ification," etc. (Schaff 3,
593; Niemeyer, 716.)

The _Westminster Confession_ declares: "By the decree of God, for the
manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto
everlasting life, and others foreordained to everlasting death."
(Schaff 3, 608.) "As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath
He, by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all
the means thereunto. Wherefore they who are elected being fallen in
Adam, are redeemed by Christ are effectually called unto faith in Christ
by His Spirit working in due season; are justified, adopted, sanctified,
and kept by His power through faith unto salvation. Neither are any
other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted,
sanctified, and saved but the elect only." (609.) "The rest of mankind
God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of His own will,
whereby He extends or withholds mercy as He pleases for the glory of His
sovereign power over His creatures, _to pass by_, and to ordain them to
dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of His glorious
justice." (610; Niemeyer, _Appendix_ 6. 7.)

227. Marbach and Zanchi in Strassburg.

In view of the situation portrayed in the preceding paragraphs, it is
certainly remarkable that a general public controversy, particularly
with the Calvinists and Synergists had not been inaugurated long before
the _Formula of Concord_ was able to write that such a conflict had not
yet occurred. Surely the powder required for a predestinarian
conflagration was everywhere stored up in considerable quantities,
within as well as without the Lutheran Church. Nor was a local skirmish
lacking which might have served as the spark and been welcomed as a
signal for a general attack. It was the conflict between Marbach and
Zanchi, probably referred to by the words quoted above from Article XI:
"Something of it [of a discussion concerning eternal election] has been
mooted also among our theologians." This controversy took place from
1561 to 1563, at Strassburg, where Lutheranism and Calvinism came into
immediate contact. In 1536 Strassburg had adopted the _Wittenberg
Concord_ and with it the _Augsburg Confession_ which since took the
place of the _Tetrapolitana_ delivered to Emperor Charles at the Diet
of Augsburg, 1530. The efficient and zealous leader in Lutheranizing
the city was John Marbach a graduate of Wittenberg and, together with
Mathesius, a former guest at L