rom it, even as God Himself in His Word has not directed us to it.
Because of the fact, therefore, that not all accept this call, we must
not declare that from His free purpose and will, without regard to sin,
God in His secret counsel, has ordained those who do not repent to
damnation, so that they cannot be converted and saved (for this has not
been revealed to us in the Word), but adhere to this, that God's
judgments in these cases are unsearchable and incomprehensible."

"It is impossible that the doctrine of the opponents concerning this
article should not produce in the hearers either despair or Epicurean
security, when in this doctrine it is taught that God, from His mere
counsel and purpose and irrespective of sin, has ordained some to
damnation so that they cannot be converted. For as soon as a heart hears
this, it cannot but despair of its salvation, or fall into these
Epicurean thoughts: If you are among the reprobate whom, from His free
purpose and without regard to sin, God has ordained to damnation, then
you cannot be saved, do what you will. But if you are among those who
shall be saved, then you cannot fail; do what you will, you must
nevertheless be saved, etc. We do not in the least intend to join our
opponents in giving occasion for such things. God also shall protect us
from it." (209.)

Again: "They [the opponents] also say that we stress the universal
promises of grace, but fail to add that these belong and pertain to
believers. But herein they wrong us. For we urge both, _viz_., that the
promises of grace are universal, and that, nevertheless, only believers,
who labor and are heavy laden, Matt. 11, become partakers of them. But
their [our opponents'] object is to have us join them in saying that
some are ordained to damnation from the free purpose of God, also
without regard to sin, whom He does not want to be saved, even though He
calls them through the Word and offers His grace and salvation to them,
--which, however, we shall never do. For our heart is filled with horror
against such a Stoic and Manichean doctrine." (209 b.)

XXII. Article XII of the Formula of Concord: Of Other Heretics and
Sects.

257. Purpose of Article XII.

The purpose of the first eleven articles of the _Formula of Concord_ was
not only to establish peace within the Lutheran Church and to ward off
future controversies, but also to meet the ridicule and obloquy of the
Papists and to brand before the whole world as