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PREFACE. 
 
 The Church's Confessions of Faith are its authorized declara- 
 tions on subjects concerning which its teaching has been mis- 
 
 i ^understood or misrepresented, or is liable to such misunderstanding 
 and misrepresentation. They are not comprehensive systems of 
 
 ^doctrine covering the entire sphere of divine revelation, but 
 have arisen entirely from historical circumstances, where the 
 teaching of the Church has become a matter of controversy. 
 An exception to this statement may probably be found in Luther's 
 
 > Catechisms ; and yet, while they were written for other than 
 
 . polemical purposes, they were offered as standards for the more 
 popular presentation of the truths of the Christian religion at a 
 crisis when both pastors and people needed especial guidance. 
 In each Confession the topics treated, as well as the order, the 
 extent, and the mode of treatment of each topic, are not ideal or 
 determined by any effort to present an exhaustive and logical 
 summary of the faith, as a whole, from the Holy Scriptures, but 
 only to meet an historical need and to respond to a call for a 
 particular emergency. Each Confession is in reality only a part 
 of the one Confession of the faith, which the Church, under the 
 guidance of the Holy Spirit, is continually drawing from the 
 Holy Scriptures and from communion with the Church's Lord. 
 
 The Holy Scriptures are the sole source and authority of the 
 Church's teaching, and amply sufficient for all ordinary purposes 
 of instruction; but when that which the Holy Scriptures teach 
 is called into question, it is the Church's duty, in all ages, as a 
 witness to the truth and set for its defence, to give clear and 
 unmistakable testimony as to what is the meaning of God's 
 Word on the subjects under discussion. All the authority of 
 such testimonies depends upon their conformity with Holy 
 Scripture. Confessions are authoritative, not because the Church 
 has adopted them, but because of the Word of God which they 
 are found to contain. " We accept the Unaltered Augsburg 
 Confession, not because it was composed by our theologians, but 
 because it has been derived from God's Word." (Formula of 
 Concord, p. 536, 5.) 
 
 What the Church has once confessed, with respect to questions 
 of more than merely temporary or local significance, becomes a 
 part of her very life. If it be what the Confession declares 
 that it is, the very truth of God's Word, expressed in terms so 
 clear and unambiguous as to guard against all misunderstanding, 
 the Church of the future cannot be indifferent to it, but cherishes 
 it as a sacred trust (" the deposit," 1 Tim. 6 : 20), which is to be 
 
 l 
 
2 PREFACE. 
 
 transmitted to posterity thai Later generations may be profited bj 
 the experience of their predecessors. Nevertheless, in so doing, 
 the Church cannot restrict Its testimony, as new circumstances 
 arise, simply to that which, under entirely different circumstances, 
 has been given at some particular crisis in the past. She is not 
 so bound to the past as to be unable to define her faith in terms 
 adapted to new conditions, but is " ready always to give answer 
 to every one that asketh a reason" of her faith (1 Pet. 1 : 15). 
 Accordingly, the Augsburg Confession very appropriately asserts 
 the principle of Confessional development in its closing words: 
 "If anything further he desired, we are ready, God willing, to pre- 
 sent ampler information according to the Scriptures" (p. 67 sq.). 
 
 The simplest and briefest of all the Confessions, the Apostles' 
 Creed, historical investigations show w r as the product of a grad- 
 ual growth of four hundred years, as successive controversies 
 furnished the occasion for additional articles. It was not pri- 
 marily a liturgical formula, as it is with us to-day, but a clear 
 and distinct utterance on various controverted points, without 
 mentioning those who taught otherwise. A similar growth can 
 be traced without difficulty in the Nicene Creed, where the Coun- 
 cil of Nice marks only a particular stage in its formulation, but 
 neither its beginning nor its completion. The Athanasian Creed 
 is the ultimate fruit of centuries of controversy concerning the 
 Trinity and the Incarnation, as the arena for theological dis- 
 cussion is passing from the East to the West. 
 
 Neither the structure nor the contents of the Augsburg Con- 
 fession can be adequately interpreted without the study of the 
 historical occasion for each article. Even where it is least 
 polemical, an historical motive for each statement is present. 
 The Apology is the author's own protest against perversions of 
 the meaning and the attempts to answer the positions of the 
 Augsburg Confession ; in other words, it is the official interpre- 
 tation of those who prepared and presented the Augustana. 
 
 When, some years later, after the conciliatory spirit that ani- 
 mates the Augsburg Confession had failed to make an impres- 
 sion on its opponents, Luther, in the Smalcald Articles, provided 
 for the General Council that the Emperor had promised to call 
 a statement of the issues involved in the controversies with 
 Rome that was entirely up to date, while Melanchthon supple- 
 mented it with an appendix on Church Power, that is the foun- 
 dation of all Lutheran Church Polity. 
 
 The last of the Confessions, the Formula of Concord, after 
 more than a generation had passed since the controversy with 
 Pome was most acute, attempts to afford a common basis upon 
 which Lutherans could stand, and thus end a period of confusion, 
 division, and estrangement that had broken the Lutheran Church 
 of Germany into fragments. Never was there a more careful 
 
PKEFACE. 3 
 
 ami discriminating Church document written, guarding in each 
 article against exaggerations on each side, and then, in most 
 precise and definite words, setting forth the teaching from the 
 Holy Scriptures on the subjects concerning which there had 
 bean misunderstanding and alienation of feeling. In it the 
 Lutheran Church shows her fidelity in judging errors within, 
 just as in the other great Confessions she had judged errors 
 from without, her borders. To judge others without also judg- 
 ing our own selves (1 Cor. 11 : 31) is to be fair and just neither 
 to ourselves nor to others. 
 
 Upon the basis of all these Confessions the foundations of the 
 Lutheran Church in America were laid. They were included 
 not only in the Constitutions of many of the earlier congrega- 
 tions, but also in the first Constitution of the Mother Synod. 
 With the entrance of a period when the importance of this con- 
 fessional position was not recognized, there came into our history 
 retarding and disorganizing forces that threatened the very exist- 
 ence of our Church as it became anglicized, and that to the 
 present day have greatly divided and confused it. 
 
 With a widespread and all but general return towards the 
 confessional position of the Fathers, a period of new life and 
 promise for our Church in America has begun. Upon the 
 hearty acceptance of these Confessions in their historical sense, 
 and their consistent application in the spirit of the Gospel to 
 practice, the General Council, in common with others, offers a 
 basis for the union of the entire Lutheran Church in America. 
 The work in which she has so successfully cooperated in the 
 preparation of a Common Service will not be complete until the 
 agreement possible in such joint work is traced to a more thor- 
 ough harmony in the faith than had been supposed, and its ulti- 
 mate expression in agreement as to the terms of confessional 
 statement. 
 
 But for the attainment of such end the Confessions must be 
 readily accessible in the common language of the country, and 
 should be found in the studies of all our pastors and in the 
 homes and libraries of all our intelligent people. Even although 
 our Church lias never asked its laymen to subscribe to more 
 than the Catechism, yet the importance of their acquaintance 
 with all that, as members of Lutheran synods, they require their 
 pastors to know and teach cannot be questioned. 
 
 Heretofore translations into English have been accessible only 
 in expensive editions. The edition of which this is a revision 
 was undertaken in 1882 by a retired clergyman, the Rev. G. W. 
 Frederick, at great pecuniary risk. He spared no expense in 
 providing for the work a most attractive form, and in enabling 
 the editor to introduce any amount of matter, which he deemed 
 of value for illustrating the history and teaching of the Con- 
 
4 PREFACE. 
 
 fessions. That edition is not supplanted by this. It will 
 continue to be published by the General Council's Publication 
 
 Board for the use of scholars. Jn it will be found the his- 
 tory of each confession, and the various documents upon 
 which they were based. But the popular edition, here offered, 
 fulfils the hope of the editor from the very beginning, to have 
 the Confessions published at such price that they may he scat- 
 tered broadcast throughout all English-speaking lands, where 
 there are confessors of the Lutheran faith — for Canada and Aus- 
 tralia, for South Africa and India, for the West Indies and 
 South America, as well as for the United States of America. 
 Such edition will serve an important office in deepening and 
 strengthening the faith of our people in drawing them together 
 in the bonds of a common fellowship, and in enabling them to 
 appreciate all the more highly their heritage. But beyond this, 
 as the preceding edition was warmly welcomed by eminent rep- 
 resentatives of other denominations because of much that they 
 found in it encouraging them in their conflicts, so this edition 
 will continue to a much wider circle than the Lutheran Church 
 the testimony which our Fathers gave, and, while in many other 
 religious bodies confessional lines have vanished and confes- 
 sional obligations weakened, a standard is here raised around 
 which millions in this western world will rally. The attentive 
 reader, whatever may be his antecedents, will see that the mat- 
 ters here treated are not antiquated or obsolescent, but enter 
 most deeply into the issues of the hour. 
 
 The translations included in this volume are those of the tw T o- 
 volume edition, except that, for the translation of the Augsburg 
 Confession, credited in that edition to Dr. Charles Porterfield 
 Krauth, but which is in reality a reprint of a sixteenth century 
 English translation, published in " The Harmony of the Confes- 
 sions" in 1586, we have substituted the translation officially 
 approved by the General Council after its preparation by a joint 
 committee of the various synodical bodies, mentioned in the note 
 introducing it at the proper place (p. 32). With this exception, 
 the plates are those of the larger edition. A number of minor 
 changes, however, have been made, suggested by twenty-nine 
 years' use of the translation in the study and the class-room, and 
 by criticisms of which w T e have been informed. 
 
 We send forth this volume with gratitude for the privilege of 
 having been called to edit it and its predecessor, and in the full 
 confidence that it will be a blessing to our Church in America, 
 and, through it, in advancing the kingdom of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, in whose name these confessions were written. 
 
 HENRY EYSTER JACOBS. 
 
 Lutheran Theological Seminary, 
 Philadelphia, Pa., Februaru 27, 1911. 
 
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. 
 
 The translation of the Augsburg Confession adopted in this 
 volume is the well-known one of Dr. Charles P. Krauth, which 
 he has kindly revised as the proof-sheets passed through his 
 hands. In the Small Catechism, the translation prepared by Dr. 
 Charles F. Schaeffer with the co-operation of a committee of the 
 Ministerium of Pennsylvania, and in universal use in the English 
 churches of the General Council, is reprinted, with the addition 
 of the formula for confession contained in the Book of Concord. 
 The Large Catechism was translated for this work by Rev. 
 A. Martin, Professor of the German Language and Literature in 
 Pennsylvania College, to whom the Editor is greatly indebted for 
 assistance and advice also in other directions. Some changes have, 
 however, been made to conform it as nearly as possible to the 
 plan of translation adopted in the rest of the volume. 
 
 The Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Arti- 
 cles and the Formula of Concord were translated by the Editor. 
 The rendering of the Apology is from the Latin, the German 
 translation of Justus Jonas of the Concordienbuch being more of 
 a paraphrase than a translation, differing sometimes from the 
 original by the omission, introduction and transposition of entire 
 paragraphs, and therefore inducing the editors of some of the 
 best German editions of the Symbolical Books to prepare fresh 
 translations. We have, accordingly, carefully revised our trans- 
 lation from the Latin, by comparing it with the German transla- 
 tions of Schopf, Kothe, Spieker and Bodemann. 
 
 The Smalcald Articles were translated from the German, and 
 Melanchthon's Appendix, " Of the Power and Primacy of the 
 Pope," from the Latin, in which it was composed. In the For- 
 mula of Concord the German, according to the same principle, 
 has been used as the standard text. 
 
 The chief variations of the alternate language, officially re- 
 ceived in our churches, from the original language of each Con- 
 fession, is indicated in brackets, with the exception of the Apology, 
 where they were found so numerous and extensive as to render it 
 necessary to insert them frequently among the foot-notes. 
 
 6 
 
6 PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. 
 
 The Latin edition of Dr. Fredericus Franke, published by 
 Tauchnitz, Leipsic, 1848, has not only been largely followed in 
 indicating variations, but has also furnished most of the notes. 
 
 The paging of Miiller's Symbolischen Bucher has been printed 
 in the margin, so as to enable this translation to furnish all refer- 
 ences to this most widely-received and highly-esteemed edition of 
 the Confessions. As the St. Louis German edition, published in 
 1880 as a jubilee offering, adopts the same plan, this edition can 
 be readily used also with it by observing the marginal numbers in 
 each. The references in the foot-notes conform to the marginal 
 paging. 
 
 The second edition of the New Market translation (1854), foi 
 which our English churches owe so much to the energy and de- 
 votion of the brothers Revs. Ambrose and Socrates Henkel, as 
 well as the Swedish edition, published under supervision of the 
 Swedish- Augustana Synod, Chicago, 1878, have been frequently 
 consulted, and have furnished material aid. 
 
 Additional matter, prepared as Introduction and Appendix to 
 this work, but which has swollen to such an extent as to ex- 
 ceed the limits of this volume, will be published in the near 
 future. The second volume will comprise a brief outline of the 
 history of the Confessions ; the documents from which Melanch- 
 thon elaborated the Augsburg Confession ; the non-Lutheran 
 Confessions of Augsburg — the Tetrapolitan of the Reformed 
 cities, Zwingli's Medio Fidei and the Confutation of the Augs- 
 burg Confession by the Papists (so indispensable for an intelli- 
 gent study of the Apology, which is its answer) ; the Variola 
 in its two chief forms ; the Official Appendix to the Book of 
 Concord — viz. the Catalogue of Testimonies ; together with a 
 minute index on the basis of the exhaustive index in Muller. 
 
 With all the care that has been taken, the Editor fully expects 
 that errors that have escaped his notice will be occasionally de- 
 tected. Had he waited until satisfied that his work would bo all 
 he could wish, it would never have appeared. All that he clp.ims 
 is that, with all the means at his command, he has made a sincere 
 effort to supply a deeply-felt want. 
 
 In the hope that it may stimulate a fresh interest in the price- 
 less treasures that are the heritage of the Lutheran Church, and 
 promote their more thorough study, and that it may bear also its 
 part, under the guidance of the Holy Ghost, in bringing to a clear 
 understanding of the faith and uniting upon a firmly-grounded 
 scriptural platform our perplexed and divided people, this new 
 edition of the Confessions is, in God's name and for His glory 
 
 presented to the American public. 
 
 HENRY E. JACOBS 
 Pennsylvania College, ) 
 
 Gettysbukg, Pa., February 27, 1882. / 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 PREFACE TO THE CHKISTIAN BOOK OF CONCORD 9 
 
 PART I. 
 THE GENERAL CREEDS 23 
 
 PART II. 
 
 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION 30 
 
 PART III. 
 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION 69 
 
 PART IV. 
 
 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES 303 
 
 PART V. 
 THE SMALL CATECHISM 355 
 
 PART VI. 
 THE LARGE CATECHISxM 379 
 
 PART VII. 
 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD 487 
 
 PART VIII. 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES TO THE BOOK OF CONCORD ... 673 
 
 7 
 
PREFACE 
 
 TO THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN BOOK OF CONCORD. 
 
 [\> the Readers, one and all, of these Writings of ours, 
 we, the Electors, Princes and Deputies of the Holy 
 Roman Empire in Germany, adherents of the Augs- 
 burg Confession, who have subscribed our names to 
 the same, announce and declare, according to the 
 dignity and rank of each one, our devotion, friend- 
 ship and greeting, combined with willing service. 
 
 It is a remarkable favor of Almighty God, that, in these last 
 times, and, in this old age of the world, he has willed, according 
 to his unspeakable love, forbearance and mercy, that the light of 
 1 1 is Gospel and Word, through which alone we receive true salva- 
 tion, should arise and shine clearly and purely in Germany, our 
 most beloved fatherland, after the darkness of papistical super- 
 stitions. And on this account, indeed, a brief and succinct con- 
 fession was prepared from the Word of God, and the most holy 
 writings of the Apostles and Prophets, which at the Diet of 
 Augsburg, in the year 1530, was offered, by our most godly 
 ancestors, in the German and Latin languages to the Emperor 
 Charles V., of excellent memory, and was presented to [all] 
 the deputies of the Empire, and finally being circulated publicly 
 among all men professing Christian doctrine, and thus in th 
 entire world, 1 was diffused everywhere, and began to be current 
 in the mouths and speech of all. 
 
 Afterwards many churches and schools embraced and defended 
 this confession, as a symbol of the present time in regard to the 
 chief articles of faith, especially those involved in controversy 
 with the Romanists and various corruptions of the heavenly 
 doctrine [sects], and with perpetual agreement have appealed to 
 it without any controversy and doubt. The doctrine comprised 
 in it, which they knew both to be supported by firm testimonies 
 uf Scripture, and to be approved by the ancient and received 
 iymbols, they have also constantly judged to be the only and 
 
 1 Commented on in Carpzov's Introduction, p. 14. 
 2 9 
 
iO PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN BOOK OF CONCORD 
 
 perpetual consensus of the truly believing Church, which was 
 formerly defended against manifold heresies and errors, and b 
 now repeated. 
 
 But it can be unknown to no one that, immediately after Dr. 
 Martin Luther, 1 that most distinguished hero, endowed with 
 most eminent piety, was removed from human affairs, Ger- 
 many, our dear fatherland, experienced most perilous times and 
 most severe agitations. In these difficulties, and in the sad dis- 
 traction of a government before flourishing and well regulated, 
 the enemy of mortals artfully labored to disseminate in the 
 churches and schools the seeds of false doctrine, and dissensions, 
 to occasion divisions combined with offence, and, by these arts of 
 his, to corrupt the purity of the heavenly doctrine, to separate 
 the bond of Christian love and godly agreement, and to hinder 
 and retard to a greater degree the course of the most holy 
 Gospel. It has also been known to all in what manner, the 
 enemies of the heavenly doctrine seized this opportunity to dis- 
 parage our churches and schools, to find covering for their errors, 
 to withdraw alarmed erring consciences from the purity of the 
 Gospel doctrine, in order to render them more compliant in bear- 
 ing and tolerating the yoke of slavery to the Pope, and in em- 
 bracing also other corruptions conflicting with God's Word. 
 
 To us, indeed, nothing could happen, either more agreeable, or 
 which we would judge should be sought for more earnestly and 
 prayerfully from Almighty God, than that both our churches 
 and our schools should persevere in the pure doctrine of God's 
 Word, and in that longed-for and godly unanimity of mind, and, 
 as was the case while Luther was still alive, that they should be 
 regulated and be handed down to posterity in a godly and 
 excellent way according to the rule of the divine Word. We 
 notice, however, that, just as in the times of the Apostles, into 
 those churches, in which they themselves had planted the Gospel 
 of Christ, corruptions were introduced by false brethren, so, on 
 account of our sins and the looseness of these times, this has 
 been allowed by an angry God against our churches also. 
 
 Wherefore mindful of our duty, which we know has been 
 divinely enjoined upon us, we think that we ought diligently to 
 apply ourselves to the labor of attacking in our provinces and 
 realms 2 the false dogmas which have been disseminated there, and 
 are gradually insinuating themselves as it w T ere into the intimate 
 acquaintance and familiarity of men, and that w r e should see to ii 
 that the subjects in our government may persevere in the straight 
 way of godliness, and in the truth of the heavenly doctrine, ac- 
 knowledged and thus far retained and defended, and not be suf- 
 
 1 Cf. Title-page. See Carpzov, p. 15. 
 'See Carpzov, p. 16. 
 
PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN BOOK OF CONCORD. 11 
 
 fered to withdraw from it. Accordingly, when in the year of 
 Christ 1558, an opportunity was offered by a diet which was then 
 being held by the Electors at Frankfort on the Main, and the 
 resolution was adopted by a unanimous vote, an effort was made 
 partly by our most worthy predecessors, and also partly by our- 
 selves to hold a special, general assembly, where in a thorough, 
 but nevertheless an amicable manner, there might be a conference 
 among us, concerning such matters as are maliciously presented, 
 by our adversaries, against [us and] our churches and schools. 
 
 And indeed after these deliberations, our predecessors, of godly 
 and excellent memory, together with some of us assembled at 
 Naumburg in Thuringia. The Augsburg Confession of which 
 we have several times made mention, which was offered to the 
 Emperor Charles V., in the great assembly of the Empire at 
 Augsburg in the year 1530, we then took in hands, and to that 
 godly confession, which was built upon solid testimonies of truth 
 unmoved and expressed in the Word of God, we all subscribed 
 with one mind, in order, in this way, to provide for the interests 
 of posterity, and, so far as in us was, to be counsellors and ad- 
 visers for the avoidance of false doctrines conflicting with God's 
 Word. This we did also with the design that, both with his Im- 
 perial Majesty, our most clement Lord, and also universally 
 among all there might be a perpetual testimony that it has never 
 been our intention to wish to defend or spread any new and 
 strange dogma, but that we desired, God aiding us, to constantly 
 support and retain the truth which we professed at Augsburg in 
 the year 1530. We were also led to entertain a not uncertain 
 hope, that, in this way, not only those, who oppose the purer 
 evangelical doctrine, would abstain from fabricated charges and 
 accusations, but also other good and wise men would be attracted 
 by this renewed and repeated confession of ours, and, with greater 
 zeal and care, would seek and investigate the truth of the heav- 
 enly doctrine, which alone is our guide to salvation ; and, for the 
 salvation of the soul, and eternal happiness, would assent to it, all 
 farther controversies and disputations being rejected. 
 
 But, not without agitation of mind, we were informed, that 
 this declaration of ours, and that repetition of a godly confession 
 had still little weight with our adversaries, and that neither we 
 nor our churches were delivered from the most grievous slanders 
 arising from prejudice, which they had circulated against us 
 among the people ; also, that, by the adversaries of the true re- 
 ligion, those things which we have done, with the best intention 
 and purpose, have been received in such a way, as though we 
 were so uncertain concerning our religion [confession of faith 
 and religion], and so often have transfused it from one formula 
 to another, that it is no longer clear to us, or our theologians 
 what is the confession once offered to the Emperor at Augsburg 
 
12 PREFACE K) THE CHRISTIAN BOOK OF CONCORD. 
 
 These fictions of the adversaries have deterred and alienated 
 
 many good men, from our churches, schools, doctrine, i;iitli ano 
 confession. To these injuries, there is also added that, under the 
 pretext of the Augsburg Confession, the dogma conflicting with 
 the institution of the Holy Supper of the body and blood (if 
 Christ and other corruptions, were also introduced here and there 
 into the churches and schools. 
 
 When some godly men, lovers of peace and harmony, besides 
 also learned theologians, had noticed all these things, they judged 
 that these slanders and the dissensions in religion which were 
 constantly increasing more and more, could not be better met than 
 .f from the Word of God, the controverted articles would be thor- 
 oughly and accurately explained, the false dogmas would be rejected 
 and condemned, and, on the other hand, the truth divinely deliv- 
 ered would be clearly and lucidly presented ; so that they per- 
 suaded themselves that, by this method, both silence could be 
 imposed upon the adversaries, and a sure way and plan be 
 shown the more simple and godly, as to how in these dissen- 
 sions they could act, and also, in the future, aided by divine 
 grace, could avoid corruptions of doctrine. 
 
 In the beginning, therefore, the theologians communicated to 
 one another certain writings concerning this subject, sufficiently 
 comprehensive, and derived from the Word of God, in which 
 they showed clearly and skilfully how these controversies were 
 connected with offence to the churches, and could be settled and 
 removed from sight without any loss to the truth of the Gospel ; 
 for the result would be that the opportunities and pretexts sought 
 for slander would be cut off and removed from the adversaries. 
 Finally they accurately and in God's fear pondered and exp ! dined 
 th rt , controverted articles taken in hand, and accordinglj in a 
 special writing described in what way and by what methots the 
 dissensions which had arisen could be settled in a right and godly 
 manner. 
 
 Having been informed of this godly purpose of the theolo- 
 gians, we have not only approved it, but have also judged that it 
 ought to be promoted by us with great earnestness and zeal, 
 according to the nature of the office and duty divinely com- 
 mitted to us. 
 
 And accordingly, we, by the grace of God, Duke of Saxony, 
 Elector, etc. after a council held with some other electors and 
 princes agreeing with us in religion, for the purpose of promot- 
 ing the godly design of harmony among the teachers of the 
 Church, summoned to Torgau in the year '76 certain eminent and 
 least suspected theologians who were also experienced and en- 
 dowed with pre-eminent learning. When they had assembled, 
 thay conferred devoutlv with one another concerning the contro- 
 
PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN BOOK OF CONCORD. 13 
 
 verleJ articles and the writing of pacification, which we men- 
 tioned shortly before. And indeed prayers first having been 
 offered to Almighty God, and his praise and glory, they then 
 with extraordinary care and diligence, (the Spirit of the Lord 
 aiding them by his grace), embraced in a document in the besl 
 and most convenient order, all those things which seemed to per- 
 tain and to be required for this deliberation. Afterwards this: 
 book was transmitted to some chief adherents of the Augsburg 
 Confession, Electors, Princes and Deputies, and they were requested, 
 with the aid of the most eminent and most learned theologians, to 
 read it with anxious care and godly zeal, to diligently examine it ; 
 and to commit their opinion and criticism upon it to writing, and 
 finally, to express their judgment and the reasons therefor con- 
 cerning it collectively and taken part by part. 
 
 Therefore when we had received these criticisms we found in 
 them many godly and useful suggestions, as to how the trans- 
 mitted declaration of the pure Christian doctrine could be forti- 
 fied and strengthened against corruptions and perversions, by the 
 testimonies of Holy Scripture, in order that in the progress of 
 time, under pretext of this, godless doctrines may not be con- 
 cealed, but an uncorrupt declaration of the pure truth may bf 
 transmitted to posterity. Therefore out of those things which 
 have come to us after having been considered in the best manner, 
 that book of godly concord, of which we spoke, was composed, 
 and the form in which it will be submitted, was completed. 
 
 Afterwards some of our rank (for at that time, on account of 
 certain causes which prevented, not all of us, nor also some 
 others, were able to do this), have caused this book to be recited 
 article by article and distinctly to the theologians, and the minis- 
 ters of the church and of the schools collectively and individually, 
 and have caused them to be excited to a diligent and accurate 
 consideration of those parts of the doctrine, which is contained 
 in it. 
 
 When, therefore, they noticed that the declaration of the con- 
 troverted articles agreed especially with the Word of God, and 
 then with the Augsburg Confession, with the most ready mind 
 and the testimony of their gratitude towards God, they received 
 this Book of Concord, voluntarily and accurately pondered and 
 considered, as expressing the godly and genuine meaning of the 
 Augsburg Confession, approved it and subscribed to it, and pub- 
 licly bore witness concerning it with heart, mouth and hand 
 Wherefore that godly agreement is called and perpetually will be 
 not only the harmonious and concordant confession of some few 
 of our theologians, but, in general, of the ministers of our 
 churches and rectors of schools, 'me and all. in our provinces 
 and realms. 
 
 Because, indeed, the conferences of our predecessors and our- 
 
14 FREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN BOOK OE CONCORD. 
 
 selves, first at Frankfort on the Main, and afterward at Naum- 
 burg, undertaken with a godly and sincere intention, and re- 
 corded in writing not only did not accomplish that end and 
 pacification which was desired, but from them even a defence for 
 errors and false doctrines was sought by some, while it had 
 never entered our mind, by tliii writing of ours, either to intro- 
 duce, extenuate and establish any false doctrine, or in the least 
 even to recede from the Confession presented in the year 1530 at 
 Augsburg, but rather as many of us as participated in the trans- 
 actions at Naumburg reserved it to ourselves, and promised 
 besides, that if, in the course of time, anything would be desired 
 with respect to the Augsburg Confession, or as often as necessity 
 would seem to demand it, we would farther declare all things 
 thoroughly and at length, yet for this reason, with great and godly 
 agreement we have elaborated in this Book of Concord, a decla- 
 ration of our constant and perpetual wish, and a repetition of 
 our Christian faith and confession. Accordingly, in order that 
 no persons may permit themselves to be disturbed by the charges 
 of our adversaries fabricated, according to their nature, by which 
 they boast that there is agreement not even among us as to what 
 is the true and genuine Augsburg Confession, but that both those 
 who are now among the living, and posterity also may be clearly 
 and thoroughly taught and informed what that godly confession is, 
 which both we and the churches and schools of our realms at all 
 times professed and embraced ; after the pure and immutable truth 
 of God's Word, we emphatically testify, that we wish to embrace 
 the first Augsburg Confession alone which was presented to the 
 Emperor Charles V. in the year 1530, at the famous Diet of 
 Augsburg, (alone we say), and no other, copies of which deposited 
 in the archives of our predecessors, of excellent memory, who pre- 
 sented it in the Diet to Charles V. himself, w r e caused to be com- 
 pared by men worthy of confidence (lest in us something with 
 respect to most accurate regard for diligence, would be wanting) 
 with the copy which was presented to the Emperor himself, and 
 is preserved in the archives of the Holy Roman Empire, and we 
 are sure that our copies, both the Latin and the German, in all 
 things correspond to it, with like meaning. For this reason also, 
 we determined to add the confession then presented to our declara- 
 tion, which will be subjoined to these, as to the Book of Concord, 
 in order that all may understand that, in our realms, churches 
 and schools, we have resolved to tolerate no other doctrine, 
 than that which, in the year 1530, was approved at Augsburg in 
 a fixed confession, by the above mentioned electors, princes and 
 estates of the Empire. This Confession also, by the help of 
 God, we will retain to our last breath, when we shall go forth 
 from this life to the heavenly country, to appear with joyful and 
 undaunted mind, and with a pure conscience, before the tribunal 
 
PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN BOOK OF CONCORD. 15 
 
 af our Lord Jesus Christ. We hope, therefore, that our adver- 
 saries will hereafter spare both us and the ministers of our 
 churches, and not employ these customary and most grievous 
 accusations, that among ourselves we cannot decide upon any- 
 thing, concerning our faith, as certain, and that, on this account, 
 we are fabricating new confessions almost every year, yea indeed 
 every month. 
 
 Moreover, as to the second edition of the Augsburg Confession 
 of which mention was made also in the transactions at Naum 
 burg, we notice, what is also known to all, that, under the pre- 
 text of the words of this latter edition, some have wished to 
 cover and conceal corruptions, with respect to the Lord's Supper, 
 and other errors, and, by means of published writings, have 
 attempted to obtrude them upon an ignorant populace, nor have 
 been moved by the distinct words of the Augsburg Confession, 
 (which was first presented), by which these errors are openly 
 rejected, and from which a far different judgment than they wish 
 can be drawn. Therefore we have desired in this writing to 
 testify publicly and to inform all that we wished not even then 
 or now in any way to defend, or excuse, or to approve as though 
 agreeing with the Gospel doctrine, false and godless doctrines and 
 opinions, which may lie concealed under certain coverings of 
 words. We indeed never received the latter edition in the sense 
 that it differed, in any part, from the former which was pre- 
 sented. Neither do we judge that other useful writings of Dr. 
 Philip Melanchthon, or of Brentz, Urban Rhegius, Pomeranus, 
 etc., should be rejected and condemned, so far as, in all things, 
 they agree with the norm which has been set forth in the Book of 
 Concord. 
 
 Although, however, some theologians, and among them, Luther 
 himself, when they treated of the Lord's Supper, were drawn, 
 against their will, by their adversaries to disputations concerning 
 the personal union of the two natures in Christ ; nevertheless 
 our theologians in the Book of Concord, and in the norm of 
 sound doctrine which is in it, testify that both our opinion and tha 
 of this book is constant and perpetual, that godly men should b( 
 led, with regard to the Lord's Supper, to no other foundations 
 than to those of the words of institution of the testament of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ. For since he is both almighty and true, it is 
 easy for him to do those things which he has both instituted and 
 promised in his Word. And indeed when this foundation will 
 not be assailed by the adversaries, they will not contend in this 
 kind of argument concerning other methods of proof, but, in true 
 simplicity of faith, will firmly insist upon the very plain words 
 of Christ, which method is the safest and is best suited to the 
 instructiou of uneducated men; for those things which are dis- 
 cussed with greater exactness, they do not understand. But in- 
 
16 PREFACE TO THfc CHRISTIAN HOOK OF CONCORD. 
 
 deed since both this our assertion and the simple meaning of the 
 words of Christ's testament are assailed by the adversaries, and 
 rejected as godless and conflicting with the nature of true faith, 
 and finally are affirmed to be contrary to the Apostles' Creed 
 (Especially concerning the incarnation of the Son of God, his 
 ascension into Heaven, and his sitting at the right hand of the 
 almighty power and majesty of God) and therefore to be false, U 
 is incumbent upon us to show, by a true and thorough interpre- 
 tation of these articles, that this opinion of ours differs neither 
 from the words of Christ, nor from these articles. 
 
 As to the phrases and forms of expression, employed in this 
 Book of Concord, when we treat of the Majesty of the Human 
 Nature in the person of Christ elevated and placed at the right 
 hand of God, in order to remove all suspicions and causes of offence, 
 which might be occasioned from the different significations of the 
 word abstract (as both the schools and the fathers have hitherto 
 employed this term), our theologians in distinct and express 
 words wish to testify that this majesty is in no way to be as- 
 cribed to the human nature of Christ, outside of the personal 
 union, neither are we to grant that the human nature possesses 
 this majesty, as its own, or by itself, (even in the personal union) 
 essentially, formally, habitually, subjectively. (These terms 
 please the schools, although they are not good Latin). For if 
 we would hold to this method both of speaking and teaching, the 
 divine and human natures with their properties would be con- 
 founded, and the human, with respect to its essence and proper- 
 ties would be made equal to the divine, yea indeed would be 
 altogether denied. Therefore the theologians judge that we 
 ought to believe that this occurs according; to the method and 
 economy of the hypostatic union, as learned antiquity has taught 
 cautiously concerning this subject, that it is a mystery so great as 
 to exceed all the powers of our natural ability and understanding. 
 
 As to the condemnations, 1 censures and rejections of godless 
 doctrines, and especially of that which has arisen concerning the 
 Lord's Supper, in this our declaration, and thorough explanation 
 and decision of controverted articles, these indeed should have 
 been expressly set forth, not only that all should guard against 
 these condemned doctrines, but also for certain other reasons, 
 could in no way have been passed by. Thus as it is in no way 
 our design and purpose to condemn those men who err from a 
 certain simplicity of mind, and nevertheless are not blasphemers 
 against the truth of the heavenly doctrine, much less indeed en- 
 tire churches, which are either under the Roman Empire of the 
 German nation, or elsewhere ; nay, rather it has been our inten- 
 tion and disposition, in this manner, to openly censure and con- 
 demn only the fanatical opinions and their obstinate and blasphe- 
 
 1 See Carpzov, p. 25. 
 
PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN BOOK OF CONCORD. 17 
 
 mous teachers (which we judge should in no way be tolerated in 
 our dominions, churches and schools), because these errors con- 
 flict with the express Word of God, and that too in such a way 
 that they cannot be reconciled with it. We have also under- 
 taken this for this reason, viz. that all godly persons might be 
 warned concerning diligently avoiding them. For we have no 
 doubt whatever that, even in those churches which have hitherto 
 not agreed with us in all things, many godly and by no means 
 wicked men are found, whc follow their own simplicity, and do 
 not understand aright the matter itself, but in no way approve 
 the blasphemies which are cast forth against the Holy Supper, as 
 it is administered in our churches, according to Christ's institu- 
 tion, and with the unanimous approval of all good men, is taught 
 in accordance with the words of the testament itself. We arc 
 also in great hope, that if they would be taught aright concern- 
 ing all these things, the Spirit of the Lord aiding them, they 
 would agree with us, and with our churches and schools, to the 
 infallible truth of God's Word. And assuredly the duty is 
 especially incumbent upon all the theologians and ministers of 
 the Church, that with such moderation, as is becoming, they teach 
 also from the Word of God those who either from a certain sim- 
 plicity or ignorance have erred from the truth, concerning the 
 peril of their salvation, and that they fortify them against cor- 
 ruptions, lest perhaps, while the blind are leaders of the blind, 
 all may perish. Wherefore, by this writing of ours, we testify 
 in the sight of Almighty God, and before the entire Church, that 
 it has never been our purpose, by meaus of this godly formula 
 for union to occasion trouble or danger to the godly who to-day 
 are suffering persecution. For as moved by Christian love, we 
 have already entered into the fellowship of grief with them, so 
 we are shocked at the persecution and most grievous tyranny 
 which with such severity is exercised against these poor men, and 
 sincerely detest it. For in no way do we consent to the shedding 
 of that innocent blood, for which undoubtedly a reckoning will 
 be demanded with great severity from the persecutors at the 
 awful judgment of the Lord, and before the tribunal of Christ, 
 and they will then certainly render a most strict account, and suf- 
 fer fearful punishment. 
 
 In regard to these matters (as we have mentioned above) it ha* 
 always been our intention that in our lands, dominions, schools 
 and churches no other doctrine be proclaimed and accurately set 
 forth, than that which founded upon the Word of God, is con- 
 tained in the Augsburg Confession and the Apology (and that toe 
 when understood properly in its genuine sense), and that opinion? 
 conflicting with these be not admitted; and indeed, with thi? 
 design, this formula of agreement was begun and completed. 
 Therefore before God and all mortals, we once more declare and 
 
PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN BOOK OF CONCORD. 
 
 fy that in the declaration of the controverted articles, oi 
 !i mention has already been made several times, we are no1 
 educing a new confession, or one different from that which 
 presented in the year 1530, to Charles V., of happy memory. 
 that we wished to conduct our churches and schools first of 
 indeed to the fountains of Holy Scripture, and to the Creeds, 
 d then to the Augsburg Confession, of which we have before 
 made mention. We most earnestly exhort that especially the 
 youth, who are being educated for the holy ministry of t\\p 
 churches and schools, be instructed in this faithfully and dili- 
 gently, in order that the pure doctrine and profession of our 
 faith may be preserved and propagated also, by the help of the 
 Holy Ghost, to our posterity, until the glorious advent of Jesus 
 Christ, our only Redeemer and Saviour. 
 
 Since therefore such is the case, and being instructed from the 
 Prophetic and Apostolic Scriptures, we are sure concerning our 
 Joctrine and confession, and, by the grace of the Holy Ghost, our 
 minds and consciences have been confirmed to a greater degree, 
 we have thought that this Book of Concord ought to be pub- 
 lished. For it seemed exceedingly necessary, that, amidst so 
 many errors that had arisen in our times, as well as causes of 
 offence, variances and these long-continued dissensions, a godly 
 explanation and agreement concerning all these controversies, de- 
 rived from God's Word, should exist, according to which the 
 pure doctrine might be discriminated and separated from the 
 false. Besides this matter is of importance also in this respect, 
 viz. that troublesome and contentious men, who do not suffer 
 themselves to be bound to any formula of the purer doctrine, 
 may not have the liberty, according to their good pleasure, to ex- 
 cite controversies which furnish ground for offence, and to pub- 
 lish and contend for extravagant opinions. For the result of 
 these things, at length, is that the purer doctrine is obscured and 
 lost, and nothing is transmitted to posterity except academical 
 opinions and suspensions of judgment. To these considerations 
 this was also added that with respect to the office committed to 
 us by God, we understand that we owe our subjects this, viz. that 
 we should diligently care for the things which pertain to this life 
 and the life to come, and that we should take pains, with the 
 greatest earnestness and to our utmost ability to attend to those 
 matters which promote the extension of God's name and glory, 
 the propagation of his word (from which alone we hope for sal- 
 vation), the peace and tranquillity of churches and schools, and 
 the instruction and consolation of disturbed consciences. Espe- 
 cially since it is so clearly manifest to us, that this salutary work 
 of Christian concord has already been longed for and expected 
 with anxious prayers and the greatest desire by many good and 
 sincere men of both the highest and the lowest rank. For from 
 
PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN BOOK OF CONCORD. 19 
 
 the beginning of this work of pacification, we have not indeed 
 been of the opinion, neither are we even now, that this work of 
 concord which is so salutary and exceedingly necessary should be 
 removed from the eyes of men, and altogether concealed, and 
 that the light of heavenly truth should be placed under a bushel 
 or table ; wherefore we ought in no wise to defer its publication. 
 Nor do we doubt that all the godly, who are lovers of the heav- 
 enly truth, and of concord pleasing to God, will approve, to- 
 gether with us, of this salutary, useful, godly and very necessary 
 undertaking, and that they will act so that nothing may be want- 
 ing in them, even to the greatest effort, whereby the glory of 
 God, and the common welfare in both temporal and eternal 
 things, may be promoted. 
 
 We indeed (to repeat in conclusion what we have mentioned 
 several times above) have wished, in this work of concord, in no 
 way to devise what is new, or to depart from the truth of the 
 heavenly doctrine, which our ancestors, renowned for their piety, 
 as well as we ourselves, have acknowledged and professed. We 
 mean that doctrine, which having been derived from the Prophetic 
 and Apostolic Scriptures, is contained in the three ancient creeds, 
 in the Augsburg Confession presented in the year 1530 to the 
 emperor Charles V., of excellent memory, then in the Apology 
 which was added to this, in the Smalcald Articles, and lastly in 
 both the catechisms of that excellent man, Dr. Luther. There- 
 fore we also have determined not to depart even a finger's breadth 
 either from the things themselves, or from the phrases which are 
 employed concerning them, but, the Spirit of the Lord aiding us, 
 to persevere constantly, with the greatest harmony, in this godly 
 agreement, and we intend to examine all controversies according to 
 this true norm and declaration of the purer doctrine. Then, also 
 with the rest of the electors, princes and estates of the Holy Ro- 
 man Empire, and other kings, princes and magnates of the 
 Christian state, in accordance with the constitution of the Holy 
 Empire, and the agreements which we have with them, we deter- 
 mined and desired to cultivate peace and harmony, and to render 
 to each one, according to his rank, all duties belonging to us, 
 together with the offices of friendship. 
 
 Besides in our deliberations we will also earnestly apply our- 
 selves to the defence, with great strictness and the most ardent 
 zeal, of this work of concord, by diligent visitations of the 
 churches and schools, oversight of printing-offices, and other 
 salutary means, according to occasions and circumstances which 
 may be offered to ourselves and others. We will also take pains, 
 if either controversies already composed should be renewed, or 
 new controversies concerning religion should arise, to remove 
 and settle them, for the purpose of avoiding offence, without 
 longer and dangerous digressions. 
 
20 PKEFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN BOOK OF CONCORD. 
 
 As a manifest testimony of this, we have with great consent 
 subscribed our names, and attached also our seals: 
 
 Lewis, Count Palatine on the Rhine, Elector. 
 
 Augustus, Duke of Saxony, Elector. 
 
 John George, Margrave of Brandenburg, Elector. 
 
 Joachim Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg, Admin- 
 istrator of the Archbishopric of Magdeburg. 
 
 John, Bishop of Meissen. 
 
 Eberhard, Bishop of Lubeck, Administrator of the Epis- 
 copate of Werden. 
 
 Philip Louis, Count Palatine on the Rhine. 
 
 The guardians of Frederick William and John, Dukes of 
 Saxony. 
 
 The guardians of John Casimir and John Ernest, Dukes 
 of Saxony. 
 
 George Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg. 
 
 JULIUS, Duke of Brunswick and Liineburg. 
 
 Otiio, Duke of Brunswick and Liineburg. 
 
 Henry the Younger, Duke of Brunswick and Liineburg. 
 
 William the Younger, Duke of Brunswick and Liineburg, 
 
 Wolfgang, Duke of Brunswick and Liineburg. 
 
 Ulrich, Duke of Mecklenburg. 
 
 The guardians of John and Sigismund Augustus, Dukes of 
 Mecklenburg. 
 
 Lewis, Duke of Wiirtemberg. 
 
 The guardians of Ernest and Jacob, Margraves of Baden. 
 
 George Ernest, Count and Lord of Henneburg. 
 
 Frederick, Count of Wiirtemberg and Mumpelgart. 
 
 John Gunther, Count of Schwartzburg. 
 
 William, Count of Schwartzburg. 
 
 Albert, Count of Schwartzburg. 
 
 Emich, Count of Leiningen. 
 
 Philip, Count of Hanau. 
 
 Gottfried, Count of Oettingen. 
 
 George, Count and Lord in Castel. 
 
 Henry, Count and Lord in Castel. 
 
 Otiio, Count of Hoya and Burgkhausen. 
 
 John, Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst. 
 
 John Hoier, Count of Mansfeld. 
 
 Bruno, Count of Mansfeld. 
 
 Hoier Christopher, Count of Mansfeld. 
 
 I*fter Ernest, Jr., Count of Mansfeld. 
 
 Christopher, Count of Mansfeld. 
 
 Albert George, Count of Stolberg. 
 
 W oi.foano Ernest, Count of Stolberg. 
 
 Lkwis, Count of Gleichen. 
 
 ( ii » ri.er, Count of Gleichen. 
 
PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN BOOK OF CONCORD. 21 
 
 Ernest, Count of Reinstein, 
 Boto, Count of Reinstein. 
 Lewis, Count of Lewenstein. 
 Henry, Baron of Limburg, semperfrei* 
 George, Baron of Schonburg. 
 Wolfgang, Baron of Schonburg. 
 An arc Frederick, Baron of Wildenfels. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Liibeck. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Liineburg. 
 Council of the City of Brunswick. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Landau. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Munster in the Grego- 
 rian Valley. 
 Council of the City of Goslar. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Ulm. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Esslingen. 
 Council of the City of Reutlingen. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Nordlingen. 
 Mayor and Council of Rothenburg on the Tauber. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Hall in Swabia. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Heilbronn. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Memmingen. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Lindau. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Schweinfurt. 
 Council of the City of Donau worth. 
 Chamberlain and Council of the City of Regensburg 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Wirapfen. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Giengen. 
 Mayor and Council of Bopfingen. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Alen. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Kaufbeuren. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Isna. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Kempten. 
 Council of the City of Gottingen. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Leutkirch. 
 The entire Government of the City of Hildesheim. 
 Mayor and Council of the City of Hameln. 
 Mayor and Councilmen of the City of Hanover. 
 Council of Muhlhausen. 
 Council of Erfurt. 
 Council of the City of Eimbeck. 
 Council of the City of Nordheim. 
 
PART T. 
 THE GENERAL CREEDS 
 
 I. THE APOSTLES' CKEED. 
 II. THE NICENE CREED. 
 III. THE ATHANASIAN CREED. 
 
THE THREE GENERAL CREEDS. 29 
 
 I. THE APOSTLES' CKEED. 
 
 1. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven 
 and earth : 
 
 2. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, 
 
 3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, 
 
 4. Born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, 
 Was crucified, dead, and buried: 
 
 5. He descended into Hell, the third day he rose again from 
 the dead, He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand 
 of God, the Father Almighty ; 
 
 6. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the 
 dead 
 
 7. I believe in the Holy Ghost ; the holy Catholic [Christian] 
 Church, the Communion of Saints ; The forgiveness of sins ; 
 
 8. The Resurrection of the body, And the life everlasting. 
 Amen. 
 
 II. THE NICENE CREED. 
 
 1. I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of 
 heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible. 
 
 2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of 
 God. 
 
 3. Begotten of his Father, before all Worlds, God of God, 
 Light of Light, Very God of very God, Begotten, not made, 
 Being of one Substance with the Father ; By whom all things 
 were made, 
 
 4. Who for us men, and for our salvation came down from 
 heaven, And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin 
 Mary, and was made man, 
 
 5. And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He 
 suffered and was buried, And the third day he rose again accord- 
 ing to the Scriptures, And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on 
 the right hand of the Father, 
 
 4 3* 
 
26 THE THREE GEN Ell A L CREEDS. 
 
 6. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the 30 
 quirk and the dead : Whose kingdom shall have no end. 
 
 7. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord and Giver of 
 life, Who proceeded] from the Father and the Son, Who with 
 the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, 
 Who spake by the Prophets. 
 
 8. Ajid I believe in one holy, Catholic [Christian] and Apos- 
 tolic Church. 
 
 9. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. 
 
 10. And I look for the Kesurrection of the dead, and the life 
 of the world to come. Amen. 
 
 III. THE CREED OF ATHANASIUS. 
 
 Written against the Arians. 
 
 1. Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary 
 that he hold the Catholic [true Christian] faith, 
 
 2. Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, 
 without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. 
 
 3. And the Catholic [true Christian] faith is this: that we 
 worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; 
 
 4. Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Sub- 
 stance. 
 
 5. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, 
 and another of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 6. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the 
 Holy Ghost, is all one : the Glory Equal, the Majesty Coeternal. 
 
 7. Such as the Father is, such is the Son : and such is the 
 Holy Ghost. 
 
 8. The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate : and the -Holy 
 Ghost uncreate. 
 
 9. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible • 
 and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible. 
 
 10. The Father eternal, the Son eternal : and the Holy Ghost 
 eternal. 
 
 1 1. And yet they are not three Eternals : but one Eternal. 
 
 12. As there are not three uncreated, nor three incomprehen- 
 sibles : but one uncreated and one incomprehensible. 
 
 13. So likewise 'the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty: 
 and the Holy Ghost Almighty. 
 
 14. And yet they are not three Almighties : but one Al- 
 mighty. 
 
 15. So the Father is God, the Son is God : and the Holy 
 Ghost is God. 
 
 16 And yet they are not three Gods : but one God. 
 
THE THREE GENERAL CREEDS. 27 
 
 17. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord : and 31 
 the Holy Ghost Lord. 
 
 18. And yet not three Lords : but one Lord. 
 
 19. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity : to 
 acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord ; 
 
 So are we forbidden by the Catholic [Christian] Religion : to 
 .»ay, There be three Gods, or three Lords. 
 
 20. The Father is made of none : neither created nor be- 
 gotten. 
 
 21. The Son is of the Father alone : not made, nor created, 
 but begotten. 
 
 22. The Holy Ghost i* of the Father, and of the Son ; neithei 
 made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. 
 
 23. So there is one Father, not three Fathers ; one Son, not 
 three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. 
 
 24. And in this Trinity none is before, or after other : none 
 is greater, or less than another ; 
 
 25. But the whole three Persons are coeternal together, and 
 coequal : So that in all things, as is aforesaid : the Unity in 
 Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. 
 
 26. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the 
 Trinity. 
 
 27. Furthermore, it is necessary to Everlasting Salvation : that 
 he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 28. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess : that 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man ; 
 
 29. God, of the Substance of the Father begotten before the 
 worlds : aud Man of the Substance of his mother, born in the 
 world ; 
 
 30. Perfect God, and perfect Man : of a reasonable soul anc 1 
 human flesh subsisting. 
 
 31. Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead: and infe- 
 rior to the Father, as touching his Manhood. 
 
 32. Who although he be God and Man: yet he is not two, 
 but one Christ; 
 
 33. One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh: but 
 by taking the Manhood into God ; 
 
 34. One altogether; not by confusion of Substance: but by 
 Unity of Person. 
 
 35. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man : so God 
 and Man is one Christ; 
 
 36. Who suffered for our salvation : descended into hell, rose 
 again the third day from the dread. 
 
 37. He ascended into heaven ; he sitteth on the right hand of 
 the Father, God Almighty : from whence he shall come to judge 
 the quick and the dead. 
 
28 THE THREE GENERAL CREEDS. 
 
 38. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their 32 
 bodies: and shall give account for their own works. 
 
 39. And they that have done good shall go into life everlast- 
 ing : and they that have done evil into everlasting fire. 
 
 40. This is the Catholic [true Christian] faith : which except 
 a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved. 
 
PART II. 
 TUB AUGSBURG CONFESSION 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PREFACE TO THE EMPEROR CHARLES V 
 
 L 
 
 CHIEF ARTICLES OF FAITH. 
 
 I. OF GOD. 
 
 II. OF ORIGINAL SIN. 
 
 III. OF THE SON OF GOD. 
 
 IV. OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 V. OF THE MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH. 
 VI. OF NEW OBEDIENCE. 
 VIL OF THE CHURCH. 
 VIII. WHAT THE CHURCH IS. 
 IX. OF BAPTISM. 
 X. OF THE LORD'S SUPPER 
 XI. OF CONFESSION. 
 XII. OF REPENTANCE. 
 
 XIII. OF THE USE OF SACRAMENTS. 
 
 XIV. OF ECCLESIASTICAL ORDERS. 
 
 XV. OF ECCLESIASTICAL RITES. 
 
 XVI. OF CIVIL MATTERS. 
 
 SI 
 
32 uONTRNTS. 
 
 XVII OF THE RETURN OF CHRIST TO JUDGMENT. 
 
 XVIII. OF FREE WILL. 
 
 XIX. OF THE CAUSE OF SIN. 
 
 XX. OF FAITH AND GOOD WORKS. 
 
 XXI. OF THE WORSHIP OF SAINTS. 
 
 XXII. CONCLUSION. 
 
 II. 
 
 ARTICLES IN WHICH ARE ENUMERATED THE ABUSES 
 
 CORRECTED. 
 
 L OF BOTH KINDS. 
 
 II. OF THE MARRIAGE OF PRIESTS. 
 
 III. OF THE MASS. 
 
 TV. OF CONFESSION. 
 
 V. OF THE DISTINCTION OF MEATS. AND OF TRADITIONa 
 
 VI. OF MONASTIC VOWS. 
 
 VII. OF ECCLESIASTICAL POWER 
 EPILOGUE. 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 DELIVERED TO THE EMPEROR CHARLES V., AT THE 
 DIET OF AUGSBURG, A. D. 1530. 
 
 [This Translation is made from the Latin Editio Princeps of 1530-31, the 
 authority of which, equally with that of the German Editio Princeps, surpasses 
 all other known Editions. It has been carefully prepared by a Joint Committee 
 of The General Council, The General Synod, The United Synod of the South, 
 and the Joint Synod of Ohio, as a Common Standard of The Augsburg Con- 
 fession in English. The words in brackets are inserted from the German Editio 
 Priiirej).-<.^ 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 «K Most Invincible Emperor, Caesar Augustus, most i 
 Clement Lord : 
 Inasmuch as Your Imperial Majesty has summoned a Diet 
 of the Empire here at Augsburg to deliberate concerning 
 measures against the Turk, that most atrocious, hereditary and 
 ancient enemy of the Christian name and religion, in what way 
 effectually to withstand his furor and assaults by strong and 
 lasting military provision ; and then also concerning dissen- 2 
 sions in the matter of our holy religion and Christian Faith, 
 that in this matter of religion the opinions and judgments of 
 parties might be heard in each other's presence, and considered 
 and weighed among ourselves in charity, leniency and mutual 3 
 kindness, to the end that the things in the Scriptures which on 
 cither side have been differently interpreted or misunderstood, 
 being corrected and laid aside, these matters may be settled 
 and brought back to one perfect truth and Christian concord, 
 that for the future one pure and true religion may be embraced 4 
 and maintained by us, that as we all serve and do battle under 
 one Christ, so we may be able also to live in unity and con- 
 cord in the one Christian Church. And inasmuch as we, the 5 
 undersigned Electors and Princes, with others joined with us, 
 have been called to the aforesaid Diet, the same as the other 
 5 33 
 
34 Tin-; Ai'<;snrR<; confession*. 
 
 Electors, Princes and Estates, in obedient compliance with the 
 Imperial mandate we have conic to Augsburg, and, what we 
 do not mean to say as boasting, we were among the first to be 
 here. 
 
 Since then Your Imperial Majesty caused to be proposed t<>6 
 the Electors, Princes and other Estates of the Empire, also 
 here at Augsburg at the very beginning of this Diet, among 
 other things, that, by virtue of the Imperial Edict, the several 
 Estates of the Empire should present their opinions and judg- 
 ments in the German and Latin languages, after due delibera-7 
 tion, answer was given to Your Imperial Majesty, on the 
 ensuing Wednesday, that on the next Friday the Articles of 
 our Confession for our part would be presented. 
 
 Wherefore, in obedience to Your Imperial Majesty's wishes, 8 
 we offer, in this matter of religion, the Confession of our 
 preachers and of ourselves, showing what manner of doctrine 
 „ fi from the Holy Scriptures and the pure AVord of God has 
 been up to this time set forth in our lands, dukedoms, 
 dominions and cities, and taught in our churches. And if the 9 
 other Electors, Princes and Estates of the Empire will present 
 similar writings, to wit, in Latin and German, according to the 
 said Imperial proposition, giving their opinions in this matter 
 of religion, here before Your Imperial Majesty, our most clem- 10 
 ent Lord, we, with the Princes and friends aforesaid, are pre- 
 pared to confer amicably concerning all possible ways and 
 means, as far as may be honorably done, that we may come 
 together, and, the matter between us on both sides being peace- 
 fully discussed without offensive strife, the dissension, by God's 
 help, may be done away and brought back to one true accord- 
 ant religion ; for as we all serve and do battle under one 1 1 
 Christ, w T e ought to confess the one Christ, and so, after the 
 tenor of Your Imperial Majesty's Edict, everything be con- 
 ducted according to the truth of God, which, with most fervent 
 prayers, w T e entreat of God. 
 
 But, with regard to the other Electors, Princes and Estates, 12 
 if they hold that this treatment of the matter of religion after 
 the manner which Your Imperial Majesty has so wisely brought 
 forward, namely, with such mutual presentation of writings and 
 calm conferring together among ourselves, should not proceed, 
 or be unfruitful in results ; we, at least, leave behind the clear 13 
 testimony that we decline or refuse nothing whatever, allowed 
 of God and a good conscience, which may tend to bring about 
 Christian concord ; as also Your Imperial Majesty and the 14 
 other Electors and Estates of the Empire, and all who are 
 moved by sincere love and zeal for religion, and who will 
 give an impartial hearing to this matter, will graciously 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 35 
 
 perceive and more and more understand from this our Con- 
 fession. 
 
 Your Imperial Majesty also, not only once but often, 15 
 graciously signified to the Electors, Princes and Estates of the 
 Empire, and at the Diet of Spires held A. D. 1526, according 
 to the form of Your Imperial instruction and commission 
 given and prescribed, caused it to be stated and publicly pro- 
 claimed, that Your Majesty, in dealing with this matter of 16 
 o« religion, for certain reasons which were alleged in Y r our 
 Majesty's name, was not willing to decide and could not 
 determine anything, but that Y r our Majesty would diligently 
 use Y r our Majesty's office with the Roman Pontiff for the con- 
 vening of a General Council, as the same was publicly set forth 17 
 at greater length over a year ago at the last Diet which met 
 at Spires. There Your Imperial Majesty, through his High- 18 
 ness Ferdinand, King of Bohemia and Hungary, our friend 
 and clement Lord, as well as through the Orator and Imperial 
 Commissioners, caused this, among other things, to be pro- 
 claimed : that Your Imperial Majesty had known of and pon- 
 dered the resolution of Your Majesty's Representative in the 
 Empire, and of the President and Imperial Counsellors, and 
 the Legates from other Estates convened at Ratisbon, concern- 
 ing the calling of a Council, and that this also was adjudged 19 
 by Your Imperial Majesty to be of advantage ; and because 
 the matters to be adjusted between Your Imperial Majesty 
 and the Roman Pontiff were nearing agreement and Christian 
 reconciliation, Your Imperial Majesty did not doubt that the* 
 Roman Pontiff could be induced to hold a General Council ; 
 therefore Your Imperial Majesty himself signified that he 2 o 
 would endeavor to secure the Chief Pontiff's consent together 
 with Your Imperial Majesty to convene such General Council, 
 and that letters to that effect would be publicly issued with all 
 possible expedition. 
 
 In the event, therefore, that the differences between us and 2 i 
 the other parties in the matter of religion cannot be amicably 
 and in charity settled here before Y r our Imperial Majesty, we 
 offer this in all obedience, abundantly prepared to join issue 
 and to defend the cause in such a general, free, Christian Coun- 
 cil, for the convening of which there has always been accordant 
 action and agreement of votes in all the Imperial Diets held 
 during Your Majesty's reign, on the part of the Electors, 
 Princes and other Estates of the Empire. To this General 22 
 Council, and at the same time to Your Imperial Majesty, we 
 have made appeal in this greatest and gravest of matters even 
 before this in due manner and form of law. To this appeal, 23 
 both to Your Imperial Majesty and to a Council, we still adhere, 
 
3G THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 neither do we intend, nor would it be possible for us, to relin- 
 quish it by this or any other document, unless the matter 
 between us and the other side, according to the tenor of the 
 
 latest Imperial citation, can be amicably and charitably settled 
 and brought to Christian concord, of which this also is our 
 solemn and public testimony. 24 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 37 
 
 I. 
 
 38 CHIEF ARTICLES OF FAITH. 
 
 Article I. 
 
 Our Churches, with common consent, do teach, that the i 
 decree of the Council of Nicsea concerning the Unity of the 
 Divine Essence and concerning the Three Persons, is true and 
 to be believed without any doubting ; that is to say, there is 2 
 one Divine Essence which is called and which is God : eternal, 
 without body, without parts, of infinite power, wisdom and 
 goodness, the Maker and Preserver of all things, visible and 
 invisible ; and yet that there are three Persons, of the same 3 
 essence and power, who also are co-eternal, the Father, the Son 
 and the Holy Ghost, And the term " person " they use as the 4 
 Fathers have used it, to signify, not a part or quality in 
 another, but that which subsists of itself. 
 
 They condemn all heresies which have sprung up against this 5 
 article, as the Manichseans who assumed two principles [gods], 
 one Good, and the other Evil ; also the Valentinians, Arians, 
 Eunomians, Mohammedans, and all such. They condemn also 6 
 the Samosatenes, old and new, who contending that there is 
 but one Person, sophistically and impiously argue that the 
 Word and the Holy Ghost are not distinct Persons, but that 
 " Word " signifies a spoken word, and " Spirit " [Ghost] signi- 
 fies motion created in things. 
 
 Article II. 
 
 Also they teach, that since the Fall of Adam, all men begotten 1 
 according to nature, are born with sin, that is, without the fear 
 of God, without trust in God, and with concupiscence ; and that 2 
 this disease, or vice of origin, is truly sin, even now condemning 
 and bringing eternal death upon those not born again through 
 baptism and the Holy Ghost. 
 
 They condemn the Pelagians and others, who deny that the 3 
 «q vice of origin is sin, and who, to obscure the glory of 
 Christ's merit and benefits, argue that man can be justi- 
 fied before God by his own strength and reason. 
 
38 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION 
 
 Article III. 
 
 Also they teach, that the Word, that is, the Son of God, did i 
 take man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, so 2 
 that there are Two Natures, the divine and the human, insep- 
 arably conjoined in one Person, one Christ, true God and true 
 man, who was born of the Virgin Mary, truly suffered, was 
 crucified, dead and buried, that lie might reconcile the Father 
 unto ns, and he a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but for all 3 
 actual sins of men. I Ie also descended into hell, and truly rose 4 
 again the third day ; afterward he ascended into Heaven, that 
 he might sit on the right hand of the Father, and forever reign, 
 and have dominion over all creatures, and sanctify them that 
 
 ■r 
 
 believe in Him, by sending the Holy Ghost into their hearts, to 5 
 rule, comfort and quicken them, and to defend them against 
 the devil and the power of sin. The same Christ shall openly 6 
 come again to judge the quick and the dead, etc., according to 
 the Apostles' Creed. 
 
 Article IV. 
 
 Also they teach, that men cannot be Justified before God by 1 
 their own strength, merits or works, but are freely justified for 
 Christ's sake through faith, when they believe that they are re- 2 
 ceived into favor and that their sins are forgiven for Christ's 
 sake, who, by His death, hath made satisfaction for our sins. 
 This faith God imputes for righteousness in his sight. Rom. 3 
 3 and 4. 
 
 Article V. 
 
 That we may obtain this faith, the Office of Teaching 1 
 the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted. 
 For through the Word and Sacraments as through instru- 2 
 nients, the Holy Ghost is given, who worketh faith where 
 and when it pleaseth God in them that hear the Gospel, to 
 wit, that God, not for our own merits, but for Christ's sake, 3 
 justified those who believe that they are received into favor 
 for Christ's sake. 
 
 They condemn the Anabaptists and others, who think that 4 
 , ft the Holy Ghost conieth to men without the.external Word, 
 through their own preparations and works. 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 39 
 
 Article VI. 
 
 Also they teach, that this Faith is bound to bring forth i 
 Good Fruits, and that it is necessary to do good works com- 
 manded by God, because of God's will, but not that we should 
 rely on those works to merit justification before God. For 2 
 remission of sins and justification are apprehended by faith, as 
 also the voice of Christ attests: "When ye shall have done 
 all these things, say : We are unprofitable servants" [Luke 
 17 : 10]. The same is also taught by the Fathers. For 3 
 Ambrose says : " It is ordained of God that he who believes 
 in Christ, is saved ; freely receiving remission of sins, without 
 works, by faith alone." 
 
 Article VII. 
 
 Also they teach, that One holy Church is to continue for ever. 1 
 The Church is the congregation of saints, in which the Gospel 
 is rightly taught and the Sacraments rightly administered. And 2 
 to the true unity of the Church, it is enough to agree concern- 
 ing the doctrine of the Gospel and the administration of the 
 Sacraments. Nor is it necessary that human traditions, rites, 3 
 or ceremonies, instituted by men, should be everywhere alike. 
 As Paul says: "One faith, one baptism, one God and Father 4 
 of all," etc. [Eph. 4 : 5, 6]. 
 
 Article VIII. 
 
 Although the Church properly is the Congregation of Saints 1 
 and true believers, nevertheless, since, in this life, many hypo- 
 crites and evil persons are mingled therewith, it is lawful to 
 use the Sacraments, which are administered by evil men ; 
 according to the saying of Christ : " The Scribes and the 
 Pharisees sit in Moses' seat," etc. [Matt. 23:2]. Both the 2 
 Sacraments and Word are effectual by reason of the institu- 
 tion and commandment of Christ, notwithstanding they be 
 administered by evil men. 
 
 They condemn the Donatists, and such like, who denied it 3 
 to be lawful to use the ministry of evil men in the Church, 
 and who thought the ministry of evil men to be unprofitable 
 and of none effect. 
 
 Article IX. 
 
 Of Baptism, they teach, that it is necessary to salvation, 1 
 -, and that through Baptism is offered the grace of God ; 
 
 and that children are to be baptized, who, being offered 2 
 to God through Baptism, are received into His grace. 
 
40 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 They condemn the Anabaptists, who allow not the Baptism 3 
 of children, and say that children are saved without Baptism. 
 
 Article X. 
 
 Of the Supper of the Lord, they teach, thai the Body ami 1 
 Blood of Christ are truly present, and are distributed to those 
 
 who eat in the Supper of the Lord; and they disapprove of 2 
 those that teach otherwise. 
 
 Article XI. 
 
 Of Confession, they teach, that Private Absolution ought to 1 
 be retained in the churches, although in confession an enumer- 
 ation of all sins is not necessary. For it is impossible, accord- 2 
 ing to the Psalm : " Who can understand his errors?" [Ps. 
 19: 12]. 
 
 Article XII. 
 
 Of Repentance, they teach, that for those that have fallen 1 
 after Baptism, there is remission of sins whenever they arc eon- 
 verted; and that the Church ought to impart absolution to those 2 
 thus returning to repentance. 
 
 Now repentance consists properly of these two parts : One is 3 
 contrition, that is, terrors smiting the conscience through the 4 
 knowledge of sin ; the other is faith, which, born of the Gospel, 5 
 or of absolution, believes that, for Christ's sake, sins are for- 
 given, comforts the conscience, and delivers it from terrors. 
 Then good works are bound to follow, which are the fruits of 6 
 repentance. 
 
 They condemn the Anabaptists, who deny that those once 7 
 justified can lose the Holy Ghost. Also those who contend 8 
 that some may attain to such perfection in this life that they 
 cannot sin. The Novatians also are condemned, who would 9 
 not absolve such as had fallen after Baptism, though they 
 returned to repentance. They also are rejected who do not 10 
 teach that remission of sins cometh through faith, but command 
 us to merit grace through satisfactions of our own. 
 
 Article XIII. 
 
 Of the Use of the Sacraments, they teach, that the Sacra- 1 
 ments were ordained, not only to be marks of profession among 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 41 
 
 men, but rather to be signs and testimonies of the will of God 
 toward us, instituted to awaken and confirm faith in those who 
 .* use them. Wherefore we must so use the Sacraments 2 
 
 that faith be added to believe the promises which are 
 offered and set forth through the Sacraments. 
 
 They therefore condemn those who teach that the Sacraments 3 
 justify by the outward act, and do not teach that, in the use of 
 the Sacraments, faith which believes that sins are forgiven, is 
 required. 
 
 Article XIY. 
 
 Of Ecclesiastical Order, they teach, that no one should pub- 
 licly teach in the Church or administer the Sacraments, unless 
 he be regularly called. 
 
 Article XV. 
 
 Of Rites and Usages in the Church, they teach, that those 1 
 ought to be observed which may be observed without sin, and 
 which are profitable unto tranquillity and good order in the 
 Church, as particular holydays, festivals, and the like. 
 
 Nevertheless, concerning such things, let men be admonished 2 
 that consciences are not to be burdened, as though such ob- 
 servance was necessary to salvation. They are admonished 3 
 also that human traditions instituted to propitiate God, to 
 merit grace and to make satisfaction for sins, are opposed to 
 the Gospel and the doctrine of faith. Wherefore vows and 4 
 traditions concerning meats and days, etc., instituted to merit 
 grace and to make satisfaction for sins, are useless and con- 
 trary to the Gospel. 
 
 Article XVI. 
 
 Of Civil Affairs, they teach, that lawful civil ordinances are 1 
 good works of God, and that it is right for Christians to bear 2 
 civil office, to sit as judges, to determine matters by the Im- 
 perial and other existing laws, to award just punishments, to 
 engage in just wars, to serve as soldiers, to make legal con- 
 tracts, to hold property, to make oath when required by the 
 magistrates, to marry, to be given in marriage. 
 
 They condemn the Anabaptists who forbid these civil offices 3 
 to Christians. They condemn also those who do not place the 4 
 perfection of the Gospel in the fear of God and in faith, but 
 in forsaking civil offices; for the Gospel teaches an eternal 
 
 6 
 
42 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 righteousness <>f the heart. Meanwhile, it does not destroy q 
 the State or the family, but especially requires their preserva- 
 tion as ordinances of God, and in such ordinances the exercise 
 of charity. Therefore, ( Jhristians are necessarily bound to obey 6 
 their own magistrates and laws, save only when commanded 
 to sin, for then they ought to obey God rather than men [Acts 7 
 5 : :><>]. 
 
 Article XVII. 
 
 .<> Also they teach, that, at the Consummation of the 1 
 World, Christ shall appear for judgment, and shall raise 2 
 up all the dead ; he shall give to the godly and elect eternal 
 life and everlasting joys, but ungodly men and the devils he 3 
 shall condemn to be tormented without end. 
 
 They condemn the Anabaptists who think that there will 4 
 be an end to the punishments of condemned men and devils. 
 They condemn also others, who are now spreading certain 5 
 Jewish opinions that, before the resurrection of the dead, the 
 godly shall take possession of the kingdom of the world, the 
 ungodly being everywhere suppressed [exterminated]. 
 
 Article XVIII. 
 
 Of the Freedom of the Will, they teach, that man's will has 1 
 some liberty for the attainment of civil righteousness, and for 
 the choice of things subject to reason. Nevertheless, it has no 2 
 power, without the Holy Ghost, to work the righteousness of 
 God, that is, spiritual righteousness ; since the natural man 
 receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God [1 Cor. 2 : 14] ; 
 but this righteousness is wrought in the heart when the Holy 3 
 Ghost is received through the Word. These things are said 4 
 in as many words by Augustine in his Hypognosticon, book 
 iii. : " We grant that all men have a certain freedom of w T ill 
 in judging according to [natural] reason ; not such freedom, 
 however, whereby it is capable, without God, either to begin, 
 •or much less to complete aught in things pertaining to God, 
 but only in works of this life, whether good or evil. 'Good/ 5 
 I call those works which spring from the good in Nature, 
 that is, to have a will to labor in the field, to eat and drink, 
 to have a friend, to clothe oneself, to build a house, to marry, 
 to keep cattle, to learn divers useful arts, or whatsoever good 
 pertains to this life, none of which things are without de-6 
 pendence on the providence of God ; yea, of Him and through 
 Him they are and have their beginning. ' Evil/ I call such 7 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 43 
 
 works as to have a will to worship an idol, to commit mur- 
 der," etc. 
 
 They condemn the Pelagians and others who teach that, 8 
 without the Holy Ghost, by the power of nature alone, we 
 are able to love God above all things ; also to do the com- 
 mandments of God as touching "the substance of the act." 
 AA For, although nature is able in some sort to do the out- 9 
 
 ward work (for it is able to keep the hands from theft 
 and murder), yet it cannot work the inward motions, such 
 as the fear of God, trust in God, chastity, patience, etc. 
 
 Article XIX. 
 
 Of the Cause of Sin, they teach, that although God doth 
 create and preserve nature, yet the cause of sin is the will 
 of the wicked, that is, of the devil and ungodly men ; which 
 will, unaided of God, turns itself from God, as Christ says 
 [John 8 : 44] : " When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his 
 own." 
 
 Article XX. 
 
 Our teachers are falsely accused of forbidding Good Works. 1 
 For their published writings on the Ten Commandments, and 2 
 others of like import, bear witness that they have taught to 
 good purpose concerning all estates and duties of life, as to 
 what estates of life and what works in every calling be pleas- 
 ing to God. Concerning these things preachers heretofore 3 
 taught but little, and urged only childish and needless works, 
 as particular holydays, particular fasts, brotherhoods, pilgrim- 
 ages, services in honor of saints, the use of rosaries, monasti- 
 cism, and such like. Since our adversaries have been admon-4 
 ished of these things they are now unlearning them, and do 
 not preach these unprofitable works as heretofore. Besides 5 
 they begin to mention faith, of which there was heretofore 
 marvellous silence. They teach that we are justified not by 6 
 works only, but they conjoin faith and works, and say that we 
 arc justified by faith and works. This doctrine is more toler- 7 
 able than the former one, and can afford more consolation 
 than their old doctrine. 
 
 Forasmuch, therefore, as the doctrine concerning faith, 8 
 which ought to be the chief one in the church, has lain so long 
 unknown, as all must needs grant that there was the deepest 
 silence in their sermons concerning the righteousness of faith, 
 while only the doctrine of works was treated in the churches. 
 
44 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 our teachers have instructed tin* churches concerning faith as 
 
 follows : 
 
 First, thai our works cannot reconcile (»<»<! <>r merit for-9 
 giveness of sins, grace and justification, but thai we obtain this 
 only by faith, when we believe that we arc received into favor 
 for Christ's sake, who alone has been sel forth the Mediator 
 and Propitiation [1 Tim. 2 : 5~L in order that the Father may 
 be reconciled through Rim. Whoever, therefore, trusts thai 
 by works he merits grace, despises the merit and grace of 
 .- Christ, and seeks a way to ( rod without Christ, by 10 
 
 human strength, although Christ has said of himself: "I 
 am the Way, the Truth and the Life" [John 14 : 6]. 
 
 This doctrine concerning faith is everywhere treated by 11 
 Paid [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 anyone should craftily say that a new interprets- 12 
 tion of Paul has been devised by us, this entire matter is sup- 
 ported by the testimonies of the Fathers. For Augustine, in 13 
 many volumes, defends grace and the righteousness of faith, 
 over against the merits of works. And Ambrose, in his De 14 
 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 pre-eminence 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 inexperi-15 
 enced, nevertheless God-fearing and anxious consciences find 
 by experience that it brings the greatest consolation, because 
 consciences cannot be pacified through any works, but only by 
 faith, when they are sure that, for Christ's sake, they have a 
 gracious God. As Paul teaches [Rom. 5:1] : "Being justi- 16 
 fied by faith, we have peace with God." This whole doctrine 17 
 is to be referred to that conflict of the terrified conscience ; 
 neither can it be understood apart from that conflict. There- 18 
 fore inexperienced and profane men judge ill concerning this 
 matter, who dream that Christian righteousness is nothing but 
 the civil righteousnese of natural reason. 
 
 Heretofore consciences were plagued with the doctrine of 19 
 works, nor did they hear any consolation from the Gospel. 
 Some persons were driven by conscience into the desert, into 20 
 monasteries, hoping there to merit grace by a monastic life. 
 Some also devised other works whereby to merit grace and 21 
 make satisfaction for sins. There was very great need to 22 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 45 
 
 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" doth 23 
 not signify merely the knowledge of the history, such as is in 
 the ungodly and in the devil, but signifieth a faith which be- 
 .„ lieves, not merely the history, but also the effect of the 
 history — namely, this article of the forgiveness of sins, 
 to wit, that we have grace, righteousness, and forgiveness of 
 sins, through Christ. 
 
 Now he that knoweth that he has a Father reconciled to 24 
 him through Christ, since he truly knows God, knows also 
 that God careth for him, and calls upon God ; in a word, he 
 is not without God, as the heathen. For devils and the un- 25 
 godly are not able to believe this article of the forgiveness of 
 sins. Hence, they hate God as an enemy; call not upon 
 Him ; and expect no good from Him. Augustine also admon- 26 
 ishes his readers concerning the word " faith/' and teaches that 
 the term "faith" is accepted in the Scriptures, not for knowl- 
 edge such as is in the ungodly, but for confidence which con- 
 soles and encourages the terrified mind. 
 
 Furthermore, it is taught on our part, that it is necessary to 27 
 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 28 
 that forgiveness of sins and grace are apprehended. And 29 
 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 30 
 mother of a good will and right doing." For man's powers 31 
 without the Holy Ghost are full of ungodly affections, and 
 are too weak to do works which are good in God's sight. Be- 32 
 sides, they are in the power of the devil, who impels men to 
 divers sins, to ungodly opinions, to open crimes. This we 33 
 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 34 
 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 35 
 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 36 
 do the works of the First or of the Second Commandment. 
 Without faith, it does not call upon God, nor expect anything 37 
 from Him, nor bear the cross ; but seeks and trusts in man's 
 
46 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 help. And thus, when there is do faith and trust in God, all 38 
 manner of lusts and human devices rule in the heart. Where- 39 
 fore Christ said [John 15 : 5] : kk Without me ye can do noth-40 
 
 nig," and the Church sings : 
 
 " Without Thy power <1 i \ine 
 In man there nothing is. 
 Naught but what is harmful." 
 
 Article XXI. 
 
 d7 Of the Worship of Saints, they teach, that the memory 1 
 
 of saints may be set before us, that we may follow their 
 faith and good works, according to our calling, as the Em- 
 peror 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 2 
 ask help of saints, since it sets before us Christ, as the only 
 Mediator, Propitiation, High-Priest and Intercessor. He is 3 
 to be prayed to, and hath 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 4 
 man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father," etc. 
 
 This is about the Sum of our Doctrine, in which, as can be 1 
 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. The 2 
 disagreement, however, is 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 drawn up ; because even the 
 Canons are not so severe as to demand the same rites every- 
 where, neither, at any time, have the rites of all churches 
 been the same; although, among us, in large part, the ancient 3 
 rites are diligently observed. For it is a false and malicious 4 
 charge that all the ceremonies, all the things instituted of old, 
 are abolished in our churches. But it has been a common 5 
 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. 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 47 
 
 II. 
 
 48 ARTICLES, IX WHICH ARE REVIEWED THE 
 ABUSES WHICH HAVE BEEN CORRECTED. 
 
 Inasmuch then as our churches dissent in no article of the i 
 Faith from the Church Catholic, but omit some Abuses which 
 are new, and which have been erroneously accepted by fault 
 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 also what were the reasons, in order 
 that the people be not compelled to observe those abuses 
 against their conscience. Nor should Your Imperial Majesty 2 
 believe those, who, in order to excite the hatred of men 
 against our part, disseminate strange slanders among our 
 people. Having thus excited the minds of good men, they 3 
 have first given occasion to this controversy, and now en- 
 deavor, by the same arts, to increase the discord. For Your 4 
 Imperial Majesty will undoubtedly find that the form of 
 doctrine and of ceremonies with us, is not so intolerable as 
 these ungodly and malicious men represent. Furthermore, 5 
 the truth cannot be gathered from common rumors, or the 
 revilings of our enemies. But it can readily be judged that 6 
 nothing would serve better to maintain the dignity of worship, 
 and to nourish reverence and pious devotion among the people 
 than that the ceremonies be rightly observed in the churches. 
 
 Article XXII. 
 
 To the laity are given Both Kinds in the Sacrament of the 1 
 Lord's Supper, because this usage has the commandment of 
 the Lord [in Matt, 26:27]: " Drink ye all of it"; where 2 
 Christ has manifestly commanded concerning the cup that all 
 should drink ; and lest any man should craftily say that this 3 
 refers only to priests, Paul [in 1 Cor. 11 : 27] recites an ex- 
 ample from which it appears that the whole congregation did 
 use both kinds. And this usage has long remained in the 4 
 Church, nor is it known when, or by whose authority, it was 
 changed ; although Cardinal Cusanus mentions the time when 
 
48 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 it was approved. Cyprian in sonic places testifies that the 5 
 Blood was given to the people. The same is testified by 6 
 Jerome, who says: "The priests administer the Eucharist, 
 and distribute the Blood of Christ to the people." Indeed, 7 
 Pope Gelasius commands thai the sacrament be not divided 
 (Pisf. ii., De Con&ecrcUione, Gap. Gonvperimus). Only custom, 8 
 not so ancient, has it otherwise, lint it is evident that any 9 
 custom introduced against the commandments of God is not 
 dq to he allowed, as the Canons witness (Dist, hi., ( f c/>. 
 
 Veritate, and the following chapters). But this custom io 
 has been received, not only against the Scripture but also 
 against the old Canons and examples of the Church. There- n 
 fore if any preferred to use both kinds of the sacrament, they 
 ought not to have been compelled with offence to their con- 
 sciences to do otherwise. 
 
 And because the division of the sacrament does not agree 12 
 with the ordinance of Christ, we are accustomed to omit the 
 procession, which hitherto has been in use. 
 
 Article XXIII. 
 
 There has been common complaint concerning the Exam- 1 
 pies of Priests, who were not chaste. For that reason also, 2 
 Pope Pius is reported to have said that there were certain 
 reasons why marriage was taken away from priests, but that 
 there were far weightier ones why it ought to be given back ; 
 for so Platina writes. Since, therefore, our priests were desir-3 
 ous to avoid these open scandals they married wives, and 
 taught that it was lawful for them to contract matrimony. 
 First, because Paul says [1 Cor. 7:2]: " To avoid fornication, 4 
 let every man have his own wife." Also [9] : " It is better 
 to marry than to burn." Secondly, Christ says [Matt. 19:5 
 11] : "All men cannot receive this saying," where he teaches 
 that not all men are fit to lead a single life; for God created 
 man for procreation [Gen. 1 : 28]. Nor is it in man's power, 6 
 without a singular gift and work of God, to alter this creation. 
 Therefore those that are not fit to lead a single life ought to 7 
 contract matrimony. For no man's law, no vow, can annuls 
 the commandment and ordinance of God. For these reasons 9 
 the priests teach that it is lawful for them to marry wives. 
 It is also evident that in the ancient Church priests were mar- 10 
 ried men. For Paul says [1 Tim. 3 : 2] that a bishop should 11 
 be the husband of one wife. And in Germany, four hundred 12 
 years ago for the first time, the priests were violently com- 
 pelled to lead a single life, who indeed offered such resistance 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 49 
 
 that the Archbishop of Mayence, when about to publish the 
 Pope's decree concerning this matter, was almost killed in the 
 -~ tumult raised by the enraged priests. "And so harsh was 13 
 
 the dealing in the matter that not only were marriages 
 forbidden for the time to come, but also existing marriages 
 were torn asunder, contrary to all laws, divine and human, 
 contrary even to the Canons themselves, made not only by the 
 Popes but by most celebrated Councils. 
 
 Seeing also that, as the world is aging, man's nature is 14 
 gradually growing weaker, it is well to guard that no more 
 vices steal into Germany. Furthermore, God ordained mar- 15 
 riage to be a help against human infirmity. The Canons 16 
 themselves say that the old rigor ought now and then, in the 
 latter times, to be relaxed because of the weakness of men ; 
 which it is to be devoutly wished were done also in this 
 matter. And it is to be expected that the churches shall at 17 
 length lack pastors, if marriage should be any longer for- 
 bidden. 
 
 But while the commandment of God is in force, while the 18 
 custom of the Church is well known, while impure celibacy 
 causes many scandals, adulteries, and other crimes deserving 
 the punishments of just magistrates, yet it is a marvellous 
 thing that in nothing is more cruelty exercised than against 
 the marriage of priests. God has given commandment to 19 
 honor marriage. By the laws of all well-ordered common- 20 
 wealths, even among the heathen, marriage is most highly 21 
 honored. But now men, and also priests, are cruelly put to 
 death, contrary to the intent of the Canons, for no other cause 22 
 than marriage. Paul [in 1 Tim. 4 : 3] calls that a doctrine 
 of devils, which forbids marriage. This may now be readily 
 understood when the law against marriage is maintained by 23 
 such penalties. 
 
 k 1 But as no law of man can annul the commandment of 24 
 
 God, so neither can it be done by any vow. Accordingly 25 
 Cyprian also advises that women who do not keep the chastity 
 they have promised should marry. His words are these 
 [Book I., Epistle xi.] : " But if they be unwilling or unable 
 to persevere, it is better for them to marry than to fall into 
 the fire by their lusts ; at least, they should give no offence to 
 their brethren and sisters." And even the Canons show some 26 
 leniency toward those who have taken vows before the proper 
 age. as heretofore has generally been the case. 
 7 
 
50 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 Article XXIV. 
 
 Falsely are our churches accused of Abolishing the Mass; i 
 
 for the Mass is retained on our part, and celebrated with the 
 highest reverence. All the usual ceremonies are also pre- 2 
 served, save that the parts sung in Latin are interspersed here 
 and there with German hymns, which have been added to 
 teach the people. For ceremonies are needed to this end 3 
 alone, that the unlearned be taught. And not only has Paul 4 
 commanded to use in the Church a language understood by 
 the people [1 Cor. 14 : 2, 9], but it has also been so ordained 
 by man's law. 
 
 The people are accustomed to partake Of the Sacrament to- 5 
 gether, if any be fit for it, and this also increases the rever- 
 ence and devotion of public worship. For none are admitted 6 
 except they be first proved. The people are also advised con- 7 
 cerning the dignity and use of the Sacrament, how great con- 
 solation it brings anxious consciences, that they may learn to 
 believe God, and to expect and ask of Him all that is good. 
 This worship pleases God ; such use of the Sacrament nour- 8 
 ishes true devotion toward God. It does not, therefore, 9 
 appear that the Mass is more devoutly celebrated among our 
 adversaries, than among us. 
 
 But it is evident that for a long time, it has been the public 10 
 and most grievous complaint of all good men, that Masses 
 have been basely profaned and applied to purposes of lucre. 
 For it is unknown how far this abuse obtains in all then 
 churches, by what manner of men Masses are said orly for 
 .. fees or stipends, and how many celebrate them contrary 12 
 
 to the Canons. But Paul severely threatens those who 
 deal unworthily with the Eucharist, when he says [1 Cor. 
 11:27]: "Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this 
 cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and 
 blood of the Lord." When, therefore, our priests were ad- 13 
 monished concerning this sin, Private Masses were discon- 
 tinued among us, as scarcely any Private Masses were cele- 
 brated except for lucre's sake. 
 
 Neither w^ere the bishops ignorant of these abuses, and if 14 
 they had corrected them in time, there would now be less dis- 
 sension. Heretofore, by their own negligence, they suffered 1-, 
 many corruptions to creep into the Church. Now, when it is 16 
 too late, they begin to complain of the troubles of the Church, 
 seeing that this disturbance has been occasioned simply by 
 those abuses, which were so manifest that thev could be borne 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 51 
 
 no longer. Great dissensions have arisen concerning the 17 
 Mass, concerning the Sacrament. Perhaps the world is being 18 
 punished for such long-continued profanations of the Mass, as 
 have been tolerated in the churches for so many centuries, by 
 the very men who were both able and in duty bound to cor- 
 rect them. For, in the Ten Commandments, it is written 19 
 (Exodus 20), "The Lord will not hold him guiltless that 
 taketh His name in vain." But since the world began, nothing 20 
 that God ever ordained seems to have been so abused for filthy 
 lucre as the Mass. 
 
 There was also added the opinion which infinitely increased 21 
 Private Masses, namely, that Christ, by His passion, had 
 made satisfaction for original sin, and instituted the Mass 
 wherein an offering should be made for daily sins, venial and 
 mortal. From this has arisen the common opinion that the 22 
 Mass taketh away the sins of the living and the dead, by the 
 outward act. Then they began to dispute whether one Mass 23 
 said for many were worth as much as special Masses for indi- 
 viduals, and this brought forth that infinite multitude of 
 Masses. Concerning these opinions our teachers have given 24 
 warning, that they depart from the Holy Scriptures and 
 diminish the glory of the passion of Christ. For Christ's 25 
 passion was an oblation and satisfaction, not for original guilt 26 
 only, but also for all sins, as it is written to the Hebrews 
 (10:10), "We are sanctified through the offering of Jesus 
 Christ, once for all." Also, 10:14: "By one offering he 27 
 hath perfected forever them that are sanctified." Scripture 28 
 also teaches that we are justified before God through faith in 
 Christ, when we believe that our sins are forgiven for Christ's 
 sake. Now if the Mass take away the sins of the living and 29 
 the dead by the outward act, justification comes of the work 
 of Masses, and not of faith, which Scripture does not allow. 
 k« But Christ commands us [Luke 22 : 19], "This do in 30 
 
 remembrance of me ; " therefore the Mass was instituted 
 that the faith of those who use the Sacrament should remem- 
 ber what benefits it receives through Christ, and cheer and 
 comfort the anxious conscience. For, to remember Christ, is 31 
 to remember his benefits, and to realize that they are truly 
 offered unto us. Nor is it enough only to remember the his- 32 
 tory, for this the Jew and the ungodly also can remember. 
 Wherefore the Mass is to be used to this end, that there the 33 
 Sacrament [Communion] may be administered to them that 
 have need of consolation ; as Ambrose says : " Because I 
 always sin, I am always bound to take the medicine." 
 
 Now forasmuch as the Mass is such a giving of the Sacra- 34 
 ment, we hold one communion every holy day, and also other 
 
52 TIIK A.UG8BURG CONFESSION. 
 
 «lavs, when any desire the Sacrament it is given to such as 
 ask for it. And this custom is n<>t new in the Church j for35 
 the Fathers before Gregory make no mention of any private 
 Mass, hut of the common Mass [the Communion] they speak 
 very much. Chrysostom says that the priest stands daily at 36 
 the altar, inviting some to the Communion and keeping back 
 others. And it appears from the ancient Canons, that some 3^ 
 one celebrated the Mass from whom all the other presbyters 
 and deacons received the Body of the Lord; for thus the 
 words of the Nicene Canon say : " Let the deacons, according 38 
 to their order, receive the Holy Communion after the pres- 
 byters, from the bishop or from a presbyter." And Paul 39 
 [i Cor. 11 : 33] commands concerning the Communion: 
 "Tarry one for another," so that there may be a common 
 participation. 
 
 Forasmuch, therefore, as the Mass with us has the example^ 
 of the Church, taken from the Scripture and the Fathers, we 
 are confident that it cannot be disapproved, especially since 
 the public ceremonies are retained for the most part, like those 
 hitherto in use ; only the number of Masses differs, which, 
 because of very great and manifest abuses, doubtless might 
 be profitably reduced. For in olden times, even in churches, 41 
 most frequented, the Mass was not celebrated every day, as 
 the Tripartite History (Book 9, chapt. 33) testifies: "Again 
 in Alexandria, every Wednesday and Friday, the Scriptures 
 are read, and the doctors expound them, and all things are 
 done, except only the celebration of the Eucharist." 
 
 Article XX»V. 
 
 Confession in our churches is not abolished ; for it is not 1 
 usual to give the Body of the Lord, except to them that have 
 been previously examined and absolved. And the people are 2 
 most carefully taught concerning the faith and assurance of 
 t,. absolution, about which, before this time, there was pro- 
 found silence. Our people are taught that they should 3 
 highly prize the absolution, as being the voice of God, and 
 pronounced by His command. The power of the Keys is 4 
 commended, and we show what great consolation it brings to 
 anxious consciences; that God requires faith to believe such 
 absolution as a voice sounding from Heaven, and that such 
 faith in Christ truly obtains and receives the forgiveness of 
 sins. 
 
 Aforetime, satisfactions were immoderately extolled ; of 5 
 faith and the merit of Christ, and the righteousness of faith, 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 53 
 
 no mention was made; wherefore, on this point, onr churches 
 are by no means to be blamed. For this even our adversaries 6 
 must needs concede to us, that the doctrine concerning repent- 
 ance has been must diligently treated and laid open by our 
 teachers. 
 
 But of Confession, they teach, that an enumeration of sins 7 
 is not necessary, and that consciences be not burdened with 
 anxiety to enumerate all sins, for it is impossible to recount 
 all sins, as the Psalm testifies [19:13]: "Who can under- 
 stand his errors?" Also Jeremiah [17:9]: "The heart is 8 
 deceitful, who can know it?" But if no sins were forgiven, 9 
 except those that are recounted, consciences could never find 
 peace ; for very many sins they neither see, nor can re- 
 member. 
 
 The ancient writers also testify that an enumeration is not 10 
 necessary. For, in the Decrees, Chrysostom is quoted, who 11 
 thus says : " I say not to thee, that thou shouldest disclose 
 thyself in public, nor that thou accuse thyself before others, 
 but I would have thee obey the prophet who says : ' Disclose 
 thy way before God.' Therefore confess thy sins before God, 
 the true Judge, with prayer. Tell thine errors, not with the 
 tongue, but with the memory of thy conscience." And the 12 
 Gloss ("Of Repentance," Distinct v, Cap. Consideret) admits 
 that Confession of human right only. Nevertheless, on ac- 13 
 count of the great benefit of absolution, and because it is 
 otherwise useful to the conscience, Confession is retained 
 among us. 
 
