knowing the difference,
and arguments on each side, but the debates might also have been
committed to paper and published, and thus the whole Lutheran community
might have been judges in this controversy. When a doctrine is in
dispute between two parties, how shall the public decide when they never
heard the opposite arguments? Is it rational to condemn either party
without a trial? Whilst the deeds of men are to be concealed, there are
just grounds for believing that they are evil. Our blessed Savior says,
'For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the
light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth the truth
cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are
wrought in God.' John 3, 20. 21. No man who is confident that he has the
truth on his side will ever evade coming to the light; for he is not
ashamed to profess and vindicate the truth; and though it should be
scrutinized to the utmost, yet he knows that thereby, like gold passing
through the fire, it shall become more brilliant. Even the man who is
diffident with respect to his doctrines, yet having an honest
disposition, never objects to be brought to the light; for he considers
that no greater favor could be shown him than that his errors be
overthrown, and he be led into the paths of truth. But the man who knows
that he cannot defend his doctrines upon Scriptural grounds, and yet
possesses too high an estimation of himself, hates to be brought to the
light, for he knows that his errors will be unmasked; 'for every one
that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his
deeds should be reproved.' Why do men make so many shifts to evade a
public trial of the doctrines, but a consciousness of being in an error
which their pride does not suffer to be publicly exposed? Many a man in
a hasty ill humor condemns a doctrine merely because the man whom he
considers his enemy vindicates it; and though he should afterwards be
clearly convinced, yet he believes it to be beneath his dignity to make
a recantation, and thus throughout all his days he is tormented with a
guilty conscience. In the days of the Reformation public debates were
highly conducive to manifest the errors of the papists. When Luther
confronted his opponents in the presence of multitudes, it was that many
souls got convinced of the truth, which before were kept in ignorance.
Had he refused to appear, especially bef