the augsburg confession-第4章

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Way；　the　Truth；　and　the　Life。　John　14；　6。　　



This　doctrine　concerning　faith　is　everywhere　treated　by　Paul；　

Eph。　2；　8：　By　grace　are　ye　saved　through　faith；　and　that　not　

of　yourselves；　it　is　the　gift　of　God；　not　of　works；　etc。　　



And　lest　any　one　should　craftily　say　that　a　new　interpretation　

of　Paul　has　been　devised　by　us；　this　entire　matter　is　

supported　by　the　testimonies　of　the　Fathers。　For　Augustine；　in　

many　volumes；　defends　grace　and　the　righteousness　of　faith；　

over　against　the　merits　of　works。　And　Ambrose；　in　his　De　

Vocatione　Gentium；　and　elsewhere；　teaches　to　like　effect。　For　

in　his　De　Vocatione　Gentium　he　says　as　follows：　Redemption　by　

the　blood　of　Christ　would　become　of　little　value；　neither　

would　the　preeminence　of　man's　works　be　superseded　by　the　

mercy　of　God；　if　justification；　which　is　wrought　through　

grace；　were　due　to　the　merits　going　before；　so　as　to　be；　not　

the　free　gift　of　a　donor；　but　the　reward　due　to　the　laborer。　　



But；　although　this　doctrine　is　despised　by　the　inexperienced；　

nevertheless　God…fearing　and　anxious　consciences　find　by　

experience　that　it　brings　the　greatest　consolation；　because　

consciences　cannot　be　set　at　rest　through　any　works；　but　only　

by　faith；　when　they　take　the　sure　ground　that　for　Christ's　

sake　they　have　a　reconciled　God。　As　Paul　teaches　Rom。　5；　1：　

Being　justified　by　faith；　we　have　peace　with　God。　This　whole　

doctrine　is　to　be　referred　to　that　conflict　of　the　terrified　

conscience；　neither　can　it　be　understood　apart　from　that　

conflict。　Therefore　inexperienced　and　profane　men　judge　ill　

concerning　this　matter；　who　dream　that　Christian　righteousness　

is　nothing　but　civil　and　philosophical　righteousness。　　



Heretofore　consciences　were　plagued　with　the　doctrine　of　

works；　they　did　not　hear　the　consolation　from　the　Gospel。　Some　

persons　were　driven　by　conscience　into　the　desert；　into　

monasteries　hoping　there　to　merit　grace　by　a　monastic　life。　

Some　also　devised　other　works　whereby　to　merit　grace　and　make　

satisfaction　for　sins。　Hence　there　was　very　great　need　to　

treat　of；　and　renew；　this　doctrine　of　faith　in　Christ；　to　the　

end　that　anxious　consciences　should　not　be　without　consolation　

but　that　they　might　know　that　grace　and　forgiveness　of　sins　

and　justification　are　apprehended　by　faith　in　Christ。　　



Men　are　also　admonished　that　here　the　term　〃faith〃　does　not　

signify　merely　the　knowledge　of　the　history；　such　as　is　in　the　

ungodly　and　in　the　devil；　but　signifies　a　faith　which　

believes；　not　merely　the　history；　but　also　the　effect　of　the　

history　　namely；　this　Article：　the　forgiveness　of　sins；　to　

wit；　that　we　have　grace；　righteousness；　and　forgiveness　of　

sins　through　Christ。　　



Now　he　that　knows　that　he　has　a　Father　gracious　to　him　through　

Christ；　truly　knows　God；　he　knows　also　that　God　cares　for　him；　

and　calls　upon　God；　in　a　word；　he　is　not　without　God；　as　the　

heathen。　For　devils　and　the　ungodly　are　not　able　to　believe　

this　Article：　the　forgiveness　of　sins。　Hence；　they　hate　God　as　

an　enemy；　call　not　upon　Him；　and　expect　no　good　from　Him。　

Augustine　also　admonishes　his　readers　concerning　the　word　

〃faith；〃　and　teaches　that　the　term　〃faith〃　is　accepted　in　the　

Scriptures　not　for　knowledge　such　as　is　in　the　ungodly　but　for　

confidence　which　consoles　and　encourages　the　terrified　mind。　　



Furthermore；　it　is　taught　on　our　part　that　it　is　necessary　to　

do　good　works；　not　that　we　should　trust　to　merit　grace　by　

them；　but　because　it　is　the　will　of　God。　It　is　only　by　faith　

that　forgiveness　of　sins　is　apprehended；　and　that；　for　

nothing。　And　because　through　faith　the　Holy　Ghost　is　received；　

hearts　are　renewed　and　endowed　with　new　affections；　so　as　to　

be　able　to　bring　forth　good　works。　For　Ambrose　says：　Faith　is　

the　mother　of　a　good　will　and　right　doing。　For　man's　powers　

without　the　Holy　Ghost　are　full　of　ungodly　affections；　and　are　