 Article XXVI. 
 
 ,k It has been the general persuasion, not of the people 1 
 
 alone, but also of such as teach in the churches, that 
 making Distinctions of Meats, and like traditions of men, are 
 works profitable to merit grace, and able to make satisfactions 
 for sins. And that the world so thought, appears from this, 2 
 that new ceremonies, new orders, new holydays, and new 
 fastings were daily instituted, and the teachers in the churches 
 did exact these works as a service necessary to merit grace, 
 and did greatly terrify men's consciences, if they should omit 
 any of these things. From this persuasion concerning tradi- 3 
 tions, much detriment has resulted in the Church. 
 
 First, the doctrine of grace and of the righteousness of faith 4 
 has been obscured by it, which is the chief part of the Gospel, 
 and ought to stand out, as the most prominent in the Church, 
 that the merit of Christ may be well known, and that faith, 
 
54 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 which believes that sins arc forgiven for Christ's Bake may 
 be exalted far above works. Wherefore Paul also lays the 5 
 greatest stress on this article, putting aside the law and 
 human traditions, in order to show that the righteousness <>f 
 the Christian is another than such works, to wit, the faith 
 which believes that sins arc freely forgiven for Christ's sake. 
 But this doctrine of Paul has been almost wholly smothered 6 
 by traditions, which have produced an opinion that, by mak- 
 ing distinctions in meats and like services, we must merit 
 grace and righteousness. In treating of repentance, there 7 
 was no mention made of faith ; all that was done was to set 
 forth those works of satisfaction, and in these all repentance 
 seemed to consist. 
 
 Secondly, these traditions have obscured the command- 8 
 ments of God; because traditions were placed far above the 
 commandments of (iod. Christianity was thought to con- 
 sist wholly in the observance of certain holydays, fasts and 
 vestures. These observances had won for themselves the 9 
 exalted title of being the spiritual life and the perfect life. 
 Meanwhile the commandments of God, according to each 10 
 one's calling, were without honor, namely, that the father 
 brought up his family, that the mother bore children, that the 
 Prince governed the Commonwealth, — these were accounted 
 works that were worldly and imperfect, and far below those 
 glittering observances. And this error greatly tormented 11 
 devout consciences, which grieved that they were bound by 
 an imperfect state of life, as in marriage, in the office of mag- 
 istrate, or in other civil ministrations; on the other hand 
 they admired the monks and such like, and falsely imagined 
 that the observances of such men were more acceptable to 
 God. 
 
 Thirdly, traditions brought great danger to consciences ; 12 
 for it was impossible to keep all traditions, and yet men 
 judged these observances to be necessary acts of worship. 
 c fi Gerson writes that many fell into despair, and that some 13 
 
 even took their own lives, because they felt that they 
 were not able to satisfy the traditions; and meanwhile, they 
 heard not the consolation of the righteousness of faith and 
 grace. 
 
 We see that the sum mists and theologians gather the tra- 14 
 ditions together, and seek mitigations whereby to ease con- 
 sciences, and yet they do not. succeed in releasing them, but 
 sometimes entangle consciences even more. And with the 15 
 gathering of these traditions, the schools and sermons have 
 been so much occupied that they have had no leisure to 
 touch upon Scripture, and to seek the more profitable doc- 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 55 
 
 trine of faith, of the cross, of hope, of the dignity of civil 
 affairs, of consolation of sorely tried consciences. Hence 16 
 Gerson, and some other theologians, have grievously com- 
 plained, that by these strivings concerning traditions, they 
 were prevented from giving attention to a better kind of 
 doctrine. Augustine also forbids that men's consciences 17 
 should be burdened with such observances, and prudently 
 advises Januarius, that he must know that they are to be 
 observed as things indifferent ; for these are his words. 
 
 Wherefore our teachers must not be looked upon as having 18 
 taken up this matter rashly, or from hatred of the bishops, 
 as some falsely suspect. There was great need to warn the 19 
 churches of these errors, which had arisen from misunder- 
 standing the traditions. For the Gospel compels us to insist 20 
 in the churches upon the doctrine of grace, and of the right- 
 eousness of faith ; which, however, cannot be understood, if 
 men think that they merit grace by observances of their own 
 choice. 
 
 Thus, therefore, they have taught, that by the observance 21 
 of human traditions we cannot merit grace, or be justified ; 
 and hence we must not think such observances necessary acts 
 of worship. 
 
 They add hereunto testimonies of Scripture. Christ [Matt. 22 
 15:3] defends the Apostles who had not observed the usual 
 tradition, which however, seemed to pertain to a matter not 
 unlawful, but indifferent, and to have a certain affinity with 
 the purifications of the law, and says [9] : " In vain do they 
 worship me with the commandments of men." He, there- 23 
 fore, does not exact an unprofitable service. Shortly after, 
 he adds [11] : " Not that which goeth into the mouth, defileth 24 
 a man." So also Paul [Rom. 14 : 17] : " The Kingdom of 
 God is not meat and drink." [Col. 2:16]: " Let no man 25 
 therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an 
 holyday, or of the Sabbath day;" also [v. 20, sq.] : "If ye be 26 
 dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as 
 though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 
 touch not, taste not, handle not ?" And Peter says [Acts 27 
 15 : 10] : "Why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck 
 of the disciples, which neither our fathers, nor we were able 
 to bear ; but we believe that through the grace of the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, we shall be saved, even as they." Here Peter 28 
 forbids to burden the consciences with many rites, either of 
 Moses, or of others. 
 
 And in 1 Tim. [4:1, 3], Paul calls the prohibition of 29 
 p- meats a doctrine of devils; for it is against the Gospel 
 to institute or to do such works that by them we may 
 
56 THE AUGSBUtfG CONFESSION. 
 
 merit grace, or as though Christianity could Dot exist without 
 such service oi ( rod. 
 
 Here our adversaries cast up that our teachers are opposed-jo 
 tn discipline and mortification of the flesh, as Joviniau. But 
 the contrary may be learned from the writings of <>ur 
 teachers'. For they have always taught concerning the 31 
 cross, that it behooves Christians to bear afflictions. This is 32 
 the true, earnest and unfeigned mortification, to wit, to he ex- 
 ercised with divers afflictions, and to be crucified with Christ. 
 
 Moreover, they teach, that every Christian ought to ex-33 
 ercise and subdue himself with bodily restraints and labors, 
 that neither plenty nor slothfulness tempt him to sin, but not 
 that we may merit grace or make satisfaction for sins by such 
 exercises. And such external discipline ought to be urged 34 
 at all times, not only on a few and set days. 80 Christ 35 
 commands [Luke 21 :34]: "Take heed, lest your hearts be 
 overcharged with surfeiting;" also [Matt. 17:21]: "This 36 
 kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Paul also 37 
 says [1 Cor. 9 : 27] : " I keep under my body and bring it 
 into subjection." Here he clearly shows that he was keeping 38 
 under his body, not to merit forgiveness of sins by that dis- 
 cipline, but to have his body in subjection and fitted for spir- 
 itual things, and for the discharge of duty according to his 
 calling. Therefore, we do not condemn fasting, but the tradi-39 
 tions which prescribe certain days and certain meats, with 
 peril of conscience, as though works of such kinds were a 
 necessary service. - 
 
 Nevertheless, very many traditions are kept on our p£&, 40 
 which conduce to good order in the Church, as the Order of 
 Lessons in the Mass, and the chief holydays. But, at the 41 
 same time, men are warned that such observances do not jus- 
 tify before God, and that, in such things, it should not be 
 made sin, if they be omitted without scandal. Such liberty 42 
 in human rites was not unknown to the Fathers. For in the 43 
 Fast they kept Easter at another time than at Home, and 
 when, on account of this diversity, the Romans accused the 
 Fastern Church of schism, they were admonished by others 
 that such usages need not be alike everywhere. And 44 
 [renaeus says : " Diversity concerning fasting does not destroy 
 the harmony of faith." As also Pope Gregory intimates in 
 Did. xii., that such diversity does not violate the unity of the 
 Church. And in the Tripartite History, Book 9, many ex- 45 
 amples of dissimilar rites are gathered, and the following 
 statement is made: "It was not the mind of the Apostles to 
 enact rules concerning holydays, but to preach godliness aud 
 a holy life." 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 57 
 
 68 Article XXVII. 
 
 What is taught, on our part, concerning Monastic Vows, i 
 will be better understood, if it be remembered what has been 
 the state of the monasteries, and how many things were daily 
 done in those very monasteries, contrary to the Canons. In 
 Augustine's time, they were free associations. Afterward, 2 
 when discipline was corrupted, vows were everywhere added 
 for the purpose of restoring discipline, as in a carefully 
 planned prison. Gradually, many other observances were 3 
 added besides vows. And these fetters were laid upon many 4 
 before the lawful age, contrary to the Canons. Many also 5 
 entered into this kind of life through ignorance, being unable 
 to judge their own strength, though they were of sufficient 
 age. Being thus ensnared, they were compelled to remain, 6 
 even though some could have been freed by the provision of 
 the Canons. And this was more the case in convents of 7 
 women than of monks, although more consideration should 
 have been shown the weaker sex. This rigor displeased 8 
 many good men before this time, who saw that young men 
 and maidens were thrown into convents for a living, and 
 what unfortunate results came of this procedure, and what 
 scandals were created, what snares were cast upon consciences ! 
 They were grieved that the authority of the Canons in so 9 
 momentous a matter was utterly despised and set aside. 
 
 To these evils, was added an opinion concerning vows, 10 
 which, it is well known, in former times, displeased even 
 those monks who were more thoughtful. They taught that 11 
 vows were equal to Baptism ; they taught that, by this kind 
 of life, they merited forgiveness of sins and justification be- 
 fore God. Yea, they added that the monastic life not only 12 
 merited righteousness before God, but even greater things, 
 because it kept not only the precepts, but also the so-called 
 " evangelical counsels." 
 
 Thus they made men believe that the profession of monasti- 13 
 cism was far better than Baptism, and that the monastic life 
 was more meritorious than that of magistrates, than the life 
 of pastors and such like, who serve their calling in accord- 
 ance with God's commands, without any man-made services. 
 None of these things can be denied ; for they appear in their 14 
 own books. 
 kq What then came to pass in the monasteries? A tore- 15 
 
 time, thev were schools of Theology and other branches, 
 profitable to the Churchy and thence pastors and bishops were 
 
 8 
 
58 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 obtained. Now it is another thing. It is needless to rehearse 
 what is known to all. Aforetime they came together to learn; 16 
 now they feign that it is a kind of life instituted to merit 
 grace and righteousness ; yea, they preach that it is a state of 
 perfection, and they put it far above all other kinds of life 
 ordained of God. 
 
 These tilings we have rehearsed without odious exaggera- 17 
 tion, to the end that the doctrine of our teachers, on this 
 point, might he better understood. First, concerning such 18 
 as contract matrimony, they teach, on our part, that it is 
 lawful for all men who are not fitted for single life to con- 
 tract matrimony, because vows cannot annul the ordinance 
 and commandment of God. But the commandment of God 19 
 is [1 Cor. 7:2]: " To avoid fornication, let every man have 
 his own wife." Nor is it the commandment only, but also 20 
 the creation and ordinance of God, which forces those to 
 marry who are not excepted by a singular w r ork of God, 
 according to the text [Gen. 2:18]: "It is not good that the 
 man should be alone." Therefore they do not sin who obey 21 
 this commandment and ordinance of God. What objection 22 
 can be raised to this ? Let men extol the obligation of a vow 
 as much as they list, yet shall they not bring to pass that the 
 vow annuls the commandment of God. The Canons teach 23 
 that the right of the superior is excepted in every vow ; much 
 less, therefore, are these vows of force which are against the 
 commandments of God. 
 
 Now if the obligation of vows could not be changed for 24 
 any cause whatever, the Roman Pontiffs could never have 
 given dispensation ; for it is not lawful for man to annul 
 an obligation which is altogether divine. But the Roman 25 
 Pontiffs have prudently judged that leniency is to be ob- 
 served in this obligation, and therefore we read that many 
 times they have dispensed from vows. The case of the 26 
 King of Aragon who was called back from the monastery 
 is well known, and there are also examples in our own 
 times. 
 
 In the second place, Why do our adversaries exaggerate 27 
 the obligation or effect of a vow, when, at the same time, 
 fi « they have not a word to say of the nature of the vow 
 itself, that it ought to be in a thing possible, free, and 
 chosen spontaneously and deliberately. But it is not known 28 
 to what extent perpetual chastity is in the power of man. 
 And how few are there who have taken the vow spontane- 29 
 ously and deliberately ! Young men and maidens, before 
 they are able to judge, are persuaded, and sometimes even 
 compelled, to take the vow. Wherefore it is not fair to insist 30 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 59 
 
 so rigorously on the obligation, since it is granted by all that 
 it is against the nature of a vow to take it without spon- 
 taneous and deliberate action. 
 
 Many canonical. laws rescind vows made before the age of 31 
 fifteen ; for before that age, there does not seem sufficient 
 judgment in a person to decide concerning a perpetual life. 
 Another Canon, granting even more liberty to the weakness 32 
 of man, adds a few years, and forbids a vow to be made 
 before the age of eighteen. But whether we followed the 33 
 one or the other, the most part have an excuse for leaving the 
 monasteries, because most of them have taken the vows before 
 they reached these ages. 
 
 But, finally, even though the violation of a vow might 34 
 be rebuked, yet it seems not forthwith to follow that the 
 marriages of such persons ought to be dissolved. For 35 
 Augustine denies that they ought to be dissolved (xxvii. 
 Qusest. I., Cap. Nuptiarum) ; and his authority is not lightly 
 to be esteemed, although other men afterwards thought 
 otherwise. 
 
 But although it appears that God's command concerning 36 
 marriage delivers many from their vows, yet our teachers 
 introduce also another argument concerning vows, to show 
 that they are void. For every service of God, ordained and 
 chosen of men without the commandment of God to merit 
 justification and grace, is wicked ; as Christ says [Matt. 
 15:9]: " In vain do they worship me with the command- 
 ments of men." And Paul teaches everywhere that right- 37 
 eousness is not to be sought by our own observances and acts 
 of worship, devised by men, but that it comes by faith to 
 those who believe that they are received by God into grace 
 for Christ's sake. 
 
 But it is evident that monks have taught that services of 38 
 man's making satisfy for sins and merit grace and justifica- 
 tion. What else is this but to detract from the glory of 
 Christ and to obscure and deny the righteousness of faith ? 
 It follows, therefore, that the vows thus commonly taken, 39 
 fil have been wicked services, and, consequently, are void. 
 
 For a wicked vow, taken against the commandment of 40 
 God, is not valid ; for (as the Canon says) no vow ought to 
 bind men to wickedness. 
 
 Paul says [Gal. 5:4]: " Christ is become of no effect unto 41 
 you, whosoever of you are justified by the law ; ye are fallen 
 from grace." They, therefore, who want to be justified by 42 
 their vows, are made void of Christ and fall from grace. 
 For such as ascribe justification to vows, ascribe to their 43 
 own works that which properly belongs to the glory of 
 
60 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 Christ. But it is undeniable that the monks have taught 44 
 that, by their vows and observances, they were justified, and 
 merited forgiveness of sins, yea, they invented still greater 
 absurdities, saying thai they could give others a share in 
 their works. If anyone should be inclined to enlarge 01145 
 these things with evil intent, how many things could he 
 bring together, whereof even the monks are now ashamed ! 
 Over and above this, they persuaded men that services of 46 
 man's making were a state of Christian perfection. And i> 47 
 not this assigning justification to works? It is no light 48 
 offence in the Church to set forth to the people a service de- 
 vised by men, without the commandment of God, and to 
 teach that such service justifies men. For the righteousness 
 of faith in Christ, which chiefly ought to be in the Church, 
 is obscured, when this wonderful worshipping of angels, with 
 its show of poverty, humility and chastity, is cast before the 
 eyes of men. 
 
 Furthermore, the precepts of God and the true service of 4.9 
 God are obscured when men hear that only monks are in a 
 state of perfection. For Christian perfection is to fear God 
 from the heart, again to conceive great faith, and to trust 
 that, for Christ's sake, we have a gracious God, to ask of 
 God, and assuredly to expect his aid in all things that, accord- 
 ing to our calling, are to be borne; and meanwhile, to be 
 diligent in outward good works, and to serve our calling. 
 In these things consist the true perfection and the true service 50 
 of God. It does not consist in the unmarried life, or in beg- 
 ging, or in vile apparel. But the people conceive many per- 51 
 nicious opinions from the false commendations of monastic 
 life. They hear unmarried life praised above measure ; there- 52 
 ft9 fore they lead their married life with offence to their 
 
 consciences. They hear that only beggars are perfect ; 53 
 therefore they keep their possessions and do business with 
 offence to their consciences. They hear that it is an evan- 54 
 gelical counsel not to avenge ; therefore some in private life 
 are not afraid to take revenge, for they hear that it is but a 
 counsel, and not a commandment ; while others judge that 55 
 the Christian cannot properly hold a civil office, or be a 
 magistrate. 
 
 There are on record examples of men who, forsaking mar- 56 
 riage and the administration of the Commonwealth, have hid 
 themselves in monasteries. This they called fleeing from the 57 
 world, and seeking a kind of life which should be more 
 pleasing to God. Neither did they see that God ought to be 
 served in those commandments which he himself has given, 
 and not in commandments devised by men. A good and 58 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION 61 
 
 perfect kind of life is that which lias for it the commandment 
 of God. It is necessary to admonish men of these things. 59 
 And before these times, Gersou rebuked this error concerning 60 
 perfection, and testified that, in his day, it was a new saying 
 that the monastic life is a state of perfection. 
 
 So many wicked opinions are inherent in the vows, such as 61 
 that they justify, that they constitute Christian perfection, 
 that they keep the counsels and commandments, that they 
 have works of supererogation. All these things, since they 
 are false and empty, make vows null and void. 
 
 Article XXYIII. 
 
 There has been great controversy concerning the Power of 1 
 Bishops, in which some have awkwardly confounded the 
 power of the Church and the power of the sword. And 2 
 from this confusion very great wars and tumults have re- 
 sulted, while the Pontiffs, emboldened by the power of the 
 Keys, not only have instituted new services and burdened 
 consciences with reservation of eases, but have also under- 
 taken to transfer the kingdoms of this world, and to take the 
 Empire from the Emperor. These wrongs have long since 3 
 been rebuked in the Church by learned and godly men. 
 fi „ Therefore, our teachers, for the comforting of men's con- 4 
 
 sciences, were constrained to show the difference between 
 the power of the Church and the power of the sword, and 
 taught that both of them, because of God's commandment, 
 are to be held in reverence and honor, as among the chief 
 blessings of God on earth. 
 
 But this is their opinion, that the power of the Keys, or 5 
 the power of the bishops, according to the Gospel, is a power 
 or commandment of God, to preach the Gospel, to remit and 
 retain sins, and to administer sacraments. For with that 6 
 commandment, Christ sends forth his Apostles [John 20 : 21 
 sqq.] : " As my Father has sent me, even so send I you. 
 Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whosesoever sins ye remit, they 
 are remitted unto them ; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they 
 are retained." [Mark 16 : 15] : "Go, preach the Gospel to 7 
 every creature." 
 
 This power is exercised only by teaching or preaching the 8 
 Gospel and administering the sacraments, according to the 
 calling, either to many or to individuals. For thereby are 
 granted, not bodily, but eternal things, as eternal righteous- 
 ness, the Holv Ghost, eternal life. These things cannot come 9 
 but by the ministry of the Word and the sacraments. As 
 
62 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 Paul says [Rom. 1 : l(j] : "The Gospel is the powei of God 
 unto salvation to every one that believeth." Therefore, since io 
 the power of the Church grants eternal things, and is exer- 
 cised only by the ministry of the Word, it does not interfere 
 with civil government ; no more than the art of singing in- 
 terferes with civil government. For civil government deals n 
 with other things than does the Gospel ; the civil rulers de- 
 fend not souls, hut bodies and bodily things against manifest 
 injuries, and restrain men with the sword and bodily punish- 
 ments in order to preserve civil justice and peace. 
 
 Therefore the power of the Church and the civil power 12 
 must not be confounded. The power of the Church has its 
 own commission, to teach the Gospel and to administer the 
 sacraments. Let it not break into the office of another ; let 13 
 it not transfer the kingdoms of this world ; let it not abrogate 
 the laws of civil rulers; let it not abolish lawful obedience ; 
 let it not interfere with judgments concerning civil ordinances 
 or contracts ; let it not prescribe laws to civil rulers concern- 
 ing the form of the Commonwealth. As Christ says [John 14 
 18:361: "My kingdom is not of this world"; also [Luke 
 12 : 14] : "Who made me a judge or a divider over you?" 15 
 g. Paul also says [Phil. 8:20]: "Our citizenship is in 16 
 Heaven "j [2 Cor. 10 : 4] : " The weapons of our war- 17 
 fare are not carnal ; but mighty through God to the easting 
 down of imaginations." After this manner, our teachers dis- 18 
 criminate between the duties of both these powers, and com- 
 mand that both be honored and acknowledged as gifts and 
 blessings of God. 
 
 If bishops have any power of the sword, that power they 19 
 have, not as bishops, by the commission of the Gospel, 
 but by human law, having received it of Kings and Em- 
 perors, for the civil administration of what is theirs. This, 
 however, is another office than the ministry of the Gospel. 
 
 When, therefore, a question arises concerning the juris- 20 
 diction of bishops, civil authority must be distinguished from 
 ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Again, according to the Gospel, 21 
 or, as they say, according to Divine Law, to the bishops as 
 bishops, that is, to those to whom has been committed the 
 ministry of the Word and the sacraments, no jurisdiction 
 belongs, except to forgive sins, to discern doctrine, to reject 
 doctrines contrary to the Gospel, and to exclude from the 
 communion of the Church wicked men, whose wickedness is 
 known, and this without human force, simply by the Word. 
 Herein the congregations are bound by Divine Law to obey 22 
 them, according to Luke 10:16: "He that heareth you, 
 heareth me." 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 63 
 
 But when they teach or ordain anything against the Gos- 23 
 pel, then the congregations have a commandment of God 
 prohibiting obedience [Matt. 7 : 15]: "Beware of false 24 
 prophets"; [Gal. 1:8]: "Though an angel from heaven 
 preach any other Gospel let him be accursed"; [2 Cor. 13 : 
 8] : " We can do nothing against the truth ; but for the 25 
 truth." Also [v. 10] : " The power which the Lord hath 26 
 given me to edification, and not to destruction. " So, also, 27 
 the Canonical Laws command (II. Q. vii. Cap., Sacerdotes 
 and Cap. Oves). And Augustine (Contra Petiliani Epis-2% 
 tolam) : " Not even to Catholic bishops must we submit, if 
 they chance to err, or hold anything contrary to the Canonical 
 Scriptures of God." 
 
 If they have any other power or jurisdiction, in hearing 29 
 and judging certain cases, as of matrimony or of tithes, they 
 have it by human law. But where the ordinaries fail, princes 
 are bound, even against their will, to dispense justice to their 
 subjects, for the maintenance of peace. 
 fi K Moreover, it is disputed whether bishops or pastors 3a 
 
 have the right to introduce ceremonies in the Church, 
 and to make laws concerning meats, holydays and degrees, 
 that is, orders of ministers, etc. They that claim this right 31 
 for the bishops, refer to this testimony [John 16 : 12, 13] : 
 " I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear 
 them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, 
 he will guide you into all truth." They also refer to the 33 
 example of the Apostles, who commanded to abstain from 
 blood and from things strangled [Acts 15:29]. They refer 3J 
 to the Sabbath Day, as having been changed into the Lord's 
 Day, contrary to the Decalogue, as it seems. Neither is there 
 any example whereof they make more than concerning the 
 changing of the Sabbath Day. Great, say they, is the power 
 of the Church, since it has dispensed with one of the Ten 
 Commandments ! 
 
 But, concerning this question, it is taught on our part (as 34 
 has been shown above), that bishops have no power to decree 
 anything against the Gospel. The Canonical laws teach the 
 same thing (Did. ix.). Now it is against Scripture to estab-35 
 lish or require the observance of any traditions, to the end 
 that, by such observance, we may make satisfaction for sins, 
 or merit grace and righteousness. For the glory of Christ's 36 
 merit is dishonored when, by such observances, we undertake 
 to merit justification. But it is manifest that, by such belief, 37 
 traditions have almost infinitely multiplied in the Church, the 
 doctrine concerning faith and the righteousness of faith being 
 meanwhile suppressed. For gradually more holydays were 
 
64 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 made, fasts appointed, new ceremonies and services in honor 
 of saints instituted ; because the authors of such things thought 
 that, by these works, they were meriting grace. Thus, in 38 
 times past, the Penitential Canons increased, whereof we still 
 see some traces in the satisfactions. 
 
 Again, the authors of traditions do contrary to the com- 39 
 mand of God when they find matters of sin in foods, in days, 
 and like things, and burden the Church with bondage of the 
 law, as if there ought to he among Christians, in order to 
 merit justification, a service like the Levitical, the arrange- 
 ment of which God has committed to the Apostles and bishops. 
 For thus some of them write; and the Pontiffs in some 40 
 measure seem to be misled by the example of the law of 
 Moses. Hence are such burdens, as that they make it mortal 41 
 sin, even without offence to others, to do manual labor on 
 holydays, to omit the Canonical Hours, that certain foods de- 
 file the conscience, that fastings are works which appease God, 
 that sin in a reserved case cannot be forgiven but by the 
 authority of him who reserved it ; whereas the Canons them- 
 es selves speak only of the reserving of the ecclesiastical 
 penalty, and not of the reserving of the guilt. 
 
 Whence have the bishops the right to lay these traditions 42 
 upon the Church for the ensnaring of consciences, when Peter 
 [Acts 15 : 10] forbids to put a yoke upon the neck of the dis- 
 ciples, and Paul says [2 Cor. 13 : 10] that the power given 
 him was to edification, not to destruction? Why, therefore, 
 do they increase sins by these traditions? 
 
 But there are clear testimonies which prohibit the making 43 
 of such traditions, as though they merited grace or were 
 necessary to salvation. Paul says' [Col. 2:16]: "Let 11044 
 man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy- 
 day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days "j [v. 20, 
 23] : "If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the 45 
 world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to 
 ordinances (touch not ; taste not ; handle not, which all are to 
 perish with the using) ; after the commandments and doctrines 
 of men? which things have indeed a show of wisdom." Also 46 
 in Tit. [1 : 14] he openly forbids traditions: "Not giving 
 heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men that turn 
 from the truth." And Christ [Matt. 15:14] says of those 47 
 who require traditions : " Let them alone ; they be blind 48 
 leaders of the blind w ; and he rebukes such services [v. 13] : 
 " Every plant which my Heavenly Father hath not planted, 
 shall be plucked up." 
 
 If bishops have the right to burden churches with infinite 49 
 traditions, and to ensnare consciences, why does Scripture so 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 65 
 
 often prohibit to make and to listen to traditions? Why does 
 it call them "doctrines of devils"? [1 Tim. 4 : 1]. Did the 
 Holy Ghost in vain forewarn of these things? 
 
 Since, therefore, ordinances instituted as things necessary, 50 
 or with an opinion of meriting grace, are contrary to the 
 Gospel, it follows that it is not lawful for any bishop to insti- 
 tute or exact such services. For it is necessary that the doc- 51 
 fi7 trine of Christian liberty be preserved in the churches, 
 namely, that the .bondage of the Law is not necessary to 
 justification, as it is written in the Epistle to the Galatians 
 [5 : 1] : " Be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." 
 It is necessary that the chief article of the Gospel be pre- 52 
 served, to wit, that we obtain grace freely by faith in Christ, 
 and not for certain observances or acts of worship devised by 
 men. 
 
 What, then, are we to think of the Sunday and like rites 53 
 in the house of God? To this we answer, that it is lawful 
 for bishops or pastors to make ordinances that things be done 
 orderly in the Church, not that thereby we should merit 
 grace or make satisfaction for sins, or that consciences be 
 bound to judge them necessary services, and to think that it 
 is a sin to break them without offence to others. So Paul 54 
 ordaius [1 Cor. 11 : 5], that women should cover their heads 
 in the congregation [1 Cor. 14 : 30], that interpreters of 
 Scripture be heard in order in the church, etc. 
 
 It is proper that the churches should keep such ordinances 55 
 for the sake of charity and tranquility, so far that one do not 
 offend another, that all things be done in the churches in 
 order, and without confusion ; but so that consciences be not 56 
 burdened to think that they be necessary to salvation, or to 
 judge that they sin when they break them without offence to 
 others; as no one will say that a woman sins who goes out in 
 public with her head uncovered, provided only that no offence 
 be given. 
 
 Of this kind, is the observance of the Lord's Day, Easter, 57 
 Pentecost, and like holydavs and rites. For those who judge 58 
 that, by the authority of the Church, the observance of the 
 Lord's Day instead of the Sabbath Day was ordained as a 
 thing necessary, do greatly err. Scripture has abrogated the 59 
 Sabbath Day; for it teaches that, since the Gospel has been 
 revealed, all the ceremonies of Moses can be omitted. And 6c 
 yet, because it was necessary to appoint a certain day, that 
 the people might know when they ought to come together, it 
 appears that the Church [the Apostles] designated the Lord's 
 Day for this purpose ; and this day seems to have been 
 chosen all the more for this additional reason, that men might 
 9 
 
66 the ArcsmiKi confession. 
 
 have an example of Christian liberty, and might know that 
 the keeping neither of the Sabbath, nor of any other day, is 
 necessary. 
 
 There are monstrous disputations concerning the changing 61 
 fifi of the law, the ceremonies of the new law, the changing 
 of the Sabbath Day, which all have sprung from the 
 false belief thai there must needs be in the Church a service 
 like to the Levitical, and that Christ had given commission to 
 the Apostles and bishops to devise new ceremonies as neces- 
 sary to salvation. These errors crept into the Church when 62 
 the righteousness of faith was not clearly enough taught. 
 Some dispute that the keeping of the Lord's Day is not in- 63 
 deed of divine right ; but in a manner so. They prescribe 
 concerning holydays, how far it is lawful to work. What else 64 
 are such disputations but snares of consciences ? For although 
 they endeavor to modify the traditions, yet the equity can 
 never be perceived as long as the opinion remains that they 
 are necessary, which must needs remain where the righteous- 
 ness of faith and Christian liberty are disregarded. 
 
 The Apostles commanded to abstain from blood. AVI1065 
 doth now observe it? And yet they that do it not, sin not ; 
 for not even the Apostles themselves wanted to burden con- 
 sciences with such bondage ; but they forbade it for a time, 
 to avoid offence. For, in any decree, we must perpetually 66 
 consider what is the aim of the Gospel. Scarcely any Canons 67 
 are kept with exactness, and, from day to day, many go out 
 of use even with those who are the most zealous advocates 
 of traditions. Neither can due regard be paid to consciences 68 
 unless this equity be observed, that we know that the Canons 
 are kept without holding them to be necessary, and that no 
 harm is done consciences, even though traditions go out of 
 use. 
 
 But the bishops might easily retain the lawful obedience 69 
 of the people, if they would not insist upon the observance 
 of such traditions as cannot be kept with a good conscience. 
 Now they command celibacy ; they admit none, unless they 70 
 sw^ear that they will not teach the pure doctrine of the Gos- 
 pel. The churches do not ask that the bishops should restore 71 
 concord at the expense of their honor; which, nevertheless, 
 it would be proper for good pastors to do. They ask only 72 
 that they would release unjust burdens which are new and 
 have been received contrary to the custom of the Church 
 Catholic. It may be that there were plausible reasons for 73 
 some of these ordinances ; and yet they are not adapted to 
 fi q later times. It is also evident that some were adopted 74 
 through erroneous conceptions. Therefore, it would be 
 
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 67 
 
 befitting the clemency of the Pontiffs to mitigate them now; 
 because such a modification does not shake the unity of the 
 Church. For many human traditions have been changed in 
 process of time, as the Canons themselves show. But if it 75 
 be impossible to obtain a mitigation of such observances as 
 cannot be kept without sin, we are bound to follow the Apos- 
 tolic rule [Acts 5 : 29], which commands us to obey God 
 rather than men. Peter [1 Pet. 5 : 3] forbids bishops to be 76 
 lords, and to rule over the churches. Now it is not our de-77 
 sign to wrest the government from the bishops, but this one 
 thing is asked, namely, that they allow the Gospel to be 
 purely taught, and that they relax some few observances 
 which cannot be kept without sin. But if they make no con- 78 
 cession, it is for them to see how they shall give account to 
 God for having, by their obstinacy, caused a schism. 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 These are the Chief Articles which seem to be in contro- 1 
 versy. For although we might have spoken of more Abuses, 
 yet to avoid undue length, we have set forth the chief points, 
 from which the rest may be readily judged. There have 2 
 been great complaints concerning indulgences, pilgrimages, 
 and the abuses of excommunications. The parishes have 
 been vexed in many ways by the dealers in indulgences. 
 There were endless contentions between the pastors and the 
 monks concerning the parochial rites, confessions, burials, 
 sermons on extraordinary occasions, and innumerable other 
 things. Things of this sort we have passed over, so that 3 
 the chief points in this matter, having been briefly set forth, 
 might be the most readily understood. Nor has anything 4 
 been here said or adduced to the reproach of any one. Only 5 
 those things have been recounted, whereof we thought that 
 it was necessary to speak, so that it might be understood 
 that, in doctrine and ceremonies, nothing has been received 
 on our part", against Scripture or the Church Catholic, since 
 it is manifest that we have taken most diligent care that no 
 new and ungodly doctrine, should creep into our churches. 
 
 The above articles we desire to present in accordance with 
 the edict of Your Imperial Majesty, so that our Confession 
 should therein be exhibited, and a summary of the doctrine 
 of our teachers might be discerned. If anything further be 
 
68 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 desired, we arc ready, God willing, to present ampler infor- 
 mation according to the Scriptures. 
 
 ,I< >n\, I hike of Saxony, Elector. 
 George, Margrave of Brandenburg. 
 Ernest, Duke <>!' Luneburg. 
 Philip, Landgrave of 1 [esse. 
 John Frederick, Duke of Saxony. 
 Francis, Duke of Luneburg. 
 Wolfgang, Prince of Anhalt. 
 Senate and Magistracy of Nurembur^ 
 Sen atk of Reutlingen. 
 
PART III. 
 APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
APOLOGY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 MELANCHTHON'S PREFACE. 
 L Of the First Article. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 OF OEIGINAL SIN. 
 
 II Of the Second Article. 
 IIL Of the Third Article (Concerning Christ). 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 IV Op the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Twentieth Articles 
 What is justifying faith ? 
 Faith in Christ justifies. 
 Kemission of sins obtained by faith alone in Christ 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 OF LOVE AND THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW 
 
 Reply to the arguments of adversaries. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 OF THE CHURCH. 
 V. Of the Seventh Article. 
 VL Of the Eighth Article. 
 VIL Of the Ninth Article (Baptism). 
 VIII. Of the Tenth Article (The Holy Supper). 
 IX. Op the Eleventh Article (Confession). 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 OF REPENTANCE. 
 X Of the Twelfth Article. 
 
 n 
 
72 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFKSSIOM. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 OF CONFESSION AND SATISFACTION. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 OF THE NUMBER AND USE OF THE SACRAMENTS 
 XL Of the Thirteenth Article. 
 XII. Of the Fourteenth Article (Ecclesiastical Orders). 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 OF HUMAN TRADITIONS IX THE CHURCH. 
 
 XIII. Of the Fifteenth Article. 
 
 XIV. Of the Sixteenth Article (Civil Order). 
 
 XV. Of the Seventeenth Article (The Return of Christ u 
 
 Judgment). 
 XVI. Of the Eighteenth Article (Free Will). 
 XVII. Of the Nineteenth Article (The Cause of Sin). 
 XVI 1 1. Of the Twentieth Article (Good Works). 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 OF THE INVOCATION OF SAINTS. 
 XIX. Of the Twenty-first Article. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 OF BOTH KINDS IN THE LORD'S SUPPER 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 OF THE MARRIAGE OF PRIESTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 OF THE MASS. 
 Definition of sacrifice, and the various species of sacrifices 
 Opinion of the Fathers concerning sacrifice. 
 The use of the sacrament. 
 The terms of the Mass. 
 Mass for the dead. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 OF MONASTIC VOWS. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. . 
 OF ECCLESIASTICAL TOWER 
 
73 THE APOLOGY OF THE CONFESSION. 
 
 Philip Melanchtiion presents his Greeting to the 
 
 Reader. 
 
 After the Confession of our princes was publicly read, cer- i 
 tain theologians and monks prepared a confutation of our writ- 
 ing; and when His Imperial Majesty had caused this also to be 
 read in the assembly of the princes, he demanded of our princes 
 that they should assent to this confutation. But as our princes 2 
 had heard that many articles were disapproved, which they 
 could not abandon without offence to conscience, they asked 
 that a copy of the confutation be furnished them, that they 
 might be able both to see what the adversaries condemned and 
 to refute their arguments. And indeed in a cause of such im- 
 portance, pertaining to religion and the instruction of consci- 
 ences, they thought that the adversaries would produce their 
 writing without any hesitation. But this our princes could 
 not obtain, unless on the most perilous conditions, which it was 
 impossible for them to accept. 
 
 Then, too, negotiations for peace were begun, in which it 3 
 was apparent that our princes declined no burden, however 
 grievous, that could be assumed without offence to conscience. 
 ~» But the adversaries obstinately demanded this, viz. that 4 
 
 we should approve certain manifest abuses and errors; and 
 as we could not do this, His Imperial Majesty again demanded 
 that our princes should assent to the confutation. This our 
 princes declined to do. For in a matter pertaining to religion, 
 how could they assent to a writing into which they had not 
 looked? Especially, as they had heard that some articles 
 were condemned, in which it was impossible for them, with- 
 out grievous sin, to approve the opinions of the adversaries. 
 
 They had, however, commanded me and some others to pre- 5 
 pare an Apology of the Confession, in which the reasons why 
 we could not receive the confutation should be set forth to His 
 Imperial Majesty, and the objections made by the adversaries 
 should be refuted. For during the reading, some of us had 6 
 taken down the chief points of the topics and arguments. 
 This Apology they finally [at last when they took their de-7 
 
 10 73 
 
74 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURCJ CONFESSION. 
 
 parture from Augsburg] offered to His Imperial Majesty, that 
 he might know that we were hindered, by the greatest and 
 most Important reasons, from approving the confutation. But 
 
 His Imperial Majesty did not receive the offered writing. Af- 
 terwards a decree was published, in which the adversaries boast 8 
 that they have refuted 0111 Confession from the Scriptures. 
 
 You have now, therefore, reader, our apology j from which 9 
 you will understand not only what the adversaries have judged 
 (for we have reported this in good faith), hut also that they 
 have condemned several articles contrary to the manifest Scrip- 
 ture of the Holy Ghost; so far are they from overthrowing 
 our propositions by means of the Scriptures. 
 
 Although originally we began the Apology by taking coun- ic 
 sel with others, nevertheless, as it passed through the press, I 
 -r have made some additions. Wherefore I give my name, 
 so that no one may complain that the book has been pub- 
 lished anonymously. 
 
 It has always been my custom in these controversies, to re- 1 1 
 tain, so far as I was at all able, the form of the ordinarily re- 
 ceived doctrine, in order that at some time concord could be 
 reached the more readily. Nor indeed am I now departing 
 far from this custom ; although I could justly lead aw T ay the 
 men of this age still farther from the opinions of the adver- 
 saries. But the adversaries are treating the case in such ai? 
 way, as to show that they are seeking neither truth nor con- 
 cord, but to drain our blood. 
 
 And now I have written with the greatest moderation possi- 1 3 
 ble ; and if any expression appear too severe, I must say here 
 beforehand that I am contending with the theologians and 
 monks who wrote the confutation, and not with the Emperor 
 or the princes, whom I hold in due esteem. But I have 14 
 recently seen the confutation, and have noticed how cunningly 
 and artfully it was written, so that on some points it could de- 
 ceive even the cautious. 
 
 Yet I have not discussed all their sophistries; for it would 13 
 be an endless task ; but I have comprised the chief arguments, 
 that there might be among all nations a testimony concerning 
 us, that we hold the Gospel of Christ correctly and in a pious 
 way. Discord does not delight us ; neither are we indifferent to 
 our danger, the extent of which, in such a bitterness of hatred 
 wherewith the adversaries have been inflamed, we readily un- 
 derstand. But we cannot abandon truth that is manifest and 
 necessary to the Church. Wherefore we believe that troubles if- 
 s^d dangers for the glcry of Christ aid the cood of the Church, 
 Biiuuiu be endured; we are confident that trus u^ £i~ 1:x " + ^ 
 -n duty is approved of God, and we hope that the judgmer- 
 of posterity concerning us, will be more just. For it U • 
 
Ch. L, Art. II. ORIGINAL SIX 75 
 
 .mdeniable that many topics of Christian doctrine, whose exist- 
 ence in the Church is of the greatest moment, have been brought 
 to view by our theologians, and explained ; in reference to which, 
 we are not disposed here to recount, under what sort of opinions 
 and how dangerous, they formerly lay covered in the writings 
 of the monks, canonists and sophistical theologians. 
 
 We have the public testimonials of many good men, who 18 
 give God thanks for this greatest blessing, viz. that concerning 
 many necessary topics, he has taught better things than are read 
 everywhere in the books of our adversaries. 
 
 We will commend our cause, therefore, to Christ, who here- 19 
 after will judge these controversies, and we beseech him to look 
 upon the afflicted and scattered Churches, and to bring them 
 back to godly and perpetual concord. [Therefore, if the known 
 and clear truth is trodden under foot, we will resign this cause 
 to God and Christ in heaven, who is the Father of orphans, 
 and the Judge of widows and of all the forsaken, who (as we 
 certainly know) will judge and pass sentence upon this cause 
 aright. Lord Jesus Christ, it is thy holy Gospel, it is thy 
 cause, look thou upon the many troubled hearts and consciences, 
 and maintain and strengthen in thy truth thy Churches and 
 little flocks, who suffer from the devil, anxiety and distress. 
 Confound all hypocrisy and lies, and grant peace and unity, so 
 that thy glory may advance, and thy kingdom, strong against 
 all the gates of hell, may continually grow and increase.] 
 
 77 Article I. 
 
 Of God. 
 
 The first article of our Confession, our adversaries approve, 1 
 in which we declare that we believe and teach that there is one 
 divine essence, indivisible, etc., and yet that there are three dis- 
 tinct persons, of the same divine essence, and coeternal, Father, 
 Son and Holy Ghost. This article we have always taught and a 
 defended, and we believe that it has, in Holy Scripture, sure 
 and firm testimonies that cannot be overthrown. And we con- 
 stantly affirm that those thinking otherwise are outside of the 
 Church of Christ, and are idolaters, and insult God [idolatrous 
 and blasphemous]. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Article II. 
 
 Of Original Sin. 
 
 The second article, Of Original Sin, the adversaries approve, \ 
 but in such a way, that they, nevertheless, censure the definition 
 
7G THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBUKG CONFESSION 
 
 of Original Sin, which we incidentally gave. Here at the very 
 threshold, His Imperial Majesty will discover that the writers of 
 the confutation were deficient not only in judgment, but also in 
 candor. For whereas we, with a simple mind, desired, in pa^s- 
 •ng, to recount those things which Original Sin embraces, these 
 men, by framing an invidious interpretation, artfully distort a 
 proposition that has in it nothing which of itself is wrong. 
 Thus they say: "To be without the fear of God, to be with- 
 out faith, is actual guilt;" and therefore they deny that it is 
 original guilt. 
 
 [A. Of the Notion of Original Sin."] 
 
 It is very evident that such subtilties have originated in the a 
 schools, not in the council of the Emperor. But although this 
 false interpretation can be very easily refuted ; yet, in order 
 that all good men may understand that we teach in this matter 
 nothing that is absurd, we ask first of all that the German Con- 
 -o fession be examined. This will free us from the suspicion 
 of novelty. For there it is written : Welter wlrd gelehret, das 
 nach dem Fall Add alle Menschen, so naturlich geboren werden, 
 in Siinden empfangen, und geboren werden ; das 1st, dass sle alle 
 von Mutter Lelbe an voll baser Lust und Nelgung sind, kelne 
 wahre Gottesfurcht, keln wahren Glauben an Gott von Natur 
 haben kbnnen. [It is further taught that since the Fall of Adam, 
 all men who are naturally born, are conceived and born in sin, 
 i. e. that they all, from their mother's womb, are full of evil 
 desire and inclination, and can have by nature, no true fear of 
 God, no true faith in God.] This passage testifies that we deny 3 
 to those propagated according to carnal nature, not only the acts, 
 but also the power or gifts of producing fear and trust in God. 
 For we say that those thus born have concupiscence, and cannot 
 produce true fear and trust in God. What is there here, with 
 which fault can be found ? To good men, we think, indeed, 
 that we have exculpated ourselves sufficiently. For in this 
 sense the Latin statement denies to nature the pow f er, i. e. it 
 denies the gifts and energy, by which to produce fear and trust 
 in God, and, in adults, the acts. So that wdien we mention con- 
 cupiscence, we understand not only the acts or fruits, but the 
 constant inclination of the nature [the evil inclination within, 
 which does not cease, as long as we are not born anew through 
 the Spirit and faith]. 
 
 But hereafter we will show more -fully, that our statement 4 
 agrees with the usual and ancient definition. For we must first 
 show our design in preferring to employ these w r ords in this 
 place. In their schools, the adversaries confess that " the 
 material," as they call it, " of Original Sin, is concupiscence." 
 Wherefore, in framing the definition, this should not have been 
 
Ch. L, Art. II. ORIGINAL SIN. 77 
 
 passed by, especially at this time, when some are philosophizing 
 concerning it in a manner unbecoming our religion [are speak- 
 ing concerning this innate, wicked desire, more after the manner 
 of heathen from philosophy, than according to God's word 01 
 Holy Scripture]. 
 
 For some contend that Original Sin is not a fault or corrup- c 
 tion in the nature of man, but only servitude, or a condition of 
 mortality [an innate evil nature, but only a fault or imposed 
 load or burden], which those propagated from Adam bear, 
 because of the guilt of another [namely, Adam's sin], and 
 without any fault of their own. Besides, the)- add that in 
 eternal death, no one is condemned on account of Original Sin, 
 just as those who are born of a bond-woman are slaves, and 
 bear this condition without any vice of nature, but because of 
 the calamity of their mother. To show that this impious opin-£ 
 ion is displeasing to us, we made mention of " concupiscence" 
 and, with the best intention, have termed and explained, as " dis- 
 eases" " that the nature of men is born corrupt and full of faults." 
 
 Nor indeed have we only made use of the term concupiscence, 7 
 but we have also said that " the fear of God and faith are want- 
 ing" This we have added with the following design : The 
 scholastic teachers also, not sufficiently understanding the defini- 
 tion of Original Sin, which they have received from the Fathers, 
 extenuate the sin of origin. They contend concerning thefomes 
 [or evil inclination] that it is a quality of [fault in the] body, 
 and, with their usual folly, ask whether this quality be derived 
 from the contagion of the apple or from the breath of the ser- 
 pent, and whether it be increased by remedies? With such 
 questions they have suppressed the main point. Therefore, 8 
 when they speak of the sin of origin, they do not mention the 
 more serious faults of human nature, to wit, ignorance of God, 
 contempt for God, the being destitute of fear and confidence 
 in God, hatred of God's judgment, the flight from God [as 
 from a tyrant] when he judges, anger toward God, despair of 
 grace, the having confidence in present things [money, prop- 
 erty, friends], etc. These diseases, which are in the highest 
 degree contrary to the law of God, the scholastics do not 
 notice; yea, to human nature they meanwhile ascribe unim- 
 paired strength for loving God above all things, and for ful- 
 filling God's commandments according to the substance of the 
 acts; 1 nor do they see that they are saying things that are con- 
 tradictory to one another. For what else is the being able in 9 
 one's own strength to love God above all things, and to fulfil 
 his commandments, but to have original righteousness [to be a 
 new creature in Paradise, entirely pure and holy]? But if ic 
 
 1 Augsburg Coufession, Art. xviii. 8. 
 
78 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 human nature have such strength as to be able of itself to love 
 God above all things, as the scholastics confidently affirm, what 
 will Original Sin be? For what will there be need of the 
 grace of Christ, if we can be justified by our own righteous- 
 ness [powers]? For what will there be need of the Holy 
 Ghost, if human strength can, by itself, love God above all 
 things, and fulfil God's commandments? Who does not seen 
 how preposterously our adversaries speak ? The lighter dis- 
 eases in the nature of man they acknowledge, the more severe 
 they do not acknowledge ; and yet of these, Scripture every- 
 where admonishes us, and the prophets constantly complain 
 [as the 13th Psalm, and some other psalms say, Ps. 14 : 1-3; 
 5:9; 140 : 3 ; 36 : 1], viz. of carnal security, of the contempt 
 of God, of hatred toward God, and of similar faults born with 
 us. But after the scholastics mingled with Christian doctrine, 12 
 ™ philosophy concerning the perfection of nature [light of 
 reason], and ascribed to the Free Will and to elicit acts 
 more than was sufficient, and taught that men are justified 
 before God by philosophic or civil righteousness (which we 
 also confess to be subject to reason, and in a measure within 
 our power) ; they could not see the inner uncleanness of the 
 nature of men. For this cannot be judged except from the 13 
 Word of God, of which the scholastics, in their discussions, do 
 not frequently treat. 
 
 These were the reasons, why, in the description of Original 14 
 Sin, we made mention of concupiscence also, and denied, to 
 man's natural strength, fear and confidence in God. For we 
 wished to indicate that Original Sin contains also these diseases, 
 viz. ignorance of God, contempt for God, the being destitute 
 of fear and confidence in God, inability to love God. These 
 are the chief faults of human nature, conflicting especially with 
 the first table of the Decalogue. 
 
 Neither have we said anything new. The ancient definition 15 
 understood aright expresses precisely the same thing when it 
 says: "Original Sin is the absence of original righteousness " 
 [a lack of the first purity and righteousness in Paradise]. But 
 what is righteousness ? Here the scholastics wrangle about 
 dialectic questions ; they do not explain what original right- 
 eousness is. Now, in the Scriptures, righteousness comprises i( 
 not only the second table of the Decalogue, but the first also, 
 which teaches concerning the fear of God, concerning faith, 
 concerning the love of God. Therefore original righteousness 17 
 should have not only an equable temperament of the bodily 
 qualities [perfect health and, in all respects, pure blood, unim- 
 paired powers of the body], but also these gifts, viz. a more 
 certain knowledge of God, fear of God, confidence in God, or 
 certainly rectitude and the power to yield these affections. And 18 
 
Cn. L, Art. II. ORIGINAL SIX. 79 
 
 Scripture testifies to this, when it says [Gen. i : 27] that man 
 was fashioned in the image and likeness of God. AVhat else is 
 o* this than that, in man, there were embodied such wisdom 
 and righteousness, as apprehended God, and in which God 
 was reflected, i. e. to man there were given the gifts of the 
 knowledge of God, the fear of God, confidence in God, and the 
 like? For thus Irenseus and Ambrose interpret the likeness 19 
 to God, the latter of whom says : " That soul is not, therefore, 
 in the image of God, in which God is not at all times." And i> 
 Paul shows the Ephesians (5 : 9) and Colossians (3 : 10), that 
 the image of God is " the knowledge of God, righteousness and 
 truth." Nor does Longobard fear to say that original right- 21 
 eousness "is the very likeness to God, which God imparted to 
 man in the beginning." We recount the opinions of the 22 
 ancients, which in no way interfere with Augustine's interpre- 
 tation of the image. 
 
 Therefore the ancient definition, when it says that sin is the 23 
 lack of righteousness, not only denies obedience with respect to 
 man's lower powers, but also denies the knowledge of God, 
 confidence in God, the fear and love of God, or certainly the 
 power to produce these affections. For even the theologians 
 themselves teach in their schools that these are not produced 
 without certain gifts and the aid of grace. In order that the 
 matter may be understood, we term these very gifts, the know- 
 ledge of God, and fear and confidence in God. From these 
 facte, it appears that the ancient definition says precisely the 
 same thing that we say, denying fear and confidence toward 
 God, to wit, not only the acts, but also the gifts and power to 
 produce these acts. 
 
 Of the same import is the definition of Augustine, who is 24 
 accustomed to define Original Sin, as concupiscence [a wicked 
 desire]. For he means that when righteousness had been lost, 
 concupiscence succeeded. For inasmuch as diseased nature 
 cannot fear and love God, and believe God, it seeks and loves 
 carnal things. God's judgment it either in security contemns, 
 r, thoroughly terrified, hates. Thus Augustine includes both 
 tne defect and the vicious habit which has succeeded it. Nor 25 
 indeed is concupiscence only a corruption of the qualities of 
 the body, but also, in the higher powers, a vicious turning to 
 no carnal things. Nor do those persons see what they say, 
 who ascribe to man at the same time concupiscence that 
 is not entirely destroyed by the Holy Ghost, and love to God 
 above all things. 
 
 We, therefore, have been right in expressing, in our de- 26 
 scription of Original Sin, both, viz. these defects, the not being 
 able to believe God, the not being able to fear and love God ; 
 and, likewise, the having concupiscence which seeks carnal 
 
80 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 things contrary to God's Word, i. e. seeks not only the pleasure 
 of the body, but also carnal wisdom and righteousness, and, 
 contemning God, trusts in these as good things. Nor only the 1; 
 ancients, but also the more recent [teachers and scholastics], at 
 
 least the wiser ones among them, teach thai Original Sin is at 
 the same time truly these, viz. the defects which I have re- 
 counted, and concupiscence. For Thomas says thus: "Orig- 
 inal Sin comprehends the loss of original righteousness, and 
 with this an inordinate disposition of the parts of the soul; 
 whence it is not pure loss, but a corrupt habit." And Bona- 28 
 ventura: "When the question is asked, 'What is Original 
 Sin?' the correct answer is, that it is immoderate concupiscence. 
 The correct answer is also, that it is want of the righteousness 
 that is due. And in one of these replies, the other is in- 
 cluded." The same is the opinion of Hugo, when he says that 29 
 " Original Sin is ignorance in the mind, and concupiscence in 
 the flesh." For he thereby indicates that when we are born, 
 we bring with us ignorance of God, unbelief, distrust, con- 
 tempt and hatred of God. For when he mentions ignorance, 3c 
 he includes these. These opinions also agree with Scripture. 
 For Paul sometimes expressly calls it a defect, as (1 Cor. 2 : 
 14) : " The natural man receiveth not the things of the 
 Spirit of God." In another place (Rom. 7 : 5), he calls it 
 concupiscence, " working in our members to bring forth fruit 
 unto death." In reference to both parts, we could cite more 31 
 passages ; but in regard to a manifest fact, there is no need of 
 testimonies. And the intelligent reader will readily be able to 
 decide, that to be without the fear of God and without faith, 
 are more than actual guilt. They are abiding defects in nature 
 that has not been renewed. 
 R o In reference to Original Sin, we therefore hold noth- 32 
 
 ing differing either from Scripture or from the Catholic 
 Church, but cleanse from corruptions and restore to light most 
 important declarations of Scripture and of the Fathers, that 
 had been covered over by the sophistical controversies of mod- 
 ern theologians. For it is manifest from the subject itself that 
 modern theologians have not noticed what the Fathers meant 
 when they spake of defect. But the recognition of Original 33 
 Sin is necessary. For the magnitude of the grace of Christ 
 cannot be understood, unless our diseases be recognized. The 
 entire righteousness of man is mere hypocrisy before God, 
 unless we acknowledge that our heart is naturally destitute 
 of love, fear and confidence in God. For this reason, the 34 
 prophet (Jer. 31 : 19) says: "After that I was instructed, I 
 smote upon my thigh. Likewise (Ps. 116 : 11) "I said in 
 my haste, All men are liars," i. e. not thinking aright concern- 
 ing God. 
 
Ch. I., Art. II. OKIGLN T AL SIN. 81 
 
 [B. Against the adversaries of Luther.~\ 
 
 Here our adversaries inveigh against Luther also, because 35 
 he wrote that "Original Sin remains after baptism/' They 
 add that this article was justly condemned by Leo X. But 
 His Imperial Majesty will find on this point a manifest slan- 
 der. For our adversaries know in what sense Luther intended 
 this remark, that Original Sin remains after baptism. He 
 always thus wrote, viz. that baptism removes the imputation 
 (reatus) of Original Sin, although the material, as they call it, 
 of the sin, i. e. concupiscence, remains. He also added in 
 reference to the material, that the Holy Ghost, given through 
 baptism, begins to put to death the concupiscence, and creates 
 new movements [a new light, a new sense and spirit] in man. 
 In the same manner, Augustine also speaks, who says : "Sin 36 
 is remitted in baptism, not in such a manner that it no longer 
 exists, but so that it is not imputed." Here he confesses open- 
 ly that sin exists, i. e. that it remains, although it is not im- 
 puted. And this judgment was so agreeable to those who 
 succeeded him that it was recited also in the decrees. Also 
 against Julian, Augustine says : " The law, which is in the 
 members, has been annulled by spiritual regeneration, and re- 
 mains in the mortal flesh. It has been annulled because the 
 guilt has been remitted in the sacrament, by which believers 
 are born again ; but it remains, because it occasions desires, 
 against which believers contend." Our adversaries know that 37 
 Luther believes and teaches thus, and while they cannot dis- 
 prove the fact, they nevertheless pervert his words, in order by 
 this artifice to crush an innocent man. 
 £* But they contend that concupiscence is a penalty, and 38 
 
 not a sin [a burden and imposed penalty, and is not such 
 a sin as is subject to death and condemnation]. Luther main- 
 tains that it is a sin. It has been said above that Augustine 
 defines Original Sin as concupiscence. If there be anything 
 disadvantageous in this opinion, let them quarrel with Augus- 
 tine. Besides Paul says (Rom. 7 : 7, 23) : " I had not known 39 
 lust" (concupiscence), "except the law had said, Thou shall 
 not covet." Likewise : " I see another law in my members, 
 warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into 
 captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." Theses 
 testimonies can be overthrown by no sophistry. For they 
 clearly call concupiscence sin, which, nevertheless, is not im- 
 puted to those who are in Christ, although by nature it is a 
 matter worthy of death, where it is not forgiven. Thus, be- 41 
 yond all controversy, the Fathers believe. For Augustine, in 
 a long discussion, refutes the opinion of those, who thought 
 that concupiscence in man, is not a fault, but an adiaphoron, 
 11 
 
82 THE A.POLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 as color 1 or ill-health is said to be an adiaphoron <>f t he body 
 [as to have a Mack or a white body is neither good nor evil]. 
 
 But if the adversaries will contend that the fomes [or evil 4: 
 inclination] is an adiaphoron, not only many passages of Scrip- 
 ture, but the entire Church also [and all the Fathers) will 
 contradict them. For even though perfect consent were not 
 attained [even if not entire consent, but only the inclination 
 and desire be there], who ever dared to say that these were 
 adiaphora, viz. to doubt concerning God's wrath, concerning 
 God's grace, concerning God's Word, to be angry at the judg- 
 ments of God, to be provoked because God does no* at once 
 remove one from afflictions, to murmur because the wicked 
 experience a better fortune than the good, to be urged on by 
 wrath, lust, the desire for glory, wealth, etc.? And yet godly 43 
 men acknowledge these in themselves, as appears in the Psalms 
 and the prophets. But, in the schools, they transferred hither 
 from philosophy, notions entirely different, that, because of 
 emotions, we are neither good nor evil, we are neither praised 
 nor blamed. Likewise, that nothing is sin, unless it be volun- 
 tary [inner desires and thoughts are not sins, if I do not alto- 
 gether consent thereto]. These notions were expressed among 
 philosophers, with respect to civil righteousness, and not with 
 respect to God's judgment. [For there it is true, as the jurists 
 say, L. cogitationis, thoughts are exempt from custom and pun- 
 ishment. But God searches the hearts; in God's court and 
 judgment it is different.] With no greater prudence, they add 
 also other notions, such as, that [God's creature and] nature is 
 not evil. In its proper place, we do not censure this ; but it is 
 not right to pervert it, so as to extenuate Original Sin. And, 
 or nevertheless, these notions are read in the works of scho- 
 lastics, who inappropriately mingle philosophy or civil 
 doctrine concerning ethics, with the Gospel. Nor are these 44 
 matters only disputed in the schools, but, as is usually the case, 
 are carried from the schools to the people. And these per- 
 suasions prevailed, and nourished confidence in human strength, 
 and suppressed the knowledge of Christ's grace. Therefore, 45 
 Luther wishing to declare the magnitude of Original Sin and 
 of human infirmity, taught that these remnants of Original 
 Sin [after baptism] are not, by their own nature, adiaphora in 
 man, but that, for their non-imputation, they need the grace of 
 Christ, and, likewise for their mortification, the Holy Ghost. 
 
 Although the scholastics extenuate both sin and punishment, 46 
 when they teach that man, by his own strength, can fulfil the 
 commandments of God; in Genesis [3 : 15] the punishment, 
 imposed on account of Original Sin, is described otherwise. 
 For there, human nature is subjected not only to death and 
 
 1 Another reading substitutes dolor (pain) for. color. 
 
Ch. L, Art. 111. C11KIST. 83 
 
 other bodily evils, but also to the kingdom of the devil. For 
 there (Gen. 3 : 15), this fearful sentence is proclaimed : "I will 
 put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed 
 and her seed." The defects and the concupiscence are punish- 47 
 ments and sins. Death and other bodilv evils, and the domin- 
 ion of the devil, are peculiarly punishments. For human 
 nature has been delivered into slavery, and is held captive by 
 the devil, who infatuates it with w T icked opinions and errors, 
 and impels it to sins of every kind. But just as the devil 48 
 cannot be conquered except by the aid of Christ, so, by our 
 own strength, we cannot free ourselves from this slavery. 
 Even the history of the world shows how great is the power 49 
 of the deviPs kingdom. The world is full of blasphemies 
 against God, and of wicked opinions ; and the devil keeps 
 entangled in these bands those who are wise and righteous 
 [many hypocrites who appear holy] in the sight of the world. 
 In other persons, grosser vices manifest themselves. But since 5c 
 Christ was given to us to remove both these sins and these 
 punishments, and to destroy the kingdom of the devil, sin 
 ™ and death ; it will not be possible to recognize the bene- 
 fits of Christ, unless we understand our evils. For this 
 reason, our preachers have diligently taught concerning these 
 subjects, and have delivered nothing that is new, but have set 
 forth Holy Scripture and the judgments of the holy Fathers. 
 
 We think that this will satisfy His Imperial Majesty con- 51 
 cerning the puerile and trivial sophistry, with which the adver- 
 saries have perverted our article. For we know that we be- 
 lieve aright and in harmony with the Catholic Church of Christ. 
 But if the adversaries will renew this controversy, there will 
 be no want among us of those who will reply and defend the 
 truth. For in this case our adversaries, to a great extent, do 
 not understand what they say. They often speak what is con- 
 tradictory; and explain correctly and logically neither that 
 which is formal in [i. e. that which is or is not propeily m 
 the essence of] Original Sin, nor the defects of which they 
 speak. But we have been unwilling, at this place, to examine 
 their contests with any very great subtlety. We have thought 
 Lt worth while only to recite, in customary and well-known 
 words, the belief of the holy Fathers, which we also follow. 
 
 Article III. 
 Of Christ. 
 The third article the adversaries approve, in which we con- 52 
 fess that there are in Christ two natures, viz. a human nature 
 
 Parallel Passages.— Apostles' Creed, 2; Nicene Creed, 2, 3; Athanasian 
 Creed, 28-39 ; Smalcald Articles, 299 ; Formula of Concord, Epitome and Sol 
 Decl n Art. iv. 544, 674. 
 
84 THE ArOLOGY OF THE AUGSBUBG CONFESSION. 
 
 assumed by the Word into the unity of his person ; and that 
 the same Christ suffered and died to reconcile the Father to us; 
 and that he has risen again, to reign, and to justify and sanctify 
 believers, etc., according to the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene 
 Creed. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Article IV. 
 
 Of Justification. 
 
 In the fourth, fifth, sixth and below in the twentieth articb, i 
 R7 they condemn us, for teaching that "men obtain remission 
 of sins, not because of their own merits, but freely for 
 Christ's sake, through faith in Christ." For they condemn us 
 both for denying, that men obtain remission of sins, because of 
 their own merits, and for affirming that, through faith, men 
 obtain remission of sins, and through faith in Christ are justified. 
 But, since, in this controversy, the chief topic of Christian doc- 2 
 trine, is treated, which, understood aright, illumines and ampli- 
 fies the honor of Christ [which is of especial service for the 
 clear, correct understanding of the entire Holy Scriptures, and 
 alone shows the way to the unspeakable treasure and right 
 knowledge of Christ, and alone opens the door to the entire 
 Bible], and brings necessary and most abundant consolation to 
 devout consciences, we ask His Imperial Majesty to hear us 
 with forbearance, in regard to matters of such importance. For, 3 
 since the adversaries understand neither what the remission of 
 sins, nor what faith, nor what grace, nor what righteousness is, 
 they sadly corrupt this topic, and obscure the glory and benefits 
 of Christ, and rob devout consciences of the consolations offered 
 in Christ. But, not only that we may strengthen the position 4 
 of our Confession, but also remove the charges which the adver- 
 saries advance against us, certain things are to be premised in the 
 beginning, in order that the sources of both kinds of doctrine, 
 t. e. both that of our adversaries and our own, may be known. 
 
 [A. Of the origin of the disagreement, and the errors of the 
 
 adversaries.] 
 
 All Scripture ought to be distributed into these two topics, 5 
 the Law and the promises. For, in some places, it delivers the 
 Law, and, in others, the promise concerning Christ, viz. either 
 when it promises that Christ will come, and offers, for his sake, 
 tlie remission of sins, justification and life eternal, or when in 
 the Gospel Christ himself, since he has appeared, promises the 
 ^emission of sins, justification and life eternal. Moreover, in 6 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Angsburg Confession, Arts, iv., xviii. ; Smalculd 
 Articles. 300 ; Formula of Concord, Epitome and Sol. Decl.. Art. iii., 527, 610 
 
Ch. IT., Aim. IV. JUSTIFICATION. 85 
 
 this discussion, by Law we designate the Ten Command- 
 ments, wherever they are read in the Scriptures. Of the 
 ceremonies and judicial laws of Moses, we say nothing at 
 present. 
 
 Of these two parts, the adversaries select the Law, because 7 
 human reason naturally understands, in some way, the Law (for 
 it has the same judgment divinely written in the mind) ; and, 
 by the Law, they seek the remission of sins and justification. 
 Now, the Decalogue requires not only outward civil works, 2 
 £0 which reason can in some way produce, but it also requires 
 other things placed far above reason, viz. to truly fear God, 
 to truly love God, to truly call upon God, to be truly convinced 
 that God hears, and to expect the aid of God in death, and in 
 all afflictions ; finally, it requires obedience to God, in death and 
 all afflictions, so that we may not flee from these, or refuse them, 
 when God imposes them. 
 
 Here the scholastics, having followed the philosophers, teach 9 
 only a righteousness of reason, viz. civil works, and fabricate 
 besides that, without the Holy Ghost, reason can love God above 
 all things. For, as long as the human mind is at ease, and does 
 not feel the wrath or judgment of God, it can imagine that it 
 wishes to love God, that it wishes to do good for God's sake. 
 In this manner, they teach that men merit the remission of sins, 
 by doing according to that which is in them, i. e. if reason, 
 grieving over sin, elicit an act of love to God, or, for God's 
 sake be active in that which is good. And because this opinion ic 
 naturally flatters men, it has brought forth and multiplied in 
 the Church many services, monastic vows, abuses of the mass ; 
 and, with this opinion, others have, from time to time, devised 
 other acts of worship and inventions. And, in order that they 11 
 may nourish and increase confidence in such works, they affirm 
 that God necessarily gives grace to one thus working, by 
 the necessity not of constraint, but of immutability [not that 
 he is constrained, but that this is the order, which God will not 
 transgress or alter]. 
 
 In this opinion, there are many great and pernicious errors, 12 
 which it would be tedious to enumerate. Let the discreet reader 
 think only of this : If this be Christian righteousness, what 
 difference is there between philosophy and the doctrine of 
 Christ? If we merit the remission of sins by these elicit acts, 
 what does Christ furnish ? If we can be justified by reason 
 and the works of reason, wherefore is there need of Christ or 
 regeneration? And from these opinions, the matter has now 13 
 come to such a pass, that many ridicule us, because we teach 
 that another righteousness than philosophic, must be sought 
 nq after. We have heard that some, the Gospel being ban- 14 
 ished, have, instead of a sermon, repeated the ethics of 
 
v »! THE APOLOGY OV THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 Aristotle. [I myself have heard a great preacher, who did 
 not mention Christ and the Gospel, and preached the ethies of 
 Aristotle.] Xor did such men err, if those things are true, 
 which the adversaries defend [if the doctrine of the adver- 
 saries he true, the Ethics is a precious book of sermons, and a 
 line, new Bible]. For Aristotle wrote concerning civil life so 
 learnedly, that nothing farther concerning this, is to be sought 
 after. We see books extant, in which certain sayings of Christ 15 
 are compared with the sayings of Socrates, Zeno and others, as 
 though Christ had come for the purpose of delivering certain 
 laws, through which we might merit the remission of sins, as 
 though we did not receive this gratuitously, because of his merits. 
 Therefore, if we here receive the doctrine of the adversaries, 16 
 that by the works of reason, we merit the remission of sins 
 and justification, there will be no difference between philosophic, 
 or certainly pharisaic, and Christian righteousness. 
 
 Although the adversaries, not to pass by Christ altogether, 17 
 require a knowledge of the history concerning Christ, and 
 ascribe to him that he has merited for us that a habit be given, 
 or as they say prima gratia, " first grace," which they under- 
 stand as a habit, inclining us the more readily to love God ; 
 yet, what they ascribe to this habit, is of little importance, 
 because they imagine that the acts of the will are of the same 
 kind, before, and after this habit. They imagine that the will 
 can love God ; but nevertheless this habit stimulates it to do 
 the same the more cheerfully. And they bid us first merit this 
 habit, by preceding merits, then they bid us merit by the works 
 of the Law, an increase of this habit, and life eternal. Thus 18 
 they bury Christ, so that men may not avail themselves of him, 
 as a Mediator, and believe that, for his sake, they freely receive 
 remission of sins and reconciliation, but may dream that, by 
 their own fulfilment of the Law, they merit the remission of 
 sins, and that by their own fulfilment of the Law, they are 
 accounted righteous before God; while, nevertheless, the Law 
 is never satisfied, and reason does nothing except certain civil 
 works, and, in the meantime, neither [in the heart] fears God, 
 nor truly believes that God cares for it. And although they 
 speak of this habit, yet, without the righteousness of faith, 
 q/, neither the love of God in man can exist, nor can what 
 the love of God is, be understood. 
 
 Their feigning a distinction between meritum congrui and ic 
 meritum condigni [due and true complete merit] is only an 
 artifice whereby they may not appear openly to pelagianize. 
 For if God necessarily gives grace for the meritum congrui 
 [due merit], it is no longer meritum congrui, but meritum con- 
 digni [a true duty and complete merit]. After this habit of 
 live [is there], they imagine that man can acquire merit dt 
 
Ch. II., Art. IV. JUSTIFICATION. 87 
 
 eondigno. And yet they bid us doubt whether there be a habit 
 present. How therefore do they know whether they acquire 
 merit de congruo or de eondigno f But this whole matter was fab- 20 
 ricated by unconcerned men, who did not know how the remis- 
 sion of sins occurs, and how, in the judgment of God, and 
 terrors of conscience, trust in works is driven away from us. 
 Secure hypocrites always judge that they acquire merit de eon- 
 digno, whether the habit be present, or be not present, because 
 men naturally trust in their own righteousness; but terrified 
 consciences waver, and hesitate, and then seek and accumulate 
 other works, in order to find rest. Such consciences never 
 think that they acquire merit de eondigno, and they rush into 
 despair unless they hear, in addition to the doctrine of the Law, 
 the Gospel concerning the gratuitous remissiou of sins, and the 
 righteousness of faith. [Thus some stories are told, that when 
 the Barefooted monks had in vain praised their order and good 
 works to some good consciences in the hour of death, they at 
 last had to be silent concerning their order and St. Franciscus, 
 and to say : " Dear man, Christ has died for thee." This revived 
 and refreshed in trouble, and alone gave peace and comfort.] 
 
 Thus the adversaries teach nothing but the righteousness of ?i 
 reason, or certainly of the Law, upon which they look just as 
 the Jews upon the veiled face of Moses j 1 and, in secure hypo- 
 crites, who think that they satisfy the Law, they excite pre- 
 sumption and empty confidence in works, and contempt of the 
 grace of Christ. On the contrary, they drive timid consciences 
 p.. to despair, which, laboring with doubt, never can find from 
 experience what faith is, and how it is efficacious ; thus, at 
 last they utterly despair. 
 
 Moreover we think concerning the righteousness of reason 22 
 thus, viz. that God requires it, and that, because of God's com- 
 mandment, tha honorable works which the Decalogue com- 
 mands must necessarily be performed, according to the passage 
 (Gal. 3:24): "The Law was our schoolmaster;" likewise 
 (1 Tim. 1:9): " The Law is made for the ungodly." For 
 God wishes those who are carnal [gross sinners] to be restrained 
 by civil discipline, and, to maintain this, he has given laws, 
 Scripture doctrine, magistrates, penalties. And this righteous- 23 
 ness reason, by its own strength, can, to a certain extent, work, 
 although it is often c vercome by natural weakness, and by the 
 devil impelling it to manifest crimes. Moreover, although we 24 
 cheerfully assign this righteousness of reason the praises that 
 are due it (for this corrupt nature has no greater good [in this 
 life and in a worldly nature, nothing is ever better than elo- 
 quence and virtue], and Aristotle says aright : " Neither the 
 
 1 2 Cor 3 : Y6 sna 
 
88 THE APOLOGY OF THE AtFGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 evening star, nor the morning star is more beautiful than right- 
 eousness," and God also honors it with bodily rewards}; yet it 
 ought not to be praised, so as to detract from Christ. 
 
 For it is false, that we merit the remission of sins by our 25 
 works. 
 
 False also is this, that men are accounted righteous before 26 
 God, because of the righteousness of reason [works and external 
 piety]. 
 
 False also is this, that reason, by its own strength, is able to 27 
 love God above all things, and to fulfil God's Law, viz. to truly 
 (ear God, to be truly confident that God hears prayer, to be 
 willing to obey God in death and other dispensations of God, 
 not to covet what belongs to others, etc. ; although reason can 
 work civil works. 
 
 False also and dishonoring Christ is this, that there are men 28 
 who do not sin, but without grace, fulfil the commandments of 
 God. 
 
 We have testimonies for this our belief, not only from the 29 
 qn Scriptures, but also from the Fathers. For, in opposition 
 to the Pelagians, Augustine contends at great length, that 
 grace is not given because of our merits. And, in De Natura 
 et Gratia, he says : " If natural ability, through the Free Will, 
 suffice both for learning to know how one ought to live, and 
 for living aright, then Christ has died in vain, then the offence 
 of the cross is made void. Why may I not also here exclaim ? 30 
 Yea I will exclaim, and, with Christian grief, will chide them : 
 ' Christ has become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you 
 are justified by the Law ; ye are fallen from grace ' (Gal. 5 : 4, 
 cf. 2 : 21). * For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, 
 and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not 
 submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For 
 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that 
 believetV (Rom. 10 : 3, 4). And John 8 : 36 : ' If the Son 31 
 therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed/ " 
 Therefore, by reason, we cannot be freed from sins and merit 
 the remission of sins. And in John 3 : 5, it is written : " Ex- 
 cept * man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter 
 into the kingdom of God." But if it is necessary to be born 
 again of the Holy Ghost, the righteousness of reason does not 
 justify us before God, and does not fulfil the Law, Rom. 3 : 23 : 
 " All have come short of the glory of God," i. e. are destitute 33 
 of the wisdom and righteousness of God, which acknowledges 
 and glorifies God. Likewise Rom. 8 : 7, 8: "The carnal mind 
 is enmity against God ; for it is not subject to the Law of God, 
 neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh, can- 
 not please God." These testimonies are so manifest, that, to 33 
 use the words of Augustine which he employed in this case. 
 
Ch. II., Art. IV. JUSTIFICATION. 89 
 
 they do not need an acute understanding, but only an attentive 
 hearer. If the carnal mind is enmity against God, the flesh 
 certainly does not love God ; if it cannot be subject to the Law 
 of God, it cannot love God. If the carnal mind is enmity 
 against God, the flesh sins, even when we do external civil 
 works. If it cannot be subject to the Law of God, it certainly 
 sins even when, according to human judgment, it possesses 
 deeds that are excellent and worthy of praise. The adver- 34 
 saries consider only the precepts of the Second Table, which 
 contain civil righteousness that reason understands. Content 
 with this, they think that they satisfy the Law of God. In 
 the meantime they do not see the First Table, which com- 
 mands that we love God, that we be truly confident that God 
 is angry with sin, that we truly fear God, that we be truly 
 confident that God hears prayer. But the human heart Avith- 
 out the Holy Ghost, either in security despises God's judg- 
 ment, or in punishment flees from, and hates God, when he 
 judges. Therefore, it does not obey the First Table. Since, 35 
 therefore, contempt of God, and doubt concerning the Word 
 of God, and concerning the threats and promises, inhere in 
 qo human nature, men truly sin, even when, without the 
 Holy Ghost, tray do virtuous works; because they do 
 them with a wicked heart, according to Rom. 14 : 23 : "What- 
 soever is not of faith, is sin." l For such persons perform their 
 works with contempt of God, just as Epicurus does not believe 
 that God cares for him, or that he is regarded or heard by 
 God. This contempt vitiates works apparently virtuous, be- 
 cause God judges the heart. 
 
 Lastly, it was very foolish for the adversaries to write, that 36 
 men who are under eternal wrath, merit the remission of sins 
 by an elicit act of love, since it is impossible to love God, un- 
 less the remission of sins be apprehended first by faith. For 
 the heart, truly feeling that God is angry, cannot love God, 
 unless he be presented as reconciled. As long as he terrifies 
 us, and seems to cast us into eternal death, human nature is 
 not able to elevate itself, so as to love a wrathful, judging 
 and punishing God; [poor, weak nature must lose heart and 
 courage, and must tremble before such great wrath, which so 
 fearfully terrifies and punishes, and cannot ever feel a spark 
 of love, before God himself comforts]. It is easy for the un- 37 
 concerned to devise such dreams concerning love, as that a 
 mortal guilty of sin can love God above all things, because 
 they do not feel what the wrath or judgment of God is. But 
 in agony of conscience, and in conflicts [with Satan] conscience 
 experiences the vanity of these philosophical speculations. 
 
 1 Cf. Apology XV. (viii. 17), p. 208. 
 
 n 
 
90 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSIiUUG CONFESSION 
 
 Paul says (Rom. 4 : 15) : "The Law worketh wrath." He 38 
 doen not say that by the Law men merit the remission of sins. 
 For the Law always accuses and terrifies consciences. There- 
 fore, it does not justify; because conscience terrified by the 
 Law, flees from the judgment of God. Therefore, they err 
 who trust that by the Law, by their own works, they merit :he 
 remission of sins. It is sufficient for us to have said these 39 
 things concerning the righteousness of reason or of the Law, 
 which the adversaries teach. For afterwhile, when we will 
 declare our belief concerning the righteousness of faith, the 
 subject itself will compel us to adduce more testimonies, which 
 also will be of service in overthrowing the errors of the adver- 
 saries which we have thus far reviewed, 
 q m Because, therefore, men by their own strength, cannot 4^ 
 
 fulfil the Law of God, and all are under sin, and subject 
 to eternal wrath and death ; on this account, we cannot be 
 freed, by the Law, from sin, and be justified, but the promise 
 of the remission of sins and of justification, has been given us 
 for Christ's sake, who was given for us, in order that he might 
 make satisfaction for the sins of the world, and has been ap- 
 pointed as a Mediator and Propitiator. And this promise has 4 1 
 not the condition of our merits, but freely offers the remission 
 of sins and justification, as Paul says (Rom. 11:6): " If it be 
 of works, then is it no more grace." And in another place 
 (Rom. 3 : 21): "The righteousness of God without the Law 
 is manifested," i. e. the remission of sins is freely offered. Nor 4? 
 does reconciliation depend upon our merits. Because, if the 
 remission of sins were to depend upon our merits, and recon- 
 ciliation were from the Law, it would be useless. For, as we 
 do not fulfil the Law, it would also follow that the promise 
 of reconciliation would never pertain to us. Thus Paul 
 reasons (Rom. 4 : 14) : " For if they which are of the Law be 
 heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect." 
 For if the promise would require the condition of our merits 
 and the Law, it would follow, since we would never fulfil the 
 Law, that the promise would be useless. 
 
 But since justification occurs through the free promise, it 43 
 follows that we cannot justify ourselves. Otherwise, where- 
 fore would there be need to promise ? For since the promise 
 cannot be received except by faith, the Gospel, which is proper- 
 ly the promise of the remission of sins and of justification for 
 Christ's sake, proclaims the righteousness of faith in Christ, 
 which the Law does not teach. Nor is this the righteousness 
 of the Law. For the Law requires of us our works, and our 44 
 perfection. But the Gospel freely offers, for Christ's sake, to 
 us who have been vanquished by sin and death, reconciliation, 
 which is received, not by works, but by faith alone. This 
 
Ch. II., Art. IV. JUSTIFICATION. 91 
 
 faith brings to God, not confidence in one's own merits, but 
 only confidence in the promise, or the mercy promised in 
 Christ. This special faith, therefore, by which an individual 45 
 qr believes that, for Christ's sake, his sins are remitted him, 
 and, that, for Christ's sake, God is reconciled and pro- 
 pitious, obtains remission of sins and justifies us. And, be- 
 cause in repentance, i. e. in terrors, it comforts and encourages 
 hearts, it regenerates us, and brings the Holy Ghost, 1 that then 
 we may be able to fulfil God's law, viz. to love God, to truly 
 fear God, to truly be confident that God hears prayer, and to 
 obey God in all afflictions; it mortifies concupiscence, etc. 
 Thus, because faith, which freely receives the remission of 46 
 3ins, presents, against God's wrath, Christ as Mediator and 
 Propitiator, it does not present our merits or our love. This 
 faith is the true knowledge of Christ, and avails itself of the 
 benefits of Christ, and regenerates hearts, and precedes the ful- 
 filling of the Law. And of this faith, not a syllable exists in 47 
 the doctrine of our adversaries. Hence we find fault with the 
 adversaries, equally because they teach only the righteousness 
 of the Law, and because they do not teach the righteousness 
 of the Gospel, which proclaims the righteousness of faith in 
 Christ. 
 
 [B. Whai is Justifying Faith f] 
 
 The adversaries feign, that faith is only a knowledge of his- 48 
 tory, and, therefore, teach that it can coexist with mortal sin. 
 Hence, they say nothing concerning faith, by which Paul so 
 frequently says that men are justified, because those who are 
 accounted righteous before God, do not live in mortal sin. But 
 that faith which justifies, is not merely a knowledge of history, 
 but it is to assent to the promise of God, in which, for Christ's 
 sake, the remission of sins and justification are freely offered. 
 [It is the certainty or the certain trust in the heart, when, with 
 my whole heart, I regard the promises of God as certain and 
 true, through which there are offered me, without my merit, the 
 forgiveness of sins, grace and all salvation, through Christ the 
 Mediator.] And, that no one may suppose that it is mere 
 knowledge, w T e will add further : it is to wish and to receive 
 the offered promise of the remission of sins and of justification. 
 [Faith is that my whole heart takes to itself this treasure. It 
 is not my doing, not my presenting or giving, not my work or 
 preparation, but that a heart comforts itself, and is perfectly 
 confident with respect to this, viz. that God makes a present 
 and gift to us, and not we to him, that he sheds upon us every 
 q fi treasure of grace in Christ.] And the distinction between 49 
 this faith and the righteousness of the Law, can be easily 
 
 1 Cf. Augsburg Confession, Art. V. 
 
92 THE APOLOGY OE THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 discerned. Faith is the Xarpda [divine service], which re- 
 ceives the benefits, offered by God ; the righteousness of the 
 Law is the Xarpeia [divine service] which offers to God our 
 merits. By faith, God wishes himself so to be honored, that 
 we may receive frcm him those tilings which he promises and 
 offers. 
 
 But, that faith signifies, not only a knowledge of history, v 
 but the faith which assents to the promise, Paul openly testi- 
 fies, when he says (Rom. 4 : 16) : " Therefore it is of faith, to 
 the end the promise might be sure." For he judges, that the 
 promise cannot be received, unless by faith. Wherefore, he 
 compares them correlatively, and connects promise and faith. 
 Although it wili be easy to decide what faith is, if we consider j 
 the Creed, where this article certainly stands: "The forgive- 
 ness of sins." Therefore, it is not enough to believe that 
 Christ was born, suffered, was raised again, unless we add also 
 this article, which is the final cause of the history : " The for- 
 giveness of sins." To this article, the rest must be referred, 
 viz. that, for Christ's sake, and not for the sake of our merits, 
 forgiveness of sins is given us. For what need would there be, 52 
 that Christ be given for our sins, if for our sins our merits can 
 give satisfaction ? 
 
 As often, therefore, as we speak of Justifying Faith, we must 53 
 keep in mind that these three objects concur: the promise, and 
 that too gratuitous, and the merits of Christ, as the price and 
 propitiation. The promise is received by faith ; the "gratui- 
 tous " excludes our merits, and signifies that the benefit is offered 
 only through mercy ; the merits of Christ, are the price, be- 
 cause there must be a certain propitiation for our sins. Scrip- 54 
 ture frequently implores mercy ; and the holy fathers often say 
 that we are saved by mercy. As often, therefore, as mention is 55 
 made of mercy, we must keep in mind, that faith is there re- 
 quired, which receives the promise of mercy. And, again, as 
 often as we speak of faith, we wish an object to be understood, 
 viz. the promised mercy. For faith justifies and saves, not on 56 
 the ground that it is a work in itself worthy, but only because 
 it receives the promised mercy. 
 q- And in the prophets and the psalms, this worship, this 57 
 
 Xarpda, is frequently highly praised, although the Law 
 does not teach the gratuitous remission of sins. But the fathers 
 knew the promise concerning Christ, that God, for Christ's sake, 
 wished to remit sins. Therefore, since they understood that 
 Christ would be the price for our sins, they knew that our 
 works are not a price for so great a matter [could not pay so 
 great a debt]. Therefore, they received gratuitous mercy and 
 remission of sins by faith, just as the saints in the New Testa- 
 ment. Here belong those frequent repetitions concerning mercy $8 
 
Ch. II., Arj\ IV. JUSTIFICATION. 93 
 
 and faith, in the psalms and the prophets, as this (Ps. 130 : 
 3 sq.) : " If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, 
 who shall stand." Here David confesses his sins, and does not 
 recount his merits. He adds : " But there is forgiveness with 
 thee." He comforts himself by his trust in God's mercy, and 
 he cites the promise : " My soul doth wait, and in his word do 
 I hope," i. e. because thou hast promised the remission of sins, 
 I am sustained by this thy promise. 1 Therefore> the fathers 5 
 also were justified, not by the Law, but by the promise and 
 faith. And it is wonderful that the adversaries extenuate faith 
 to such a degree, although they see that it is everywhere praised 
 
 1 In the Variata, Melanchtkon adds the example of Abraham, and con- 
 tinues : " Paul also cites concerning Abraham (Rom. 4:3): 'He believed 
 God and it was counted unto him for righteousness ;' i. e. Abraham knew 
 that God was propitious to him only on account of his promise ; he as- 
 sented to God's promise and did not suffer himself to be withdrawn from 
 it, although he saw that he was impure and unworthy ; he knew that God 
 offers his promise on account of his own truth, and not on account of our 
 works or merits. Neither can terrified consciences find rest, if they 
 ought to know that they please [God] on account of their own works or 
 their own love or fulfilling of the Law, because in the flesh sin inheres, 
 which always accuses us. But hearts find rest when in these terrors they 
 are convinced that we please God, because he has promised, and that God 
 proffers the promise on account of his own truth, not on account of our 
 worth. Thus Abraham heard this voice: 'Fear not; I am thy shield,' 
 etc. (Gen. 15 : 1). This encouraged him, and he perceived that God was 
 propitious to him, not because he deserved it, but because it was necessary 
 that the promise of God be judged true. This faith, therefore, is imputed 
 to him for righteousness, i. e. because he assents to the promise and 
 receives the offered reconciliation ; he is now truly righteous and accepted 
 by God, not on account of his own worth, but because he accepts the 
 gratuitous promise of God. Not without a cause did this testimony of 
 Genesis. (15 : 1) please Paul. We see how he amplifies it, how earnestly 
 he dwells upon it, because he saw that in this passage the nature of faith 
 can be easily observed ; he saw that a testimony concerning the imputation 
 of righteousness is expressly added; he saw that the praise of meriting 
 justification and of pacifying conscience is denied to works. When 
 Abraham therefore is pronounced righteous, because he assents to the 
 promise and accepts the offered reconciliation, he does not oppose merits 
 or works to God's wrath. Wherefore this passage carefully considered 
 will be sufficient to teach pious minds fully concerning the entire subject, 
 since indeed it can be thus understood, if terrified minds propose it to 
 themselves and are convinced that in this manner they ought to assent to 
 the gratuitous promise. For they are not able to find rest otherwise, 
 unless they are confident that they have a reconciled God, for the reason 
 that he has promised, and not for the reason that our nature, life and 
 works are worthy." 
 
94 THE APOLOGY OF THE A.UGSBUEG CONFESSION. 
 
 as an eniinenl service, as in Ps. 50 : 15: "Call upon me in the 
 day of trouble: I will deliver thee." Thus God wishes him-6c 
 self to be made known, thin he wishes himself to be worshipped, 
 that from him we may receive benefits, and may receive them 
 too because of his mercy, and not because of our merits. This 
 is the richest consolation in all afflictions. And such consola- 
 tions the adversaries remove, when they extenuate and disparage 
 faith, and teach only that, by means of works and merits, men 
 treat with God. 
 
 98 [C. Tliat Faith in CJtrist Justifies."] 
 
 In the first place, lest any one may think that we speak 6i 
 concerning an inoperative knowledge of history, we must de- 
 clare how faith is attained. Afterward we will show both that 
 it justifies, and how this ought to be understood, and we will 
 explain those things to which the adversaries object. Christ, 62 
 in the last chapter of Luke (24 : 47), commands " that repent- 
 ance and remission of sins should be preached in his name." 
 For the Gospel convicts all men, that they are under sin, that 
 they all are subject to eternal wrath and death, and offers, for 
 Christ's sake, remission of sins and justification, which is re- 
 ceived by faith. 1 The preaching of repentance which accuses 
 us, terrifies consciences with true and earnest terrors. In these, 
 hearts ought again to receive consolation. This happens, if 
 they believe the promise of Christ, that, for his sake, we have 
 remission of sins. Tliis faith, encouraging and consoling in these 
 fears, receives remission of sins, justifies and quickens. For this 
 consolation is a new and spiritual life. These things are plaiu 6\ 
 and clear, and can be understood by the pious, and have testi- 
 monies of the Church [as is to be seen in the conversion of 
 Paul and Augustine.] The adversaries nowhere can say how 
 the Holy Ghost is given. They imagine that the sacraments 
 confer the Holy Ghost ex opere opei*ato, without a good emo- 
 tion in the recipient, as though, indeed, the gift of the Holy 
 Ghost were a matter of indifference. 
 
 But since we speak of such faith as is not idle thought, but 64 
 of that which liberates from death and produces a new life in 
 hearts, and is the work of the Holy Ghost ; this does not co- 
 exist with mortal sin, but, as long as it is present, produces 
 good fruits, as we will say afterwhile. For what more simple 65 
 and more clear can be said concerning the conversion of the 
 wicked, or concerning the mode of regeneration ? Let them, 
 from so great an array of writers, adduce a single commentary 
 upon the Sentential, 2 that speaks of regeneration. When they &. 
 
 1 Cf. Formula of CDncord Ep. and Sol. Dec, V., 533 sqq , 636 sqq., 
 Apol., III. 65; XII. 53. 
 1 Of Peter Tx)mba:i 
 
Ch. II., Art. IV. JUSTIFICATION. 95 
 
 speak of the habit of love, they imagine that men merit it 
 Jirough works, and they do not teach that it is received 
 through the Word, precisely as also the Anabaptists teach at 
 this time. But God cannot be treated with, God cannot be 67 
 apprehended, except through the Word. Accordingly justifi- 
 cation occurs through the Word, just as Paul says (Rom. 1 : 16): 
 " The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one 
 qq that believeth." Likewise (10 : 17): "Faith cometh by 
 hearing." And even from this, proof can be derived, 
 thai, faith justifies; because, if justification occurs only through 
 the Word, and the Word is apprehended only by faith, it fol- 
 lows that faith justifies. But there are other and more im-68 
 portant reasons. We have said these things thus far, in order 
 that we might show the mode of regeneration, and that the 
 nature of faith, concerning which we speak, might be under- 
 stood. 
 
