1. The Smalcald War. Already during the life of Luther clouds of war had frequently arisen, threatening to destroy the Lutheran church. But as long as Luther lived the storm did not break. His prophecy was fulfilled: "I have fervently prayed to God, and still beseech Him daily, to check the evil counsels of the papists and permit no war to come upon Germany while I live, and I am sure that God has certainly heard my prayer, and I know that as long as I live there will be no war in Germany. Now when I am dead, rest and sleep do you also pray. I will die before this calamity and misery come upon Germany." Scarcely had Luther closed his eyes when the emperor and the Pope thought the time had come again to strengthen popery and oppress the Lutheran doctrine with the sword, aye, completely to destroy it. The emperor accused the Lutheran princes of disobedience because they would not submit to the Edict of Augsburg, and declared the ban of the empire against them. Soon thereafter he made war upon them. The Lutherans also gathered an army for their defense. Before the Elector John Frederick was aware of it the emperor's army, led by a traitor, fell upon him.
On the 24th of April, 1547, the battle was fought near Muehlberg on the Elbe. The army of the Lutheran princes was defeated; 3000 remained upon the battlefield, and the elector himself was taken prisoner. Not long thereafter he was condemned to die. Only on condition that he surrender his electoral crown and domain to the Lutheran Duke Maurice of Saxony, who had joined the forces of the emperor, was he to be pardoned. The elector gave up his country without remonstrance, but he would not forsake his faith. His high courage earned him the title, "The Magnanimous." For when the emperor demanded that he sign the resolutions of the Council of Trent in which the Lutheran doctrine was condemned, he declared with indignation: "I will abide steadfast in the doctrine and confession which, together with my father and other princes, I confessed at Augsburg, and rather give up country and people, yea, and my head also, than forsake the Word of God."
Thus the cause of the Lutheran confessors seemed to be lost. But right in the midst of war's tumult and the enemy's triumph sounded the word of the Lord: "Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the word, and it shall not stand; for God is with us," Is. 8, 10. God helped wonderfully. Maurice of Saxony demanded of the emperor the release of his father-in-law, Philip of Hesse. When the emperor refused to do this Maurice turned against him with his army and put him to flight. In 1555 the Peace of Augsburg was signed. By it complete liberty of religion and worship was guaranteed to the Lutherans for the future.
2. Doctrinal Controversies. Already in the days of Luther fanatics had attempted to darken and displace the true doctrine with diverse errors. After his death his prophetic words were fulfilled: "I see it coming, if God does not give us faithful pastors and ministers the devil will disrupt the church by factious spirits, and will not leave off nor cease till he has finished it. If the devil cannot do it through the Pope and the emperor he will accomplish it through those who now agree with us in doctrine. Therefore pray God to let His Word remain with you, for abominable things will happen. I know that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock."
Scarcely had the faithful watchman and guardian been gathered to his fathers when everywhere teachers and preachers arose who departed from the truth of God's Word and tried to set up their own false teachings. Thus some taught: Good works are necessary unto salvation; others, again, maintained: Not only are they unnecessary, but they are harmful to our salvation. Again, it was taught that man could prepare himself for grace, and assist in his conversion. Others even secretly plotted to introduce the false doctrines of the Reformed into the Lutheran church. Thus the bright light which shone so brilliantly in Luther's days was in danger of being obscured by the doctrines of men. But in the midst of such confusion God had His faithful confessors. After heated contests truth, by God's grace, obtained the victory. In 1577, by the united labors of the faithful confessors, the Form of Concord, the last confession of the Lutheran church, was completed. In this confession the Lutheran church renounces all error and demands of all its members unity of doctrine and confession. The reestablished unity of doctrine called forth loud rejoicing and thanksgiving to God everywhere in Germany. In 1580 the Book of Concord of the Lutheran church, containing also the Form of Concord, appeared in print for the first time.
3. The Thirty Years' War. This good fortune and peace of the Lutheran church did not last long. Satan did not cease to attack her. For his purpose he especially used the Jesuits, a new order of monks. These allied servants of the Pope used every means to suppress the Lutheran church. As advisers of princes, in the confessional, and as teachers at the higher schools they fanned the flame of hatred against the Lutherans, and their endeavors were not in vain. Through them a war of thirty years began to rage in Germany. During the reign of Emperor Rudolph II the religious peace guaranteed at Augsburg was broken repeatedly, and the Lutherans were sorely oppressed. Finally, when a Protestant church in Bohemia was forcibly closed and another was even torn down, the storm broke loose. By it the greater part of Germany was laid waste, and untold misery was caused. Everywhere the evangelical princes were defeated, and their cause seemed to be lost. The Pope and his minions rejoiced.
But in the hour of greatest distress help appeared in the person of Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden. Everywhere the people welcomed him. However, in his march of triumph through Germany he met with a bloody death. On the 6th of November, 1632, a battle was fought at Luetzen. In the Swedish army the trumpeters played the hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God." Then the whole army sang, "May God Bestow on us His Grace." Whereupon the king cried, "Now at it! In the name of God! Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, help us fight this day in honor of Thy holy name!" The Swedes gained a glorious victory, but their king, struck by a bullet, fell dying from his horse. Sixteen years longer the deplorable war raged on. In 1648 the long-desired peace was finally concluded. In it the Religious Peace of Augsburg was again acknowledged and extended to include the Reformed church. The Pope protested violently, but in vain.
It is true, conditions after the war were terrible in Germany, also for the Lutheran church. But the chastenings of the Lord strengthened the faith in His Word, and the church flourished and prospered. Faithful pastors strengthened the Christians by their sermons and their writings, and everywhere the seed grew and brought fruit. It was just in this time that pious poets made their harps resound and sang their glorious hymns to the honor and praise of God.
4. Rationalism and Unionism. In no way had the devil succeeded in smothering the Lutheran church in its own blood or in destroying it by false doctrine. Again and again courageous witnesses arose, and in loud and clear words testified that man is justified and saved by grace alone, for Christ's sake, through faith. At the end of the seventeenth century, however, men arose in England who craftily sought to abolish the Christian faith. These were the so-called Deists, or Freethinkers. Their doctrine, at first, passed from England to France, and then to Germany. Human reason was to take the place of the Bible. Luther's prophecy was fulfilled: "Until now you have heard the true, faithful Word; now beware of your own thoughts and your own wisdom. The devil will light the candle of reason and deprive you of faith." Not the Scriptures, the revelation of God, but human reason was to decide matters of faith and salvation. Whatever did not agree with human reason was simply to be rejected as superstition. Whoever confessed his faith in the truths of the Bible was called an obscurant. Those were sad times.
In addition, the so-called "Union" in Germany, by sacrificing the biblical truth, made the attempt to unite the Lutheran and the Reformed churches into a mixed church, which was called the Evangelical church. In this way the ruin of the church of the pure Gospel was to be completed. Faithful Lutherans who would not join in this apostasy were violently persecuted, cast into prison, cruelly punished, or compelled to emigrate into foreign countries, Australia or America.