too　weak　to　do　works　which　are　good　in　God's　sight。　Besides；　

they　are　in　the　power　of　the　devil　who　impels　men　to　divers　

sins；　to　ungodly　opinions；　to　open　crimes。　This　we　may　see　in　

the　philosophers；　who；　although　they　endeavored　to　live　an　

honest　life　could　not　succeed；　but　were　defiled　with　many　open　

crimes。　Such　is　the　feebleness　of　man　when　he　is　without　faith　

and　without　the　Holy　Ghost；　and　governs　himself　only　by　human　

strength。　　



Hence　it　may　be　readily　seen　that　this　doctrine　is　not　to　be　

charged　with　prohibiting　good　works；　but　rather　the　more　to　be　

commended；　because　it　shows　how　we　are　enabled　to　do　good　

works。　For　without　faith　human　nature　can　in　no　wise　do　the　

works　of　the　First　or　of　the　Second　Commandment。　Without　faith　

it　does　not　call　upon　God；　nor　expect　anything　from　God；　nor　

bear　the　cross；　but　seeks；　and　trusts　in；　man's　help。　And　

thus；　when　there　is　no　faith　and　trust　in　God　all　manner　of　

lusts　and　human　devices　rule　in　the　heart。　Wherefore　Christ　

said；　John　16；6：　Without　Me　ye　can　do　nothing；　and　the　Church　

sings：　　

Lacking　Thy　divine　favor；　

There　is　nothing　found　in　man；　

Naught　in　him　is　harmless。　　





Article　XXI：　Of　the　Worship　of　the　Saints。　



Of　the　Worship　of　Saints　they　teach　that　the　memory　of　saints　

may　be　set　before　us；　that　we　may　follow　their　faith　and　good　

works；　according　to　our　calling；　as　the　Emperor　may　follow　the　

example　of　David　in　making　war　to　drive　away　the　Turk　from　his　

country；　For　both　are　kings。　But　the　Scripture　teaches　not　the　

invocation　of　saints　or　to　ask　help　of　saints；　since　it　sets　

before　us　the　one　Christ　as　the　Mediator；　Propitiation；　High　

Priest；　and　Intercessor。　He　is　to　be　prayed　to；　and　has　

promised　that　He　will　hear　our　prayer；　and　this　worship　He　

approves　above　all；　to　wit；　that　in　all　afflictions　He　be　

called　upon；　1　John　2；　1：　If　any　man　sin；　we　have　an　Advocate　

with　the　Father；　etc。　



This　is　about　the　Sum　of　our　Doctrine；　in　which；　as　can　be　

seen；　there　is　nothing　that　varies　from　the　Scriptures；　or　

from　the　Church　Catholic；　or　from　the　Church　of　Rome　as　known　

from　its　writers。　This　being　the　case；　they　judge　harshly　who　

insist　that　our　teachers　be　regarded　as　heretics。　There　is；　

however；　disagreement　on　certain　Abuses；　which　have　crept　into　

the　Church　without　rightful　authority。　And　even　in　these；　if　

there　were　some　difference；　there　should　be　proper　lenity　on　

the　part　of　bishops　to　bear　with　us　by　reason　of　the　

Confession　which　we　have　now　reviewed；　because　even　the　Canons　

are　not　so　severe　as　to　demand　the　same　rites　everywhere；　

neither；　at　any　time；　have　the　rites　of　all　churches　been　the　

same；　although；　among　us；　in　large　part；　the　ancient　rites　are　

diligently　observed。　For　it　is　a　false　and　malicious　charge　

that　all　the　ceremonies；　all　the　things　instituted　of　old；　are　

abolished　in　our　churches。　But　it　has　been　a　common　complaint　

that　some　abuses　were　connected　with　the　ordinary　rites。　

These；　inasmuch　as　they　could　not　be　approved　with　a　good　

conscience；　have　been　to　some　extent　corrected。　



ARTICLES　IN　WHICH　ARE　REVIEWED　

THE　ABUSES　WHICH　HAVE　BEEN　

CORRECTED。　



Inasmuch；　then；　as　our　churches　dissent　in　no　article　of　the　

faith　from　the　Church　Catholic；　but　only　omit　some　abuses　

which　are　new；　and　which　have　been　erroneously　accepted　by　the　

corruption　of　the　times；　contrary　to　the　intent　of　the　Canons；　

we　pray　that　Your　Imperial　Majesty　would　graciously　hear　both　

what　has　been　changed；　and　what　were　the　reasons　why　the　

people　were　not　compelled　to　observe　those　abuses　against　

their　conscience。　Nor　should　Your　Imperial　Majesty　believe　

those　who；　in　order　to　excite　the　hatred　of　men　against　our　

part；　disseminate　strange　slanders　among　the　people。　Having　

thus　excited　the　minds　of　good　men；　they　have　first　given　

occasion　to　this　controversy；　and　now　endeavor；　by　the　same　

arts；　to　increase　the　discord。　For　Your　Imperial　Majesty　will　

undoubtedly　find　that　the　form　of　doctrine　and　of