 Now we will show that faith justifies. Here, in the first 69 
 place, readers must be admonished of this, that just as it is 
 necessary to maintain this sentence : Christ is Mediator, so is it 
 necessary to defend that faith justifies. For how will Christ be 
 Mediator, if, in justification, we do not use him as Mediator; 
 if we are not convinced that, for his sake, we are accounted 
 righteous? But this is to believe, to trust in the merits of 
 Christ, that for his sake God certainly wishes to be reconciled 
 with us. Likewise just as we ought to maintain that, in addi- 70 
 tion to the Law, the promise of Christ is necessary; so also is 
 it needful to maintain that faith justifies. For the Law cannot 
 be performed, unless the Holy Ghost be first received. It is, 
 therefore, needful to maintain, that the promise of Christ is 
 necessary. But this cannot be received except by faith. There- 
 fore, those who deny that faith justifies, teach nothing but the 
 Law, both Christ and the Gospel being set aside. 
 
 But when it is said that faith justifies, some perhaps under- 71 
 stand it of faith as an originating principle, viz. that faith is 
 the beginning of justification or preparation for justification, so 
 that that through which we are accepted by God is not faith it- 
 self, but the works which follow ; and they dream, accordingly, 
 that faith is praised, because it is an originating principle. 
 For great is the power of an originating principle, as they 
 commonly say, dp%r] rjiitao navrds, the beginning is half of 
 everything ; just as if one would say that grammar makes the 
 teachers of all arts, because it prepares for other arts, although 
 in fact it is his own art that renders every one an artist. We 
 «™ do not believe thus concerning faith, but we maintain this, 
 that properly and truly, by faith itself, we are for Christ's 
 sake accounted righteous, or are acceptable to God. And, be- 72 
 cause "to be justified" means that, out of unjust men, just 
 
9Q THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 men be made, or .be born again, it means also that they should 
 be pronounced or accounted just. 1 For Scripture speaks in 
 both ways. Accordingly we wish first to show this, that faith 
 alone makes of an unjust, a just man, i. e. receives remission of 
 sins. 
 
 The particle Alone offends some, although even Paul says 73 
 ' Rom. 3 : 28): " We conclude that a man is justified by faith 
 without the deeds of the Law." Again (Eph. 2:8): "It is the 
 gift of God ; not of works, lest any man should boast." Again 
 fRom. 3 : 24) : " Being justified freely." If the exclusive 
 Alone displeases, let them remove from Paul also the exclu- 
 sives "freely," " not of works," " it is the gift," etc. For these 
 also are exclusives. It is, however, the opinion of merit that 
 we exclude. We do not exclude the Word or sacraments, as 
 the adversaries falsely charge us. For we have said above that 
 faith is conceived from the Word, and we honor the ministry 
 of the Word in the highest degree. Love also and works 74 
 ought to follow faith. Wherefore, they are not excluded so as 
 not to follow, but confidence in the merit of love or of works is 
 excluded in justification. And this we will clearly show. 
 
 [D. Tliat we Obtain Remission of Sins by Faith alone in Christ'] 
 
 We think that even the adversaries acknowledge that, in 75 
 justification, the remission of sins is first necessary. For we 
 all are under sin. Wherefore, we thus reason : 
 
 To attain the remission of sins is to be justified, according to 76 
 Ps. 32 : 1 : "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven." 
 By faith alone in Christ, not through love, not because of love 77 
 or works, do we attain the remission of sins, although love 
 follows faith. Therefore by faith alone we are justified, under- 78 
 standing justification as the making a righteous man out of an 
 unrighteous, or that he be regenerated. 
 • /v| It will thus become easy to declare the minor premise j< 
 
 if we know how the remission of sins occurs. The adver- 
 saries with great indifference dispute whether the remission of 
 sins and the infusion of grace are the same changes. Idle men 
 did not have anything to say [cannot speak at all on this sub- 
 ject]. In the remission of sins, the terrors of sin and of eternal 
 death, in the heart, ought to be overcome, as Paul testifies, 
 1 Cor. 15 : 56 sq. : " The sting of death is sin, and the strength 
 of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the 
 victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." That is, sin terrifies 
 consciences ; this occurs through the Law, which shows the 
 wrath of God against sin ; but we gain the victory through 
 Christ. How ? By faith, when we comfort ourselves by con- 
 
 1 Cf. Formula of Concord, 528, 613. 
 
Ch. II., Art. IV. JUSTIFICATION. 97 
 
 fidence in the mercy promised for Christ's sake. Thus, there- 80 
 fore, we prove the minor proposition. The wrath of God can- 
 nut be appeased, if we present against it our own works, because 
 Christ has been set forth as a Propitiator, so that, for his sake, 
 the Father may become reconciled to us. But Christ is not 
 apprehended as a Mediator, except by faith. Therefore, by 
 faith alone we obtain remission of sins, when we comfort our 
 hearts with confidence in the mercy promised for Christ's sake. 
 Likewise Paul, Pom. 5 : 2, says: "By whom also we have 81 
 access/' and adds, " by faith." Thus, therefore, we are recon- 
 ciled to the Father, and receive remission of sins, when we are 
 comforted with confidence in the mercy promised for Christ's 
 sake. The adversaries regard Christ as Mediator and Pro- 
 pitiator for this reason, viz. that he has merited the habit of 
 love; they do not urge us to use him now as Mediator, but, 
 precisely as though Christ were buried, they imagine that we 
 have access, through our own works, and*, through these, merit 
 this habit, and afterwards, by this love, come to God. 1 Is not 
 this to altogether bury Christ, and to take away the entire doc- 
 trine of faith ? Paul, on the contrary, teaches that we have 
 access, i. e. reconciliation, through Christ. And to show how 
 this occurs, he adds, that we have access "by faith." By faith, 
 therefore, for Clirist's sake, we receive remission of sins. We 
 cannot oppose our own love, and our own works, over against 
 God's wrath. 
 
 Secondly. It is certain that sins are remitted for the sake of 82 
 I q Christ, as Propitiator, Rom. 3 : 25 : " Whom God hath 
 set forth to be a propitiation." Moreover Paul adds: 
 " Through faith." Therefore this Propitiator thus profits us, 
 when, by faith, we apprehend the mercy promised in him, and 
 present it, against the wrath and judgment of God. And to 
 the same effect, it is written, Heb. 4 : 14, 16: "Seeing then 
 that we have a great High Priest," etc., " let us therefore come 
 with confidence." For the Apostle bids us to come to God, 
 not with confidence in our own merits, but with confidence in 
 Christ, as a High Priest; therefore he requires faith. 
 
 Tliirdly. Peter in Acts 10 : 43 says : " To him give all the 83 
 prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth 
 on him shall receive remission of sins." How could this be 
 said more clearly? We receive remission of sins, he says, 
 through his name, i. e. for his sake : therefore, not for the sake 
 of our merits, not for the sake of our contrition, attrition, love, 
 worship, works. And he adds : " When we believe in him." 
 Therefore, he requires faith. For we cannot apprehend the 
 name of Christ, except by faith. Besides he cites the agree- 
 
 1 Variata : By love have peace of conscience. 
 IS 
 
98 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION 
 
 mcnt of all the Fathers. This is truly to cite the authority of 
 the Church. But of this topic we will speak after a wliil^ 
 when treating of "Repentance." 
 
 Fourthly. Remission of sins is something promised for 84 
 Christ's sake. Therefore, it cannot be received except by 
 faith alone. For the promise cannot be received, except by 
 faith alone. Rom. 4:16: "Therefore it is of faith, that it 
 might be by grace, to the end that the promise might be sure;" 
 as though he were to say : " If the matter were to depend upon 
 our merits, the promise would be uncertain and useless, because 
 we never could determine when we would have sufficient merit." 
 And this, experienced consciences can easily understand [and 
 would not, for a thousand worlds, have our salvation depend 
 upon ourselves]. Accordingly Paul says, Gal. 3 : 22 : " But 
 the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by 
 faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." 
 He withdraws merit from us, because he says that all are guilty 
 and concluded under sin ; then he adds that the promise, viz. 
 of the remission of sins and of justification, is given, and adds 
 how the promise can be received, viz. by faith. And this rea- 
 soning, derived from the nature of the promise, is the chief 
 reasoning in Paul, and is often repeated. Nor can anything be 
 devised or imagined whereby this argument of Paul can be 
 overthrown. 
 ™ Wherefore let not good minds suffer themselves to be 85 
 
 forced from the opinion, that we receive remission of sins 
 for Christ's sake only through faith. In this, they have sure 
 and firm consolation against the terrors of sin, and against 
 eternal death, and against all the gates of hell. 
 
 But since we receive remission of sins and the Holy Ghost 1 86 
 by faith alone, faith alone justifies, because those reconciled are 
 accounted righteous and children of God, not on account of 
 '"heir own purity, but through mercy for Christ's sake : if they 
 >y faith apprehend this mercy. Accordingly Scripture testifies, 
 hat by faith we are accounted righteous (Rom. 3 : 26). We, 
 therefore, will add testimonies that clearly declare that faith is 
 that very righteousness, by which we are accounted righteous 
 before God, viz. not because it is a work, that is, in itself, 
 worthy, but because it receives the promise, by which God has 
 promised, thp^, for Christ's sake, he wishes to be propitious to 
 those heaving in him, or, because he knows that "Christ of 
 God L? jnade unto us wisdom, and righteousness and sanctifica- 
 tion and redemption " (1 Cor. 1 : 30). 
 
 In the Epistle to the Romans, Paul expressly discusses thit 87 
 topic, and declares that, when we believe that God, for Christ's 
 
 Var. : And reconciliation for Christ's sake. 
 
Ch. II., Art. IV. JUSTIFICATION. 9G 
 
 sake, is reconciled to us, we are justified freely by faith. And 
 this proposition, which contains the statement of the entire dis- 
 cussion, he maintains in the third chapter : " We conclude that 
 a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law" 
 (Rom. 3 : 28). Here the adversaries interpret that this refers 
 to Levitical ceremonies. But Paul speaks not only of the cere- 
 monies, but of the whole Law. For he quotes afterward from 
 the Decalogue (7:7): " Thou shalt not covet." And if moral 
 works would merit the remission of sins, and justification, 
 there would also be no need of Christ and the promise, and all 
 that Paul speaks of the promise would be overthrown. For 
 he would have been wrong in writing to the Ephesians (2 : 8) : 
 " By grace are ye saved through faith ; and that not of your- 
 selves : it is the gift of God : not of works." Paul likewise 
 refers to Abraham and David (Rom. 4 : 1, 6). But they had 
 the command of God concerning circumcision. Therefore if 
 any works justified, these works must also have justified at the 
 time that they had a command. Moreover, Augustine teaches 
 <Q* correctly that Paul speaks of the entire Law, as he dis- 
 cusses at length, " of the spirit and letter," where he says 
 finally, " These matters, therefore, having been considered and 
 treated, according to the ability that the Lord has thought 
 worthy to give us, we infer that man is not justified by the 
 precepts of a good life, but by faith in Jesus Christ." 
 
 And lest we may think that the sentence, that faith justifies, 88 
 fell from Paul inconsiderately, he fortifies and confirms this by 
 a long discussion in the fourth chapter to the Romans, and 
 afterwards repeats it in all his Epistles. Thus he says, Rom. 89 
 4 : 4, 5 : " To him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of 
 grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth 
 on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for 
 righteousness." Here he clearly says that faith itself is im- 
 puted for righteousness. Faith, therefore, is that thing, which 
 God declares to be righteousness, and he adds that it is imputed 
 freely, and says that it could not be imputed freely, if it were 
 due on account of works. Wherefore he excludes also the 
 merit of moral works. For if justification before God were 
 due to these, faith would not be imputed for righteousness 
 without works. And afterwards, Rom. 4:9: "For we say 9c 
 that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness." Chap- 91 
 ter 5 : 1 says : " Being justified by faith, we have peace with 
 God," i. e. we have consciences that are tranquil and joyful 
 before God. Rom. 10 : 10: "With the heart man believeth 92 
 unto righteousness." Here he declares that faith is the right- 
 eousness of the heart. Gal. 2 : 16: "We have believed in 93 
 Christ Jesus that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, 
 and uot by the works of the Law." Eph. 2:8: " For by grace 
 
100 THE APOLOGY OF fHF AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is 
 the gift of God : not of works, lest any man should boast." 
 
 John 1 : 12: "To them gave lie power to become the sons 94 
 of God, even to them that believe on his name; which ?vere 
 born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will 
 105 of man, but of God." John 3 : 14, 15 : "As Moses lifted 95 
 
 up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of 
 man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not 
 perish." Likewise, v. 17: "For God sent not his Son into 9* 
 the world to condemn the world ; but that the world through 
 him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not con- 
 demned." 
 
 Acts 13 : 38, 39: "Be it known unto you, therefore, men 97 
 and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the 
 forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified 
 from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the 
 Law of Moses." How could the office of Christ and justifica- 
 tion be declared more clearly? The Law, he says, did not 
 justify. Christ was given, to the end that we may believe 
 that for his sake we are justified. He plainly denies justifica- 
 tion to the Law. Therefore, for Christ's sake, we are accounted 
 righteous, when we believe that God, for His sake, has been 
 reconciled to us. Acts 4 : 11, 12: "This is the stone which 9? 
 was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of 
 the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other ; for there 
 is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby 
 we must be saved." But the name of Christ is apprehended 
 only by faith. Therefore, by confidence in the name of Christ, 
 and not by confidence in our works, we are saved. For " the 
 name " here signifies the cause which is mentioned, because of 
 which salvation is attained. And to call upon the name of 
 Christ is to trust in the name of Christ, as the cause or price, 
 because of which we are saved. Acts 15 : 9 : "Purifying 99 
 their hearts by faith." Wherefore that faith of which the 
 Apostles speak, is not inoperative knowledge, but a reality 
 receiving the Holy Ghost and justifying us [not a mere know- 
 ledge of history, but a strong powerful work of the Holy Ghost, 
 which changes hearts]. 
 
 Hab. 2:4: " The just shall live by his faith." Here, he 100 
 first says that men are just by faith, by which they believe 
 that God is propitious, and he adds that the same faith quick- 
 ens, because this faith produces in the heart peace and joy and 
 eternal life. 
 
 Isa. 53 : 11 : "By his knowledge shall he justify many." 101 
 But what is the knowledge of Christ, unless to know the bene- 
 fits of Christ, the promises which by the Gospel he has dif- 
 fused ink the world ? And to know these benefits is proper- 
 
Ch. II., Art. IV. JUSTIFICATION. 101 
 
 (y and truly to believe in Christ, to believe that that which 
 God has promised for Christ's sake, he will certainly fulfil. 
 j/w. But Scripture is full of such testimonies, since, in 102 
 
 some places, it presents the Law, and in others the prom- 
 ises concerning Christ, and the remission of sins, and the free 
 acceptance of the sinner for Christ's sake. 
 
 Here and there among the Fathers similar testimonies are 103 
 extant. For Ambrose says in his letter to a certain Irenaeus : 
 " Moreover, the world was subject to the Law for the reason 
 that, according to the command of the Law, all are addressed, 
 and yet, by the works of the Law, no one is justified, i. e. 
 because, by the Law, sin is perceived, but guilt is not dis- 
 charged. The Law, which made all sinners, seemed to have 
 done injury, but when the Lord Jesus Christ came, he for- 
 gave to all sin which no one could avoid, and, by the shed- 
 ding of his own blood, blotted out the handwriting which was 
 against us. This is what he says in Rom. 5 : 20: 'The Law 
 entered that the offence might abound. But where sin abound- 
 ed, grace did much more abound.' Because after the whole 
 world became subject, he took away the sin of the whole 
 world, as he testified, saying (John 1 : 29) : 'Behold the Lamb 
 of God which taketh away the sin of the world.' And, on 
 this account, let no one boast of works, because no one is justi- 
 fied by his deeds. But he who is righteous, has it given him 
 because he was justified after the laver [of Baptism]. Faith, 
 therefore, is that which frees through the blood of Christ, be- 
 cause he is blessed, ' whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin 
 is covered' (Ps. 32 : 1)." These are the words of Ambrose, 104 
 which clearly favor our doctrine; he denies justification to 
 works, and ascribes it to faith which frees through the blood 
 of Christ. Let all the Sententiarists, 1 who are embellished 105 
 with magnificent titles be collected into one heap. For some 
 are called angelic ; others, subtile ; and others, irrefragable. 2 
 When all these have been read and re-read, they will not be 
 of as much aid for understanding Paul as is this one passage 
 of Ambrose. 
 
 To the same effect, Augustine writes many things against 106 
 ,*«, the Pelagians. In "Of the Spirit and Letter," he says: 
 
 " The righteousness of the Law is set forth for this 
 reason, viz. that he who should fulfil it might live in it, in 
 order that when any one has recognized his infirmity, he may 
 attain and work this righteousness, and live in it, not by his 
 
 1 The commentators on the Sententice of Peter Lombard. 
 
 ' Doctor Angelicus, Thomas Aquinas ; Doctor Subtilissimus, John Duna 
 Scotus; Doctor Irrefragibilis, Alexander Halesius; Doctor Seraphioiu, 
 Bonaventura. 
 
102 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 own strength, neither by the letter of the Law itself, which 
 cannot be done, but, by procuring by faith, a justifier. Ex- 
 cept in a justified man, there is no good work, wherein he who 
 does it may live. But justification is obtained by faith." 
 Here he clearly says that the justifier is procured by faith, 
 and that justification is obtained by faith. Anil a little after: 
 " Bv the Law, we fear God ; by faith, we hope in God. But 
 to those fearing punishment, grace is hidden ; and the son! 
 laboring under this fear, betakes itself by faith to God's 
 mercy, in order that he may give what he has commanded. 
 Here he teaches that, by the Law. hearts are terrified, but, by 
 faith, they receive consolation. lie also teaches us to appre- 
 hend, bv faith, mercy, before we attempt to fulfil the Law. 
 We will shortly cite certain other passages. 
 
 Indeed, it is wonderful that the adversaries are in no way 107 
 moved by so many passages of Scripture, which clearly ascribe 
 justification to faith, and, likewise, deny it to works. Do 10S 
 they think that the same is repeated so often for no purpose? 
 Do they think that these words fell inconsiderately from the 
 Holy Ghost? But they have also devised sophistry, whereby 109 
 they elude them. They say that these passages of Scripture, 
 which speak of faith, ought to be received as referring to a 
 fides formata, i. e. they do not ascribe justification to faith, 
 except on account of love. Yea they do not, in any way, 
 ascribe justification to faith, but only to love, because they 
 dream that faith can coexist with mortal sin. Whither does no 
 this tend, unless that they again abolish the promise and re- 
 turn to the Law? If faith receive the remission of sins on 
 account of love, the remission of sins will ahvays be uncertain, 
 because we never love as much as we ought ; yea we do not 
 love unless our hearts are firmly convinced that the remission 
 of sins has been granted us. Thus the adversaries, while they 
 require in the remission of sins and justification confidence in 
 one's own love, altogether abolish the Gospel concerning the 
 free remission of sins; although, at the same time, they 
 neither render this love nor understand it, unless they believe 
 that the remission of sins is freely received. 
 
 1fl8 ^ e a ^ so sa - y * na ^ ^ ove ou g n t to follow faith, as Paul in 
 
 also says (Gal. 5:6): " For in Jesus Christ neither cir- 
 cumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision ; but faith 
 which worketh by love." And yet, for this reason, we ought 112 
 not to think that, by confidence in this love or on account of 
 this love, we receive the remission of sins and reconciliation, 
 just as we do not receive the remission of sins because of 
 other works that follow. But the remission of sins is re- 
 ceived by faith alone, and indeed by faith properly so called, 
 because the promise cannot be received except by faith. But 113 
 
Ch. II., Art. IV. JUSTIFICATION. 103 
 
 faith properly so called, is that which assents to the promise 
 of Scripture [is when my heart and the Holy Ghost, in the 
 heart, says: The promise of God is true and certain]. Of 
 this faith, Scripture speaks. And because it receives the re- 114 
 mission of sins, and reconciles us to God, by this faith we are 
 accounted for Christ's sake righteous before we love and do 
 the works of the Law, although love necessarily follows. Nor 1 r 5 
 indeed is this faith an idle knowledge, neither can it coexist with 
 mortal sin, but it is a work of the Holy Ghost, whereby we are 
 freed from death, and terrified minds are encouraged and quick- 
 ened. And because this faith alone receives the remission of 116 
 sins, and renders us acceptable to God and brings the Holy 
 Ghost; 1 it could be more correctly called gratia gratum faciens, 
 grace rendering one pleasing to God, than an effect following, 
 viz. love. 
 
 Thus far, in order that the subject might be made clear, we 117 
 have shown, with sufficient fulness, both from testimonies of 
 Scripture, and arguments derived from Scripture, that by faith 
 alone, we obtain the remission of sins for Christ's sake, and 
 that by faith alone we are justified, i. e. from unrighteous men 
 made righteous, or regenerated. But how necessary the know- 118 
 ledge of this faith is, can be easily judged, because, in this 
 alone, the office of Christ is recognized, by this alone we 
 receive the benefits of Christ ; this alone brings sure and firm 
 consolation to pious minds. And in the Church it is neces- 119 
 sary that there should be doctrine, from which the pious may 
 receive the sure hope of salvation. For the adversaries give 
 men bad advice [therefore the adversaries are truly unfaithful 
 bishops, unfaithful preachers, and doctors; they have hitherto 
 given evil counsel to consciences, and still do so by introducing 
 such doctrine], when they bid them doubt whether they obtain 
 remission of sins. For how will such persons sustain them- 
 selves in death, 'who have heard nothing of this faith, and 
 think that they ought to doubt whether they obtain the remis- 
 jflq sion of sins? Besides it is necessary that in the Church, 120 
 
 the Gospel be retained, i. e. the promise that for Christ's 
 sake sins are freely remitted. Those who teach nothing of this 
 faith, concerning which we speak, altogether abolish the Gos- 
 pel. But the scholastics mention not even a word concerning 121 
 this faith. Our adversaries follow them, and reject this faith. 
 Nor do they see that by rejecting this faith, they abolish the 
 entire promise, concerning the free remission of sins, and the 
 righteousness of Christ. 
 
 1 Var. : And renders consciences pacified and tranquil. 
 
104 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 . F LOVE AND THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 
 
 [A. Of the Necessity of the New Obedience, and its relation to Faith.} 
 
 Here the adversaries urge against us: " If thou wilt enter i 
 into life, keep the commandments " (Matt. 19 : 17); likewise: 
 " The doers of the Law shall be justified" (Rom. 2 : 13), and 
 many other like things concerning the Law and works. Before 
 we reply to this, we must first declare what we believe concern- 
 ing love and the fulfilling of the Law. 
 
 It is written in the prophet (Jer. 31 : 33) : " I will put my 2 
 Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts." And 
 in Rom. 3 : 31, Paul says: "Do we then make void the Law 
 through faith ? God forbid : yea, we establish the Law." 
 Ind Christ says (Matt. 19 : 17) : "If thou wilt enter into life, 
 Keep the commandments." Likewise (1 Cor. 13:3): " If I 
 have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." These and similar 3 
 sentences testify that the Law ought to be begun in us, and be 
 kept by us more and more. Moreover, we speak not of 
 ceremonies, but of that Law which gives commandment con- 
 cerning the movements of the heart, viz. of the Decalogue. 
 Because indeed faith brings the Holy Ghost, and produces in ,\ 
 hearts a new life, it is necessary that it should produce spiritual 
 movements in hearts. And what these movements are, the 
 prophet (Jer. 31 : 33) shows, when he says : " I will put my 
 Law into their inward parts, and write it in their hearts." 
 Therefore, when we have been justified by faith, and regen- 
 erated, we begin to fear and love God, to pray to him, to expect 
 from him aid, to give thanks and praise him, and to obey him 
 in afflictions. We begin also to love our neighbors, because 
 our hearts have spiritual and holy movements [there is now, 
 through the Spirit of Christ, a new heart, mind and spirit 
 within], 
 fj * These things cannot occur until we have been justified 5 
 
 by faith, and, regenerated, we receive the Holy Ghost: 
 first, because the Law cannot be kept without [the knowledge 
 of] Christ; and likewise the Law cannot be kept without the 
 Holy Ghost. But the Holy Ghost is received by faith, accord- 6 
 ing to the declaration of Paul, Gal. 3 : 14 : " That we might 
 receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Then, too, 7 
 how can the human heart love God, while it knows that He is 
 terribly angry, and is oppressing us with temporal and perpet- 
 ual calamities? But the Law always accuses us, always shows 
 
 Para.lj.el Passages. — Chap. III.: Augsburg Confession, Arts. vi. and xx 
 Pm?lcald A) tides, 319, 324 ; Formula of Concord, 529. 615 sq. 
 
Oh. III., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 105 
 
 that God is angry. [Therefore what the scholastics say of the 
 love of God is a dream.] God is not therefore loved, until we 8 
 apprehend mercy by faith. Thus He at length becomes an 
 object that can be loved. 
 
 Although, therefore, civil works, i. e. the outward works of 9 
 the Law, can be done in a measure, without Christ and without 
 the Holy Ghost, nevertheless it appears from those things which 
 we have said, that those things which belong peculiarly to the 
 divine Law, i. e. the affections of the heart towards God which 
 are commanded in the first table, cannot be rendered without the 
 Holy Ghost. But our adversaries are fine theologians ; they 10 
 regard the second table, and political works ; for the first table 
 they care nothing, as though it were of no matter ; or certainly 
 they require only outward observances. They in no way con- 
 sider the Law that is eternal, and placed far above the sense 
 and intellect of all creatures (Deut. 6:5): " Thou shalt love 
 the Lord thy God with all thine heart." 
 
 But Christ was given for this purpose, viz. that, for his sake, 11 
 there might be bestowed on us the remission of sins, and the 
 Holy Ghost to bring forth in us new and eternal life, and 
 eternal righteousness [to manifest Christ in our hearts, as it is 
 written, John 16 : 15: "He shall take of the things of mine, 
 and show them unto you." Likewise, he works also other 
 gifts, love, thanksgiving, charity, patience, etc.]. Wherefore the 
 Law cannot be truly kept, unless the Holy Ghost be received 
 through faith. Accordingly Paul says, that the Law is estab- 
 lished by faith, and not made void ; because the Law can at 
 length be thus kept, when the Holy Ghost is given. And 12 
 nl Paul teaches, 2 Cor. 3:15 sq., the veil that covered 
 the face of Moses cannot be removed, except by 
 faith in Christ, by which the Holy Ghost is received. For 
 he speaks thus : " But even unto this day when Moses is read, 
 the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn 
 to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. Now the Lord is 
 that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is lib- 
 erty." Paul understands, by the veil, human opinion concern- 13 
 ing the entire Law, the Decalogue and the ceremonies, viz. be- 
 cause hypocrites think that external and civil works satisfy the 
 Law of God, and that sacrifices and observances justify before 
 God ex opere operate. But then this veil is removed from us, 14 
 L e. we are freed from this error, when God shows to our hearts 
 our uncleanness, and the heinousness of sin. Then, for the 
 first time, we see that we are far from fulfilling the Law. 
 Then, we learn to know how flesh, in security and indifference, 
 does not fear God, and is not fully certain that we are regarded 
 by God, but imagines that men are born and die by chance. 
 Then, we experience that we do not believe that God forgives 
 u 
 
106 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 and hears us. But when, on hearing the Gospel and the re- 
 mission of sins, we are consoled by faith, we receive the Holy 
 Ghost, so that now we are able to think aright concerning God, 
 and to fear and believe God, etc. From these facts, it is appa- 
 rent that the Law cannot be kept without Christ and the Holy 
 (J host. 
 
 We, therefore, profess that it is necessary that the Law be i r 
 begun in us, and that it be observed continually more and more. 
 And at the same time we comprehend both spiritual move- 
 ments, and external good works [the good heart within and 
 works without]. Therefore the adversaries falsely charge 
 against us, that our theologians do not teach good works, 
 while they not only require these, but also show how they can 
 be done. The result convicts hypocrites, who, by their own 16 
 powers, endeavor to fulfil the Law, that they cannot afford 
 what they attempt. For human nature is far too weak to be 17 
 able by its own powers to resist the devil, who holds as captives 
 all who have not been freed through faith. There is need of 18 
 the power of Christ against the devil, viz. that, inasmuch as we 
 know that for Christ's sake we are heard, and have the prom- 
 ise, we may pray for the governance and defence of the Holy 
 Ghost, that we may neither be deceived and err, nor be im- 
 .+n pelled to undertake anything contrary to God's will. Just 
 as Ps. 68 : 18 teaches: "Thou hast led captivity captive; 
 thou hast received gifts for man." For Christ has overcome 
 the devil ; and has given to us the promise and the Holy Ghost, 
 in order that, by divine aid, we ourselves also may overcome. 
 And 1 John 3:8: "For this purpose the Son of God was 
 manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." 
 Again, we teach not only how the Law can be observed, but 19 
 also how God is pleased if anything be done, viz. not as though 
 we render satisfaction to the Law, but because we are in Christ, 
 just as we will say after a little. It is, therefore, manifest that 
 we require good works. Yea, we add also this, that it is im- 20 
 possible for love to God, even though it be small, to be sun- 
 dered from faith ; because through Christ we come to the 
 Father, and, the remission of sins having been received, we 
 now are truly certain that we have a God, i. e. that God cares 
 for us ; we call upon him, we give him thanks, we fear him, we 
 love him, as John teaches in his first Epistle (4 : 19), " We love 
 him," he says, " because he first loved us," viz. because he gave 
 his Son for us, and forgave us our sins. Thus he indicates 
 that faith precedes, and love follows. Likewise the faith of 21 
 which we speak exists in repentance, i. e. it is conceived in the 
 terrors of conscience which feels the wrath of God against our 
 sins, and seeks the remission of sins, and to be freed from sin. 
 And in such terrors and other afflictions, this faith ought to 
 
Ch. III., Art. VI. LOVE kSD FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 107 
 
 grow, and be strengthened. Wnerefore, it cannot exist in those 21 
 who live according to the flesh, who are delighted by their own 
 fusts, and obey them. Accordingly Paul says (Rom. 8:1): 
 "There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them that are in 
 Christ Jesus, who walk not after the fl°sh, but after the Spirit." 
 So too (vs. 12, 13): "We are debtors not to the flesh to live 
 after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die ; but 
 if ye, through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye 
 phall live." Wherefore, the faith which receives remission of 21 
 -ins in a heart terrified and fleeing from sin, does not remain in 
 those who obey their desires, neither does it coexist with mortal 
 sin. 
 I^o From these effects of faith the adversaries select 0110,24 
 
 viz. love, and teach that love justifies. Thus it is clearly 
 apparent that they teach only the Law. They do not teach 
 that remission of sins through faith is first received. They do 
 not teach of Christ as Mediator, that, for Christ's sake, we have 
 a gracious God ; but because of our love. And yet what the 
 nature of this love is, they do not say, neither can they say. 
 They proclaim that they fulfil the Law, although this glory 25 
 belongs properly to Christ ; and they set over against the judg- 
 ment of God confidence in their own works ; for they say that 
 they merit de condigno (according to righteousness) grace and 
 eternal life. This confidence is absolutely impious and vain. 
 For, in this life, we cannot satisfy the Law, because carnal 
 nature does not cease to bring forth wicked dispositions [evil 
 inclination and desire], even though the Spirit in us resists 
 them. 
 
 But some one may ask : Since we also confess that love is a 26 
 work of the Holy Ghost, and since it is righteousness, because 
 it is the fulfilling of the Law, why do we not teach that it 
 justifies? To this we must reply: In the first place it is 
 certain, that we receive remission of sins, neither through our 
 love, nor for the sake of our love, but for Christ's sake by 
 faith alone. Faith alone which looks upon the promise, and 27 
 knows that it must be regarded certain that God forgives, be- 
 cause Christ has not died in vain, etc., overcomes the terrors 
 of sin and death. If anv one doubt whether sins be remitted 2$. 
 him, he dishonors Christ, since he judges that his sin is 
 greater or more efficacious than the death and promise of 
 Christ; although Paul says (Rom. 5 : 20) : "Where sin abound- 
 ed, grace did much more abound," L e. that mercy is more com- 
 prehensive [more powerful, richer, and stronger] than sin. If :g 
 any one think that he obtains the remission of sins because he 
 loves, he dishonors Christ, and will discover in God's judgment 
 that this confidence in his own righteousness is empty and vain. 
 Therefore, it is necessary that faith should reconcile and justify. 
 
108 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION 
 
 And as wo do not receive remission of .sins through oiher vir-3c 
 hies of the Law, or on account of these, viz. on account of 
 patience, chastity, obedience towards magistrates, etc, and 
 nevertheless these virtues ought to follow; so, too, we do not 
 receive remission of sins, because of love to God, although it is 
 necessary that this should follow. But the custom of speech is 31 
 well known, that, by the same word, we sometimes comprehend 
 lid ky synechdoche the cause and effects. Thus in Luke 7 : 47, 
 Christ says: "Her sins which are many are forgiven, for 
 the loved much." For Christ interprets this very passage 
 when he adds : " Thy faith hath saved thee." Christ, there- 
 fore, did not mean that the woman, by that work of love, had 
 merited the remission of sins. For he says clearly on this ac- 
 count: " Thv faith hath saved thee." But faith is that which 32 
 freely apprehends God's mercy on account of God's Word, 
 [which relies upon God's mercy and Word, and not upon one's 
 own work]. If any one denies that this is faith, [if any one 
 imagines that he can rely at the same time upon God and his own 
 work], he does not understand at all what faith is. [Germ, adds : 
 For the terrified conscience is not satisfied with its own works, 
 but must cry after mercy, and is comforted and encouraged 
 alone by God's Word.] And the narrative itself shows in 3 ; 
 this passage what that is which he calls faith. The woman 
 came with the opinion concerning Christ, that with him the 
 remission of sins should be sought. This worship is the highest 
 worship of Christ. Nothing greater could she ascribe to Christ. 
 To seek from him the remission of sins, was truly to acknow- 
 ledge the Messiah. Now thus to think of Christ, thus to wor- 
 ship him, thus to embrace him, is to truly believe. Christ, more- 
 over, employed the word "love," not with respect to the woman, 
 but against the Pharisee ; because he contrasted the entire wor- 
 ship of the Pharisee, with the entire worship of the woman. 
 He reproved the Pharisee, because he did not acknowledge 
 that he was the Messiah, although he afforded him the outward 
 offices due to a guest and a great and holy man. He points to 
 the woman and praises her worship, ointment, tears, etc., all of 
 which were signs of faith and a confession, viz. that with Christ 
 she sought the remission of sins. It is indeed a great example 
 which, not without reason, moved Christ to reprove the Phari- 
 see, who was a w T ise and honorable man, but not a believer. 
 He charges him with impiety, and admonishes him by the 
 example of the woman, showing thereby that it is disgraceful 
 to him, that while an unlearned woman believes God, he, a 
 doctor of the law, does not believe, does not acknowledge the 
 Messiah, and does not seek from him remission of sins and 
 salvation. Thus therefore he praises the entire worship as it 34 
 often occurs in the Scriptures, that, by one word, we embrace 
 
On. III., Art. VL LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 109 
 
 many things ; as below we will speak at greater length in regard 
 to similar passages, such as Luke 11 : 41 : "Give alms jf such 
 tilings as ye have; and behold all things are clean unto you." 
 He requires not only alms, but also the righteousness of faith. 
 Thus he here says : " Her sins which are many are forgiven ; 
 for she loved much," i. e. because she has truly worshipped me 
 with faith and the exercises and signs of faith. He compre- 
 hends the entire worship, yet, meanwhile, this teaches that the 
 remission of sins is properly received by faith, although love, 
 confession and other good fruits ought to follow. Wherefore, 
 by this, he does not mean that these fruits are the prices, or are 
 the propitiation, because of which the remission of sins, which 
 reconciles us to God, is given. AVe are disputing concerning a 35 
 great subject, concerning the honor of Christ, and whence good 
 minds may seek for sure and firm consolation, whether it is to 
 «ir be placed in confidence in Christ, or in our works. But if 56 
 
 it is to be placed in our works, the honor of Mediator and 
 Propitiator will be withdrawn from Christ. And yet we will 
 find, in God's judgment, that this confidence is vain, and that 
 consciences rush thence into despair. But if the remission of 
 sins, and reconciliation, do not occur freely for Christ's sake, 
 but for the sake of our love, no one will have remission of sins, 
 unless when he has fulfilled the entire Law ; because the Law 
 does not justify as long as it can accuse us. Therefore, it is 37 
 manifest that, since justification is reconciliation for Christ's 
 sake, we are justified by faith, because it is very certain that 
 by faith alone the remission of sins is received. 
 
 Now, therefore, let us reply to the objection which we have 38 
 above stated. 1 The adversaries are right in thinking that love 
 is the fulfilling of the Law, and obedience to the Law is cer- 
 tainly righteousness. [Ger. adds : But who in truth can say 
 or boast that he keeps the Law, and loves God, as the Law has 
 commanded ? We have shown above that God has made the 
 promise of grace, because we cannot observe the Law. There- 
 fore Paul says everywhere that we cannot be justified before 
 God by the Law.] But they make a mistake in this, that they 
 think that we are justified by the Law. Since, however, we are 
 not justified by the Law, but receive remission of sins and 
 reconciliation by faith for Christ's sake, and not for the sake of 
 love, or the fulfilling of the Law; it follows necessarily that 
 we are justified by faith in Christ. 
 
 In the second place, this fulfilling of the Law or obedience 39 
 towards the Law, is indeed righteousness, when it is complete ; 
 but in us it is small and impure. Accordingly, it is not pleas- 
 ing for its own sake, and is not accepted for its own sake. But 40 
 
 1 Var. adds : Why love does not justify. 
 
110 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONL ESSION. 
 
 although from those things which have been said above, it is 
 evident that justification signifies not only the beginning of the 
 renewal, but also the reconciliation by which also we afterwards 
 11fi arc accepted ; nevertheless it can now be seen much more 
 clearly that the inchoate fulfilling of the Law does not 
 justify, because it is accepted only on account of faith. 1 
 
 1 In the Variata, Melanehthon has inserted the following: Only that 
 justifies before God, which renders consciences pacified. For as long as 
 conscience flees from God's judgment and is enraged with God we are not 
 righteous and quickened. Moreover faith alone renders consciences paci- 
 fied, according to Rom. 5:1: " Being justified by faith, we have peace." 
 Likewise : " The just shall live by faith " (lleb. 2:4; Rom. 1 : 17), L e. by 
 faith he overcomes the terrors of death, by faith he is encouraged and 
 receives joy and life. And faith effects this not because it is a work 
 worthy of itself, but only because it accepts the offered promise, regard 
 ing as nothing its own worth. Therefore faith alone justifies, and good 
 works please on account of faith. What can the adversaries produce 
 against this reasoning? What can they devise contrary to manifest 
 truth? For the minor premise is most certain, viz. that our works can- 
 not render conscience pacified, when God judges and convicts us, and 
 manifests to us our impurity. Scripture, too, often inculcates this. In 
 Ps. 143 : 2 : " Enter not into judgment with thy servant ; for in thy sight 
 shall no man living be justified." This simply denies to all, even to 
 saints and servants of God, the glory of righteousness, if God do not 
 pardon, but judge and convict their hearts. For when he elsewhere 
 boasts of his own righteousness, he is speaking of his own cause against 
 the persecutors of God's Word, and not of personal purity, and asks that 
 the cause and glory of God be defended, as Ps. 7 : 8 : " Judge, O Lord, 
 my cause." Again Ps. 129 (130 : 3) teaches that no one can bear God's 
 judgment, if he observe our sins: " If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniqui- 
 ties, O Lord, who shall stand?" And Job 9 (: 15 [28]) : " I was afraid 
 of all my works " [Eng. Vers. " sorrows "]. Likewise c. 9 : 30 : " If I wash 
 myself with snow-water, and make my hands never so clean ; yet shalt 
 thou plunge me in the ditch." And Prov. 20 : 9 : " Who can say, I have 
 made my heart clean?" And 1 John 1:8: " If we say that we have no 
 sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us," And in the Lord's 
 Prayer the saints ask for the forgiveness of sins. Therefore even the 
 saints have sins. In Num. (6 : 10) [14: 18] : "The innocent will not be 
 innocent." And Zechariah (2 : 13) says : " Be silent, O all flesh, befo: e the 
 Lord." And Isaiah (40:6 sqq.) : "All flesh is grass, and all the good- 
 liness thereof is as the flower of the field : the grass withereth, the flower 
 fadeth : because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it," i. e. flesh and 
 righteousness of the flesh cannot endure the judgment of God. And 
 Jonah says (2:9): " They that observe lying vanities, forsake their own 
 mercy," i. c. every confidence is vain except a confidence in mercy. 
 Mercy preserves us ; our own merits, our own endeavors do not preserve 
 us. These declarations, and similar in the Scriptures testify that our 
 
Oh. III., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. HI 
 
 Nor must we trust that we are accounted righteous before 
 God, by our own perfection and fulfilling of the Law; but 
 rather for Christ's sake. 
 
 First [in the third place], because Christ does not cease to be 41 
 Mediator after we have been renewed. They err who imagine 
 that he lias merited only a fir*st grace, and that afterwards we 
 please God and merit eternal life by our fulfilling of the Law. 
 Christ remains Mediator, and we ought always to be confident 42 
 that for his sake we have a reconciled God, even although we 
 are unworthy. As Paul clearly teaches, when he says 1 (1 Cor. 
 4:4): "I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justi- 
 fied ?" but he knows that by faith he is accounted righteous for 
 Christ's sake, according to the passage : " Blessed are they 
 whose iniquities are forgiven " (Ps. 32 : 1 ; Pom. 4 : 7). But 
 this remission is always received by faith. Likewise, the impu- 
 tation of the righteousness of the Gospel, is from the promise ; 
 therefore, it is always received by faith, and it always must be 
 regarded certain that, by faith, we are, for Christ's sake, ac- 
 ..,« counted righteous. If the regenerate ought afterwards 4.3 
 
 to think that they will be accepted an account of the ful- 
 filling of the Law, when would conscience be certain that it 
 pleased God, since we never satisfy the Law ? Accordingly we 44 
 must always recur to the promise; by this our infirmity must 
 be sustained, and we must regard it certain that we are accounted 
 righteous for the sake of Christ, " who is ever at the right 
 Land of God, who also maketh intercession for us" (Pom. 8 : 
 34). If any one think, that he is righteous and accepted, on 
 account of his own fulfilment of the Law, and not on account 
 of Christ's promise, he dishonors this High Priest. Neither 
 can it be understood how man can be made righteous before 
 God, when Christ is excluded as Propitiator and Mediator. 
 
 Again [in the fourth place], what need is there of a long 45 
 discussion ? 2 All Scripture, all the Church cries out that the 
 Law cannot be satisfied. Therefore, this inchoate fulfilment of 
 
 works are unclean and need mercy. Wherefore works do not render 
 consciences pacified, but mercy apprehended by faith does." Cf. % 205- 
 208. 
 
 1 The Variata continues : Just as Paul says : " By whom also we have 
 access by faith " (Rom. 5 : 2). For our fulfilling of the Law is, as we 
 have said, impure, because our nature is horribly corrupt. 
 
 8 The Variata thus begins this section : Fifthly, if we were to think, 
 that after renewal we ought to be made acceptable, not by faith for 
 Christ's sake, but for the sake of our fulfilling of the Law, conscience 
 would never find rest, but would be driven to despair. For the Law 
 always accuses, since we never satisfy the Law. This is what the entire 
 Church confesses. 
 
112 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 the Law does not please on its own account, but on account of 
 faith in Christ. Otherwise the Law always accuses us. For 46 
 who loves or fears God sufficiently? Who with sufficient 
 patience bears the afflictions imposed by God? Who does not 
 frequently doubt whether human affairs are ruled by God's 
 counsel or by chance? Who does not frequently doubt whether 
 he be heard by God ? Who is not frequently enraged because 
 the wicked enjoy a better lot than the pious, becau.se the pious 
 are oppressed by the wicked ? x Who does satisfaction to his 
 own calling? Who loves his neighbor as himself? Who is 
 not tempted by lust? Accordingly Paul says (Rom. 7: 19): 47 
 "The good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would 
 not, that I do." Likewise (v. 25) : " With the mind, I my- 
 self serve the Law of God ; but with the flesh, the law of sin." 
 Here he openly declares that he serves the law of sin. And 
 David says (Ps. 143 : 2) : " Enter not into judgment with thy 
 servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." 
 Even this servant of God prays for the averting of judgment. 
 Likewise (Ps. 32 : 2) : " Blessed is the man unto whom the 
 Lord imputeth not iniquity." Therefore, in this our infirmity, 
 sin is always present, as it could be imputed, of which he says 
 a little while after (v. 6) : " For this shall every one that is 
 godly pray unto thee." Here he shows that even saints ought 
 to seek remission of sins. More than blind are those who do 48 
 not perceive that wicked desires in the flesh are sins, of which 
 Paul (Gal. 5 : 17) says: "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, 
 118 and the Spirit against the flesh." The flesh distrusts 49 
 
 God, trusts in present things, seeks human aid in calam- 
 ities, even contrary to God's will, flees from afflictions, which it 
 ought to bear because of God's commands, doubts concerning 
 God's mercy, etc. The Holy Ghost in our hearts contends 
 with such dispositions in order to suppress and mortify them, 
 and to produce new spiritual movements. But concerning this 50 
 topic, we will collect more testimonies below, although they are 
 everywhere obvious not only in the Scriptures, but also in the 
 holy Fathers. 
 
 Well does Augustine say: "All the commandments of Gods, 
 are fulfilled, when whatever is not done, is forgiven." Thero- 
 fore he requires faith even in good works, in order that we may 
 believe that, for Christ's sake, we please God, and that even 
 the works are not of themselves worthy to please. And 52 
 Jerome, against the Pelagians, says : " Then, therefore, we are 
 righteous, when we confess that we are sinners, and that our 
 righteousness consists not in our own merit, but in God's 
 
 1 Var. adds : Who is not enraged with God's judgment when he seemi 
 k> cast us off ? 
 
Ch. III., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 1 13 
 
 mercy." Therefore, in this inchoate fulfilment of the Law, 53 
 faith ought to be present, which is certain that, for Christ's 
 sake, we have a reconciled God. For mercy cannot be appre- 
 hended unless by faith, as it is repeatedly said above. 1 Where- 54 
 fore, when Paul says (Rom. 3 : 21) : " We establish the Law 
 through faith," by this we ought to understand, not only that 
 those regenerated by faith receive the Holy Ghost, and have 
 movements agreeing with God's Law, but it is by far of the 
 greatest importance that we add also this, that we ought to per- 
 ceive that we are far distant from the perfection of the Law. 
 Wherefore, we cannot conclude that we are accounted righteous 53 
 before God because of our fulfilling of the Law, but, in order 
 that the conscience may become tranquil, justification must be 
 sought elsewhere. For we are not righteous before God, as 
 long as we flee from God's judgment, and are angry with 
 God. Therefore, we must conclude that being reconciled by 56 
 faith we are accounted righteous for Christ's sake, not for the 
 sake of the Law, or our works : but that this inchoate fulfilling 
 of the Law pleases on account of faith, and that, on account of 
 faith, there is no imputation of the imperfection of the fulfill- 
 ing of the Law, even though the sight of our impurity terri- 
 fies us. Now if justification is to be sought elsewhere, our 
 love and works do not therefore justify. Far above our purity, 57 
 yea far above the Law itself, ought to be placed the death and 
 satisfaction of Christ, presented to us that we might be sure that 
 because of this satisfaction, and not because of our fulfilling of 
 the Law, we have a gracious God. 
 
 Paul teaches this in Gal. 3 : 13, when he says : " Christ hath sf 
 redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for 
 us," i. e. the Law condemns all men but Christ, because with- 
 out sin he has borne the punishment of sin, and been made a 
 victim for us, has removed that right of the Law to accuse and 
 condemn those who believe in him, because he himself is the 
 propitiation for them, for whose sake we are now accounted 
 righteous. But since they are accounted righteous, the Law 
 cannot accuse or condemn them, even though they have not 
 actually satisfied the Law. To the same purport, he writes to 
 the Colossians (2 : 10) : " Ye are complete in him," as though 
 he were to say : Although ye are still far from the perfection 
 of the Law, yet the remnants of sin do not condemn you, be- 
 cause, for Christ's sake, we have a sure and firm reconciliation, 
 if you believe, even though sin inhere in your flesh. 
 
 The promise ought always to be in sight, that God because 59 
 
 1 Var. adds : Therefore it is nothing else than a doctrine of despair to 
 teach that we are not accepted by faith for Christ's sake, but for the sake 
 of our own fulfilling of the Law. 
 15 
 
114 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 of his promise, wishes for Christ's sake, and not because of the 
 Law or onr works, to be gracious and to justify. In this 
 promise, timid consciences ought to seek reconciliation and jus- 
 tification; by this promise, they ought to sustain themselves, 
 jiq and l>e confident, that, for Christ's sake, because of his 
 promise, they have a gracious God. Thus works can 
 never render a conscience pacified; but only the promise can. 
 Lf, therefore, justification and peace of conscience, must be sought 6n 
 elsewhere, than in love and works, love and works do not jus- 
 tify, although they are virtues and pertain to the righteousness 
 of the Law, in so far as they are a fulfilling of the Law. So 
 far also this obedience of the Law justifies by the righteous- 
 ness of the Law. But this imperfect righteousness of the Law, 
 is not accepted by God, unless on account of faith. Accord- 
 ingly, it does not justify, i. e. it neither reconciles, nor regen- 
 erates, nor by itself renders us accepted before God. 1 
 
 From this, it is evident 2 that "we are justified before God 61 
 by faith alone," because by faith alone we receive remission of 
 sins and reconciliation or justification is a matter promised for 
 Christ's sake, and not for the sake of the Law. Therefore, it 
 is received by faith alone, although when the Holy Ghost is 
 given, the fulfilling of the Law follows. 
 
 [B. Reply to the arguments of (lie adversaries."] 
 
 Moreover when the grounds of this case have been under- 62 
 stood, viz. the distinction between the Law and the promises or 
 the Gospel, it will be easy to resolve the difficulties to which 
 the adversaries object. For they cite passages concerning the 
 Law and works, and omit passages concerning the promises. 
 But a reply can at once be made to all opinions concerning the 63 
 Law, viz. that the Law cannot be observed without Christ, and 
 that if civil works are wrought without Christ, they do not 
 please God. Wherefore when works are commended, it is 
 necessary to add that faith is required, that they are commended 
 on account of faith, that they are the fruits and testimonies of 
 faith. 3 
 
 1 German omits \\ 54-60. 
 
 1 Var: From all these things it is sufficiently apparent that faith alone 
 justifies, i. e. first, it obtains the remission of sins and reconciliation for 
 Christ's sake, and that faith alone regenerates (for by faith alone the Hol\ 
 Ghost is conceived) ; secondly, that this inchoate iul filling of the Law 
 does not by itself please before God. 
 
 5 The Var. adds: What can be expressed more simply than this 011/ 
 doctrine? For it is necessary that the benefits of Christ be recognized in 
 order to distinguish the promises from the Law. 
 
C j. m., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LA W. 1 1-*> 
 
 A ubiguous and dangerous cases produce many and various 64 
 solu ions. For the judgment of the ancient poet is true : 
 
 "An unjust cause, being in itself sick, requires skilfully applied remedies." 
 
 But in just and sure cases, one or two explanations derived 
 from the sources, correct all things that seem to oifend. This 
 occurs also in this case of ours. For the rule which we have 
 just recited, explains all the passages that are cited concerning 
 the Law and works. For we acknowledge that Scripture 6^ 
 teaches in some places the Law, and in other places the Gospel 
 or the gratuitous promise of the remission of sins for Christ's 
 sake. But our adversaries absolutely abolish the free promise, 
 when they deny that faith justifies, and teach that, for the sake 
 of love and of our works, we receive remission of sins and 
 reconciliation. If the remission of sins would depend upon 66 
 «pn the condition of our works, it would be altogether uncer- 
 tain. 1 Therefore the promise will be abolished. Hence 67 
 we refer godly minds to the consideration of the promises, both 
 concerning the free remission of sins, and concerning reconcilia- 
 tion, which we teach occurs through faith in Christ. After- 
 wards, we add also the doctrine of the Law. 2 And it is neces- 
 sary to divide these things aright, as Paul says, 2 Tim. 2:15. 
 We must see what Scripture ascribes to the Law, and what to 
 the promises. For it praises works in such a way, as not to 
 remove the free promise. 3 
 
 For good works are to be done on account of God's com- 68 
 mand, 4 likewise for the exercise of faith, and on account of con- 
 fession and giving of thanks. For these reasons, good works 
 ought necessarily to be done, which, although they are done in 
 flesh not as yet entirely renewed, that retards the movements 
 of the Holy Ghost, and imparts some of its uncleanness ; yet, 
 on account of Christ, they are holy, divine works, sacrifices, 
 and acts pertaining to the government of Christ, who thus dis- 
 plays his kingdom before this world. For in these he sancti- 
 fies hearts, and represses the devil, and in order to retain the 
 Gospel among men, openly opposes to the kingdom of the devil 
 the confession of saints, and, in our weakness, declares his 
 power. The dangers, labors and sermons of the Apostle Paul, 69 
 of Athanasius, Augustine and the like, who taught the 
 
 1 Var. adds : For we never do sufficient works. 
 
 1 The Var. continues : Not that by the Law we merit the remission of 
 sins, or that for the sake of the Law we are accounted righteous, and not 
 for Christ's sake, but because God requires good works ; for it is necessary 
 wisely to divide aright the Law and the promises. 
 
 • Var. adds : So as not to remove Christ. 
 
 4 U 68-81 are treated much more briefly in the Var. and Ger. 
 
M6 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION 
 
 churches, are holy works, are true sacrifices acceptable to God, 
 are contests of Christ through which lie repressed the devil, 
 and drove him from those who believed. David's labors, in ja 
 waging wars, and in the administration of the shite, are holv 
 
 O O / ' * 
 
 works, are true sacrifices, are contests of God, defending the 
 people who have the word of God against the devil, in order 
 that the knowledge of God may not be entirely extinguished 
 on earth. We think thus also concerning every good work in 71 
 the humblest callings, and in private persons. Through these 
 works, Christ celebrates his victory over the devil, just as the 
 distribution of alms by the Corinthians (1 Cor. 16:1) was a 
 holy work, and a sacrifice and contest of Christ against the 
 devil, who labors that nothing may be done for the praise of 
 God. To disparage such works, the confession of doctrine, 72 
 affliction, works of love, mortifications of the flesh, would be 
 indeed to disparage the outward government of Christ's king- 
 dom among men. 
 
 Here also we add, concerning rewards and merits. We teach 73 
 that rewards have been offered and promised to the works of 
 believers. We teach that good works are meritorious, not for 
 the remission of sins, for grace or justification (for these we 
 obtain only by faith), but for other rewards, bodily and spir- 
 itual, in this life, and after this life, because Paul says (1 Cor. 
 3:8): " Every man shall receive his own reward, according to 
 his own labor." There will, therefore, be different rewards ^4 
 according to different labors. But the remission of sins is 
 alike and equal to all, just as Christ is one, and is offered freely 
 to all who believe that, for Christ's sake, their sins are remitted. 
 Therefore, the remission of sins and justification are received 
 only by faith, and not on account of any works, as is evident 
 in the terrors of conscience, because none of our works can be 
 101 opposed to God's wrath, as Paul clearly says (Rom. 5:1): 
 " Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, by w r hom also we have access by faith," 
 etc. 
 
 But because faith makes sons of God, it also makes co-heirs 7 5 
 with Christ. Therefore, because by our works we do not merit 
 justification, through which we are made sons of God, and co- 
 heirs with Christ, we do not, by our works, merit eternal life ; 
 for faith obtains this, because faith justifies us and renders God 
 propitious. But the justified are destined for eternal life, accord- 
 ing to the passage (Rom. 8 : 30) : " Whom he justified, them he 
 also glorified." Paul (Eph. 6:2) commends to us the com- 76 
 mandment concerning honoring parents, by mention of the 
 reward which is added to that commandment, where he does 
 not mean that obedience to parents justifies us before God; but 
 that, when it occurs in those who have been justified, it merits 
 
Ch. JU., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 117 
 
 :ther great rewards. Yet God exercises bis saints variously, 77 
 and often defers the rewards of the righteousness of works, in 
 order that they may learn not to trust in their own righteous- 
 ness, and may learn to seek the will of God rather than the 
 rewards; as appears in Job, in Christ and other saints. And 
 of this, many psalms teach us, which console us against the 
 happiness of the wicked, as Ps. 37 : 1 : " Neither be thou 
 envious." And Christ says (Matt. 5:10): " Blessed are they 
 which are persecuted for righteousness' sake ; for theirs is the 
 kingdom of heaven." By these praises of good works, believ- 78 
 ers are undoubtedly moved to do good works. Meanwhile, the 79 
 doctrine of repentance is also proclaimed against the godless, 
 whose works are wicked ; and the wrath of God is displayed, 
 how it threatens all who do not repent. We therefore praise 80 
 and require good works, and show many reasons why they 
 ought to be done. 
 
 Thus of works Paul also teaches when he says (Rom. 4 : 9 
 jq.) that Abraham received circumcision, not in order that by 
 this work he might be justified ; for, by faith, he had already 
 attained it, that he was accounted righteous. But circumcision 
 was added, in order that he might have in his body a written 
 tsign, admonished by which he might exercise faith, and by 
 which also he might confess his faith before others, and, by his 
 testimony, might invite others to believe. 
 
 "By faith, Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice." 81 
 Because, therefore, he was just by faith, the sacrifice which he 
 made was pleasing to God ; not, that, by this work, he merited 
 the remission of sins and grace, but that he exercised his faith 
 and showed it to others, in order to invite them to believe. 
 
 Although, in this way, good works ought to follow faith, 82 
 men who cannot believe and be sure that for Christ's sake they 
 are freely forgiven, and that freely for Christ's sake they have 
 a reconciled God, employ works far otherwise. When they see 
 the works of saints, they judge in a human manner that saints 
 have merited the remission of sins and grace through these 
 works. Accordingly they imitate them, and think that through 
 similar works they merit the remission of sins and grace ; they 
 think that through these works they appease the wrath of 
 God, and, attain that, for the sake of these works, they are 
 accounted righteous. This godless opinion concerning works 83 
 we condemn. In the first place, because it obscures the glory 
 of Christ, when men offer to God these works, as a price and 
 propitiation. This honor, due to Christ alone, is ascribed to 
 our works. Secondly, they nevertheless do not find, in these 
 works, peace of conscience, but, in true terrors, heaping up 
 works upon works, they at length despair, because they find no 
 work sufficiently pure. [Germ, adds : Sufficiently important 
 
118 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 and precious to propitiate God, to obtain with certainty eternal 
 life, in a word, to tranquillize and pacify the conscience. | The 
 Law always accuses, and produces wrath. Thirdly, Such per- 
 sons never attain the knowledge of God ; lor, as in anger they 
 .09 flee from God, who judges and afflicts them, they never 
 
 believe that they are heard. But faith manifests the pres-84 
 ?nce of God, since it is certain that God freely forgives and 
 hears. 
 
 Moreover this godless opinion concerning works always 85 
 has existed in the world. The heathen had sacrifices, derived 
 from the fathers. They imitated their works. Their faith 
 they did not retain ; but thought that the works were a pro- 
 pitiation and price, on account of which God would be recon- 
 ciled to them. The people, in the Law, imitated sacrifices with 86 
 the opinion, that by means of these works, they woukl appease 
 God, so to say, ex opere operato. We see here how earnestly the 
 prophets rebuke the people. Ps. 50 : 8 : "I will not reprove 
 thee for thy sacrifices." And Jer. 7 : 22 : "I spake not unto 
 your fathers, concerning burnt-offerings." Such passages con- 
 demn not works, which God certainly had commanded as out- 
 ward exercises in this government; but they condemn the god- 
 less opinion according to which they thought that by these 
 works they appeased the wrath of God, and thus cast away 
 faith. And because no works pacify the conscience, new 87 
 works, in addition to God's commands, were from time to time 
 devised [with wicked conscience, as we have seen in the 
 Papacy]. The people of Israel had seen the prophets sacrifi- 
 cing on high places [and in groves]. Besides the examples of 
 the saints especially move the minds of those hoping by similar 
 works to obtain grace just as these saints obtained it. [But the 
 Baints believed.] Wherefore, the people began, with wonderful 
 zeal, to imitate this work, in order that by such a work 1 they 
 might merit remission of sins, grace and righteousness. But 
 the prophets sacrificed on high places, not, that by these works 
 they might merit the remission of sins and grace, but because 
 on these places they taught and accordingly presented there a 
 testimony of their faith. The people had heard that Abraham 88 
 had sacrificed his son. Wherefore they also, in order to appease 
 God by a most cruel and difficult work, put to death their sons. 
 But Abraham did not sacrifice his son, with the opinion, that 
 this work was a price and propitiatory work, for the sake of 
 which he was accounted righteous. Thus in the Church, the 89 
 Lord's Supper was instituted, that by remembrance of the 
 promises of Christ, of which we are admonished in this sign, 
 faith might be strengthened in us, and we might publicly con- 
 
 1 Var. : They might appease the wrath of God. 
 
Ch. III., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 1 19 
 
 fess our faith, and proclaim the benefits of Christ, as Paul says 
 (1 Cor. 11 : 26) : "As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this 
 cup, ye do show the Lord's death/' etc. But our adversaries 
 .no contend that the mass is a work that justifies us ex opere 
 operate, and removes the guilt and liability to punishment 
 in those for whom it is celebrated ; for thus writes Gabriel. 
 
 Anthony, Bernard, Dominicus, Franciscus and other holy 9c 
 Fathers selected a certain kind of life either for the sake of 
 study [of more readily reading the Holy Scriptures] or othei 
 useful exercises. In the mean time they believed that by faith, 
 they were accounted righteous for Christ's sake, and that God 
 was gracious to them, not on account of those exercises of their 
 own. But the multitude since then has imitated not the faith 
 of the Fathers, but their example without faith, in order that, 
 by such works, 1 they might merit the remission of sins, grace 
 and righteousness ; thev did not believe that thev received these 
 freely on account of Christ as Propitiator. Thus the world ci 
 judges of all works, that they are a propitiation, by which God 
 is appeased ; that they are a price, because of which we are 
 accounted righteous. It does not know that Christ is Propitia- 
 tor ; it does not know that by faith we freely attain, that we 
 are accounted righteous for Christ's sake. And, nevertheless, 
 since works cannot pacify the conscience, others are continually 
 chosen, new rites are performed, new vows made, and new 
 orders of monks formed, beyond the command of God, in order 
 that some great work may be sought for, which may be set over 
 against the wrath and judgment of God. 
 
 Contrary to Scripture, the adversaries hold these godless 92 
 opinions concerning works. But to ascribe to our works these 
 things, viz. that they are a propitiation, that they merit the 
 remission of sins and grace, that for the sake of these and not 
 by faith for the sake of Christ as Propitiator, we are accounted 
 righteous before God, what else is this but to deny Christ the 
 honor of Mediator and Propitiator? Although, therefore, we 93 
 believe and teach that good works must necessarily be done 
 (for the inchoate fulfilling of the Law ought to follow faith), 
 nevertheless we ascribe to Christ his own honor. We believe 
 
 1 Var. (and Germ.) : In order that for the sake of these works, they 
 might be accounted righteous before God. The human mind thus errs 
 concerning works, because it does not understand the righteousness of 
 faith. And this error the Gospel reproves, which teaches that men are 
 accounted righteous not for the sake of the Law, but for the sake of 
 Christ alone. Christ, however, is apprehended by faith alone; where- 
 fore, we are accounted righteous by faith alone for Christ's sake. Bui 
 the adversaries present in opposition a passage from Corinthians, e-te. 
 U 97). 
 
120 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBUBG CONFESSION. 
 
 im<l teach that, by faith for Christ's sake, wc are accounted 
 righteous before God, that we are not accounted righteous 
 because of works without Christ as Mediator, that by works 
 we do not merit the remission of sins, grace and righteousness, 
 that we cannot set our works over against the wrath and justice 
 of God, that works cannot overcome the terrors of sin, but 
 that the terrors of sin are overcome by faith alone, that only 
 Christ the Mediator is to be presented by faith against the 
 wrath and judgment of God. If any one think differently, he 9^ 
 does not give Christ due honor, who has been set forth that he 
 might be a Propitiator, that through him we might have access 
 to the Father. We are speaking now of the righteousness, 95 
 through which we treat with God, not with men, but by which 
 we apprehend grace and peace of conscience. Conscience, how- 96 
 ever, cannot be pacified before God, unless by faith alone, 
 which is certain that God for Christ's sake is reconciled to us, 
 according to Rom. 5:1: " Being justified by faith, we have 
 peace ;" because justification is only a matter freely promised 
 for Christ's sake, and therefore is always received before God 
 by faith alone. 1 
 
 Now, then, we will reply to those passages, which the adver-97 
 saries cite, in order to prove that we are justified by love and 
 works. From Corinthians (1 Cor. 13 : 2), they cite: "Though 
 I have all faith, etc., and have not charity, I am nothing." And 
 «24 here they triumph greatly. Paul testifies to the entire 
 
 Church, they say, that faith alone does not justify. But 98 
 a reply is easy, since we have shown above what we hold con- 
 cerning love and works. This passage of Paul requires love. 
 We also require this. For we have said above, 2 that renewal 
 and the inchoate fulfilling of the Law, ought to exist in us, 
 according to Jer. 31 : 33 : "I will put my Law in their inward 
 parts and write it in their hearts." If any one should cast 
 away love, even though he should have great faith, yet this 
 faith he will not retain, for he does not retain the Holy Ghost 
 [he becomes cold and is now again fleshly, without Spirit and 
 faith ; for the Holy Ghost is not where Christian love and other 
 fruits of the Spirit are not]. Nor indeed does Paul in this 99 
 passage treat of the mode of justification, but he writes to those 
 who, although they have been justified.- should be urged to 
 bring forth good fruits, lest they may lose the Holy Ghost. 
 The adversaries, furthermore, treat the matter in reverse order. 100 
 They cite this one passage, in which Paul teaches concerning 
 fruits; they omit very many other passages, in which in a 
 regular order he discusses the mode of justification. They 
 always add a correction to the other passages, which treat of 
 
 1 \\ 92-95 omitted in German. " \ 15 sqq. 
 
Cn. in., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 121 
 
 faith, viz. that they ought to be understood as applying to 
 fides formata. 1 Here they add no correction, that there is 
 also need of the faith that holds that we are accounted right- 
 eous for the sake of Christ as Propitiator. Thus the adver- 
 saries exclude Christ from justification, and teach only a right- 
 eousness of the Law. 
 
 But let us return to Paul. No one can infer anything more :oi 
 from this text than that love is necessary. This we confess. 
 So also not to commit theft is necessary. But the reasoning 
 will not be correct, if some one would desire to frame thence 
 an argument such as this : " Not to commit theft, is necessary. 
 Therefore, not to commit theft, justifies. " Because justification 
 is not the approval of a certain work, but of the entire person. 
 Hence this passage from Paul does not contradict us ; only the 
 adversaries must not in imagination add to it whatever they 
 please. For he does not say that love justifies, but : ["and if I 
 have not love"] "I am nothing," viz. that faith, however 
 great it may have been, is extinguished. He does not say, 
 that love overcomes the terrors of sin and of death, that we 
 can set our love over against the wrath and judgment of God, 
 that our love satisfies God's Law, that, without Christ as Pro- 
 pitiator, we have access, by our love, to God, that, by our love, 
 we receive the promised remission of sins. Paul says nothing 
 of this. He does not, therefore, think that love justifies ; be- 
 cause we are justified only when we apprehend Christ as Pro- 
 pitiator, and believe that, for Christ's sake, God is reconciled 
 to us. Neither, with the omission of Christ as Propitiator, is 
 justification even to be dreamed of. 2 If there be no need of 102 
 Christ, if, by our love, we can overcome death, if by our love, 
 without Christ, as Propitiator, we have access to God, our ad- 
 versaries may remove the promise concerning Christ, and abol- 
 |nc ish the Gospel. 3 The adversaries corrupt very many pas- 103 
 
 sages, because they bring to them their own opinions, and 
 do not derive the meaning from the passages themselves. For 
 what difficulty is there in this passage, if we remove the inter- 
 pretation which the adversaries, who do not understand what 
 justification is or how it occurs [what faith is, what Christ is, 
 or how a man is justified before God], of their own accord, 
 attach to it? The Corinthians, being justified before, had 
 received many excellent gifts. In the beginning they glowed 
 with zeal, just as is generally the case. Then dissensions [fac- 
 
 1 Formula of Concord, Sol. Dec. iii. : I 43, p. 620. 
 
 1 \\ 99-102, much briefer in Germ. 
 
 • Var. : Which teaches that we have access to God through Christ as 
 Propitiator, and that we are accepted not for the sake of our fulfilling of 
 the Law, but for Christ's sake (71). 
 te 
 
1^2 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 tions and sects] began to arise among them, as Paul indicates ; 
 they began to dislike good teachers. Accordingly Paul re- 
 proves them, recalling them to offices of love. Although these 
 are necessary, yet it would be foolish to imagine that works of 
 the Second Table, through which we have to do with man and 
 not properly with God, justify us. But, in justification, we 
 have to treat with God; his wrath must be appeased, and con- 
 science must be pacified with respect to God. None of these 
 occur through the works of the Second Table. 
 
 But they object, that love is preferred to faith and hope, ioj 
 For Paul says (1 Cor. 13 : 13) : " The greatest of these is 
 charity ." Now, it is in accordance with this, that to justify 
 is the greatest and the chief virtue. Although Paul, in this 105 
 passage, properly speaks of love towards one's neighbor, and 
 indicates that love is the greatest, because it has most fruits. 
 Faith and hope have to do only with God ; but love has infi- 
 nite offices externally towards men. [Love goes forth upon 
 earth among the people, and does much good, by consoling, 
 teaching, instructing, helping, counselling privately and pub- 
 licly.] Nevertheless we grant to the adversaries that love to- 
 wards God and our neighbor is the greatest virtue, because 
 the chief commandment is this : " Thou shalt love the Lord 
 .hy God " (Matt. 22 : 37). But how will they infer thence 
 that love justifies? The greatest virtue, they say, justifies. 
 By no means. For just as even the greatest or first Law does 106 
 not justify, so also the greatest virtue of the Law does not 
 justify. 1 But that virtue justifies which apprehends Christ, 
 which communicates to us Christ's merits, by which we receive 
 grace and peace from God. 2 But this virtue is faith. For as 
 it has been often said, 3 faith is not only knowledge, but much 
 rather to wish to receive or apprehend those things, which are 
 offered in the promise concerning Christ. Moreover this obe- 107 
 dience towards God, viz. to wish to receive the offered prom- 
 ise, is no less a divine service, Aavpsia* than is love. God 
 wishes us to believe him, and to receive from him blessings, 
 and this he declares to be true divine service. 
 *nn But the adversaries ascribe justification to love, because 108 
 
 they everywhere teach and require the righteousness of 
 the Law. For we cannot deny that love is the highest work 
 
 1 Var. adds : For there is no law which accuses us more, and causes our 
 conscience to be more enraged with God's judgment, than this supreme 
 Law : " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart." For 
 who of the saints, except Christ, dared to boast that he had satisfied this 
 Law? Therefore the virtue of the Law does not justify, but that virtue. 
 etc. ' From here to I 109 the treatment in Germ, and Var. is briefer. 
 
 • See g 48. * See \ 49. 
 
Cm. riL, Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 123 
 
 of the Law. And human wisdom looks into the Law, and 
 seeks in it justification. Accordingly the scholastic doctors, 
 great and talented men, proclaim this as the highest work of 
 the Law, and ascribe to this work justification. But deceived 
 by human wisdom, they did not look upon the uncovered, but 
 upon the veiled face of Moses, just as the Pharisees, philos- 
 ophers, Mahometans. 1 But we preach the foolishness of the 109 
 Gospel, in which another righteousness is revealed, viz, that 
 for the sake of Christ, as Propitiator, we are accounted right- 
 eous, when we believe that, for Christ's sake, God has been 
 reconciled to us. Neither are we ignorant how far distant this 
 doctrine is from the judgment of reason and of the Law. 
 Nor are we ignorant that the doctrine of the Law concerning; 
 love, is much more specious ; for it is wisdom. But we are 
 not ashamed of the foolishness of the Gospel. For the sake 
 of Christ's glory, we defend this, and beseech Christ, by his 
 Holy Ghost, to aid us, that we may be able to make this clear 
 and manifest. 
 
 The adversaries, in the Confutation, have also cited against no 
 us Col. 3:14: "Charity which is the bond of perfectness." 
 From this, they infer, that love justifies, because it renders 
 men perfect. Although a reply concerning perfection could 
 here be made in many ways, yet we will simply recite the 
 meaning of Paul. It is certain that Paul spoke of love to- 
 wards one's neighbor. Neither must we indeed think that 
 Paul would ascribe either justification or perfection to the 
 works of the Second Table, rather than to those of the First. 
 And if love render men perfect, there will then be no need of 
 Christ as Propitiator, 2 for faith apprehends Christ only as Pro- 
 pitiator. This, however, is far distant from the meaning of 
 Paul, who never suffers Christ to be excluded as Propitiator. 
 Therefore he speaks not of personal perfection, but of the 1 1 1 
 integrity common to the Church [concerning the unity of the 
 Church, and the word which they interpret as perfection, 
 means nothing else than to be not rent]. For, on this ac- 
 count, he says that love is a bond or connection, to signify 
 that he speaks of the binding and joining together with each 
 other, of the many members of the Church. For, just as 
 in all families and in all states, concord should be nourished 
 by mutual offices, and tranquillity cannot be retained, unless 
 
 1 See Art. xv. : 18, p. 208. 
 
 * Var. (and Germ.) : Moreover Paul teaches that we are accepted 00 
 account of Christ, and not on account of the fulfilling of the Law ; for 
 the fulfilling of the Law is not perfect. Therefore since he elsewhere 
 manifestly denies us perfection, it is not to be thought that he speaks here 
 of personal perfection. 
 
124 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 men keep secret and forgive certain mistakes among them 
 selves; so Paul commands that love exist in order that it may 
 in the Church preserve concord, bear with the harsher man- 
 ners of brethren as there is need, keep secret certain less seri- 
 ous mistakes, prevent the Church from flying apart into vari- 
 ous schisms ; and enmities and factions and heresies, from aris- 
 ing from the schisms. 
 jq 7 For concord must necessarily be rent asunder whenever na 
 
 either the bishops impose [without cause] upon the people 
 heavier burdens, or have no respect to weakness in the people. 
 And dissensions arise when the people judge too severely 
 [quickly censure and criticise] concerning the conduct [life 
 and walk] of teachers [bishops or preachers], or despise the 
 teachers because of certain less serious faults ; for then both 
 another kind of doctrine and other teachers are sought after. 
 On the other hand, perfection, i. e. the integrity of the Church, 113 
 is preserved, when the strong bear with the weak, when the 
 people take in good part some faults in the conduct of their 
 teachers [have patience also with their preachers], when the 
 bishops make some allowances for the weakness of the people 
 [know how to exercise forbearance to the people, according to 
 circumstances, with respect to all kinds of weaknesses and 
 faults]. Of these precepts of equity, the books of all the 114 
 wise are full, so that, in every-day life, we make many allow- 
 ances, for the sake of common tranquillity. And of this, Paul 
 frequently teaches both here and elsewhere. Wherefore the 
 adversaries argue indiscreetly from the term " perfection," that 
 love justifies; while Paul, on the other hand, speaks of com- 
 mon integrity and tranquillity. And thus Ambrose interprets 
 this passage : "Just as a building is said to be perfect or en- 
 tire, when all its parts are fitly joined together with one an- 
 other." Moreover, it is disgraceful for the adversaries to pro- 115 
 claim so much concerning love while they nowhere exhibit it. 
 What are they now doing? They are rending asunder 
 churches, they are writing laws in blood, and are proposing 
 to the most clement prince the Emperor, that these should be 
 promulgated, they are slaughtering priests and other good men, if 
 any one have [even] slightly intimated that he does not entirely 
 approve any manifest abuse. [They wish all dead who say a 
 single word against their godless doctrine.] These things are 
 not consistent with those encomiums of love, which if the ad- 
 versaries would follow, the churches would be tranquil and 
 the state have peace. For these tumults would be quieted, if 
 the adversaries would not insist with too much earnestness 
 upon certain traditions, useless for godliness, most of which 
 not even those very persons who most earnestly defend them, 
 
Ch. III., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 125 
 
 observe. 1 But they easily forgive themselves, and yet do not 
 likewise forgive others, according to the passage in the poet: 
 "I forgive myself, Msevius said." But this is farthest distant 116 
 from those encomiums of love, which they here recite from 
 Paul, nor do they, any more than the walls of the houses, un- 
 derstand the word upon which they insist. From Peter they 117 
 cite also this sentence (1 Pet. 4:8): " Charity shall cover the 
 |oo multitude of sins." It is evident that Peter speaks also 
 of love towards one's neighbor, because he joins this pas- 
 sage to the commandments, by which he commands that they 
 should love one another. Neither could it have come into the 
 mind of any apostle, that our love overcomes sin and death, 
 that love is the propitiation, on account of which, to the exclu- 
 sion of Christ as Mediator, God is reconciled ; that love is 
 righteousness without Christ as Mediator. For this love, if 
 there would be any, would be a righteousness of the Law, 
 and not of the Gospel, because the latter promises to us recon- 
 ciliation and righteousness, if we believe that, for the sake of 
 Christ as Propitiator, the Father has been reconciled, and that 
 the merits of Christ are bestowed upon us. Peter accordingly 118 
 nrges us a little before, to come to Christ, that we may be 
 built upon Christ. And he adds (1 Pet, 2 : 4-6) : " He that 
 believeth on him shall not be confounded." When God judges 
 and convicts us, our love does not exempt us from confusion 
 [from our works and lives, we truly suffer shame]. But faith 
 in Christ liberates us in these fears, because we know that for 
 Christ's sake we are forgiven. 
 
 Besides, this sentence concerning love is derived from Prov. 119 
 10 : 12, where the antithesis clearly shows how it ought to be 
 understood : " Hatred stirreth up strifes ; but love covereth all 
 sins." It teaches precisely the same thing as that passage of 120 
 Paul taken from Colossians, that if any dissensions would 
 occur, they should be moderated and settled by considerations 
 and forbearance. Dissensions, it says, increase by means of 
 hatred, as we often see that from the most trifling offences 
 tragedies proceed [from the smallest sparks, a great conflagra- 
 tion arises]. Certain trifling offences occurred between Caius 
 Caesar and Pompey, in which if the one had yielded a very 
 little to the other, civil war would not have arisen. But while 
 each acted from his own hatred, from a matter of no account 
 the greatest commotions arose. And many heresies in the 121 
 Church have arisen entirely from the hatred of the teachers. 
 Therefore it speaks not concerning a person's own faults, Hit 
 concerning the faults of others, when it says : " Charity cov- 
 ereth sins," viz. those of others, and that too among men, i. e. 
 
 1 Germ, omits from here to \ 117. 
 
126 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 even though these offences occur, yet love keeps them out of 
 view, forgives, yields and does not carry all things to tl e ex- 
 tremity of justice. Peter, therefore, does not mean, that love 
 merits in God's sight the remission of sins, that it is a pro- 
 pitiation to the exclusion of Christ as Mediator, that it regen- 
 erates and justifies, but that it is not morose, harsh, intractable 
 
 wards men, that it keeps out of view some mistakes of its 
 oq friends, that it takes in good part even the harsher man- 
 ners of others, just as the well-known maxim enjoins : 
 
 1 Be acquainted with, but do not hate the manners of a 
 friend." Nor was it without design that the apostle taught 123 
 so frequently concerning this office, what the philosophers call 
 iTTctcxsta, equity. For this virtue is necessary for retaining 
 public harmony, which cannot last unless pastors and Churches 
 keep out of view and pardon many things. 
 
 From James they cite (2 : 24) : " Ye see then how by works 123 
 a man is justified, and not by faith alone." Nor is any other 
 passage supposed to be more contrary to our belief. But the 
 reply is easy and plain. If the adversaries do not attach 
 their own opinions, concerning the merits of works, the words 
 of James have in them nothing that is of disadvantage. But 
 wherever there is mention of works, the adversaries add falsely 
 their own godless opinions, that by means of good works we 
 merit the remission of sins ; that good works are a propitia- 
 tion and price, on account of which God is reconciled to us; 
 that good works overcome the terrors of sin and of death ; 
 that good works are accepted in God's sight on account of their 
 goodness, and that they do not need mercy and Christ as Pro- 
 pitiator. None of all these things came into the mind of 
 James, which the adversaries, nevertheless, defend under the 
 pretext of this passage of James. 
 
 In the first place, this must be considered, viz. that this pas- 124 
 sage is more against the adversaries than against us. For the 
 adversaries teach that man is justified by love and works. Of 
 faith, by which we apprehend Christ as Propitiator, they say 
 nothing. Yea they condemn this faith ; nor do they condemn 
 it only in sentences and writings, but also by the sword and 
 capital punishments, they endeavor to exterminate it in the 
 Church. How much better does James teach who does not 
 omit faith, or present love in preference to faith, but retains 
 faith, so that, in justification, Christ may not be excluded as 
 Propitiator! Just as Paul also, when he treats of the sum 
 of the Christian life, includes faith and love, 1 Tim. 1:5: 
 " The end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, 
 and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned." 
 *or\ Secondly, the subject itself declares that here such 125 
 works are spoken of, as follow faith, and show that faith 
 
Ch. III., Art. VI LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 1 27 
 
 is not dead, but living and efficacious in the heart. James, 
 therefore, did not believe that by good works we merit the re- 
 mission of sins, and grace. For he speaks of the works of 
 those who have been justified, who have already been recon- 
 ciled and accepted, and have obtained remission of sins. 
 Wherefore the adversaries err, when they argue hence that 
 James teaches that we merit remission of sins and grace by 
 good works, and that by our works we have access to God, 
 without Christ as Propitiator. 
 
 Thirdly, James has spoken shortly before concerning regen- is<5 
 cration, viz. that it occurs through the Gospel. For thus he 
 says (1:18): " Of his own will, begat he us with the word of 
 truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures." 
 When he says that we have been born again by the Gospel 
 he teaches that we have been born again and justified by faith. 
 For the promise concerning Christ is apprehended only by 
 faith when we set it over against the terrors of sin and of 
 death. James does not, therefore, think that we are born 
 again by our works. 
 
 From these things, it is clear that James does not contra- 127 
 diet us, who when he censured idle and secure minds that im- 
 agine that they have faith, although they do not have it, made 
 a distinction between dead and living faith. He says that that 128 
 is dead which does not bring forth good works [and fruits of 
 the Spirit, obedience, patience, chastity, love] ; he says that 
 that is living, which brings forth good works. Furthermore, 
 we have frequently already shown what we term faith. For 
 we do not speak of inoperative knowledge [that merely the 
 history concerning Christ should be known], such as devils 
 have, but of faith which resists the terrors of conscience and 
 cheers and consoles terrified hearts [the new light and power, 
 which the Holy Gnost works in the heart, through which Ave 
 overcome the terrors of death, of sin, etc.]. Such faith is 129 
 neither an easy matter as the adversaries dream, nor a human 
 power [thought which I can form for myself], but a divine 
 power, by which we are quickened and by which we overcome 
 the devil and death. Just as Paul says to the Colossians 
 (2 : 12), that faith is efficacious through the power of God, 
 ,md overcomes death : " Wherein also ye are risen with him 
 through the faith of the operation of God." Since this faith 
 is a new life, it necessarily produces new movements and works. 
 [Because it is a new light and life in the heart, whereby we 
 obtain another mind and spirit, it is living, productive and 
 rich in good works.] Accordingly James is right in denying 
 that we are justified by such a faith as is without works. 
 When he says that we are justified by faith and works, he 130 
 certainly does not say that we are born again by works. 
 
128 THE APOLOGY OF THE AJJGSBUkJ CONFESSION. 
 
 Neither does lie say this, that Christ is paitly our Propitiator, 
 joi and our works are partly our propitiation. Neither does 
 he describe the mode of justification, but only of what 
 nature the just are, after they have been already justified and 
 regenerated. [For he is speaking of works which should fol- 
 low faith. There it is well said : lie who has faith and good 
 works is righteous ; not indeed on account of the works, but 
 for Christ's sake through faith. And as a good tree should 
 bring forth good fruit, and yet the fruit does not make the tree 
 good ; so good works must follow the new birth, although they 
 do not make man accepted before God ; but as the tree musl 
 first be good, so also must man be first accepted before God by 
 faith for Christ's sake. The works are too insignificant to ren- 
 der God gracious to us for their sake, if he were not gracious 
 to us for Christ's sake. Therefore James does not contradict 
 St. Paul, and does not say that by our works we merit, etc.] 
 And to be justified signifies here not that from a wicked man 131 
 a righteous man be made, but to be pronounced righteous in a 
 forensic sense; 1 as also in the passage (Rom. 2:13): "The 
 doers of the Law shall be justified." As, therefore, these 
 words : " The doers of the Law shall be justified," contain 
 nothing contrary to our doctrine, so too we believe concerning 
 the words of James: "By works a man is justified, and not 
 by faith alone," because men having faith and good works, are 
 certainly pronounced righteous. For, as we have said, the 
 good works of saints are righteousness, and please on account 
 of faith. For James commends only such works as faith pro- 
 duces, as he testifies when he says of Abraham (2 : 21) : " Faith 
 wrought with his works." In this sense, it is said : " The 
 doers of the Law are justified," i. e. they are pronounced 
 righteous who from the heart believe God, and afterwards 
 have good fruits, which please him on account of faith, and 
 accordingly are the fulfilment of the Law. These things so 13a 
 simply spoken contain nothing erroneous, but they are dis- 
 torted by the adversaries, who arbitrarily attach to them god- 
 less opinions. For it does not follow hence that works merit 
 the remission of sins ; that works regenerate hearts ; that works 
 are a propitiation ; that works please without Christ as Pro- 
 pitiator ; that works do not need Christ as Propitiator. James 
 says nothing of these things, which, nevertheless, the adver- 
 saries shamelessly infer from the words of James. 
 
 Certain 2 other passages concerning works are also cited 133 
 against us. Luke 6 : 37 : " Forgive and ye shall be for- 
 
 1 See Art iv.: 22 71, 72. 
 
 ' In Germ, and Var. \\ 133-155 are treated at less length, and in dif 
 Hrent order. 
 
Ch. 111., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 129 
 
 given." Isa. 58 : 7 [9] : "Is it not to deal thy bread to the 
 hungry? .... then shalt thou call, and the Lord will an- 
 swer." Dan. 4 : 24 [27] : " Break off thy sins, by showing 
 mercy to the poor." Matt. 5:3: " Blessed are the poor in 
 spirit ; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven ;" and v. 7 : 
 " Blessed are the merciful ; for they shall obtain mercy." 
 Even these passages would contain nothing contrary to us, if 13 $ 
 the adversaries would not falsely attach something to them. 
 For they contain two things : The one is a preaching either 
 of the Law or of repentance, which not only convicts those 
 :loing wrong, but also enjoins them to do what is right; the 
 other is a promise which is added. Nor indeed is it said that 
 sins are remitted without faith, or that works themselves are 
 a propitiation. Moreover in the preaching of the Law, these 135 
 two things ought always to be understood, viz. : First that the 
 Law cannot be observed, unless we have been regenerated by 
 faith in Christ, just as Christ says (John 15:5): " Without 
 « 00 me ye can do nothing." Secondly, and though at most 
 some external works can be done, this general judgment: 
 u Without faith it is impossible to please God," which inter- 
 prets the whole Law, must be retained ; and the Gospel must 
 also be retained, that " through Christ we have access to the 
 Father" (Heb. 10 : 19 ; Rom. 5 : 2). 
 
 For it is evident that we are not justified by the Law. 136 
 Otherwise why would there be need of Christ or the Gospel, 
 if the preaching of the Law alone would be sufficient? Thus 
 in the preaching of repentance, the preaching of the Law, or 
 the Word convicting of sin, is not sufficient, because the Law 
 works wrath, and only accuses, only terrifies consciences, be- 
 rause consciences never are at rest, unless they hear the voice 
 of God, in which the remission of sins is clearly promised. 
 It is accordingly necessary that the Gospel be added that, for 
 Christ's sake, sins are remitted, and that we obtain remission 
 of sins by faith in Christ. If the adversaries exclude the 
 Gospel of Christ from the preaching of repentance, they are 
 judged aright to be blasphemers against Christ. 
 
 Therefore, when Isaiah (1:16-18) preaches repentance : 137 
 "Cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve 
 the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 
 Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord ; though 
 your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow," the 
 prophet thus both exhorts to repentance, and adds the prom- 
 ise. But it would be foolish to consider in such a sentence 
 only the words : " Relieve the oppressed ; judge the father- 
 less." For he Says in the beginning: "Cease to do evil," 
 where he censures impiety of heart, and requires faith. 
 Neither does the prophet say that through the works: "Re- 
 17 
 
130 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 lieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless," they can merit the 
 remission of sins ex opere operate, hut he commands such 
 works as are necessary in the new life. Yet in the mean 
 time, he means that the remission of sins is received by faith, 
 and accordingly the promise is added. Thus we must regard j^g 
 all similar passages. Christ preaches repentance when he says : 
 "Forgive," and he adds the promise: "And ye shall be for- 
 given (Luke 6 : 37). Nor indeed does he say this, viz. that, 
 when we forgive, by this work of ours we merit the remission 
 of sins ex opere operato, as they term it, but he requires a new 
 life, which certainly is necessary. Yet in the mean time he 
 means that the remission of sins is received by faith. Thus 
 when Isaiah says (58 : 7) : " Deal thy bread to the hungry," 
 he requires a new life. Nor does the prophet speak of this 
 work alone, but, as the text indicates, of all repentance ; yet, in 
 the mean time, he intends that remission of sins is received 
 by faith. For the position is sure, 1 and none of the gates of i% 
 hell can overthrow it, that in the preaching of repentance, the 
 preaching of the Law is not sufficient ; because the Law works 
 wrath and always accuses. But the preaching of the Gospel 
 should be added, because thus the remission of sins is granted 
 us, if we believe that sins are remitted us for Christ's sake. 
 Otherwise why would there be need of the Gospel, why would , 
 there be need of Christ ? This belief ought always to be in 
 view, in order that it may be opposed to those, who, Christ 
 being cast aside and the Gospel being blotted out, wickedly 
 distort the Scriptures to the human opinions, that by our 
 works we purchase remission of sins. 
 
 Thus also in the sermon of Daniel (4 : 24), faith is required. 14* 
 [The words of the prophet, which were full of faith and spirit, 
 we must not regard as heathenish as those of Aristotle, or any 
 other heathen. Aristotle also admonished Alexander that he 
 should not use his power for his own wantonness, but for the 
 improvement of countries and men. This was written cor- 
 rectly and well ; concerning the office of king, nothing better 
 can be preached or written. But Daniel is speaking to his 
 king, not only concerning his office as king, but concerning 
 repentance, the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation to God, and 
 concerning sublime, great, spiritual subjects which far tran- 
 scend human thoughts and works.] For Daniel did not m^an 
 that the king should only bestow alms, but embraces all re- 
 pentance when he says : " Break off \_Redime, Vulg.] thy 
 iniquities by showing mercy to the poor," i. e. break off thy 
 sins by a change of heart and works. But here also faith is 
 required. And Daniel proclaims to him many things concern- 
 
 1 Cf. Formula of Concord, S. D. v. : \\ 11, 12. 
 
Ch. III., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 13i 
 
 ing the worship of the God of Israel alone, and converts the 
 King not only to bestow alms, but much more to faith. Foi 
 we have the excellent confession of the king concerning the 
 God of Israel : " There is no other God that can deliver after 
 ,03 this sort " (Dan. 3:29). Therefore, in the sermon of 
 Daniel there are two parts. The one part is that which 
 gives commandment concerning the new life, and the works of 
 the new life. The other part is that in which Daniel prom- 
 ises to the king the remission of sins. And this promise of 
 the remission of sins, is not a preaching of the Law, but a 
 word that is truly prophetical and evangelical, which Daniel 
 certainly means to be received in faith. For Daniel knew 141 
 that the remission of sins in Christ was promised not only to 
 the Israelites, but also to all nations. Otherwise he could not 
 have promised to the king the remission of sins. For it is 
 not in the power of man, especially amid the terrors of sin, to 
 determine, without a sure word of God, concerning God's will, 
 that he ceases to be angry. And the words of Daniel speak 
 in his own language still more clearly of repentance, and still 
 more clearly present the promise : " Redeem thy sins by 
 righteousness, and thy iniquities by favors toward the poor." 
 These words teach concerning the whole of repentance. For 
 they direct him to become righteous, then to do good works, 
 to defend, as was the duty of a king, those who are miserable 
 against injustice. But righteousness is faith in the heart. 143 
 Moreover sins are redeemed by repentance, i. e. the obligation 
 or guilt is removed, because God forgives those who repent, as 
 it is written in Ez. 18 : 21, 22. Nor are we to infer hence 
 that he forgives on account of works that follow, on account 
 of alms; but on account of his promise he forgives those who 
 apprehend his promise. Neither do any apprehend his prom- 
 ise, except those who truly believe, and by faith overcome sin 
 and death. The regenerate ought to bring forth fruits worthy 
 of repentance, just as John says (Matt. 3 : 8). The promise, 
 therefore, was added : " So, there will be healing for thy of- 
 fences" (Dan. 4 : 24). Jerome here adds to the matter a par- 143 
 tide of doubt, 1 and in his commentaries contends much more 
 unwisely that the remission of sins is uncertain. But let us 
 remember that the Gospel certainly promises the remission of 
 sins. And to deny that the remission of sins ought certainly 
 to be promised, would be to remove the Gospel entirely. Let 
 us therefore dismiss Jerome concerning this passage. Al- 
 though the promise is displayed even in the word " redeem." 
 For it signifies that the remission of sins is possible, that sins 
 can be redeemed, i. e. that their obligation or guilt can be re- 
 
 1 Jerome translates it : " Perhaps God will remit thy sins." 
 
132 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION 
 
 moved, or the wrath of God appeased. But our adversaries, 
 overlooking the promises, everywhere consider only the pre- 
 cepts, and attach falsely the human opinion, that remission 
 occurs on account of works, although the text does not say this, 
 but much rather requires faith. 1 For wherever a promise is, 
 there faith is required. For a promise cannot be received un- 
 less by faith. 
 .,,, But works meet the sight of men. Human reason 1 u 
 
 naturally admires these, and because it discerns only 
 works, and does not understand or consider faith, it dreams 
 accordingly that these works merit remission of sins, and jus- 
 tify. This opinion of the Law inheres by nature in men's 
 minds, neither can it be expelled, unless when we are divinely 
 taught. But the mind must be recalled from such carnal 145 
 opinions to the Word of God. We see that the Gospel and 
 the promise concerning Christ, have been presented to us. 
 When therefore, the Law is preached, when works are en- 
 joined, we should not be ashamed of the promise concerning 
 Christ. But the latter must first be apprehended, in order that 
 we may be able to produce good works, and our works may 
 please God, as Christ says (John 15:5): " Without me, ye can 
 do nothing." Therefore, if Daniel would have used such 
 words as these : " Redeem your sins by repentance/' the adver- 
 saries would take no notice of this passage. But since he has 
 actually proclaimed this in other words, the adversaries dis- 
 tort his words and apply them against the doctrine of grace 
 and faith, although Daniel meant most especially to include 
 faith. Thus, therefore, we reply to the words of Daniel, that, 146 
 inasmuch as he is preaching repentance, he is teaching not only 
 of works, but also of faith, as the narrative itself in the con- 
 text testifies. Secondly, because Daniel clearly presents the 
 promise, he necessarily requires faith which believes that sins 
 are freely remitted by God. Although therefore in repentance 
 he mentions works, yet Daniel does not say that by these works 
 we merit remission of sins. For Daniel speaks not only of the 
 remission of the punishment ; because remission of the pun- 
 ishment is sought for in vain, unless the heart first receive 
 the remission of guilt. Besides if the adversaries understand 147 
 Daniel as speaking only of the remission of sins, this passage 
 will prove nothing against us; because it will thus be neces- 
 sary for even them to confess, that the remission of sin and 
 
 1 The Var. continues : It is philosophical to seek in Daniel's discours€ 
 for nothing but an exhortation concerning the proper administration of 
 the government ; it is pharisaic to feign that the remission of sins occurs 
 because of this work. But it so happens; works naturally meet the 
 •ight, etc. 
 
