The cause of truth and unity was not to triumph by means of a congress at Smalcalde, by diplomatic negotiations, or by the instrumentality of Francis I. He who said, _My kingdom is not of this world_, did not choose men of the world to establish his kingdom, and will not permit a monotonous uniformity to take the place of unity in his empire. Treaties, constitutions, and forms prescribed by monarchs are human elements which the kingdom of heaven repudiates. True unity does not proceed from an identical administration, a clerical organization, or a pompous hierarchy: it is essentially moral and spiritual, and consists in community of thoughts, faith, affections, works, and hopes. Diversity of forms, far from injuring it, gives it more intensity. In the sixteenth century the world was far, and is still far, from seeing the realization of this divine unity. Some steps, however, have been taken, and the time no doubt will come when, according to the scriptural prophecy, all the families of the earth will be blessed in Christ Jesus.[791] But there will be no real, free, evangelical catholicity until Christians understand and realize those elementary words of the primitive Church: _I believe in the communion of saints_. Footnote 715: _Supra_, vol. ii. ch. xxi. bk. 2. Footnote 716: _Historia belli Anabaptistarum monasteriensis_, by H. von Kerssenbroeck. Footnote 717: ‘Viri optimi et fidelissimi Voræi testimonium.’—Melancthon G. Bellaio, _Corp. Ref._ ii. 315. Footnote 718: ‘Cum eo locutus de profectione ad Regem.’,—Camerarius, _Vita Melancthonis_, p. 148. Camerarius was an intimate friend of Melancthon’s. Footnote 719: ‘Obsides qui darentur dum abesset..... Præsidia quibus deduceretur.’—_Ibid._ Footnote 720: ‘Pæne orbis terrarum fortunam esse positam.’—_Ibid._ Footnote 721: ‘In illis fluctibus et sævissimis tempestatibus, jam portum et tutissimam stationem.’—_Ibid._ Footnote 722: ‘Sopiti ignes rursum suscitarentur, et suppliciorum immanitas recrudesceret.’—_Ibid._ Footnote 723: ‘Advocari ipsum Dei Christique Jesu voce.’—Camerarius, _Vita Melancthonis_, p. 148. Footnote 724: ‘Afficiebatur atque perturbabatur.’—_Ibid._ Footnote 725: ‘Non respectus ad se aut suos, non longiquitas loci, non periculorum metus.’—_Ibid._ p. 149. Footnote 726: ‘In quibus potissimum falsitas impietatis resideret.’—Camerarius, _Vita Melancthonis_, p. 150. Footnote 727: ‘Quid ipse tamen rex posset efficere—non sine causa dubitabat.’—_Ibid._ p. 150. Footnote 728: ‘Nullam enim rem unquam majore Regem cura, studio, sollicitudine animi complectendam duxisse.’—Camerarius, _Vita Melancthonis_, p. 151. Footnote 729: ‘Neque se abduci ullius persuasione sineret ex tam pio sanctoque instituto.’—_Ibid._ Footnote 730: ‘Er wollte nicht in Frankreich wiederkommen, so ich nicht mit zöge.’—_Corp. Ref._ ii. p. 905. Footnote 731: Bossuet, _Hist. des Variations_, t. i. liv. v. ch. ii. et xix.