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Nothing in my whole life was of greater concern to me than that I—from my earliest years—compared the Protestant religion original: "evangelische Religion"; specifically referring to the Lutheran faith., which the great Luther freed from darkness and which I myself drew in with my mother’s milk, with the Holy Scriptures; that I supplemented it from the unadulterated Augsburg Confession The primary confession of faith of the Lutheran Church, written in 1530. and the Formula of Concord A definitive doctrinal agreement of the Lutheran Church from 1577 intended to settle internal disputes. to understand it more fully; that I confirmed it through the instruction of my teachers, especially Dr. Matthias Hafenreffer A prominent Lutheran theologian (1561–1619) at Tübingen who was Andreä's mentor.; strengthened it by reading our theologians and observing the agreement of the Holy Fathers The influential early Christian theologians of the first few centuries after Christ.; and finally, for about thirty years—according to the testimony of so many listeners and respected colleagues—publicly professed it in the presence of the Court, the Chancellery, and the University, while detesting its opponents.

Nevertheless, I could not tame the barking of slander, which attacked me either through secret whispers or public accusations, and blamed me for being infected by the very heresies for which I had the strongest loathing, or for secret collusion, or at least for bordering upon them.

The main reason for my unpardonable crime is that I [learned?] from Johann Arndt Johann Arndt (1555–1621) was an influential Lutheran theologian whose work focused on personal devotion; despite his popularity, he was often accused of mysticism by more rigid peers. Andreä was a known defender of Arndt.,

Protestant religion (the faith of the Reformation), Augsburg Confession (the core Lutheran statement of faith), Formula of Concord (a document resolving Lutheran theological disputes), Holy Fathers (early Christian leaders), slander, heresies (beliefs conflicting with established church doctrine)