Ch. III., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 13S 
 
 free justification precede. Afterwards even we concede that 
 the punishments by which we are chastised, are mitigated by 
 our prayers and good works, and finally by our entire repent- 
 ance, according to 1 Cor. 1 1 : 31 : " For if we would judge 
 ourselves, we should not be judged." And Jer. 15:19: 
 " If thou return, then will I bring thee again." And Zech. 
 1:3: "Turn thee unto me, and I will turn unto you." 
 And Ps. (49, Vulg.) 50: 15: "Call upon me in the day of 
 trouble." 
 
 Let us, therefore, in all our encomiums upon works, and in 14? 
 the preaching of the Law, retain this rule: that the Law is 
 not observed without Christ. As he himself has said : " With- 
 out me, ye can do nothing." Likewise that: " Without faith, 
 it is impossible to please God " (Heb. 11 : 6). For it is very 
 certain that the doctrine of the Law is not intended to remove 
 the Gospel, and to remove Christ as Propitiator. And let the 
 Pharisees our adversaries be cursed, who so interpret the Law 
 as to ascribe the glory of Christ to works, viz. that they are a 
 propitiation, that they merit the remission of sins. It follows, 
 therefore, always that works are thus praised, because they are 
 ,or pleasing on account of faith, as works do not please with- 
 out Christ as Propitiator. "By him we have access to 
 God " (Rom. 5 : 2), not by works without Christ as Mediator. 
 Therefore, when it is said (Matt. 19:17): "If thou wilt enter 149 
 into life, keep the commandments," we must believe that with- 
 out Christ the commandments are not kept, and without him 
 cannot please. Thus in the Decalogue itself, in the First Com- 
 mandment (Ex. 20 : 6) : " Showing mercy unto thousands of 
 them that love me and keep my commandments," the most 
 glorious promise of the Law is added. But this Law is not 
 observed without Christ. For it always accuses the conscience, 
 which does not satisfy the Law, and, therefore, in terror, it flies 
 from the judgment and punishment of the Law. " Because 
 the Law worketh wrath" (Rom. 4: 15). Man observes the 
 Law, however, when he hears that for Christ's sake God is 
 reconciled, even though we cannot satisfy the Law. When by 
 this faith, Christ is apprehended as Mediator, the heart finds 
 rest, and begins to love God and observe the Law, and knows 
 that now, because of Christ, as Mediator, it is pleasing to God, 
 even though the inchoate fulfilling of the Law be far from 
 perfection, and be very impure. Thus we must judge also 150 
 concerning the preaching of repentance. For although in the 
 doctrine of repentance, the scholastics have said nothing at all 
 concerning faith, yet we think that none of our adversaries is 
 80 mad as to deny that absolution is a voice of the Gospel. 1 
 
 1 Of. Apology, Art. xi. : \ 59, p. 1G5. 
 
134 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 Absolution besides ought to be received by faith, in order that 
 it may cheer the terrified conscience. 
 
 Therefore the doctrine of repentance, because it not only 15 
 commands new works, but also promises the remission of sins, 
 necessarily requires faith. For the remission of sins is not 
 received unless by faith. Therefore, in those passages that 
 refer to repentance, we should always understand that not only 
 works, but also faith is required, as in Matt. 6:14: " For if 
 ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also 
 forgive you." 1 Here a work is required, and the promise of 
 the remission of sins is added, 2 which does not occur on ac- 
 count of the work, but through faith on account of Christ. 
 Just as Scripture testifies in many passages. Acts 10 : 43 : 15: 
 " To him give all the prophets witness that through his name, 
 whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins;" 
 and 1 John 2:12: " Your sins are forgiven you for his name's 
 sake ;" Eph. 1:7: "In whom we have redemption through 
 his blood, the forgiveness of sins." Although what need is 153 
 there to recite testimonies? This utterance itself is peculiar 
 to the Gospel, viz. that for Christ's sake, and not for the sake 
 of our works, we obtain by faith remission of sins. Our ad- 
 versaries endeavor to suppress this word of the Gospel, by 
 means of distorted passages which contain the doctrine of the 
 Law, or of works. For it is true that in the doctrine of re- 
 pentance, works are required ; because certainly a new life is 
 required. But here the adversaries wrongly add that, by such 
 works, we merit the remission of sins or justification. And 1 ^4 
 yet Christ often connects the promise of the remission of sins 
 to good works, not because he means that good works are a 
 propitiation, for they follow reconciliation ; but for two rea- 
 sons : One is because good fruits ought necessarily to follow. 
 Therefore he admonishes, that, if good fruits do not follow, 
 the repentance is hypocritical and feigned. The other reason 
 is, because we have need of external 3 signs of so great a prom- 
 ise, because a conscience full of fear has need of manifold con- 
 
 1 Luther in a copy of the edition of 1531 made the following marginal 
 note: We cannot remit, unless it first be remitted to us, and the Holy 
 Ghost be sent us. Otherwise it is known as " Forgiving, but not for- 
 getting." 
 
 * Var. continues : Nor must we here reason that our act of pardoning 
 merits ex opere operato that sins be remitted to us. For Christ does not 
 iay this. But just as Christ connects the promise of the remission of 
 sins to other sacraments, so also he connects it to good works, etc. 
 
 ■ Luther wrote on the margin of the copy sent him by Melanchthon in 
 1531 : Internal too ; for when our heart does not convict us, we know thai 
 we are the children of God. 
 
Ch. III., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 135 
 
 eolation. As, therefore, Baptism and the Lord's Supper are 155 
 signs that continually admonish, cheer and encourage despond- 
 ing minds, to believe the more firmly that their sins are for- 
 given; so the same promise is written and portrayed in good 
 works, in order that these works may admonish us to believe 
 the more firmly. And those who produce no good works, do 
 not excite themselves to believe, but despise these promises. 
 The godly, on the other hand, embrace them, and rejoice that 
 they have the signs and testimonies of so great a promise. 
 Accordingly they exercise themselves in these signs and testi- 
 monies. Just as, therefore, the Lord's Supper does not justify 
 us ex opere operate* without faith, so alms do not justify us 
 without faith ex opere operato. 
 
 So also the address of Tobias (4:11) ought to be received : 156 
 " Alms free from every sin, and from death." AVe will not 
 say that this is hyperbole, although it ought thus to be re- 
 ceived, so as not to detract from the praise of Christ, whose 
 prerogative it is to free from sin and death. But we must 
 recur to the rule that without Christ the doctrine of the Law 
 is of no profit. Therefore those alms please God which fol- 1 57 
 low reconciliation or justification, and not those which precede. 
 Therefore they free from sin and death, not ex opere operato, 
 but, as we have said above concerning repentance, because we 
 ought to embrace faith and its fruits, so 1 here we must say 
 concerning alms, that this entire newness of life saves [that 
 they please God, because they occur in believers]. Alms also 
 iqo are the exercises of faith, which receives the remission of 
 sins, and overcomes death, while it exercises itself more 
 and more, and in these exercises receives strength. We grant 
 also this, that alms merit many favors from God [but they 
 cannot overcome death, hell, the devil, sins, and give the con- 
 science peace (for this must occur alone through faith in 
 Christ)], mitigate punishments, and that they merit our de- 
 fence in the dangers of sins and of death, as we have said a 
 little before concerning repentance in general. 
 
 And the address of Tobias, regarded as a whole, shows that 158 
 faith is required before alms (4:5): " Be mindful of the Lord 
 thy God all thy days." And afterwards (v. 19): "Bless the 
 Lord thy God always, and desire of him that thy ways be 
 directed." This, however, belongs properly to that faith of 
 which we speak, which believes that God is reconciled to it 
 because of his mercy, and which wishes to be justified, sancti- 
 fied and governed by God. But our adversaries, charming 159 
 men, pick out mutilated sentences, so as to impose upon those 
 
 1 In the Var. and Germ, the discussion from this point to § 158 is in s 
 different order and partly in other words. 
 
 / 
 
136 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 who are unskilled. Afterwards they attach something from 
 their own opinions. Therefore, entire passages are to be re- 
 quired, because, according to the common precept, it is inequi- 
 table, when any single clause is presented, to judge or reply, 
 unless the entire Law be thoroughly examined. And when 
 entire passages have been produced, they very frequently bring 
 with themselves an interpretation. 1 
 
 Luke 11 : 41 is also cited in a mutilated form, viz. : "Give 6< 
 alms of such things as ye have ; and behold all things are clean 
 unto you." The adversaries are very stupid. For as often as 
 we say that to the preaching of the Law, there should be added 
 the Gospel concerning Christ, because of whom good works are 
 pleasing, they yet everywhere teach that, Christ being excluded, 
 justification is merited by the works of the Law. When this 161 
 entire passage is produced, it will show that faith is required. 
 Christ rebukes the Pharisees who think that they are cleansed 
 before God, i. e. that they are justified by frequent ablutions. 
 Just as some Pope or other 2 says of the sprinkling of the water 
 mingled with salt, that " it sanctifies and cleanses the people ;" 
 jmd the gloss says that it cleanses from venial sins. Such also 
 were the opinions of the Pharisees which Christ reproved, and 
 to this feigned cleansing he opposes a double cleanness, the one 
 inner, the other outward. He bids them to be cleansed in- 
 wardly [(which occurs only through faith)], and adds concern 
 ing the outward cleanness : " Give alms of such things as jtj 
 have; and behold all things are clean unto you." The adver- iJj 
 saries do not apply aright the universal particle, "all things"; 
 for Christ adds this conclusion to both members : " All things 
 will be clean unto you, if you will be clean within, and will 
 outwardly give alms." For he indicates that outward cleanness 
 is to be referred to works commanded by God, and not to hu- 
 man traditions, such as the ablutions were at that time, and the 
 jo 7 daily sprinkling of water, the vesture of monks, 3 the dis- 
 tinctions of food, and similar acts of ostentation are now. 
 But the adversaries distort the meaning, by transposing, by 
 sophistry, the universal particle to only one part : " All 
 things will be clean to those having given alms." Yet Peter i5.? 
 says (Acts 15:9) that hearts are purified by faith. And when 
 this entire passage is regarded, it presents a meaning harmoni- 
 
 1 Var. omits § 159. 
 
 f Ascribed falsely to Alexander I. in Gratian's Decretals. 
 
 • Var. continues: As if any one would infer: Andrew is present; there- 
 fore all the apostles are present. Wherefore in the antecedent, both 
 members ought to be joined: Believe and give alms; thus all things wiL 1 
 De pure. For Scripture elsewhere says: "By faith," etc. Wherefore i/ 
 hearts, etc. 
 
Oh. III., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 13? 
 
 zing with the rest of Scripture, that, if the hearts are cleansed, 
 and then outwardly alms are added, i. e. all the works of love, 
 they are thus entirely clean, i. e. not only within, but also with- 
 out. In the second place, why is not the entire discourse added 
 to it? There are many parts of the reproof, some of which 
 give commandment concerning faith, and others concerning 
 works. Nor is it the part of a candid reader to pick out the 
 commands concerning works, while the passages concerning 
 faith are omitted. 1 
 
 Lastly, 2 readers are to be admonished of this, viz. that the 164 
 adversaries give the worst advice to godly consciences, when 
 they teach that by works the remission of sins is merited, be- 
 cause conscience in acquiring remission through works cannot 
 be confident that a work will satisfy God. Accordingly it is 
 always tormented, and continually devises other works, and 
 other acts of worship, until it altogether despairs. This course 
 is described by Paul, Rom. 4 : 5, where he proves that the 
 promise of righteousness is not made because of our works, 
 because we could never determine that we had a reconciled 
 God. For the Law always accuses. Thus the promise would 
 be in vain and uncertain. He accordingly concludes that this 
 promise of the remission of sins and of righteousness is re- 
 ceived by faith, not on account of works. This is the true, 
 simple and genuine meaning of Paul, in which the greatest 
 consolation is offered godly consciences, and the glory of Christ 
 is shown forth, who certainly was given to us for this pur- 
 pose, viz. that through him we might have grace, righteousness 
 and peace. 
 
 Thus far we have reviewed the principal passages which the 165 
 adversaries cite against us, in order to show that faith does not 
 justify, and that we merit, by our works, remission of sins and 
 grace. But we hope that we have shown clearly enough to 
 godly consciences, that these passages are not opposed to our 
 doctrine ; that the adversaries wickedly distort the Scriptures 
 to their opinions; that the most of the passages which they 
 cite have been garbled ; that, while omitting the clearest pas- 
 sages concerning faith, they only select from the Scriptures 
 passages concerning works, and even these they distort ; that 
 everywhere they add certain human opinions to that which 
 
 1 Var. : There are some [meaning Erasmus] who interpret : Give alms, 
 and all things are clean, etc. as irony. For Christ seems to censure, by 
 means of irony, the. vain persuasion of the Pharisees, who, although they 
 had minds subject to the worst covetousness, meanwhile trusted that by 
 giving alms they would be pure demigods. This interpretation is not 
 absurd, and has nothing in it that conflicts with Scripture. 
 
 2 In treating \\ 164-237, the Var. and Germ, are both briefer and follow 
 another order. 
 
 18 
 
138 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 the words of Scripture say ; that they teach the Law in such 
 a manner as to suppress the Gospel concerning Christ. For i6d 
 the entire doctrine of the adversaries, is, in part, derived from 
 human reason, and, in part, a doctrine of the Law, not of the 
 Gospel. For they teach two modes of justification, of which 
 the one has been derived from reason, and the other from the 
 Law, not from the Gospel, or the promise concerning Christ. 
 
 The former mode of justification 1 with them, is that they 167 
 teach that, by good works, men merit grace both de congruo 
 and de condigno. This mode is a doctrine of reason, because 
 reason, not seeing the uncleanness of the heart, thinks that it 
 pleases God thus, if it perform good works, and in addition, 
 other works and other acts of worship are constantly devised, 
 by men in great peril, against the terrors of conscience. The 
 .no heathen and the Israelites slew human victims, and un- 
 dertook many other most painful works, in order to ap- 
 pease God's wrath. Afterwards, orders of monks were de- 
 vised, and these vied with each other in the severity of their 
 observances against the terrors of conscience and God's wrath. 
 And this mode of justification, because it is rational, and is 
 altogether occupied with outward works, can be understood, 
 and to a certain extent be afforded. And to this the canonists 
 have distorted the misunderstood Church ordinances, which 
 were enacted by the fathers for a far different purpose, namely, 
 not, that, by these works, we should seek after righteousness, 
 but that, for the sake of mutual tranquillity among men, there 
 might be a certain order in the Church. In this manner, they 
 also distorted the sacraments, and most especially the mass, 
 through which they seek ex opere operate righteousness, grace 
 and salvation. 
 
 Another mode of justification 2 is handed down by the scho- 16? 
 lastic theologians, when they teach that we are righteous 
 through a habit infused by God, which is love, and that, aided 
 by this habit, we observe the Law of God outwardly and in- 
 wardly, and that this fulfilling of the Law is worthy of grace 
 and of eternal life. This doctrine is plainly the doctrine of 
 the Law. For that is true which the Law says : " Thou shalt 
 love the Lord thy God," etc. (Deut. 6 : 5.) " Thou shalt love 
 thy neighbor" (Lev. 19 : 18). Love is, therefore, the fulfill- 
 ing of the Law. 
 
 But it is easy for a Christian to judge concerning both 169 
 modes; because both modes exclude Christ, and are, therefore, 
 to be rejected. In the former, which teaches that our works 
 are a propitiation for sin, the impiety is manifest. The latter 
 
 1 Apology, Art. iv., \ 9, p. 88. 
 
 * Apology, Art. iv., \ 17, sqq., p. 89. 
 
Ch. III., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 139 
 
 mode contains much that is injurious. It does not teach that, 
 when we are born again, we avail ourselves of Christ. It does 
 not teach that justification is the remission of sins. It does 
 not teach that we attain the remission of sins before we love ; 
 but falsely represents that we elicit the act of love, 1 through 
 which we merit remission of sins. Nor does it teach that by 
 faith in Christ we overcome the terrors of sin and death. It 
 falsely represents that, by their own fulfilling of the Law, 
 without Christ as Propitiator, men come to God. Afterwards, 
 it represents that this very fulfilling of the Law, without 
 Christ as Propitiator, is righteousness worthy of grace and 
 eternal life, while nevertheless scarcely a weak and feeble 
 fulfilling of the Law occurs even in saints. 
 
 But if any one will only reflect upon it, that the Gospel 170 
 has not been given in vain to the world, and that Christ has 
 not been promised, set forth, has not been born, has not suf- 
 fered, has not risen again in vain, he will most readily under- 
 stand that we are justified not from reason or from the Law. 
 In regard to justification, we, therefore, are compelled to dis- 
 sent from the adversaries. For the Gospel shows another 
 mode ; the Gospel compels us to avail ourselves of Christ in 
 justification ; it teaches that through him, we have access to 
 God by faith ; it teaches that we ought to set him as Mediator 
 and Propitiator over against God's wrath ; it teaches that, by 
 faith in Christ, the remission of sins and reconciliation are re- 
 ceived, and the terrors of sin and of death overcome. Thus 171 
 Paul also says that righteousness is not of the Law, but of the 
 promise, in which the Father has promised that he wishes to 
 forgive, that for Christ's sake he wishes to be reconciled. This 
 promise, however, is received by faith alone, as Paul testifies, 
 Rom. 4 : 13. This faith alone receives remission of sins, jus- 
 tifies and regenerates. Then love and other good fruits fol- 
 low. Thus therefore we teach, that man is justified, as we 
 have above said, when conscience, terrified by the preaching of 
 repentance, is cheered and believes that for Christ's sake it has 
 a reconciled God. " This faith is counted for righteousness," 
 Rom. 4 : 3, 5. And when in this manner the heart is cheered 1 ? 3 
 and quickened by faith, it receives the Holy Ghost, who renews 
 us, so that we are able to observe the Law ; so that we are able 
 to love God and the Word of God, and to be submissive to 
 God in afflictions ; so that we are able to be chaste, to love our 
 neighbor, etc. Even though these works are far distant from 
 the perfection of the Law, yet they please on account of faith, 
 by which w r e are accounted righteous, because we believe that 
 for Christ's sake we have a reconciled God. These things are 
 
 Apology, Art. ii., \ 12: Art. iv., \ 9. 
 
140 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 plain, and in harmony with the Gospel, and can be understood 
 by persons of sound mind. And from this foundation, it can 173 
 easily be decided wherefore we ascribe justification to faith, and 
 not to love ; although love follows faith, because love is the 
 fulfilling of the Law. But Paul teaches that we are justified 
 not from the Law, but from the promise, which is received 
 only by faith. For we neither come to God without Christ as 
 Mediator, nor receive remission of sins for the sake of our 
 love, but for the sake of Christ. Likewise we are not able to 174 
 love God while he is angry, and the Law always accuses us, 
 always manifests to us an angry God. Therefore, by faith we 
 must first apprehend the promise, that for Christ's sake the 
 Father is reconciled and forgives. Afterwards we begin to 175 
 observe the Law. Our eyes are to be cast away from human 
 reason, away from Moses upon Christ, and Ave are to believe 
 that Christ has been given for us, in order that, for his sake, 
 we may be accounted righteous. In the flesh we never satisfy 
 the Law. Thus therefore we are accounted righteous, not on 
 account of the Law, but on account of Christ, because his 
 merits are granted us, if we believe on him. If any one 176 
 therefore has considered these foundations, that we are not 
 justified from the Law, because human nature cannot observe 
 the Law of God, and cannot love God ; but, that we are jus- 
 tified from the promise, in which, for Christ's sake, reconcilia- 
 .oq tion, righteousness and eternal life have been promised; 
 he will easily understand that justification must neces- 
 sarily be ascribed to faith, if he only will reflect upon the fact, 
 that it is not in vain that Christ has been promised and set 
 forth, that he has been born and has suffered and been raised 
 again; if he will reflect upon the fact, that the promise of 
 grace in Christ is not in vain, that it was made immediately 
 from the beginning of the world, apart from and beyond the 
 Law ; if he will reflect upon the fact that the promise should 
 be received by faith, as John says (1 Ep. 5 : 10, sq.) : "He 
 that believeth not God, hath made him a liar ; because he be- 
 lieveth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this 
 is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this 
 life is in his Son. He that hath the Son, hath life ; and he 
 that hath not the Son of God, hath not life." And Christ 
 says (John 8 : 36) : " If the Son therefore shall make you 
 free, ye shall be free indeed." And Paul (Rom. 5:2): "By 
 whom also we have access to God ;" and he adds : " By faith." 
 By faith in Christ, therefore, the promise of remission of sins 
 and of righteousness is received. Neither are we justified 
 before God, from reason or from the Law. 
 
 These things are so plain, and so manifest that we wonder 177 
 that the madness of the adversaries is so great as to call them 
 
Cfi. III., i.RT. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. HI 
 
 into doubt. The proof is manifest that, since we are justified 
 before God not from the Law, but from the promise, it is 
 necessary to ascribe justification to faith. What can be op- 
 posed to this proof, unless some one wish to abolish the entire 
 Gospel, and the entire Christ? The glory of Christ becomes 178 
 more brilliant, when we teach that we avail ourselves of him 
 as Mediator and Propitiator. Godly consciences see that in 
 this doctrine the most abundant consolation is offered to them, 
 viz. that they ought to believe and most certainly rely upon 
 the fact tbrt they have a reconciled Father, for Christ's sake, 
 and not for ' he sake of our righteousness ; and that, nevertheless, 
 Christ aidf us, so that we are able to observe also the Law. 
 Of such b.hssings as these, the adversaries deprive the Church, 179 
 when thev condemn, and endeavor to efface the doctrine con- 
 cerning the righteousness of faith. Therefore let all well-dis- 
 posed muds beware of consenting to the godless counsels of the 
 adversaries. In the doctrine of the adversaries concerning 
 justification, no mention is made of Christ, and how we ought 
 to set him over against the wrath of God; as though indeed 
 we were able to overcome the wrath of God by means of love, 
 or to love an angry God. In regard to these things, con- 18c 
 sciences are left in uncertainty. 1 For if they ought to know 
 that they have a reconciled God for the reason that they love, 
 and th'\t they observe the Law, they must needs always doubt 
 whether they have a reconciled God ; because they either do 
 not notice this love, as the adversaries acknowledge, or they 
 certainly feel that it is very small ; and much more frequently 
 do they feel that they are angry at the judgment of God, who 
 suppresses human nature with many terrible evils, with trou- 
 bles of this life, the terrors of eternal wrath, etc. When, 
 therefore, will conscience be at rest, when will it be pacified ? 
 When in this doubt, and in these terrors, will it love God ? 
 What else is the doctrine of the Law, but a doctrine of despair ? 
 And let any one of our adversaries come forward who can i3i 
 teach us concerning this love, how he himself loves God. 
 They do not at all understand what they say ; they only echo, 
 just like the walls of a house, the little word " love," without 
 understanding it. So confused and obscure is their doctrine, 
 it not only transfers the glory of Christ to human works, but 
 also leads consciences either to presumption or to despair. But 182 
 ours, we hope, is readily understood by pious minds, and 
 brings godly and salutary consolation to terrified consciences. 
 For as the adversaries fallaciously object that also many wicked 
 men and devils believe, we have frequently already said that 
 we speak of faith in Christ, i. e. of faith in the remission of 
 
 1 Cf. 2164; U 198-200. 
 
I 12 Tllfi APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 j. in-, of faith which truly and heartily assents to the promise 
 of grace. This is not brought about without a great struggle 
 in human hearts. And men of sound mind can easily judge, 
 that the faith which believes that we are cared for by God, and 
 that we* are forgiven and hearkened to by him, is a matter 
 above nature. For, of its own accord, the human mind makes 
 no such decision concerning God. Therefore, this faith, of 
 wlich we speak, is neither in the wicked, nor in devils. 
 
 Furthermore if any sophist cavils that righteousness is in i8' 
 the will, and therefore it cannot be ascribed to faith, which is 
 in the intellect, the reply is easy, because in the schools even 
 such persons acknowledge that the will commands the intellect 
 to assent to the Word of God. We say also more clearly : 
 Just as the terrors of sin and death are not only thoughts of 
 the intellect, but also horrible movements of the will fleeing 
 God's judgment; so faith is not only knowledge, in the intel- 
 lect, but also confidence, in the will, i. e. it is to wish and to 
 receive that which is offered in the promise, viz. reconciliation 
 and remission of sins. Scripture thus uses the term "faith," 184 
 as the following sentence of Paul testifies (Rom. 5:1): " Be- 
 ing justified by faith, we have peace with God." Moreover in 
 this passage, to justify 1 signifies, according to forensic usage, to 
 acquit a guilty one, and declare him righteous; but on account 
 of the righteousness of another one, viz. of Christ, which, 
 righteousness of another is communicated to us by faith. 
 Therefore since in this passage our righteousness is the impu- 185 
 tation of the righteousness of another, we must here speak 
 concerning righteousness, otherwise than when in philosophy 
 or in a civil court we seek after the righteousness of one's own 
 work, which certainly is in the will. Paul accordingly says, 
 1 Cor. 1 : 30 : " Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God 
 is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, 
 and redemption." And 2 Cor. 5 : 28 : " He hath made him 
 to be sin for us, who knew no sin ; that we might be made the 
 righteousness of God in him." But because the righteousness 180 
 of Christ is given us by faith, faith is for this reason right- 
 
 1 Var. thus presents \\ 184-186 : Secondly, justification signifies here to 
 be accounted righteous. But God does not account man righteous as in 
 a civil court or in philosophy man is accounted righteous, because of the 
 righteousness of his own work which is ascribed correctly to the will; 
 but he accounts man righteous through mercy for Christ's sake, if any 
 one only apprehend this by faith. Wherefore faith can be called right- 
 eousness, because it is that which, to speak with Paul, " is imputed for 
 righteousness " to whatever part of man it be referred ; for this does not 
 hinder divine imputation. Although we indeed refer this faith to the 
 trill; for it is to will and to receive the promise of Christ. 
 
Ch. 111., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 143 
 
 ,*q eousness in us imputatively, i. e. it is that by which we 
 are made accepted by God, on account of the imputation 
 and ordinance of God, as Paul says (Rom. 4 : 3, 5) : " Faith 
 is reckoned for righteousness." Although on account of cer- 187 
 tain captious persons, we must say technically : Faith is truly 
 righteousness, because it is obedience to the Gospel. For it is 
 evident that obedience to the command of a superior, is truly 
 a species of distributive justice. And this obedience to the 
 Gospel, is reckoned for righteousness, so that, only on account 
 of this, because by this we apprehend Christ as Propitiator, 
 good works, or obedience to the Law, are pleasing. For we do 
 not satisfy the Law, but, for Christ's sake, this is forgiven us, 
 as Paul says (Rom. 8:1): "There is therefore now no con- 
 demnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." This faith 
 gives God the honor, gives God that which is his own, in this, 
 that in receiving the promises it obeys him. Just as Paul also 188 
 says (Rom. 4 : 20) : " He staggered not at the promise of God 
 through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to 
 God." Thus the worship and divine service of the Gospel, is 
 to receive from God gifts ; on the contrary, the worship of 
 the Law, is to offer and present our gifts to God. 1 We can, 
 however, offer nothing to God, unless first we have been recon- 
 ciled and born again. This passage, too, brings the greatest 
 consolation ; as the chief worship of the Gospel is to wish to 
 receive remission of sins, grace and righteousness. Of this 189 
 worship, Christ says, John 6 : 40 : " This is the will of him 
 that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believ- 
 eth on him, may have everlasting life." And the Father says 
 (Matt. 17 : 5) : "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
 pleased ; hear ye him." The adversaries speak of obedience 19c 
 to the Law ; they do not speak of obedience to the Gospel : 
 and yet we cannot obey the Law, unless, through the Gospel, 
 we have been born again, since we cannot love God, unless the 
 remission of sins have been received. For as long as we feel 191 
 that he is angry with us, human nature flees from his wrath 
 and judgment. If any one should make a cavil such as this: 
 If there be faith, which wishes those things which are offered 
 in the promise, the habits of faith and hope seem to be con- 
 founded, because hope is that which expects promised things ; 
 to this we reply, that these dispositions cannot in reality be 
 severed, in the manner that they are divided by idle specula- 
 tions in the schools. For in the Epistle to the Hebrews, faith 
 is defined as " the substance " [expectatio] " of things hoped 
 for" (Heb. 11:1). If any one wish a distinction to be made, 
 we say that the object of hope is properly a future event, but 
 
 1 Apology, Art. iv. \ 49, p. 96. 
 
144 1HE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 that faith exists concerning future and present things, and re- 
 oeives in the present the remission of sins offered in the prom- 
 ise. [What is the difference between faith and hope? An- 
 swer: Hope expects future blessings and deliverance from 
 trouble ; faith receives the present reconciliation, and concludes 
 in the heart, that God has forgiven my sins, and that he is 
 now gracious to me. And this is a noble service of God, 
 which serves God by giving him the honor, and by esteeming 
 his mercy and promise so sure, that, without merit, we can re- 
 ceive and expect from him all manner of blessings. And in 
 this service of God, the heart should be exercised and in- 
 crease ; of which the foolish sophists know nothing.] 
 
 From these statements, we hope that it can be suffici- 192 
 ently understood, both what faith is, and that we are com- 
 pelled to hold that by faith we are justified, reconciled and 
 regenerated ; inasmuch as we wish to teach the righteousness 
 of the Gospel, and not the righteousness of the Law. For 
 those who teach that we are justified by love, teach the right- 
 eousness of the Law, and do not teach us in justification to 
 avail ourselves of Christ as Mediator. These things also are 193 
 manifest, viz. that not by love, but by faith, we overcome the 
 terrors of sin and death, that we cannot oppose our love and 
 fulfilling of the Law to the wrath of God, because Paul says, 
 (Rom. 5:2): " By Christ we have access to God by faith." 
 We urge this sentence so frequently, because of its perspicuity. 
 For it shows most clearly the state of the whole case, and 
 when carefully considered can teach abundantly concerning 
 the whole matter and can console well-disposed minds. Ac- 
 cordingly it is of advantage to have it at hand and in sight, 
 not only that we may be able to oppose it to the doctrine of 
 our adversaries, who teach that we come to God not by faith, 
 but by love and merits without Christ as Mediator ; and, at 
 the same time that, when in fear, we may cheer ourselves and 
 exercise faith. This is also manifest, that without the aid of 194 
 Christ we cannot observe the Law, as he himself says (John 
 15:5): " Without me ye can do nothing." Accordingly, be- 
 fore we observe the Law, our hearts must be born again by faith. 
 . .+ Hence it can also be understood why we find fault with 195 
 
 the doctrine of the adversaries concerning merit condigni} 
 The decision is very easy ; because they do not make mention 
 of faith, that we please God by faith for Christ's sake, but 
 they falsely state that good works, wrought by the aid of the 
 habit of love, constitute a righteousness worthy by itself to 
 please God, and worthy of eternal life ; and that they have 
 co need of Christ as Mediator. What else is this than to 196 
 
 l Cf. Apology, iv. §19, p. 90. 
 
Ch. III., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 145 
 
 transfer the glory of Christ to oar works, viz. that we please 
 God because of our works, and not because of Christ. But 
 this is also to rob Christ of the glory of Mediator, who is 
 Mediator perpetually, and not merely in the beginning of jus- 
 tification. Paul also says (Gal. 2 : 17) that if one justified in 
 Christ have need afterwards to seek righteousness elsewhere, 
 he affirms of Christ that he is a minister of sin, i. e., that he 
 does not fully justify. And most absurd is that which the 197 
 adversaries teach, viz. that good works merit grace de condigno, 
 as though indeed after the beginning of justification, if con- 
 science terrify, as is ordinarily the case, grace must be sought 
 through a good work, and not by faith in Christ. 
 
 Secondly, 1 the doctrine of the adversaries leaves consciences 198 
 
 1 Var. (and Germ.) : And see what follows from the opinion of the adver- 
 saries. If we ought to believe that Christ has merited only the prima 
 gratia, as they call it, and that we afterwards are accepted and merit 
 eternal life by our fulfilling of the Law, when will consciences be pacified ? 
 [G( rm. : Hearts or consciences will be pacified neither at the hour of 
 death, nor at any other time, nor can they build any more upon certain 
 ground.] When will they know for a certainty that they have a propitious 
 God? For the Law always accuses us [Germ. : For God's Law is not a 
 matter of pleasantry; it accuses consciences outside of Christ], as Paul 
 says (Rom. 4 : 15) : " The Law worketh wrath." Thus it will happen that 
 if consciences feel the judgment of the Law, they will rush into despair. 
 Paul says: " Whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23). But 
 these persons will do nothing from faith, if they will know that God is 
 gracious to them only when they have at length fulfilled the Law. They 
 will always doubt whether the Law have been satisfied, yea, they will under- 
 stand that it has not been satisfied. Accordingly they will never be sure 
 that they have a gracious God, and that they are hearkened to. Therefore 
 they will never love, they will never truly worship God. What else are 
 such hearts but hell itself, since they are full of despair and hatred of 
 God, and yet in this hatred they invoke and worship God, just as Saul 
 worshipped him. Here we appeal to all minds that are godly and experi- 
 enced in spiritual things ; they will be able to testify that these evils 
 [Germ. : Such great uncertainty, such disquietude, such torture and anxiety, 
 such horrible fear and doubt] are derived from the godless persuasion of 
 the adversaries, which holds that we are accounted righteous before God 
 by our own fulfilling of the Law, and bids us trust not in the promise of 
 mercy [Germ. : And point us to the labyrinth of trusting not in the rich, 
 blessed promises of Grace] given us for Christ's sake, but in our own ful- 
 filling of the Law And let us ask the adversaries what advice they 
 
 give to the dying : whether they bid them believe that they are accounted 
 righteous, and expect eternal life because of their own works, or indeed 
 through mercy for Christ's sake. Certainly neither Paul nor Laurentiu* 
 will say that he is accounted righteous because of his own purity, or tha' 
 eternal life is due him because of his own works or fulfilling of the Law 
 19 
 
14G Tin: WO LOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 in doubt, so that they never can be pacified ; because the Law 
 always accuses us, even in good works. For always "the 
 flesh lusteth against the Spirit" (Gal. 5:17). How, there- 
 fere, will conscience here have peace, without faith, if it be- 
 lieve that, not for Christ's sake, but for the sake of one's own 
 work, it ought now to please God? What work will it find, 
 upon what will it firmly rely as worthy of eternal life, in- 
 asmuch as hope ought to originate from merits? Against 19$ 
 these doubts, Paul says (Rom. 5 : 1) : " Being justified by faith, 
 we have peace with God ;" we ought to be firmly convinced 
 that for Christ's sake righteousness and eternal life are granted 
 us. And of Abraham, he says (Rom. 4:18): " Against hope, 
 he believed in hope." 
 
 Thirdly, How will conscience know, when a work has been 20c 
 done, by the inclination of this habit of love, so that it can be 
 convinced that it merits grace de condign 0? But it is only to 
 elude the Scriptures that this very distinction has been devised, 
 viz. that men merit at one time de congruo, and, at another time, 
 de condigno, because, as we have above said, 1 the intention of 
 the one who works does not distinguish the kinds of merit ; 
 but hypocrites, in their security, think simply their works are 
 worthy, and that, for this reason, they are accounted righteous. 
 On the other hand, terrified consciences doubt concerning all 
 works, and for this reason are continually seeking other works. 
 For to merit de congruo, is this, viz. to doubt and, without 
 faith, to work, until despair takes place. In a word, all that 
 the adversaries teach, in regard to this matter, is full of errors 
 and dangers. 
 14 n Fourthly, The entire [the holy Catholic, Christian] 201 
 
 Church confesses that eternal life is attained through mercy. 
 For thus Augustine speaks, De Gratia et Libero Arbitrio, when 
 indeed he is speaking of the works of the saints, wrought 
 after justification : " God leads us to eternal life not by our 
 merits, but according to his mercy." And Confessions, Book 
 ix. : " Woe to the life of man, however much it may be wor- 
 
 but he will believe, etc. Neither can pious minds [Germ. : A saint, great 
 and high though he be] be fortified against despair, unless they believe 
 that through mercy for Christ's sake we certainly have both righteousness 
 and life eternal, not on account of the Law [Germ. : If he would not grasp 
 the divine promises, the Gospel, as a tree or branch in the great flood, in 
 the strong, violent stream, amidst the waves and billows of the anguish 
 of death, etc.]. This belief consoles, encourages and saves godly minds 
 Wherefore the adversaries, when they speak of the meritum condigni s 
 abolish the doctrine concerning faith, and drive consciences to despair 
 In Ed. Var. and Germ, the substance of U 223-233 follows £ 168. 
 Art. iv., I 20, p. 90. 
 
Ch. III., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 147 
 
 thy of praise, if it be judged with mercy removed." And 
 Cyprian in his treatise on the Lord's Prayer : " Lest any one 
 should flatter himself that he is innocent, and by exalting 
 himself, should perish the more deeply, he is instructed and 
 taught that he sins daily, in that he is bidden to entreat daily 
 for his sins." But the subject is well known, and has very 20a 
 many and very clear testimonies in Scripture, and in the 
 Church Fathers, who all with one mouth declare that even 
 though we have good works, yet in these very works we need 
 mercy. Faith surveying this mercy cheers and consoles us. 203 
 Wherefore the adversaries teach erroneously, when they so extol 
 merits as to add nothing concerning this faith that apprehends 
 mercy. For just as we have above said that the promise and 
 faith stand in a reciprocal relation, and that the promise is not 
 apprehended unless by faith ; so we here say that the prom- 
 ised mercy correlatively requires faith, and cannot be appre- 
 hended without faith. Therefore we justly find fault with the 
 doctrine concerning merit condigni, since it teaches nothing of 
 justifying faith, and obscures the glory and office of Christ as 
 Mediator. For in this matter we should not be regarded as 204 
 teaching anything new, since the Church Fathers have so clearly 
 handed down the doctrine that, even in good works, we need 
 mercy. 
 
 Scripture also often inculcates the same. In Ps. 143 : 2 : 205 
 "And enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy 
 sight shall no man living be justified." This passage denies 
 absolutely even to all saints and servants of God, the glory of 
 righteousness, if God does not forgive, but judges and accuses 
 their hearts. For when David boasts in other places of his 
 righteousness, he speaks concerning his own cause against the 
 persecutors of God's Word ; he does not speak of his personal 
 purity ; and he asks that the cause and glory of God be de- 
 fended, as in Ps. 7:8: " Judge me, O Lord, according to thy 
 righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me." 
 Likewise in Ps. 130 : 3, he says that no one [not even the 
 highest saints] could endure God's judgment, if God were to 
 mark our sins : " If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O 
 Lord, who shall stand?" Job 9:28: "I am afraid of all 206 
 my sorrows" [Vulg., opera, works] ; v. 30 : " If I wash my- 
 self with snow-water, and make my hands never so clean, yet 
 thou shalt plunge me in the ditch." Prov. 20 : 9 : " Who 
 can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my 
 sin?" 1 John 1:8: "If we say that we have no sin, we de- 207 
 ceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us," etc. And in the 
 Lord's Prayer, the saints ask for the remission of sins. There- 208 
 fore, even the saints have sins. Num. 14 : 18 : "The innocent 
 shall not be innocent" [cf. Ex. 34 : 7]. Deut. 4 : 24: "The 
 
148 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBUKG CONFESSION. 
 
 Lord thy God is a consuming fire." Zcchariah also says 
 (2 : 13) :' li Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord." Isa. 40 : 6 : 
 "All flesh is as grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the 
 flower of the field : the grass withered), the flower fadeth, be- 
 cause the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it," t. e. flesh and 
 righteousness of the flesh cannot endure the judgment of God. 
 Jonah also says (eh. 2:8): " They that observe lying vanities, 209 
 forsake their own mercy," i. e. all confidence is vain, except 
 confidence in mercy; mercy delivers us; our own merits, our 
 own efforts do not. Accordingly Daniel also prays (9 : 18, sq.) : 210 
 " For we do not present our supplications before thee for our 
 righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O 
 Lord, forgive ; O Lord, hearken and do it ; defer not for 
 thine own sake, O my God; for thy city and thy people are 
 called by thy name." Thus Daniel teaches us in praying to 
 lay hold upon mercy, i. e. to trust in God's mercy, and not to 
 trust in our own merits before God. We also wonder what 211 
 our adversaries do in prayer, if, indeed, the profane men ever 
 ask anything of God. If they declare that they are worthy 
 because they have love and good works, and ask for grace as 
 a debt, they pray precisely like the Pharisee in Luke 18 : 11, 
 who says : " I am not as other men are." He who thus prays 
 for grace, and does not rely upon God's mercy, treats Christ 
 with dishonor, who, since he is our high priest, intercedes for 
 us. Thus, therefore, prayer relies upon God's mercy, when 217 
 we believe that we are hearkened to, for the sake of Christ, 
 the high priest, as he himself says (John 14: 13): "Whatso- 
 ever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." 
 " In my name," he says, because without this high priest we 
 cannot come to the Father. 
 .44 Here belongs also the declaration of Christ, Luke 17 : 10 : 213 
 
 " So likewise, ye, when ye shall have done all those things 
 which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants." ' 
 
 1 Var. (and Germ.) continue : And Bernard says correctly : " It is neces- 
 sary to believe, first, that you cannot have remission of sins unless by the 
 indulgence of God ; second, that unless also he grant this, you can have 
 no good work whatever; lastly, that you can merit eternal life by no good 
 works, unless this also be given freely." And a little after : " Let no one 
 deceive himself, because if he will think aright, he will find without 
 doubt that, with ten thousand, he cannot meet one that cometh against 
 him with twenty thousand," etc. Therefore, in order to hold firm consola- 
 tion and hope of conscience we recall men to the promise of Christ, and 
 teach that it is necessary to believe that God for Christ's sake remits sins, 
 justifies, and grants eternal life, according to 1 Joha 5:12: "He that 
 haih the Son, hath life." But it is worth while to hear how the adversa- 
 ries olude the savin? of Christ: " When ye shall hsve done," etc. In the 
 
Ch [IT., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 149 
 
 These words clearly declare that God saves by mercy, and on 
 account of his promise, not that it is due on account of the 
 value of our works. But, 1 at this point, the adversaries play 214 
 wonderfully with the words of Christ. In the first place, 
 they make an antistrophe [retorted argument], and turn it 
 ,*r against us. Much more, they say, can it be said : " If we 
 have believed all things, say, We are unprofitable servants." 
 Then they add that works are of no profit to God, but are not 
 without profit to us. See how the puerile study of sophistry 215 
 delights the adversaries, and although these trifles do not de- 
 serve a refutation, nevertheless we will reply to them in a few 
 words. The antistrophe is defective. For in the first place the 216 
 adversaries are deceived in regard to the term faith ; because, 
 if it would signify that knowledge of history 2 which is also in 
 the wicked and in devils, the adversaries would be correct in ar- 
 guing that faith is unprofitable, when they say : " When we have 
 believed all things, say, We are unprofitable servants." But we 
 are speaking, not of the knowledge of history, but of confi- 
 dence in the promise and mercy of God. And the confidence 
 in the promise confesses that we are unprofitable servants ; yea 
 this confession that our works are unworthy, is the very voice 
 of faith, as appears in this example of Daniel (9 : 18), which 
 we cited a little above : " We do not present our supplications 
 before thee for our righteousnesses," etc. For faith saves, be- 217 
 cause it apprehends mercy or the promise of grace, even 
 though our works are unworthy ; and, with this meaning, the 
 antistrophe does not oppose us, viz. : " When ye shall have 
 done all things, say, We are unprofitable servants ;" viz. because 
 our works are unworthy : for with the entire Church we teach 
 that we are saved by mercy. But if they mean to infer in a 218 
 similar way, just as when you have done all things, do not 
 trust in your works, so when you have believed all things, do 
 not trust in the divine promise ; these do not agree. The in- 
 ference is wrong : " Works do not help ; therefore, faith also 
 does not help." We must give the uncultured men a homely 
 illustration: "A half farthing does not help; therefore a 
 florin also does not help." Just as the florin is of much 
 higher denomination and value than the half farthing, so also 
 should it be understood that faith is much higher and more 
 efficacious than works. Not that faith helps, because of its 
 worth, but because it trusts in God's promises. For they are 
 
 Confutation they corrupt it thus : First, they make an antistrophe : much 
 more, etc., as in \ 213. See Confutation, Art. VI. 
 
 1 In 11 214-222 the Germ, is briefer. 
 
 * Var. adds : Or if we would say that faith saves on account of its owr 
 worth. 
 
160 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION 
 
 very dissimilar ; as the causes and objects of confidence in the 
 former proposition are far dissimilar to those of the latter. 
 In the former, confidence is confidence in our own works. In 
 the latter, confidence is confidence in the divine promise. 
 Christ, however, condemns confidence in our works ; he does 
 not condemn confidence in his promise. He does not wish us 
 to despair of God's grace and mercy. He accuses our works as 
 unworthy, but does not accuse the promise which freely offers 
 mercy. And here Ambrose says well : "Grace is to be ac-2i$ 
 knowlcdged ; but nature is not to be ignored." \\ I must 
 trust in the promise of grace, and not in our own nature. 
 But t lie adversaries act in accordance with their custom, and 22c 
 distort, against faith, the judgments which have been given on 
 behalf of faith. 1 We leave, however, these difficult points to 221 
 the schools. The sophistry is plainly puerile, when they inter- 
 pret " unprofitable servant," as meaning that the works are 
 unprofitable to God, but are profitable to us. Yet Christ 
 speaks concerning that profit which makes God a debtor of 
 grace to us, although it is out of place to discuss here con- 
 cerning that which is profitable or unprofitable. For " un- 
 profitable servants " means " insufficient," because no one fears 
 God as much, and loves God as much, and believes God as 
 much as he ought. 2 But let us dismiss these frigid cavils of 222 
 the adversaries, concerning which, if at any time they are 
 brought to the light, prudent men will easily decide what they 
 should judge. They have found a flaw in words which are 
 very plain and clear. But every one sees that in this passage, 
 confidence in our own works is condemned. 
 
 Let us, therefore, hold fast to this which the Church con- 223 
 fesses, viz. that we are saved by mercy. And lest 3 any one 
 may here think : " If we are to be saved by mercy, hope will 
 be uncertain, if ; in those by whom salvation is attained, noth- 
 
 1 Var. adds : For this sophistry : " When ye shall have believed all 
 things, say that faith is useless," abrogates the entire Gospel. Does not 
 the Gospel promise the remission of sins and salvation, even to those 
 who have no good works at all, if only they are converted and do not 
 despair, but by faith in Christ obtain the remission of sins? Do the 
 adversaries bid those persons despair whose consciences find no works thot 
 they can oppose to the judgment of God? Will they say tc these that 
 faith is useless? May the sophists be undone with such, calumnies as 
 these which overthrow the entire Gospel, abrogate the gratuitous remis- 
 sion of sins, tear away from consciences firm consolations, etc.? But thi? 
 sophistry, etc. 
 
 * Var. adds : No one satisfies the Law. 
 
 8 The discussion from this point to $ 234 is given in Ed. Var. and Germ 
 previously, and is there somewhat differently arranged. 
 
Ch. III., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 151 
 
 ing precedes, by which they may be distinguished from those 
 by whom it is not attained," we must give him a satisfactory 
 answer. For the scholastics, influenced in this way, seem to 
 have devised meritum condignl. For this consideration can in 
 greatly exercise the human mind. We will therefore reply 
 briefly. For the very reason that hope may be sure, for the 
 . ,« very reason that there may be an antecedent distinction 
 between those by whom salvation is attained, and those 
 by whom it is Rot attained, it is necessary to firmly hold that 
 we are saved by mercy. When this is expressed thus unquali- 
 fiedly, it seems absurd. For in civil courts and in human 
 judgment, that which is of right or of debt, is certain, and 
 mercy is uncertain. But the matter is different with respect 
 to God's judgment, for here mercy has a clear and certain 
 command from God. For the Gospel is properly that com- 
 mand [word], which enjoins us to believe that God is pro- 
 pitious to us for Christ's sake. " For God sent not his Son 
 into the world to condemn the world; but that the world 
 through him might be saved" (John 3: 17, 18). As often, 225 
 therefore, as mercy is spoken of, faith in the promise must be 
 added ; and this faith produces sure hope, because it relies 
 upon the Word and command of God. If hope would rely 
 upon works, then, indeed, it would be uncertain, because works 
 cannot pacify the conscience, as has been said above frequently. 
 And this faith makes a distinction between those by whom ?.?,t 
 salvation is attained, and those by whom it is not attained. 
 Faith makes the distinction between the worthy and the un- 
 worthy, because eternal life has been promised to the justified ; 
 and faith justifies. 
 
 But here again the adversaries will cry out that there is no 227 
 need of good works, if they do not merit eternal life. These 
 calumnies we have refuted above. 1 Of course, it is necessary 
 to do good works. We say that eternal life has been prom- 
 ised to the justified. 2 But those who walk according to the 
 ilesh, retain neither faith nor righteousness. We are for this 
 very end justified, that being righteous we may begin to do 
 good works and to obey God's Law. We are regenerated and 228 
 receive the Holy Ghost, for the very end that the new life 
 may produce new works, new dispositions, the fear and love of 
 God. hatred to concupiscence, etc. This faith of which we 229 
 speak arises in repentance [is where repentance is], and, ought 
 to be established and grow, in the midst of good works, temp- 
 tations and dangers, so that we may continually be the more 
 firmly persuaded that God, for Christ's sake, cares for us, for- 
 gives us, hearkens to us. This is not learned without many 
 
 1 Cf. § 68, sqq. * Var. appeals to Rom. 8 : 30. 
 
152 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBUEG CONFESSION. 
 
 and great struggles. How often conscience is aroused, how 
 often it excites, even to despair, when it brings to view sins, 
 either old or new, or the impurity of our nature? This hand- 
 writing is not blotted out without a great struggle, in which 
 experience testifies what a difficult matter faith is. And while 230 
 we are cheered in the midst of the terrors, and receive consola- 
 tion, other spiritual movements at the same time grow, the 
 knowledge of God, fear of God, hope, love of God ; and we 
 are ' regenerated/' as Paul says (Col. 3 : 10 and 2 Cor. 3:18): 
 "in the knowledge of God," and "beholding the glory of the 
 Lord, are changed into the same image/' i. e. we receive the 
 true knowledge of God, so that we truly fear him, truly trust 
 that we are cared for, and that we are hearkened to by him. 
 This regeneration is as it were the beginning of eternal life, 231 
 as Paul says (Rom. 8 : 10) : " If Christ be in you, the body 
 is dead because of sin ; but the Spirit is life because of right- 
 eousness." And (2 Cor. 5 : 2, 3) : " We are clothed upon, if 232 
 so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked." From 
 these statements, the candid reader can judge that we especially 
 require good works, since we teach that this faith arises in re- 
 pentance, and in repentance ought continually to increase ; and 
 in these matters, we place Christian and spiritual perfection, 
 if, in repentance, repentance and faith grow together. This 
 can be better understood by the godly, than those things which 
 are taught by the adversaries concerning contemplation or per- 
 fection. Just as, however, justification pertains to faith, so 233 
 also life eternal pertains to faith. And Peter says (1 Pet. 1 : 
 9) : " Receiving the end or fruit of your faith, the salvation 
 of your souls." For the adversaries confess that the sons of 
 God have been justified, and are co-heirs of Christ. After- 234 
 wards works, because on account of faith they please God, 
 merit other bodily and spiritual rewards. For there will be 
 distinctions in the glory of the saints. 
 
 But here the adversaries reply that eternal life is called a 235 
 reward, and that, therefore, it is merited de condigno by good 
 works. We reply briefly and plainly : Paul (Rom. 6 : 23) 
 calls eternal life " a gift," because by the righteousness pre- 
 sented for Christ's sake, we are made at the same time sons of 
 God and co-heirs of Christ, as John says (3 : 36) : " He that 
 believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life." And Augustine 
 says, as also do very many others who follow him: "God 
 (Towns his gifts in us." Elsewhere indeed (Luke 6 : 23) it is 
 written : " Your reward is great in heaven." If these pas- 
 sages seem to the adversaries to conflict, they themselves may 
 explain them. But they are not fair judges ; for they omit 23^ 
 the word "gift." They omit also the sources of the entire 
 matter [the chief part, how we are justified before God], and 
 
Ch. III., Art. VI. LOVE A^D FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 15£ 
 
 they select the word " reward,*' and most harshly interpret this 
 I mm not only against Scripture, but also against the usage of 
 the language. Hence they infer that inasmuch as it is 
 called "a reward," our works, therefore, are such that they 
 ought to be a price, for which eternal life is due. They are, 
 therefore, worthy of grace and life eternal, and do not stand in 
 need of mercy, or of Christ as Mediator, or of faith. This 237 
 logic is altogether new ; we hear the term " reward," and, 
 therefore, are to infer that there is no need of Christ as Medi- 
 ator, or of faith having access to God for Christ's sake, and 
 not for the sake of our works ! Who does not see that these 
 are anacolouthons ? We do not contend concerning the term 238 
 " reward." We dispute concerning this matter, viz. whether 
 good works are of themselves worthy of grace and of eternal 
 life, or whether they please only on account of faith, which 
 apprehends Christ as Mediator. Our adversaries not only as- 239 
 cribe this to works, viz. that they are worthy of grace and of 
 eternal life, but they also state falsely that they have superflu- 
 ous merits, which they can grant to others, and by which they 
 can justify others, as when monks sell the merits of their 
 orders to others. These monstrosities they heap up in the 
 manner of Chrysippus, where this one word " reward " is heard, 
 viz. : " It is called a reward, and therefore we have works 
 which are a price for which a reward is due ; therefore, works 
 please by themselves, and not for the sake of Christ as Medi- 
 ator. And since one has more merits than another, therefore 
 some have superfluous merits. And those who merit them can 
 bestow these merits upon others." Stop, reader ; you have not 24c 
 the whole of this sorites. For certain sacraments of this do- 
 nation must be added ; the hood is placed upon the dead. [As 
 the Barefooted monks and other orders have shamelessly done, 
 in placing the hoods of their orders upon dead bodies.] By 
 such accumulations, the blessings brought us iu Christ, and 
 the righteousness of faith are obscured. [These are acute and 
 strong arguments, all of which they can spin from the single 
 word " reward" whereby they obscure Christ and faith.] 
 
 We are not agitating an idle logomachy concerning the term 241 
 " reward." If the adversaries will concede that we are ac- 
 counted righteous by faith because of Christ, and that good 
 works please God because of faith, we will not afterwards con- 
 tend much concerning the term "reward." We confess that 
 eternal life is a reward, because it is something due on account 
 of the promise, not on account of our merits. For the justifi- 
 cation has been promised, which we have above shown to be 
 properly a gift of God ; and to this gift has been added the 
 promise of eternal life, according to Rom. 8 : 30 : " Whom he 
 justified, them he also glorified." Here belongs what Paul 243 
 
154 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBUKG CONFESSION. 
 
 says (2 Tim. t:8): " There is laid up for me a crown of right- 
 eousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give rae." 
 For the crown Is due the justified because of the promise. 1 
 Ami this promise saints should know, not that they may labor 243 
 for their own profit, for they ought to labor for the glory of 
 God; but in order that they may not despair in afflictions, 
 they should know God's will, that he desires to aid, to deliver, 
 lo save them. Although the perfect hear the mention of pen- 
 alties and rewards in one way, and the weak hear it in another 
 14 q wa y; f° r ^ 1C weak labor for the sake of their own ad- 
 vantage. And yet the preaching of rewards and punish- 244 
 ments is necessary. In the preaching of punishments, the 
 wrath of God is set forth, and, therefore, this pertains to the 
 preaching of repentance. In the preaching of rewards, grace 
 is set forth. And just as Scripture, in the mention of good 
 works, often embraces faith ; for it wishes righteousness of the 
 heart to be included with the fruits ; so sometimes it offers 
 grace together with other rewards, as in Isa. 58 : 8 sq., and fre- 
 quently in other places in the prophets. We also confess what 245 
 we have often testified, that, although justification and eternal 
 life pertain to faith, nevertheless good works merit other bod- 
 ily and spiritual rewards, 2 and degrees of rewards, according to 
 1 Cor. 3:8: " Every man shall receive his own reward ac- 
 cording to his own labor." [For the blessed will have re- 
 ward; one higher than the other. This difference merit 
 makes, according as it pleases God ; and is merit, because they 
 who do these good works, God has adopted as children and 
 heirs. For thus they have merit which is their own and pe- 
 culiar; as one child, with respect to another.] 
 
 For the righteousness of the Gospel, which has to do with 
 the promise of grace, freely receives justification and quicken- 
 ing. But the fulfilling of the Law, which follows faith, has 
 to do with the Law, in which a reward is offered and is due, 
 not freely, but according to our works. But those who merit 
 
 1 Var. continues : For these gifts are arranged with reference to one an- 
 other, just as Augustine also says : " God crowns his own gifts in us." But 
 Scripture calls eternal life reward, not because it is due on account of 
 works, but because, although it is bestowed for another reason, yet it 
 makes up for afflictions and works. Just as -an inheritance falls to a sod 
 of a family not on account of his performance of duty {sua officio) ; and yat 
 it is a reward and compensation for his performance of duty. Germ, 
 illustrates this by an additional example. 
 
 8 Var. (and Germ.) adds: Which are rendered both in this life and 
 after this life. For God defers most rewards until he glorifies saints after 
 this life, because he wishes them in this life to be exercised in mortifying 
 the old man. 
 
Ch. III., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 155 
 
 this are justified before they do the Law. Therefore (as Paul 
 says, Col. 1 : 13; Rom. 8 : 17), they have before been trans- 
 lated into the kingdom of God's Son, and been made joint- 
 heirs with Christ. But as often as mention is made of merit, 246 
 the adversaries immediately transfer the matter from other re- 
 vvards to justification, although the Gospel freely offers justifi- 
 cation on account of Christ's merits, and not of our own ; and 
 the merits of Christ are communicated to us by faith. But 
 works and afflictions merit, not justification, but other remu- 
 nerations, as the reward is offered in these passages : " He which 
 soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly ; and he which sow- 
 eth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully " (2 Cor. 9 : 6). 
 Here clearly the measure of the reward is connected with the 
 measure of the work. " Honor thy father, and thy mother, 
 that thy days may be long upon the land" (Ex. 20:12). 
 And here certainly the Law offers a reward to work. Al- 247 
 though, therefore, the fulfilling of the Law merits a reward, 
 for a reward properly pertains to the Law ; yet we ought to 
 be mindful of the Gospel, which freely offers justification for 
 Christ's sake. We neither observe the Law, nor can observe 
 it, before we have been reconciled to God, justified and regen- 
 erated. Neither would this fulfilling of the Law please God, 
 unless we would be accepted on account of faith. And be- 
 cause men are accepted on account of faith, for this very rea- 
 son the inchoate fulfilling of the Law pleases, and has a reward 
 in this life, and after this life. Concerning the term " reward," 248 
 very many other remarks might here be made, derived from 
 the nature of the Law, which, as they are too extensive, must 
 be explained in another connection. 1 
 
 But, the adversaries urge that it is the prerogative of good 249 
 works to merit eternal life, because Paul says, Rom. 2:6: 
 14.Q "Who will render to every one according to his works." 
 Likewise v. 10 : " Glory, honor and peace to every man 
 that worketh good." 2 John 5:29: "They that have done 
 good, unto the resurrection of life." Matt. 25 : 35 : "I was an 
 hungered and ye gave me meat," etc. In these and all similar 250 
 passages in which works are praised in the Scriptures, it is 
 necessary to understand not only outward works, but also the 
 faith of the heart, because Scripture does not speak of hypoc- 
 risy, but of the righteousness of the heart with its fruits. 
 Moreover, as often as mention is made of the Law and of 251 
 works, we must know that Christ as Mediator is not to be ex- 
 cluded. For he is the end of the Law, and he himself says 
 (John 15:5): " Without me, ye can do nothing." According 
 
 1 Cf. Apology, Of Confession and Satisfaction, I 36 sqq., p. 192. 
 3 This passage is omitted in Germ, and Var. 
 
156 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 to this rule, we have said above, that all passages concerning 
 works, can be judged. Wherefore when eternal life is granted 
 to works, it is granted to those who have been justified, be- 
 cause no men except justified men, who are led by the Spirit 
 of Christ, can do good works; and without faith and Christ 
 as Mediator, good works do not please, according to Heb. 11 : 
 6 : " Without faith, it is impossible to please God." When 25J 
 Paul says: " He will render to every one according to his 
 works," not only the outward work ought to be understood, 
 but all righteousness or unrighteousness. So : " Glory to him 
 that worketh good," i. e. to the righteous. " Ye gave me 
 meat," is cited as the fruit and witness of the righteousness of 
 the heart and of faith, and, therefore, eternal life is rendered 
 to righteousness. [There it must certainly be acknowledged 
 that Christ means not only the works, but that he desires to 
 have the heart ; which he wishes to esteem God aright, and to 
 believe correctly concerning him, viz. it is through mercy that 
 it is pleasing to God. Therefore Christ teaches that everlast- 
 ing life will be given the righteous, as Christ says : " The 
 righteous shall go into everlasting life." In this way, Scrip- 253 
 ture, at the same time with the fruits, embraces the righteous- 
 ness of the heart. And it often names the fruits, in order that 
 it may be better understood by the inexperienced, and to sig- 
 nify that a new life and regeneration, and not hypocrisy, 
 are required. But regeneration occurs, by faith, in repent- 
 ance. 
 
 No sane man can judge otherwise ; neither do we here affect 254 
 any idle subtilty, so as to separate the fruits from the right- 
 eousness of the heart ; if the adversaries would only have con- 
 ceded that the fruits please because of faith, and of Christ as 
 Mediator, and that by themselves they are not worthy of grace 
 and of eternal life. For in the doctrine of the adversaries, we 255 
 condemn this, that, in such passages of Scripture, understood 
 either in a philosophical or a Jewish manner, they abolish the 
 righteousness of faith, and exclude Christ as Mediator. From 
 these passages, they infer that works merit grace, sometimes 
 de congruo, and at other times de condigno, viz. when love is 
 added; i. e. because they justify, and because they are right- 
 eousness, they are worthy of eternal life. This error mani- 
 festly abolishes the righteousness of faith, which believes that 
 we have access to God, for Christ's sake, not for the sake of 
 our works, and that through Christ as Priest and Mediator, 
 we are led to the Father, and have a reconciled Father, as has 
 been sufficiently said above. And this doctrine concerning 256 
 the righteousness of faith is not to be neglected in the Church 
 of Christ ; because without it the office of Christ cannot be 
 considered, and the doctrine of justification that is left, is only 
 
Ci? HI, Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. lo7 
 
 a doctrine of the Law. 1 But we should retain the Gospel, 
 
 and the doctrine concerning the promise, granted for Christ's 
 
 sake. 
 
 irQ We are not, therefore, on this topic contending with 257 
 
 the adversaries concerning a small matter. We are not 
 seeking out idle subtilties, when we find fault with them for 
 teaching that we merit eternal life by works, while that faith 
 is omitted which apprehends Christ as Mediator. For of this 258 
 faith, which believes that for Christ's sake the Father is pro- 
 pi I ious to us. there is not a syllable in the scholastics. Every- 
 where they hold that we are accepted and righteous because of 
 our works, wrought either from reason, or certainly wrought 
 by the inclination of that love, concerning which they speak. 
 
 And 2 yet they have certain sayings, maxims as it were of the 259 
 old writers, 3 which they distort in interpreting. In the schools, 260 
 the boast is made, that good works please on account of grace, 
 and that confidence must be put in God's grace. Here they 
 interpret grace as a habit, by which we love God, as though 
 
 1 Var. (and Germ.) more fully: Wherefore we are compelled to rebuke 
 the pharisaic opinions of the adversaries, both in order that we may pro- 
 claim the glory of Christ, and that we may present to consciences firm 
 consolations. For how will conscience receive sure hope of salvation, 
 since it knows that in judgment its works are unworthy, unless it know 
 that men are accounted righteous and are saved by mercy for Christ'a 
 sake, and not for the sake of their fulfilling of the Law ? Did Laurentius 
 when on the gridiron believe that by this work he was satisfying God, 
 that he was without sin, that he did not need Christ as Mediator, and the 
 mercy of God? He did not indeed think differently from the prophet, 
 who says: "Enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight 
 shall no man living be justified " (Ps. 143 : 2). Bernard confesses that his 
 works are not worthy of eternal life, when he says : Perdite vixi. But he 
 comforts himself and receives the hope of salvation from this, viz. that he 
 believes that the remission of sins and life eternal are granted him for 
 Christ's sake through mercy ; just as the Psalm (32 : 1) teaches : " Blessed 
 is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered." And Paul 
 says (Rom. 4:6): " David also describeth the blessedness of the man to 
 whom God imputeth righteousness without works." Paul says that he is 
 blessed to whom righteousness is imputed through faith in Christ, even 
 though he have no good works. By such consolations, consciences are to 
 be encouraged and confirmed, because for Christ's sake through faith the 
 remission of sins, the imputation of righteousness and life eternal are 
 attained. But if faith be in this manner understood in passages concern- 
 ing works, they are not opposed to our doctrine. And indeed it is neces- 
 sary always to add faith, so as not to exclude Christ as Mediator. But 
 good works ought to follow faith, because faith without good works if 
 hypocrisy. a \\ 259-279 are omitted in Germ. 
 
 • Var. adds : Agreeing with our belief. 
 
158 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 indeed the ancients meant to say that we ought to trust in our 
 love, of which we certainly experience how small and how im- 
 pure it is. Although it is strange how they bid us trust in 
 love, since they teach us that we are not able to know whether 
 it be present. 1 Why do they not here set forth God's love and 
 mercy toward us? And as often as mention is made of this 
 they ought to add faith. For the promise of God's mercy, 
 reconciliation and love towards us, n not apprehended unless 
 by faith. With this view, they would be right in saying that 
 we ought to trust in grace, that good works please because of 
 grace, when faith apprehends grace. In the schools, the boast 261 
 is also made that our good works avail by virtue of Christ's 
 passion. 2 Well said ! But why add nothing concerning 
 faith? For Christ is "a propitiation," as Paul (Rom. 3: 
 25) says, "through faith." When timid consciences are com- 
 forted, and are convinced that our sins have been blotted out 
 by the death of Christ, and that God has been reconciled to 
 us on account of Christ's suffering, then indeed the suffering 
 of Christ profits us. If the doctrine concerning faith be 
 omitted, it is said in vain that works avail by virtue of 
 Christ's passion. 
 
 And very many other passages they corrupt in the schools, 262 
 because they do not teach the righteousness of faith, and be- 
 cause they understand by faith merely a knowledge of history 
 or of dogmas, and do not understand by it that virtue which 
 apprehends the promise of grace and of righteousness, and 
 which quickens hearts in the terrors of sin and of death. 
 When Paul says (Rom. 10 : 10) : "With the heart, man be- 263 
 lieveth unto righteousness ; and with the mouth confession is 
 made unto salvation," we think that the adversaries acknow- 
 ledge here that confession justifies or saves, not ex opere operato, 
 but only on account of the faith of the heart. And Paul thus 
 says that confession saves, in order to show what sort of faith 
 obtains eternal life; namely, that which is firm and active. 
 That faith, however, which does not manifest itself in confes- 264 
 sion, is not firm. Thus other good works please on account 
 of faith ; as also the prayers of the Church ask that all things 
 may be accepted for Christ's sake. They likewise ask all 
 things for Christ's sake. For it is manifest that at the close 
 of prayers, this clause is always added: "Through Christ our 
 Lord." 3 Accordingly we conclude that we are justified before 265 
 God, are reconciled to God and regenerated by faith, which in 
 repentance apprehends the promise of grace, and truly quickens 
 
 1 Cf. Cone. Trident., Sess. vi., cap. ?'. 
 
 * Cf. Confutation, Pt. I., Art. xx. 
 
 ' Var. : Through our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
Ch. III., Art. VI. LOVE AND FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 159 
 
 the terrified mind, and is convinced that for Christ's sake God 
 «t-i is reconciled and propitious to us. And through this 
 " faith," says Peter (1 Ep. 1 : 5), " we are kept unto sal- 
 vation, ready to be revealed." The knowledge of this faith is 266 
 necessary to Christians, and brings the most abundant consola- 
 tion in all afflictions, and displays to us the office of Christ, 
 because those who deny that men are justified by faith, and 
 deny that Christ is Mediator and Propitiator, deny the prom- 
 ise of grace, and the Gospel. They teach only the doctrine 
 either of reason or of the Law concerning justification. We 1 267 
 have shown the origin of this case, so far as can here be done, 
 and have explained those things to which the adversaries ob- 
 ject. Good men indeed, will easily judge these things, if they 
 will think, as often as a passage concerning love or works is 
 cited, that the Law cannot be observed without Christ, and 
 that we cannot be justified from the Law, but from the Gospel ; 
 that is, from the promise of the grace promised in Christ. And 268 
 we hope that this discussion, although brief, will be profitable 
 to good men for strengthening faith, and teaching and com- 
 forting conscience. For we know that those things which we 
 have said are in harmony with the prophetic and apostolic 
 Scriptures, with the holy Fathers, Ambrose, Augustine, and 
 very many others, and with the whole Church of Christ, 
 which certainly confesses that Christ is Propitiator and Jus- 
 tifier. 
 
 Nor are we immediately to judge that the Roman Church 269 
 agrees with everything that the pope or cardinals or bishops 
 or some of the theologians or monks approve. 2 For it is man- 
 ifest that to most of the pontiffs their own authority causes 
 more care than does the Gospel of Christ. And it has been 
 ascertained that most of them are openly Epicureans. It is 
 evident that theologians have mingled with Christian doctrine 
 more of philosophy than was sufficient. Nor ought their in- 27c 
 fluence to appear so great, that it will never be lawful to dis- 
 sent from their disputations, while at the same time many 
 manifest errors are found among them, such as that we are 
 able from purely natural powers to love God above all things. 3 
 This dogma, although it is manifestly false, has produced 
 many other errors. For the Scriptures, the holy Fathers and 271 
 the judgments of all the godly everywhere make reply. There- 
 fore, even though bishops or some theologians or monks have 
 
 1 In Ed. Var. §g 267-279 are very brief. 
 
 1 Melanch. distinguished the Roman Church from the Papal See. CI 
 Aug. Conf., Introduction. 
 
 * This Duns Scotus first taught in Libr. iv. sentent. I. iii. dist. 27, qu. 1 
 Cf. Aug. Conf., Art. xviii. \ viii., Apology, Art. ii. \ 8 sqq. 
 
160 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSJ3UKO CONFESSION. 
 
 taught us to seek remission of sins, grace and righteousness, 
 through our own works, and new forms of worship, which 
 have obscured the office of Christ, and have made out of 
 Christ not a Propitiator and Justifier, hut only a Legislator; 
 nevertheless, the knowledge of Christ has always remained 
 with some godly persons. Scripture, moreover, has predicted 27a 
 that the righteousness of faith would be obscured in this way 
 hv human traditions and the doctrine of works. Just as Paul 
 -hen complains (cf. Gal. 4 : 9 ; 5 : 7 ; Col. 2 : 8, 16 sq. j 1 Tim. 
 I : 2 sq., etc.) that there were at that time those who, instead 
 of the righteousness of faith, taught that men were reconciled 
 to God, and justified, by their own works and own acts of 
 worship, and not by faith for Christ's sake ; because men judge 
 by nature that God ought to be appeased by works. Nor does 273 
 nason see a righteousness other than the righteousness of the 
 Law, understood in a juridical sense. Accordingly there have 
 always existed in the world some who have taught this carnal 
 righteousness alone to the exclusion of the righteousness of 
 faith ; and such teachers will also always exist. The same hap- 
 pened among the people of Israel. The greater part of the 274 
 people thought that they merited remission of sins by their 
 works; they accumulated sacrifices and acts of worship. On 
 the contrary, the prophets, in condemnation of this opinion, 
 taught the righteousness of faith. And the occurrences among 
 the people of Israel are illustrations of those things which were 
 to occur in the Church. Therefore, let the multitude of the ad- 275 
 versaries, who condemn our doctrine, not disturb godly minds. 
 For their spirit can easily be judged, because in some articles 
 they have condemned truth that is so clear and manifest, that 
 their godlessness appears openly. For the bull of Leo X. 1 con- 276 
 demned a very necessary article, which all Christians should 
 hold and believe, viz. that " We ought to trust that we have 
 been absolved not because of our contrition, but because of 
 Christ's Word (Matt. 16 : 19) : ' Whatsoever thou shalt bind,'" 
 etc. Aud now in this assembly, the authors of the Confuta- 277 
 tion have condemned in clear words 2 this, viz. that we have 
 said that faith is a part of repentance, by which we obtain re- 
 mission of sins, and overcome the terrors of sin, and con- 
 science is rendered pacified. Who, however, does not see that 
 this article, that by faith we obtain the remission of sins, is 
 most true, most certain and especially necessary to all Chris- 
 tians ? Who to all posterity, hearing that such a doctrine has 
 been condemned, will judge that the authors of this condem- 
 nation had any knowledge of Christ? 
 
 1 The bull Exsurqe Domini, June 15th, 1520. 
 * See Confutation, Purt I , Art. xii. 
 
Ch. IV., Arts. VII. and VIII. THE CHUfiCH. 161 
 
 And concerning their spirit, a conjecture can be made from 278 
 the unheard-of cruelty, which it is evident that they have 
 hitherto exercised towards most good men. And in this as- 
 sembly we have heard that a reverend father, when opinions 
 concerning our Confession were expressed, said in the senate 
 of the Empire, that no plan seemed to him better than to 
 make a reply written in blood to the Confession which we 
 had presented written in ink. What more cruel would Pha- 
 laris say? Therefore some princes also have judged this ex- 
 pression unworthy to be treated of, in such an assembly. 
 Wherefore although the adversaries claim for themselves the 279 
 name of the Church, nevertheless we know that the Church 
 of Christ is with those who teach the Gospel of Christ, not 
 with those who defend wicked opinions contrary to the Gospel, 
 as the Lord says (John 10 : 27) : " My sheep hear my voice." 
 ,ro And Augustine says, "The question is, Where is the 
 Church? What, therefore, are we to do? Are we to 
 seek it in our own words, or in the words of its Head, our 
 Lord Jesus Christ ? I think that we ought to seek it in the 
 words of him, who is truth, and who knows his own body 
 best." Hence the judgments of our adversaries will not dis- 
 turb us, since they defend human opinions contrary to the 
 Gospel, contrary to the authority of the holy Fathers, who 
 have written in the Church, and contrary to the testimonies 
 of godly minds. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 Articles VII. and VIII. 
 
 Of the Church. 
 
 The seventh article of our Confession, in which we said that 1 
 "the Church is the congregation of saints," they have con- 
 demned ; and have added a long disquisition, that the wicked 
 ought not to be separated from the Church, since John has com- 
 pared the Church to a threshing-floor, on which wheat and 
 chaff are heaped together (Matt. 3:12), and Christ has com- 
 pared it to a net in which there are both good and bad fishes 
 (13 : 47). What they say is indeed true, viz. that there is no 2 
 remedy against the attacks of the slanderer. Nothing can be 
 spoken with such care that it can avoid detraction. For this 3 
 reason, we have added the eighth article, lost any one may think 
 that we separate the wicked and hypocrites from the outward 
 
 Parallel Passages.— Chap. IV. Art. VII. Apostles' Creed, 3; Nicenc 
 Creed, 8 ; Augsburg Confession, Arts. vii. and xv. ; Sraalcald Articles, Art. xii.; 
 Small Catechism, Art. iii. of Creed ; Large Catechism, do. ; Formula of Concord 
 Sol. Decl., x. I 19; xii. \ 5. 
 21 
 
162 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION 
 
 fellowship of the Church, or that we deny efficacy to the sue 
 raments when they are administered by hypocrites or wicked 
 men. Therefore there is no need here of a long defence 
 against this slander. The eighth article is sufficient to excul- 
 pate us. For we grant that in this life hypocrites and wicked 
 men have horn mingled with the Church, and that they are 
 members of tire Church according to the outward fellowship of 
 the signs of the Church, i. e. of Word, profession and sacraments. 
 especially if they have not been excommunicated. Neither are 
 the sacraments without efficacy for the reason that they are ad- 
 ministered by wicked men; yea we can even be right in using 
 the sacraments, which are administered by wicked men. For 4 
 Paul also predicts (2 Thess. 2 : 4) that Antichrist will sit in the 
 temple of God, i. e. he will rule and bear office in the Church. 
 But the Church is not only the fellowship of outward objects 5 
 and rites, as other governments, but it is in principle a fellow- 
 ship of faith and the Holy Ghost in hearts. [The Christian 
 Church consists not alone in fellowship of outward signs, but 
 it consists especially in inward communion of eternal blessings 
 in the heart, as of the Holy Ghost, of faith, of the fear and 
 love of God] ; which fellowship nevertheless has outward marks 
 so that it can be recognized, viz. the pure doctrine of the Gos- 
 pel, and the administration of the sacraments in accordance 
 with the Gospel of Christ. [Namely, where God's Word is 
 pure, and the sacraments are administered in conformity with 
 the same, there certainly is the Church, and there are Chris- 
 tians.] And this Church alone is called the body of Christ ; 
 because Christ renews, [Christ is its Head and] sanctifies and 
 governs it by his Spirit, as Paul testifies (Eph. 1 : 22 sq.), when 
 he says : " And gave him to be the head over all things to the 
 Church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all 
 in all." Wherefore those in whom Christ does not act [through 6 
 his Spirit] are not the members of Christ. This too the ad- 
 versaries acknowledge, viz. that the wicked are dead members 
 of the Church. Therefore we wonder why they find fault 
 with our description [our conclusion concerning the Church! 
 jr o which speaks of living members. Neither have we said 7 
 
 anything new. Paul has defined the Church precisely in 
 the same way (Eph. 5 : 25 sq.), that it should be cleansed in 
 order to be holy. And he adds the outward marks, the Word 
 and sacraments. For he thus says : " Christ also loved the 
 Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and 
 cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that he 
 might present it to himself, a glorious Church, not having spot 
 or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and 
 without blemish/' In the Confession we have presented this 
 sentence almost in the verv words. Thus also the Chureh is 
 
Ch. IV., Arts. VII. and VIII. TI1F CHURCH. 163 
 
 defined by the article in the Creed, which teaches us to believe 
 that there is " a Holy Catholic Church." The wicked indeed 8 
 are not a holy Church. And that which follows, viz. "the 
 communion of saints," seems to be added, in order to explain 
 what the Church signifies, viz. the congregation of saints, who 
 have with each other the fellowship of the same Gospel or doc- 
 trine [who confess one Gospel, have the same knowledge of 
 Christ] and of the same Holy Ghost, who renews, sanctifies and 
 governs their hearts. 
 
 And this article has been presented for a necessary reason. 9 
 [The article of the Catholic or Universal Church, which is 
 gathered together from every nation under the sun, is very com- 
 forting and highly necessary.] We see the infinite dangers 
 which threaten the destruction of the Church. In the Church 
 itself, infinite is the multitude of the wicked who oppress it. 
 Therefore, in order that we may not despair, but may know 
 that the Church will nevertheless remain [until the end of the 
 world], likewise that we may know that however great the mul- 
 titude of the wicked is, yet the Church [which is Christ's 
 bride] exists, and that Christ affords those gifts which he has 
 promised to the Church, to forgive sins, to hear prayer, to give 
 the Holy Ghost ; this article in the Creed presents us these con- 
 solations. And it says Catholic Church, in order that we may it 
 not understand the Church to be an outward government of 
 certain nations [that the Church is like any other external 
 polity, bound to this or that land, kingdom or nation, as the 
 Pope of Rome will say], but rather men scattered throughout 
 the whole world [here and there in the world from the rising 
 to the setting of the sun], who agree concerning the Gospel, 
 and have the same Christ, the same Holy Ghost, and the same 
 sacraments, or have human traditions that are the same or dis- 
 similar. And the gloss upon the Decrees l says that " the Church 1 1 
 in its wide sense embraces good and evil ;" likewise that the 
 wicked are in the Church only in name, not in fact; but that 
 the good are in the Church both in fact and in name. And to 
 this effect, there are many passages in the Fathers. For Jerome 
 says, " The sinner, therefore, who has been stained by any im- 
 purity, cannot be called a member of the Church of Christ, 
 neither can he be said to be subject to Christ." 
 jr* Although, therefore, hypocrites and wicked men are 12 
 
 members of the true Church according to outward rites, 
 yet when the Church is defined, it is necessary to define that 
 which is the living body of Christ, and likewise is in name and 
 in fact the Church [which is called the body of Christ, and has 
 fellowship not alone in outward signs, but has gifts in the heart, 
 
 1 Decrees of Gratian, Part IT.. (Jons. 33, ques. 3, dist. 1, c. 70. 
 
164 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 viz. the Holy Ghost and faith]. And for this there are many 13 
 reasons. For it is necessary to understand what it is that 
 principally makes us members and living members of the 
 Church. If we will define (lie Church only as an outward 
 polity of the good and wicked, men will not understand that, 
 the kingdom of Christ is righteousness of heart and the gift 
 of the Holy Ghost [that the kingdom of Christ is spiritual, as 
 nevertheless it is ; that therein Christ inwardly rules, strength- 
 ens and comforts hearts, and imparts the Holy Ghost and vari- 
 ous spiritual gifts], but they will judge that it is only the out- 
 ward observance of certain forms of worship, and rites. Like- 14 
 wise what difference will there be between the people of the 
 Law, and the Church, if the Church be an outward polity? 
 But Paul 1 distinguishes the Chuich from the people of the 
 Law, thus, that the Church is a spiritual people, i. e. that it has 
 been distinguished from the heathen not by civil rites [not only 
 in the polity and civil affairs], but that it is the true people of 
 God, regenerated by the Holy Ghost. Among the people of 
 the Law, the carnal seed [all those who by nature were born 
 Jews, and Abraham's seed] had, in addition to the promise con- 
 cerning Christ, promises also of corporeal things, of govern- 
 ment, etc. And for these reasons even the wicked among them 
 were said to be the people of God, because God had separated 
 this carnal seed from other nations by certain outward ordi- 
 nances and promises; and, yet, these wicked persons did not 
 please God. But the Gospel [which is preached in the Church] 1 5 
 brings not merely the shadow of eternal things, but the eternal 
 things themselves, 2 the Holy Ghost and righteousness, by which 
 we are righteous before God. [But every true Christian is even 
 here upon earth, partaker of eternal blessings, even of eternal 
 comfort, of eternal life, and of the Holy Ghost, and of right- 
 eousness which is from God, until he will be completely saved 
 in the world to come.] 
 
 Therefore, only those are the people, according to the Gos- 1 
 pel, who receive this promise of the Spirit. Besides the Church 
 is the kingdom of Christ, distinguished from the kingdom of 
 the devil. It is certain, however, that the wicked are in the 
 iRt; power of the devil, and members of the kingdom of the 
 devil, as Paul teaches, Eph. 2 : 2, when he says that the 
 devil "now worketh in the children of disobedience." And 
 Christ says to the Pharisees, who certainly had outward fellow- 
 ship with the Church, i. e. with the saints among the people of 
 the Law ; for they held office, sacrificed and taught : " Ye are 
 of your father, the devil " (John 8 : 44). Therefore, the Church 
 
 1 Rom. 2 : 28, sqq. ; Gal. 6 : 15. 
 ■ Col. 2 : 17 : Heb. 8 : 5. 
 
Ch. IV., Arts. VII. and VIII. THE CHUKCH. 165 
 
 which is truly the kingdom of Christ is properly the congrega- 
 tion of saints. For the wicked are ruled by the devil, and are 
 captives of the devil ; they are not ruled by the Spirit of 
 Christ. 
 
 But what need is there of words in a manifest matter ? If 17 
 the Church, which is truly the kingdom of Christ, is dis- 
 tinguished from the kingdom of the devil, it is necessary that 
 the wicked, since they are in the kingdom of the devil, are not 
 the Church ; although in this life, because the kingdom of 
 Christ has not yet been revealed, they are mingled with the 
 Church, and hold offices in the Church. Neither are the 18 
 wicked the kingdom of Christ, for the reason, that the revela- 
 tion has not yet beer made. That which he quickens by his 
 Spirit is always the kingdom of Christ, whether it be revealed 
 or be covered by the cross. Just as he who has now been 
 glorified, is the same Christ who was before afflicted. And 19 
 with this the parables of Christ clearly agree, who says (Matt. 
 13 : 38) that "the good seed are the children of the kingdom ; 
 but the tares are the children of the wicked one." " The field," 
 he says, " is the world," not the Church. Thus John speaks 
 concerning the whole race of the Jews, and says that it will 
 come to pass that the true Church will be separated from that 
 people. Therefore, this passage is more against the adversaries 
 than in favor of them, because it shows that the true and spirit- 
 ual people is to be separated from the carnal people. Christ 
 also speaks of the outward appearance of the Church, when he 
 says (Matt. 13 : 47) : " The kingdom of heaven is like unto a 
 net," likewise " to ten virgins," and he teaches that the Church 
 has been covered by a multitude of evils, in order that this 
 stumbling-block may not offend the pious ; likewise, in order 
 that we may know that the Word and sacraments are efficacious 
 even when administered by the wicked. And meanwhile he 
 teaches that these godless men, although they have the fellow- 
 ship of outward signs, are nevertheless not the true kingdom 
 of Christ, and members of Christ. They are members of the 
 kingdom of the devil. Neither indeed are we dreaming of a 2c 
 Platonic state, as some wickedly charge, but we say that this 
 Cliurch exists, viz. the truly believing and righteous men scattered 
 throughout the whole world. [We are speaking not of an im- 
 aginary Church, which is to be found nowhere; but we say 
 and know certainly that this Church, wherein saints live, is 
 and abides truly upon earth; namely, that some of God's chil- 
 dren are here and there in all the world, in various kingdoms, 
 islands, lands and cities, from the rising of the sun to its 
 setting, who have truly learned to know Christ and his Gos- 
 pel.] And we add the marks : " the pure doctrine of the Gos- 
 pel [the office of the ministry or Gospel], and the sacraments." 
 
166 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBUKG CONFESSION. 
 
 And this Church is properly the pillar of the truth (1 Tim. 3 : 
 15). For it retains the pure Gospel, and, as Paul says (1 Cor. 
 3:12), "the foundation," i.e. the true knowledge of Christ 
 and faith. Although among these [in the body which is built 
 upon the true foundation, i. e. upon Christ and faith], there are 
 also many weak persons, who upon the foundation build stub- 
 ble that will perish, i. e. certain unprofitable opinions [some 
 human thoughts and opinions], which nevertheless, because 
 ,rn they do not overthrow the foundation, are both forgiven 
 
 them, and also corrected. And the writings of the holy 25 
 Fathers testify that sometimes even they built stubble upon the 
 foundation, but that this did not overthrow their faith. But 
 most of those errors which our adversaries defend, overthrow 
 faith ; as their condemnation of the article concerning the re- 
 mission of sins, in which we say that the remission of sins is 
 received by faith. Likewise manifest and pernicious is the 
 error, in that the adversaries teach that men merit the remis- 
 sion of sins by love to God, prior to grace. For this also is to 
 remove "the foundation," i.e. Christ. Likewise what need 
 will there be of faith, if the sacraments justify ex opere operato, 
 without a good disposition on the part of the one using them ? 
 But just as the Church has the promise that it will always 22 
 have the Holy Ghost, so it has also the threatenings that there 
 will be wicked teachers and wolves. The Church properly so 
 called is that which has the Holy Ghost. Although wolves 
 and wicked teachers go about in the Church, yet they are not 
 properly the kingdom of Christ. Just as Lyra also testifies, 
 when he says : " The Church does not consist of men, with 
 respect to power, or ecclesiastical or secular dignity, because 
 many princes, and archbishops, and others of lower rank, have 
 apostatized from the faith. Therefore, the Church consists of 
 those persons in whom there is a true knowledge and confes- 
 sion of faith and truth." What else have we said in our Con- 
 fession than w r hat Lyra here says ? 
 
 But the adversaries perhaps require that the Church be thus 21 
 defined, viz. that it is the supreme outward monarchy of the 
 -r- whole world, in which the Roman pontiff necessarily has 
 
 the absolute power (which no one is permitted to dispute 
 or censure) to frame articles of faith, to abolish, according to 
 his pleasure, the Scriptures [to pervert and interpret them con- 
 trary to all divine law, contrary to his own decretals, contrary 
 to all imperial rights, as often, to as great an extent, and when- 
 ever it pleases him ; to sell indulgences and dispensations for 
 money], to appoint rites of worship and sacrifices; likewise to 
 frame such laws as he may wish, and to dispense and exempt 
 from whatever laws, divine, canonical or civil, which he may 
 wish; and that from him the Emperor and all kings receive, 
 
Ch. IV., Arts. VII. and VIII. THE CHURCH. 167 
 
 according to the command of Christ, the power and light to 
 hold their kingdoms. For as the Father has subdued all things 
 beneath him, this right should be understood as transferred to 
 the Pope ; therefore the Pope must necessarily be lord of the 
 whole world, of all the kingdoms of the world, of all things 
 private and public, and must have absolute power in temporal 
 and spiritual things, and both swords, the spiritual and temporal. 
 Besides this definition, not of the Church of Christ, but of the 24 
 papal kingdom, has as its authors not only the canonists, but 
 also Daniel 11 : 36 sqq. [Daniel, the prophet, represents Anti- 
 christ in this way.] 
 
 But if we would define the Church, in this way, we would 25 
 perhaps have fairer judges. For there are many things extant 
 written extravagantly and wickedly concerning the power of 
 the Pope of Pome, on account of which no one has ever been 
 arraigned. We alone are blamed, because we proclaim the 
 beneficence of Christ, that by faith in Christ we obtain remis- 
 sion of sins, and not by [hypocrisy or] rites of worship devised 
 by the Pope. Moreover, Christ, the prophets and apostles de- 26 
 fine the Church of Christ far otherwise than as the papal king- 
 dom. Neither must Ave transfer to the priests what belongs to 27 
 the true Church, viz. that they are pillars of the truth, that 
 they do not err. For how many of them care for the Gospel, 
 or judge that it is worth being read ? Many even publicly 
 ridicule all religions, or, if they approve any, they approve 
 those which are in harmony with human reason, and regard 
 the rest fabulous and like the tragedies of the poets. Where- 28 
 fore we hold, according to the Scriptures, that the Church prop- 
 erly so called, is the congregation of saints [of those here and 
 there in the world], who truly believe the Gospel of Christ, 
 and have the Holy Ghost. And yet we confess that, in this 
 life, many hypocrites and wicked men, mingled with these, 
 have the fellowship of outward signs, who are members of the 
 Church according to this fellowship of outward signs, and ac- 
 cordingly bear offices in the Church [preach, administer the 
 sacraments, and bear the title and name of Christians]. Neither 
 does the fact that the sacraments are administered by the un- 
 TiR worthy, detract from their efficacy, because, on account of 
 the call of the Church, they represent the person of Christ, 
 and do not represent their own persons, as Christ testifies (Luke 
 10: 16): "He that heareth you, heareth me" [Thus even Ju- 
 das was sent to preach]. When they offer the Word of God, 
 when they offer the sacraments, they offer them in the stead 
 and place of Christ. The Word of Christ teaches this, in 
 order that we may not be offended by the unworthiness of the 
 ministers. 
 
 But concerning this matter, we have spoken with sufficient^ 
 
168 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 clearness in the Confession, 1 that we condemn the Donatio 
 and Wickliffites, who thought that men sinned when they re- 
 ceived the sacraments from the unworthy in the Church. Tnese 
 things seem, for the present, to be sufficient for the defence of 
 the description of the Church which we have presented. 
 Neither do we see how, when the Church properly so called is 
 named "the body of Christ," it should be described otherwise 
 than we have described it. For it is evident that the wicked 
 belong to the kingdom and body of the devil, who impels and 
 holds captive the wicked. These things are clearer than the 
 light of noonday, which, if the adversaries still continue to 
 pervert, we will not hesitate to reply at gieater length. 
 
 The adversaries condemn also the part of the seventh article ^. 
 in which we said that " to the unity of the Church, it is suffi- 
 cient to agree concerning the doctrine of the Gospel, and the 
 administration of the sacraments ; nor is it necessary that hu- 
 man traditions, rites, or ceremonies instituted by men should be 
 alike everywhere." Here they distinguish between " uni- 
 versal" and "particular" rites, and approve our article, if it 
 be understood concerning pairicular rites; they do not receive 
 it concerning universal ritts. We do not sufficiently under- 31 
 stand what the adversaries mean. We are speaking of true, 
 i e. of spiritual unity [we say that those are one harmonious 
 Church, who believe in one Christ ; who have one Gospel, one 
 Spirit, one faith, the tj&me sacraments, and we are speaking, 
 therefore, of spiritual unity], without which faith in the heart, 
 or righteousness of heart before God, cannot exist. For this 
 we say that similarity of human rites, whether universal or 
 particular, is not necessary, because the righteousness of faith 
 is not a righteousness bound to certain traditions [outward cere- 
 monies of human ordinances] as the righteousness of the Law 
 |rq was bound to the Mosaic ceremonies, because this right- 
 eousness of the heart is a matter that quickens the heart. 
 To this quickening, human traditions, whether they be universal 
 or particular, contribute nothing ; neither are they effects of 
 of the Holy Ghost, as are chastity, patience, the fear of God, 
 love to one's neighbor and the works of love. 
 
 Neither were the reasons trifling why we presented this arti- 33 
 cle. For it is evident that many foolish opinions concerning 
 traditions had crept into the Church. Some thought that 
 human traditions were necessary services for meriting justifica- 
 tion [that without such human ordinances, Christian holiness 
 and faith are of no avail before God ; also that no one can be a 
 Christian unless he observe such traditions, although they are 
 nothing but an outward regulation]. And afterwards they dis- 
 
 1 Aug. Conf. viii. : 3. 
 
Ch. rV., Arts. VII. and VIII. THE CHURCH. 169 
 
 puted how it came to pass that God was to be worshipped with 
 such variety, as though indeed these observances were acts of 
 worship, arid not rather outward and political ordinances, per- 
 taining in no respect to righteousness of heart or the worship 
 of God, which vary, according to the circumstances, for certain 
 probable reasons, sometimes in one way, and at other times in 
 another [as in worldly governments one state has customs dif- 
 ferent from another]. Likewise some Churches have excom- 
 municated others because of such traditions, as the observance 
 of Easter, pictures and the like. 1 Hence the ignorant have 
 supposed that faith, or the righteousness of the heart before 
 God, cannot exist [and that no one ^an be a Christian] without 
 these observances. For many fooHsh writings of the Sum- 
 mists 2 and of others, concerning this matter are extant. 
 
 But just as dissimilar spaces of day and night do not in- 33 
 jure the unity of the Church, so we believe that the true unity 
 nf the Church is not injured by dissimilar rites instituted by 
 men. Although it is pleasing to us that, for the sake of tran- 
 quillity [unity and good order] universal rites be observed. 
 Just as also in the Churches, we willingly observe the order 
 of the mass, 3 the Lord's Day, and other more eminent festival 
 days. And with a very grateful mind, we embrace the profit- 
 able and ancient ordinances, especially since they contain a dis- 
 cipline, by which it is profitable to educate and instruct the 
 people and those who are ignorant. But now we are not dis- 34 
 cussing the question whether it be of advantage to observe them 
 on account of peace or bodily profit. Another matter is treated 
 of. For the question at issue is, whether the observances of 
 human traditions be acts of worship necessary for righteousness 
 before God. This is the point to be judged in this controversy, 
 and when this is decided, it can afterwards be judged whether 
 to the true unity of the Church it is necessary that human tra- 
 ditions should everywhere be alike. For if human traditions 
 be not acts of worship necessary for righteousness before God, 
 it follows that even they can be righteous and be the sons of 
 God who have not the traditions which have been received 
 lfift elsewhere. As if the style of German clothing is not 
 worship of God, necessary for righteousness before God, it 
 
 1 According to Eusebius (Ecclesiastical History, v. : 23-25), Victor, 
 Bishop of Rome (about 196, a. d.) excommunicated the Churches of Asia 
 Minor, on account of differences concerning the celebration of Easter. In 
 the eighth and ninth centuries, anathemas were pronounced in the Greek, 
 Roman and Frank Churches concerning images. 
 
 1 Those who wrote summaries either of canonical law, or ethics ; espe- 
 cially the scholastics of the thirteenth century. 
 
 8 The order of Lessons iu the Mass, Augsburg Confession, xxvi. 40. 
 22 
 
170 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 follows that men can be righteous, and sons of God, and 
 the Church of Christ, even though they use a costume that is 
 not ( rerman, hut French. 
 
 Paul clearly teaches this to the Colossians (2 : 16, 17) : " Let 35 
 no man, therefore, judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect 
 of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days; 
 which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of 
 Christ.'' Likewise (v. 20 sqq.) : " If ye be dead with Christ 
 from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the 
 world, are ye subject to ordinances (touch not ; taste not ; han- 
 dle not; which all are to perish with the using), after the com- 
 mandments and doctrines of men ? Which things have indeed 
 a show of wisdom in will-worship and humility." For the 36 
 meaning is : Since righteousness of the heart is a spiritual mat- 
 ter, quickening hearts, and it is evident that human traditions 
 do not quicken hearts, and are not effects of the Holy Ghost, as 
 are love to one's neighbor, chastity, etc., and are not instruments 
 through which God admonishes hearts to believe, as are the 
 divinely-given Word and sacraments, but are usages with re- 
 gard to matters that pertain in no respect to the heart, which 
 perish with the using, we must not believe that they are neces- 
 sarv for righteousness before God. And to the same effect, he 
 says, Rom. 14:17: "The kingdom of God is not meat and 
 drink ; but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." 
 But there is no need to cite many testimonies ; since they are 37 
 everywhere obvious in the Scriptures, and, in our Confession, 
 we have brought together very many of them, in the latter 
 articles. 1 And the point to be decided in this controversy must 
 be repeated afterwhile, viz. whether human traditions be acts of 
 worship necessary for righteousness before God? There we 
 will discuss this matter more fully. 
 
 The adversaries say that universal traditions are to be ob- 38 
 served because they are supposed to have been handed down by 
 the apostles. What religious men they are ! They wish that 
 the rites derived from the apostles be retained ; they do not 
 wish the doctrine of the apostles to be retained. They must 39 
 ifti j u dg e concerning these rites, just as the apostles them- 
 selves judge in their writings. For the apostles did not 
 wish us to believe that through such rites we are justified, that 
 such rites are necessary for righteousness before God. The 
 apostles did not wish to impose such a burden upon con- 
 sciences ; they did not wish to place righteousness and sin in 
 the observance of days, food and the like. Yea Paul calls 4*- 
 such opinions doctrines of devils (1 Tim. 4 : 1). Therefore the 
 will and advice of the apostles ought to be derived from their 
 
 1 Augsburg Confession, xxvl 22-29; xxviii. 44-48. 
 
Ch. IV., Arts. VII. and VIII. THE CHURCH. 171 
 
 writings; it is not enough to mention their example. They 
 observed certain days, not because this observance was necessary 
 for justification, but in order that the people might know at 
 what time they should assemble. They observed also certain 
 other rites, and order of lessons, whenever they assembled. 
 The people retained also from the customs of the fathers [from 
 their Jewish festivals and ceremonies], as is commonly the case, 
 certain things which, being somewhat changed, the fathers 
 adapted to the history of the Gospel, as the Passover, Pente- 
 cost, so that not only by teaching, but also through these ex- 
 amples, they might hand down to posterity the memory of the 
 most important subjects. But if these things were handed 41 
 down as necessary for justification, why afterwards did the 
 bishops change many things in these very matters? But if 
 they were matters of divine right it was not lawful to change 
 them by human authority. Before the Synod of Nice, some 42 
 observed Easter at one time, and others at another time. Nei- 
 ther did this want of uniformity injure faith. Afterward the 
 plan was adopted, by which our passover [Easter] did not fall 
 at the same time as that of the Jewish passover. But the apos- 
 tles had commanded the Churches to observe the passover with 
 the brethren who had been converted from Judaism. There- 
 fore after the Synod of Nice, certain nations tenaciously held to 
 the custom of observing the Jewish time. But the apostles, by 
 this decree, did not wish to impose necessity upon the Churches, 
 as the words of the. decree testify. For it bids no one to be 
 troubled, even though his brethren, in observing Easter, do not 
 compute the time aright. The words of the decree are extant 
 in Epiphanius : " Do not calculate, but celebrate it whenever 
 your brethren of the circumcision do ; celebrate it at the same time 
 with them, and even though they may have erred, let not this be 
 a care to you." Epiphanius writes that these are the words of 
 the apostles presented in a decree concerning Easter, in which 
 the discreet reader can easily judge that the apostles wished to 
 fre<* the people from the foolish opinion of a fixed time, when 
 they prohibit them from being troubled, even though a mistake 
 should be made in the computation. Some, 1 moreover, in the 4" 
 East, who were called, from the author of the dogma, Audians, 
 contended, on account of this decree of the apostles, that the 
 passover should be observed with the Jews. Epiphanius, in 
 refuting them, praises the decree, and says that it contains 
 nothing which deviates from the faith or rule of the Church, 
 and blames the Audians because they do not understand aright 
 the expression, and interprets it in the sense in which we inter- 
 pret it, because the apostles did not believe that it referred to 
 
 1 Germ, omits H 43, 44. 
 
172 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBUKU CONFESSION. 
 
 .nn the time in which the passover should be observed, but be- 
 cause the chief brethren had been converted from the Jews, 
 who observed their custom, and, for the sake of harmony, 
 w/shed the rest to follow their example. And the apostles 44 
 wisely admonished the reader neither to remove the liberty of 
 the Gospel, nor to impose necessity upon consciences, because 
 they add that they should not be troubled even though there 
 should be an error in making the computation. 
 
 Many things of this ckss can be inferred from the histories, 45 
 in which it appears that a want of uniformity in human ob- 
 servances does not injure the unity of faith [separate no one 
 from the universal Christian Church]. Although what need 
 is there of discussion ? The adversaries do not at all under- 
 stand what the righteousness of faith is, what the kingdom of 
 Christ is, if they judge that uniformity of observances in food, 
 days, clothing and the like, which do not have the command 
 of God, be necessary. But look at the religious men, our ad- 46 
 versaries. For the unity of the Church, they require uniform 
 human observances, although they themselves have changed the 
 ordinance of Christ in the use of the Supper, which certainly 
 was before a universal ordinance. But if universal ordinances 
 are so necessary, why do they themselves change the ordinance 
 of Christ's Supper, which is not human, but divine ? But con- 
 cerning this entire controversy, we will have to speak at differ- 
 ent times below. 
 
 VI.— Of the Eighth Article. 
 
 The entire eighth article has been approved, in which we 47 
 confess that hypocrites and wicked persons have been mingled 
 with the Church, and that the sacraments are efficacious even 
 though distributed by wicked ministers, because the ministers 
 act in the place of Christ, and do not represent their own per- 
 sons, according to Luke 10 : 16 : " He that heareth you, hear- 
 eth me." Impious teachers 1 are to be deserted, because these 43 
 do not act any longer in the place of Christ, but are antichrists. 
 And Christ says (Matt. 7 : 15) : "Beware of false prophets." 
 And Paul (Gal. 1:9): "If any man preach any other gospel 
 unto you, let him be accursed." 
 
 But Christ has warned us in his parables concerning the 49 
 Church, i hat, when offended by the private vices, whether of 
 priests or people, we should not excite schisms, as the Donat- 
 ists have wickedly done. We judge, as altogether seditious, 2 5c 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Art. viii. ; Large Catechism, 
 Part v., g 15 sqq. ; Formula of Concord, Sol. Dec. xii., U H 34. 
 
 1 /. e. They who teach what is impious. See Apology, xiv. : 2i, p. 290. 
 ' The followers of Wycliffe. Cf. Wycliffe's Dialogues, L. iv., Cap. 17. 
 
Ch. IV., Art. IX. BAPTISM. 1 73 
 
 luose indeed who excited schisms for the reason that they main- 
 tained that the priests should not be permitted to hold posses- 
 sions or property. For to hold that which is one's own is a 
 jgg civil ordinance. It is lawful, however, fcr Christians to 
 use civil ordinances, as the air, the light, food, drink. For 
 as nature and the fixed movements of the heavenly bodies, are 
 truly God's ordinances and we are preserved by God, so lawful 
 governments are truly God's ordinances, and are retained and 
 lefended by God against the devil. 
 
 Article IX. 
 
 Of Baptism. 
 
 The ninth article has been approved, in which we confess 51 
 that " baptism is necessary to salvation," and that " children 
 are to be baptized," and that " the baptism of children is not 
 in vain, but is necessary and effectual to salvation." And since 52 
 the Gospel is taught among us purely and diligently, by God's 
 favor we receive also from it this fruit, that in our Churches 
 no Anabaptists have arisen [have not gained ground in our 
 Churches], 1 because the people have been fortified by God's 
 Word, against the wicked and seditious faction of these rob- 
 bers. And as we condemn most other errors of the Anabap- 
 tists, we condemn this also, that they dispute that the baptism 
 of little children is unprofitable. For it is very certain that 
 the promise of salvation pertains also to little children [that 
 the divine promises of grace and of the Holy Ghost belong 
 not alone to the old, but also to children]. Neither indeed 
 does it pertain to those who are outside of Christ's Church, 
 where there is neither Word nor sacraments, because the king- 
 dom of Christ exists only with the Word and sacraments. 
 Therefore it is necessary to baptize little children, that the 
 promise of salvation may be applied to them, according to 
 Christ's command (Matt. 28:19): "Baptize all nations." 
 Just as there salvation is offered to all, so baptism is offered 
 to all, to men, women, children, infants. It oJearly follows, 
 therefore, that infants are to be baptized, because with baptism 
 salvation [the universal grace and treasure of the Gospel] is 
 offered. 
 
 Secondly, it is manifest that God approves of the baptism of 53 
 little children. Therefore the Anabaptists who condemn the bap- 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Nicene Creed, § 9; Augsburg Confession, Art. ix. : 
 Smalcald Articles, P. in., Art. v.; Small Catechism, P. iv. ; Large CatechLsm 
 Proleg. I 21, Part iv. ; Formula of Concord, Sol. Dec. xii. : 10-13; Yisitatior. 
 Articles, iii. 
 
 1 Reference is made especially to the Churches of Upper Saxony. F. 
 
171 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION 
 
 tism of little children, believe wickedly. That God, however, 
 approves of the baptism of little children, is shown by this, 
 viz. that God gives the Holy Ghost to those thus baptized [to 
 many who have been baptized in childhood]. For if this bap- 
 tism would be in vain, the Holy Ghost would be given to none, 
 none would be saved, and finally there would be no Church. 1 
 [For there have been many holy men in the Church .vho have 
 n>t been baptized otherwise.] This reason, even taken alone, 
 can sufficiently establish good and godly minds against the god- 
 less and fanatical opinions of the Anabaptists. 
 
 Article X. 
 
 Of the Holy Supper. 
 
 *n* The tenth article has been approved, in which we con- 54 
 
 fess that we believe, that, " in the Lord's Supper, the body 
 and blood of Christ are truly and substantially present, and are 
 truly tendered, with those things which are seen, bread and 
 wine, to those who receive the sacrament." This belief we 
 constantly defend, as the subject has been carefully examined 
 and considered. For since Paul says (1 Cor. 10 : 16) that the 
 bread is the communion of the Lord's body, it would follow, if 
 the Lord's body were not truly present, that bread is not a com- 
 munion of the body, but only of the Spirit of Christ. And 55 
 we have ascertained that not only the Roman Church affirms 
 the bodily presence of Christ, but the Greek Church also both 
 now believes and formerly believed the same. For the canon 
 of the Mass among them testifies to this, in which the priest 
 clearly prays that the bread may be changed and become the 
 very body of Christ. And Vulgarius, who seems to us to be 
 not a silly writer, says distinctly that " bread is not a mere fig- 
 ure, but is truly changed into flesh." And there is a long ex- 55 
 position of Cyril on John 15, in which he teaches that Christ 
 is corporeally offered us in the Supper. For he says thus : 
 " Nevertheless, we do not deny that we are joined spiritually 
 to Christ by true faith and sincere love. But that we have no . 
 mode of connection with him, according to the flesh, this indeed 
 we entirely deny. And this we say is altogether foreign to the 
 divine Scriptures. For who has doubted that Christ is thus a 
 vine, and we indeed are branches, deriving thence life for our- 
 selves ? Hear Paul saying (1 Cor. 10 : 17 ; Rom. 12:5; Gal. 
 3 : 28) that we are all one body in Christ, that, although ' we 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Aug. Conf., Art. x. ; Smalcald Articles, P. iii., Art. 
 vi. ; Small Catechism, Part v. ; Large Catechism, Proleg. \ 23 sqq., Part w. ; 
 Formula of Concord, Epitome, and Sol. Dec. c. vii. 
 
 1 These words are taken from Augustine, De pecc. merit, et remiss., L : 19 
 
Ch. Iv\, Akt. XI. CONFESSION. 1 75 
 
 are many, we are, nevertheless, one in him ; for we are all par- 
 takers of that one bread.' Does he perhaps think that the vir- 
 tue of the mystical benediction is unknown to us? Since this 
 is in us, does it not also by the communication of Christ's flesh, 
 cause Christ to dwell in us bodily?" And a little after : "Whence 
 we must consider that Christ is in us not only according to habit, 
 ivhich is understood as love, but also by natural participation," 
 etc. We have cited these testimonies, not to undertake a dis- 57 
 cussion here, concerning this subject (for His Imperial Majesty 
 does not disapprove of this article), but in order that all who 
 may read them, may the more clearly perceive that we defend 
 the doctrine received in the entire Church, that, in the Lord's 
 Supper, the body and blood of Christ are truly and substantially 
 present, and are truly tendered with those things which are seen, 
 bread and wine. And we speak of the presence of the living 
 Christ [living body] ; knowing that " death hath no more do- 
 minion over him " (Rom. 6 : 9). 
 
 Article XI. 
 
 Of Confession. 
 
 The eleventh article, " Of Retaining Absolution in the 58 
 Church," is approved. But they add a correction, in reference 
 to confession, viz. that the regulation be observed, headed, Om- 
 nis utriusque? and that annual confession be made, and although 
 all sins cannot be enumerated, yet that diligence be employed 
 in order that they be recollected, and those which can be re- 
 inr called, be recounted. Concerning this entire article, we will 
 speak at greater length afterwhile, 2 when we will explain 
 our entire opinion concerning repentance. It is well known 59 
 that we had so elucidated and honored [that we have preached, 
 written and taught in a manner so Christian, correct and pure] 
 the benefit of absolution and the power of the keys, that many 
 distressed consciences have derived consolation from our doctrine; 
 since they have heard that it is the command of God, nay rather 
 the utterance peculiar to the Gospel, that we should believe the 
 absolution, and regard it certain that the remission of sins is 
 freely granted us for Christ's sake ; and that we should believe 
 that, by this faith, we are truly reconciled to God [as though 
 we heard a voice from heaven]. This belief has encouraged 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Art. xi. ; xxv. ; Apology, Art 
 v.: 11 sqq., 169; Art. vi., 185; Smalcald Articles, Art. viii., 321; Small Cate- 
 chism, Part VI. 
 
 1 Canon xxi., Fourth Lateran Council, A. D. 1215. 
 * Apology, Art. v. 
 
171) THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 many godly minds, and, in the beginning, brought Luther the 
 best recommendation to all good men ; since it shows consciences 
 sure and firm consolation ; because previously the entire power 
 [entire necessary doctrine of repentance and] of absolution had 
 been kept suppressed by doctrines concerning works, since the 
 sophists and monks teach nothing of faith and free remission 
 Tbut pointed men to their own works, from which nothing but 
 oubt proceeds in alarmed consciences]. 
 But with respect to the time, certainly the most in our 60 
 churches use the sacraments, absolution and the Lord's Supper 
 frequently in a year. And those who teach of the worth and 
 fruits of the sacraments, speak in such a manner as to invite 
 the people to use the sacraments frequently. For concerning 
 this subject, there are many things extant written by our theo- 
 logians in such a manner, that the adversaries, if they are good 
 men, will undoubtedly approve and praise them. Excommu- 61 
 nication is also pronounced against the openly wicked and the 
 despisers of the sacraments. These things are thus done, both 
 according to the Gospel and according to the old canons. But 6? 
 a fixed time is not prescribed, because all are not ready in 
 like manner at the same time. Yea if all would hasten to- 
 gether at the same time, the people could not be heard and in- 
 structed in order [so diligently]. And the old canons and 
 Fathers did not appoint a fixed time. The canon speaks only 
 thus : l " If any enter the Church and be found never to com- 
 mune, let them be admonished. If they do not commune, let 
 them come to repentance. If they commune [if they wish to 
 be regarded Christians], let them not for ever be excluded. If 
 they have not done this, let them be excluded." Christ [Paul] 
 says (1 Cor. 11 : 29), that those who eat unworthily, eat judg- 
 ment to themselves. The pastors accordingly do not compel 
 those who are not qualified to use the sacraments, 
 iftfi Concerning the enumeration of sins in confession, men are 63 
 
 thus taught, in order that snares be not cast upon con- 
 sciences. Although it is of advantage to accustom inexperi- 
 enced men to enumerate some things, in order that they may be 
 the more readily taught, yet we are now discussing what is ne- 
 cessary according to divine law. Therefore, the adversaries 
 ought not to cite for us the regulation Omnis utriusque, which 
 is not unknown to us, but they ought to show from the divine 
 law that an enumeration of sins is necessary for obtaining theii 
 remission. The entire Church, throughout all Europe, knows 6a 
 what sort of snares, this point of the regulation, which com- 
 mands that all sins be confessed, has cast upon consciences. 
 Neither has the text by itself as much disadvantage as the 
 
 1 Council of Toledo, A. D. 400, Canon xiii. 
 
Ch. IV., Art. XL CONFESSION. 177 
 
 Sumniists afterwards imagined, who collect the circumstances 1 
 of the sins. What labyrinths were there ! How great a tor- 
 ture for the best minds ! For these incitements of terror 
 moved in no way licentious and profane men. 
 
 Afterwards what tragedies did the questions concerning one's 65 
 own priest, 2 excite among the pastors and brethren [monks of 
 various orders], who then were by no means brethren, when 
 they were warring concerning jurisdiction of confessions ! We, 
 therefore, believe that, according to divine law, the enumera- 
 tion of sins is not necessary. This also is pleasing to Panor- 
 raitanus and very many other learned jurisconsults. 3 Nor do 
 we wish to impose necessity upon the consciences of our people 
 by the regulation, Omnis utriusque, of which we judge, just as 
 of other human traditions, that they are not acts of worship 
 necessary for justification. And this regulation commands an 
 impossible matter, that we should confess all sins. It is evi- 
 dent, however, that we neither remember most sins, nor under- 
 stand them [nor do we indeed even see the greatest sins], 
 according to Ps. 19:13: " Who can understand his errors?" 
 
 If the pastors are good men, they will know how far it is of 66 
 advantage to examine [the young and otherwise] inexperienced 
 persons ; but we do not wish to sanction the torture of the 
 Summists, which notwithstanding would have been less intol- 
 erable if they had added one word concerning faith, which 
 comforts and encourages consciences. Now, concerning this 
 faith, which obtains the remission of sins, there is not a syl- 
 lable in so great a mass of constitutions, glosses, summaries, 
 books of confession. Christ is nowhere read there. Only the 
 lists of sins are read. And the greater part is occupied with 
 ,n~ sins against human traditions, and this is most vain. This 67 
 
 doctrine has forced to despair many godly minds, which 
 were not able to find rest, because they believed that by divine 
 law an enumeration was necessary : and yet they experienced 
 that it was impossible. But other faults of no less moment 
 
 nhere in the doctrine of the adversaries concerning repentance, 
 
 vhich we will now recount. 
 
 1 Council of Trent also requires confession of these, I 14, cap. 5. 
 1 The " Omnis utriusque" commands that to him all sins be confessed. 
 * Augsburg Confession, xxv. : 12. 
 23 
 
178 THE APOI/OUY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Article XII. 
 
 Of Repentance. 
 
 In the twelfth article they approve of the first part, in which i 
 we set forth that, to those who have fallen since baptism, the 
 remission of sins can be imparted at whatever time, and as often 
 as they are converted. They condemn the second part, in which 
 we say th:it the parts of repentance are contrition and faith [a 
 penitent, contrite heart, and faith, that I believe that I receive 
 the forgiveness of sins through Christ]. They say that faith 
 is not the second part of repentance. What are we to do here, 3 
 O Charles, thou most invincible Emperor? The utterance pe- 
 culiar to the Gospel is this, that by faith we obtain the remis- 
 sion of sins. [This word is not our word, but the voice and 
 word of Jesus Christ our Saviour.] This voice of the Gospel 
 these writers of the confutation condemn. We, therefore, can 
 in no way assent to the confutation. We cannot condemn the 
 utterance of the Gospel so salutary and abounding in consola- 
 tion. What else is the denial that by faith we obtain remission 
 of sins, but to treat the blood and death of Christ with scorn ? 
 We, therefore, beseech thee, O Charles, most invincible Em- 3 
 peror, to patiently and diligently hear and consider us concern- 
 ing this very important subject, which contains the chief topic 
 of the Gospel, and the true knowledge of Christ, and the true 
 worship of God. For all good men will ascertain that on this 
 subject we have taught especially things that are true, godly, 
 salutary and necessary for the whole Church of Christ. They 
 will ascertain from the writings of our theologians that very 
 much light has been added to the Gospel, and many pernicious 
 errors have been corrected, by which, through the opinions of 
 the scholastics and canonists, the doctrine of repentance was 
 previously covered. 
 , fi o Before we come to the defence of our position we must 4 
 
 say this first ; All good men of all ranks, and also of the 
 theological rank, undoubtedly confess that before the writings 
 of Luther appeared, the doctrine of repentance was very much 
 confused. The books of the Sententiaries are extant, in which 
 there are innumerable questions, which no theologians were 
 ever able to explain satisfactorily. The people were able 
 neither to comprehend the sum of the matter, nor to see what 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Aug. Confess., Art. xii. ; Sraal. Art., Part iii., Art 
 iii., vii. ; Large Catechism, Part iv., \ 64 sqq. ; Formula of Concord, Epitomt 
 ami Sol. Dec. c. v. Cf Apology, Chap, ii., Art. iv., \ 61 ; Chap, iv., Art. xL. 
 
Ch. V m Art. XII. REPENTANCE. 179 
 
 things especially were required in repentance, where peace of 
 
 conscience was to be sought for. Let any one of the adver- 5 
 
 saries come forth and tell us when remission of sins takes place. 
 
 O good God, what darkness there is ! Thev doubt whether it 
 
 1 . *. . 
 
 be in attrition 1 or in contrition that remission of sins occurs. 
 
 And if it occur on account of contrition, what need is there of 
 absolution, what does the power of the keys effect, if sin have 
 been already remitted? Here indeed they also labor much 
 more, and wickedly detract from the power of the keys. Some 6 
 dream that, by the power of the keys, guilt is not remitted, but 
 that eternal are changed into temporal punishments. Thus the 
 most salutary power would be the ministry not of life and the 
 Spirit, but only of wrath and punishments. Others, namely 7 
 the more cautious, imagine that by the power of the keys, sins 
 are remitted before the Church, and not before God. This also 
 is a pernicious error. For if the power of the keys do not con- 
 sole us before God, what then will pacify the conscience ? Still 
 more involved is what follows. They teach that by contrition 8 
 we merit grace. In reference to which if any one would ask 
 why Saul and Judas and similar persons who were dreadfully 
 contrite did not merit grace, reply must here be made, accord- 
 ing to faith and according to the Gospel, that Judas did not 
 believe, that he did not support himself by the Gospel and 
 promise of Christ. For faith shows the distinction between 
 the contrition of Judas and of Peter. But the adversaries 
 reply concerning the Law, that Judas did not love God, but 
 feared the punishments. 
 
 When, however, will a terrified conscience, especially in those 9 
 serious, true and great terrors which are described in the psalms 
 and the prophets, and which those certainly taste who are truly 
 converted, be able to decide whether it fear God for his own 
 sake [out of love it fear God, as its God], or be fleeing from 
 eternal punishments? These great emotions can be distin- 
 guished in letters and terms ; they are not thus separated in 
 fact, as these sw r eet sophists dream. Here we appeal to the 10 
 judgments of all good and wise men [who also desire to know 
 the truth]. They undoubtedly will confess that these discus- 
 sions in the writings of the adversaries are very confused and 
 intricate. And nevertheless the most important subject is at 
 lfi q stake, the chief topic of the Gospel, the remission of sins. 
 This entire doctrine concerning these questions which we 
 have reviewed, is in the writings of the adversaries, full of 
 errors and hypocrisy, and obscures the benefit of Christ, the 
 power of the keys and the righteousness of faith [to inexpress- 
 ible injury of conscience]. 
 
 1 Cf. Smalcald Articles, Part iii., Art. ill., 2 16, p. 314. 
 
180 TfTE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 These things occur in the first act. What when they oomen 
 to confession f What a work there is in the endless enumera- 
 tion of sins, which is nevertheless, in great part, devoted to 
 those against human traditions ! And in order that good minds 
 may by this means be the more tortured, they imagine that this 
 enumeration is of divine right. And when they demand this is 
 enumeration under the pretext of divine right, in the mean time 
 they speak coldly concerning absolution, which is truly of di- 
 vine right. They falsely assert that the sacrament itself con- 
 fers grace ex opere operate* without a good disposition on the 
 part of the one using it; no mention is made of faith appre- 
 hending the absolution and consoling the conscience. This is 
 truly what is generally called dnisvat npb zcou {luarypuov, de- 
 parting from the mysteries. 
 
 The third act [of this play] remains, concerning satisfactions. 13 
 But this contains the most confused discussions. They imagine 
 that eternal punishments are commuted to the punishments of 
 purgatory, and teach that a part of these is remitted by the 
 power of the keys, and that a part is to be redeemed by means 
 of satisfactions. 1 They add further that satisfactions ought to 14 
 be works of supererogation, and they make these consist of 
 most foolish observances, such as pilgrimages, rosaries or similar 
 observances which do not have the command of God. Then, 1 5 
 just as they redeem purgatory by means of satisfactions, so an 
 act of redeeming satisfactions which was most abundant in rev- 
 enue, was devised. For they sell indulgences which they inter- 
 pret as remissions of satisfactions. And this revenue is not only 
 from the living, but is much more ample from the dead. Nor 
 do they redeem the satisfactions of the dead only by indulgences, 
 but also by the sacrifice of the Mass. 2 In a word, the subject 16 
 .-Q of satisfactions is infinite. Among these scandals, for we 
 cannot enumerate all things, the doctrine of the righteous- 
 ness of faith in Christ, and the benefit of Christ also lie cov- 
 ered by the doctrine of devils. Wherefore, all good men un- 
 derstand that the doctrine of the sophists and canonists concern- 
 ing repentance is properly and justly censured. For the fol- 
 lowing dogmas are clearly false, and foreign not only to Holy 
 Scripture, but also to the Church Fathers : 
 
 I. That from the divine covenant, we merit grace by good 17 
 works wrought without grace. 
 
 II. That by attrition, we merit grace. 18 
 
 III. That for the blotting out of sin, the mere detestation 19 
 of the crime is sufficient. 
 
 1 Apology, c. vi., Art. xii., \\ 26, 37, p. 189 sq. 
 
 ' Apology, c. xii., Art. xxiv., \\ 64, 91, pp. 264, 268. 
 
Ch. V., Art. XII. REPENTANCE. 181 
 
 IV. That, on account of contrition, and not by faith in 20 
 Christ, we obtain remission of sins. 
 
 V. That the power of the keys avails for the remission of 21 
 sins, not before God, but before the Church. 
 
 VI. That by the power of the keys, sins are not remitted 22 
 before God, but that the power of the keys lias been instituted 
 to commute eternal to temporal punishments, to impose upon 
 consciences certain satisfactions, to institute new acts of wor- 
 ship, and to oblige consciences to such satisfactions and acts of 
 worship. 
 
 VII. That according to divine right, the enumeration of 23 
 offences in confession, concerning which the adversaries teach, 
 
 is necessary. 
 
 VIII. That canonical satisfactions are necessary for redeem- 24 
 ing the punishment of purgatory, or they profit as a compensa- 
 tion for the blotting out of guilt. For thus uninformed per- 
 sons understand it. 
 
 IX. That the reception of the sacrament of repentance ex 25 
 opere operato, without a good disposition on the part of the one 
 using it, i. e, without faith in Christ, obtains grace. 
 
 X. That by the power of the keys, our souls are freed from 26 
 purgatory through indulgences. 
 
 XI. That, in the reservation of cases, 1 not only canonical 27 
 punishment, but the guilt also, ought to be reserved in reference 
 to one who is truly converted. 
 
 . 71 In order, therefore, to deliver pious consciences from 28 
 
 these labyrinths of the sophists, we have ascribed to repent- 
 ance these two parts, viz. contrition and faith. If any one de- 
 sire to add a third, viz. fruits worthy of repentance, i. e. a 
 change of the entire life and character for the better [good 
 works following conversion], we will not make any opposition. 2 
 From contrition, we separate those idle and infinite discussions, 29 
 as to when we grieve from love of God, and when from fear 
 of punishment.. But we say that contrition is the true terror 
 of conscience, which feels that God is angry with sin, and 
 which grieves that it has sinned. And this contrition thus 
 occurs, when sins are censured from the Word of God, because 
 the sum of the preaching of the Gospel is this, viz. to convict 
 
 1 The more atrocious crimes which the Pope and his bishops reserve for 
 their own judgment. 
 
 1 Var. adds : Neither are we ignorant that with the grammarians the 
 term pceniteniia signifies to disapprove that which we before approved. 
 This agrees better with contrition than with faith. But for the purpose 
 of teaching, we here understand repentance to be the entire conversion, 
 in which there are two termini, mortification and quickening. According 
 to the usual names we call them contrition and faith. 
 
182 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONK ESSION 
 
 of sin, and to offer for Christ's sake the remission of sin^ and 
 righteousness, and the Holy Ghost, and eternal life, and tl at as 
 regenerate men we should do good works. Thus Christ com- 3c 
 prises the sum of the Gospel, when he says in the last chapter 
 of Luke (v. 47): "That repentance and remission of sins 
 should be preached in my name among all nations." And of 3! 
 these terrors, Scripture speaks, as Ps. 38:4,8: "For mine 
 iniquities are gone over mine head, as a heavy burden they are 
 
 too heavy for me I am feeble and sore broken ; I 
 
 have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart." And 
 Ps. 6 : 2, 3 : " Have mercy upon me, O Lord ; for I am weak ; 
 O Lord, heal me ; for my bones are vexed. My soul is also 
 sore vexed; but thou, O Lord, how long?" And Isa. 38 : 10, 
 13 : "I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the 
 gates of the grave : I am deprived of the residue of my years. 
 . . . . I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he 
 break all my bones." In these terrors, conscience feels the 32 
 wrath of God against siu, which is unknown to secure men 
 walking according to the flesh [as the sophists and their like]. 
 It sees the turpitude of sin, and seriously grieves that it has 
 sinned; meanwhile it also flees from the dreadful wrath of 
 God, because human nature, unless sustained by the Word of 
 God, cannot endure it. Thus Paul says (Gal. 2:19): " 1 33 
 through the Law, am dead to the Law." For the Law only 34 
 accuses and terrifies consciences. In these terrors, our adver- 
 saries say nothing of faith ; they present only the Word which 
 convicts of sin. When this is taught alone, it is the doctrine 
 of the Law, not of the Gospel. By these griefs and terrors, 
 they say that men merit grace, if they still love God. But 
 how will men love God when they feel the terrible and inex- 
 pressible wrath of God ? What else than despair do those teach 
 who, in these terrors, display only the Law? 
 172 ^ e therefore add as the second part of repentance, Of 35 
 
 Faith in Christ, that in these terrors the Gospel concern- 
 ing Christ ought to be set forth to conscience, in which Gos- 
 pel the remission of sins is freely promised concerning Christ. 
 Therefore, they ought to believe that for Christ's sake sins are 
 freely remitted to them. This faith cheers, sustains, and quick- j6 
 ens the contrite, according to Rom. 5:1: " Being justified by 
 faith, we have peace with God." This faith obtains the remis- 
 sion of sins. This faith justifies before God, as the same pas- 
 sage testifies: " Being justified by faith." This faith shows 
 the distinction between the contrition of Judas and Peter, of 
 Saul and of David. The contrition of Judas or Saul is of no 
 avail, for the reason that to this there is not added this faith, 
 which apprehends the remission of sins, bestowed as a gift for 
 Christ's sake. The contrition of David or Peter avails, because 37 
 
Ch. V., Abt. XII. REPENTANCE. 183 
 
 to it there is added faith, which apprehends the remission of 
 sins granted for Christ's sake. Neither is love present before 
 reconciliation has been made by faith. For without Christ, the 
 Law [God's Law or the First Commandment] is not performed, 
 according to Eph. 2:8; Rom. 5:2: " By Christ we have ac- 
 cess to God." And this faith grows gradually and throughout 
 the entire life, struggles with sin [is tested by various tempta- 
 tions] in order to overcome sin and death. But love follows 
 faith, as we have above said. And thus filial fear can be clearly 58 
 defined as such anxiety as has been connected with faith, i. e. 
 where faith consoles and sustains the anxious heart. Servile 
 fear is where faith does not sustain the anxious heart [is fear 
 without faith, where there is nothing but wrath and doubt]. 
 
 Moreover, the power of the keys administers and presents 39 
 the Gospel through absolution, which is the true voice of the 
 Gospel. Thus we also comprise absolution, when we speak of 
 faith, because "faith cometh by hearing" (Rom. 10 : 17). For 
 when the Gospel is heard, and the absolution [i. e. the promise 
 of divine grace] is heard, the conscience is encouraged, and re- 
 ceives consolation. And because God truly quickens through 4c 
 «~o the Word, the keys truly remit sins before God, according 
 to Luke 10:16: "He that heareth you heareth me." 
 Wherefore the voice of the one absolving must be believed not 
 otherwise than we would believe a voice from heaven. And 41 
 absolution properly can be called a sacrament of repentance, as 
 also the more learned scholastic theologians speak. Meanwhile 42 
 this faith is nourished in a manifold way in temptations, through 
 the declarations of the Gospel [the hearing of sermons, read- 
 ing] and the use of the sacraments. For these are [seals and] 
 signs of the New Testament, i. e. signs of the remission of 
 sins. They offer, therefore, the remission of sins, as the words 
 of the Lord's Supper clearly testify (Matt. 26 : 26, 28) : "This 
 is my body which is given for you. This is the cup of the 
 New Testament," etc. Thus faith is conceived and strength- 
 ened through absolution, through the hearing of the Gospel, 
 through the use of the sacraments, so that it may not succumb 
 while it struggles with the terrors of sin and death. This i\ 
 theory of repentance is plain and clear, and increases the worth 
 of the power of the keys and of the sacraments, and illumines 
 the benefit of Christ, and teaches us to avail ourselves of Christ 
 as Mediator and Propitiator. 
 
 But as the confutation condemns us for having assigned theses 
 two parts to repentance, we must show that Scripture expresses 
 these as the chief parts in repentance or conversion. For 
 Christ says (Matt. 11 : 28): "Come unto me, all ye that labor 
 and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Here there 
 are two members. The "labor" and the "burden" signify 
 
i'Sl THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG OONFESSJON. 
 
 the contrition, anxiety and terrors of sin and of death. "To 
 come to Christ" is to believe that sins are remitted for Christ's 
 sake; when we believe our hearts are quickened by the Holy 
 Ghost through the Word of Christ. Here, therefore, there are4j 
 these two chief parts, contrition and faith. And in Mark 1 : 
 15, Christ says: "Repent ye and believe the Gospel." As in 
 the first member, he convicts of sins, in the latter he consoles 
 us, and shows the remission of sins. For to believe the Gos- 
 pel is not that general faith which devils also have [is not only 
 to believe the history of the Gospel], but it is peculiarly to be- 
 lieve that the remission of sins has been granted for Christ's 
 sake. For this is revealed in the Gospel. You see also here 
 that the two parts are joined, contrition when sins are reproved, 
 and faith, when it is said : " Believe the Gospel." If any one 
 should say here that Christ includes also the fruits of repent- 
 ance or the entire new life, we will not dissent. For this suf- 
 ~a fices us, that contrition and faith are named as the chief 
 parts. 
 
 Paul almost everywhere, when he describes conversion or re- 46 
 newal, designates these two parts, mortification and quickening, 
 as in Col. 2:11: "In whom also ye are circumcised with the 
 circumcision made without hands," viz. by the "putting off the 
 body of the sins of the flesh." And afterward (v. 12) : " Where- 
 in also ye are risen with him, through the faith of the opera- 
 tion of God." Here are two parts. One is the putting off the 
 body of sins ; the other is the rising again through faith. 
 Neither ought these words, mortification, quickening, putting 
 off the body of sins, rising again, to be understood in a Pla- 
 tonic way, concerning a feigned change ; but mortification sig- 
 nifies true terrors, such as those of the dying, which nature 
 cannot sustain unless it be supported by faith. So he names 
 that as " the putting off of the body of sins," which we ordi- 
 narily call contrition, because in these griefs the natural con- 
 cupiscence is purged away. And quickening ought not to be 
 understood as a Platonic fancy, but as consolation which truly 
 sustains life that is escaping in contrition. Here, therefore, are 47 
 two parts : contrition and faith. For as conscience cannot be 
 pacified except by faith, therefore faith alone quickens, accord- 
 ing to the declaration (Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17): "The just 
 shall live by faith." 
 
 And then in Col. 2 : 14, it is said that Christ blots out the 4$ 
 handwriting which through the Law is against us. Here also 
 there are two parts, the handwriting, and the blotting out of 
 the handwriting. The handwriting, however, is conscience, 
 convicting and condemning us. The Law moreover is the 
 word which reproves and condemns sins. Therefore, this ut- 
 terance which says, " I have sinned against the Lord," as Da- 
 
Ch. V., Art. XII. REPENTANCE. 18S 
 
 vicl says (2 Sam. 12 : 13), is the handwriting. And wicked and 
 secure men do not seriously give forth this utterance. For they 
 do not see, they do not read the sentence of the Law written in 
 the heart. In true griefs and terrors, this sentence is perceived. 
 Therefore the handwriting which condemns us is contrition it- 
 self. To blot out the handwriting is to expunge this sentence, 
 l>y which we declare that we are condemned, and to engross 
 (he sentence, according to which we know that we have been 
 treed from this condemnation. But faith is the new sentence 
 which reverses the former sentence, and gives peace and life to 
 the heart. 
 
 Although what need is there to cite man)- testimonies, since 49 
 they are everywhere obvious in the Scriptures? Ps. 117 (118 : 
 18) : " The Lord hath chastened me sore ; but he hath not given 
 me over unto death." Ps. 118 (119 : 28) : " My soul melteth for 
 heaviness ; strengthen thou me, according unto thy word." 
 Here in the first member, contrition is contained, and in the 
 second the mode is clearly described, how in contrition we are 
 revived, viz. by the word of God, which offers grace. This 50 
 ^ sustains and quickens hearts. And 1 Kings 2 (1 Sam. 
 2:6): " The Lord killeth and maketh alive ; he bringeth 
 down to the grave and bringeth up." By one of these, contri- 
 tion is signified ; by the other, faith is signified. And Isa. 51 
 28 : 21 : " The Lord shall be wroth, that he may do his work, 
 his strange work ; and bring to pass his act, his strange act." 
 He calls it the strange work of the Lord, when he terrifies, be- 
 cause to quicken and console is God's own work. [Other 
 works, as to terrify and to kill, are not God's own works, for 
 God only quickens.] But he terrifies, he says, for this reason, 
 viz. that there may be a place for consolation and quickening, 
 because hearts that are secure and do not feel the wrath of God 
 loath consolation. In this manner, Scripture is accustomed to .52 
 join these two, the terrors and the consolation, in order to teach 
 that in repentance there are these chief members, contrition and 
 faith that consoles and justifies. Neither do we see how the 
 nature of repentance can be presented more clearly and simply. 
 [We know with certainty that God thus works in his Christians 
 in the Church]. 
 
 For the two chief works of God in men are these, to terrify, 5J 
 and to justify and quicken those who have been terrified. Into 
 these two works all Scripture has been distributed. Ihe one 
 part is the Law, which shows, reproves and condemns sins. 
 The other part is the Gospel, i. e. the promise of grace be- 
 stowed in Christ, and this promise is constantly repeated in the 
 whole of Scripture, first having been delivered to Adam [" I 
 will put enmity," etc. (Gen. 3 : 15)] : afterwards to the patri- 
 archs; then, still more clearly proclaimed by the prophets; 
 
 24 
 
J 86 TEE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 lastly, preached and set forth among the Jews by Christ, and 
 
 disseminated over the entire world by the apostles. For all the 54 
 saints were justified by faith in this promise, and not by their 
 own attrition or contrition. 
 
 And the examples of their lives show likewise these two 55 
 parts. After his sin, Adam is reproved, and becomes terrified; 
 this was contrition. Afterward God promise? grace, and speaks 
 of a future seed (the blessed seed, i. e. Chiist), by which the 
 kingdom of the devil, death and sin will be destroved ; there 
 he oilers the remission of sins. These are the chief things. 
 For although the punishment is afterwards added, yet this pun- 
 . 7 p ishment does not merit the remission of sin. And con- 
 cerning this kind of punishment, we will speak after a 
 while. 
 
 So David is reproved by Nathan, and, terrified, says (2 Sam. 56 
 12:13): " I have sinned against the Lord." This is contri- 
 tion. Afterward he hears the absolution : " The Lord also 
 hath put away thy sin ; thou shalt not die." This voice en- 
 courages David, and by faith sustains, justifies and quickens 
 him. Here a punishment is also added, but this punishment 
 does not merit the remission of sins. Nor are special punish- 57 
 ments always added, but in repentance these two things ought 
 always to exist, viz. contrition and faith, as Luke 7 : 37, 38. 
 The woman which was a sinner came to Christ weeping. By 
 these tears, the contrition is recognized. Afterward she hears 
 the absolution : u Thy sins are forgiven ; thy faith hath saved 
 thee ; go in peace." This is the second part of repentance, viz. 
 faith which encourages and consoles her. From all these, it is 58 
 apparent to godly readers that we assign to repentance those 
 parts which properly belong to it in conversion, or regeneration 
 and the remission of sin. Worthy fruits and punishment (like- 
 wise, patience that we be willing to bear the cross, and punish- 
 ments, which God lays upon the old Adam), follow regeneration 
 and the remission of sin. We have mentioned these two parts 
 in order that the faith which we require in repentance (of which 
 the sophists and canonists have all been silent) might be the 
 better seen. And what that faith is, which the Gospel pro- 
 claims, can be better understood when it is set over against 
 contrition and mortification. 1 
 
 1 Var. adds : And in order that the whole world may see how great ia 
 the want of acquaintance with true godliness in our critics, who have writ- 
 ten the Confutation, we will add also the judgment of Bernard, who joins 
 the two members in repentance, contrition and faith, precisely in the same 
 manner that we do. In his third sermon concerning the Annunciation, 
 these words occur: "'Cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the 
 moning, for in thee do I trust ' ^'Ps. 143 : 8). Hope alone doubtless ob 
 
Ch. V., Art. XII. REPENTANCE. 187 
 
 But as the adversaries expressly condemn our statement that 59 
 men obtain the remission of sins by faith, we will add a few 
 proofs, from which it will be understood that the remission of 
 sins occurs not ex opere operato because of contrition, but by 
 that special faith by which an individual believes that sins are 
 remitted to him. For this is the chief article, concerning which 
 we are contending with our adversaries, and whose knowledge 
 we regard especially necessary to all Christians. As, however, 
 it appears that we have spoken sufficiently above concerning 
 the same subject, we will here be briefer. For very closely re- 
 lated are the topics of the doctrine of repentance and the doc- 
 trine of justification. 
 ««_ When the adversaries speak of faith, and say that it 6c 
 
 precedes repentance, they understand by faith, not that 
 which justifies, but that which, in a general way, believes that 
 God exists, that punishments have been threatened to the wick- 
 ed [that there is a hell], etc. In addition to this faith we re- 
 quire that each one believe that his sins are remitted him. 
 Concerning this special faith we are disputing, and we oppose 
 it to the opinion which bids us trust not in the promise of 
 
 tains with thee the place of compassion, neither dost thou place the oil 
 of mercy except in the vessel of trust. But it is a faithless trust, capable 
 assuredly of cursing only, since we evidently sin in hope. Although it 
 ought not to be called trust, but an insensibility and pernicious dissimu- 
 lation. For what is trust to one who does not attend to danger ? Or what 
 remedy is there for fear, where neither fear is perceived, nor the matter 
 itself of fear? Trust is a solace; but he does not need solace who re- 
 joices when he has done wrong, and exults rather in the worst things. 
 Therefore, let us ask, brethren, and desire that the answer be given us as 
 to how great are the iniquities and sins which we have, and that our 
 crimes and offences be shown us. Let us search our ways, and with earn- 
 est attention examine all our pursuits and dangers. Let every one say 
 in his fear : ' I will go to the gates of hell/ so that now we may take courage 
 in no other way than in the mercy alone of God. This is the true confi- 
 dence of man forsaking self and relying on his Lord. This I say is true 
 confidence, to which mercy is not denied, according to the testimony of 
 the prophet: ' Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, 
 upon them that hope in his mercy ' (Ps. 33 : 18). Neither assuredly does 
 a small trust suffice us ; in us indeed there is cause of fear : but in him 
 cause of trust." Thus far Bernard, whose opinion we have gladly quoted 
 in order that readers may see how we here understand faith as referring 
 to trust in mercy, which cheers and consoles the terrified, which he is 
 right in calling trust. And this can be clearly seen when there is an 
 opposition of terrors and of consolation. Just as Bernard here wishes 
 the knowledge of sins or contrition or terrors to exist in men, and wishes 
 trust to be added, which cheers in contrition. 
 
188 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 Christ, but in the opus opcratum of contrition, confession, and 
 satisfactions, etc. This faith follows terrors in such a manner 
 as to overcome them, and render the conscience pacified. To 
 this faith we ascribe justification and regeneration, while it frees 
 from terrors, and brings forth in the heart not only peace and 
 joy, but also a new life. We maintain that this faith is truly 
 necessary for the remission of sins, and accordingly place it 
 among the parts of repentance. Nor does the Church of Christ 
 )elieve otherwise, although our adversaries contradict us. 
 
 Moreover, in the beginning, we ask the adversaries whether i i 
 to receive absolution be a part of repentance, or not? But if 
 they separate it from confession, as they are subtile in making 
 the distinction, we do not see of what avail confession is with- 
 out absolution. If, however, they do not separate the receiving 
 absolution from confession, it is necessary for them to hold that 
 faith is a part of repentance, because absolution is not received 
 unless by faith. That absolution, however, is not received un- 
 less by faith, can be proved from Paul, who teaches (Rom. 4 : 
 16) that the promise cannot be received unless by faith. But 
 absolution is the promise of the remission of sins. Therefore, 62 
 it necessarily requires faith. Neither do we see how he who 
 does not assent to it, may be said to receive absolution. And 
 what else is the refusal to assent to absolution, but the charging 
 God with falsehood ? If the heart doubt, it regards those 
 things which God promises as uncertain and of no account. 
 Accordingly, in John 5 : 10 it is written : " He that believeth 
 not God, hath made him a liar ; because he believeth not the 
 record that God gave of his Son." 
 
 Secondly, we think that the adversaries acknowledge that the 63 
 «-« remission of sins is either a part, or the end, or, to speak 
 in their manner, the terminus ad quern of repentance [for 
 what does repentance help, if the forgiveness of sins be not 
 obtained?]. Therefore that, by which the remission of sins is 
 received, is correctly added to the parts of repentance. It is 
 /ery certain, however, that even though all the gates of hell 
 •ontradict us, yet the remission of sins cannot be received un- 
 less by faith alone, which believes that sins are remitted for 
 Christ's sake, according to Rom. 3 : 25 : " Whom God hath set 
 forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood." Like- 
 wise Rom. 5:2: " By whom also we have access by faith unto 
 grace," etc. For a teriified conscience cannot set over against 64 
 God's wrath our works or our love, but it is at length pacified, 
 when it apprehends Christ as Mediator, and believes the prom- 
 isps given for his sake. For those who dream that, without 
 faith in Christ, hearts become pacified, do not understand what 
 the remission of sins is, or how it came to us. Peter (1 Ep. 2 : 65 
 0) cites from Isa. (49 : 23, and 28 : 16) : " He thaf believeth on 
 
Ch. V., Art. XII. KEPENTANCE U<9 
 
 him, shall not be confounded." It is necessary therefore, that 
 hypocrites be confounded, who are confident that they receive 
 the remission of sins because of their own works, and not be- 
 cause of Christ. Peter also says in Acts 10:43: "To him 
 give all the prophets witness, that through his name, whoso- 
 ever believeth in him, shall receive remission of sins." What 
 lie says, "through his name," could not be expressed more 
 clearly, and he adds : " Whosoever believeth in him." Thus 
 therefore we receive the remission of sins only through the 
 name of Christ, i. e. for Christ's sake, and not for the sake of 
 any merits and works of our own. And this occurs when we 
 believe that sins are remitted to us for Christ's sake. 
 
 Our adversaries cry out that they are the Church, that they 66 
 are following the consensus of the Church [what the Catholic, 
 universal Church holds]. But Peter also here cites in our be- 
 half the consensus of the Church : " To him give all the 
 prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever believeth 
 in him, shall receive remission of sins," etc. The consensus 
 of the prophets is assuredly to be judged as the consensus of 
 the Church universal. [I verily think that if all the holy 
 prophets were to unanimously agree in a declaration (since God 
 regards even a single prophet as an inestimable treasure), it 
 would also be a decree, a declaration, and a unanimous strong 
 conclusion of the universal, Catholic, Christian, holy Church, 
 and would be justly regarded such.] We concede neither to 
 the Pope, nor to the Church, the power to make decrees against 
 this consensus of the prophets. But the bull of Leo openly 67 
 condemns this article, " Of the Remission of Sins," and the ad- 
 versaries condemn it in the Confutation. From which it is ap- 
 parent what sort of a Church we must judge that of these men 
 to be, who not only by their decrees censure the doctrine that 
 j 7 q we obtain the remission of sins by faith, not on account 
 of our works, but on account of Christ, but who also give 
 the command, by force and the sword to abolish it, and by 
 every kind of cruelty to put to death good men, who thus 
 believe. 
 
 But they have authors of a great name, Scotus, Gabriel, and 68 
 the like, and passages of the Fathers which are cited in a muti- 
 lated form in the decrees. Certainly if the testimonies are to 
 be counted, they surpass us. For there is a very great crowd 
 of most trifling writers upon the Sententke, who, as though they 
 had conspired, defend these figments concerning the merit of 
 attrition, and of works, and other things, which we have above 
 recounted. But lest any one may be moved by the multitude 69 
 of citations, there is no great weight in the testimonies of the 
 later writers, who did not originate their own writings, but 
 onlv by compiling from the writers before them, transferred 
 
190 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 these opinions from some bonks into others. They have exer- 
 cised do judgment, Imt just like pedarii senators silently have 
 approved tne errors of their superiors, which they have not un- 
 derstood. Let ns not, therefore, hesitate to oppose this utter-70 
 ance of Peter, which cites the consensus of the prophets, to 
 ever so many legions of the Sententiaries. And to this utter- 71 
 ance of Peter, the testimony of the Holy Ghosl is added. For 
 the text speaks thus (Acts 10:44): "While Peter yet spake 
 ihese words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the 
 Word." Therefore, let pious consciences know that the corn- 7a 
 mand of God is this, that they believe that they are freely for- 
 given for Christ's sake, and not for the sake of onr works. 
 And by this command of God, let them sustain themselves 
 against despair, and against the terrors of sin and of death. 
 And let them know that this belief has existed among saints 73 
 from the beginning of the world. [Of this the idle sophists 
 know little; and the blessed proclamation, the Gospel, which 
 proclaims the forgiveness of sins through the blessed seed, that 
 is Christ, has from the beginning of the world been the greatest 
 consolation and treasure to all pious kings, all prophets, all be- 
 lievers. For they have believed in the same Christ in whom 
 we believe ; for from the beginning of the world no saint has 
 been saved in any other way than through the faith of the same 
 Gospel. Therefore Peter says also, etc.] For Peter clearly 
 cites the consensus of the prophets, and the writings of the 
 apostles testify that they believe the same thing. Nor are tes- 
 timonies of the Fathers wanting. For Bernard says the same 
 thing in words that are in no way obscure : " For it is necessary 
 first of all to believe that you cannot have remission of sins, 
 unless by the indulgence of God, but add yet that you believe 
 this, viz. that through him sins are forgiven thee. This is the 
 testimony which the Holy Ghost asserts in thy heart, saying: 
 ' Thy sins are forgiven thee/ For thus the apostle judges that 
 man is justified freely through faith." These words of Ber- 74 
 nard shed light upon our cause wonderfully, because he not 
 only requires that we in a general way believe that sins are re 
 lg» mitted through mercy, but he bids us add special faith, 
 by which we believe that sins are remitted even to us; 
 and he teaches how we may be rendered certain concerning the 
 remission of sins, viz. when our hearts are encouraged ly faith, 
 and become tranquil through the Holy Ghost. What more do 
 the adversaries require? [But how now, ye adversaries? Is 
 St. Bernard also a heretic?] Do they still dare to deny that 
 by faith we obtain the remission of sins, or that faith is a part 
 of repentance? 
 
 Thirdly, the adversaries say that sin is remitted, because an 75 
 attrite or contrite person elicits an act of love to God [if we 
 
Ch. V , Akt. XII. REPENTANCE. i#i 
 
 undertake from reason to love God], and by this act merits to 
 receive the remission of sins. This is nothing but to teach the 
 Law, the Gospel being blotted out, and the promise concerning 
 Christ being abolished. For they require only the Law an I 
 our works, because the Law demands love. Besides, they teacn 
 as to be confident that we obtain remission of sins because of 
 contrition and love. What else is this than to put confidence 
 in our works, not in the promise of God's Word and the promise 
 concerning Christ? But if the Law be sufficient for obtaining 
 the remission of sins, what need is there of the Gospel? what 
 need is there of Christ, if we obtain remission of sins because 
 of our own work? We, on the other hand, call consciences 76 
 away from the Law to the Gospel ; and from confidence in 
 their own works, to confidence in the promise and Christ ; be- 
 cause the Gospel presents to us Christ, and promises freely the 
 remission of sins for Christ's sake. In this promise it bids us 
 trust, viz. that, for Christ's sake, we are reconciled to the 
 Father, and not for the sake of our own contrition or love. 
 For there is no other Mediator or Propitiator than Christ. 
 Neither can we do the works of the Law, unless we have first 
 been reconciled through Christ. And if we would do anything, 
 yet we must believe that not for the sake of these works, but 
 for the sake of Christ as Mediator and Propitiator, Ave obtain 
 the remission of sins. 
 
 Yea, it is a reproach to Christ and a repeal of the Gospel, to 77 
 believe that we obtain the remission of sins, on account of the 
 Law, or otherwise than by faith in Christ. This theory also 
 we have discussed above in the chapter Of Justification, 1 
 l R1 where we declared why we confess that men are justified 
 
 by faith, not by love. Therefore, the doctrine of the ad- 78 
 versaries, when they teach that by their own contrition and 
 love men obtain the remission of sins, and trust in this contri- 
 tion and love, is merely the doctrine of the Law, and of that . 
 too as not understood [which they do not understand with re- 
 spect to the kind of love towards God which it promotes] ; just 
 as the Jews looked upon the veiled face of Moses. For let us 
 imagine that love is present, let us imagine that works are pres- 
 ent, yet neither love nor works can be a propitiation for sin 
 [or be of as much value as Christ]. And they cannot even be 
 opposed to the wrath and judgment of God, according to Ps. 
 143 : 2 : " Enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy 
 sight shall no man living be justified." Neither ought the 
 honor of Christ to be transferred to our works. 
 
 For these reasons, Paul contends 2 that we are not justified 79 
 
 1 \ Gl sqq., p. 98 ; Of Love and Fulfilling of the Law, \ 26 sqq., p. 11 
 1 Rom. 3 : 24, 28 ; 4 : 13 sq. ; Gal. 3 : 22. 
 
1S2 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 by the Law, and he opposes to the Law the promise of the re- 
 mission of sins, which is granted for Christ's sake, and teaches 
 that we freely receive the remission of sins for Christ's sake. 
 Paul calls us away from the Law to this promise. Upon this 
 promise he bids us look [and regard the Lord Christ our treas- 
 ure], which certainly will be void, 1 if we be justified by the 
 Law before we are justified through the promise, or if we ob- 
 tain the remission of sins on account of our own righteousness. 
 But it is evident that the promise was given us and Christ was 8, 
 tendered to us for the very reason that we cannot do the works 
 of the Law. 2 Wherefore, it is necessary that we be reconciled 
 by the promise before we do the works of the Law. The 
 promise, however, is received only by faith. Therefore, it is 
 necessary for contrite persons to apprehend by faith the prom- 
 ise of the remission of sins granted for Christ's sake, and to 
 be confident that freely for Christ's sake, they have a reconciled 
 Father. This is the meaning of Paul, Rom. 4 : 16, where he8i 
 says : " Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace ; to 
 the end the promise might be sure." And Gal. 3 : 2 2 : " The 
 Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by 
 faith of Jesus Christ might be given them that believe," i. e. 
 all are under sin, neither can they be freed otherwise than by 
 apprehending by faith the promise of the remission of sins. 
 Therefore, we must by faith accept the remission of sins be- 8? 
 fore we do the works of the Law ; although, as has been said 
 above, love follows faith, because the regenerate receive the 
 Holy Ghost, and accordingly begin [to become friendly to the 
 Law and] to do the works of the Law. 
 182 would cite more testimonies, if they were not obvi- 83 
 
 ous to every godly reader in the Scriptures. And we do 
 not wish to be prolix, in order that this case may be the more 
 readily seen through. Neither indeed is there any doubt that 84 
 the meaning of Paul is what we are defending, viz. that by 
 faith we receive the remission of sins for Christ's sake, that by 
 faith we ought to oppose to God's wrath Christ as Mediator, 
 and not our works. Neither let godly minds be disturbed, even 
 though the adversaries find fault with the judgments of Paul. 
 Nothing is said so simply that it cannot be distorted by cavil- 
 ling. We know that this which we have mentioned is the true 
 and genuine meaning of Paul ; we know that this our belief 
 brings to godly consciences [in agony of death and temptation] 
 sure comfort, without which no one can stand in God's judgment. 
 
 Therefore let these pharisaic opinions of the adversaries be 83 
 rejected, viz. that we do not receive by faith the remission of 
 sins, but that it ought to be merited by our love and works ; 
 
 I Rom. 4:14. 8 Rom. 4 16 
 
Ch. V., Art. XII REPENTANCE. 193 
 
 i hat we ought to oppose our love and our works to the wrath 
 of God. Not of the Gospel, but of the Law is this doctrine, 
 which feigns that man is justified by the Law before he has 
 been reconciled through Christ to God, since Christ says 
 (John 15:5): "Without me, ye can do nothing;" likewise: 
 "I am the true Vine; ye are the branches." But theadver-86 
 saries feign that we are branches not of Christ, but of Moses. 
 For they wish to be justified by the Law, and to offer their 
 love and works to God, before they are reconciled to God 
 through Christ, before they are branches of Christ. Paul, on 
 the other hand [who- is certainly a much greater teacher than 
 the adversaries], contends that the Law cannot be observed 
 without Christ. Accordingly, in order that we may be recon- 
 ciled to God for Christ's sake, the promise must be received be- 
 fore we do the works of the Law. We think that these things 87 
 are sufficiently clear to godly consciences. And hence they will 
 understand why we have declared above that men are justified 
 by faith, not by love, because we must oppose to God's wrath 
 not our love or works, or confidence in our love and works, but 
 Christ as Mediator [for all our ability, all our deeds and works 
 are far too weak to remove and appease God's wrath]. And 
 we must apprehend the promise of the remission of sins, before 
 we do the works of the Law. 
 l£o Lastly, when will conscience be pacified if we receive 88 
 
 remission of sins on the ground that we love, or that we 
 do the works of the Law? For the Law will always accuse us, 
 because we never satisfy God's Law. Just as Paul says (Rom. 
 4:15): " The Law worketh wrath." Chrysostom asks concern- 
 ing repentance, Whence are w T e made sure that our sins are re- 
 mitted us? The adversaries even in their "Sentences," ask 
 concerning the same subject. This cannot be explained, con- 
 sciences cannot be made tranquil, unless they know that it is 
 God's command and the very Gospel, that they should be firmly 
 confident that for Christ's sake sins are remitted freely, and 
 that they should not doubt that these are remitted to them. If 
 any one doubt, he charges, as John says (1 Ep. 5 : 10), the 
 divine promise with falsehood. We teach that this certainty 
 of faith is required in the Gospel. The adversaries leave con- 
 sciences uncertain and wavering. Consciences do nothing from 89 
 faith, since they perpetually doubt whether they have remission. 
 [For it is not possible that there should be rest, or a quiet and 
 peaceful conscience, if they doubt whether God be gracious. 
 For if they doubt whether they have a gracious God, whethei 
 they be doing right) whether they have forgiveness of sins, 
 how can, etc.] How can they in this doubt call upon God, 
 how can they be confident that they are heard? Thus the 
 entire life is without God [faith], and without the true wor- 
 
 25 
 
194 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 ship of God. This is what Paul says (Rom. 14 : 23), thai 
 " Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin." And because they are con- 
 stantly occupied with this doubt, they never experience what 
 faith [God or Christ] is. Thus it comes to pass, that they rush 
 at last into despair [die in doubt, without God, without all 
 knowledge of God]. Such is the doctrine of the adversaries, 
 the doctrine of the Law, the annulling of the Gospel, the doc- 
 trine of despair. [Whereby Christ is suppressed, men are led 
 into overwhelming sorrow and torture of conscience, and finally, 
 when temptation comes, into despair.] Now we are glad to ^ 
 refer to all good men the judgment concerning this topic of re- 
 pentance, for it has no obscurity, in order that they may decide 
 whether we or the adversaries have taught those things which 
 are more godly and healthful to consciences. Indeed these dis- 
 sensions in the Church 1 do not delight us ; wherefore unless we 
 would have great and necessary reasons for dissenting from the 
 adversaries, we would with the greatest pleasure be silent. 
 But now, since they condemn the manifest truth, it is not right 
 for us to desert a cause which is not our own, but is that of 
 Christ and the Church. [We cannot with fidelity to God and 
 conscience, deny this blessed doctrine and divine truth, from 
 which we expect at last when this poor temporal life ceases, 
 and all help of creatures fails, the only eternal highest consola- 
 tion ; nor will we in anything recede from this cause, which is 
 not only ours, but that of all Christendom, and concerns the 
 highest treasure, Jesus Christ.] 2 
 184 We have declared for what reasons we assigned to re-9« 
 
 pentance these two parts, contrition and faith. And we 
 have done this the more freely, because many expressions con- 
 cerning repentance are published which are cited in a muti- 
 lated form from the Fathers [Augustine and the other ancient 
 Fathers], and which the adversaries have distorted, in order to 
 put faith out of sight. Such are : " Repentance is to lament 
 past evils, and not to commit again deeds that ought to be 
 lamented." Again : " Repentance is a punishment of the one 
 grieving, punishing in himself what he is sorry that he has 
 committed." In these passages, no mention is made of faith. 
 And not even in the schools, when they interpret, is anything 
 added concerning faith. Wherefore, in order that the doctrine 9; 
 of faith might be the more conspicuous, we have enumerated it 
 amc ig the parts of repentance. For the subject itself shows 
 that those passages which require contrition or good works, 
 and make no mention of justifying faith, are dangerous [as 
 experience proves]. And prudence can justly be desired in 9* 
 those who have collected these centos of the Sentences and de- 
 
 1 Apology, Preface, 1 16. » Cf. $ 2. 
 
Ch. VI. CONFESSION AND SATISFACTION. 1 95 
 
 ~reos. For since the Fathers speak in some places concerning 
 one part, and in other places concerning another part of re- 
 pentance, and not only concerning one part, but concerning 
 both, i. e. concerning contrition and faith, it would have been 
 well to select and combine their judgments. 
 
 For Tertullian speaks excellently concerning faith, dwelling 94 
 upon the oath in the prophet (Ez. 33 :11): "As I live, saith 
 the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked ; 
 but that the wicked turn from his way and live." For as God 
 swears that he does not wish the death of a sinner, he shows 
 that faith is required, in order that we may believe the one 
 swearing, and be firmly confident that he forgives us. The 
 authority of the divine promises ought by itself to be great in 
 our estimation. But this promise has also been confirmed by 
 an oath. Wherefore, if any one be not confident that he is 
 forgiven, he denies that God has sworn what is true, than which 
 a more horrible blasphemy cannot be imagined. For Tertul- 
 lian speaks thus : " He invites by reward to salvation, even 
 swearing. Saying, ' 1 live/ he desires that he be believed. Oh 
 blessed we, for whose sake God swears ! Oh most miserable, if 
 we believe not the Lord when he swears !" But here we must 95 
 know that this faith ought to be confident that God freely for- 
 gives us, for the sake of Christ, for the sake of his own prom- 
 ise, not for the sake of our works, contrition, confession or 
 satisfactions. For if faith rely upon these works, it immedi- 
 ately becomes uncertain, because the terrified conscience sees 
 that these works are unworthy. Accordingly Ambrose speaks 96 
 .«(. admirably concerning repentance : "Therefore it is proper 
 for' us to believe both that we are to repent and that we 
 are to be pardoned ; that, nevertheless we should hope for par- 
 don as from faith ; and faith obtains it as from a handwriting." 
 Again : " It is faith which covers our sins." Therefore, there 97 
 are sentences extant in the Fathers, not only concerning contri- 
 tion and works, but also concerning faith. But the adversaries, 
 since they understand neither the nature of repentance, nor the 
 language of the Fathers, select passages concerning a part of 
 repentance, viz. concerning works ; they pass over the declara- 
 tions made elsewhere concerning faith, since they do not under- 
 stand them. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Of Confession and Satisfaction. 
 
 Good men can easily judge that it is of the greatest import- 1 
 ance that the true loctrine concerning the above-mentioned 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Aug. Conf., Arts. xi. and xii., § 10; Apology, Art. xi. 
 I 63 sqq. ; xii., \ 13sqq. ; Smalcald Articles, Part III., Art. iii., \\ 10, 19 sqq. ; Art 
 riL ; Small Catechism, Part V. ; Formula of Concord, Ep. and SoL Decl., Art. iii 
 
l9o tup: apology of the augsburg confession. 
 
 parts, viz. contrition and faith, be preserved. [For the gp*ea1 
 fraud of indulgences, etc. and the preposterous doctrines of the 
 sophists have sufficiently taught us what great vexation and 
 danger arise therefrom, if a foul stroke be here made. How- 
 many a godly conscience under the Papacy sought with great 
 labor the true way, and in the midst of such darkness did not 
 find it!] Therefore, we have always been occupied more with 
 the elucidation of these topics, and have disputed nothing as 
 yet concerning confession and satisfaction. For we also retain 2 
 confession, especially on account of the absolution, which is the 
 Word of God, that, by divine authority, the power of the keys 
 proclaims concerning individuals. Wherefore it would be wicked 3 
 to remove private absolution from the Church. Neither do 4 
 they understand what the remission of sius or the power of the 
 keys is, if they despise private absolution. But in reference to 5 
 the enumeration of offences in confession, we have said above 
 that we hold that it is noi necessary by divine right. For the 6 
 objection, made by some, that a judge ought to know a case be- 
 fore he pronounces upon it, pertains in no way to this subject ; 
 because ! the ministry of absolution is favor or grace, it is not a 
 judgment or law. Therefore ministers in the Church have the 7 
 command to remit sin ; they have cot the command to investi- 
 gate secret sins. And indeed they aboolve from those that we 8 
 do not remember ; for which reason absolution, which is the 
 voice of the Gospel remitting sins and consoling consciences, 
 does not require judicial examination. 
 
 And it is ridiculous to transfer hither the saying of Solomon 9 
 (Prov. 27:23): "Be thou diligent to know\he state of thy 
 flocks." For Solomon says nothing of confession, but gives to 
 the father of a family a domestic precept, that he should use 
 .™ what is his own, and abstain from what is another's ; and 
 he commands him to take care of his own property dili- 
 gently, yet in such a way that with his mind oocup?ed with the 
 increase of his resources, he should not cast away ths fear of 
 God, or faith or care in God's Word. But our advert lies by 
 
 1 Var. continues thus : Absolution is the execution of the benefit of an- 
 other, and not a judgment. For Christ gave the command to remit sins . 
 this command ministers execute. They have not a command concerning 
 taking cognizance of secret things. This can be understood from tnt 
 fact that they remit infinite sins, which not even we ourselves, to whom 
 they are remitted, remember. And if the remission would depend npov 
 knowledge, the entire matter would be uncertain. But it does not cer- 
 tain to the present disputation to determine what sort of jurisdiction tV 
 Church has in offences which are publicly known. For inasmuch v 
 these are known, they are accused by name, and afterwards they are re- 
 mitted by name, if their author wish to be received by the Church 
 
Ch. VI. CONFESSION AND SATISFACTION. 197 
 
 a wonderful metamorphosis transform passages of Scripture to 
 whatever meaning they please. Here " to know " signifies with 
 them to hear confessions, " the state," not the outward life, but 
 the secrets of conscience ; and " the flocks " signify men. 
 ["Stable," we think, means a school, within which there are 
 such doctors and orators. But it has happened aright to those 
 who thus despise the Holy Scriptures and all sound interpreta- 
 tion, that they make great mistakes in grammar.] The inter- 
 pretation is assuredly neat, and is worthy of these despisers of 
 the pursuits of eloquence. But if any one desire by a simili- 
 tude to transfer a precept from a father of a family to a pastor 
 :>f a Church, he ought certainly to interpret "state" [V. 
 vultus, countenance] as applying to the outward life. This 
 similitude will be the most consistent. 
 
 But let us omit such matters as these. At different times i: 
 in the Psalms mention is made of confession, as (Ps. 32 : 5) : 
 "I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and 
 thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin." Such confession of sin 
 which is made to God, is contrition itself. For when confes- 
 sion is made to God, it must be made with the heart, not alone 
 with the voice, as is made on the stage by actors. Therefore, 
 such confession is contrition, in which, feeling God's wrath, we 
 confess that God is justly angry, and that he cannot be appeased, 
 and, nevertheless, we seek for mercy because of God's promise 
 Such is the following confession (Ps. 51:4): "Against thee n 
 only have I sinned, that thou mightest be justified, and be clear 
 when thou judgest," L e. " I confess that I am a sinner, and have 
 merited eternal wrath, and that I cannot set my righteousnesses, 
 my merits, over against thy wrath ; accordingly I declare that 
 thou art just when thou condemnest and punishest us; I de- 
 clare that thou art clear when hypocrites judge thee as being 
 unjust in punishing them, or condemning the well-deserving. 
 Yea, our merits cannot be opposed to thy judgment; but we 
 will thus be justified, viz. if thou justifiest us, if, through thy 
 mercy, thou accountest us righteous." Perhaps some one may 12 
 also cite James (5 : 16) : " Confess your faults one to another." 
 But here the reference is not to confession that is to be made to 
 the priests, but in general concerning the reconciliation of 
 brethren to each other. For it commands that the confession 
 be mutual. 
 187 Again, our adversaries will condemn many most gener- 1 j 
 
 ally received teachers, if they will contend that in confes- 
 sion an enumeration of offences be necessary according to divine 
 law. For although we approve of confession, and judge that 
 an examination is of advantage, in order that men may be the 
 better instructed [young and inexperienced persons be ques- 
 tioned], yet the matter must be so controlled that snares be not 
 
198 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 ca6t upon consciences, which never will be tranquil, if they 
 think that they cannot obtain the remission of sins, unless this 
 precise enumeration be maJe. That which the adversaries have 14 
 expressed in the Confutation 1 is certainly most false, viz. that a 
 full confession is necessary for salvation. For this is impos- 
 sible. And what snares they here cast upon the conscience 
 when they require a full confession ! For when will conscience 
 be sure that the confession is full? In the Church writers 15 
 mention is made of confession, but they do not speak of this 
 enumeration of secret offences, but of the rite of public repent- 
 ance. For as the fallen or notorious [those guilty of public 
 crimes] were not received without fixed satisfactions [without 
 a public ceremony or reproof], they made confession on this ac- 
 count to the presbyters, in order that satisfactions might be pre- 
 scribed to them according to the measure of their offences. 
 This entire matter contained nothing similar to the enumera- 
 tion concerning which we are disputing. This confession was 
 made, not because without it the remission of sins before God 
 could not occur, but because satisfactions could not be pre- 
 scribed unless the kind of offence were first known. For 
 other offences had other canons. 
 
 And from this rite of public repentance, we have derived 16 
 the name, " satisfaction. " For the holy Fathers were unwill- 
 ing to receive those who had fallen, or who had become notori- 
 ous, unless, as far as it was possible, their repentance had been 
 first examined into, and observed. And there seem to have 
 been many causes for this. For to chastise those who had 
 fallen served as an example, just as also the gloss upon the de- 
 crees admonishes, and it was improper immediately to admit 
 notorious men to the communion [without being tested]. 
 These customs have long since grown obsolete. Neither is it 
 necessary to restore them, because they are not necessary for 
 the remission of sins before God. Neither did the Fathers 17 
 hold this, viz. that men merit the remission of sins through 
 such customs or such works. Although these spectacles [such 
 outward ceremonies] are accustomed to lead astray the ignorant, 
 to think that by these works they merit the remission of sins 
 before God. But if any one thus hold, he holds to the faith 
 of a Jew and heathen. For even the heathen had certain ex- 
 piations for offences, through which they imagined that they 
 ,00 were reconciled to God. Now, however, since the custom 18 
 
 has become obsolete, the name " satisfaction " still remains, 
 and a trace of the custom also remains in prescribing in confes- 
 sion certain satisfactions, which they define as woiks that are 
 not due. We call them canonical satisfactions. Of these we 15 
 
 1 Confutation, Art. xi. 
 
Ch. VI. CONFESSION AND SATISFACTION. 199 
 
 hold, just as of the enumeration, that canonical satisfactions 
 [these public ceremonies] are not necessary by divine law for 
 the remission of sins ; just as also the ancient ceremonies of 
 satisfactions in public repentance were not necessary by divine 
 law for the remission of sins. For the belief concerning faith 
 muse be retained, that by faith we obtain remission of sins for 
 Christ's sake, and not for the sake of our works that precede 
 or follow (when Ave are converted or born anew in Christ). 
 And for this reason, we have discussed especially the question 
 of satisfactions, that by supporting them the righteousness 
 of faith be not obscured, or men think that, for the sake of 
 these works, they obtain remission of sins. And many sayings 2c 
 that are current in the schools aid the error, such as that which 
 they give in the definition of satisfaction, viz. that it is wrought 
 for the purpose of appeasing the divine displeasure. 
 
 But, nevertheless, the adversaries acknowledge that satisfac- 21 
 tions are of no profit for the remission of guilt. Yet they im- 
 agine that satisfactions are of profit in redeeming from the 
 punishments, whether of purgatory, or other punishments. 
 For thus they teach that in the remission of sins, God [without 
 means, alone] remits the guilt, and yet, because it belongs to 
 divine justice to punish sin, that he commutes eternal into tem- 
 poral punishment. They add farther that a part of this tem- 
 poral punishment is remitted by the power of the keys, but 
 that the rest is redeemed by means of satisfactions. Neither 
 can it be understood of what punishments a part is remitted by 
 the power of the keys, unless they say that a part of the pun- 
 ishments of purgatory are remitted, from which it would fol- 
 low that satisfactions are only punishments redeeming from 
 purgatory. And these satisfactions, they say, avail even though 
 they are rendered by those who have relapsed into mortal sin, 
 as though indeed the divine displeasure could be appeased by 
 those who are in mortal sin. 1 This entire matter is fictitious, 22 
 and recently fabricated without the authority of Scripture and 
 the old writers of the Church. And not even Longobardus 
 speaks in this way of satisfactions. The scholastics saw that 23 
 there were satisfactions in the Church ; and they did not notice 
 that these ceremonies had been instituted both for the purpose 
 of example, and for testing those who desired to be received by 
 the Church. In a word, they did not see that it was a disci- 
 pline, and entirely a matter pertaining to external discipline. 
 Accordingly they superstitiously imagined, that these avail not 
 • 8 q for discipline before the Church, but for appeasing God. 
 A nd just as in other places they frequently, with great inapt- 
 ness, have confounded spiritual and civil matters [the kingdom 
 
 1 Rom. 2 : 28 sqq. ; Gal. : 15. 
 
200 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 of Christ which is spiritual and the kingdom of the world, and 
 external discipline], the same happens also with regard to satis- 
 factions. But the gloss on the canons at various places testifies 24 
 that these observances were instituted for the sake of church 
 discipline [should serve alone for an example before the 
 Church]. 
 
 Let us see, moreover, how in the Confutation which they 25 
 had the presumption to obtrude upon His Imperial Majesty, 
 ;hey prove these their figments. They cite many passages 
 from the Scriptures, in order to impose upon the inexperienced, 
 as though this subject, which was unknown even in the time of 
 Longobard, had authority from the Scriptures. They bring 
 forward such passages as these: " Bring forth, therefore, fruits 
 meet for repentance" (Matt. 3:8; Mark 1:15). Again: 
 "Yield your members servants to righteousness " (Rom. 6 : 19). 
 Again Christ preaches repentance (Matt. 4:17): "Repent." 
 Again Christ (Luke 24 : 47) commands the apostles " to preach 
 repentance," and Peter preaches repentance (Acts 2 : 38). Af- 
 terward they cite certain passages of the Fathers and the 
 canons, and conclude that satisfactions in the Church are not 
 to be abolished contrary to the plain Gospel and the decrees of 
 the Councils and Fathers [against the decision of the Holy 
 Church], nay even that those who have been absolved by the 
 priest ought to bring to perfection the repentance that has been 
 enjoined, following the declaration of Paul (Tit. 2:14): " Who 
 gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, 
 and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good 
 works." 
 
 May God put to confusion these godless sophists who so 26 
 wickedly distort God's Word to their own most vain dreams ! 
 What good man is there who is not moved by such dishonesty ? 
 " Christ says, ' Repent/ the apostles preach repentance ; there- 
 fore eternal punishments are compensated by the punishments 
 of purgatory, therefore the keys have the power to remit part 
 of the punishments of purgatory, therefore satisfactions redeem 
 the punishments of purgatory " ! Who has taught these asses 
 such logic? Yet this is neither logic nor sophistry, but cun- 
 ning trickery. Accordingly they appeal to tne expression re- 
 pent in such a way that, when the inexperienced hear such a 
 passage cited against us, they derive the opinion that we deny 
 all repentance. By these arts, they endeavor to alienate minds 
 jq^ and to enkindle hatred, so that the inexperienced may cry 
 out against us, that such pestilent heretics as disapprove 
 of repentance should be removed from their midst. 
 
 But we hope that among good men these calumnies [and 27 
 misrepresentations of Holy Scripture] may make little head- 
 way. And God will not long endure such impudence and 
 
Ch. VI. CONFESSION AND SATISFACTION. 2ul 
 
 wickedness. [They will certainly be consumed by the first and 
 second commandments.] Neither lias the Pope of Rome con- 
 sulted well for his own dignity in employing such patrons, be- 
 cause he has entrusted a matter of the greatest importance to 
 the judgment of these sophists. For since we include in the 
 confession almost the sum of the entire Christian doctrine, 
 judges should have been appointed to make a declaration 
 concerning matters so important and so many and various, 
 whose learning and faith would have been more approved 
 than that of the sophists who have written this Confutation. 
 It was particularly becoming for you, O Campegius, in accord- il 
 ance with your wisdom, to have taken care, that in regard to 
 matters of such importance they should write nothing which 
 either at this time, or with posterity might seem to be able to 
 diminish regard for the Roman See. If the Roman See judges 
 it right that all nations should acknowledge her as mistress of 
 the faith, she ought to take pains that learned and uncorrupt 
 men make investigation concerning matters of religion. For 
 what will the world judge, if at any time a writing of the ad- 
 versaries be brought to light? what will posterity judge con- 
 cerning these reproachful judicial investigations? You see, O 29 
 Campegius, that these are the last times, in which Christ pre- 
 dicted that there would be the greatest danger to religion. 
 You, therefore, who ought as it were to sit on the watch-tower, 
 and control religious matters, should in these times employ un- 
 usual wisdom and diligence. There are many signs which, unless 
 you beware of them, threaten a change to the Roman state. 
 And you make a mistake if you think that Churches should be 3c 
 retained by force and arms. Men ask to be taught concerning 
 religion. How many do you suppose that there are, not only 
 in Germany, but also in England, in Spain, in France, in Italy, 
 and finally even in the city of Rome, who, since they see that 
 controversies have arisen concerning subjects of the greatest 
 importance, are beginning somewhere to doubt, and to be silently 
 indignant that you refuse to investigate and judge aright sub- 
 jects of such weight as these; that you do not deliver con- 
 sciences in suspense ; that you only bid us be overthrown and 
 annihilated by arms ? There are many good men, to whom 3 i 
 this doubt is more bitter than death. You do not consider 
 sufficiently how great a subject religion is, if you think that 
 good men are in anguish for a slight cause, whenever they be- 
 gin to doubt concerning any dogma. And this doubt can have 
 ,qj no other effect than to produce the greatest bitterness of 
 hatred against those who, when they ought to heal con- 
 sciences, plant themselves in the w r ay of the explanation of the 
 subject. We do not here say that you ought to fear God's 33 
 judgment. For the hierarchs think that they can easily pro- 
 9* 
 
202 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 vide against this, for since they hold the keys, of course they 
 can open heaven for themselves, whenever they wish. We are 
 speaking of the judgments of men, and the silent desires of all 
 nations, which indeed at this time require that these matters be 
 investigated and decided in such a manner that good minds 
 may be healed and freed from doubt. For, in accordance 
 with your wisdom, you can easily decide what will take place, 
 if at any time this hatred against you should break forth. But 
 by this favor, you will be able to bind to yourself all nations, as 
 all sane men regard it the highest and most important matter, if 
 you heal doubting consciences. We have said these things not 3; 
 because we doubt concerning our confession. For we know 
 that it is true, godly and useful to godly consciences. But h 
 is likely that there are many in many places, who waver con- 
 cerning matters of no light importance, and yet do not hear 
 such teachers as are able to heal their consciences. 
 
 But let us return to the main point. The Scriptures cited 34 
 by the adversaries speak in no way of canonical satisfactions, 
 and of the opinions of the scholastics, since it is evident that 
 the latter were only recently born. Therefore it is pure perver- 
 sion, since they distort Scripture to their own opinions. We 
 say that good fruits, good works in every kind of life, ought to 
 follow repentance, i. e. conversion or regeneration [the renewal 
 of the Holy Ghost in the heart]. Neither can there be true 
 conversion or true 3ontrition, where mortifications of the flesh 
 and good fruits do not follow [if we do not externally render 
 good w r orks and Christian patience]. True terrors, true griefs 
 of soul, do not allow the body to indulge in sensual pleasures, 
 and true faith is not ungrateful to God, neither does it despise 
 God's commandments. In a word, there is no inner repentance, 
 unless it also produce outwardly mortifications of the flesh. 
 We say also that this is the meaning of John, when he says 3: 
 (Matt. 3:8): " Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repent- 
 ance." Likewise, of Paul when he says (Rom. 6:19): " Yield 
 your members servants to righteousness;" just as he likewise 
 says elsewhere (Rom. 12 : 1) : " Present your bodies a living 
 sacrifice," etc. And when Christ says (Matt. 4: 17): " Re- 
 pent," he certainly speaks of the entire repentance, of the en- 
 tire newness of life and its fruits ; he does not speak of those 
 hypocritical satisfactions which the scholastics imagine avail for 
 compensating the punishment of purgatory or other punish- 
 ments, when they are made by those who are in mortal sin. 
 jog Many arguments, likewise, can be collected to show that 36 
 
 these passages of Scripture pertain in no way to scholastic 
 satisfactions. These men imagine that satisfactions are works 
 that are not due ; but Scripture, in these passages, requires 
 works that are due. For this word of Christ, " Repent," is 
 
Ci.VI. CONFESSION AND SATISFACTION. 203 
 
 the word of a commandment. Likewise the adversaries write 35 
 that if any one should refuse to undertake satisfactions, he does 
 not sin, but will pay these penalties in purgatory. Now the 
 following passages are, without controversy, precepts pertaining 
 to this life: "Repent;" "Bring forth fruits meet for repent- 
 ance ;" " Yield your members servants to righteousness." 
 Wherefore, they cannot be distorted to the satisfactions which 
 it is permitted to refuse. For to refuse God's commandments is 
 not permitted. [For God's commands are not thus left to our 
 discretion.] Thirdly, indulgences remit these satisfactions, as 38 
 is taught by the chapter, JDe Poenitentiis et Remissione, begin- 
 ning Quum ex eo, etc. But indulgences do not free us from 
 the commandments : "Repent;" "Bring forth fruits meet for 
 repentance." Therefore, it is manifest that x these passages of 
 Scripture have been wickedly distorted to apply to canon ica 1 
 satisfactions. See further what follows. If the punishments 39 
 of purgatory are satisfactions, or sufferings sufficient, or if sat- 
 isfactions are a redemption of the punishments of purgatory, 
 do these passages also give commandment that souls be pun- 
 ished in purgatory ? [The above-cited passages of Christ and 
 Paul must also show and prove that souls enter purgatory and 
 there suffer pain.] Since this must follow from the opinions 
 of the adversaries, these passages should be interpreted in a 
 new way : " Bring forth fruits meet for repentance ;" " Re- 
 pent," i, e. suffer the punishments of purgatory after this life. 
 But we do not care about refuting in more words these absurd- 40 
 ities of the adversaries. For it is evident that Scripture speaks 
 of works that are due, of the entire newness of life, and not 
 of these observances of works that are not due, of which the 
 adversaries speak. And yet by these figments they defend 
 orders [of monks], the sale of Masses and infinite observances, 
 namely as works which, if they do not make satisfaction for 
 guilt, yet make satisfaction for punishment. 
 
 Since, therefore, the passages of Scripture cited do not say, 41 
 that eternal punishments are to be compensated by works that 
 are not due, the adversaries are rash in affirming that these sat- 
 isfactions are compensated by canonical satisfactions. 1 Nor do 
 the keys have the command to commute some punishments, 
 .no anrl likewise to remit a part of the punishments. For 
 where are such things read in the Scriptures? Christ 
 speaks of the remission of sins when he says (Matt. 18 : 18) : 
 
 1 Var. continues : Besides, since it is very certain that the remission of 
 sins is gratuitous, or gratuitously granted for Christ's sake, it follows that 
 satisfactions are not required. And the Gospel has the command to gra- 
 tuitously remit sins, not to impose punishments and new laws, or to im- 
 pose a part of the punishments, a part being remitted. For where, etc., { 63. 
 
204 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 " Whatsoever ye shall loose," etc. [:. e .], sin being forgiven, 
 death eternal is taken away, and life eternal bestowed. Nor 
 does, " Whatsoever ye shall bind," speak of the imposing of 
 punishments, but of the retaining the sins of those who are not 
 converted. Moreover the declaration of Longobard concerning^ 
 remitting a part of the punishments has been taken from the 
 canonical punishments; a part of these the pastors remitted. 
 Although, therefore, we hold that repentance ought to bring 
 forth good fruits for the sake of God's glory and command ; 
 and good fruits, true fastings, true prayers, true alms, etc., have 
 ihe commands of God ; yet in the Holy Scriptures, we no- 
 where find this, viz. that eternal punishments are not remitted, 
 unless on account of the punishment of purgatory, or canonical 
 satisfactions, i. e. on account of certain works not due, or be- 
 cause the power of the keys has the command to commute their 
 punishments, or to remit a portion. These things should be 
 proved by the adversaries. [This they will not attempt.] 
 
 Besides, the death of Christ is a satisfaction not only for 43 
 guilt, but also for eternal death, according to Hos. 13 : 14 : " O 
 death, I will be thy death." How monstrous, therefore, it is 
 to say that the satisfaction of Christ redeemed from the guilt, 
 and our punishments redeem from eternal death ; as the ex- 
 pression : " I will be thy death," ought then to be understood 
 not concerning Christ, but concerning our works, and indeed 
 not concerning the works commanded by God, but concerning 
 the frigid observances devised by men ! And these are said to 
 abolish death, even when they are wrought in mortal sin. It 4J 
 is incredible with what grief we recite these absurdities of the 
 adversaries, which cannot but cause one who considers them to 
 be enraged against such doctrines of demons, which the devil 
 has spread in the Church, in order to suppress the knowledge 
 of the Law and Gospel, of repentance and quickening and the 
 benefits of Christ. For of the Law, they speak thus: "God 45 
 condescending to our weakness has given to man a measure of 
 those things, to which of necessity he is bound ; and this is the 
 observance of precepts, so that from what is left, i. e. from 
 works of supererogation, he can render satisfaction with refer- 
 ence to offences that have been committed." l Here men imagine 
 that they can observe the Law of God in such a manner as to 
 be able to do even more than the Law exacts. But Scripture 
 everywhere exclaims that we are far distant from the perfection 
 which the Law requires. Yet these men imagine that the Law 
 of God has been comprised in outward and civil righteousness ; 
 they do not see that it requires true love to God " with the 
 
 1 These words are from Gabriel Biel, Senten., Lib. iv. dist. 16, qu. 2 
 aotab. 8. 
 
Ch. VI. CONFESSION AND SATISFACTION. 205 
 
 whole heart," etc., and condemns the entire concupiscence in the 
 .q, nature. Therefore no one does as much as the Law re- 
 quires. Hence their imagination that we can do more is 
 ridiculous. For although we can perform outward works not 
 commanded by God's Law [which Paul calls beggarly ordi- 
 nances], yet the confidence that satisfaction is rendered God's 
 Law [yea, that more is done than God demands] is vain and 
 wicked. And true prayers, true alms, true fastings have God's 4^ 
 command ; and where they have God's command, they cannot 
 without sin be omitted. But these works, in so far as they have 
 not been commanded by God's Law, but have a fixed form 
 derived from human rule, are works of human traditions of 
 which Christ says (Matt. 15:9): "In vain they do worship 
 me with the commandments of men," as are fixed fasts ap- 
 pointed not for restraining the flesh, but that, by this work, 
 honor may be given to God, as Scotus says, and eternal death 
 be made up for ; likewise, a fixed number of prayers, a fixed 
 measure of alms when they are rendered in such a way that 
 this measure is a worship ex opere operate, giving honor to God, 
 and making up for eternal death. For they ascribe satisfaction 
 to these ex opere operalo, because they teach that they avail even 
 in those who are in mortal sin. There are works which depart 47 
 still farther from God's commands, as [rosaries and] pilgrim- 
 ages ; and of these there is a great variety : one makes a 
 journey clad in mail, and another with bare feet. Christ calls 
 these " vain acts of worship," and hence they do not serve to 
 appease God's displeasure, as the adversaries say. And yet 
 they adorn these works with magnificent titles; they call them 
 works of supererogation ; to them the honor is ascribed of be- 
 ing a price paid instead of eternal death. Thus they are pre- 48 
 fcrred to the works of God's commandments [the true works 
 expressly mentioned in the Ten Commandments]. In this way, 
 the Law of God is obscured on two sides, both because satisfac- 
 tion is thought to be rendered God's Law by means of outward 
 and civil works, and because human traditions are added, whose 
 warks are preferred to the works of the divine Law. 
 
 In the second place, repentance and grace are obscured. For 45 
 eternal death is not atoned for by this compensation of works, 
 because it is inoperative, and does not in the present life taste 
 .or of death.. Something else must be opposed to death, when 
 it tries us. For just as the wrath of God is overcome by 
 faith in Christ, so death is overcome by faith in Christ. Just 
 as Paul says (1 Cor. 15 : 57): "But thanks be to God which 
 giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." He 
 does not say • " Who giveth us the victory if we oppose mr 
 satisfactions against death." The adversaries trtat of idle 50 
 speculations concerning the remission of guilt, anl do not see 
 
200 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 how, in the remission of guilt, the heart is freed by faith in 
 Christ from God's anger, and eternal death. Since, therefore, 
 the death of Christ is a satisfaction for eternal death, and since 
 the adversaries themselves confess that these works of satisfac- 
 tions are works that are not due, but are works of human tra- 
 ditions, of which Christ says (Matt. 15:9) that they are "vain 
 acts of worship," we can safely affirm that canonical satisfac- 
 tions are not necessary by divine law for the remission of guilt, 
 or eternal punishment, or the punishment of purgatory. 
 
 But the adversaries object that vengeance or punishment is 51 
 necessary for repentance, because Augustine says that " repent- 
 ance is vengeance punishing," etc. We grant 1 that vengeance 
 or punishment is necessary in repentance, yet not as merit or 
 price, as the adversaries imagine that satisfactions are. But ven- 
 geance, is in repentance formally, i. e. because regeneration 
 itself occurs by a perpetual mortification of the oldness of life. 
 The saying of Scotus may indeed be very beautiful, that poeni- 
 teritia is so called as though posnce tenentia, holding to punish- 
 ment. But of what punishment, of what vengeance does 
 Augustine speak ? Certainly of true punishment, of true ven- 
 geance, viz. of contrition, of true terrors. Nor do we here 
 exclude the outward mortifications of the body, which follow 
 true grief of mind. The adversaries make a great mistake, if 52 
 they imagine that canonical satisfactions are more truly punish- 
 ments than are true terrors in the heart. It is most foolish to 
 
 1 Var : Just as elsewhere, as often as works are enjoined, the adversa- 
 ries interpret them to be satisfactions and propitiations, so here, because 
 mention is made of punishment, they pervert it to satisfaction. Augus- 
 tine did not hold this, viz. that sorrow in repentance is a price, on account 
 of which the remission of sins is due. For he knew that sins are re- 
 mitted freely for Christ's sake ; he knew that the death of Christ is the 
 sacrifice for our sins. Whatever, therefore, is cited concerning vengeance 
 and concerning punishments ought always to be received, so as not to 
 overturn the free remission of sins, nor to obscure the merit of Christ nor to 
 withdraw men from trust in Christ to trust in works. But we grant that 
 in repentance there is vengeance not as a price, but as vengeance upon 
 our old nature. There are terrors and there are other movements which 
 are aroused against sin, but remission is not due these. Yea if faith 
 would not be added, these sorrows would bring eternal death. It may in- 
 deed be very well to say posnce lenentia, provided it be understood as a 
 punishment, and not as a price for which remission is due. And Augus- 
 tine does not speak of punishments which the keys remit ; and hence it 
 is not right to pervert this expression to satisfactions. He is speaking 
 concerning true punishments, i. e. concerning the terrors and true sorrows 
 of mind which exist in repentance. Nevertheless we do not exclude the 
 outward vexation of the flesh ; for this of its own accord fo) lows true 
 Borrows of mind. And far, etc. In the Germ, much briefer. 
 
Ch. VI. CONFESSION AND SATISFACTION. 201 
 
 • distort the napie of punishment to these frigid satisfactions, and 
 not to refer them to those horrible terrors of conscience of 
 which David says (Ps. 18:4; 2 Sam. 22:5): "The sorrows 
 of death compassed me." Who would not rather clad in mail 
 and equipped seek the church of James, the cathedral of Peter, 
 etc. than bear that ineffable violence of grief, which exists even 
 in persons of ordinary lives, if there be true repentance. 
 .q fi But they say that it belongs to God's justice to punish 53 
 
 sin. He certainly punishes 1 it in contrition, when in these 
 terrors he shows his wrath. Just as David indicates when he 
 prays (Ps. 6:1): " O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger." 
 And Jeremiah (10 : 24) : " O Lord, correct me, but with judg- 
 ment, not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing." 
 Here indeed the most bitter punishments are spoken of. And 
 the adversaries acknowledge that contrition can be so great that 
 satisfaction is not required. Contrition is therefore more truly 
 a punishment than is satisfaction. Besides, saints are subject to 54 
 death, and all general afflictions, as Peter says (1 Ep. 4:17): 
 "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house 
 of God ; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of 
 them that obey not the Gospel of God ?" And although these 
 afflictions are for the most part the punishments of sin, yet in 
 the godly they have a better end, 2 viz. to exercise them, that 
 
 1 Var. adds : First, in disputing that it is becoming that sin be punished 
 they sufficiently show that they despise Christ's benefit. God has ap- 
 pointed as the price for our sins, not our punishments, not our satisfac- 
 tions, but the death of his Son. What madness then it is to prefer our 
 satisfactions to the satisfaction of Christ ! Secondly, when God punishes 
 with the greatest severity, we must not think that because of such pun- 
 ishment the remission of sins is due ; both in order that no injury be done 
 to the benefit of Christ, and because conscience cannot be pacified if the 
 remission of sins is not freely granted. Lastly, when God punishes with 
 the greatest severity, these punishments nevertheless pertain nothing to 
 the keys. They have a command neither concerning imposing, nor re- 
 mitting such punishments as are works of God. But we grant that God 
 punishes sins, first in contrition, when, sqq. 
 
 2 Var. thus expresses what follows : For they are inflicted to mortify 
 the present sin ; because in saints they extinguish and mortify concupis- 
 cence. For in saints death still remains in order to abolish this impure 
 nature. Accordingly Paul says : " The body is dead because of sin," i. e. it 
 is mortified because of present sin still left in the flesh. The cross, 
 therefore, is not a punishment, but an exercise and preparation for re- 
 newal. For when the present sin is mortified, and when in the midst of 
 temptations we learn to seek the aid of God, and experience God's pres- 
 ence, we acknowledge more and more distrust in [our own] hearts, and 
 comfort ourselves by faith. Tims newness of spirit increases, as Paul 
 says : "Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed 
 
208 THE AFOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 they may learn amidst trials to seek God's aid, to acknowledge 
 the distrust of their own hearts, etc., as Paul says of himself 
 (2 Cor. 1:9).' i% But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, 
 that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth 
 the dead." And Isaiah says (26 : 16) : " They poured out prayer 
 when thy chastening was upon them," i. e. afflictions are a dis- 
 cipline by which God exercises the saints. Likewise afflictions 55 
 are inflicted because of present sin, since in the saints they 
 mortify and extinguish concupiscence, so that they may be re- 
 newed by the Spirit, as Paul says (Rom. 8:10): " The body is 
 dead because of sin," i. e. it is mortified [more and more every 
 day] because of present sin which is still left in the flesh. And 56 
 death itself serves this purpose, viz. to abolish this flesh of sin, 
 that we may rise absolutely new. Neither 1 is there now in the 
 death of the believer, since by faith he has overcome the terrors 
 of death, that sting and sense of wrath of which Paul speaks 
 (1 Cor. 15 : 56) : " The sting of death is sin; and the strength 
 of sin is the Law." This strength of sin, this sense of wrath, 
 is truly a punishment as long as it is present; without this 
 sense of wrath, death is not properly a punishment. More- 57 
 over canonical satisfactions do not belong to these punishments ; 
 as the adversaries say that, by the power of the keys, a part of 
 the punishments is remitted. Likewise according to these very 
 men, the keys remit the satisfactions, and the punishments, on 
 account of which the satisfactions are made. But it is evident 
 that the common afflictions are not removed by the power of the 
 keys. And if they wash to be understood concerning these 
 punishments, why do they add that satisfaction is to be rendered 
 in purgatory? 
 
 They oppose the example of Adam, and also of David, who 58 
 was punished for his adultery. From these examples, they de- 
 rive the universal rule that peculiar temporal punishments in 
 the remission of sins correspond to individual sins. It has 59 
 •jq- been said before that saints suffer punishments, which are 
 works of God ; they suffer contrition or terrors, they also 
 uffer other common afflictions. Thus for example some suffer 
 punishments of their own that have been imposed by God. 
 
 day by day (2 Cor. 4: 16). Isaiah likewise says [26 : 16 as above]. Be- 
 sides death is truly punishment, when the terrified heart feels the wrath 
 of God, according to the passage : " The sting of death is sin." But when 
 in saints the terrors of sin are overcome by faith, death without this sense 
 of wrath is not properly punishment. Moreover the keys neither impose 
 nor remit these punishments. Wherefore satisfactions do not pertain to 
 these punishments. For the keys do not remit either death or a part of 
 the common afflictions. Now if by satisfactions they compensate foi 
 these punishments, why do they hid us make satisfaction in purgatory ? 
 1 From here to end of \ omitted in German. 
 
Ch. vl confession and satisfaction. 209 
 
 And these punishments pertain in no way to the keys, because the 
 keys neither can impose nor remit them, but God, without the 
 ministry of the keys, imposes and remits them [as he will]. 
 
 Neither does the universal rule follow : Upon David a pecu- 
 liar punishment was imposed ; therefore in addition to common 
 afflictions there is another punishment of purgatory, in which 
 each degree corresponds to each sin. Where does Scripture 6c 
 teach, that we cannot be freed from eternal death, unless by the 
 compensation of certain punishments in addition to common 
 afflictions? But, on the other hand, it most frequently teaches 
 ihat the remission of sins occurs freely for Christ's sake, that 
 Christ is the victor of sin and death. Wherefore the merit of 
 satisfaction is not to be attached to this. And although afflic- 
 tions still remain, yet Scripture interprets these as the mortifi- 
 cations of present sin [to kill and humble the old Adam], and 
 not as the compensations of eternal death or as prices for eternal 
 death. 
 
 Job is excused because it was not on account of past evil deeds 61 
 that he was afflicted ; therefore afflictions are not always pun- 
 ishments or signs of wrath. Yea, terrified consciences are to be 
 taught, that the other ends of afflictions are the more important 
 [that they should learn to regard troubles far differently, viz. 
 as signs of grace] ; so that they are not to think that they are 
 rejected by God, if in afflictions they see nothing except God's 
 punishment and anger. The other more important ends are to 
 be considered, viz. that God is doing his strange work so that 
 he may be able to do his own work, etc., as Isaiah teaches in a 
 long discourse, ch. 28. And when the disciples asked concern- 62 
 ing the blind man who sinned, John 9 : 2, 3, Christ replies that 
 the cause of his blindness is not sin, but " that the works of 
 God should be made manifest in him." And in Jeremiah (49 : 
 12) it is said : " They whose judgment was not to drink of the 
 cup, have assuredly drunken." Thus the prophets and John 
 the Baptist and other saints were killed. Wherefore afflictions 63 
 are not always punishments for certain past deeds, but they are 
 he works of God, intended for our profit, and that the power 
 of God might be made more manifest in our weakness [how he 
 can help in the midst of death]. 
 
 m Thus Paul says (2 Cor. 12 : 5, 9) : "The strength of 
 God is made perfect in my weakness." Therefore, be- 
 cause of God's will, our bodies ought to be sacrifices, to declare 
 our obedience [and patience], and not to compensate for eternal 
 death, for which God has another price, viz. the death of his 
 own Son. And in this sense, Gregory interprets also even the 64 
 punishment of David when he says : " If God on account of 
 that sin had threatened that he would thus be humbled by his 
 Son, why, when the sin was forgiven, did he fulfil that which 
 27 
 
210 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 he had threatened against him? The reply is that this remis- 
 sion was made that man might not be hindered from receiving 
 eternal life, but that the example of the threatening followed, 
 in order that the piety of the man might be exercised and tested 
 even in this humility. Thus God both inflicted upon man 
 death of body on account of sin, and, after the remission of 
 sins, for the sake of exercising justice, viz. in order that the 
 righteousness of those who are sanctified, might be exercised 
 and tested, he did not remove the death thus inflicted." 
 
 Nor indeed are common calamities [as war, famine, and such 6< 
 calamities] removed properly by these works of canonical sat- 
 isfactions, i. e. by these works of human traditions, which, they 
 say, avail ex opere operato, in such a way that even though they 
 are wrought in mortal sin, yet they redeem from the punish- 
 ments. And when the passage of Paul (1 Cor. 11 : 31) is cited 66 
 on the other hand : " If we would judge ourselves, we should 
 not be judged by the Lord" [they conclude therefrom that if 
 we impose punishment upon ourselves, God will judge us the 
 more graciously], the word "to judge" ought to be understood 
 of the entire repentance, and the fruits that are due, and not of 
 those works which are not due. Our adversaries pay the pen- 
 alty for despising grammar, when they understand " to judge " 
 to be the same as to make a pilgrimage clad in mail to the 
 church of St. James, or similar works. " To judge " signifies 
 the entire repentance, signifies to condemn sins. This condem-67 
 nation truly occurs in contrition and change of life. The en- 
 tire repentance, contrition, faith, the good fruits obtain the mit- 
 igation of public and private punishments and calamities, as 
 Isaiah teaches, ch. 1 : 17-19: "Cease to do evil: learn to do 
 well," etc. " Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be 
 white as snow." " If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat 
 the good of the land." Neither should a most important and 68 
 salutary doctrine be transferred from the entire repentance, and 
 works, due or commanded by God, to the satisfactions and works 
 of human traditions. And it is profitable to teach, that com- 
 mon evils are mitigated by our repentance, and by the true 
 fruits of repentance, by good works wrought from faith, not, as 
 ]qq these men imagine, wrought in mortal sin. And here be- 69 
 
 longs the example of the Ninevites (Jon. 3 : 10), who by 
 their repentance (we speak of the entire repentance) were recon- 
 ciled to God and obtained the favor that their city was not 
 destroyed. 
 
 Moreover the making mention, by the Fathers, of satisfac- 7c 
 tion, and the framing of canons by the councils, we have said 
 above was a matter of Church discipline instituted on account of 
 the example. Nor did they hold that this discipline is neces- 
 sary, for the remission either of the guilt, or of the punish- 
 
Ch. VI. CONFESSION AND SATISFACTION. 211 
 
 ment. For if in these they made mention of purgatory, they 
 interpret it not as compensation for eternal punishment [which 
 only Christ makes], not as satisfaction, but as purification of 
 imperfect souls. Just as Augustine says that venial [daily] 
 offences are consumed, i. e. distrust towards God and other similar 
 dispositions are mortified. Now and then, the writers transfer 71 
 the term satisfaction from the rite itself or spectacle, to signify 
 true mortification. Thus Augustine says : " True satisfaction 
 is to cut off the causes of sin," i. e. to mortify the flesh, like- 
 wise to restrain the flesh, not in order that eternal punishments 
 may be compensated for, but so that the flesh may not allure to 
 sin. 
 
 Thus concerning restitution, Gregory says that repentance is 72 
 false, " if it do not satisfy those whose property we have taken." 
 For he who still steals does not truly grieve that he has stolen 
 or robbed. For he is a thief or robber, so long as he is the 
 unjust possessor of the property of another. This civil satisfac- 
 tion is necessary, because it is written (Eph. 4 : 28) : " Let him 
 that stole, steal no more." Likewise Chrysostom says : " In 73 
 the heart, contrition ; in the mouth, confession ; in the work, 
 entire humility." This amounts to nothing against us. Good 
 works ought to follow repentance; repentance ought to be 
 not a dissembling, but a change, for the better, of the entire 
 life. 
 
 Likewise, the Fathers wrote that it is sufficient, if once in 74 
 life this public or ceremonial penitence occur, concerning which 
 canonical satisfactions have been made. Wherefore, it can be 
 understood that they held that these canons are not necessary 
 onrj for the remission of sins. For in addition to this peni- 
 tence according to religious rites, they frequently wish that 
 penitence be rendered otherwise, where canons of satisfactions 
 were not required. 
 
 The composers of the Confutation write that the abolition of 75 
 satisfactions contrary to the plain Gospel, is not to be endured. 
 We, therefore, have thus far shown that these canonical satis- 
 factions, i. e. works not due, and that are to be performed in 
 order to compensate for punishment, have not the command of 
 the Gospel. The subject itself shows this. If works of satis- 76 
 faction are works which are not due, why do they cite the 
 plain Gospel ? For if the Gospel would command that punish- 
 ments be compensated for by such works, the works would al- 
 ready be due. But they thus speak, in order to impose upon 
 the inexperienced, and they cite testimonies, which speak of 
 works that are due, although they themselves in their own 
 satisfactions prescribe works that are not due. Yea in their 
 -schools, they themselves concede that satisfactions can be re- 
 fused without [mortal] sin. Therefore, they here write falsely 
 
212 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION 
 
 that we are compelled by the plain Gospel to undertake these 
 canonical satisfactions. 
 
 But we have already frequently testified that repentance 7; 
 ought to produce good fruits, and what the good fruits are the 
 [ten] commandments teach [truly and from the heart, to most 
 highly esteem, fear and love God, joyfully to call upon him in 
 need], viz. prayer, thanksgiving, the confession of the Gospel 
 [hearing this word], to teach the Gospel, to obey parents and mag- 
 istrates, to be faithful to one's calling, not to kill, not to retain 
 hatred, but to be forgiving [to be agreeable and kind to one's 
 neighbor], to give to the needy, so far as we can according to 
 our means, not to commit adultery or fornication, but to re- 
 strain and bridle and chastise the flesh, not for a compensa- 
 tion of eternal punishment, but so as not to obey the devil, or 
 offend the Holy Ghost; likewise to speak the truth. These 
 fruits have God's injunction, and ought to be brought forth 
 for the sake of God's glory and command ; and they have also 
 rewards. But that eternal punishments are not remitted, except 
 on account of the compensation rendered by certain traditions 
 or by purgatory, Scripture does not teach. Indulgences were for- 78 
 merlv remission of these public observances, so that men should 
 not be excessively burdened. But if, by human authority, sat- 
 isfactions and punishments can be remitted, this compensation, 
 therefore, is not necessary by divine law ; for a divine law is 
 n n -j not annulled by human authority. Furthermore, since 
 the custom has now of itself become obsolete and the 
 bishops have passed it by in silence, there is no necessity for 
 these remissions. And yet the name "indulgences" re- 
 mained. And just as satisfactions were understood not with 
 reference to external discipline, but with reference to the com- 
 pensation of punishment ; so indulgences were incorrectly un- 
 derstood to free souls from purgatory. But the keys have not 75 
 the power of binding and loosing, unless upon earth, according 
 to Matt. 16 : 19 : "Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall 
 be bound in heaven ; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, 
 shall be loosed in heaven." Although, as we have said above, 
 the keys have not the power to impose penalties, or to institute 
 rites of worship, but only the command to remit sins to those 
 who are converted, and to convict and excommunicate those 
 who are unwilling to be converted. For just as "to loose" 
 signifies to remit sins, so "to bind" signifies not to remit sins. 
 For Christ speaks of a spiritual kingdom. And the command 
 of God, is that the ministers of the Gospel, should absolve 
 those who are converted, according to 2 Cor. 10 : 8 : " The au- 
 thority which the Lord hath given us for edification." Where- 8c 
 fore, the reservation of cases is a matter of external govern- 
 ment. For there is a reservation of canonical punishment, 
 
Ch VII., Art. XIII. NUMBER AND USE OF SACRAMENTS. 212 
 
 there is not a reservation of guilt before God in those who are 
 truly converted. Wherefore the adversaries judge aright when 
 they confess that in the article of death, the reservation of 
 cases ought not to hinder absolution. 1 
 
 We have set forth the sum of our doctrine concerning re- 8) 
 pentance, which we certainly know is godly and salutary to 
 good minds [and highly necessary]. And if good men will 
 compare our doctrine with the very confused discussions of our 
 adversaries, they will perceive that the adversaries have omitted 
 the doctrine concerning faith justifying and consoling godly 
 hearts. They will also see that the adversaries invent many 
 things concerning the merits of attrition, concerning the endless 
 enumeration of offences, concerning satisfactions; they say 
 things agreeing neither with human nor divine law and which 
 not even the adversaries themselves can satisfactorily explain. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 202 Article XIII. 
 
 Of the Number and Use of the Sacraments. 
 
 In the thirteenth article, the adversaries approve our state- 1 
 ment that the sacraments are not only marks of profession 
 among men, as some imagine, but that they are rather signs 
 and testimonies of God's will toward us, through which God 
 moves hearts to believe [are not mere signs, whereby men may 
 recognize each other, as the watchword in war, livery, etc., but 
 are efficacious signs and sure testimonies, etc.]. But here they 2 
 bid us also count seven sacraments. We hold that it should be 
 maintained that the matters and ceremonies instituted in the 
 Scriptures, whatever the number, be not neglected. Neither do 
 we think that it makes much difference, even though, for the 
 purpose of teaching, others reckon otherwise, provided they 
 still preserve aright the matters handed down in Scripture. 
 Neither have the ancients reckoned in the same manner. [But 
 concerning this number of seven sacraments, the fact is that 
 the Fathers have not been uniform in their enumeration ; thus 
 also the seven ceremonies are not equally necessary.] 
 
 If we call the sacraments, " rites which have the command 3 
 of God and to which the promise of grace has been added," it 
 is easy to decide what are properly sacraments. For rites in- 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Art. xiii. ; Apology, Art. xxiv, 
 I 16 sqq. ; 68 sq. ; Smalcald Articles, Art. v.; Small Catechism, Of Baptism; 
 Large Catechism, Part iv., § 28 sqq. ; Part v., \ 8 sqq. ; Formula of Concord, 
 Epitome vii., \ 21 sqq. ; Sol. Dec. vii., \ 109 sqq. 
 
 1 L. iv. Decretal, 1. v., tit. 9, cap. 5. Clemen tin, 1. v., tit. 8, cap. 3. 
 
214 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 sti tuted by men will not in this way be sacraments properly 
 so called. For it does not belong to human authority to prom- 
 ise grace. Wherefore signs instituted without God's command, 
 are not sure signs of grace, even though they perhaps instruct 
 the rude [children or the uncultivated], or admonish as to 
 something [as a painted cross]. Therefore Baptlsm,the Lord's 4 
 Supper and Absolution, 1 which is the sacrament of repentance, 
 are truly sacraments. For these rites have God's command 
 and the promise of grace, which is peculiar to the New Testa- 
 ment. For when we are baptized, when we eat the Lord's 
 body, when we are absolved, they ought certainly to assure us 
 that God truly forgives us for Christ's sake. And God, at the 5 
 same time, by the Word and by rites, moves hearts to believe and 
 conceive faith, just as Paul says (Rom. 10: 17): "Faith com- 
 eth by hearing." But just as the Word enters the ears in 
 order to strike hearts ; so the rite itself meets the eyes, in 
 order to move hearts. The effect of the Word and of the rite 
 is the same, as it has been well said by Augustine that a sacra- 
 ment is " a visible word," 2 because the rite is received by the 
 eyes, and is, as it were, a picture of the Word, signifying the 
 same thing as the Word. AVherefore the effect of both is the 
 same. 
 0A0 Confirmation and Extreme Unction are rites received from 6 
 
 the Fathers, which not even the Church requires as neces- 
 sary to salvation, because they do Tiot have God's command. 
 Besides it is not useless to distinguish these rites from the 
 former, which have God's express command and a clear prom- 
 ise of grace. 
 
 The adversaries understand priesthood not of the ministry 7 
 f f the Word, and administering the sacraments to others, but 
 \hey understand it as referring to sacrifice ; as though in the 
 New Testament there ought to be a priesthood like the Levit- 
 ical, to sacrifice for the people, and merit the remission of sins 
 for others. We teach that the sacrifice of Christ dying on the 8 
 cross has been sufficient for the sins of the whole world, and 
 that there is no need besides of other sacrifices, as though this 
 were not sufficient for our sins. Men 3 accordingly are justified 
 not because of any other sacrifices, but because of this one sac- 
 rifice of Christ, if they believe that they have been redeemed 
 by this sacrifice. They are accordingly called priests, not in 5 
 order to make any sacrifices for the people as in the Law, so 
 that by these they may merit remission of sins for the people ; 
 
 1 Cf. Apology, Art. xi. ; Art. xii., § 39 sqq. ; and, on the other hand 
 Large Catechism, Part. iv. : \ 1, p. 485. 
 
 1 Augustine on John, Tract 80 : \ 3 : " The Word comes to the sacra 
 oient, even though it is itself a visible Word." 8 Germ, omits until \ 1C 
 
Ch. VII., Art. Xill. NUMBER AXD USE OF SACRAMENTS. 21 1 
 
 but they are called to teach the Gospel and administer the sac- 
 raments to the people. Nor do we have another priesthood like ic 
 the Levitical, as the Epistle to the Hebrews l sufficiently teaches. 
 But if ordination be understood as applying to the ministry 1 1 
 of the Word, we are not unwilling to call ordination a sacra- 
 ment. For the ministry of the Word has God's command and 
 glorious promises (Rom. 1 : 16) : " The Gospel is the power of 
 God unto salvation to every one that believeth." Likewise, 
 (Jsa. 55 : 11): "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of 
 ray mouth ; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall ac- 
 complish that which I please." If ordination be understood n 
 in this way, neither will we refuse to call the imposition of 
 hands a sacrament. For the Church has the command to ap- 
 point ministers, which should be most pleasing to us, because 
 we know that God approves this ministry, and is present in the 
 ministry [that God will preach and work through men and 
 those who have been chosen by men]. And it is of advantage, 13 
 so far as can be done, to adorn the ministry of the Word with 
 every kind of praise against fanatical men, w T ho dream that the 
 Holy Ghost is given not through the Word, but because of 
 certain preparations of their own, if they sit unoccupied and 
 silent in obscure places, waiting for illumination, as the enthu- 
 siasts formerly taught, and the Anabaptists now teach. 
 nnA Matrimony was not first instituted in the New Testa- 14 
 
 ment, but in the beginning, immediately on the creation 
 of the human race. It has moreover God's command ; it has 
 also promises, not indeed properly pertaining to the New Tes- 
 tament, but pertaining rather to the bodily life. Wherefore, 
 if any one should wish to call it a sacrament, he however ought 
 to distinguish it from those preceding ones [the two former ones], 
 which are properly signs of the New Testament, and testimo- 
 nies of grace and the remission of sins. But if marriage will 15 
 have the name of sacrament for the reason that it has God's 
 command, other states or offices also, which have God's com- 
 mand, may be called sacraments, as for example the magis- 
 tracy. 
 
 Lastly, if among the sacraments, all things ought to be num- \6 
 bered which have God's command, and to which promises 
 have been added, why do we not add prayer, which most truly 
 can be called a sacrament? For it has both God's command 
 and very many promises ; and if placed among the sacraments, 
 as though in a more eminent place, it would invite men to pray. 
 Alms could also be reckoned here, and likewise afflictions, which 
 are even themselves signs, to which God has added promises. 
 But let us omit these things. For no prudent man will strive 1; 
 
 1 See Chapters VII.-X. 
 
1U6 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 greatly concerning a number or term, if the objects still be re- 
 tained which have God's command and promises. 
 
 It is still more needful to understand how the sacraments are it 
 to be used. Here we condemn the whole crowd of scholastic 1 
 doctors, who teach that the sacraments confer grace ex opere 
 opcrato without a good disposition on the part of the one using 
 them, provided he do not place a hindrance in the way. This 
 is absolutely a Jewish opinion, to hold that we are justified by 
 a ceremony, without a good disposition of heart, i. e. without 
 faith. And yet this impious and pernicious opinion is taught 
 with great authority throughout the entire realm of the Pope. 
 Paul contradicts this, and denies (Rom. 4 : 9) that Abraham 19 
 was justified by circumcision, but asserts that circumcision 
 was a sign presented for exercising faith. Thus we teach that 
 in the use of the sacraments faith ought to be added, which 
 should believe these promises, and receive the promised things 
 which are there offered in the sacraments. And the reason is 20 
 plain and thoroughly grounded. The promise is useless, unless 
 it be received by faith. But the sacraments are the signs [and 
 seals] of the promises. Therefore in the use of the sacraments 
 onr faith ought to be added, so that if any one use the Lord's 
 Supper, he use it thus. Because this is a sacrament of 
 the New Testament, as Christ clearly says, 2 he ought for this 
 very reason to be confident that what is promised in the New 
 Testament, viz. the free remission of sins, is offered him. 
 And let him receive this by faith, let him comfort his alarmed 
 conscience, and know that these testimonies are not fallacious, 
 but as sure as though [and still surer than if] God by a new 
 miracle would declare from heaven that it was his will to grant 
 forgiveness. But of what advantage would these miracles and 
 promises be to an unbeliever? And here we speak of special 2\ 
 faith which believes the present promise, not only that which 
 in general believes that God exists, but which believes that the 
 remission of sins is offered. This use of the sacrament consoles 22 
 godly and alarmed minds. 
 
 Moreover no one can express in words what abuses in the 23 
 Church this fanatical opinion concerning the opus operatum 
 without a good disposition on the part of the one using the 
 sacraments, has produced. Hence, the profanation of the 
 Masses is infinite ; but of this we will speak below. Neither 
 can a single letter be produced from the old writers which in 
 this matter favors the scholastics. Yea Augustine says the 
 contrary, that the faith of the sacrament, and not the sacrament 
 
 1 Cf. Smalcald Articles, Part iii., Art. viii., p. 321 ; Formula of Concord 
 pp. 588, 608. 
 •Luke 22: 20. 
 
Ch. VII., Art. XIV. ECCLESIASTICAL ORDERS. 217 
 
 justifies. And the declaration of Paul is well known (Kom. 
 10 : 10) : " With the heart man believeth unto righteousness." 
 
 Article XIY. 
 
 Of Ecclesiastical Orders. 
 
 The fourteenth article, in which we say that the administra-24 
 tion of the sacraments and Word, in the Church, ought to 
 be allowed no one unless he be rightly called , they receive in 
 such a way as though we nevertheless employ canonical ordina- 
 tion. Concerning this subject, we have frequently testified in 
 this assembly 1 that it is our greatest wish to maintain Church 
 polity and the grades in the Church, even though they have 
 been made by human authority [provided the bishops allow our 
 doctrine and receive our priests]. For we know that Church 
 discipline was instituted by the Fathers, in the manner laid down 
 in the ancient canons, with a good and useful intention. But 25 
 the bishops either compel our priests to reject and condemn the 
 kinds of doctrine which we have confessed, or, by a new and 
 unheard-of cruelty, they put to death the poor innocent men. 
 These causes hinder our priests from acknowledging such bish- 
 op* ops. Thus the cruelty of the bishops is the reason why 
 that canonical government, which we greatly desired to 
 maintain, is in some places dissolved. Let them see to it how 
 they will give an account to God for dispersing the Church. In 26 
 this matter, our consciences are not in danger, because since we 
 know that our confession is true, godly and catholic, we ought 
 not to approve the cruelty of those who persecute this doctrine. 
 And we know that the Church is with those who teach the 27 
 Word of God aright, and administer the sacraments aright, and 
 not with those who not only by their edicts endeavor to efface 
 God's Word, but also put to death those who teach what is right 
 and true ; towards whom, even though they do something con- 
 trary to the canons, yet the very canons are milder. Further- 28 
 more, we wish here again to testify that we will gladly main- 
 tain ecclesiastical and canonical order, provided the bishops only 
 cease to rage against our Churches. This our desire will clear 
 us both before God and among all nations to all posterity from 
 the imputation against us, that the authority of the bishops is 
 being undermined, when men read and hear, that, although 
 protesting against the unrighteous cruelty of the bishops, we 
 could not obtain justice. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Art. xiv. ; Smalcald Articles 
 Part iii., Ait. x. ; of the Power of Pope, \ 60 sqq., p. 340. 
 
 1 Especially in conferences from Aug. 16. 
 28 
 
218 THK APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Article XV. 
 
 Of Human Traditions in the Church. 
 
 In the fifteenth article, they receive the first part, in which i 
 we say that such ecclesiastical rites are to be observed as can be 
 observed without sin, and are of profit in the Church for 
 tranquillity and good order. They altogether condemn the 
 second part, in which we say that human traditions instituted 
 to appease God, to merit grace, and make satisfactions for sins 
 are contrary to the Gospel. Although in the Confession itself, 2 
 when treating of the distinction of meats, 1 we have spoken at 
 sufficient length concerning traditions, yet certain things should 
 be briefly recounted here. 
 
 Although we supposed that the adversaries would defend 3 
 human traditions on other grounds, yet we did not think that 
 this would come to pass, viz. that they would condemn this 
 article : that we do not merit the remission of sins or grace by 
 the observance of human traditions. Since, therefore, this 
 article has been condemned, we have an easy and plain case. 
 The adversaries are now openly Judaizing, are openly sup- 4 
 pressing the Gospel by the doctrines of demons. For Scrip- 
 ture calls traditions doctrines of demons, 2 when it is taught that 
 religious rites are serviceable to merit the remission of sins and 
 grace. For they are then obscuring the Gospel, the benefit of 
 Christ, and the righteousness of faith. [For they are just as 
 directly contrary to Christ, and to the Gospel, as are fire and 
 water to one another.] The Gospel teaches that by faith we 5 
 receive freely for Christ's sake the remission of sins, and are 
 reconciled to God. The adversaries, on the other hand, ap- 
 point another mediator, viz. these traditions.. On account of 
 these, they wish to acquire remission of sins ; on account of 
 these, they wish to appease God's wrath. But Christ clearly 
 on 7 says (Matt. 15 : 9) : "In vain do they worship me, teach- 
 ins; for doctrines the commandments of men." 
 
 We have above discussed at length that men are justified by 6 
 faith, when they believe that they have God reconciled, not be- 
 cause of our works, but gratuitously for Christ's sake. It is 
 certain that this is the doctrine of the Gospel, because Paul 
 clearly teaches (Eph. 2 : 8, 9) : " By grace are ye saved through 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Art. xv., vii. : 3; xxvi.; xxviii 
 § 30 sqq. ; Apology, Chap, iv., Art. vii., \ 30 sqq. ; Smalcald Articles, Art. xv. 
 Formula of Concord, Epitome, Art. x. ; Sol. Dec. do. 
 
 1 Aug. Conf., xxvi. * 1 Tim. 4 sq. 
 
Cu. VIII., Art. XV. HUMAN TRADITIONS IN THE CHURCH. 21 £ 
 
 faith ; and that not of yourselves : it is the gift of God ; not 
 of works." Now these men say, that men merit the remission 7 
 of sins by these human observances. What else is this but to 
 appoint another justifier, another mediator in addition to Christ? 
 Paul says to the Galatians (5:4): " Christ has become of no 8 
 effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the Law ;" 
 i. e. if you hold that by the observance of the Law you merit 
 to be accounted righteous before God, Christ will profit you 
 nothing, because what need of Christ have those who hold that 
 they are righteous by their own observance of the Law ? God 9 
 has set forth Christ with the promise that on account of this 
 Mediator, and not on account of our righteousness, he wishes to 
 be propitious to us. But these men hold that God is reconciled 
 and propitious, because of the traditions, and not because of 
 Christ. Therefore, they take away from Christ the honor of 
 Mediator. Neither, so far as this matter is concerned, is there ic 
 any difference between our traditions and the ceremonies of 
 Moses. Paul condemns the ceremonies of Moses, just as he 
 condemns traditions, for the reason that they were regarded 
 works which merit righteousness before God. Thus the office 
 of Christ and the righteousness of faith were obscured. Where- 
 fore the Law being removed, and traditions being removed, he 
 contends that the remission of sins has been promised not be- 
 cause of our works, but freely because of Christ, provided that 
 by faith we receive it. For the promise is not received unless 
 by faith. Since, therefore, by faith we receive the remission of 11 
 sins, since by faith we have God propitious to us for Christ's 
 sake, it is an error and impiety to think that, because of these 
 observances, we merit the remission of sins. If any one should 12 
 say here that we do not merit the remission of sins, but that 
 those who have already been justified by these traditions merit 
 grace ; Paul here again replies (Gal. 2:17) that Christ would be 
 the minister of sin, if after justification we must hold that we 
 are not even then accounted righteous for Christ's sake, but we 
 ought first, by other observances, to merit that we be accounted 
 righteous. Likewise (Gal. 3:15): " Though it be but a man's 
 covenant, no man addeth thereto." Therefore, neither to God's 
 covenant who promises that for Christ's sake he will be pro- 
 pitious to us, ought we to add that we must first through these 
 observances attain such merit as to be accounted accepted and 
 righteous, 
 nno Although what need is there of a long discussion? No 13 
 
 tradition was instituted by the holy Fathers with the de- 
 sign that it should merit the remission of sins or righteousness, 
 but they have been instituted for the sake of good order in the 
 Church and for the sake of tranquillity. And when any one 14 
 wishes to institute certain works to merit the remission of sins 
 
220 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 or righteousness, how will he know that these works please 
 God, since he has not the testimony of God's Word? How 
 without God's Word and command will he render men certain 
 of God's will ? Does he not everywhere in the prophets pro- 
 hibit men from instituting without his commandment peculiar 
 rites of worship? In Ez. 20 : 18, 19, it is written : " Walk ye 
 not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judg- 
 ments, nor defile yourselves with their idols : I am the Lord 
 our God ; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and 
 do them." If men are allowed to institute religious rites, and ij 
 through these rites merit grace, the religious rites of all the 
 heathen will have to be approved, and the rites instituted by 
 Jeroboam (1 Kings 12 : 26 sq.), and by others, in addition to 
 the Law, will have to be approved. For what difference does 
 it make? If we have been allowed to institute religious rites 
 that are profitable for meriting grace, or righteousness, why 
 was the same not allowed the heathen and the Israelites? But 16 
 the religious rites of the heathen and the Israelites were re- 
 jected for the very reason that they held that by these they 
 merited remission of sins and righteousness, and yet did not 
 know [the highest service of God] the righteousness of faith. 
 Lastly, whence are we rendered certain, that rites, instituted by 17 
 men without God's command, justify, inasmuch as nothing can 
 be affirmed of God's will without God's Word ? What if God 
 does not approve these services ? How, therefore, do the ad- 
 versaries affirm that they justify? Without God's Word and 
 testimony, this cannot be affirmed. And Paul says (Rom. 14 : 
 23) : " Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin." But as these ser- 
 vices have no testimony of God's Word, conscience must doubt 
 as to whether they please God. 
 
 And what need is there of words on a subject so manifest? 1? 
 If the adversaries defend these human services as meriting jus- 
 tification, grace and the remission of sins, they absolutely es- 
 tablish the kingdom of Antichrist, For the kingdom of 
 Antichrist is a new service of God, devised by human authority 
 rejecting Christ, just as the kingdom of Mahomet has services, 
 and works through which it wishes to be justified before God, 
 nor does it hold that men are gratuitously justified before God 
 onq ty ^h ^ or Christ's sake. Thus the Papacy also will be 
 a part of the kingdom of Antichrist, if it thus defends 
 human services as justifying. For honor is taken away from 
 Christ when they teach that we are not justified gratuitously 
 by faith for Christ's sake, but by such services; especially 
 when they teach that such services are not only useful for jus- 
 tification, but are also necessary, as they hold above in Art. 
 vii. where they condemn us for saying, that, to the true unity 
 of the Church, it is not necessary that rites instituted by men 
 
£h. VIII., Akt. XV. HUMAN TRADITIONS IN THE CHURCH. 22] 
 
 should be everywhere alike. Daniel (11:38) indicates that 19 
 new human services will be the very form and constitution of 
 the kingdom of Antichrist. For he says thus : " But in his 
 estate shall he honor the god of forces ; and a god whom his 
 fathers knew not shall he honor with gold and silver and pre- 
 cious stones." Here he describes new services, because he says 
 that such a god shall be worshipped as the fathers were igno- 
 rant of. For although the holy Fathers themselves had both 2 
 rites and traditions, yet they did not hold that these matters are 
 useful or necessary for justification ; they did not obscure the 
 glory and office of Christ, but taught that we are justified by 
 faith for Christ's sake, and not for the sake of these human 
 services. But they observed human rites for the sake of bodily 
 advantage, so that the people might know at what time they 
 .should assemble; so that, for the sake of example, all things 
 in the churches might be clone in order and becomingly. For 
 the distinctions of times and the variety of rites are of service 
 in a Imonishing the common people. The Fathers had these 21 
 reasons for maintaining the rites, 1 and for these reasons we also 
 
 1 In the Var. Melanchthon adds the testimony of Epiphanius (cf. Apol- 
 ogy, Art. xxiii., § 45), and continues: "As Epiphanius [Haer. 46], clearly 
 testifies that it was a class like our monks. For they were fraternities 
 that imposed upon themselves certain traditions; they also abstained 
 from wine even in the Lord's Supper; they ate no flesh, not even of fish, 
 and in this respect far surpassed the brethren of the Dominican order. 
 They also indeed in the greatest degree were averse to marriage, although 
 they were not averse to intercourse with women. For Epiphanius pre- 
 sents this charge against them, as they had crowds of women following 
 the same kind of life, just as at the present time the monks have almost 
 everywhere neighboring monasteries of women. And they imagined that 
 these observances were a worship of God, and righteousness on account 
 of which they were accepted of God, and whereby they appeased God's 
 wrath. This opinion Epiphanius disapproves, and shows that there ar 
 other designs of traditions, and. says that such traditions are to be ap 
 proved as have been made dm ttjv kyKparetav, ij Sta. rrjv iroliTelav, i. e. either 
 for restraining the flesh on account of discipline of the rude, or on account 
 of political order. And we judge that it may be right to observe tradi- 
 tions, for the following reasons, viz. that a sober people may participate in 
 the sacred [rites], just as Jehoshaphat and the king of Nineveh proclaimed 
 fasts (2 Chron. 20 : 3 ; Jonah 3 : 7 sq.) ; and also that the order and polity 
 of the Church may instruct the ignorant what has been done at any time. 
 Hence Christmas, Easter, Pentecost and the like. That is, as Epiphanius 
 says, that traditions have been instituted for the sake of the polity, viz. 
 for the sake of order, and that this order should teach men concerning 
 the history and benefits of Christ. For the marks of things painted as il 
 were upon the customs and rites teach much more effectually than letters. 
 U was of profit to present and set forth these designs to the people. But 
 
222 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 judge that it is right that traditions [good customs] be main 
 rained. And we are greatly surprised that x he adversaries 
 [against the entire Scriptures of the Apostles, against the Old 
 and New Testaments] contend for another design of traditions, 
 viz. tint they may merit the remission of sins, grace or justifi- 
 cation. What else is this than to honor God "with gold and 
 silver and precious stones?" [as Daniel says], i. e. to hold that 
 God becomes reconciled by a variety in clothing, ornaments 
 and by similar rites [many kinds of church decorations, ban- 
 ners, tapers], as are infinite in human traditions. 
 
 Paul writes to the Colossians (2 : 23) that traditions have "a 22 
 show of wisdom." And they indeed have. For this good order 
 is very becoming in the Church, and for this reason is necessary. 
 91 a But human reason, because it does not understand the 
 righteousness of faith, naturally imagines that such works 
 justify men because they reconcile God, etc. Thus the com- 23 
 mon people among the Israelites thought, and by this opinion 
 increased such ceremonies, just as among us they have grown 
 in the monasteries [as in our time, one altar after another and 
 one church after another is founded]. Thus human reason 24 
 judges also of bodily exercises, of fasts ; although the end of 
 these is to restrain the flesh, reason imagines the end to be, that 
 they may be services which justify. As Thomas writes : " Fast- 
 ing avails for the extinguishing and the prevention of guilt." 
 These are the words of Thomas. Thus the semblance of wis- 
 dom and righteousness in such works deceives men. And the 
 examples of the saints are added [when they say : St. Francis 
 wore a cap, etc.] ; while they desire to imitate these men, they 
 imitate for the most part the outward exercises ; their faith 
 they do not imitate. 
 
 After this semblance of wisdom and righteousness has de-2: 
 ceived men, then infinite evils follow ; the Gospel concerning 
 the righteousness of faith in Christ is obscured, and vain con- 
 fidence in such works succeeds. Then the commandments of 
 God are obscured ; these works arrogate to themselves the title 
 of a perfect and spiritual life, and are far preferred to the 
 works of God's commandment [the true, holy, good works], 
 as the works of one's own calling, the administration of the 
 
 to these designs the adversaries with a pharisaic persuasion, add another 
 viz. that such observances merit the remission of sins, that they are ser 
 vices necessary for justification, that on account of them men are ac- 
 counted just before God. This is plainly to honor God " with gold and 
 silver and precious stones," that is, to hold that God becomes reconciled 
 by a variety in clothing, ornaments and by similar things, as are infinite 
 in human traditions, or that the worship of God consists of such thing- 
 as distinctions in times, meats, vessels, clothing. 
 
Ch. VIII., Art. XV. HUMAN TKADITIONS IN THE CHURCH. 225 
 
 state, the management of a family, married life, the bringing 
 up of children. Compared with these ceremonies the former 26 
 are judged to be profane, so that they are exercised by many 
 with some doubts of conscience. For it is evident that many, 
 the administration of the state and marriage being abandoned, 
 have embraced these observances as better and holier [have 
 gone into cloisters in order to become holy and spiritual]. 
 
 Nor is this enough. When the persuasion has taken possession 27 
 of minds that such observances are necessary to justification, 
 consciences are in miserable anxiety because they cannot exactly 
 fulfil all observances. For how many are there who could 
 enumerate all these observances? There are immense books, 
 yea whole libraries, containing not a syllable concerning Christ, 
 concerning faith in Christ, concerning the good works of one's 
 own calling, but which only collect the traditions and inter- 
 011 pretations by which they are sometimes augmented and 
 sometimes relaxed. [They write of such precepts, as of 
 fasting for forty days, the four canonical hours for prayer, etc.] 
 How that most excellent man, Gerson, is tortured while he 28 
 searches for the grades and extent of the precepts ! Neverthe- 
 less, he is not able to fix, iTrtetxsea [alleviation, equity] in any 
 grade [and yet cannot find any sure grade where he could con- 
 fidently promise the heart assurance and peace]. Meanwhile, 
 he sometimes deplores the dangers of godly consciences, which 
 this rigid interpretation of tradition produces. 
 
 Against this semblance of wisdom and righteousness in hu- 29 
 man rites, which deceives men, let us therefore fortify ourselves 
 by the Word of God, and be assured that these neither merit 
 before God the remission of sins or justification, nor are neces- 
 sary for justification. We have above cited some testimonies. 30 
 And Paul is full. To the Colossians (2 : 16, 17) he clearly 
 says : " Let no man, therefore, judge you in meat or in drink, 
 or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sab- 
 bath days, which are a shadow of things to come; but the 
 body is of Christ." But this embraces at the same time both 
 the Law of Moses and human traditions, in order that the ad- 
 versaries may not elude these testimonies, according to their 
 custom, upon the ground that Paul is speaking only of the Law 
 of Moses. He indeed testifies here clearly that he is speaking 
 of human traditions. Although the adversaries do not see 
 what they are saying ; if the Gospel says that the ceremonies 
 of Moses, which were divinely instituted, do not justify, how 
 much less do human traditions justify ! 
 
 Neither have the bishops the power to institute services, as 31 
 though they justify, or are necessary for justification. Yea the 
 apostles (Acts 15:10) say: "Why tempt ye God to put a 
 yoke," etc., where Peter declares this purpose to burden the 
 
224 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 Church a great sin. And Paul forbids the Galatians (5 : 1) to 
 "be entangled again with the yoke of bondage." The apos-32 
 ties wish therefore that this liberty remain in the Church, that 
 no services of the Law or of traditions may be judged to be 
 necessary (just as in the Law ceremonies were for a time neces- 
 sary), lest the righteousness of faith may be obscured, if men 
 judge that these services merit justification, or are necessary 
 for justification. Many seek in traditions various irrtsixeca^ 33 
 [alleviations] in order to heal consciences; and yet they do not 
 fiud any sure grades by which to free consciences from these 
 chains. But just as Alexander once loosened the Gordian knot 34 
 by cutting it with his sword when he could not disentangle it, 
 91 o so the apostles once for all free consciences from tradi- 
 tions, especially if they are taught for meriting justifica- 
 tion. The apostles compel us to oppose this doctrine by teach- 
 ing and examples. They compel us to teach that traditions do 
 not justify; that they are not necessary for justification; that 
 no one ought to frame or receive traditions with the opinion 
 that they merit justification. Then even though any one 35 
 should observe them, let him observe them without superstition 
 as civil customs, just as without superstition soldiers are clothed 
 in one way, and scholars in another. [As I regard my wearing 
 of a German costume among the Germans, and a French costume 
 among the French, as an observance of the usage of the land, 
 and not for the purpose thereby of being saved.] The apos- 36 
 ties violate traditions and are excused by Christ. 1 For the ex- 
 ample was to be shown the Pharisees that these services are 
 unprofitable. And if our people neglect some traditions that 37 
 are of little advantage, they are now sufficiently excused, when 
 these are required as though they merit justification. For such 
 an opinion with regard to traditions is impious [an error not to 
 be endured]. 
 
 But we cheerfully maintain the old traditions [as the three 38 
 high festivals, the observance of Sunday and the like] made in 
 the Church for the sake of usefulness and tranquillity; and we 
 interpret them in a more moderate way, to the exclusion of the 
 opinion which holds that they justify. And our enemies falsely 39 
 accuse us of abolishing good ordinances and Church discipline. 
 For we can truly declare that the public form of the churches 
 is more becoming with us than with the adversaries [that 
 the true worship of God is observed in our churches in a more 
 Christian, honorable way]. And if any one will consider it 
 aright, we conform to the canons more truly than do the ad- 
 versaries "With the adversaries, unwilling celebrants, and 4x1 
 
 1 See Matt. 12 : 1-8. 
 
<JII. 
 
 VIII., Art. XV. HUMAN TRADITIONS IN THE CHURCH. 226 
 
 those hi re J for pay, and very frequently only for pay, celebrate 
 the Masses. They sing psalms, not that they may learn or 
 pray [for the greater part do not understand a verse in the 
 psalms], but for the sake of the service, as though this work 
 were a service, or at least a cause of reward. "With us man) 
 use the Lord's Supper [willingly and without constraint] every 
 Lord's Day, but after having been first instructed, examined 
 and absolved. The children sing psalms in order that they 
 may learn [become familiar with passages of Scripture] ; l the 
 people also sing, in order that they may either learn or pray. 
 With the adversaries there is no catechisation of the children 41 
 whatever, concerning which even the canons give instructions. 2 
 With us the pastors and ministers of the churches are compelled 
 publicly [and privately] to instruct and hear the youth ; and 
 this ceremony produces the best fruits. [And the Catechism is 
 not a mere childish thing, as is the bearing of banners and 
 tapers, but instruction that will always be profitable.] Among 42 
 the adversaries, in many regions [as in Italy and Spain] 
 during the entire year no sermons are delivered, except in 
 21 „ Lent. But the chief service of God is to teach the Gos- 
 pel. And when the adversaries do preach, they speak of 
 numan traditions, of the worship of saints [of consecrated 
 water] and similar trifles, which the people justly loath; there- 
 fore, they are deserted immediately in the beginning, after the 
 text of the Gospel has been recited. A few better ones begin 
 now to speak of good works, but of the righteousness of faith, 
 of faith in Christ, of the consolation of consciences, they say 
 nothing; yea this most wholesome part of the Gospel they 
 rail at with their reproaches. [This blessed doctrine, the pre- 
 cious holy Gospel, they call Lutheran.] On the contrary, in 43 
 our churches all the sermons are occupied with such topics as 
 these : of repentance, of the fear of God, of faith in Christ, 
 of the righteousness of faith, of the consolation of consciences 
 by faith, of the exercises of faith, of prayer, what its nature 
 should be, and that we should be fully confident that it is effi- 
 cacious, that it is heard, of the cross, of the authority of mag- 
 istrates and all civil ordinances [likewise how each one in his 
 station should live in a Christian way, and, out of obedience to 
 the command of the Lord God, should conduct himself in refer- 
 ence to every worldly ordinance and law], of the distinction be- 
 tween the kingdom of Christ, or the spiritual kingdom, and 
 political affairs, of marriage, of the education and instruction 
 of children, of chastity, of all the offices of love. From this 44 
 condition of the churches, it can be judged that we diligently 
 
 1 Cf. Aug. Conf., xxvi. : 3. 
 
 1 Decrees of Gratian, Part III., dist. 4, c. 64-60. 
 29 
 
22(3 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 maintain Church discipline and godly ceremonies and good 
 Church customs. 
 
 And of the mortification of the flesh, and discipline of the 45 
 body, we thus teach, just as the Confession states, 1 that a true 
 and not a feigned mortification occurs through the cross, and 
 afflictions by which God exercises us [when God breaks our 
 will, inflicts the cross and trouble]. In these we must obey 
 God's will, as Paul says (Rom. 12:1): u Present your bodies 
 a living sacrifice." And these are the spiritual exercises of 
 ™ , fear and faith. But in addition to this mortification which 46 
 
 occurs through the cross [which does not depend upon our 
 will] there is also a voluntary kind of exercise necessary, of 
 which Christ says (Luke 21 : 34) : " Take heed to yourselves 
 lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting/' 
 And Paul (1 Cor. 9 : 27) : "I keep under my body, and bring 
 it into subjection," etc. And these exercises are to be under- 47 
 taken not because they are services that justify, but in order to 
 curb the flesh, lest fulness may overpower us, and render us 
 secure and indifferent, the result of which is that men indulge 
 and obey the dispositions of the flesh. This diligence ought to 
 be perpetual, because it has the perpetual command of God. 
 And this prescribed form of certain meats and times does 48 
 nothing [as experience shows] towards curbing the flesh. For 
 it is more luxurious and sumptuous than other feasts [for they 
 practised greater gluttony with fish and various lenten meats 
 than when the fasts were not observed], and not even the ad- 
 versaries observe the form given in the canons. 
 
 This topic concerning traditions contains many and difficult 49 
 questions of controversy, and we have actually experienced that 
 traditions are truly snares of consciences. When they are ex- 
 acted as necessary, they torture in wonderful ways the con- 
 science omitting any observance [as godly hearts indeed expe- 
 rience when in canonical hours they have omitted a compline 
 or offended against them in a similar way]. Again their abro- 
 gation has its own evils, and its own questions. [On the other 
 hand, to teach absolute freedom has also its considerations and 
 questions, according as the common people need outward disci- 
 pline and instruction.] But we have an easy and plain case, 50 
 because the adversaries condemn us for teaching that human 
 traditions do not merit the remission of sins. Likewise they re- 
 quire universal traditions, as they thus call them, as necessary for 
 justification [and place them in Christ's stead]. Here we have 
 Paul as a constant champion, who everywhere contends that 
 these observances neither justify, nor are necessary in addition 
 to the righteousness of faith. And nevertheless we teach that, j>i 
 
 * Augsburg Confession, xxvi. : \ 30 sqq. 
 
Ch. VIII., Art. XVI. POLITICAL OKDEK. 227 
 
 iii these matters the use of liberty is to be so controlled, that 
 the inexperienced may not be offended, and, on account of the 
 abuse of liberty, may not become more hostile to the true doc- 
 trine of the Gospel, or that without a reasonable cause nothing 
 in customary rites be changed, but that in order to cherish har- 
 mony such old customs be observed which can be observed 
 without sin or without great inconvenience. And in this very 53 
 assembly we have shown sufficiently that for love's sake we do 
 not refuse to observe adiaphora with others, even though they 
 should have some disadvantage, but we have judged that such 
 public harmony as could indeed be produced without offence to 
 consciences ought to be preferred to all other advantages [all 
 other less important matters]. But concerning this entire sub- 
 ject we will speak afterwhile, when we will treat of vows and 
 ecclesiastical power. 1 
 
 215 Article XVI. 
 
 Of Political Order, 
 
 The sixteenth article the adversaries receive without any ex- 53 
 ception, in which we have confessed that it is lawful for the 
 Christian to bear civil office, sit in judgment, determine matters 
 by the imperial laws, and other laws in present force, appoint 
 just punishments, engage in just wars, act as a soldier, make 
 legal contracts, hold property, take an oath- when magistrates 
 require it, contract marriage; finally, that legitimate civil ordi- 
 nances are good creatures of God and divine ordinances, which 
 a Christian can use with safety. This entire topic concerning 54 
 the distinction between the kingdom of Christ and a political 
 kingdom has been explained to advantage [to the remarkably 
 great consolation of many consciences] in the literature of our 
 writers, [viz.] that the kingdom of Christ is spiritual, to wit, 
 that it is in the heart the knowledge of God, and fear and 
 faith in God, beginning eternal righteousness and eternal life ; 
 meanwhile it permits us outwardly to use legitimate political 
 ordinances of every nation in which we live, just as it permits 
 us to use medicine or the art of building, or food, drink, air. 
 Neither does the Gospel bring new laws concerning the civil 55 
 state, but commands that we obey present laws, whether they 
 have been framed by heathen or by others, and that in this 
 obedience we should exercise love. For Carlstadt was insane 
 in imposing upon us the judicial laws of Moses. Concerning 56 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Arts. xvi. ; xxiii. ; xxvii. ; Apol- 
 ogy, Art. xxvii. : 36 sq. ; Formula of Concord, Epitome, xii. : 12 sqq. ; Sol. Decl, 
 tii. : 17 sqq. 
 
 1 Apology, Arts, xxvii., xxviii. 
 
228 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 these subjects, our theologians have written more fully, because 
 the monks diffused many pernicious opinions in the Church. 
 They called a community of property the polity of the Gospel ; 
 they gave the advice not to hold property, not to vindicate one's 
 self at law [not to have wife and child]. These opinions 
 greatly obscure the Gospel and the spiritual kingdom, and are 
 dangerous to the commonwealth. For the Gospel does not 57 
 destroy the Church or the family [buying, selling and other 
 civil regulations], but much rather approves them, and bids us 
 obey them as a divine ordinance, not only on account of pun- 
 ishment, but also on account of conscience. 
 01 n Julian the apostate, Celsus and very many others made 58 
 
 the objection to Christians, that the Gospel would rend 
 asunder states, because it prohibited legal redress, and taught 
 certain other things not at all suited to political association. 
 And these questions wonderfully exercised Origen, Nazianzen 
 and others, although indeed they can be most readily explained, 
 if we keep in mind the fact that the Gospel does not introduce 
 laws concerning the civil state, but is the remission of sins, and 
 the beginning of a new life in the hearts of believers; besides 
 that it not only approves outward governments, but subjects us 
 to them (Rom. 13: 1), just as we have been necessarily placed 
 under the laws of seasons, the changes of winter and summer, 
 as divine ordinances. The Gospel forbids private redress, and 59 
 Christ inculcates this so frequently with the design that the 
 apostles should not think that they ought to seize the govern- 
 ments from those who held otherwise, just as the Jews dreamed 
 concerning the kingdom of the Messiah, but that they might 
 know that they ought to teach concerning the spiritual king- 
 dom that it does not change the civil state. Therefore private 
 redress is prohibited not by advice, but by a command (Matt. 
 5 : 39 ; Rom. 12:19). Public redress, which is made through 
 the office of the magistrate, is not advised against, but is com- 
 manded, and is a work of God, according to Paul (Rom. 13 : 
 1 sqq.). Now the different kinds of public redress are legal 
 decisions, capital punishment, wars, military service. Concern- 60 
 ing these matters, how incorrectly many writers have judged 
 is manifest from the fact that they have been in the error that 
 the Gospel is an external, new and monastic form of govern- 
 ment, and that they have not seen that the Gospel brings eter- 
 nal righteousness to hearts, while it outwardly approves the 
 civil state. 
 
 It is also a most vain delusion that it is Christian perfection 6i 
 not to hold property. For Christian perfection consists not in 
 the contempt of civil ordinances, but in dispositions of the 
 heart, in great fear of God, in great faith, just as Abraham, 
 David, Daniel, even in great wealth and while exercising civil 
 
Ch. VIII., Art. XVII. CHRIST'S RETURN TO JUDGMENT. 229 
 
 power, were no less perfect than any hermits. But the monks 62 
 have extended this outward hypocrisy before the eyes of men, 
 P1 7 so that it could not be seen in what things true perfection 
 exists. With what praises have they brought forward this 
 coinmur/ion of property, as though it were evangelical ! But 63 
 these praises have the greatest danger, especially since they 
 differ much from the Scriptures. For Scripture does not 
 command that property be common, but the Law of the Deca- 
 logue, when it says (Ex. 20 : 15) : " Thou shalt not steal," dis- 
 tinguishes rights of ownership, aud commands each one to hold 
 what is his own. Wickliffe manifestly was out of his mind 
 when he said that priests were not allowed to hold property. 
 There are infinite discussions concerning contracts, in reference 64 
 to which good consciences can never be satisfied unless they 
 know the rule that it is lawful for a Christian to make use of 
 civil ordinances and laws. This rule protects consciences when 
 it teaches that contracts are lawful before God just to the extent 
 that the magistrates or laws approve them. 
 
 This entire topic concerning civil affairs has been so clearly 65 
 set forth by our theologians, that very many good men occu- 
 pied in the state and in business have declared that they have 
 been greatly benefited, who before, troubled by the opinion of 
 the monks, were in doubt as to whether the Gospel allowed 
 these civil offices and business. Accordingly we have recounted 
 these things in order that those without also may understand, 
 that by the kind of doctrine which we follow, the influence of 
 magistrates and the authority of all civil ordinances are not un- 
 dermined, but are much the more strengthened [and that it is only 
 this doctrine which gives true instruction, as to how eminently 
 glorious an office, full of good Christian works, the office of 
 ruling is]. The importance of these matters was greatly ob- 
 scured before by those silly monastic opinions, which far pre- 
 ferred the hypocrisy of poverty and humility to the state and 
 the family, although these have God's command, while this Sa- 
 tanic communion [monasticism] has not God's command. 
 
 Article XVII. 
 Of Christ's Return to Judgment. 
 
 The seventeenth article the adversaries receive without ex- 6t 
 ception, in which we confess that in the consummation of the 
 world Christ shall appear and shall raise up all the dead, and 
 shall give to the godly eternal life and eternal joys, but shall 
 condemn the ungodly to be punished with the devil without end. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Art. XVII. ; The Apostles' Creed ; Augsburg Confee 
 lion, Art. xvii. ; Small Catechism, Creed, Art. ii. ; Large Catechism, Creed, Art 
 ii. ; Lord's Prayer, Petition ii. 
 
230 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 218 Article XVIII. 
 
 Of Free Will. 
 
 The eighteenth article Of Free Will the adversaries receive $6/ 
 although they add some testimonies not at all adapted to this 
 case. They add also a declaration that neither with the Pela- 
 gians is too much be granted to the free will, nor with the 
 Manicheans is all freedom to he denied it. Very well; but 6*i 
 what difference is there between the Pelagians and our adver- 
 saries, since both hold that, without the Holy Ghost, men can 
 love God and perforin God's commandments with respect to 
 the substance of the acts, and can merit grace and justification 
 by works which reason performs by itself without the Holy 
 Ghost? How many absurdities follow from these Pelagian 69 
 opinions, which are taught with great authority in the schools! 
 These Augustine, following Paul, refutes with great emphasis, 
 whose judgment we have recounted above in the article Of 
 Justification. Nor indeed do we deny liberty to the human 7c 
 will. The human will has liberty in the choice of works and 
 things which reason comprehends by itself. It can to a certain 
 extent render civil righteousness or the righteousness of works, 
 it can speak of God, offer to God a certain service in outward 
 works, obey magistrates, parents; by a choice in outward works 
 can restrain the hands from murder, from adultery, from theft, 
 Since there is left in human nature reason and judgment con- 
 cerning objects subjected to the senses, choice between these 
 things, and the liberty and power to render civil righteousness, 
 are also left. For Scripture calls that righteousness of the 
 flesh 1 which the carnal nature, i. e. reason by itself without the 
 Holy Ghost, renders. Although the power of concupiscence is 71 
 such that men more frequently obey evil dispositions than 
 sound judgment. And the devil, who is efficacious in the god- 
 less, as Paul says (Eph. 2 : 2), does not cease to incite this feeble 
 nature to various offences. These are the reasons why even 
 civil righteousness is rare among men, as we see that not even 
 the philosophers themselves, who seem to have aspired after 
 this righteousness, attained it. But it is false that the man 72 
 does not sin, who performs the works of the commandments 
 without grace. And they add further that such works merit 
 de congruo 2 the remission of sins and justification. For human 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Art. XVIII. : Augsburg Confession, Art. xviii. ; xx. 
 31-34 ; Apology, Art. iv. : 9 sq. ; iv. (III.) " Of Love and the F>'lfilli)u/;' \ 17 sq. ; 
 $ 169 sq. ; Smalcald Articles, Part iii., Art. i. ; Formula of Concord, Epitome and 
 Sol. Dec, ii., Of Free Will. 
 
 1 Heb. 9 : 10. 
 
 1 Apology, c ii., Art. iv. Of Justification, \ 19 sqq., p. 90 ; c. iii., Of 
 Love and Fulfilling, etc., \ 200 sqq., p. 14J 
 
Ch. VIII., Art. XIX. THE CAUSE OF SIN. 231 
 
 hearts without the Holy Ghost are without the fear of God ; 
 without trust toward God, they do not believe thai they are 
 hearkened to, forgiven, benefited, and preserved by God. 
 Therefore they are godless. For " neither can a corrupt tree 
 bring forth good fruit" (Matt. 7 : 18). And " without faith it 
 is impossible to please God " (Heb. 11:6). 
 
 Therefore, although we concede to free will the liberty and 73 
 power to perform the outward works of the Law, yet to the 
 free will we do not ascribe these spiritual matters, viz. truly to 
 fear God, truly to believe God, truly to be confident and hold 
 that God regards us, hearkens to us, forgives us, etc. These are 
 the true works of the First Table, which the heart cannot ren- 
 der without the Holy Ghost, as Paul says (1 Cor. 2: 14): "The 
 natural man/' i. e. man using only natural strength, " receiveth 
 not the things of the Spirit of God." And this can be decided 74 
 if men consider how hearts are disposed toward God's will, 
 whether they are truly confident that they are regarded and 
 hearkened to by God. Even for saints to retain this faith is 
 difficult, so far is it from existing in the godless. But it is 
 conceived, as we have said above, when terrified hearts hear the 
 Gospel and receive consolation [when we are born anew of the 
 Holy Ghost, as is said above]. 
 
 Therefore such a distribution is of advantage, in which civil 75 
 righteousness is ascribed to the free will, and spiritual right- 
 eousness to the governing of the Holy Ghost in the regenerate. 
 For thus the outward discipline is retained, because all men 
 ought to know equally both that God requires this civil right- 
 eousness, and that after a manner we can afford it. And yet a 
 distinction is shown between human and spiritual righteousness, 
 between philosophical doctrine and the doctrine of the Holy 
 Ghost, and it can be understood for what there is need of the 
 Holy Ghost. Nor has this distribution been invented by us, 76 
 but Scripture most clearly teaches it. Augustine also treats of 
 it, and recently it has been well treated of by William of Paris, 
 but it has been wickedly suppressed by those who have dreamt 
 that men can obey God's law without the Holy Ghost, but that 
 the Holy Ghost is given in order that respect to that which is 
 meritorious may be added. 
 
 Article XIX. 
 
 Of the Cause of Sin 
 
 The nineteenth article the adversaries receive, in which we 77 
 confess that although God only and alone has framed all na- 
 ture, and preserves all things which exist, yet the cause of sin 
 
 Parallel Passages.— Art. XIX.: Augsburg Confession, Art. xix.; For 
 mula of Cone rd, Epitome, i : 22; Sol. Dec, i. : 26 sqq. ; xi. 81. 
 
232 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBUKG CONFESSION 
 
 is the will in the devil and men, turning itself away from God, 
 according to the saying of Christ concerning the devil (John 
 8 : 44) : " When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh it of his own." 
 
 220 Article XX. 
 
 Of Good Works. 
 
 In the twentieth article they distinctly lay down these 78 
 words, viz. that they reject and condemn our statement that 
 men do not merit the remission of sins by good works. This 
 article they clearly declare that they reject and condemn. 
 What is to be said on a subject so manifest? Here the framers79 
 of the Confutation openly show by what spirit they are led. 
 For what in the Church is more certain than that the remission 
 of sins occurs freely for Christ's sake, that Christ and not our 
 works is the propitiation for sins, as Peter says (Acts 10 : 43) : 
 " To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name 
 whosoever believeth on him shall receive remission of sins " ? 
 To this Church of the prophets we would rather assent than 
 to these abandoned writers of the Confutation, who so impu- 
 dently blaspheme Christ. For although there were writers 80 
 who held that after the remission of sins men are just before 
 God, not by faith, but by works themselves, yet they did not 
 hold this, viz. that the remission of sins itself occurs on ac- 
 count of our works, and not freely for Christ's sake. 
 
 Therefore the blasphemy of ascribing Christ's honor to our 81 
 works is not to be endured. These theologians are now entirely 
 without shame, if they dare to bring such an opinion into the 
 Church. Nor do we doubt that His Most Excel leu t Imperial 
 Majesty and very many of the princes will not allow this pas- 
 sage of the Confutation to remain, if they be admonished of it. 
 On this topic we could cite infinite testimonies from Scripture 82 
 and from the Fathers. But above w r e have quoted a sufficient 
 u umber on this subject. And there is no need of more testi- 
 monies for one who knows why Christ has been given to us, 
 who knows that Christ is the propitiation for our sins. [God- 
 fearing, pious hearts that know well why Christ has been 
 given, who for all the possessions and kingdoms of the world 
 would not be without Christ as our only treasure, our only 
 Mediator and Redeemer, must here be shocked and terrified, 
 that God's holy word and truth should be so openly despised 
 and condemned by poor men.] Isaiah says (53 : 0) . ' The 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Art. XX. : Augsburg Confession, Art. xx Compart 
 Arts, iv., vi., xii. ; Apology (Art. iii.) ; Snialcald Articles, Part 1 EI., Art. xiii. 
 Formula of Concord, Epitome, Art iv. ; Sol. Dec, Art. iii., \ 35 sq. ; Sol. Dec. 
 Art. iv. 
 
Ch. VI II., Art. XX. GOOD WORKS. 233 
 
 Lord liath laid on him the iniquities of us all." The adver- 
 saries on the other hand teach that God hath laid our iniquities 
 not on Christ, but on our works. Neither are we disposed to 
 mention here the sort of works [rosaries, pilgrimages and the 
 like] which they teach. We see that a horrible decree 1 has 83 
 been prepared against us, which would terrify us still more if 
 we were contending concerning doubtful or trifling subjects. 
 Now since our consciences understand that by the adversaries 
 op-i the manifest truth is condemned, whose defence is neces- 
 sary for the Church, and increases the glory of Christ ; we 
 easily despise the terrors of the world, and patiently will bear 
 whatever is to be suffered for the glory of Christ and the ad- 
 vantage of the Church. Who would not rejoice to die in the 84 
 confession of such articles as that we obtain the remission of 
 sins by faith freely for Christ's sake, that we do not merit the 
 remission of sins by our works ? The consciences of the pious 85 
 will have no sufficiently sure consolation against the terrors of 
 sin and of death, and against the devil soliciting to despair 
 [and who in a moment blows away all our works like dust], if 
 they do not know that they ought to be confident that they 
 have the remission of sins freely for Christ's sake. This faith 
 sustains and quickens hearts in the most violent conflict with 
 despair [when no creature can help, yea, when we must depart 
 from this entire visible creation into another state and world, 
 and must die]. 
 
 Therefore the cause is one which is worthy that for its sake 86 
 we should refuse no danger. " Do not yield to the wicked, but 
 on the contrary go forward the more boldly," 2 whosoever thou 
 art who hast assented to our confession, when the adversaries 
 endeavor, by means of terrors and tortures and punishments, 
 to drive away from thee that consolation which has been ten- 
 dered to the entire Church in this article of ours. Testimonies 87 
 of Scripture will not be wanting to one seeking them, which 
 will establish his mind. For Paul with his entire voice, as the 
 saying is, cries out (Rom. 3 : 24 sq., and 4 : 16), that sins are 
 freely remitted for Christ's sake. " It is of faith," he says, 
 " that it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be 
 sure." That is, if the promise would depend upon our works, 
 it would not be sure. If remission of sins would be given on 
 account of our works, when would .we know that we had ob- 
 tained this, when would a terrified conscience find a work which 
 it would consider as sufficient to appease God's wrath? But 88 
 we have above spoken of the entire matter. Thence let the 
 reader derive testimonies. For the unworthy treatment of the 
 
 1 The " Recess " of November 19th. 
 1 Virgil's iEneid, vi. 95. 
 SO 
 
234 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 subject has forced from us the present, not discussion, but com- 
 plaint that on this topic they have distinctly recorded them- 
 Qoo selves as disapproving of this article of ours, that we ob- 
 tain remission of sins not on account of our works, but by 
 faith and freely on account of Christ. 
 
 The adversaries also add testimonies to their own condemna- 8c 
 tion ; and it is worth while to recite several of them. They 
 quote from Peter (2 Ep. 1 : 10) : " Give diligence to make your 
 calling sure," etc. Now you see, reader, that our adversaries 
 have not wasted labor in learning logic, but have the art of in- 
 ferring from the Scriptures whatever pleases them. " Make 
 your calling sure by good works." Therefore works merit the 
 remission of sins. A very striking mode of reasoning, if one 
 would argue thus concerning a person sentenced to capital pun- 
 ishment, whose punishment has been remitted : " The magis- 
 trate commands that hereafter you abstain from that which be- 
 longs to another. Therefore you have merited the remission 
 of the penalty, because you are now abstaining from what be- 
 ings to another." Thus to argue is to make a cause out of that 90 
 which is not a cause. For Peter speaks of works following the 
 remission of sins, and teaches why they should be done, viz. 
 that the calling may be sure, i. e. lest they may fall from their 
 calling if they sin again. Do good works that you may per- 
 severe in your calling, that you may not lose the gifts of your 
 calling, which were given you before, and not on account of 
 works that follow, and which now are retained by faith ; for 
 faith does not remain in those who lose the Holy Ghost, who 
 reject repentance, just as we have above 1 said, that faith exists 
 in repentance. 
 
 They add other testimonies cohering no better. Lastly they 91 
 say that this opinion was condemned a thousand years before in 
 the time of Augustine. This also is very false. For the 
 Church of Christ always held that the remission of sins was 
 given freely. Yea, the Pelagians were condemned who con- 
 tended that grace is given on account of our works. Besides 92 
 we have above shown sufficiently that we hold that good works 
 ought necessarily to follow faith. " For we do not make void 
 the Law," says Paul (Rom. 3 : 31) : "yea we establish the Law," 
 no q because when by faith we have received the Holy Ghost, 
 the fulfilling of the Law necessarily follows, by which 
 love, patience, chastity and other fruits of the Spirit gradually 
 grow. 
 
 1 Apology, xii., p. 167 sqq. 
 
Ch. IX.. Art. XXI. THE INVOCATION OP SAINTS. 235 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Article XXI. 
 
 ■Of the Invocation of Saints. 
 
 The twenty-first article they absolutely condemn, because we i 
 do not require the invocation of saints. Nor on any topic do 
 hey rhetoricate with more prolixity. Nevertheless they do not 
 effect anything else than that the saints should be honored j 
 likewise that the saints who live should pray for others; as 
 though indeed the invocation of dead saints were in addition 
 necessary. They cite Cyprian, because he asked Cornelius 2 
 while yet alive to pray for his brothers when departing. By 
 this example they approve the invocation of the dead. They 
 quote also Jerome against Vigilantius : " On this field/' they 
 say, "eleven hundred years ago, Jerome overcame Vigilantius." 
 Thus the adversaries triumph, as though the war were already 
 ended. Nor do they, in their stupidity, see that in Jerome against 
 Vigilantius there is not a syllable concerning invocation. He 
 speaks concerning honors to the saints, not concerning invoca- 
 tion. Neither have the rest of the ancient writers before Greg- 3 
 ory made mention of invocation. Certainly this invocation, 
 with these opinions which the adversaries now teach concerning 
 the application of merits, has not the testimonies of the ancient 
 writers. 
 
 Our Confession approves honors to the saints. For here a 4 
 threefold honor is to be approved. The first is thanksgiving. 
 For we ought to give thanks to God because he has shown ex- 
 amples of mercy ; because he has shown that he wishes to save 
 men ; because he has given teachers or other gifts to the Church. 
 And these gifts, as they are the greatest, should be amplified, 
 and the saints themselves should be praised, who have faith- 
 fully used these gifts, just as Christ praises faithful business-men 
 [Matt. 25 : 21, 23). The second service is the strengthening of 5 
 our faith ; when we see the denial forgiven Peter, we also are 
 encouraged to believe the more that grace truly superabounds 
 over sin (Rom. 5 : 20). The third honor is the imitation first ( 
 of faith, then of the other virtues, which every one should imi- 
 tate according to his calling. These true honors the adver- 7 
 saries do not require. They dispute only concerning invoca- 
 tion, which, even though it would have no danger, neverthe- 
 less is not necessary. 
 
 on* Besides we also grant lhat the angels pray for us. For 8 
 there 13 a testimony in Zach. 1 : 12: "O Lord of hosts, 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Art. xxi. ; Smaleald Articles 
 Part ii., Art. ii., § 25 sqq. Cf Large Catechism on 2d Commandment. \ 74 sa 
 
236 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBUKG CONFESSION. 
 
 how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem?" Although 9 
 concerning the saints we concede that just as when alive they 
 pray for the Church universal in general, so in heaven they 
 pray for the Church in general, albeit no testimony concerning 
 the dead praying is extant in the Scriptures, except the dream 
 taken from the second book of Maccabees (15 : 14). 
 
 Moreover even supposing that the saints certainly pray for is 
 the Church, yet it does not follow that they are to be invoked. 
 Although our Confession affirms only this, that Scripture does 
 not teach the invocation of the saints, or that we are to ask 
 the saints for aid. But since neither a command, nor a prom- 
 ise, nor an example can be produced from the Scriptures con- 
 cerning the invocation of saints, it follows that conscience can 
 have nothing concerning this invocation that is certain. And 
 since prayer ought to be made from faith, how do we know that 
 God approves this invocation ? Whence do Ave know without 
 the testimony of Scripture that the saints perceive the prayers 
 of each one? Some plainly ascribe divinity to the saints, viz. i\ 
 that they discern the silent thoughts of the minds in us. They 
 dispute concerning morning and evening knowledge, 1 perhaps 
 because they doubt whether they hear us in the morning or the 
 evening. They invent these things not in order to treat the 
 saints with honor, but to defend lucrative services. Nothing 12 
 can be produced by the adversaries against this reasoning, that, 
 since invocation does not have a testimony from God's Word, 
 it cannot be affirmed that the saints perceive our invocation, or 
 that they especially perceive that God approves it. Wherefore 13 
 the adversaries ought not to force us to an uncertain matter, be- 
 cause a prayer without faith is not prayer. For as they cite 
 the example of the Church, it is evident that this is a new cus- 
 tom in the Church ; for although the old prayers make mention 
 of the saints, yet they do not invoke the saints. 2 Although 
 also this new invocation in the Church is dissimilar to the in- 
 vocation of individuals. 
 
 Again, the adversaries not only require invocation in the rj 
 worship of the saints, but also apply the merits of the saints 
 for others, and make of the saints not only intercessors, but 
 also propitiators. This is in no way to be endured. For here 
 the honor belonging only to Christ is altogether transferred tc 
 one the saints. For they make them mediators and propiti- 
 ators, and although they make a distinction between medi- 
 ators of intercession and mediators of redemption, yet they 
 plainly make out of the saints mediators of redemption. But 15 
 even that they are mediators of intercession they declare with- 
 
 1 See Gabriel Biel, Expos, Can. 3Fiss. f lee. 31. 
 
 ' But pray for them: Bingham's Antiquities, 777, 1164, 1249. 
 
Ch. IX., Art. XXL THE INVOCATION OF SAINTS. 23? 
 
 out the testimony of Scripture, which, tc speak as modestly as 
 possible, nevertheless obscures Christ's office, and transfers the 
 confidence of mercy due Christ to the saints. For men imag- 
 ine that Christ is more severe and the sairts more easily ap- 
 peased, and they trust rather to the mercy of the saints than to 
 the mercy of Christ, and fleeing from Christ they seek the 
 saints. Thus of them they actually make mediators of re- 
 demption. 
 
 Therefore we will show that they truly make of the saints, it 
 not only intercessors, but propitiators, i. e. mediators of redemp- 
 tion. Here we do not as yet recite the abuses of the common 
 people. We are still speaking of the opinions of the doctors 
 The inexperienced can judge also as to the rest. 
 
 In a propitiator these two things concur. In the first place, 17 
 there ought to be a Word of God, from which we may certainly 
 know that God wishes to pity and hearken to those calling upon 
 him through this propitiator. There is such a promise con- 
 cerning Christ (John 16:23): "Whatsoever ye shall ask the 
 Father in my name, he will give it to you." Concerning the 
 saints there is no such promise. Wherefore consciences can- 
 not be firmly confident that by the invocation of saints we are 
 heard. Therefore this invocation is not made from faith. 
 Then we have also the command to call upon Christ, according 18 
 to Matt. 11 : 28 : " Come unto me, all ye who labor," etc., which 
 certainly is said also to us. And Isaiah says (11:10): "In 
 that day, there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for 
 an ensign to the people ; to it shall the Gentiles seek." And 
 Ps. 43 (45 : 12): "Even the rich among the people shall en- 
 treat thy favor." And Ps. 71 (72: 11, 15): "Yea all kings 
 shall fall down before him." And shortly after: "Prayer also 
 shall be made for him continually." And in John 5 : 23 Christ 
 says : " That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor 
 the Father." And Paul (2 Thess. 2: 16, 17) says, praying: 
 "Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God even our 
 „o fi Father .... comfort your hearts and establish you." 
 But concerning the invocation of saints, what command- 
 ment, what example can the adversaries produce from the 
 Scriptures? There is a second matter in a propitiator, that his 19 
 merits have been presented as those which make satisfaction for 
 others, which are bestowed by divine imputation to others, in 
 order that through these, just as by their own merits, they may 
 be accounted righteous. As if any friend pays a debt for a 
 friend, the debtor is freed by the merit of another, as though it 
 were by his own. Thus the merits of Christ are bestowed 
 upon us, in order that, when we believe in him, we may be ac- 
 counted righteous by our confidence in Chrises merits, as 
 though we would have merits of our own, 
 
238 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBUKG CONFESSION. 
 
 And from both, viz. from the promise and the bcstowment.20 
 of merits, confidence in mercy arises [upon both parts must a 
 Christian prayer be founded]. Such confidence in the divine 
 promise, and likewise in the merits of Christ, ought to a'd 
 prayer. For we ought to be truly confident both that for 
 Christ's sake we are hearkened to, and that by his merits we 
 have a reconciled Father. 
 
 Here the adversaries first bid us invoke the saints, although 21 
 they have neither God's promise, nor a command, nor an ex- 
 ample from Scripture. And yet they cause greater confidence 
 in the mercy of the saints to be conceived than in that of 
 Christ, although Christ bade us come to him, and not to the 
 saints. Secondly, they apply the merits of the saints just as the 22 
 merits of Christ to others, they bid us trust in the merits of the 
 saints, as though we were accounted righteous by the merits of 
 the saints, in like manner as we are accounted righteous by the 
 merits of Christ. Here we fabricate nothing. In indulgences 
 they say that they apply the merits of the saints. And Ga- 23 
 briel, the interpreter of the canon of the Mass, confidently de- 
 clares : " According to the order instituted by God, we should 
 betake ourselves to the aid of the saints, in order that we may 
 be saved by their merits and vows." These are the words of 
 Gabriel. And nevertheless in the books and sermons of the 
 adversaries still more absurd things are read here and there. 
 What is it to make propitiators if this be not? They are al- 
 227 t°g etner made equal to Christ, if we ought to trust that 
 we are saved by their merits. 
 
 But where has this arrangement, to which he refers when he 24 
 says that we ought to resort to the aid of the saints, been insti- 
 tuted by God? Let him produce an example or command from 
 the Scriptures. Perhaps they derive this arrangement from the 
 palaces of kings, where friends must be employed as interces- 
 sors. But if a king will appoint a certain intercessor, he will 
 not desire that cases be brought to him through others. Thus, 
 since Christ has been appointed Intercessor and High Priest, why 
 do we seek others ? 
 
 Here and there this form of absolution is used : " The pas- 25 
 sion of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merits of the most blessed 
 virgin Mary and of all the saints, be to thee for the remission 
 of sins." Here the absolution is pronounced that we are recon- 
 ciled and accounted righteous not only by the merits of Christ, 
 but also by the merits of the other saints. Some of us have 26 
 seen a doctor of theology dying, for consoling whom a certain 
 theologian, a monk, was employed. He pressed upon the dy- 
 ing man nothing but this prayer : " Mother of grace, protect 
 us from the enemy, receive us in the hour of death." 
 
 Granting that the blessed Mary prays for the Church, does 27 
 
Ch. IX., Art. XXI. THE INVOCATION OF SAINTS. 239 
 
 she receive souls in death, does she conquer death, does she 
 quicken? What has Christ to do, if the blessed Mary do 
 these things? Although she is most worthy of the most am- 
 ple honors, nevertheless she does not wish to be made equal to 
 Christ, but rather wishes us to consider and follow her example 
 [the example of her faith and her humility]. But the subject 2i 
 itself declares that in public opinion the blessed Virgin has suc- 
 ceeded altogether to the place of Christ. Men have invoked 
 her, have trusted in her mercy, through her have desired to ap- 
 pease Christ, as though he were not a Propitiator, but only a 
 dreadful judge and avenger. We believe, however, that we 29 
 must not trust that the merits of the saints are applied to us, 
 that, on account of these, God is reconciled to us, or accounts 
 us just, or saves us. For we obtain remission of sins only by 
 the merits of Christ, when we believe on hiin. Of the other 
 saints it has been said (1 Cor. 3:8): " Every man shall re- 
 ceive his own reward according to his own labor," i. e. they 
 cannot mutually bestow their own merits, the one upon the 
 other, as the monks sell the merits of their orders. Even Hil- 3c 
 ary says of the foolish virgins : " And as the foolish virgins 
 could not go forth with their lamps extinguished, they besought 
 those who were prudent to lend them oil ; to whom they replied 
 that they could not give it, because perad venture there is not 
 that which is enough for all ; i. e. no one can be aided by the 
 works and merits of another, because it is necessary for every 
 one to buy oil for his own lamp." 
 non Since therefore the adversaries teach us to place confi- 31 
 
 dence in the invocation of saints, although they have 
 neither the Word of God nor the example of Scripture [of the 
 Old or of the New Testament] ; since they apply the merits 
 of the saints on behalf of others, not otherwise than they 
 apply the merits of Christ, and transfer the honor belonging 
 only to Christ, to the saints ; we can receive neither their opin- 
 ions concerning the worship of the saints, nor the practice of 
 invocation. For we know that confidence is to be placed in 
 (he intercession of Christ, because this alone has God's prom- 
 ise. We know that the merits of Christ alone are a propitia- 
 tion for us. On account of the merits of Christ, we are 
 accounted righteous when we believe in him, as the text says 
 'Rom. 9 : 33 ; cf. 1 Pet. 2 : 6 and Isa. 28 : 16) : " Whosoever 
 believeth on him shall not be confounded." Neither are we to 
 trust that we are accounted righteous by the merits of the 
 blessed Virgin or of the other saints. 
 
 Wi ih the learned, 1 this error also prevails, viz. that to each 32 
 saint a particular administration has been committed, that Anna 
 
 1 Biel. Expos. Can. Miss., Lect. 23. 
 
240 THE ArOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 bestows riches [protects from poverty], Sebastian keeps off 
 pestilence, Valentine heals the epilepsy, George protects horse- 
 men. These opinions have clearly sprung from heathen exam- 
 ples. For thus 1 among the Romans Juno was thought to. 
 enrich, Febris to keep off fever, Castor and Pollux to protect 
 horsemen, etc. Even though we should imagine that the invo- 33 
 cation of saints were taught with the greatest prudence, yet 
 since the example is most dangerous, wherefore is it necessary 
 to defend it when it has no command or testimony from God's 
 Word ? Ay, it has not even the testimony of the ancient wri- 
 ters. First because, as I have said above, when other media- 3^ 
 tors are sought in addition to Christ, and confidence is put in 
 others, the entire knowledge of Christ is suppressed. The sub- 
 ject shows this. In the beginning, mention of the saints seems 
 to have been admitted with a design that is endurable, as in the 
 ancient prayers. Afterwards invocation followed, and abuses 
 that are prodigious and more than heathen followed invocation. 
 From invocation the next step was to images ; these also were 
 worshipped, and a virtue was supposed to exist in these, just as 
 magicians imagine that a virtue exists in images of the heav- 
 enly bodies carved at a particular time. In a certain monas- 
 tery, we [some of us] have seen a statue of the blessed Virgin, 
 which was moved by art [within by a string] as though it were 
 an automaton, so as to seem either to refuse or to assent to those 
 Inquiring. 
 ooq Still the fabulous stories concerning the saints, which 35 
 
 are publicly taught with great authority, surpass the mar- 
 vellous tales of the statues and pictures. Barbara, amidst her 
 torments, asks for the reward that no one who would invoke 
 her should die without the Eucharist. Another, standing on 
 one foot, recited daily the whole psaltery. Some wise man 
 painted [for children] Christophorus, in order by the allegory to 
 signify that there ought to be great strength in those who would 
 bear Christ, i. e. who would teach or confess the Gospel, be- 
 cause it is necessary to undergo the greatest dangers [for they 
 must wade by night through the great sea, i. e. endure all kinds 
 of temptations and dangers]. Then the foolish monks taught 
 among the people that they ought to invoke Christophorus, as 
 though such a Polyphemus had once existed. And although 36 
 the saints did very great deeds, either useful to the state or 
 affording private examples, the remembrance of which would 
 conduce much both for strengthening faith and for imitation 
 in the administration of affairs, no one has searched for these 
 from true narratives. [Although God Almighty through his 
 saints, as a peculiar people, has wrought many great things in 
 
 1 Germ, omits to end of |. 
 
Ch. IX., Art. XXI. THE INVOCATION OP SAINTS. 24. 
 
 both realms, in the Church and in worldly transactions ; al- 
 though there are many great examples in the lives of the saints 
 which would be very profitable to princes and lords, to true 
 pastors and guardians of souls, for the government both of the 
 world and of the Church, especially for strengthening faith in 
 God ; yet they have passed these by, and preached the most 
 insignificant matters concerning the saints, concerning their 
 hard beds, their hair shirts, etc., which are for the greater part 
 falsehoods.] Yet indeed it is of advantage to hear how holy 
 men administered governments [as in the Holy Scriptures it is 
 narrated of the kings of Israel and Judah], what calamities, 
 what dangers they underwent, how holy men were of aid to 
 kings in great dangers, how they taught the Gospel, what en- 
 counters they had with heretics. Examples of mercy are also 
 of service, as when we see the denial forgiven Peter, when we 
 see Cyprian forgiven for having been a magician, when we see 
 Augustine, having experienced the power of faith in sickness, 
 steadily affirming that God truly hearkens to the prayers of 
 believers. It was profitable that such examples as these, which 
 contain admonitions for either faith or fear or the administra- 
 tion of the state, be recited. But certain triflers, endowed with xj 
 no knowledge either of faith or for governing states, have in- 
 vented stories in imitation of poems, in which there are nothing 
 but superstitious examples concerning certain prayers, certain 
 fastings, and certain additions of service for bringing in gain 
 [where there are nothing but examples as to how the saints 
 wore hair shirts, how they prayed at the seven canonical hours, 
 how they lived upon bread and water]. Such are the miracles 
 that have been invented concerning rosaries and similar cere- 
 monies. Nor is there need here to recite examples. For the 
 legends, as they call them, and the mirrors of examples, and 
 the rosaries, in which there are very many things not unlike 
 the true narratives of Lucian, are extant. 
 pqn The bishops, theologians, and monks applaud these 3$ 
 
 monstrous and wicked stories [and they have permitted 
 them so long, to the great injury of consciences, that it is ter- 
 rible to think of it] because tney aid them to daily bread. 
 They do not tolerate us, w T ho, in order that the honor and of- 
 fice of Christ may be more conspicuous, do not require the 
 invocation of saints, and censure the abuses in the worship of 
 saints. And although all good men everywhere, in the correc-^ 1 
 tion of these abuses, greatly longed for either the influeuce of 
 the bishops or the diligence of the preachers, nevertheless our 
 adversaries in the Confutation altogether pass over vices that 
 are even manifest, as though they wish, by the reception of the 
 Confutation, to compel us to approve even the most notorious 
 abuses. 
 
 31 
 
242 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBUBG CONFESSION 
 
 Thus the Confutation has been artfully written, not only on 40 
 this topic, but almost everywhere. [They pretend that they 
 are as pure as gold; that they have never muddied the water.] 
 There is no passage in which they make a distinction between 
 the manifest abuses and their dogmas. And nevertheless if 
 there are any of sounder mind among them, they confess that 
 many false opinions inhere in the doctrine of the scholastics 
 and canonists, and, besides, that, in such ignorance and neg'i- 
 gence of the pastors, many abuses crept into the Church. For 41 
 Luther was not the first to complain of public abuses. Many 
 learned and excellent men long before these times deplored the 
 abuses of the Mass, confidence in monastic observances, services 
 to the saints intended to yield a revenue, the confusion of doc- 
 trine concerning repentance, which ought to be as clear and 
 plain in the Church as possible. We ourselves 1 have heard 
 that excellent theologians desire moderation in the scholastic 
 doctrine, which contains much more for philosophical quarrels 
 than for piety. And nevertheless among these the older ones 
 are generally nearer Scripture than are the more recent. Thus 
 their theology degenerated more and more. Neither had many 
 good men, who from the very first began to be friendly to 
 Luther, any other reason than that they saw that he was free- 
 9qi m S the minds of men from these labyrinths of infinite and 
 most confused discussions which exist among the scho- 
 lastic theologians and canonists, and was teaching things profit- 
 able for godliness. 
 
 Wherefore the adversaries have not acted candidly in passing 42 
 over the abuses when they wished us to assent to the Confuta- 
 tion. And if they wished to care for the interests of the 
 Church, especially on this topic, they ought to exhort our most 
 excellent Emperor to take measure for the correction of abuses 
 [which furnish grounds for derision from the Turks, the Jews 
 and all unbelievers], as we undoubtedly consider him most de- 
 sirous of healing and well establishing the Church. But the 
 adversaries do not act so as to aid the most honorable and most 
 holy will of the Emperor, but so as in every way to crush us. 
 They give many signs that they have little anxiety concerning 43 
 the state of the Church. [They lose little sleep from concern 
 that Christian doctrine and the pure Gospel be preached.] 
 They take no pains that there should be among the people a 
 summary of the dogmas of the Church. They defend man- 
 ifest abuses by new and unusual cruelty. They allow no suit- 
 able teachers in the churches. Good men can easily judge 
 whither these things tend. But in this way they have regard 
 to the interest neither of their own authority, nor of the 
 
 1 Remainder of \ omitted in Germ. 
 
Ch. X., Art. XXII. BOTH KINDS IN THE LORD'S SUPPER. 243 
 
 Church. For after the good teachers have been killed, and 
 sound doctrine suppressed, fanatical spirits will rise up whom 
 the adversaries will not be able to restrain, who both will dis- 
 turb the Church with godless dogmas, and will overthrow the 
 entire ecclesiastical government, which we are very greatly de- 
 sirous of maintaining. 
 
 Wherefore, most excellent Emperor Charles, for the sake of 44 
 the glory of Christ, which we have no doubt that you desire to 
 praise and magnify, we beseech you not to assent to the violent 
 counsels of our adversaries, but to seek other honorable ways 
 of so establishing harmony that godly consciences be not bur- 
 dened, that no cruelty be exercised against innocent men, as we 
 have hitherto seen, and that sound doctrine be not suppressed 
 in the Church. To God most of all you owe the duty to 
 maintain sound doctrine and hand it down to posterity, and to 
 defend those who teach what is right. For God demands this 
 when he honors kings with his own name and calls them gods, 
 oqo saying (Ps. 82:6): "I have said, Ye are gods," viz. that 
 they should attend to the preservation and propagation of 
 divine things, i. e. the Gospel of Christ, on the earth, and, as 
 the vicars of God, should defend the life and safety of the in- 
 nocent [true Christian teachers and preachers]. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Article XXII. 
 
 Of Both Kinds in the Lord's Supper. 
 
 It cannot be doubted that it is godly and in accordance with 1 
 the institution of Christ and the words of Paul to use both 
 parts in the Lord's Supper. For Christ instituted both parts, 
 and instituted them not for a part of the Church, but for the 
 entire Church. For not only the presbyters, but the entire 
 Church uses the sacrament, by the authority of Christ, and not 
 by human authority, and this we suppose that the adversaries 
 acknowledge. Now if Christ has instituted it for the entire 2 
 Church, why is one kind denied to a part of the Church? why 
 is the use of the other kind prohibited ? why is the ordinance 
 of Christ changed, especially when he himself calls it his testa- 
 ment? But if it is not allowable to annul man's testament, 
 much less will it be allowable to annul the testament of Christ. 
 And Paul says (1 Cor. 11 : 23 sqq.) that he had received of the 3 
 Lord that which he delivered. But he had delivered the use 
 of both kinds, as the text, 1 Cor. 11, clearly shows. "This 
 do," he says first concerning his body ; afterwards he repeats 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Art. xxii. ; Smalcald Article^ 
 Part iii., Art. vi. ; Formula of Concord, Epitome, vii. : 24; Sol. Dec, vii.: 110. 
 
244 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 the same words concerning the cup. And then: "Let a man 
 examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of 
 that cup." These are the words of Him who has instituted the 
 sacrament. And indeed he says before that those who will use 
 the Lord's Supper should use it together. Wherefore it is evi-4 
 dent that the sacrament was instituted for the entire Church. 
 And the custom still remains in the Greek churches, and was 
 also once in the Latin churches, as Cyprian and Jerome testi- 
 fy. For thus Jerome says on. Zephaniah : "The priests w ho 
 administer the Eucharist, and distribute the Lord's blood to the 
 people," etc. The Council of Toledo gives the same testimony. 
 Nor would it be difficult to accumulate a great multitude of 
 testimonies. Here we exaggerate nothing, only we leave the 5 
 prudent reader to determine what should be held concerning 
 the divine ordinance. 
 poq The adversaries in the Confutation do not endeavor to 6 
 
 excuse the Church, to which one part of the sacrament has 
 been denied. This was becoming to good and religious men. 
 For a strong reason for excusing; the Church, and instructing 
 consciences to whom only a part of the sacrament could be 
 granted, should have been sought. Now these very men main- 
 tain that it is right to prohibit the other part, and forbid that 
 the use of both parts be allowed. They first imagine that, in 7 
 the beginning of the Church, the custom was at some places 
 that only one part was administered. Nevertheless they are 
 not able to produce any ancient example of this matter. But 
 they cite the passages in which mention is made of bread, as in 
 Luke (24 : 35), where it is written that the disciples recognized 
 Christ in the breaking of bread. They quote also other pas- 
 sages (Acts 2 : 42, 46 ; 20 : 7) concerning the breaking of bread. 
 But although we do not greatly oppose the receiving of some 
 of these passages as referring to the sacrament ; yet it does not 
 follow that one part only has been given, because, according to 
 the ordinary usage of language, by the naming of one part the 
 other is also signified. They refer also to Lay Communion, 1 8 
 which was not the use of only one kind, but of both ; and if 
 priests ever are commanded to use Lay Communion, it is meant 
 that they have been removed from the ministry of consecration. 
 Neither are the adversaries ignorant of this, but they abuse the 
 inexperience of the unlearned, who, when they hear of Lay 
 Communion, immediately dream of the custom of our time, by 
 which only a part of the sacrament is given to the laymen. 
 
 1 In the ancient Church, Lay Communion was a punishment of the 
 clergy, by which they were degraded to the condition of laymen, and 
 were accordingly compelled also to receive the communion with the 
 taity. See Bingham's Antiquities, Eng. ed., p. 1030 sq. 
 
Cu.X., Art. XXII. BOTH KINDS IN THE LORD'S SUPPER. 24S 
 
 And consider their impudence. Gabriel recounts among 9 
 other reasons why both parts are not given, that a distinction 
 should be made between laymen and presbyters. And it is 
 credible that the chief reason why the prohibition of the one 
 part is defended is this, viz. that the dignity of the order may 
 be the more highly exalted by a religious rite. To say nothing 
 more severe, this is a human design ; and the direction in 
 which this tends can easily be judged. In the Confutation 10 
 they also quote concerning the sons of Eli, that, after the loss 
 of the high priesthood, they were to seek 1 the one part pertain- 
 ing to the priests (1 Sam. 2 : 36). 2 Here they say that the use 
 of one kind was signified. And they add : " Thus therefore 
 our laymen ought also to be content with one part pertaining to 
 the priests, with one kind. 3 The adversaries are clearly trifling 
 when they are transferring the history of the posterity of Eli 
 to the sacrament. The punishment of Eli is there described. 
 Do they also say this, that as a punishment the laymen have 
 204 been removed from the other part? The sacrament was 
 instituted to console and comfort terrified minds, when 
 they believe that the flesh of Christ, given for the life of the 
 world, is food, when they believe that being joined to Christ 
 [through this food] they are made alive. But the adversaries 
 argue that laymen are removed from the other part as a pun- 
 ishment. "They ought/' they say, "to be content." This is 11 
 sufficient for a despot. But why ought they ? " The reason 
 ought not to be asked, but let whatever the theologians say be 
 law." This is the IcoXoxpaaia* of Eck. For we recognize those 
 vainglorious words, which if we would wish to criticise, there 
 would be no want of language. For you see how great the 
 impudence is. He commands, as a tyrant in the tragedies: 
 " Whether they wish or not, they ought to be content." Will 12 
 I lie reasons which he cites excuse, in the judgment of God, 
 those who prohibit a part of the sacrament, and rage against 
 men using an entire sacrament? If they 5 make the prohibi- 13 
 tion in order that there should be a distinction of orders, this 
 very reason ought to move us not to assent to the adversaries, 
 even though we would be disposed in other respects to comply 
 with their custom. There are other distinctions of order be- 
 
 1 Rech. Tit. : Would lose. 
 
 * Vulgate : Dimitte me, obsecro, ad unam partem sacerdotalem. 
 
 " Melanchtkon narrates briefly this folly of Faber aho in a letter to 
 Luther. See Corpus Reformatorum, ii., No. 824. 
 
 4 " A mixture of all the dregs with which the drunken were sometimes 
 dosed at the end of a revel by their stronger-headed companions." — Lid- 
 dell and Scott. Wittily applied by Melanchthon to Eck, because of hi* 
 well-known fondness for wine. 6 German omits g 13. 
 
246 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 twceu priests and people, but it is not obscure what design they 
 have for defending this distinction so earnestly. That we may 
 not seem to detract from the true worth of orders, we will not 
 say more concerning this shrewd advice. 
 
 They also allege the danger of spilling and certain similar 14 
 things, which do not have force sufficient to change the ordi- 
 nance of Christ. And indeed if we imagine that we are free 15 
 to use either one part or both, how can the prohibition be de- 
 fended? Although the Church does not assume to itself the 
 liberty to convert the ordinances of Christ into matters of in- 
 difference. We indeed excuse the Church which has borne the i<5 
 injury [the poor consciences which have been deprived of one 
 part by force], since both parts could not be granted ; but the 
 authors who maintain that the use of the entire sacrament is 
 prohibited aright, and who now not only prohibit, but even ex- 
 communicate and violently persecute those using an entire sac- 
 rament, we do not excuse. Let them see to it how they will 
 give an account to God for their decisions. Neither is it to be 15 
 at once judged that the Church determines or approves what- 
 ever the pontiffs determine, especially since Scripture prophe- 
 sies concerning the bishops and pastors to the effect as Ezekiel 
 says (7 : 26) : " The Law shall perish from the priest " [there 
 will be priests or bishops who will know no command or Law 
 of God]. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 235 Article XXIII. 
 
 OF THE MARRIAGE OF PRIESTS. 
 
 A. Of the Reasons for Disapproving Celibacy. 
 
 In the midst of so great infamy of a defiled priesthood, the 1 
 adversaries have the presumption not only to defend the pon- 
 tifical law by the wicked and false pretext of the divine name, 
 but even to exhort the Emperor and princes, to the disgrace 
 and infamy of the Roman Empire, not to tolerate the marriage 
 of priests. For thus they speak. 1 
 
 What greater impudence has ever been read of in any his- 2 
 tory than this of the adversaries? For the arguments which 
 they use we will afterwards review. Now let the wise reader 
 consider this, viz. what shame these men, of no account, have, 
 who say that marriages [which the Holy Scriptures praise and 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Art. xxiii. ; fimalcald Articles, 
 Part iii., Art. xi. ; Large Catechism, Commandment vi., \ 206 sq. Cf. Torgaiij 
 Art. xv. 
 
 1 German at great length, and much more severe. 
 
236 
 
 Ch. XI., Akt. XXIII. THE MARRIAGE OF PRIESTS 24* 
 
 command] produce infamy and disgrace to the government, as 
 -hough indeed this public infamy of flagitious and unnataral 
 lusts which glow among these very holy fathers, ' who feign 
 that they are Curii and live like bacchanals," ! were a great 
 ornament to the Church ! And most things which these men 
 do with the greatest license cannot even be named without a 
 breach of modesty. And these their lusts they ask you to de- 3 
 fend with your chaste right hand, Emperor Charles (whom even 
 certain ancient predictions name as the king of modest face ; 
 for the saying appears concerning you : 2 " One modest in face 
 shall reign everywhere "). For they ask that, contrary to di- 
 vine law, contrary to the law of nations, contrary to the canons 
 of Councils, you sunder marriages, so as merely for the sake of 
 marriage to impose atrocious punishments upon innocent men, 
 to put to death priests, whom even barbarians reverently spare, 
 to drive into exile banished women and fatherless children. 
 Such laws they bring to yon, most excellent and most chaste 
 Emperor, to which no barbarity however monstrous and cruel 
 could lend its ear. But because the stain of no disgrace 4 
 or cruelty falls upon your character, we hope that you will 
 mildly treat with us in this case, especially when you have 
 learned that we have the weightiest reasons for our belief, de- 
 rived from the Word of God, to which the adversaries oppose 
 the most trifling and vain opinions. 
 
 And nevertheless they do not seriously defend celibacy. For 5 
 they are not ignorant how few there are who practise chastity, 
 but they devise a sham of religion in their domain, which they 
 think that celibacy profits, in order that we may understand 
 Peter to have been right in admonishing (2 Ep. 2:1) that 
 there will be false teachers who w 7 ill deceive men with feigned 
 words. For the adversaries say, write or do nothing truly, 
 frankly and candidly in this entire case, but they actually con- 
 tend only concerning the dominion which they falsely think to 
 be imperilled, and which they endeavor to fortify with a wicked 
 pretence of godliness. 
 
 We cannot approve this law concerning celibacy which the 6 
 adversaries defend, because it conflicts with divine and natural 
 law, and is at variance with the very canons of the Councils. 
 And that it is superstitious and dangerous is evident. For it 
 
 1 Juvenal, ii. 3. 
 
 'Sibylline Oracles, viii. 169. "We think that no one will be con- 
 vinced that Melanchthon believed that this prophecy was published with 
 respect to the Emperor himself, and that he quoted it for the purpose of 
 showing how it had now been fulfilled. He only applies the prophecy to 
 the Emperor, .... that he is an Emperor of such chastity as is pre- 
 dicted," etc. Walch's Introduction, p. 467. 
 
248 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 produces infinite scandals, sins and corruption of public morals. 
 ( )ur other controversies need some discussion by the doctors; in 
 this, the subject is so manifest in both parts, that it requires no 
 discussion. It only requires as judge a man that is honest and 
 fears God. And although the manifest truth is defended by 
 non us, yet the adversaries have devised certain reproaches for 
 satirizing our arguments. 
 
 First. Genesis (1 : 28) teaches that men were created to be 7 
 fruitful, and that one sex in a proper way should desire the 
 other. For we are speaking not of concupiscence, which is sin, 
 but of that appetite which was to have been in nature in its in- 
 tegrity, which they call physical love. And this love of one 
 sex for the other is truly a divine ordinance. But since this 
 ordinance of God cannot be removed without an extraordinary 
 work of God, it follows that the right to contract marriage can- 
 not be removed by statutes or vows. 
 
 The adversaries cavil at these arguments ; they say that in 8 
 the beginning the commandment was given to replenish the 
 earth, but that now since the earth has been replenished, mar- 
 riage is not commanded. See how wisely they judge! The 
 nature of men is so formed by the Word of God, that it is 
 fruitful not only in the beginning of the creation, but as long 
 as this nature of our bodies exists; just as the earth became 
 fruitful by the Word (Gen. 1:11): "Let the earth bring forth 
 grass, yielding seed." Because of this ordinance, the earth not 
 only commenced in the beginning to bring forth plants, but the 
 fields are clothed every year as long as this nature of bodies 
 exists. Therefore, just as by human laws the nature of the 
 earth cannot be changed, so, without a special work of God, 
 the nature of man can be changed neither by vows nor by hu- 
 man law. 
 
 Secondly. And because this creation or divine ordinance in man 9 
 is a natural right, jurists have accordingly said wisely and cor- 
 rectly that the union of male and female belongs to natural right. 
 But since natural right is immutable, the right to contract mar- 
 riage must always remain. For where nature does not change, 
 that ordinance also with which God has endowed nature does 
 not change, and cannot be removed by human laws. Therefore ic 
 it is ridiculous for the adversaries to prate that marriage was 
 noo commanded in the beginning, but is not now. This is the 
 same as if they would say : Formerly when men were 
 born, they brought with them sex; now they do not. For- 
 merly when they were born, they brought with them natural 
 right, now they do not. 1 No cunning craftsman (Faber) could 
 
 1 Luther in copy of edition of 1531-34 sent him by Melanchthon wrote 
 ' And it follows at the same time, that as long as the earth is replenished 
 
Ch. XI., Art. XXIII. THE MARRIAGE OF PRIESTS. 249 
 
 think otherwise 1 than that these absurdities were devised to 
 elude a right of nature. Therefore let this lemain in the case 11 
 which both Scripture teaches and the jurist says wisely, viz. 
 that the union of male and female belongs to natural right. 
 Moreover a natural right is truly a divine right, because it is 12 
 an ordinance divinely impressed upon nature. But inasmuch 
 as this right cannot be changed without an extraordinary work 
 of God, it is necessary that the right to contract marriage re- 
 mains, because the natural desire of sex for sex is an ordinance 
 of God in nature, and for this reason is a right ; otherwise why 
 would both sexes have been created? And we are speaking, as 13 
 it has been said above, not of concupiscence, which is sin, but 
 of that desire which they call physical love [which would have 
 existed between man and woman even though their nature had 
 remained pure], which concupiscence has not removed from na- 
 ture, but inflames, so that now it has greater need of a remedy, 
 and marriage is necessary not only for the sake of procreation, 
 but also as a remedy [to guard against sins]. These things are 
 clear, and so well established that they can in no way be over- 
 thrown. 
 
 Thirdly. Paul says (1 Cor. 7:2): "To avoid fornication, let 14 
 every man have his own wife." This now is an express com- 
 mand pertaining to all who are not fit for celibacy. The ad- 15 
 versaries ask that a commandment be shown them which com- 
 mands priests to marry. 2 As though priests are not men ! We 
 judge indeed that the things which we maintain concerning hu- 
 man nature in general pertain also to priests. Does not Paul 16 
 here command those who have not the gift of continence to 
 marry ? For he interprets himself a little after when he says 
 oqq (v. 9) : " It is better to marry than to burn." And Christ 
 has clearly said (Matt. 19 : 11) : "All men cannot receive 
 this saying, save they to whom it is given." Because now, since 
 sin, these two things concur, viz. natural appetite and concupis- 
 cence, which inflames the natural appetite, so that there is more 
 need of marriage than in nature in its integrity ; Paul accord- 
 ingly speaks of marriage as a remedy, and on account of these 
 flames commands to marry. Neither can any human authority, 
 any law, any vows remove this declaration : " It is better to 
 marry than to burn ;" because they do not remove the nature 
 
 all men ought to refrain from marriage until the earth be made empty by 
 death fur future marriages." 
 
 1 By these words, which are wanting in the German, John Faber, the 
 chief composer of the Confutation, is attacked. 
 
 'Luther wrote on the margin of his copy: "Show also the com- 
 mandment which declares that it is not lawful for priests to have 
 <vives." 
 
 32 
 
250 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION 
 
 or concupiscence. Therefore all who burn, retain the right to i; 
 marry. By this commandment of Paul : " To avoid fornica- 
 tion, let every man have his own wife," all are held hound who 
 do not truly keep themselves continent; the decision concern- 
 ing which pertains to the conscience of each one. 
 
 For as they here give the command to seek continence of God, 18 
 and to weaken the body by labors and hunger, why do they not 
 proclaim these magnificent commandments to themselves ? But, 
 as we have said above, the adversaries are only playing; they 
 are doing nothing seriously. If continence were possible to all, 19 
 it would not require a peculiar gift. But Christ shows that it 
 has need of a peculiar gift ; wherefore it does not belong to all. 
 God wishes the rest to use the common law of nature, which he 
 has instituted. For God does not wish his ordinances, his crea- 
 tions to be despised. He wishes men to be chaste in the use 
 of the remedy divinely presented, just as he wishes to nourish 
 our life, if we use food and drink. Gerson also testifies that 20 
 there have been many good men who endeavored to subdue the 
 body, and yet made little progress. Accordingly Ambrose is 
 right in saying : " Virginity alone is such a thing as can be 
 .recommended, but cannot be commanded ;" it is, a matter of 
 vow rather than of precept. If any one here would raise the 21 
 objection that Christ praises those " which have made them- 
 selves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake" (Matt. 19 : 
 12), let him also consider this, that he is praising such as have 
 the gift of continence ; for, on this account, he adds : " He that 
 is able to receive it, let him receive it." For an impure con- 22 
 tinence [such as there is in monasteries and cloisters] does not 
 please Christ. We also praise true continence. But now we 
 are disputing concerning the Law, and concerning those who 
 do not have the gift of continence. The matter ought to be 
 left free, and through this Law snares ought not to be cast upon 
 the weak. 
 
 Fourthly. The pontifical law differs from the canons of the 23 
 Councils. For the ancient canons do not prohibit marriage, 
 neither do they dissolve marriages that have been contracted, 
 even if they remove from the administration of their office 
 ojrt those who have contracted them in the ministry. At those 
 times this dismissal was an act of kindness. But the 
 new canons which have been framed in the Synods, but have 
 been made according to the private judgment of the popes, 
 both prohibit the contraction of marriages, and dissolve them 
 when contracted ; and this is to be done openly, contrary 
 to the command of Christ (Matt. 19:6): "What God hath 
 joined together, let no man put asunder." In the Confutation 24 
 the adversaries exclaim that celibacy has been commanded by 
 the Councils. We do not find fault with the decrees of the 
 
Ch. XL, Art. XXIII. THE MARRIAGE OF PRIESTS. 251 
 
 Councils ; for, under a certain condition, these allow marriage, 
 but we find fault with the laws which, since the ancient Synods, 
 the popes of Rome have framed contrary to the authority of 
 the Synods. The popes despise the authority of the Synods, 
 just as much as they wish it to appear holy to others. There- 25 
 fore this law concerning perpetual celibacy is peculiar to this 
 new pontifical government. Nor is it without a reason. For 
 Daniel (11:37) ascribes to the kingdom of Antichrist this 
 mark, viz. the contempt of women. 
 
 Fifthly. Although the adversaries do not defend the Law be- 26 
 cause of superstition, since they see that it is not generally ob- 
 served, nevertheless they diffuse superstitious opinions, while 
 they give a pretext of religion. They proclaim that they re- 
 quire celibacy, because it is purity; as though marriage were 
 impurity and a sin, or as though celibacy merited justification 
 more than does marriage. And to this end they cite the cere- 27 
 monies of the Mosaic Law, because, since, under the Law, the 
 priests, at the time of ministering, were separated from their 
 wives ; the priest in the New Testament, inasmuch as he ought 
 always to pray, ought always to practise continence. This silly 
 comparison is presented as a proof which should compel priests 
 to perpetual celibacy, although indeed in this comparison mar- 
 riage is allowed, only, in the time of ministering, its use is in- 
 terdicted. And it is one thing to pray ; another, to minister. 
 The saints prayed even when they did not exercise the pub- 
 lic ministry, nor did conjugal intercourse hinder them from 
 praying. 
 
 But we will reply, in order, to these figments. In the first 28 
 n>ji place it is necessary for the adversaries to acknowledge 
 this, viz. that in believers, marriage is pure because it has 
 been sanctified by the Word of God, i. e. it is a matter that is 
 permitted and approved by the Word of God, as Scripture 
 abundantly testifies. For Christ calls marriage a divine union, 29 
 when he says (Matt, 19:6): " What God hath joined together." 
 And Paul says of marriage, of meats and similar things (1 Tim. 30 
 4:5): " It is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer," i. e. 
 by the Word, by which consciences become certain that God 
 approves ; and by prayer, i. e. by faith which used it with 
 thanksgiving as a gift of God. Likewise (1 Cor. 7: 14): 31 
 " The unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife," etc., i. e. 
 the use of marriage is permitted and holy on account of faith 
 in Christ, just as it is permitted to use meat, etc. Likewise (1 33 
 Tim. 2:15): " She shall be saved in child-bearing," etc. If 
 the adversaries could produce such a passage concerning celi- 
 bacy, then indeed they w T ould celebrate a wonderful triumph. 
 Paul says that woman is saved by child-bearing. What more 
 excellent could be said against the hypocrisy of celibacy than 
 
252 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 that woman is .saved by the conjugal works themselves, by conju- 
 gal intercourse, by bearing children and the other duties? But 
 what does St. Paul mean? Let the reader observe that faith 
 is added, and that domestic duties without faith are not praised. 
 " If they continue," he says, " in faith." For he speaks of the 
 whole class of mothers. Therefore he requires especially faith 
 [that they should have God's Word and be believing], by 
 which woman receives the remission of sins and justification. 
 Then he adds a particular work of the calling, just as in every 
 man a good work of a particular calling ought to follow faith. 
 This work pleases God on account of faith. Thus the duties 
 of the woman please God on account of faith, and the believ- 
 ing woman is saved who, in such duties, devoutly serves her 
 calling. 
 
 These testimonies teach that marriage is a lawful [a holy 33 
 and Christian] thing. If therefore purity signifies that which 
 has been allowed and approved before God, marriages are pure, 
 because they have been approved by the Word of God. And 34 
 Paul says of lawful things (Tit. 1 : 15): "Unto the pure all 
 things are pure," i. e. to those who believe in Christ and are 
 righteous by faith. Therefore as virginity is impure in the 
 godless, so in the godly marriage is pure, on account of the 
 Word of God and faith. 
 249 Again. If purity is properly opposed to concupiscence, 35 
 
 it signifies purity of heart, i. e. mortified concupiscence, 
 because the Law does not prohibit marriage, but concupiscence, 
 adultery, licentiousness. Therefore celibacy is not purity. 
 For there may be greater purity of heart in a married man, as 
 in Abraham or Jacob, than in most of those who are even truly 
 continent [who even, according to bodily purity, really main- 
 tain their chastity]. 
 
 Lastly. If they understand that celibacy is purity in the 3^1 
 sense that it merits justification more than does marriage, we 
 most emphatically contradict it. For we are justified neither 
 on account of virginity, nor on account of marriage, but freely 
 for Christ's sake, when we believe that for his sake God is 
 propitious to us. Here perhaps they will exclaim, that, in the 37 
 manner of Jovinian, marriage is made equal to virginity. But, 
 on account of such clamors, we will not reject the truth con- 
 cerning the righteousness of faith, which we have above ex- 
 plained. Nevertheless we do not make virginity and marriage 38 
 equal. For just as one gift surpasses another, as prophecy sur- 
 passes eloquence, the science of military affairs surpasses agri- 
 culture, and eloquence surpasses architecture; so virginity is a 
 more excellent gift than marriage. And nevertheless, just as 39 
 an orator is not more righteous before God because of his eloT 
 quencc, than an architect because of his skill in architecture. 
 
Ch. XL, Art. XXIII. THE MARRIAGE OF PRIESTS. 253 
 
 so a virgin does not merit justification by virginity, more than 
 a married person merits it by conjugal duties, but each one 
 ought faithfully to serve in his own gift, and to believe that for 
 Christ's sake he receives the remission of sins, and is accounted 
 righteous by faith before God. 
 
 Neither does Christ or Paul praise virginity for justifying, but 4: 
 because it is freer and less distracted with domestic occupations, 
 in praying, teaching, serving. For this reason, Paul says (1 
 Cor. 7 : 32) : " He that is unmarried careth for the things 
 which belong to the Lord." Therefore virginity is praised on 
 account of meditation and study. Thus Christ does not simply 
 praise those " who make themselves eunuchs," but adds, " for 
 the kingdom of heaven's sake," i. e. that they may have leisure 
 to learn or teach the Gospel, for he does not say that virginity 
 merits the remission of sins or salvation. 
 9 jo To the examples of the Levitical priests we have re- 41 
 
 plied that they do not establish the duty of imposing per- 
 petual celibacy upon the priests. In the second place, the 
 Levitical impurities are not to be transferred to us. Then 
 intercourse was an impurity contrary to the Law. Now it is 
 not impurity, because Paul says (Tit. 1:15): " Unto the pure 
 all things are pure." For the Gospel frees us from these Le- 
 vitical impurities [from all the ceremonies of Moses, and not 
 alone from the laws concerning uncleanness]. And if any one 42 
 defends the law of celibacy with the design to burden con- 
 sciences by these Levitical observances, we must strive against 
 this, just as the apostles in Acts 15:10 sqq. strove against 
 those who required circumcision and endeavored to impose the 
 Law of Moses upon Christians. 
 
 Yet, in the mean while, good men will know how to control 43 
 the use of marriage, especially when they are occupied with 
 public offices, which often indeed give good men so much labor 
 as to expel all domestic thoughts from their minds. Good men 
 know also this, that Paul (1 Thess. 4 : 4) commands that every 
 one possess his vessel in sanctifi cation. They know likewise 
 that they must sometimes retire, in order that there may be 
 leisure for prayer ; but Paul does not wish this to be perpetual 
 (1 Cor. 7 : 5). Now such continence is easy to those who are 44 
 good and occupied. But this great crowd of unemployed 
 priests which is in the fraternities cannot afford, in this volup- 
 tuousness, even this Levitical continence, as the facts show. 
 And the lines are well known : 
 
 Desidium puer ille sequi solet, odit agentes, etc. 
 
 The boy accustomed to pursue a slothful life hates those who are busy. 
 
 Many heretics who have incorrectly understood the Law of 45 
 
254 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 Moses, have treated marriage with contempt, 1 among whom, 
 nevertheless, celibacy has obtained extraordinary admiration. 
 And Epiphanius complains that, by this commendation espe- 
 cially, the Encratites captured the minds of the unwary. They 
 abstained from wine e\en in the Lord's Supper, they abstained 
 from the flesh of all animals, in which they surpassed the 
 Dominican brethren, who lived upon fish. They abstained also 
 from marriage ; and just this obtained the chief admiration. 
 These works, these services, they thought, merited grace more 
 than the use of wine and flesh, and than marriage, which seemed 
 to be a profane and unclean matter, and which scarcely could 
 please God, even though it were not altogether condemned. 
 04. Paul to the Colossians (2 : 18) greatly disapproves the 46 
 
 worshipping of angels. For when men believe that they 2 
 are pure and righteous on account of such hypocrisy, they sup- 
 press the knowledge of Christ, and suppress also the know- 
 ledge of God's gifts and commandments. For God wishes us 47 
 to use his gifts in a godly way. And we could mention exam- 
 ples where certain godly consciences were greatly disturbed on 
 account of the lawful use of marriage. This evil was derived 
 from the opinions of monks superstitiously praising celibacy 
 [and proclaiming the marriage estate as a life that would be a 
 great obstacle to salvation, and full of sins]. Nevertheless 3 we 48 
 do not find fault with temperance or continence, but we have 
 above said that exercises and mortifications of the body are 
 necessary. We indeed deny that confidence should be placed 
 in certain observances, as though they made righteous. And 49 
 
 1 Var. continues : As were the Encratites, of whom we have spoken 
 above. And it is evident that the monks were accustomed to spread 
 abroad superstitious declarations here and there concerning celibacy, 
 which disturbed many devout consciences with reference to the lawful 
 use of marriage. Neither would it be difficult for us to recount examples. 
 For although, on account of procreation, they did not entirely condemn 
 marriage, yet they found fault with it as a kind of life which scarcely ever 
 pleased God, or certainly would not please him except on account of pro- 
 creation. But they extolled celibacy as though it were an angelic mode 
 of life, proclaimed that it was a sacrifice most grateful to God, that it 
 merited the remission of sins, merited eminent rewards, bore fruit a hun- 
 dred-fold, and infinite other things. Paul to the Col., etc. ($ 46). 
 
 ' Var. continues : That they are accounted righteous because of such 
 observances, and not because of Christ ; then they suppress the knowledge 
 of God's commands, when in addition to God's commands new services 
 are devised, and preferred to God's commands. Wherefore these super- 
 stitious persuasions concerning celibacy must be constantly resisted in the 
 Church, both to the end that godly consciences may know that marriage 
 is pleas;.ng to God, and may understand what kind of services God ap- 
 proves. But the adversaries, sq. (§ 50). * Germ, omits H 48 and 49. 
 
Ch. XI., Art. XXIII. THE MARRIAGE OF PRIESTS. 255 
 
 Epiphanius has elegantly said that these observances ought to be 
 praised oca rrjv iyxpdzscau xai oca ttju Trohrecav, i. e. for restrain- 
 ing the body or on account of public morals; just as certain 
 rites were instituted for instructing the ignorant, and not as 
 services tha justify. 
 
 But it is not through superstition that our adversaries re- 5c 
 quire celibacy, for they know that chastity is not ordinarily af- 
 forded. But they feign superstitious opinions, so as to delude 
 the ignorant. They are therefore more worthy of hatred than 
 the Encratites, who seem to have erred by a kind of religion; 
 these Sardanapali [Epicureans] designedly misuse the pretext 
 of religion. 
 
 Sixthly. Although we have given so many reasons for disap- 51 
 proving the law of perpetual celibacy, yet, besides these, dan- 
 gers to souls and public scandals also are added, which even 
 though the law were not unjust, ought to deter good men from 
 approving such a burden as has destroyed innumerable souls. 
 
 For a long time all good men have complained of this bur- 52 
 den, either on their own account, or on account of others, whom 
 they saw to be in danger, but no popes give ear to these com- 
 plaints. Neither is it doubtful how greatly injurious to public 
 morals this is, and what vices and shameful lusts it has pro- 
 duced. The Roman satires are extant. In these Rome still 
 " recognizes and reads its own morals." 
 94 r Thus God avenges the contempt of his own gift and 53 
 
 ordinance in those who prohibit marriage. But since the 
 custom in regard to other laws was that they should be changed 
 if manifest utility would advise it, why is the same not done 
 with respect to this law, in which so many weighty reasons con- 
 cur, especially in these last times, why a change ought to be 
 made? Nature is growing old and is gradually becoming 
 weaker, 1 and vices are increasing; wherefore the remedies 
 divinely given ought to be employed. We see what vice it 54 
 was which God denounced before the flood, what he denounced 
 before the burning of the five cities. Similar vices have pre- 
 ceded the destruction of many other cities, as of Sybaris and 
 Rome. And in these there has been presented an image of 
 the times which will be next to the end of things. Accord- 55 
 ingly, at this time, marriage ought to have been especially de- 
 fended by the most severe laws and institutions, and men ought 
 to have been invited to marriage. This duty pertains to the 
 magistrates, w 7 ho ought to maintain public discipline. [God has 
 now so blinded the world that adultery and fornication are per- 
 mitted almost without punishment; on -the contrary, punish- 
 ment is inflicted on account of marriage. Is not this terrible 
 
 1 Cf. Aug. Conf., xxiii.: 14. 
 
25G THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 to hear?] Meanwhile the teachers of the Gospel should do 
 both ; they should exhort incontinent men to marriage, and 
 should exhort others not to despise the gift of continence. 
 
 The popes daily dispense and daily change other laws which 56 
 Are most excellent, yet, in regard to this one law of celibacy 
 they are immovable as iron, and inexorable, although indeed it 
 is manifest that this belongs absolutely to human law. And 57 
 they are now making this law more grievous in many ways. 
 The canon 1 bids them suspend priests ; they suspend them not 
 from office, but from trees. They cruelly kill many men for 
 nothing but marriage. And these very murders show that this 58 
 law is a doctrine of demons. 2 For since the devil is a mur- 
 derer, he defends his law by these murders. 
 
 We know that there is some complaint in regard to schism, 59 
 because we seem to have separated from those who are thought 
 9AR *° ^ e regular bishops. But our consciences are very secure, 
 since we know that, as we most earnestly desire to estab- 
 lish harmony, we cannot please the adversaries unless we cast 
 away manifest truth, and then agree with these very men in 
 being willing to defend this unjust law, to dissolve marriages 
 that have been contracted, to put to death priests if they do not 
 obey, to drive poor women and fatherless children into exile 
 But since it is well established that these conditions are dis- 
 pleasing to God, we can in no way grieve that we have no alli- 
 ance with the multitude of murderers among the adversaries. 
 
 B. Of the Arguments of the Adversaries. 
 
 We have explained the reasons why we cannot assent with a 60 
 good conscience to the adversaries when they defend the pontif- 
 ical law concerning perpetual celibacy, because it conflicts with 
 divine and natural law and is at variance with the canons them- 
 selves; 3 and is superstitious and full of danger; and, lastly, 
 because the entire matter has been feigned. For the law is 
 enacted not for the sake of religion, but for the sake of domin- 
 ion, and the pretext of religion is wickedly given this. Neither 
 can anything be produced by sane men against these most firmly 
 established reasons. The Gospel allows marriage to those to6i 
 whom it is necessary. Nevertheless it does not compel those to 
 marry who can be continent, provided they be truly continent. 
 We hold that this liberty should also be conceded to the priests, 
 nor do we wish to compel any one by force to celibacy, nor to 
 dissolve marriages that have been contracted. 
 
 1 Canon of First Council of New Caesarea (a. d. 314), recorded iu Dt 
 cret. Grat., P. I., dist. 28, c. 9. German omits. 
 
 • See 1 Tim. 4:1,3. 
 
 • See Decret. Grot., P. I., dist. 31, cans. 12, 13. 
 
Ch. XL, Art. XXIII. THE MARRIAGE OF PRIESTS. 25? 
 
 We have also indicated incidentally, while we have recounted 62 
 our arguments, how the adversaries cavil at several ; and we 
 nave explained away these false accusations. Now we will re- 
 late as briefly as possible with what important reasons they de- 
 rend the law. 
 
 First, they say that it has been revealed by God. You see 63 
 the extreme impudence of these sorry fellows. They dare to 
 affirm that the law of perpetual celibacy has been divinely re- 
 vealed, although it is contrary to manifest testimonies of Scrip- 
 ture, which command that to avoid fornication each one should 
 have his own wife (1 Cor. 7:2); which likewise forbid to dis- 
 solve marriages that have been contracted (cf. Matt, 5 : 32 ; 
 19:6; 1 Cor. 7 : 27). Paul teaches what an author such a 
 law was to have when he calls it a doctrine of demons (1 Tim. 
 4:1). And the fruits show their author, viz. so many mons- 
 trous lusts and so many murders which are now committed 
 under the pretext of that law. 
 047 The second argument of the adversaries is that the 64 
 
 priests ought to be pure, according to Isa. 52:11: " Be 
 ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord." And they cite 
 many things to this effect. We have above removed the reason 
 which they display as especially specious. For we have said 
 that virginity without faith is not purity before God, and mar- 
 riage, on account of faith, is pure, according to Tit. 1:15: 
 " Unto the pure, all things are pure." We have said also this, 
 that outward purity and the ceremonies of the Law are not to 
 be transferred hither, because the Gospel requires purity of 
 heart, and does not require the ceremonies of the Law. And 
 it may be that the heart of a husband, as of Abraham or Jacob, 
 who were polygamists, may be pure, and may burn less with 
 lusts than that of many virgins who are even truly continent 1 
 What Isaiah indeed says : " Be ye clean that bear the vessels 
 of the Lord," ought to be understood as referring to cleanness 
 of heart, and to the entire repentance. Besides, the saints will 65 
 know by external use how far it is profitable to restrain the use 
 of marriage, and as Paul says (1 Thess. 4 : 4), " to possess his 
 vessel in sanctifi cation." Lastly, since marriage is pure, it is 66 
 rightly said to those who are not continent in celibacy that they 
 should marry wives, in order to be pure. Thus the same law : 
 " Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord," commands 
 that impure bachelors become pure husbands.- 
 
 The third argument is horrible, viz. that the marriage of 67 
 priests is the heresy of Jovinian. Good words ! This is a new 
 orime, that marriage is a heresy ! In the time of Jovinian the 
 world had not as yet known the law concerning perpetual celi- 
 
 1 Cf. I 35. 
 
 33 
 
268 THE APOLOGY Ol THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 bacy. Therefore it is an impudent falsehood that the marriage 
 of priests is the heresy of Jovinian, or that such marriage was 
 then condemned by the Church. In such passages we can see 68 
 what design the adversaries had in writing the Confutation. 
 They judged that the ignorant would be thus most easily ex- 
 cited, if they would frequently hear the reproach of heresy; if 
 they would imagine that our cause had been despatched and 
 condemned by many previous decisions of the Church. Thus 
 they frequently cite falsely the judgment of the Church. Be 
 cause they are not ignorant of this, they were unwilling to ex- 
 hibit to us a copy of their Apology, 1 lest this falsehood and 
 these reproaches might be exposed. Our opinion as to what 69 
 indeed pertains to the case of Jovinian, concerning the compari- 
 son of virginity and marriage, we have above expressed. For 
 we do not make marriage and virginity equal, although neither 
 virginity nor marriage merits justification. 
 040 By such false arguments they defend a law that is god- 70 
 
 less and destructive to good morals. By such reasons, 
 they set the minds of princes firmly against God's judgment, 
 in which God will call them to account as to why they have 
 dissolved marriages, and why they have tortured and killed 
 priests. For do not doubt but that, as the blood of dead Abel 
 cried out (Gen. 4 : 10), so the blood of many good men, against 
 whom they have unjustly raged, will also cry out. And Got 
 will avenge this cruelty ; there, you will discover how empty 
 are these reasons of the adversaries, and you will perceive that 
 in God's judgment no calumnies against God's Word remain 
 standing, as Isaiah says (40 : 6) : " All flesh is grass, and all the 
 goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field." [That their 
 arguments are straw and hay, and God a consuming fire, before 
 whom nothing but God's Word can abide, 1 Pet. 1 : 24.] 
 
 Whatever will happen, our princes will be able to console 71 
 themselves with the consciousness of right counsels, because 
 ven though the priests would have done wrong in contracting 
 marriages, yet this disruption of marriages, these proscriptions, 
 and this cruelty, are manifestly contrary to the will and \V r ord 
 of God. Neither does novelty or dissent delight our princes, 
 but to the Word of God more regard must be paid, especially 
 
 in a matter that is not doubtful, than to all other things. 
 
 »■ -. ... 
 
 1 Apology, Preface, I 2. 
 
Ch. XII., Art. XXIV. THE MASS. 259 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Article XXIV. 
 Of the Mass. 
 
 I 8 the beginning we must again make the preliminary state- i 
 nient that we do not abolish the Mass, but religiously maintain 
 and defend it. For among us masses are performed every 
 Lord's Day and on the other festivals, in which the sacrament 
 is offered to those who wish to use it, after they have been ex- 
 amined and absolved. And the usual public ceremonies are 
 observed, the series of lessons, of prayers, vestments and other 
 like things. 
 04Q The adversaries have a long declamation concerning the 2 
 
 use of the Latin language in the Mass, in which they ab- 
 surdly trifle as to how it would profit a hearer untaught in the 
 faith of the Church to hear Mass that is not understood. They 
 evidently imagine that the mere work of hearing is a service, 
 that it profits without being understood. We are unwilling to 3 
 malignantly pursue these things, but we leave them to the judg- 
 ment of the reader. We mention them only for the purpose 
 of stating, in passing, that even among us the Latin lessons 
 and prayers are retained. 
 
 Since ceremonies, however, ought to be observed both to 
 teach men Scripture, and that those, admonished by the Word, 
 may conceive faith and fear, and thus that they also may pray 
 (for these are the designs of ceremonies) ; we retain the Latin 
 language on account of those who are learning and understand 
 Latin, and we mingle with it German hymns, in order that 
 the people also may have something to learn, and by which 
 faith and fear may be called forth. This custom has always 4 
 existed in the churches. For although some more frequently, 
 and others more rarely, mingled German hymns, nevertheless 
 the people almost everywhere sang in their own tongue. It 5 
 has indeed nowhere been written or represented that the act 
 of hearing lessons not understood profits men, or that cere- 
 monies profit, not because they teach or admonish, but ex opere 
 operate*, because they are thus performed or are looked upon. 
 Away with such pharisaic opinions ! 
 
 The fact that we hold only Public or Common Mass is no 6 
 offence against the Catholic Church. For in the Greek churches 
 even to-day private masses are not held, but there is only a 
 public mass, and that on the Lord's Day and festivals. In the 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Art. xxiv. ; Smalcald Articles, 
 Part ii., Art. ii. ; Formula of Concord, Epitome, vii. : 21 sq. Cf. Torgau Arli' 
 cles, xvi. 
 
260 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBUIKJ CONFESSION. 
 
 monasteries, daily Mass is held, but tliis is only public. These 
 are the traces of former customs. For nowhere do the ancient 
 writers before Gregory make mention of private masses. We 7 
 now omit noticing the nature of their origin. It is evident 
 that after the mendicant monks began to prevail, from most 
 false opinions and on account of gain they were so increased 
 that all good men f or a l 011 o; time desired some limit to this 
 thing. Although St. Francis wished to provide aright for this 
 matter, as he decided that each fraternity should be content \v T ith 
 a single common Mass daily, afterwards this was changed, 
 either by superstition or for the sake of gain. Thus where it 8 
 it is of advantage, they themselves change the institutions of 
 the Fathers; and afterwards they cite against us the authority 
 of the Fathers. Epiphanius writes that in Asia the commu- 
 nion was celebrated three times a week, and that there were no 
 daily masses. And indeed he says that this custom was handed 
 down from the apostles. For he speaks thus : " Assemblies 
 for communion were appointed by the apostles to be held on 
 the fourth day, on Sabbath eve, and the Lord's Day." 
 nrn Moreover, although the adversaries collect many testi-9 
 
 monies on this topic to prove that the Mass is a sacrifice, 
 yet this great tumult of words will be quieted when the single 
 reply is advanced, that this long line of authorities, reasons and 
 testimonies does not prove however that the Mass confers grace 
 ex opere operate*, or that, when applied on behalf of others, it 
 merits for them the remission of venial and mortal sins, of 
 guilt and punishment. This one reply overthrows all things 
 to which the adversaries object, not only in this Confutation, 
 but in all writings which they have published concerning the 
 Mass. 
 
 And this is the state of the case of which our readers are to ic 
 be admonished as .ZEschines admonished the judges, that just as 
 boxers contend with one another for their position, so they 
 should stri e with their adversary concerning the state of the 
 controversy, and not permit him to wander beyond the case. 
 In the same manner our adversaries ought to be here compelled 
 to speak on the subject presented. And when the state of the 
 controversy has been thoroughly understood, a decision con- 
 cerning the arguments on both sides will be very easy. 
 
 For in our Confession 1 we have shown that Ave hold that the 11 
 lord's Supper does not confer grace ex opere operato, and that, 
 when applied on behalf of others alive or dead, it does not 
 merit for them ex opere operato the remission of sins, of guilt 
 or of punishment. And of this position a clear and firm proof \i 
 exists in that it is impossible to obtain the remission of our sins 
 
 1 Augsburg Confession, xxiv. : 21-28. 
 
Ch. XII., Art. XXIV. THE MASS. 261 
 
 on account of our own work ex opere operato, but the terrors of 
 sin and death must be overcome by faith when we comfort our 
 hearts with the knowledge of Christ, and believe that for 
 Christ's sake we are forgiven, and that the merits and right- 
 eousness of Christ are granted us (Rom. 5:1): "Being justi- 
 fied by faith, we have peace." These things are so sure and so 
 firm, that they can stand against all the gates of hell, 
 nri If we had to speak only so far as it is necessary, the 13 
 
 case has already been stated. For no sane man can ap- 
 prove that pharisaic and heathen opinion concerning the opus 
 operation. And nevertheless this opinion inheres in the people, 
 and has increased infinitely the number of masses. For masses 
 are purchased to appease God's wrath, and by this work they 
 wish to obtain the remission of guilt and of punishment ; they 
 wish to procure Avhatever is necessary in every kind of life 
 [health, riches, prosperity and success in business] ; they wish 
 even to liberate the dead. Monks and sophists in the Church 
 have taught this pharisaic opinion. 
 
 But although our case has already been stated, yet because 14 
 the adversaries foolishly pervert many passages of Scripture to 
 the defence of their errors, we will add a few things to this 
 topic. In the Confutation they have said many things con- 
 cerning " sacrifice," although in our Confession we purposely 
 avoided this term on account of its ambiguity. We have set 
 forth what those persons whose abuses we condemn now under- 
 stand as a sacrifice. Now in order to explain the passages of 
 Scripture that have been wickedly perverted, it is necessary in 
 the beginning; to set forth what a sacrifice is. Already for an 15 
 entire period of ten years the adversaries have published al- 
 most infinite volumes concerning sacrifice, neither has any of 
 them thus far given a definition of sacrifice. They only ap- 
 propriate the name " sacrifices " either from the Scriptures or 
 the Fathers [and where they find it in the Concordances of the 
 Bible, apply it here whether it fit or not]. Afterward they 
 append their own dreams, as though indeed a sacrifice signifies 
 whatever pleases them. 
 
 A. Wud a Sacrifice is, and what are the Species of Sacrifice, 
 
 Socrates in the Phcedrus of Plato says, that he is especially 16 
 fond of divisions, because, without these, nothing can either be 
 explained or understood in speaking, and if he would discover 
 any one skilful in making divisions, he says that he attends 
 and follows his footsteps as those of a god. And he instructs 
 the one dividing to separate the members in their very joints, 
 in order that he may not, after the manner of an unskilful 
 butcher, break to pieces some member. But the adversaries 
 
262 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 wonderfully despise these preeepts, and according to Plato are 
 truly xaxol /idyscfjot (poor butchers), since they break the mem- 
 nrn bers of "sacrifice," as can be understood when we have 
 
 enumerated the species of sacrifice. Theologians are rightly i*, 
 accustomed to distinguish between a sacrament and a sacrifice. 
 Therefore let the genus comprehending both of these be either 
 a ceremony or a sacred work. A sacrament is a ceremony or ig 
 work, in which God presents to us that which the promise an- 
 nexed to the ceremony offers, as baptism is a work, not which 
 we offer to God, but in which God baptizes us, i. e. a minister 
 in the place of God ; and God here offers and presents the re- 
 mission of sins, etc., according to the promise (Mark 16 : 16): 
 "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." A sacri- 
 fice, on the contrary, is a ceremony or work which we render 
 God in order to afford him honor. 
 
 Moreover the proximate species of sacrifice are two, and 19 
 there are no more. One is the propitiatory sacrifice, i. e. a work 
 which makes satisfaction for guilt and punishment, i. e. one that 
 reconciles God, or appeases God's wrath, or which merits the 
 remission of sins for others. Another species is the eucharistic 
 sacrifice, which does not merit the remission of sins or reconcil- 
 iation, but is rendered by those who have been reconciled, in order 
 that we may give thanks or return gratitude for the remission 
 of sins that has been received, or for other benefits received. 
 
 These two species of sacrifice we ought especially to have in 2c 
 view and placed before the eyes in this controversy and in many 
 other discussions ; and especial care must be taken lest they be 
 confounded. But if the limits of this book would suffer it, we 
 would add the reasons for this division. For it has many testi- 
 monies in the Epistle to the Hebrews and elsewhere. And all 21 
 Levitical sacrifices can be referred to these members as to theii 
 own homes. For in the Law certain propitiatory sacrifices 
 were named on account of their signification or similitude, and 
 not because they merited the remission of sins before God ; but 
 because they merited the remission of sins according to the 
 righteousness of the Law, in order that those for whom they 
 were made might not be excluded from that commonwealth 
 [from the people of Israel]. Therefore they were called sin- 
 Dfferings, trespass-offerings, burnt-offerings. Whereas the eu- 
 charistic sacrifices w r ere the oblation, the drink-offering, thank- 
 offerings, first-fruits, tithes. 
 
 But in fact there has been only one propitiatory sacrifice in 22 
 the world, viz. the death of Christ, as the Epistle to the He- 
 brews teaches, which says (10 : 4) : " It is not possible that the 
 blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." And a 
 little after, of the will of Christ, v. 10: " By the which will 
 we are sauctified by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ 
 
Ch. XII., Art. XXIV. THE MASS. 26? 
 
 once for all." And Isaiah interprets the Law, in order that 23 
 «rq we may know that the death of Christ is truly a satisfac- 
 tion for our sins, or expiation, and that the ceremonies of 
 the Law are not ; wherefore he says (53 : 10) : " When thou 
 shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his seed," etc. 
 For the word employed here, db\x, signifies a victim for trans- 
 gression ; which signified in the Law that a Victim was to come 
 to make satisfaction for our sins and reconcile God, in order 
 that men might know that God wishes to be reconciled to us, 
 not on account of our own righteousnesses, but on account of the 
 merits of another, viz. of Christ. Paul interprets the same 
 word dew as sin, Rom. 8:3: a For sin condemned sin," i. e. he 
 punished sin for sin, i. e. by a victim for sin. The significance 
 of the word can be the more easily understood from the cus- 
 toms of the heathen, which we see have been received from the 
 misunderstood expressions of the Fathers. The Latins called 
 a victim which, in great calamities where God seemed to be 
 especially enraged, was offered to appease God's wrath, a piacu- 
 lum, and they sometimes sacrificed human victims, perhaps be- 
 cause they had heard that a human victim would appease God 
 for the entire human race. The Greeks sometimes called them 
 xaddp/iaza and sometimes Tztpnprjp.axa. Isaiah and Paul, there- 
 fore, mean that Christ became a victim, i. e. an expiation, that 
 by his merits, and not by our own, God might be reconciled. 
 Therefore let this remain in the case, viz. that the death of 24 
 Christ alone is truly a propitiatory sacrifice. For the Levit- 
 ical propitiatory sacrifices were so called only to signify a future 
 expiation. Besides, on account of a certain resemblance, they 
 were satisfactions redeeming the righteousness of the Law, lest 
 those persons who sinned should be excluded from the common- 
 wealth. But after the Gospel has been revealed they ought to 
 cease ; and as they ought to cease in the revelation of the Gos- 
 pel, they are not truly propitiations, since the Gospel was prom- 
 ised in order to set forth a propitiation. 
 
 Now the rest are eucharistic sacrifices, which are called sacri-25 
 fices of praise (Lev. 3 : 1 sq. ; 7:11 sq. ; Ps. 56 : 12 sq.), viz. 
 the preaching of the Gospel, faith, prayer, thanksgiving, con- 
 fession, the afflictions of saints, yea all good works of saints. 
 These sacrifices are not satisfactions for those making them, 
 or applicable on behalf of others, so as to merit for these ex 
 opere operato the remission of sins or reconciliation. For they 
 are made by those who have been reconciled. And such are 2? 
 the sacrifices of the New Testament, as Peter teaches (1 Ep. 2 : 
 5) : " An holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices." 
 Spiritual 1 sacrifices, however, are contrasted not only with 
 
 1 Germ, omits rest of \. 
 
264 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBITKG CONFEvSSION. 
 
 those of cattle, but even with human works offered ex opere 
 operate, because "spiritual" refers to the movements of the 
 Holy Ghost in us. Paul teaches the same thing (Rom. 12:1): 
 "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable, which 
 is your reasonable service." "Reasonable service" signifies, 
 however, a service in which God is known, and apprehended 
 by the mind, as it is rendered by movements of fear and trus* 
 towards God. Therefore it is opposed not only to the Levit- 
 ical service, in which cattle are slain, but also to a service in 
 which a work is imagined to be offered ex opere operato. The 
 Epistle to the Hebrews (13 : 15) teaches the same thing: " By 
 him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God con- 
 tinually ;" and he adds the interpretation, "that is, the fruit of 
 our lips, giving thanks to his name." He bids us offer praises, 
 i. e. prayer, thanksgiving, confession and the like. These avail 
 not ex opere operato, but on account of faith. This is taught 
 by the clause: "By him let us offer," i. e. by faith in Christ. 
 «r 4 In short, the worship of the New Testament is spiritual, z r t 
 
 i. e. it is the righteousness of faith in the heart, and the 
 fruits of faith. It accordingly abolishes the Levitical services. 
 [In the New Testament no offering avails ex opere operato, sine 
 bono motu utentis, i. e. on account of the work without a good 
 thought in the heart.] And Christ says (John 4 : 23, 24) : " True 
 worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth ; 
 for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit; 
 and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in 
 truth." This passage clearly condemns opinions concerning 
 sacrifices which they imagine avail ex opere operato, and teaches 
 that men ought to worship " in spirit," i. e. with the dispo- 
 sitions of the heart and by faith. [The Jews also did not un- 
 derstand their ceremonies aright, and imagined that they were 
 righteous before God when they had wrought works ex opere 
 operato. Against this, the prophets contend with the greatest 
 earnestness.] Accordingly the prophets also in the Old Testa- 28 
 ment condemn the opinion of the people concerning the opus 
 operatum, and teach the righteousness and. sacrifices of the 
 Spirit. Jer. 7 : 22, 23: "For I spake not unto your fathers, 
 noi commanded them, in the day that I brought them out of 
 the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings, or sacrifices; bin 
 this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice and 1 
 will be your God," etc. How do we suppose that the Jews re- 
 ceived this arraignment, which seems to conflict openly with 
 Moses? For it was evident that God had given the fathers 
 commands concerning burnt-offerings and victims. But Jere- 
 miah condemns the opinion concerning sacrifices that God had 
 not delivered, viz. that these services should please him ex opere 
 operato. But he adds concerning faith that God had command- 
 
Ch. XII., Art. XXIV. THE MASS. 265 
 
 ed this : " Hear me," i. e. believe me that I am your God ; that 
 I wish to become thus known when I pity and aid ; neither 
 have I need of your victims; believe that I wish to be God 
 the Justifier and Saviour, not on account of works, but on ac- 
 count of my word and promise ; truly and from the heart seek 
 and expect aid from me. 
 
 Ps. 4^ (50:13, 15), which rejects the victims and requires 29 
 prayer, also condemns the opinion concerning the opus opera- 
 lam : " Will I eat the flesh of bulls?" etc. " Call upon me in 
 the day of trouble ; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify 
 me." The Psalmist testifies that this is true service, that this 
 is true honor, if we call upon him from the heart. 
 
 Likewise Ps. 39 (40 : 6) : " Sacrifice and offering thou didst 
 not desire ; mine ears hast thou opened," i. e. thou hast offered 
 to me thy Word that I might hear it, and thou dost require 
 that I believe thy Word and thy promises, that thou truly de- 
 sirest to pity, to bring aid, etc. Likewise Ps. 50 (51 : 16, 17) : 
 9 r r " Thou delightest not in burnt-offering. The sacrifices of 
 God are a broken spirit ; a broken and a contrite heart, O 
 God, thou wilt not despise." Likewise Ps. 4 : 5 : " Offer the 
 sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust [hope, V.~\ in the 
 Lord." He bids us hope, and says that this is a righteous sac- 
 rifice, signifying that other sacrifices are not true and righteous 
 sacrifices. And Ps. 115 (116 : 17): "I will offer to thee the 
 sacrifices of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the 
 Lord." He calls invocation a sacrifice of thanksgiving. 
 
 But Scripture is full of such testimonies, which teach that 3c 
 sacrifices ex opere operate do not reconcile God. Accordingly 
 the New Testament, since Levitical services have been abro- 
 gated, teaches that new and pure sacrifices will be made, viz. 
 faith, prayer, thanksgiving, confession and the preaching of 
 the Gospel, afflictions on account of the Gospel, and the like. 
 
 And of these sacrifices Malachi speaks (1 : 11) : " From the 31 
 rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the same, my 
 name shall be great among the Gentiles ; and in every place 
 incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering." 
 The adversaries pervert this passage to the Mass, and quote the 
 authority of the Fathers. A reply, however, is easy, because as 
 they speak most particularly of the Mass, it does not follow 
 that the Mass justifies ex opere operato, or that when applied to 
 others it merits the remission of sins, etc. The prophet says 
 nothing of those things which the monks and sophists impu- 
 dently fabricate. Besides the very words of the prophet ex- 31 
 press his meaning. For they first say this, viz. that "the 
 name of the Lord will be great." This is accomplished by the 
 ^reaching of the Gospel. For through this the name of Christ 
 .« ma le known, and the mercy of the Father, promised in 
 14 
 
266 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBUEG CONFESSION. 
 
 Christ, is recognized. The preaching of the Gospel produces 
 faith in those who receive the Gospel. They call upon God, 
 they give thanks to God, they hear afflictions for their confession, 
 they produce good works for the glory of Christ. Thus the name 
 of the Lord becomes great among the Gentiles. Therefore in- 
 cense and a pure offering signify not a ceremony ex opere ope- 
 rate [not the ceremony of the Mass alone], but all sacrifices 
 through which the name of the Lord becomes great, viz. faith, 
 invocation, the preaching of the Gospel, confession, etc. And 33 
 if any one desire " ceremony " to be here included, we readily 
 concede it, provided he neither understand a ceremony alone, 
 nor teach that the ceremony profits ex opere operato. For just 
 as among the sacrifices of praise, i. e. among the praises of God, 
 we include the preaching of the Word, so the reception itself 
 of the Lord's Supper can be praise or thanksgiving; but it 
 does not justify ex opere operato; neither is it to be applied to 
 others so as to merit for them the remission of sins. But after- 
 while we will explain how even a ceremony is a sacrifice. Yet 
 nrn as Malachi speaks of all the services of the New Testa- 
 ment, and not only of the Lord's Supper ; likewise, as he 
 does not favor the pharisaic opinion of the opus operatum; he 
 is not against us, but rather aids us. For he requires services 
 of the heart, through which the name of the Lord becomes 
 truly great. 
 
 Another passage also is cited from Malachi (3:3): "And he y 
 shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and sil- 
 ver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering of right- 
 eousness." This passage clearly requires the sacrifices of the 
 righteous, and hence does not favor the opinion concerning the 
 opus operatum. But the sacrifices of the sons of Levi, i. e. of 
 those teaching in the New Testament, are the preaching of the 
 Gospel, and the good fruits of preaching, as Paul says (Rom. 
 15 : 16) : " Ministering the Gospel of God, that the offering up 
 of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the 
 Holy Ghost," i. e. that the Gentiles might be offerings accept- 
 able to God by faith, etc. For the slaying of victims signi- 
 fied in the Law both the death of Christ and the preaching of 
 the Gospel, by which this oldness of flesh should be mortified, 
 and the new and eternal life be begun in us. 
 
 But the adversaries everywhere pervert the name " sacrifice " 
 to the ceremony alone. They omit the preaching of the Gos- 
 pel, faith, prayer, and similar things, although the ceremony 
 has been established on account of these, and the New Testa- 
 ment ought to have sacrifices of the heart, and not ceremonials 
 for sin that are to be performed after the manner of the Levit- 
 ical priesthood. 
 
 They cite also the "daily sacrifice" (cf. Ex. 29:38 sq. 535 
 
Ch. XII, Art. XXIV. THE MASS. 267 
 
 Dan. 8 : 11 sq. ; 12 : 11); as if just as in the Law there was 
 a daily sacrifice, so the Mass ought to be a daily sacrifice of the 
 New Testament. The adversaries have managed well if we 
 permit ourselves to be overcome by allegories. It is evident, 
 however, that allegories do not produce firm proofs. [That in 
 matters so highly important before God we must have a sure 
 and clear Word of God, and not introduce by force obscure and 
 foreign passages ; such uncertain explanations do not stand the 
 test of God's judgment.] Although we indeed easily suffer the 
 Mass to be understood as a daily sacrifice, provided that the en- 
 tire Mass be understood, i. e. the ceremony with the preaching 
 of the Gospel, faith, invocation and thanksgiving. For these 
 joined together are a daily sacrifice of the New Testament, be- 
 cause the ceremony was instituted on account of these things, 
 neither is it to be separated from these. Paul says accordingly 
 «„ (1 Cor. 11 : 26) : " As often as ye eat this bread and drink 
 this cup, ye do show the Lord's death, till he come." But 
 it in no way follows from this Levitical type that a ceremony 
 justifying ex opere operato is necessary, or ought to be applied on 
 behalf of others, that it may merit for them the remission of sins. 
 
 And the type aptly represents not only the ceremony, but 36 
 also the preaching of the Gospel. In Num. 28 : 4 sq. three 
 parts of that daily sacrifice are represented, the burning of the 
 lamb, the libation, and the oblation of wheat flour. The Law 
 had pictures or shadows of future things. Accordingly in this 
 spectacle Christ and the entire worship of the New Testament 
 are portrayed. The burning of the lamb signifies the death of 
 Christ. The libation signifies that, everywhere, in the entire 
 world, by the preaching of the Gospel, believers are sprinkled 
 with the blood of that lamb, i. e. sanctified, as Peter says (1 Ep. 
 1:2): " Through sanctification of the spirit, unto obedience 
 and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ." The oblation 
 of wheat flour signifies faith, prayer, and thanksgiving in 
 hearts. As, therefore, in the Old Testament, the shadow is 37 
 perceived; so in the New, the thing signified should be sought, 
 and not another type sufficient as a sacrifice. 
 
 Wherefore, although a ceremony is a memorial of Christ's 38 
 death, nevertheless it alone is not the daily sacrifice ; but the 
 memory itself is the daily sacrifice, i. e. preaching and faith, 
 which truly believes that, by the death of Christ, God has been 
 reconciled. A libation is required, i. e. the effect of preaching, 
 in order that, being sprinkled by the Gospel with the blood of 
 Christ, we may be sanctified, as those put to death and made 
 alive. Oblations also are required, i. e. thanksgiving, confes- 
 sions and afflictions. 
 
 9 r R Thus the pharisaic opinion of the opus operation being 39 
 cast aside, let us understand that spiritual worship and a 
 
2G8 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 daily sacrifice of the heart are signified, because in the New 
 Testament the substance of good things should be sought for, 1 
 i. e, the Holy Ghost, mortification and quickening. From 40 
 these things it is sufficiently apparent that the type of the 
 daily sacrifice testifies nothing against us, but rather for us; 
 because we seek for all the parts signified by the daily sacrifice. 
 The adversaries falsely imagine that the ceremony alone is sig- 
 nified, and not also the preaching of the Gospel, mortification 
 and quickening of heart, etc. 
 
 Now, therefore, good men will be able to judge readily that 41 
 the complaint against us that we abolish the daily sacrifice, is 
 most false. Experience shows what sort of tyrants 2 they are 
 who hold power in the Church ; who under the pretext of re- 
 ligion assume to themselves the kingdom of the world, and 
 who rule without concern for religion and the teaching of the 
 Gospel ; who wage war like kings of the world, and have in- 
 stituted new services in the Church. For in the Mass the 42 
 adversaries retain only the ceremony, and publicly apply this 
 to sacrilegious gain. Afterward they feign that this work, as 
 applied on behalf of others, merits for them grace and all 
 good things. In their sermons they do not teach the Gospel, 43 
 they do not console consciences, they do not show that sins are 
 freely remitted for Christ's sake ; but they set forth the wor- 
 ship of saints, human satisfactions, human traditions, and by 
 these they affirm that men are justified before God. And al- 
 though some of these traditions are manifestly godless, never- 
 theless they defend them by violence. If any preachers wish 
 to be regarded more learned, they treat of philosophical ques- 
 tions, which neither the people nor even those who propose 
 them understand. Lastly, those who are more tolerable teach 
 the Law, and say nothing concerning the righteousness of faith. 
 
 Tie adversaries in the Confutation make a great ado con- 44 
 cerni.jg the desolation of churches, viz. that the altars stand 
 unad >rned, without candles and without images. These trifles 
 they regard an ornament to churches. [Although it is not 
 true 1 hat we abolish all such outward ornament; yet even, if it 
 were so, Daniel is not speaking of such things as are altogether 
 external and do not belong to the Christian Church, but means, 
 etc.] A far different desolation Daniel means (11 : 31 ; 12 : 11), 45 
 nrn viz. ignorance of the Gospel. For the people, over- 
 whelmed by the multitude and variety of traditions and 
 opinions, were in no way able to embrace the sum of Christian 
 iloctrire. [For the adversaries preach mostly of human ordi- 
 
 1 Col. 2 : 17. 
 
 2 AnUuchi, with evident reference to AntiochiL? Epiphanes. See 1 Maco 
 I 57; l> an . H:31. 
 
Ch. XII., Art. XXIV. THE MASS. 269 
 
 nances, whereby consciences are led from Christ to confidence 
 in their own works.] For who of the people ever understood 46 
 the doctrine of repentance, of which the adversaries treat? 
 And yet this is the chief topic of Christian doctrine. 
 
 Consciences were tormented by the enumeration of offences, 
 and by satisfactions. Of faith, by which we freely receive the 
 remission of sins, no mention whatever was made by the adver- 
 saries. Concerning the exercises of faith, struggling with de- 
 spair, and the free remission of sins for Christ's sake, all the 
 books and all the sermons of the adversaries were silent. To 47 
 these, the horrible profanation of the masses, and many other 
 godless services in the churches, were added. This is the 
 desolation which Daniel describes. 
 
 On the contrary, by the favor of God, the priests among us 48 
 attend to the ministry of the Word, teach the Gospel concern- 
 ing the blessings of Christ, and show that the remission of sins 
 occurs freely for Christ's sake. This doctrine brings sure con- 
 solation to consciences. The doctrine of good works which 
 God commands is also added. The worth and use of the sac- 
 raments are declared. 
 
 But if the use of the sacrament would be the daily sacrifice, 49 
 nevertheless we would retain it rather than the adversaries ; 
 because with them priests hired for pay use the sacrament. 
 With us the use is more frequent and more sacred. For the 
 people use it, but after having first been instructed and exam- 
 ined. For men are taught concerning the true use of the sac- 
 rament, that it was instituted for the purpose of being a seal 
 and testimony of the free remission of sins, and that it accord- 
 ingly ought to admonish alarmed consciences to be truly con- 
 fident and believe that their sins are freely remitted. Since, 
 therefore, we retain both the preaching of the Gospel and the 
 lawful use of the sacrament, the daily sacrifice remains with us. 
 n fi( | And if we must speak of the outward form, attendance 50 
 
 upon church is better with us than with the adversaries. 
 For the audiences are held by useful and clear sermons. But 
 neither the people nor the teachers have understood the doc- 
 trine of the adversaries. [But our adversaries preach their 
 people out of the churches ; for they teach nothing of the 
 necessary parts of Christian doctrine ; they narrate the legends 
 of saints and other fables.] And the true a lornment of th? j 
 churches is godly, useful and clear doctrine, the devout use of 
 the sacraments, ardent prayer and the like. Candles, golden 
 vessels [tapers, altar-cloths, images] and similar adornments 
 are becoming, but they are not the adornment that properly 
 belongs to the Church. But if the adversaries make worship 
 consist in such matters, and not in the preaching of the Gospel, 
 in faith and the conflicts of faith, they are to be numbered 
 
270 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 among those whom Daniel describes as worshipping their God 
 vrith gold and silver [Dan. 11 : 38]. 
 
 They quote also from the Epistle to the Hebrews (5 : 1) : 53 
 " Every high priest taken from among men is ordained for 
 men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts 
 and sacrifices for sins." Hence they conclude that since in the 
 New Testament there are high priests and priests, it follows 
 that there is also a sacrifice for sins. This topic particularly 
 effects the unlearned, especially when the pomp of the priest- 
 hood and the sacrifices of the Old Testament are spread before 
 the eyes. This resemblance deceives the ignorant, so that they 
 judge that, according to the same manner, a ceremonial ought 
 to exist among us which should be applied on behalf of the sins 
 of others, just as in the Old Testan^mt. Neither is the service 
 of the masses and the rest of the polity of the Pope anything 
 else than affectation for the Levitical polity as misunderstood. 
 
 And although our belief has its chief testimonies in the 53 
 Epistle to the Hebrews, nevertheless the adversaries pervert 
 against us passages wrested from this Epistle, as in this very 
 passage, where it is said that every high priest is ordained to 
 offer sacrifices for sins. Scripture itself immediately adds that 
 Christ is high priest (Heb. 5 : 5, 6, 10). The preceding words 
 speak of the Levitical priesthood, and signify that the Leviti- 
 cal priesthood was an image of the priesthood of Christ. For 
 9fi1 the Levitical sacrifices for sins did not merit the remis- 
 sion of sins before God ; they were only an image of the 
 sacrifice of Christ, which was to be the one propitiatory sacri- 
 fice, as we have above said. Therefore the Epistle is occupied 54 
 to a great extent with the topic, that the ancient priesthood and 
 the ancient sacrifices were instituted not for the purpose of mer- 
 iting the remission of sins before God or reconciliation, but 
 only to signify that there would be a sacrifice of Christ alone. 
 For in the Old Testament it was necessary for saints to be jus- 55 
 tified by faith derived from the promise of the remission of 
 sins that was to be granted for Christ's sake, just as saints are 
 also justified in the New Testament. From the beginning of 
 the world it was necessary for all saints to believe that an offer- 
 ing and satisfaction for sins was to be made by Christ, who was 
 promised, as Isaiah teaches (53 : 10) : " When thou shalt make 
 his soul an offering for sin." 
 
 Since, therefore, in the Old Testament, sacrifices did not 56 
 merit reconciliation, unless by a figure (for they merited civil 
 reconciliation), but signified that a sacrifice wov.ld come ; it fol- 
 lows that Christ is the only sacrifice applied on behalf of the 
 6ins of others. Therefore, in the New Testament no sacrifice 
 is left to be applied for the sins of others, except the one sacri- 
 fice of Chris/, upon the cr >ss 
 
Ch. XII., Art. XXIV. THE MASS. 271 
 
 They l altogether err who imagine that Levitical sacrifices 57 
 merited the remission of sins before God, and, by this example 
 in addition to the death of Christ, require in the New Testa- 
 ment sacrifices that are to be applied on behalf of others. This 
 imagination absolutely destroys the merit of Christ's passion 
 and the righteousness of faith, and corrupts the doctrine of the 
 Old and New Testaments, and, instead of Christ, makes for us 
 other mediators and propitiators out of the priests and sacri- 
 ficers, who daily sell their work in the churches. 
 
 Wherefore, if any one would thus infer that in the New 58 
 Testament a priest is needed to make offering for sins, this 
 must be conceded only of Christ. And the entire Epistle to 
 the Hebrews confirms this explanation. And if, in addition to 
 the death of Christ, we were to seek for any other satisfaction 
 to be applied for the sins of others and to reconcile God, this 
 would be nothing more than to make other mediators in addi- 
 tion to Christ. Again, as the priesthood of the New Testa- 59 
 ment is the ministry of the Spirit, as Paul teaches (2 Cor. 3 : 6), 
 it has the sacrifice alone of Christ, which is satisfactory and 
 applied for the sins of others. Besides it has no sacrifices like 
 the Levitical, which could be applied ex opere operato on behalf 
 2fi2 °^ °t ners > but it tenders to others the Gospel and the sac- 
 raments, that, by means of these, they may conceive faith 
 and the Holy Ghost, and be mortified and quickened, because 
 the ministry of the Spirit conflicts with the application of an 
 opus operatum. For the ministry of the Spirit is that through 
 which the Holy Ghost is efficacious in hearts; and therefore 
 this ministry is profitable to others, when it is efficacious in 
 them, and regenerates and quickens them. This does not occur 
 by the application ex opere operato of the work of another on 
 behalf of others. 
 
 We have shown the reason why the Mass does not justify 60 
 ex opere operato, and why, when applied on behalf of others, 
 it does not merit remission, because both conflict with the 
 righteousness of faith. For it is impossible that remission of 
 sins should occur, and the terrors of death and sin be overcome 
 by any work or anything, unless by faith in Christ, according 
 to Rom. 5:1: "Being justified by faith, we have peace." 
 
 In addition, we have shown that the Scriptures, which are 61 
 cited against us, in no way favor the godless opinion of the 
 adversaries concerning the opus operatum. All good men 
 among all nations can judge this. Wherefore the error of 61 
 Thomas is to be rejected, who wrote : " That the body of the 
 Lord, once offered on the cross for original debt, is continually 
 offered for daily offences on the altar, in order that, in this, the 
 
 1 Germ, omits this $• 
 
272 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 Church might have a service whereby to reconcile God to her- 
 self." The other common errors are also to be rejected, as that 63 
 the Mass ex opere operato confers grace upon one employing it. 
 Likewise thai when applied for others, even for such wicked 
 persons as do not interpose an obstacle, it merits for them the 
 remission of sins, of guilt and punishment. All these things 
 are false and godless, and lately invented by unlearned monks, 
 and obscure the glory of Christ's passion and the righteousness 
 of faith. 
 
 And from these errors infinite others sprang, as that the 64 
 masses avail when applied for many, just as much as when 
 applied individually. 1 The sophists have particular degrees of 
 merit, just as money-changers have grades of weight in gold or 
 silver. Besides they sell the Mass, as a price for obtaining 
 what each one seeks : to merchants, that business may be pros- 
 perous; to hunters, that hunting may be successful: and infi- 
 nite other things. Lastly, they transfer it also to the dead ; by 
 the application of the sacrament they liberate souls from the 
 pains of purgatory, although, without faith, the Mass is of 
 service not even to the living. Neither are the adversaries 6- 
 able to produce even one syllable from the Scriptures in defence 
 of these fables which they teach with great authority in the 
 Church, neither do they have the testimonies of the ancient 
 Church, nor of the Fathers. 
 
 263 B. Wiat the Fathers thought concerning Sacrifice. 
 
 And since we have explained the passages of Scripture which ft 
 are cited against us, we must reply also concerning the Fathers. 
 We are not ignorant that the Mass is called by the Fathers a 
 sacrifice ; but they do not mean that the Mass confers grace ex 
 opere operato, and that, when applied on behalf of others, it 
 merits for them the remission of sins, of guilt and punishment. 
 Where are such wonderful stories to be found in the Fathers ? 
 But they openly testify that they are speaking of thanksgiv- 
 ing. 2 Accordingly they call it a eucharist. We have said 
 above, however, that a eucharistic sacrifice does not merit recon- 
 ciliation, but is made by those who have been reconciled, just as 
 afflictions do not merit reconciliation, but are eucharistic sacri- 
 fices when those who have been reconciled sustain them. 
 
 And this reply in general to the sayings of the Fathers de- 65 
 fends us sufficiently against the adversaries. For it is certain 
 that these figments concerning the merit of the opus operatum 
 never are found in the Fathers. But in order that the whole 
 case may be the better seen, we will also state those things con- 
 
 1 Cf. Augsburg Conf., xxiv. : 23. ■ Cf. Arology, Art. xxiv. : 29, p. 254 
 
Ch. XII., Art. XXIV. THE MASS. 273 
 
 cerning the use of the sacrament which actually harmonize 
 with the Fathers and Scripture. 
 
 C. Of the use of the Sacrament, and of Sacrifice. 
 
 Some clever men imagine that the Lord's Supper was insti- 68 
 tuted for two reasons. First, that it might be a mark and tes- 
 timony of profession, just as a particular shape of hood is the 
 6ign of a particular profession. Then they thiuk that such a 
 mark was especially pleasing to Christ, viz. a feast to signify 
 mutual union and friendship among Christians, because ban- 
 quets are signs of covenant and friendship. But this opinion 
 relates to the outward life ; neither does it show the chief use 
 of the things delivered by God ; it speaks only of the exercise 
 nnA of love, which men, however profane and worldly, under- 
 stand ; it does not speak of faith, the nature of which few 
 understand. 
 
 The sacraments are signs of God's will toward us, and not 6q 
 merely signs of. men among each other; and they are right in 
 defining that sacraments in the New Testament are signs of 
 grace. And because in a sacrament there are two things, a 
 sign and the Word ; the Word, in the New Testament, is the 
 promise of grace added. The promise of the New Testament 
 is the promise of the remission of sins, as the text (Luke 22 : 
 19) says : " This is my body which is given for you. This cup 
 is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for many for 
 the remission of sins." Therefore the Word offers the remis-70 
 sion of sins. And a ceremony is as it were a picture or "seal," 
 as Paul (Rom. 4:11) calls it, of the Word, making Lnown 
 the promise. Therefore, just as the promise is useless unless 
 it be received in faith, so a ceremony is useless unless su^h faith 
 be added as is truly confident that the remission of sins is here 
 offered. And this faith encourages contrite minds. And just 
 as the Word has been given in order to excite this faith, so 
 the sacrament has been instituted, in order that the outward 
 appearance meeting the eyes might move the heart to believe 
 [and strengthen faith]. For through these, viz. through Word 
 and sacrament, the Holy Ghost works. 
 
 And such use of the sacrament, in which faith quickens ter- 7 1 
 riiied hearts, is a service of the New Testament ; because the 
 New Testament requires spiritual dispositions, mortification and 
 quickening. [For according to the New Testament the high- 
 est service of God is rendered inwardly in the heart.] And for 
 this use Christ instituted it, since he commanded them thus to 
 do in remembrance of him. For to remember Christ is not 71 
 the idle celebration of a show, or one instituted for the sake of 
 example, as the memory of Hercules or Ulysses is celebrated 
 * 
 
274 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 in tragedies ; but it is to remember the benefits of Christ and 
 receive them by faith, so as by them to be quickened. The 
 Psalm (111 : 4, 5) accordingly says: "He hath made his won- 
 derful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full 
 of compassion. He hath given meat unto them that fear him." 
 For it signifies that the will and mercy of God should be dis- 
 cerned in the ceremony. But faith which apprehends mercy 73 
 nnr quickens. And this is the principal use of the sacrament, 
 in which it is apparent who are fit for the sacrament, viz. 
 terrified consciences, and how they ought to use them. 
 
 The sacrifice [thank-offering or thanksgiving] also is added. 74 
 For there are several ends for one object. After conscience en- 
 couraged by faith has perceived from what terrors it is freed, 
 then indeed it fervently gives thanks for the benefit and pas- 
 sion of Christ, and uses the ceremony itself to the praise of 
 God ; in order by this obedience to show its gratitude ; and 
 testifies that it holds in high esteem the gifts of God. Thus 
 the ceremony becomes a sacrifice of praise. 
 
 And the Fathers indeed speak of a twofold effect, of the 75 
 comfort of consciences, and of thanksgiving or praise. The 
 former of these effects pertains to the nature [the right use] 
 of the sacrament; the latter pertains to the sacrifice. Of 
 consolation Ambrose says: "Go to him and be absolved, be- 
 cause he is the remission of sins. Do you ask who he is? 
 Hear him himself saying (John 6 : 35) : ' I am the bread of 
 life; he thatcometh to me shall never hunger; and he that be- 
 lieveth on me shall never thirst/ " This passage testifies that 
 in the sacrament the remission of sins is offered ; it also testi- 
 fies that this ought to be received in faith. Infinite testimonies 
 to this effect are found in the Fathers, all of which the adver- 
 saries pervert to the opus operatum, and to a work to be applied 
 on behalf of others ; although the Fathers clearly require faith, 
 and speak of the consolation belonging to every one, and not 
 of the application. 
 
 Besides these, expressions are also found concerning thanks- 76 
 giving; as it is most beautifully said by Cyprian concerning 
 those communing in a godly way. " Piety," says he, " in thank- 
 ing the Bestower of such abundant blessing, makes a distinc- 
 tion between what has been given and what has been forgiven, 
 i. e. piety regards both what has been given and what has been 
 forgiven, i. e. it compares the greatness of God's blessings and 
 the greatness of our evils, sin and death, with each other, and 
 gives thanks, etc. And hence the term eucharist arose in the 
 Church. Nor indeed is the ceremony itself of thanksgiving to 7; 
 be applied ex opere operato on behalf of others, in order to 
 nnn merit for them the remission of sins, etc., in order to liber- 
 ate the souls of the dead. These things conflict with the 
 
Ch. XII., Art, XXIV. THE MASS. 276 
 
 righteousness of faith ; as though, without faith, a ceremony 
 can profit either the one performing it or others. 
 
 D. Of the Term Mass} 
 
 The adversaries also refer us to philology. From the names 78 
 of the Mass they derive arguments which do not require a long 
 discussion. For even though the Mass be called a sacrifice, it 
 does not follow that it must confer grace ex opere operato, or, 
 when applied on behalf of others, merit for them the remission 
 of sins, etc. Astroupyia, they say, signifies a sacrifice, and the 79 
 Greeks call the Mass, liturgy. Why do they here omit the old 
 appellation synaxis, 2 which shows that the Mass was formerly the 
 communion of many ? But let us speak of the word " liturgy." 80 
 This word does not properly signify a sacrifice, but rather the 
 public ministry, and agrees aptly with our belief, viz. that the 
 minister who consecrates tenders the body and blood of the 
 Lord to the rest of the people, just as the minister who preaches 
 tenders the Gospel to the people, as Paul says (1 Cor. 4:1): 
 " Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and 
 stewards of the mysteries of God," i. e. of the Gospel and the 
 sacraments. And 2 Cor. 5 : 20 : " We are ambassadors for 
 Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you 
 in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." Thus the term 81 
 Xzcroupyia agrees aptly with the ministry. For it is an old 
 word, ordinarily employed in public civil administrations, and 
 signified to the Greeks public burdens, as tribute, the expense 
 of equipping a fleet, or similar things, as the oration of Demos- 
 thenes, " For Leptines," testifies, all of which is occupied with 
 the discussion of public duties and immunities : @rjou Sk 
 dvaiiouz xivaz, dudpcorrou^ ebpofikvouc, dziXecav ixdsduxiuac rac 
 Xstzoupyiat;, i. e. he will say that some unworthy men having 
 found an immunity have withdrawn from public burdens. And 
 thus they spake in the time of the Romans, as the rescript of 
 Pertinax, De jure immunitatis, 1. Semper , shows : El xal poj 
 Tcaaow XetzoupyicQv zbuz nazkpac, 6 zu>v zixvcov dpt6/ub<; dvitzcu, 
 even though the number of children does not liberate parents 
 from all public burdens. And the Commentary upon Demos- 
 thenes states that Xeezoopyta is a kind of tribute, the expense of 
 the games, the expense of equipping vessels, of attending to 
 the gymnasia and similar public offices. And Paul in 2 Cor. 8j 
 9:12 applies it to a collection. The taking of the collection 
 not only supplies those things which are wanting to the saints, 
 but also causes them to give more thanks abundantly to God, 
 
 1 German treats what follows very briefly. 
 1 Cf. Apology, xxiv., | 8, p. 249. 
 
276 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 etc. And in Phil 2 : 25 he calls Epaphroditus a teivoupyoi;, 
 one " who ministered to my wants," where assuredly a sacrificer 
 cannot be understood. But there is no need of more te.stimo-83 
 nies, since examples are everywhere obvious *;o those reading 
 the Greek writers, in whom fenoopyia is employed for public 
 civil burdens or ministries. And on account of the diphthong, 
 grammarians do not derive it from hry, which signifies prayers, 
 but from public goods, which they call fc7ra, so that hexoopyeco 
 means, I attend to, I administer public goods. 
 
 Ridiculous is the inference that in the Holy Scriptures mention 84 
 is made of an altar, and therefore the Mass must be a sacrifice ; 
 since the figure of an altar is referred to by Paul only by way of 
 comparison. And they fabricate that the Mass ha« been so called 85 
 from H31D, an altar. What need is there of an etymology so 
 far fetched, unless it be to show their knowledge of the Hebrew 
 language ? What need is there to seek the etymology from a 
 distance, when the term Mass is found in Deut. 16:10, where 
 it signifies the collections or gifts of the people, no^ the offering 
 of the priest. For individuals coming to the celebration of the 
 Passover were obliged to bring some gift as a conti ibution. In 86 
 the beginning the Christians also retained this custom. Com- 
 ing together, they brought bread, wine and other tHngs, as the 
 Canons of the Apostles testify. Thence a part was taken to be 
 consecrated ; the rest was distributed to the poor. With this 
 custom they also retained Mass as the name of th( contribu- 
 tions. And on account of such contributions it appears also 
 that the Mass was elsewhere called dydny, unless anj r one pre- 
 fer that it be so called on account of the common feast. But 87 
 let us omit these trifles. For it ridiculous that the adversaries 
 should produce such trifling conjectures concerning a matter 
 of such great importance. For although the Mass is called an 
 offering, in what does the term favor the dreams concerp\ng the 
 opus operaturtij and the application which, they imagine, merits 
 for others the remission of sins ? And it can be called an of- 
 fering for the reason that prayers, thanksgivings and the outire 
 worship are there offered, as it is also called a eucharist. But 
 neither ceremonies nor prayers profit ex opere operato without 
 faith. Although we are disputing here not concerning prayers, 
 but particularly concerning the Lord's Supper. 
 nn-. The Greek canon says also many things concerning thrP* 
 
 offering, but it shows plainly that it is not speaking prop 
 erly of the body and blood of the Lord, but of the whole ser- 
 vice, of prayers and thanksgivings. For it says thus: Kat 
 Koir^aov ^p.a^ d£ioi>z yeveadat too izpooykpziv aot debases xat 
 Ixeoiaz xat duoiaz dvmpdxxoo^ bnsp navrb^ Xaou. When this 
 is rightly understood it gives no offence. For it prays that 
 " we be made worthy to offer prayers and supplications and 
 
Ch ill., Art. XXIV. THE MASS. 273 
 
 bloodless sacrifices for the people." For he calls even prayers 
 bloodless sacrifices. Just as also a little afterward : Eu 
 Kpoaifipo^iiv aot tttjv Xoycxrjv za'JTTjv xai dvalfjiaxTOv lazpdav, 
 " we offer," he says, " this reasonable and bloodless service." 
 For they explain this inaptly who prefer that a reasonable sac- 
 rifice be here interpreted, and transfer it to the very body of 
 Christ, although the canon speaks of the entire worship, and 
 in opposition to the opus operatum Paul has spoken of Xoytxyj 
 larpeia [reasonable service], viz. of the worship of the mind, 
 of fear, of faith, of prayer, of thanksgiving, etc. Some think 
 that 31issa comes not from the Hebrew, but that it is equivalent 
 to Remissio, i. e. the forgiveness of sins. For when they had 
 communed, it was said : Ite missa est, Depart, ye have forgive- 
 ness of sins. And that this is so they infer from the fact that 
 among the Greeks it was the custom to say Aaolq, fryeoiQ, which 
 is equivalent to, It is forgiven them. If this were so it would 
 be an excellent idea; for in this ceremony the forgiveness of 
 sins would always be preached and proclaimed ; yet whatever 
 the word Missa may mean, helps this matter but little. 
 
 E. Of the Mass for the Dead, 
 
 Our adversaries have no testimonies and no command from 39 
 Scripture for defending the application of a ceremony for liberat- 
 ing the souls of the dead ; although from this they derive infinite 
 revenue. Nor indeed is it a light sin to establish such services 
 in the Church without the command of God and without the 
 example of Scripture, and to transfer to the dead the Lord's 
 Supper, which was instituted for commemoration and preach- 
 ing among the living [for the purpose of strengthening the 
 faith of those who use the ceremony]. This is to violate the 
 Second Commandment, by abusing God's name. 
 
 For, in the first place, it is a dishonor to the Gospel to hold 
 that a ceremony ex opere operato without faith is a sacrifice 
 reconciling God, and making satisfaction for sins. It is a hor- 
 nno rible assertion to ascribe as much to the work of a priest 
 as to the death of Christ. Again, sin and death cannot 
 be overcome unless by faith in Christ, as Paul teaches (Pom. 
 5:1): " Being justified by faith, we have peace with God," 
 and therefore the punishment of purgatory cannot be overcome 
 by the application of the work of another. 
 
 Now we will omit the sort of testimonies concerning purga- 9c 
 tory that the adversaries have; the nature of the punishment 
 they regard as belonging to purgatory ; the kind of arguments 
 whereby the doctrine of satisfactions is supported ; all of which 
 we have shown above to be most vain. We will only present 
 this in opposition : It is certain that the Lord's Supper was in- 
 
278 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 sti tilted on account of the remission of guilt. For it offers the 
 remission of sins where it is necessary that guilt be truly un- 
 derstood. And nevertheless it does not make satisfaction for 
 guilt; otherwise the Mass would be equal to the death of 
 Christ. Neither can the remission of guilt be received in any 
 other way than by faith. Therefore the Mass is not satisfac- 
 tion, but a promise and sacrament that require faith. 
 
 And indeed it is necessary that all godly persons be affected 91 
 with the most bitter grief, if they consider that the Mass has 
 been in great part transferred to the dead and to satisfactions 
 for punishments. This is to banish the daily sacrifice from the 
 Church, this is the kingdom of Antiochus, who transferred the 
 most salutary promises concerning the remission of guilt and 
 concerning faith to the most vain opinions concerning satisfac- 
 tions, i. e. to defile the Gospel, to corrupt the use of the sacra- 
 ments. These are the persons whom Paul has said (1 Cor. 
 11 : 27) to be "guilty of the body and blood of the Lord," 
 who have suppressed the doctrine concerning faith and the re- 
 mission of sins, and, under the pretext of satisfactions, have 
 devoted the body and blood of the Lord to sacrilegious gain. 
 And they will at some time pay the penalty for this sacrilege. 
 Wherefore we and all godly consciences should be on our guard 
 against approving the abuses of the adversaries. 
 
 But let us return to the case. Since ex opere operato without 92 
 o fi q faith the Mass is not a satisfaction ; it follows that the 
 application on behalf of the dead is useless. Nor is there 
 need here of a longer discussion. For it is evident that these 
 applications on behalf of the dead have no testimonies from 
 the Scriptures. Neither is it safe, without the authority of 
 Scripture, to institute services in the Church. And if it will 
 at any time be necessary, we will speak at greater length con- 
 cerning this entire subject. For why do we now contend with 
 adversaries who understand neither what a sacrifice, nor what 
 a sacrament, nor what remission of sins, nor what faith, is ? 
 
 Neither does the Greek canon apply the offering as a satis- 91 
 faction for the dead, because it applies it equally for all the 
 blessed patriarchs, prophets, apostles. It appears therefore that 
 the Greeks make an offering as thanksgiving, and do not apply 
 it as satisfaction for punishments. [For of course it is not their 
 intention to deliver the prophets and apostles from purgatory, 
 but only to offer up thanks along and together with them for 
 the exalted eternal blessings that have been given to them and 
 us.] Although 1 they also speak not of the offering alone of 
 the body and blood of the Lord, but of the other parts of the 
 Mass, viz. prayers and thanksgiving. For after the consecra- 
 
 1 Germ, omits to end of § 95. 
 
(Jh XII., Art. XXIV. THE MASS. 279 
 
 tion, they pray that it may profit those who partake of it ; they 
 d ) not speak of others. Then they add : "Etc npoaipipopiv 
 aoc rrjv Aoycxrjv raurrjv lazpetav urcep rcov iv niaret dvaTTauaapivcov 
 Ttponaropcov, narepcov, Trazpcap^wv, npoifYjTcov, drcoazohuv, etc. 
 [Yet we offer to you this reasonable service for those having 
 departed in faith, forefathers, fathers, patriarchs, prophets, 
 apostles, etc."] But reasonable service does not signify the of- 
 fering itseTf but prayers and all things which are there trans- 
 acted. A > ndeed the adversaries cite the Fathers concerning 94 
 th'j offering for the dead, we know that the ancients speak of 
 prayer for the dead, which we do not prohibit; but Ave disap- 
 prove of the application ex opere operato of the Lord's Supper 
 on behalf of the dead. Neither do the ancients favor the ad- 
 versaries concerning the opus operation. And although they 
 have the testimonies especially of Gregory or the moderns, we 
 oppose to them the most clear and certain Scriptures. And 95 
 there is a great diversity among the Fathers. They were 
 men, and could err and be deceived. Although if they would 
 now become alive again, and would see their sayings assigned 
 as pretexts for the notorious falsehoods which the adversaries 
 teach concerning the opus operatum-, they would interpret them- 
 selves far differently. 
 
 The adversaries also falsely cite against us the condemnation 96 
 of jErius, who they say was condemned for the reason that he 
 denied that in the Mass an offering is made for the living and 
 the dead. They frequently use this dexterous turn, cite the 
 ancient heresies, and falsely compare our cause with these in or- 
 der by this comparison to crush us. Epiphanius testifies that 
 iErius held that prayers for the dead are useless. With this 
 he finds fault. Neither do we favor .ZErius, but we on our part 
 are contending with you who are defending a heresy manifestly 
 conflicting Avith the prophets, apostles and holy Fathers, viz. 
 that the Mass justifies ex opere operato, that it merits the re- 
 mission of guilt and punishment even for the unjust, to Avhom 
 it is applied, if they do not present an obstacle. Of these 
 pernicious errors, which detract from the glory of Christ's pas- 
 sion, and entirely OA T erthrow the doctrine concerning the right- 
 eousness of faith, Ave disapprove. There was a similar persua- 57 
 sion ot the godless in the LaAv, viz. that they merited the 
 07A remission of sins, not freely by faith, but through sacri- 
 fices ex opere operato. Therefore they increased these 
 services and sacrifices, instituted the worship of Baal in Israel, 
 and even sacrificed in the groves in Judah. Wherefore the 
 prophets condemn this opinion, and Avage Avar not only Avith the 
 worshippers of Baal, but also with other priests avIio, Avith this 
 godless opinion, made sacrifices ordained by God. But this 
 opinion inheres in the world, and ahvays will inhere, viz. that 
 
280 THE APOLOGY OF THE AL'dSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 services and sacrifices are propitiations. Carnal men cannot 
 endure that to the sacrifice alone of Christ the honor be as- 
 cribed that it is a propitiation, because they do not understand 
 the righteousness of faith, but ascribe equal honor to the rest of 
 the services and sacrifices. Just as, therefore, among the godless 9? 
 priests in Judah a false opinion concerning sacrifices inhered; 
 just as in Israel, Baal it ic services continued, and, nevertheless, 
 a Church of God was there which disapproved of godless ser- 
 vices; so Baalitic worship inheres in the domain of the Pope, 
 viz. the abuse of the Mass, which they apply, that, by it, they 
 may merit for the unrighteous the remission of guilt and pun- 
 ishment. [And yet as God still kept his Church, i. e. some 
 saints, in Israel and Judah, so God still preserved his Church, 
 i. e. some saints, under the Papacy, so that the Christian Church 
 has not entirely perished.] And it seems that this Baalitic 
 worship will endure as long as the reign of the Pope, until 
 Christ will come to judge, and, by the glory of his advent, will 
 destroy the reign of Antichrist. Meanwhile all who truly be- 
 lieve the Gospel [that they may truly honor God and have a 
 constant comfort against sins ; for God has graciously caused 
 his Gospel to shine, that we might be warned and saved] ought 
 to condemn these wicked services, devised, contrary to God's 
 command, in order to obscure the glory of Christ and the 
 righteousness of faith. 
 
 We have briefly said these things of the Mass in order that 99 
 all good men in all parts of the world may be able to under- 
 stand that, with the greatest zeal, we maintain the dignity of 
 the Mass, and show its true use, and that we have the most just 
 reasons for dissenting from the adversaries. And we wish to 
 admonish all good men not to aid the adversaries in the profa- 
 nation of the Mass, lest they may burden themselves with 
 complicity in the sin of another. It is a great cause, and a 
 great subject not inferior to the transaction of the prophet 
 Elijah, who condemned the worship of Baal. We have pre- 
 sented a case of such importance with the greatest moderation, 
 and now reply without casting any reproach. But if the ad- 
 versaries will compel us to collect all kinds of abuses of the 
 Mass, the case will not be treated with such forbearance. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 Article XXVII. 
 
 Of Monastic Vows. 
 In the town of Eisenach in Thuringia there was, to our » 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Arts, xvi., xxvii; Apology, Ait 
 ivi.; Smalcald Articles, Part iii., Arts, iii., xiv. Cf. Torgau Articles, xv. 
 
Ch. XIII., Art. XXVII MONASTIC VOWS. 281 
 
 knowledge, a monk, John Hilten, 1 who thirty years ago was 
 o-l cast by his fraternity into prison, because he had protested 
 against certain most notorious abuses. For we have seen 
 his writings, from which it can be well understood what the 
 nature of his doctrine was. And those who knew him testify 
 that he was a mild old man, and serious indeed, but without 
 moroseness. He predicted many things, some of which have 2 
 thus far transpired, and others still seem to impend, which we 
 do not wish to recite, lest it may be inferred that they are nar- 
 rated either from hatred toward one or from partiality to an- 
 other. But finally when, either on account of his age or the 
 foulness of the prison, he fell into disease, he sent for the 
 guardian, in order to tell him of his sickness ; and when the 
 guardian, inflamed with pharisaic hatred, had begun to reprove 
 the man harshly on account of his kind of doctrine which 
 seemed to be injurious to the kitchen; then, passing by the 
 mention of his sickness, he said with a sigh that he had borne 
 these injuries patiently for Christ's sake, since he had indeed 
 neither written nor taught anything which could overthrow the 
 position of the monks, but had only protested again some well- 
 known abuses. " But another one," he said, " will come in 3 
 A. D. 1516, who will destroy you, neither will you be able to 
 resist him." This very opinion concerning the downward ca- 
 reer of the power of the monks, and this number of years, his 
 friends afterwards found also written by him in his Comment- 
 aries, 2 which he had left, concerning certain passages of Daniel. 
 But although the issue will teach how much weight should be 4 
 given to this declaration, yet there are other signs which 
 threaten a change in the power of the monks, that are no less 
 certain than oracles. For it is evident how much hypocrisy, 
 ambition, avarice there is in the monasteries, how much igno- 
 rance and cruelty among all the unlearned, what vanity in their 
 sermons and in devising continually new means of gaining 
 money. And there are other faults, which we do not care 
 about mentioning. Although there once were schools for 5 
 
 1 Luther wrote on the margin of his copy : " I think that this man was 
 still alive, or had only recently died, when I was beginning my education 
 at Eisenach. For I remember that my host, Henry Schalden, made men- 
 tion of him compassionately, as though bound in prison. I was moreovei 
 fourteen or fifteen years of age. The same Henry Schalden was likewise 
 very intimate with the Minorites, and together with his entire family was 
 almost their captive and slave." Concerning Hilten, see Lcescher, Re/or- 
 mationsacta, I., p. 148 sq. 
 
 * Commentar. on the Apocalypse and the text of Daniel, in so far as it 
 agrees with the Apocalypse or supplies it. Some quotations are mad* 
 from this book in Mflch. Adamj, VUck Tfneologorum, p. 2 sq. 
 36 
 
282 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION 
 
 Christian instruction, now they have degenerated as though 
 from a golden to an iron age, or as the Platonic cube degene- 
 rates into bad harmonies, which Plato says brings destruction. 
 All the most wealthy monasteries support only an idle crowd, 
 which gluttonizes upon the public alms of the Church. Christ, 6 
 however, teaches concerning the salt that has lost its savor, 
 that it should be cast out and be trodden under foot (Matt. 
 5 : 13). Wherefore the monks by such morals are singing 
 their own fate [requiem]. And now another sign is added, 7 
 because they are, in many places, the instigators of the death 
 of good men. These murders God undoubtedly will shortly 
 as T enge. Nor indeed do we find fault with all ; for we are of 8 
 the opinion that there are here and there some good men in the 
 monasteries, who judge moderately concerning human and fac- 
 titious services, as some writers call them, and who do not ap- 
 prove of the cruelty which the hypocrites among them exercise. 
 97 o But we are now discussing the kind of doctrine which 9 
 
 the composers of the Confutation are now defending, 
 and not the question whether vows should be observed. For 
 we hold that lawful vows ought to be observed ; but whether 
 these services merit the remission of sins and justification ; 
 whether they are satisfactions for sins ; whether they are equal 
 to baptism ; whether they are the observance of precepts and 
 counsels ; whether they are evangelical perfection ; whether 
 they have the merits of supererogation ; whether these merits 
 when applied on behalf of others save them ; whether vows 
 made with these opinions are lawful ; whether vows are lawful 
 that are undertaken under the pretext of religion, merely for 
 the sake of appetite and idleness ; whether those are truly vows 
 that have been extorted either from the unwilling, or from 
 those who on account of age were not able to judge concerning 
 the kind of life, whom parents or friends thrust into the mon- 
 asteries, that they might be supported at the public expense 
 without the loss of private patrimony ; whether vows are law- 
 ful that openly tend to an evil issue, either because on account 
 of weakness they are not observed, or because those who are in 
 these fraternities are compelled to approve and aid the abuses 
 of the Mass, the godless worship of saints, and the counsels to 
 rage against good men concerning such questions as these we 
 are treating. And although we have said very many things in 10 
 the Confession concerning such vows as even the canons of the 
 popes condemn, nevertheless the adversaries command that all 
 things w T hich we have produced be rejected. For they have 
 used these words. 
 
 And it is worth while to hear how they pervert our reasons, 
 and what they adduce to establish their own cause. Accord- 
 ingly we will briefly run over a few of our arguments, and, in 
 
Ch. XIII., Art. XXVII. MONASTIC VOWS. 283 
 
 passing, explain away the sophistry of the adversaries in refer- 
 ence to them. Since, however, this entire case has been care- 
 fully and fully treated by Luther in the book to which he 
 gave the title De Votis Monasticis, we wish here to consider 
 that book as repeated. 
 
 First, it is very certain that a vow is not lawful, by which he n 
 who vows thinks that he merits the remission of sins before 
 97 « God, or makes satisfaction before God for sins. For this 
 opinion is a manifest insult to the Gospel, which teaches 
 that the remission of sins is freely granted us for Christ's sake, 
 as has been said above at some length. Therefore we have cor- 
 rectly quoted the declaration of Paul to the Galatians (Gal. 5:4): 
 " Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are 
 justified by the Law ; ye are fallen from grace." Those who 
 seek the remission of sins, not by faith in Christ, but by mo- 
 nastic works, detract from the honor of Christ, and crucify 
 Christ afresh. But hear, hear how the composers of the Con- 
 futation escape in this place! They explain this passage of 12 
 Paul only concerning the Law of Moses, and they add that the 
 monks observe all things for Christ's sake, and endeavor to live 
 the nearer the Gospel in order to merit eternal life. And they 
 add a horrible peroration in these words : " Wherefore those 
 things are wicked that are here alleged against monasticism." 
 O Christ, how long wilt thou bear these reproaches with which 13 
 our enemies treat thy Gospel ? We have said in the Confession 1 
 that the remission of sins is received freely for Christ's sake 
 through faith. If this is not the very voice of the Gospel, if 
 it is not the judgment of the eternal Father, which thou who 
 art in the bosom of the Father hast revealed to the world, we 
 are justly blamed. But thy death is a witness, thy resurrec- 
 tion is a witness, the Holy Ghost is a witness, thy entire Church 
 is a witness, that it is truly the judgment of the Gospel that 
 we obtain remission of sins, not on account of our merits, but 
 on account of thee, through faith. 
 
 When Paul denies that, by the Law of Moses, men merit 1 4 
 the remission of sins, much more does he withdraw this praise 
 from human traditions; and this (Col. 2:16) clearly testifies. 
 If the Law of Moses, which was divinely revealed, did not 
 merit the remission of sins, how much less do these silly ob- 
 servances [monasticism, rosaries, etc.], differing from the civil 
 custom of life, merit the remission of sins! 
 
 The adversaries feign that Paul abolishes the Law of Moses, 15 
 and that Christ succeeds in such a way that he does not freely 
 grant the remission of sins, but on account of the works of 
 other laws, if any are now devised. By this godless and fa- 
 
 1 Augsburg Confession, iv., vi., xii. 
 
284 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 97 . natical imagination, they bury the benefit of Christ. Then 16 
 
 they feign that among those who observe this Law of 
 Christ, the monks observe it more rigidly than others, on ac- 
 count of the hypocrisy of poverty, obedience and chastity, since 
 indeed all things are full of dissembling. In the greatest 
 abundance of all things they boast of poverty. Although no 
 (lass of men has greater license than the monks, they boast of 
 obedience. Of celibacy we do not like to speak; how pure 
 this is in most of those who desire to be continent, Gerson 
 indicates. And how many of them desire to be continent? 
 
 Of course, by this dissimulation, the monks live more strictly 17 
 in accordance with the Gospel ! Christ has not succeeded 
 Moses in such a way as on account of our works to remit sins, 
 but so as to set his own merits and his own propitiation on our 
 behalf over against God's wrath, that we may be freely for- 
 given. He who, indeed, in addition to Christ's propitiation, 
 opposes his own merits to God's wrath, and on account of his 
 own merits endeavors to obtain the remission of sins, whether 
 he present the works of the Mosaic Law, or of the Decalogue, 
 or of the rule of Benedict, or of the rule of Augustine, or of 
 other rules, annuls the promise of Christ, has cast away Christ, 
 and has fallen from grace. This is the belief of Paul. 
 
 But, behold, most clement Emperor Charles, behold, ye 18 
 princes, behold, all ye ranks, how great is the impudence of the 
 adversaries ! Although we have cited the declaration of Paul 
 to this effect, they have written : " Wicked are those things that 
 are here cited against monasticism." But what is more certain 19 
 than that men obtain the remission of sins by faith for Christ's 
 sake? And these wretches dare to call this a wicked opinion ! 
 We do not at all doubt that if you had been admonished of 
 this passage, you would have taken care that such blasphemy 
 be removed from the Confutation. 
 
 But since above it has been fully shown that the opinion is 20 
 wicked, that we obtain the remission of sins on account of our 
 works, we will be briefer on this topic. For the prudent reader 
 will easily be able to reason thence that we do not merit the 
 97 r remission of sins by monastic works. Therefore this blas- 
 phemy also is in no way to be endured which is read in 
 Thomas, that "the monastic profession is equal to baptism." 1 
 It is madness to make human tradition, which has neither God'o 
 command nor promise, equal to the ordinance of Christ, which 
 has both the command and promise of God, which contains the 
 covenant of grace and of eternal life. 
 
 Secondly. Obedience, poverty and celibacy, if nevertheless the 21 
 latter be not impure, are, as exercises, adiaphora. And, for this 
 
 1 Cf. S'nalcald Articles, Art. xiv., p. 335. 
 
Ch. XIII., Art. XXVII. MONASTIC VOWS. 28/i 
 
 reason, the saints can use these without impiety, just as Bernard, 
 Franciscus and other holy men used them. And they used 
 them on account of bodily advantage, that they might have 
 more leisure to teach and to perform other godly offices, and 
 not that the works themselves are, by themselves, works that 
 justify or merit eternal life. Finally, they belong to the class 
 of which Paul says (1 Tim. 4:8): " Bodily exercise profiteth 
 little." And it is credible that in some places there are also 2 
 at present good men, who exercise the ministry of the Word, 
 who use these observances without wicked opinions [without 
 hypocrisy and with the understanding that they do not regard 
 ilieir monasticism as holiness]. But to hold that these observ- 23 
 ances are services, on account of which they are accounted just 
 before God, and through which they merit eternal life, conflicts 
 with the Gospel concerning the righteousness of faith, which 
 teaches that for Christ's sake righteousness and eternal life are 
 granted us. It conflicts also with the saying of Christ (Matt. 
 15:9): "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines 
 the commandments of men." It conflicts also with this state- 
 ment (Rom. 14 : 23) : " Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin." 
 But how can they affirm that they are services which God ap- 
 proves as righteousness before him, when they have no testi- 
 mony of God's Word? 
 
 But look at the impudence of the adversaries ! They not 24 
 only teach that these observances are justifying services, but 
 they add that these services are more perfect, i. e. meriting 
 more the remission of sins and justification, than do other 
 kinds of life [that they are states of perfection, i. e. holier and 
 higher states than the rest, such as marriage, rulership]. And 
 here many false and pernicious opinions concur. They imag- 
 ine that they observe precepts and counsels. Afterwards liberal 
 men, when they dream that they have the merits of superero- 
 gation, sell these to others. All these things are full of phar-2 
 n~n isaic vanity. For it is the height of impiety to hold that 
 they satisfy the Decalogue in such a way that merits re- 
 main, while such precepts as these are accusing all the saints : 
 "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart" 
 (Deut, 6 : 5). Likewise : " Thou shalt not covet" (Rom. 7 : 7). 
 [For as the First Commandment of God (" Thou shalt love the 
 I/3rd thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with 
 all thy mind ") is higher than a man upon earth can compre- 
 hend, as it is the highest theology, from which all the prophets 
 and all the apostles have drawn as from a spring their best and 
 highest doctrines; yea, as it is such an exalted commandment, 
 according to which alone all divine service, all honor to God, 
 every offering, all thanksgiving in heaven and upon earth, 
 must be regulated and judged, so that all divine service, high 
 
286 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 and precious and holy though it appear, if it be not in accord- 
 ance with this commandment is nothing but husks and shells 
 without a kernel, yea nothing but filth and abomination before 
 God ; which, exalted commandment no saint whatever has per- 
 fectly fulfilled, so that even Noah and Abraham, David, Peter 
 and Paul acknowledged themselves imperfect and sinners : it 
 is an unheard-of, pharisaic, yea an actually diabolical pride, 
 for a sordid barefooted monk or any similar godless hypocrite 
 to say, yea preach and teach, that he has observed and fulfilled 
 the holy high commandment so perfectly, and, according to the 
 demands and will of God, has done so many good works, that 
 merit even superabounds to him. Yea, dear hypocrites, if the 
 holy Ten Commandments, and the exalted First Commandment 
 of God were fulfilled just as the bread and remnants are put 
 into the sack ! They are shameless hypocrites with whom the 
 world is plagued in this last time.] The prophet says (Ps. 116 : 
 11): "All men are liars," i. e. not thinking aright concerning 
 God, not fearing God sufficiently, not believing him sufficiently. 
 Wherefore the monks falsely boast that in the observance of a 
 monastic life the commandments are fulfilled, and more is done 
 than what is commanded [that their good works and several 
 hundredweights of superfluous, superabundant holiness remain 
 in store for them]. 
 
 Again, this also is false, viz. that monastic observances are 2r 
 works of the counsels of the Gospel. For the Gospel does not 
 advise concerning distinctions of clothing and meats and the 
 renunciation of property. These are human traditions, con- 
 cerning all of which it has been said (1 Cor. 8:8): " Meat 
 commendeth us not to God." Wherefore they are neither jus- 
 tifying services nor perfection ; yea when they are presented 
 covered with these titles, they are mere doctrines of de- 
 mons. 
 
 Virginity is recommended, but to those who have the gift, as 27 
 has been said above. 1 It is, however, a most pernicious error 
 to hold that evangelical perfection lies in human traditions. 
 For thus the monks even of the Mohammedans would be able 
 to boast that they have evangelical perfection. Neither does 
 it lie in the observance of other things which are called adia- 
 phora, but because the kingdom of God is righteousness and 
 life in hearts (Rom. 14 : 17), perfection is growth in the fear 
 of God, and in confidence in the mercy promised in Christ, 
 and in devotion to one's calling ; just as Paul also describes 
 o 77 perfection (2 Cor. 3 : 18): "We are changed from glory 
 to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." He does not 
 say: Ws are continually receiving another hood, or other san~ 
 
 1 Apology, Art. xxiii., 19, p. 239 
 
Oh. XIII., Art. XXVII. MONASTIC VOWS. 287 
 
 dais, or other girdles. It is deplorable that, in the Church, 
 such pharisaic, yea Mohammedan, expressions should be read 
 and heard, as that the perfection of the Gospel, of the king- 
 dom of Christ, which is eternal life, should be placed in these 
 foolish observances of vestments and of similar trifles. 
 
 Now hear our Areopagites, as to what an unworthy declara- 28 
 tion they have recorded in the Confutation. Thus they say : 
 u It has been expressly declared in the Holy Scriptures that 
 the monastic life, if maintained by a due observance, which by 
 the grace of God any monks can maintain, merits eternal life ; 
 and indeed Christ has promised this as much more abundant to 
 those who have left home or brothers," etc. (Matt. 19 : 29). 
 These are the words of the adversaries, in which it is first said 29 
 most impudently that it is expressed in the Holy Scriptures 
 that a monastic life merits eternal life. For where do the Holy 
 Scriptures speak of a monastic life ? Thus the adversaries plead 
 their case, thus men of no account quote the Scriptures. Al- 
 though no one is ignorant that the monastic life has recently 
 been devised, nevertheless they cite the authority of Scripture, 
 and say too that this their decree has been expressly declared in 
 the Scriptures. 
 
 Besides, they dishonor Christ when they say that, by monas- 30 
 ticism, men merit eternal life. God has ascribed not even to 
 his Law the honor that it should merit eternal life, as he clearly 
 says in Ezek. 20 : 25 : "I gave them also statutes that were 
 not good, and judgments whereby they should not live." In 31 
 the first place, it is certain that a monastic life does not merit 
 the remission of sins, but we obtain this by faith freely, as has 
 above been said. Secondly, for Christ's sake, through mercy, 32 
 eternal life is granted to those who by faith receive remission, 
 and do not set their own merits over against God's judgment, 
 as Bernard also says with very great force •} " It is necessary 
 first of all to believe that you cannot have the remission of 
 sins, unless by God's indulgence. Secondly, that you can 
 have no good work whatever, unless he have given also this. 
 o 7 o Lastly, that you can merit eternal life by no works, unless 
 this also be given freely." The rest that follows to rhe 
 same effect we have above recited. Moreover, Bernard adds at 
 the end : " Let no one deceive himself, because if he will reflect 
 well, he will undoubtedly find that with ten thousand he can- 
 not meet Him [namely, God] who cometh against him with 
 twenty thousand." Since, however, we do not merit the remis- 33 
 sion of sins or eternal life by the works of the divine Law, but 
 it is necessary to seek the mercy promised in Christ; much less 
 is this hom>r of meriting the remission of sins or eternal life 
 
 1 Apology, Art. xii., \ 73, p. 179. 
 
288 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBUBG CONFESSION. 
 
 to be ascribed to monastic observances, since they are mere hu- 
 man traditions. 
 
 Tims *hose who teach that the monastic life merits the re- 34 
 mission of sins or eternal life, and transfer the confidence due 
 Christ to these foolish observances, altogether suppress the 
 Gospel concerning the free remission of sins and the promised 
 mercy in Christ that is to be apprehended. Instead of Christ 
 they worship their own hoods and their own sordidness. But 
 since even they need mercy, they act wickedly in fabricating 
 works of supererogation, and selling them [the superfluous 
 part in heaven] to others. 
 
 We speak the more briefly concerning these subjects, because 35 
 fiom those things which we have said above concerning justifi- 
 cation, concerning repentance, concerning human traditions, it 
 is sufficiently evident that monastic vows are not a price on 
 aocount of which the remission of sins and life eternal are 
 gt anted. And since Christ calls traditions useless services, 1 
 tiny are in no way evangelical perfection. 
 
 But the adversaries cunningly wish to modify, the common 3^ 
 opinion concerning perfection. They say that a monastic life 
 is lot perfection, but that it is a state in which to acquire per- 
 fection. It is well said, and we remember that this correction 
 is ft und in Gerson. For it is apparent that prudent men, of- 
 fend sd by these immoderate praises of monastic life, since they 
 did not venture to remove entirely from it the praise of per- 
 fection, have added the correction that it is a state in which to 
 acquire perfection. If we follow this, monasticism will be no 37 
 27Q riore a state of perfection than the life of a farmer or 
 mechanic. For these are also states in which to acquire 
 perfection. For all men, in every vocation, ought to seek per- 
 fection, that is, to grow in the fear of God, in faith, in love to- 
 wards one's neighbor, and similar spiritual virtues. 
 
 In the histories of the hermits there are examples of Anthony 3* 
 and of others which make the various spheres of life equal. 
 It is written that when Anthony asked God to show him what 
 progress he was making in this kind of life, a certain shoe- 
 maker in the city of Alexandria was indicated to him in a 
 dream, to whom he should be compared. The next day An- 
 thony came into the city, and went to the shoemaker in order to 
 ascertain his exercises and gifts, and, having conversed with 
 the man, heard nothing except that early in the morning he 
 prayed in a few w T ords for the entire state, and then attended to 
 his trade. Here Anthony learned that justification is not to 
 be ascribed to the kind of life which he had entered [what 
 God hid meant by the revelation; for we are justified before 
 
 1 Matt. 15 : 9. 
 
Ch. XIII., Art. XXVII. MONASTIC VOWS. 289 
 
 God not through this or that life, but alone through faith in 
 Christ]. 
 
 But although the adversaries now moderate their praises 39 
 concerning perfection, yet they actually think otherwise. For 
 they sell merits, and apply them on behalf of others, under 
 the pretext that they are observing precepts and counsels, on 
 account of which they actually hold that they have superfluous 
 merits. But what is it to arrogate to one's self perfection, if 
 this be not? Again it has been laid down in the Confutation 
 that the monks endeavor to live more nearly in accordance with 
 the Gospel. Therefore it ascribes perfection to human tradi- 
 tions if they are living more nearly in accordance with the 
 Gospel by not having property, being unmarried, and obeying 
 the rule in clothing, meats and like trifles. 
 
 Again the Confutation says that the monks merit eternal life 4c 
 the more abundantly, and quotes Scripture (Matt. 19:29): 
 " Every one that hath forsaken houses," etc., viz. that this 
 claims perfection also for factitious religious rites. But this 
 passage of Scripture in no way favors monastic life. For 
 ? ™ Christ does not mean that to forsake parents, wife, breth- 
 ren, is a work that must be done because it merits the 
 remission of sins and eternal life. Yea such a forsaking is 
 cursed. For if any one forsake parents or wife, in order by 
 this very work to merit the remission of sins or eternal lifo, 
 this is done with dishonor to Christ. 
 
 There is, moreover, a twofold forsaking. One occurs with- 4 
 out a call, without God's command ; this Christ does not ap- 
 prove (Matt. 15 : 9). For the works chosen by us are useless 
 services. But it appears the more clearly that Christ does not 
 approve this flight from the fact that he speaks of forsaking 
 wife and children. We know, however, that God's command- 
 ment forbids the forsaking of wife and children. The forsak- 
 ing which occurs by God's command is of a different kind, 
 viz. when power or tyranny compels us either to depart or to 
 deny the Gospel. Here we have the command that we should 
 the rather bear injury, that we should rather suffer not only 
 wealth, wife and children, but even life, to be taken from us. 
 This forsaking Christ approves, and accordingly he adds: "For 
 the Gospel's sake" (Mark 10 : 29), in order to signify that he 
 is speaking not of those who do injury to wife and children, 
 but who bear injury on account of the confession of the Gospel. 
 For the Gospel's sake we ought even to forsake our body. 42 
 Here it would be ridiculous to hold that it would be a service 
 to God to kill one's self, and without God's command to leave 
 the body. So too it is ridiculous to hold that it is a service to 
 God without God's command to forsake possessions, friends, 
 wife, children. 
 37 
 
290 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 Therefore it is evident that they wickedly distort Christ's 43 
 word to a monastic life. Unless perhaps the declaration that 
 they " receive a hundred-fold in this life " be in place here. 
 For very many become monks not on account of the Gospel, 
 but on account of sumptuous living and idleness, who find the 
 most ample riches instead of slender patri monies. But as the 44 
 entire subject of monasticism is full of shams, so, by a false 
 pretext, they quote testimonies of Scripture, and as a conse- 
 ]iience they sin doubly, i. e. they deceive men, and that too 
 
 uder the pretext of the divine name, 
 noi Another passage is also cited concerning perfection 45 
 
 (Matt. 19 : 21) : " If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that 
 thou hast, and give to the poor, and come and follow me." * 
 This passage has exercised many, who have imagined that it is 
 perfection to cast away possessions and the control of property. 
 Let us allow the philosophers to extol Aristippus, who cast a 46 
 great weight of gold into the sea. [Cynics like Diogenes, who 
 would have no house, but lay in a tub, may commend such 
 heathenish holiness.] Such examples pertain in no way to 
 Christian perfection. [Christian holiness consists in much 
 higher matters than such hypocrisy.] The division, control 
 and possession of property are civil ordinances, approved by 
 God's Word in the commandment (Ex. 20 : 15) : " Thou shalt 
 not steal." The abandonment of property has no command or 
 advice in the Scriptures. 2 For evangelical poverty does not 
 consist in the abandonment of property, but not to be avari- 
 cious, not to trust in wealth, just as David was poor in a most 
 wealthy kingdom. 
 
 Wherefore since the abandonment of property is merely a 47 
 human tradition, it is a useless service. Excessive also are the 
 praises in the Extravagant? which says that the abdication 
 of the ownership of all things for God's sake is meritorious 
 and holy and a way of perfection. And it is very dangerous to 
 >xtol with such excessive praises a matter conflicting with polit- 
 cal order. [When inexperienced people hear such comraenda- 
 
 ions, they conclude that it is unchristian to hold property ; 
 whence then many errors and seditions follow ; through such 
 commendations Miinzer was deceived, and thereby many Ana- 
 baptists were led astray.] But Christ here speaks of perfec- 48 
 
 1 Luther wrote on the margin of his copy of the Apology : " ' Go, sell all 
 things,' but for the same reason for which they should be forsaken, i. t, 
 for Christ's sake, not by one's own choice." 
 
 ' Luther on margin : " The poor in spirit are called blessed for the sam* 
 reason as above." 
 
 • Extravag. of John XXII., tit., xiv., cap. 5, where these words of Pop* 
 Nicholas III. are quoted from Lib. vi., Decretal 1. v., t. xii., c. 3. 
 
Ch. XIII., Art. XXVII. MONASTIC VOWS. 291 
 
 Hon. Yea they do violence to the text who quote it mutilatod. 
 Perfection is in that which Christ adds: "Follow me." 1 The 49 
 example of obedience in one's calling has been presented. And 
 as callings are unlike [one is called to rulership, a second to be 
 father of a family, a third to be a preacher] ; so this calling 
 does not belong to all, 2 but pertains properly to that person 
 with whom Christ there speaks, just as the call of David to the 
 kingdom, and of Abraham to slay his son, are not to be imi- 
 tated by us. Callings are personal, 3 just as matters of business 
 themselves vary with times and persons ; but the example of 
 obedience is general. Perfection would have belonged to that 50 
 young man if he had believed and obeyed this vocation. Thus 
 perfection with us is that every one with true faith should obey 
 his own calling. [Not that I should undertake a strange call- 
 ing for which I have not the commission or command of God.] 
 
 Thirdly. In monastic vows chastity is promised. We have 51 
 said above, however, concerning the marriage of priests, that 
 the law of nature in men cannot be removed by vows or en- 
 actments. 4 And as all do not have the gift of continence, 
 many because of weakness are unsuccessfully continent. Neith- 
 009 er indeed can any vows or any enactments abolish the com- 
 ^ mand of the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 7:2): " To avoid forni- 
 cation, let every man have his own wife." Wherefore this 
 vow is not lawful in those who do not have the gift of conti- 
 nence, but who are polluted on account of weakness. Con- 52 
 cerning this entire topic enough has been said above, in regard 
 to which indeed it is wonderful, since the dangers and scandals 
 are occurring before the eyes, that the adversaries still defend 
 their traditions contrary to the manifest command of God. 
 Neither does the voice of Christ move them, who chides the 
 Pharisees (Matt. 23 : 13 sq.), who made traditions contrary to 
 God's command. 
 
 Fourthly. Those who live in monasteries are released from 53 
 their vows by such godless ceremonies, 5 as of the Mass applied 
 on behalf of the dead for the sake of gain ; the worship of 
 saints, in which the fault is twofold, both that the saints are 
 put in Christ's place and that they are wickedly worshipped, 
 just as the Dominicans invented the rosary of the Blessed 
 
 1 Luther adds : " I. e. Suffer with me." 
 
 1 Luther on margin : " Yea, it does not belong to all , because on ac- 
 count of Christ, it is public." 
 
 8 Luther on margin : " No." 
 
 4 Cf. Apology xxiii., § 7 sq., p. 237. 
 
 * I. e. The fact that these godless services are maintained releases all 
 godly men from the obligations they may have formerly made to devote 
 themselves to a monastic life. Cf. last sentence, §58. 
 
292 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 Virgin, which is mere idle talk, not less foolish than it is 
 wicked, and nourishes the most vain presumption. Then, too, 
 these very impieties are applied only for the sake of gain. 
 Likewise, they neither hear nor teach the Gospel concerning 54 
 the free remission of sins for Christ's sake, concerning the 
 righteousness of faith, concerning true repentance, concerning 
 works which have God's command. But they are occupied 
 either in philosophic discussions or in the handing down of 
 ceremonies that obscure Christ. 
 
 We will not here speak of the entire service of ceremonies, 55 
 of the lessons, singing and similar things which could be toler- 
 ated if they would be regarded as exercises, after the manner 
 of lessons in the schools [and preaching], whose design is to 
 teach the hearers, and, while teaching, to move some to fear or 
 faith. But now they feign that these ceremonies are services 
 of God, which merit the remission of sins for themselves and 
 for others. For on this account they increase these ceremonies. 
 But if they would undertake them in order to teach and exhort 
 the hearers, brief and select lessons would be of more profit 
 than these infinite babblings. Thus the entire monastic life is 56 
 full of hypocrisy and false opinions [against the first and second 
 commandments, against Christ]. To all these this danger also 
 is added, that those who are in these fraternities are com- 
 pelled to assent to those persecuting the truth. There are, 
 therefore, many important and forcible reasons which free 
 good men from the obligation to this kind of life. 
 000 Lastly, the canons themselves release many, who either 57 
 
 without judgment [before they have attained a proper age] 
 have made vows when enticed by the arts of the monks, or 
 have made vows under compulsion by friends. Such vows not 
 even the canons declare to be vows. From all these considera- 
 tions it is apparent that there are very many reasons which 
 teach that monastic vows such as have hitherto been made are 
 not vows ; and for this reason a sphere of life full of hypoc- 
 risy and false opinions can be safely deserted. 
 
 Here they present an objection derived from the Law con- ^ 
 cerning the Nazarite (Num. 6 : 2 sq.). But the Nazarites did 
 not take upon themselves their vows, with the opinions which, 
 we have hitherto said, we censure in the vows of the monks. 
 The rite of the Nazarites was an exercise [a bodily exercise 
 with fasting and certain kinds of food] or declaration of 
 faith before men, and did not merit the remission of sins 
 before God, did not justify before God. [For they sought 
 this elsewhere, viz. in the promise of the blessed Setxl.] Again, 
 just as circumcision or the slaying of victims would not be a 
 Bervice of God now, so the rite of the Nazarites ought not to 
 be presented now as a service, but it ought to be judged simply 
 
Ch. XI1L, Art. XXVII. MONASTIC VDWS. 293 
 
 as an adiaphoron. It is not right to compare monasticism, de- 
 vised, without God's Word, as a service which should merit 
 the remission of sins and justification, with the rite of the 
 Nazarites, which had God's Word, and was not delivered for 
 the purpose of meriting the remission of sins, 1 but to be an 
 outward exercise, just as other ceremonies of the Law. The 
 same can be said concerning other ceremonies prescribed in the 
 Law. 
 
 The Rechabites 2 also are cited, who did not have any posses- 59 
 sions, and did not drink wine, as Jeremiah writes (ch. 35 : 6 
 sq.). 3 Yea truly, the example of the Rechabites accords beau- 
 tifully with our monks, whose monasteries excel the palaces 
 of kings, and who live most sumptuously! And the Rechab- 
 ites, in their poverty of all things, were nevertheless married. 
 Our monks, although abounding in all voluptuousness, profess 
 celibacy. 
 o£4 Besides examples ought to be interpreted according to 60 
 
 the rule, i. e. according to certain and clear passages of 
 Scripture, not contrary to the rule or contrary to the Scriptures. 
 It is very certain, however, that our observances do not merit 61 
 the remission of sins or justification. Wherefore when the 
 Rechabites are praised, it is necessary that these have observed 
 their custom, not for the purpose of believing that by this they 
 merited remission of sins, or that the work is itself a justify- 
 ing service, or one on account of which they obtained eternal 
 life, instead of, by God's mercy, for the sake of the promised 
 Seed. But because they had the command of their parents 
 their obedience is praised, 4 concerning which there is the com- 
 mandment of God : " Honor thy father and mother." 
 
 Then too the custom had a particular purpose : Because they 62 
 were foreigners, not Israelites, it is apparent that their father 
 wished to distinguish them by certain marks from their own 
 people, so that they might not relapse into the impiety of their 
 people. He wished by these marks to admonish them of the 
 doctrine of faith and immortality. Such an end is lawful. But 61 
 far different ends for monasticism are taught. They feign that 
 the works of monasticism are a service, they feign that they 
 merit the remission of sins and justification. The example of 
 the Rechabites is therefore unlike monasticism ; to omit here 
 other evils which inhere in monasticism at present. 
 
 They cite also from 1 Tim. 5 : 11 sqq. concerning widows, 64 
 
 1 Luther added : " And it was temporal ; and tnen too neither unmarried 
 nor poor, nor obedient." 
 
 7 Luther on margin : ' Neither were these unmarried or obedient 01 
 poor, as the monks." 
 
 Cf . 2 Kings 10:15. * See Jer. 36 : 18, 19. 
 
294 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 who, as they served the Church, were supported at the pub lie 
 expense, where it is said : " They will marry, having damna- 
 tion, because they have cast off their first faith." First let us 65 
 suppose that the apostle is here speaking of vows; still this 
 passage will not favor monastic vows, which are made concern- 
 ing godless services, and in the opinion that they merit the re- 
 mission of sins and justification. For Paul, with his entire 
 voice, condemns all services, all laws, all works, if they be ob- 
 served in order to merit the remission of sins, or that, on account 
 of them, instead of through mercy on account of Christ, we ob- 
 tain remission of sins. On this account it was necessary for the 
 vows of widows, if there were any, to be unlike monastic 
 vows. 
 nnr Besides if the adversaries do not cease to misapply the 66 
 
 passage to vows, the prohibition that no widow be selected 
 who is less than sixty years (1 Tim. 5 : 9) must be misapplied 
 in the same way. Thus vows made before this age will be of 
 no account. But the Church did not yet know these vows. 67 
 Therefore Paul condemns widows, not because they marry, for 
 he commands the younger to marry ; but because, when sup- 
 ported at the public expense, they became wanton, and on this 
 account cast off faith. 1 He calls this " first faith," clearly not 
 of a monastic vow, but of Christianity [of their baptism, their 
 Christian duty, their Christianity]. And in this way he re- 
 ceives faith in the same chapter (v. 8) : " If any one provide not 
 for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath 
 denied the faith." For he speaks otherwise of faith than the 68 
 sophists. He does not ascribe faith to those who have mortal 
 sin. He accordingly says that those cast off faith who do not 
 care for their relatives. And in the same way he says that 
 wanton women cast off faith. 
 
 We have recounted some of our reasons, and, in passing, have 69 
 explained away the objections urged by the adversaries. And 
 we have collected these matters, not only on account of the ad- 
 versaries, but much more on account of godly minds, that they 
 may have in view the reasons why they ought to disapprove of 
 hypocrisy and fictitious monastic services, all of which indeed 
 this one voice of Christ annuls, when it says (Matt. 15:9): 
 " In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the com- 
 mandments of men." Wherefore the vows themselves and the 
 observance of meats, lessons, chants, vestments, sandals, girdles, 
 are useless services in God's sight. And all godly minds should 
 certainly know that the opinion is pharisaic and condemned 
 
 1 Luther on margin : " Perhaps they relapsed into Judaism, since they 
 could not find in the Church one who was willing or able to marry the™ • 
 *nd the Jews gladly married them from hatred to Christ." 
 
Ch. XIV., Art. XXVIII. ECCLESIASTICAL POWER. 295 
 
 that these observances merit the remission of sins ; that on ac- 
 count of them we are accounted righteous ; that on account of 
 them, and not through mercy on account of Christ, we obtain 
 eternal life. And the holy men who have lived in these kinds 70 
 of life must necessarily have learned, confidence in such ob- 
 servance having been rejected, that they had the remission of 
 sins freely ; that for Christ's sake through mercy they would 
 obtain eternal life, and not for the sake of these services [there- 
 fore godly persons who were saved and continued to live in 
 monastic life had finally to come to this, viz. that they despaired 
 of their monastic life, despised all their works as dung, con- 
 demned all their hypocritical service of God, and held fast to 
 the promise of grace in Christ, as in the example of St. Ber- 
 nard, saying, Perdite vixi, I have lived in a sinful way] ; be- 
 cause God only approves services instituted by his Word, which 
 services avail when used in faith. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 286 Article XXVIII. 
 
 Of Ecclesiastical Power, 
 
 Here the adversaries vociferate violently concerning the 1 
 privileges and immunities of the ecclesiastical estate, and they 
 add the peroration : " All things are vain which we presented 
 in the present article against the immunity of the churches and 
 priests." This is mere calumny ; for in this article we have 2 
 disputed concerning other things. Besides we have frequently 
 testified that we do not find fault with political ordinances, and 
 the gifts and privileges granted by princes. 
 
 But would that the adversaries would hear, on the other 3 
 hand, the complaints of the churches and of godly minds ! 
 The adversaries courageously guard their own dignities and 
 wealth ; meanwhile, they neglect the condition of the churches ; 
 they do not care that the churches be rightly taught, and that 
 the sacraments be rightly administered. To the priesthood 
 they admit all kinds of persons without distinction. After- 
 wards they impose intolerable burdens ; as though they were de- 
 lighted with the destruction of others, they demand that their 
 traditions be observed far more accurately than the Gospel. 
 Now in the most important and difficult controversies, concern- 4 
 ing which the people urgently desire to be taught, in order that 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Art. xxviii. ; Apology, Art. 
 xvi. ; Smalcald Articles, Appendix, Of the Power and Primacy of the Pope} 
 Small Catechism, Preface ; Formula of Concord, Epitome, x. : 7 ; Sol. Dec, 
 x.:9. 
 
296 THE ArOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 they may have something certain which they may follow, they 
 do not release the minds which doubt most severely tortures; 
 they only call to arms. Besides in manifest subjects they pre- 
 sent decrees written in blood, which threaten horrible punish- 
 ments to men unless they act clearly contrary to God's com- 
 mand. Here, on the other hand, you ought to see the tears 5 
 of the poor, and hear the pitiable complaints of many good 
 men, which God undoubtedly considers and regards, to whom 
 at the same time you will render an account for your steward- 
 ship. 
 
 But although in the Confession we have on this article em- 6 
 braced various topics, the adversaries make no reply, except 
 that the bishops have the power of rule and coercive correc- 
 tion, in order to direct their subjects to the goal of eternal 
 blessedness ; and that, for the power of ruling, there is required 
 the power to judge, to define, to distinguish and fix those 
 non things which are serviceable or conduce to the end that has 
 been before mentioned. These are the words of the Con- 
 futation, in which the adversaries teach us that the bishops 
 have the authority to frame laws [without the authority of the 
 Gospel] useful for obtaining eternal life. The controversy is 
 concerning this article. 
 
 But we must retain in the Church this doctrine, viz. that wer 
 receive the remission of sins freely for Christ's sake by faith. 
 We must also retain this doctrine, viz. that human traditions 
 are useless services, and therefore neither sin nor righteousness 
 should be placed in meat, drink, clothing and like things, the 
 use of which Christ wished to be left free, since he says (Matt. 
 15:11): "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth the 
 man ;" and Paul (Rom. 14:17): "The kingdom of God is 
 not meat and drink." Therefore the bishops have no right to 8 
 frame traditions in addition to the Gospel, that they may merit 
 the remission of sins, that they may be services for God to ap- 
 prove as righteousness, and which burden consciences, as 
 though it were a sin to omit them. All this is taught espe- 
 cially by a passage in Acts (15:9 sqq.), where the apostles say 
 [Peter says] that hearts are purified by faith. And then they 
 prohibit the imposing of a yoke, and show how great the dan- 
 ger is, and enlarge upon the sin of those who burden the 
 Church. " Why tempt ye God?" they say. By this thunder- 
 bolt our adversaries are in no way terrified, who defend by 
 violence traditions and godless opinions. 
 
 For above they have also condemned Article XV., in which 9 
 we have stated that traditions do not merit the remission of 
 sins, and they here say that traditions conduce to eternal life. 
 Do they merit the remission of sins? Are they services which 
 God approves as righteousness? do they quicken hearts? Paul 10 
 
Ch. XIV., Art. XXVIII. ECCLESIASTICAL POWER. 297 
 
 to the Colossians (2 : 20 sqq.) says that traditions do not profit 
 with respect to eternal righteousness and eternal life ; for the 
 reason that food, drink, clothing and the like are things " that 
 perish with the using." But eternal life is wrought in the 
 heart by eternal things, i. e. by the Word of God and the 
 Holy Ghost. Therefore let the adversaries explain how tradi- 
 tions conduce to eternal life. 
 
 Since, however, the Gospel clearly testifies that traditions n 
 98Q ought not to be imposed upon the Church in order to 
 merit the remission of sins ; in order to be services which 
 God shall approve as righteousness; in order to burden con- 
 sciences, so that it may be judged that to omit them is a sin, 
 the adversaries will never be able to show that the bishops 
 have the power to institute such services. 
 
 Besides, we have declared in the Confession 1 what power ia 
 the Gospel ascribes to bishops. Those who are now bishops 
 do not perform the duties of bishops according to the Gospel ; 
 although indeed they may be bishops according to canonical 
 polity, which we do not censure. But we are speaking of a 13 
 bishop according to the Gospel. And the ancient division of 
 power into " power of the order " and " power of jurisdiction " 
 is pleasing to us. Therefore the bishop has the power of the 
 order, i. e. the ministry of the Word and sacraments ; he has 
 also the power of jurisdiction, i. e. the authority to excommu- 
 nicate those guilty of open crimes, and again to absolve them 
 if they are converted and seek absolution. Nor indeed have 14 
 they power tyrannical, i. e. without law ; or regal, i. e. above 
 law ; but they have a fixed command and a fixed Word of God, 
 according to which they ought to teach, and according to which 
 they ought to exercise their jurisdiction. Wherefore, even 
 though they should have some jurisdiction, it does not follow 
 that they are able to institute new services. For services per- 
 tain in no way to jurisdiction. And they have the Word, they 
 have the command, how far they ought to exercise jurisdiction, 
 viz. if any one would do anything contrary to that Word which 
 they have received from Christ. 
 
 Although in the Confession 2 we also have added how far it 15 
 is lawful for them to frame traditions, viz. not as necessary ser- 
 vices, but so that there may be order in the Church, for the 
 sake of tranquillity. And these traditions ought not to cast 
 snares upon consciences, as though to enjoin necessary services ; 
 as Paul teaches when he says (Gal. 5:1): " Stand fast, there- 
 fore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be 
 not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." The use of 16 
 such ordinances ought therefore to be left free; provided that 
 
 1 Augsburg Confession, xxviii. 5-12. ' Ibid., xxviii. : $ 8. 
 
 38 
 
298 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 scandals be avoided ; and that they be not judged to be neces- 
 sary services; just as the apostles themselves ordained [for the 
 sake of good discipline] very many things which have been 
 changed with time. Neither did they hand them down in such 
 a way that it would not be permitted to change them. For 
 o 8 q they did not dissent from their own writings, in which they 
 greatly labor, lest the opinion that human rites are neces- 
 sary services may destroy the Church. 
 
 This is the simple mode of interpreting traditions, viz. thai 17 
 we understand them not as necessary services, and nevertheless, 
 for the sake of avoiding scandals, we should observe them in 
 proper place. And thus many learned and great men in the 
 Church have held. Nor do we see what can be opposed to 
 this. For it is certain that the expression (Luke 10: 16): 18 
 " He that heareth you, heareth me," does not speak of tradi- 
 tions, but is most effective against traditions. For it is not a 
 mandatum cum libera (a bestowal of unlimited authority), as they 
 call it, but it is a cautio de rato (the giving of security for a 
 trust) with respect to a particular charge [not a free, unlimited 
 order and power, but a limited order, viz. not to preach their 
 own word, but God's Word and the Gospel], i. e. the approval 
 given to the apostles, that we believe them concerning the word 
 of another, and not concerning their own word. For Christ 
 wishes to assure us as to how necessary it would be to know 
 that the Word, delivered by men, is efficacious, and that no other 
 word from heaven ought to be sought. " He that heareth you, 19 
 heareth me," cannot be received of traditions. For Christ re- 
 quires that they teach in such a way that he himself be heard, 
 because he says : " He heareth rue." Therefore he wishes his 
 own voice, his own Word, to be heard, not human traditions. 
 Thus a saying which is most especially in our favor, and con- 
 tains the most important consolation and doctrine, these stupid 
 men pervert to the most trifling matters, the distinctions of 
 food, vestments and the like. 
 
 They quote also Heb. 13:17: "Obey them that have the 20 
 rule over you." This passage requires obedience to the Gospel. 
 For it does not establish a dominion for the bishops apart from 
 the Gospel. Neither should the bishops frame traditions con- 
 trary to the Gospel, or interpret their traditions contrary to the 
 Gospel. And when they do this, obedience is prohibited, ac- 
 cording to Gal. 1:9: "If any man preach any other gospel, 
 let him be accursed." 
 qqa We make the same reply to Matt. 23 : 3 : " Whatsoever 21 
 
 they bid you observe, that observe," because evidently a 
 universal command is not given that we should receive all 
 things [even contrary to God's command and Word], since 
 Scripture elsewhere (Acts 5 : 29) bids us obey God rather than 
 
Ch. XIV., Art. XX VII I. ECCLESIASTICAL POWER. 29? 
 
 men. When, therefore, they teacli wicked things, they are not 
 to be heard. But these are wicked things, viz. that human tra- 
 ditions are services of God, that they are necessary services, 
 that they merit the remission of sins and eternal life. 
 
 They present, as an objection, the public scandals and com- 22 
 motions which have arisen from the pretext of our doctrine. 
 To these we briefly reply. If all 1 the scandals be brought to- 23 
 gether, still the one article concerning the remission of sins, 
 that for Christ's sake through faith we freely obtain the remis- 
 sion of sins, brings so much good as to hide all evils. And 24 
 this, in the beginning, gained for Luther not cnly our favor, 
 but that also of many who are now contending against us. 
 
 " For former favor ceases, ard mortals are forgetful," 
 
 says Pindar. Nevertheless 2 we neither desire to desert truth 
 
 1 Var. and Germ., which have greatly amplified the remaining sections 
 (although they do not agree in the order of the sentences), continue thus : 
 " In the first place, it is evident that by the blessing of God our princes 
 have an obedient people in their dominions. And this very kind of doc- 
 trine which we follow increases respect for them, because it honors the 
 authority of magistrates with the most ample praises. This matter also 
 is of very great service in preserving tranquillity. Secondly, if all the 
 scandals be brought together " [Germ. : And although it may not be otherwise 
 than that, as is customary in the world, offences have happened through wicked 
 and imprudent people ; for the devil causes such offences, in order to disgrace 
 the Gospel], "yet the two articles, viz. the one that we obtain the remis- 
 sion of sins freely for Christ's sake through faith, and that we are ac- 
 counted righteous for Christ's sake by faith, and the other, that the laws 
 of the magistrate and the entire government are divine ordinances which 
 the Christian ought to use in a holy way, have so much good connected 
 with them that they hide all inconveniences." Then Var. alone : " For 
 alarmed consciences can have no firm consolation against God's wrath 
 unless the former article be known. The latter article greatly protects the 
 tranquillity of states. Besides, with what pernicious opinions both kinds 
 of doctrine were suppressed previous to this time no one is ignorant, and 
 the books of the adversaries testify, who nowhere make mention of faitl 
 wher. they speak of the remission of sins, nowhere teach of the worth o 
 civil matters, nowhere teach how the Gospel communicates eternal right- 
 eousness, and in the mean time wishes us in our bodily life to use political 
 laws and customs. The declaration of these matters in the beginning 
 gained favor for Luther, not only with us, but also with many who now 
 most atrociously," etc. 
 
 * In Ed. Var. these words follow : " If any tumults have already arisen, 
 the guilt can justly be charged upon the adversaries, who first excited a 
 echism and scattered the churches by the unjust condemnation of Luther. 
 A.nd now tbey exercise wonderful cruelty towards good men, and tho^e 
 
300 THE Al'OLOUY Ol" THE ALUSBUltG 'JUNFESSION. 
 
 that is necessary to the Church, nor can we assent to the adver- 
 saries in condemning it. "For we ought to obey God rather 25 
 than men." Those who in the beginning condemned manifest 
 truth, and are now persecuting it with the greatest cruelty, will 
 give an account for the schism that has been occasioned. Then, 1 
 
 teaching godly things. They excite the minds of men also in other ways, 
 which we are not disposed to recount here. Nor are we so hard-hearted, 
 and so without feeling, that public offences in no way disturb us. But we 
 remember that it has been said by Christ : ' Blessed is he whosoever shall 
 not be offended in me' (Matt. 11 : 6). For the devil tries both to suppress 
 and to mar the Gospel in infinite ways. In some places he inflames ty- 
 rants against those who confess the Gospel, in other places he excites wars, 
 in other places seditions, in other places heresies, in order to render this 
 kind of doctrine hateful, because it seems to afford occasion for such 
 movements. And indeed it is easier for prudent men to pay no attention 
 to their own dangers than to these scandals of public commotions. But 
 it is necessary for the Christian's mind to be fortified against these also, 
 lest on account of them he may cast away the Word of God." Germ, has 
 treated this passage thus : "But as to the want of unity and the dissension in 
 the Church, it is well known how these matters first happened, and who have 
 given occasion for the separation ; namely, the venders of indulgences, who with- 
 out shame preached intolerable lies, and afterwards condemned Luther for not 
 justifying these lies, and in addition continued to excite more controversies, so 
 that Luther was induced to attack many other errors. But inasmuch as our 
 opponents would not suffer the truth, and besides attempted to promote manifest 
 errors by force, it is easy to judge who is guilty of the schism. Indeed all the 
 world, all wisdom and all power, should yield to Christ and his holy Word. 
 But the devil is the enemy of God, and he therefore arrays all his power against 
 Christ, to extinguish and suppress the Gospel. Therefore the devil with his 
 members, who sets himself against God's Word, is the cause of the dissension 
 and want of unity. ," 
 
 1 Var. (and Germ., but the latter less copiously) : " But although the 
 ct. mparison does not delight us, nevertheless because the adversaries bur- 
 den us with this charge, the vices of their own men are not to be dissem- 
 bled [Germ. : If we were to narrate also the offences of the opponents, .... 
 it would be a very terrible list]. How much evil there is with the adver- 
 saries in the sacrilegious profanation of the masses ! how much disgrace is 
 connected with their celibacy ! The worship of the saints is with them 
 full of manifest idolatry. Is there no offence in the ambition of the pc pes, 
 who for more than four hundred years have been waging war with out 
 emperors, mostly in Italy, sometimes even in Germany, where they have 
 arrayed against one another, son and father, kindred and citizens? But if 
 the causes for these wars be sought, nothing will be found worthy of the 
 popes: for we will speak very moderately ." [Germ, plainly: How the 
 popes strove only how they might themselves become emperors, and subdue alt 
 Italy to themselves I] "How great an evil it is that in ordaining priests 
 they do not choose such as are fit! What evil in the sale of benefit* ' 
 
Ch. XIV., Art. XXVIII. ECCLESIASTICAL POWER. 301 
 
 too, are there no scandals among the adversaries? How much 26 
 evil is there in the sacrilegious profanation of the Mass ap- 
 plied to gain ! how great disgrace in celibacy ! But let us 
 omit a comparison. According to the circumstances we have 
 made this reply to the Confutation. Now 1 we leave it to the 27 
 
 Again, is there no fault in their dangerous dispensations ? But even these 
 faults could be forgiven them if they nevertheless would preserve pure 
 doctrine in the churches. But how this is contaminated by impious opin- 
 ions and traditions the writings of the canonists attest, as also the books 
 of the theologians, full of profane discussions which in part are useless to 
 piety, and in part even dissent from the Gospel. Again, they trifle in the 
 interpretation of Scripture and fabricate whatever they please. This con- 
 fusion of doctrine is the chief offence, and is especially dangerous, con- 
 cerning which particularly John complains in the Apocalypse when he 
 describes the realm of the Pope. When we come to the superstitions of 
 the monks, which were infinite, what shall we say? How many pernicious 
 offences are there ! What sort of application of merits was it when a 
 hood was put upon a corpse, etc. ? Moreover is there no offence in their 
 endeavor at the present time to suppress the manifest truth of the Gospel, 
 in their cruel slaughter of good men who teach what is godly, in their for- 
 bidding doubting consciences to be healed when their circumstances have 
 been made known, in their exhorting kings to cruel robbery? Verily 
 these are to be judged not as offences, but as truly Karop86[xara [right 
 actions] of the Pope ! Nor indeed do we care about amplifying anything 
 in proportion to the magnitude of the subjects involved, lest some one 
 may think that we are delighted by this relation which the writers of the 
 Confutation have forced from us against our will. For this cause ought 
 to be judged not from the character of men, or from fortune, but from the 
 Word of God, which we earnestly desire that all who would consult pro- 
 nounce judgment in these controversies. But here we must say again what 
 we have already said frequently : We are very desirous of public harmony 
 and peace, which it is certainly becoming that Christians should cherish 
 among one another to as great an extent as possible. Again we unwill- 
 ingly differ with the Emperor, whom we revere not only on account of tho 
 exalted rank of government, but also on account of the truly heroic vir- 
 tues with which we have known him to be endowed " [Germ, omits what 
 is said concerning the Emperor]. " But the adversaries do not permit us to 
 unite harmoniously unless with the condition that we assent to those con- 
 demning the truth of the Gospel that is manifest and is necessary to the 
 Church. This we cannot do. For ' we ought to obey God, rather than 
 men.' Wherefore the adversaries, who by a new and unusual cruelty are 
 scattering the churches, will render to God an account of the schism. 
 Nor is there any doubt that this cruelty will produce some change in pub- 
 lic affairs. According to the circumstances we have made this reply," 
 etc (g26). 
 
 Var continues: "And we leave to all godly men the decision as ic 
 
302 THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 judgment of all the godly whether the adversaries have been 
 right in boasting that they have actually refuted our Confes- 
 sion from the Scriptures. 
 
 which of the two parties believes aright. And we offer to declare more 
 fully our opinion concerning each topic, in case it be anywhere desired." 
 
PART IV. 
 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES, 
 
THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PREFACE OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER. 
 
 PART FIRST. 
 L-IV. OF THE TKINITY AND THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 
 OF THE ARTICLES CONCERNING THE OFFICE AND WORK 
 OF JESUS CHRIST, OR OUR REDEMPTION. 
 
 L OF THE MERIT OF CHRIST, AND THE RIGHTEOUSNESS 
 OF FAITH. 
 
 IL OF THE MASS.— APPENDIX: OF THE INVOCATION OP 
 SAINTS. 
 
 III. OF CHAPTERS AND CLOISTERS. 
 
 IV. OF THE PAPACY. 
 
 PART THIRD. 
 
 ARTICLES CONCERNING WHICH WE ARE ABLE TO 
 
 TREAT. 
 L OF SIN. 
 
 IL OF THE LAW. 
 
 IH. OF REPENTANCE. 
 
 A. Op True Repentance. 
 
 B. Op the Faj^se Repentance op the Papists. 
 IV. OF THE GOSPEL. 
 
 V. OF BAPTISM. 
 
 VL OF THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR. 
 
 VII. OF THE KEYS. 
 
 39 mi 
 
306 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 VTII. OF CONFESSION. 
 
 IX. OF EXCOMMUNICATION. 
 
 X. OF ORDINATION AND THE CALL. 
 
 XL OF THE MARRIAGE OF PRIESTS. 
 
 XII. OF THE CHURCH. 
 
 XIII. WHEN MAN IS JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD, AND OF GOOD 
 
 WORKS. 
 
 XIV. OF MONASTIC VOWS. 
 XV. OF HUMAN TRADITIONS 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 TREATISE CONCERNING THE POWER AND PRIMACY 
 
 OF THE POPE. 
 
 I. OF THE FICTITIOUS AUTHORITY OF THE POPE. 
 TI. OF THE POWER AND JURISDICTION OF BISHOP& 
 
THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 ARTICLES OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE, WHICH WERE TO 
 
 HAVE BEEN PRESENTED ON OUR PART TO THE 
 
 COUNCIL, IF ANY HAD BEEN ASSEMBLED AT 
 
 MANTUA OR ELSEWHERE, INDICATING WHAT 
 
 WE COULD RECEIVE OR GRANT, AND 
 
 W T HAT WE COULD NOT. WRITTEN BY 
 
 DR. MARTIN LUTHER IN THE YEAR 
 
 MDXXXVII. 
 
 295 Preface of Dr. Martin Luther. 
 
 When Pope Paul III. convoked a Council last yeai to as- i 
 semble at Mantua about Whitsuntide, and afterwards transferred 
 it from Mantua, so that it is not yet clear where he will or can 
 fix it ; and we on our part had reason to expect that we would 
 either be summoned also to the Council or be condemned un- 
 summoned ; I was directed to compose and collect the articles 
 of our doctrine, in case there should be any deliberation as to 
 what and how far we could yield to the Papists, and upon what 
 we intended finally to persevere and abide. 
 
 I have accordingly collected these articles and presented 2 
 them to our side. They have also been accepted and unani- 
 mously confessed by those with us, and it has been resolved 
 that in case the Pope with his adherents should ever be so bold 
 as seriously and in good faith, without lying and cheating, to 
 hold a truly free Christian Council (as indeed he would be in 
 duty bound to do), they be publicly presented, and express the 
 Confession of our faith. 
 
 But since the Romish court is so dreadfully afraid of a free 3 
 Christian Council, and shuns the light so shamefully, that it 
 has removed, even from those who are on its side, the hope that 
 it will permit a free Council, and much less itself hold it, 
 whereat, as is just, they are greatly offended and have on 
 that account no little trouble, since they notice thereby that 
 the Pope prefers to see all Christendom lost, and all souls 
 damned, rather than that either he or his adherents be reformed 
 
 MT 
 
308 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 even a little, and permit a limit to be fixed to their tyranny; I 
 have, nevertheless, determined to bring these articles to light 
 through the public press, so that should I die before there 
 would be a Council (as I fully expect and hope, because the 
 knaves by fleeing the light and shunning the day take such 
 wretched pains to delay and hinder the Council), they who live 
 nqp and remain after me may thereby have my testimony and 
 confession to produce, concerning the Confession which I 
 had before published, whereby up to this time I still abide, 
 and, by God's grace, will abide. 
 
 For what shall I say ? How shall I complain ? I am still 4 
 in life, am writing, preaching and lecturing daily; and yet 
 there are spiteful men, not only among the adversaries, but also 
 false brethren that profess to be on our side, who attempt to 
 represent my writings and doctrine directly contrary to myself, 
 and compel me to hear and see it, although they know well 
 that I teach otherwise, and who wish to adorn their venom 
 with my labor, and under my name to mislead the poor people. 
 How will such occurrences continually increase after my death! 
 
 Yea, it is but just that I should reply to everything while 1 5 
 am still living. But, on the other hand, how can I alone stop 
 all the mouths of the devil ? Especially of those (as they all 
 are embittered) who will not hear or notice what we write, but 
 solely exercise themselves with all diligence how they may 
 most shamefully pervert and corrupt our word in every letter. 
 These I let the devil answer, or at last God's wrath, as they de- 
 serve. I often think of the good Gerson, who doubts whether 6 
 anything good should be published. If it be not done, many 
 souls are neglected who could be delivered; but if it be done, 
 the devil is there, with malignant, villainous tongues without 
 number which envenom and pervert everything, so that the 
 fruit is still prevented. Yet what they gain thereby is mani- 7 
 fest. For seeing that they have lied so shamefully against us, 
 and by means of lies wish to retain the people, God has con- 
 stantly advanced his work, and been ever making their assem- 
 bly less and ours greater, and by their lies they have been and 
 still continue to be brought to shame. 
 
 I must tell a story. There was a doctor 1 sent here to Witten- 8 
 berg from France, who said publicly before us that his king 
 was sure, and more than sure, that among us there is no 
 Church, no magistrate, no marriage, but all live promiscuously 
 as cattle, and each one does as he will. Say now, how will 9 
 thoae who by their writings have represented such gross lies to 
 
 1 Dr. Gervasius Waim, Professor at Sorbonne, sent in 1531 from the 
 king of France to the elector of Saxony. — De Wette's Luther's Letters, 
 ▼. 52 , Seckendorf 8 History, iii. 145 ; Melanchthon's Letters, C. R. ii. : 617 
 
PREFACE OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER. 309 
 
 (he king and to other countries as the pure truth, 1< ok at us on 
 that clay before the judgment-seat of Christ? Christ, the Lord 
 oq- and Judge of us all, knows well that they lie and have 
 lied, whose sentence they must again hear; that I know 
 certainly. God convert those who can be converted to repent- 
 ance ! To the rest it will be said, Woe, and, alas ! eternally. 
 
 But to return to the subject. I sincerely desire to see a truly i 
 Christian Council, whereby yet many matters and persons 
 would be helped. Not that we need it, for our churches are 
 now, through God's grace, so illumined and cared for by the 
 pure Word and right use of the sacraments, by knowledge of 
 the various callings and of right works, that we on our part 
 ask for no Council, and on such points have nothing better to 
 hope or expect from a Council ; but because we see in the bish- 
 oprics everywhere so many parishes vacant and desolate that 
 one's heart would break. And yet neither the bishops nor 
 canons care how the poor people live or die, for whom never- 
 theless Christ has died, and who cannot hear him speaking 
 with them as the true Shepherd with his sheep. This causes n 
 me to shudder and fear that at some time he may send a coun- 
 cil of angels upon Germany that may utterly destroy us, as 
 Sodom and Gomorrah, because we so presumptuously mock him 
 concerning this Council. 
 
 Besides such necessary ecclesiastical affairs, there would be 12 
 also in the political estate innumerable matters of great import- 
 ance to improve. There is the disagreement between the 
 princes and the states ; usury and avarice have burst in like a 
 flood, and have the semblance of right ; wantonness, lewdness, 
 pride in dress, gluttony, gambling, idle display, with all kinds 
 of bad habits and wickedness,- insubordination of subjects, do- 
 mestics and laborers of every trade, also the exactions of the 
 peasants (and who can enumerate all ?) have so increased that 
 they cannot be rectified by ten Councils and twenty Diets. If 13 
 such chief matters of the spiritual and worldly estates as are 
 contrary to God would be considered in the Council, they 
 would render all hands so full that the child's play and absurd- 
 ity oi long gowns, large tonsures [wax tapers], broad cinctures, 
 bishops' or cardinals' hats or maces, and like jugglery would be 
 all the while forgotten. If we first had performed God's com- 
 mand and order in the spiritual and worldly estate, we would 
 find time enough to reform food, clothing, tonsures and surplices. 
 oqo But if we swallow such camels, and instead strain out gnats, 
 let the beams stand and judge the motes, we might indeed 
 be satisfied with the Council. 
 
 Therefore I have presented a few articles ; for we have with- u 
 out this so many commands of God to observe in the Church, 
 the state, and the family, that we can never fulfil them. What 
 
310 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 then is the use? or wherefore does it profit that many decrees 
 and statutes thereon are made in the Council, especially when 
 these chief matters commanded of God are neither observed 
 nor maintained? Just as though he were to be entertained by 
 our jugglery while we tread his solemn commandments under 
 foot. But our sins weigh upon us and cause God not to be 
 gracious to us ; for we do not repent, and besides wish to defend 
 very abomination. 
 O Lord Jesus Christ, do thou thyself convoke a Council, and 15 
 deliver thy servants by thy glorious advent. The Pope and his 
 adherents are lost; they wish thee not. So do thou help us, 
 poor and needy, who sigh to thee, and beg thee earnestly, ac- 
 cording to the grace which thou hast given us, through the 
 Holy Ghost, who liveth aud reigueth with thee and the Father, 
 blessed for ever. Amen. 
 
299 PART FIRST. 
 
 OF THE CHIEF ARTICLES CONCERNING THE DIVINE 
 
 MAJESTY, as: 
 
 I. 
 
 That Father, Son and Holy Ghost, three distinct persons in 
 one divine essence and nature, are one God, who has created 
 heaven and earth. 
 
 n. 
 
 That the Father is begotten of no one ; the Son of the Father ; 
 the Holy Ghost proceeds from Father and Son. 
 
 in. 
 
 That not the Father, not the Holy Ghost, but the Son became 
 man. 
 
 IV. 
 
 That the Son became man thus: that he was conceived, with- 
 out the co-operation of man, by the Holy Ghost, and was born of 
 the pure, holy [and always] Virgin Mary. Afterwards he suf- 
 fered, died, was buried, descended to hell, rose from the dead, 
 ascended to heaven, sits at the right hand of God, will come to 
 judge the quick and the dead, etc., as the Creed of the Apostles, 
 as well as that of St. Athanasius, and the Catechism in common 
 use for children, teach. 
 
 Concerning these articles there is no contention or dispute, 
 since we on both sides confess them. Wherefore it is not neces- 
 sary to treat further of them. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — (Ecumenical Creeds ; Augsburg Confession, Arts. i. 
 
 and iii. ; Apology, Arts. i. and iii. ; Small Catechism, Creed, Arts, i., ii. ; Large 
 
 Catechism, First Commandment ; Creed, Introduction, Arts, i., ii. ; Formula of 
 
 Concord, Epitome and Sol. Decl., chap. viii. 
 
 811 
 
300 PART SECOND 
 
 IS CONCERNING THE ARTICLES WHICH REFER TO THE 
 
 OFFICE AND WORK OF JESUS CHRIST, OR 
 
 OUR REDEMPTION. 
 
 I. Of the Merit of Christ, and the Righteousness of Faith. 
 
 The first and chief article is this, that Jesus Christ, our i 
 God and Lord, died for our sins, and was raised again for our 
 justification, Rom. 4 : 25. 
 
 And he alone is the Lamb of God, which taketh away the 2 
 sins of the world, John 1 : 29 ; and God has laid upon him the 
 iniquities of us all, Isa. 53 : 6. 
 
 Likewise: All have sinned and are justified without merit 3 
 [freely, and without their own works or merits] by his grace, 
 through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, in his blood, 
 Rom. 3 : 23 sq. 
 
 Since it is necessary to believe this, and it can be acquired or 4 
 apprehended otherwise by no work, law or merit, it is clear and 
 certain that this faith alone justifies us, as St. Paul says (Rom. 
 3 : 28) : " For we conclude that a man is justified by faith with- 
 out the deeds of the Law." Likewise (v. 26) : " That he might 
 be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Christ." 
 
 Of this article nothing can be yielded or surrendered, even 5 
 though heaven and earth and all things should sink to ruin. 
 " For there is none other name under heaven, given among men, 
 whereby we must be saved," says Peter, Acts 4 : 12. u And 
 with his stripes we are healed," Isa. 53 : 5. And upon this 
 article all things depend, which, against the Pope, the devil 
 and the whole world, we teach and practise. Therefore, we 
 must be sure concerning this doctrine, and not doubt ; for other- 
 wise all is lost, and the Pope and devil and all things against us 
 gain the victory and suit. 
 
 301 II. Article of the Mass. 
 
 That the Mass in the Papacy must be the greatest and most 1 
 horrible abomination, as it directly and powerfully conflicts 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Arts, vi., iv., xx. ; Apology 
 chap. ii. (Art. iv.), chap. iii. ; Sraalcald Articles, Art. xiii. ; Formula of Concord 
 Epitome and Sol. Decl., chap. iii. 
 
 Pak vllel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Arts, xiii., xxi., xxiv. ; Apo. 
 ogy, ch ip. xii., Art. xxiv.; Formula of Concord, Epitome, vii.. 21 sqq. 
 312 
 
Part II. OF THE OFFICE AND \\ ORK OF CHRIST. 313 
 
 with this chief article, and yet above all other popish idolatries 
 it is the chief and most specious. For it is held that this sac- 
 rifice or work of the Mass, even though it be rendered by a 
 wicked and abandoned scoundrel, frees men from sins, not only 
 in this life, but also in purgatory, although only the Lamb of 
 God frees us, as has been said above. Of this article nothing 
 is to be surrendered or conceded ; because the former article 
 does not allow this. 
 
 With the more reasonable Papists we might speak thus in a 2 
 friendly way : First, why do they so rigidly uphold the Mass ? 
 since it is only an invention of men, and has not been ccra- 
 manded by God ; and every invention of man we may discaru, 
 as Christ declares (Matt. 15 : 9) : " In vain do they worship me, 
 teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." 
 
 Secondly. It is an unnecessary thing, which can be omitted 3 
 without sin and danger. 
 
 Thirdly. The sacrament can be received in a better and more 4 
 blessed way [more acceptable to God], (yea, the only blessed 
 way), according to the institution of Christ. Why, therefore, 
 on account of fictitious, unnecessary matters, do they drive the 
 world to extreme misery, when even otherwise it can be well 
 and more blessed ? 
 
 Let care be taken that it be publicly preached to the people 5 
 that the Mass as a toy [commentitious aifair or human figment] 
 can, without sin, be done away with, and that no one will be 
 condemned w T ho does not observe it, but that men can be saved 
 in a better way without the Mass. Thus it will come to pass 
 that the Mass will perish of its own accord, not only among 
 the rude common people, but also in the minds of all pious, 
 Christian, reasonable, God-fearing hearts; and this much the 
 more when they have heard that the Mass is a very dangerous 
 thing, fabricated and invented without the will and Word of 
 God. 
 
 Fourthly. Since such innumerable and unspeakable abuses 6 
 have arisen in the whole world from the buying and selling of 
 masses, the Mass should by right be relinquished for no other 
 purpose than to prevent abuses, even though in itself it had 
 something advantageous and good. But how much more, since 
 it is altogether unnecessary, useless and dangerous, and without 
 the Mass all things can be held with greater necessity, profit 
 oaq and certainty, ought we to relinquish it, so as to escape for 
 ever these horrible abuses ? 
 
 Fifthly. But since the Mass is nothing else, and can be 7 
 nothing else (as the Canon and all books declare), than a work 
 of men (even of wicked scoundrels), by which one attempts to 
 reconcile to God himself and others with himself, and to obtain 
 and merit the remission of sins and grace (for thus the Mass is 
 
 40 
 
314 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 regarded when it is esteemed at the very best ; otherwise what 
 would it profit?); for this very reason it must and should be 
 condemned and rejected. For this directly conflicts with the 
 chief article, which says that it is not a wicked or a godly cele- 
 brant of the Mass with his own work, but the Lamb of God 
 and the Son of God, that taketh away our sins. 
 
 But if any one should advance the pretext that for the sake 8 
 of devotion he wishes to administer the communion to himself, 
 (his is not in earnest. For if he would commune in sincerity, 
 the sacrament would be administered in the surest and best way 
 according to Christ's institution. But that one commune by 
 himself is a human persuasion, uncertain, unnecessary, yea 
 even prohibited. For he does not know what he does, while 
 without the Word of God he obeys a false human opinion and 
 invention. So too it is not right (even though the matter were 9 
 otherwise plain) for one to use the public sacrament of the 
 Church for his own private devotion, and without God's Word 
 and apart from the communion of the Church to trifle there- 
 with. 
 
 The Council will especially labor and be occupied with this 10 
 article concerning the Mass. For although it would be pos- 
 sible for them to concede to us all the other articles, yet they 
 could not concede this. As Campegius said at Augsburg that 
 he would be torn to pieces before he would relinquish the Mass, 
 so, by the help of God, I too would suffer my body to be re- 
 duced to ashes before I would allow a celebrant of the Mass, be 
 he good or bad, to be made equal to Christ Jesus, my Lord and 
 Saviour, or to be exalted above him. Thus we are and remain 
 eternally separated and opposed to one another. They think 
 indeed with entire correctness, that when the Mass falls the 
 Papacy lies in ruins. Before they would permit this to occur, 
 they would put us all to death if they could. 
 
 Beyond all things, this dragon's tail (I mean the Mass) has n 
 produced manifold abominations and idolatries. 
 oao First, purgatory. For by masses for souls, and vigils, 12 
 
 and weekly, monthly and yearly celebrations of obsequies, 
 and finally by the Common Week ' and All Souls' Day, by lus- 
 trations for purgatory, they have been so occupied that the Mass 
 is used almost alone for the dead, although Christ has instituted 
 the sacrament alone for the living. Wherefore purgatory, and 
 every solemnity, rite and profit connected with it, is to be re- 
 garded nothing but a spectre of the devil. For it conflicts 
 with the first article, which teaches that only Christ, and not 
 
 1 A week every year devoted to the deliverance of all souls by various 
 means from purgatory. It is the week in which All Souls' Day (Not. 
 2d) occurs. 
 
PabtII. OF THE OFFICE AND WOKK OF CHRIST. 315 
 
 the works of men, can help souls. Besides also nothing has 
 been divinely commanded or enjoined upon us concerning the 
 dead. Therefore all this can be safely omitted, even though 
 there were no error and idolatry in it. 
 
 The Papists quote here Augustine and some of the Fathers 13 
 who have written concerning purgatory, and they think that we 
 do not understand for what purpose and to what end they thus 
 spake. Augustine does not write that there is a purgatory, 
 neither does he have a testimony of Scripture to constrain him 
 thereto, but leaves the question as to its existence in doubt, and 
 says that his mother asked him that she should be remembered 
 at the altar or sacrament. Now all this is indeed nothing but 
 the devotion of men, and that too of individuals, and does not 
 establish an article of faith, which is a work belonging to God 
 alone. 
 
 Our Papists, however, cite those opinions of men, in order 14 
 that faith may be had in their horrible, blasphemous and cursed 
 traffic in masses for souls in purgatory [or in sacrifices for the 
 dead and oblations]. But they will never prove these things 
 from Augustine. And when they have abolished the traffic in 
 masses for purgatory, of which Augustine never dreamt, we 
 will then discuss with them as to whether the expressions of 
 Augustine, being without the warrant of the Word, are to be 
 admitted, and whether the dead should be remembered at the 
 Eucharist. For it is of no consequence that articles of faith 15 
 are framed from the works or words of the holy Fathers ; oth- 
 erwise their mode of life, style of garments, of house, etc., 
 would become an article of faith, just as they have trifled with 
 the relics of the saints. We have, however, another rule, viz. 
 that the Word of God should frame articles of faith ; otherwise 
 no one, not even an angel. 1 
 
 Secondly. From this it has followed that evil spirits have 16 
 exercised much wickedness, and appeared as the souls of the 
 departed, and with horrible lies and tricks demanded masses, 
 vigils, pilgrimages, and other alms. All of which we had to 17 
 revive as articles of faith, and to live accordingly ; and the 
 oa* Pope confirmed these things, as also the Mass and all other 
 abominations. Here there is no yielding or surrendering. 
 
 Thirdly, Hence arose pilgrimages. Instead of these, masses, 18 
 the remission of sins and the grace of God were demanded; 
 for the Mass controlled everything. But it is very certain that 
 such pilgrimages, without the Word of God, have not been 
 commanded us, neither are they necessary, since the soul can be 
 cared for in a better way, and these pilgrimages can be omitted 
 without all sin and danger. Why do they leave at home their 
 
 1 Cf. Formula of Concord, Epit., Intr 
 
31 G THE ISMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 pastors, the Word of God, wives, children, etc., attention to 
 whom is necessary and has been commanded, and run after un- 
 necessary, uncertain, pernicious ignes fatui of the devil? Be- i$ 
 sides the devil was in the Pope when he praised and established 
 these, whereby the people, in a great number, revolted from 
 Christ to their own works, and became idolaters; which is 
 worst of all, for the reason that it is neither necessary nor com- 
 manded, but is senseless and doubtful, and besides harmful. 
 Wherefore to yield or concede anything here is not permitted, 
 etc. And it should be taught in preaching that such pilgrim- 20 
 ages are not necessary, but dangerous ; and then see what will 
 become of the pilgrimages. [For thus they will perish of 
 their own accord.] 
 
 . Fourthly. Fraternities [or societies], in which cloisters, chap- 21 
 ters, and associations of vicars have bound themselves in wri- 
 ting, and by a definite contract and confirmed sale have made 
 common property of all masses and good works, etc., both for 
 the living and the dead. This is not only altogether a human 
 bauble, without the Word of God, entirely unnecessary and not 
 commanded, but also is contrary to the chief article, Of Redemp- 
 tion. Wherefore it is in no way to be tolerated. 
 
 Fifthly. The relics of the saints, about which there are so 22 
 many falsehoods, trifles and absurdities concerning the bones of 
 dogs and horses, that at such rascality even the devil has laughed, 
 ought long ago to have been condemned, even though there 
 were some good in them : and so much the more in that, with- 
 out the Word of God, they are an entirely unnecessary and use- 
 less thing. But the worst is that they have imagined that these 23 
 relics work the indulgence and forgiveness of sins [and have 
 revered them] as a good work and service of God, as the 
 Mass, etc. 
 
 Sixthly. Here belong the precious indulgences granted (but *4 
 only for money) to the living and the dead, by which the mis- 
 onr erable Judas or pope has sold the merit of Christ, together 
 with the superfluous merits of all saints and of the entire 
 Church, etc. All of which is not to be borne, because it is 
 without the Word of God, and without necessity, and is not 
 commanded; but conflicts with the chief article. For the 
 merit of Christ is [apprehended and] obtained not by our 
 works or pence, but from grace through faith, without money 
 and merit; and is offered [and presented] not through the 
 power of the Pope, but through the preaching of God's 
 Word. 
 
 Of the Invocation of Saints. 
 
 The invocation of saints is also one of the abuses of Anti-23 
 christ, which conflicts with the chief article, and destroys the 
 
Part II. OF THE OFFICE AND WORK OF CHRIST. 317 
 
 knowledge of Christ. It is also neither commanded ncr ad- 
 vised, has no example [or testimony] in Scripture, and in 
 Christ we have everything a thousand-fold better, even though 
 it were a precious thing, as it is not. 
 
 And although the angels in heaven pray for us (as even 26 
 Christ also does), as also do the saints on earth, and perhaps 
 also in heaven j 1 yet it does not follow thence that we should 
 invoke and adore the angels and saints, and for them fast, hold 
 festivals, celebrate Mass, make offerings, and establish churches, 
 altars, divine worship, and in still other ways serve them, and 
 regard them as helpers in need, and divide among them all kinds 
 of help, and ascribe to each one a particular form of assistance, 
 as the Papists teach and do. For this is idolatry, and such 
 lionor belongs alone to God. 
 
 For as a Christian and saint upon earth, you can pray for me, 27 
 not only in one, but in many necessities. But, for this reason, I 
 ought not to adore and invoke you, and celebrate festivals, fasts, 
 oblations, masses for your honor [and worship], and put my 
 faith in you for my salvation. I can in other ways indeed honor, 
 love and thank you in Christ. If now such idolatrous honor 28 
 were withdrawn from angels and deceased saints, the remaining 
 honor would be without danger, and would quickly be forgotten. 
 For where advantage and assistance, both bodily and spiritual, 
 are no more to be expected, there the worship of the saints will 
 depart in peace, whether they be in their graves or in heaven. 
 For without a purpose, or out of pure love, no one will much re- 
 member, or esteem, or honor them [bestow on them divine honor]. 
 
 In short : Whatever the [Papal] Mass is, and whatever pro- 2c 
 ceeds from it and clings to it, we cannot [in general] tolerate, but 
 we are compelled to condemn, in order that we may retain the 
 holy sacrament pure and certain, according to the institution of 
 Christ, employed and received through faith. 
 
 306 Article III. 
 
 Of Chapters and Cloisters. 
 
 That chapters and cloisters were formerly founded with the 1 
 good intention to educate learned men and chaste and modest 
 women, and ought again to be turned to such use, in order that 
 pastors, preachers, and other ministers of the Churches may be 
 had, and likewise other necessary persons for the administration 
 of the government [or for the state] in cities and governments, 
 and well-educated maidens for mothers and housekeepers, etc. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Art. xxvii.; Apology, Art 
 xxvii.; Smalcald Articles, Art. xiv. 
 
 1 Cf. Apology, Art. xxi., 8 sqq. 
 
318 THE SMALCALD ARTIlLES. 
 
 If they will not serve this purpose, it is better that they 2 
 should be abandoned or altogether destroyed, rather than con- 
 tinued with their blasphemous services invented by men as 
 something better than the ordinary Christian life and the of- 
 fices and callings appointed by God. For all this also is con- 
 Irary to the first chief article concerning the redemption made 
 through Jesus Christ. In addition, that they also (as all other 
 human inventions) have not been commanded, are needless and 
 useless, and besides afford occasion for dangerous and vain labor 
 [dangerous annoyances and fruitless worship], such services as 
 the prophets call Aven, 1 i. e. pain and labor. 
 
 Article IV. 
 Of the Papacy. 
 
 That the Pope is not, according to divine law or according 1 
 to the Word of God, the head of all Christendom (for this 
 name belongs to Jesus Christ solely and alone), but is only the 
 bishop and pastor of the Church at Rome, and of those who 
 voluntarily [and of their own accord] or through a human 
 creature (that is a political magistrate) attach themselves to him, 
 not to be under him as a lord, but with him as brethren [col- 
 leagues] and associates, as Christians; as the ancient councils 
 and the age of St. Cyprian show. 
 
 But to-day none of the bishops venture to address the 2 
 Pope as brother [as was done in the age of Cyprian] ; but they 
 must call him most gracious lord, even though they be kings 
 or emperors. Such arrogance we neither will, can, nor ought 
 with a good conscience to approve. Let him, however, who 
 will do it, do so without us. 
 
 Hence it follows that all things which the Pope, from a 3 
 power so false, mischievous, blasphemous and arrogant, has 
 undertaken and done, have been and still are purely diabolical 
 affairs and transactions (with the exception of the administra- 
 tion of his civil power, where God often blesses a people, even 
 on,- through a tyrant and faithless scoundrel) for the ruin of 
 the entire holy [Catholic or] Christian Church (so far as it 
 is in his power), and for the destruction of the first and chief 
 article concerning the redemption made through Jesus Christ. 
 
 For all his bulls and books are extant, in which he roars 4 
 like a lion (as the angel in Rev. 12 indicates), crying out that 
 no Christian can be saved unless he obey him and be subject to 
 him in all things that he wishes, that he says and that he does. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Art. xxviii. ; Apclogy, Arts 
 rii, 23 sq. ; xv., 18 sq. ; xxviii. 7. ; Sraalcald Articles, 328. 
 
 1 Isa. 66 : 3. ; Hos. 4 : 15. 
 
Part II. OF THE OFFICE AND WORK OF CHRIST. 31 9 
 
 All of which is nothing else than though it were said, that al- 
 though you believe in Christ, and have in him everything that 
 is necessary to salvation, yet nothing profits you unless you 
 regard me your god, and be subject and obedient to me ; al- 
 though, it is nevertheless manifest that there was a holy Church 
 without the Pope for at least more than five hundred years, and 
 that even to the present day the churches of the Greeks and 
 of many other languages neither have been nor are still under 
 the Pope. Thus it is, as has often been said, a human figment 5 
 which is not commanded, and is unnecessary and useless. For 
 the holy Christian [or Catholic] Church can exist very well 
 without such a head, and it w T ould certainly have remained 
 better [purer, and its career would have been more prosperous] 
 if such a head had not been raised up by the devil. And the 6 
 Papacy is also of no use in the Church, because it exercises no 
 ecclesiastical office ; and therefore it is necessary for the Church 
 to remain and continue to exist without the Pope. 
 
 But supposing that the Pope acknowledge 1 that he is su-7 
 preme, not by divine right or from God's command, but that 
 for the purpose of preserving the unity of Christians against 
 sects and heretics they should have a head to whom all the rest 
 should adhere ; and that such a head should be chosen by men, 
 and that it also be placed within the choice and power of men 
 to change or remove this head, just as the Council of Con- 
 stance almost in this very way treated the popes, deposing 
 three and electing a fourth ; supposing (I say), that the Pope 
 and See at Rome would yield and accept this (which, neverthe- 
 less, is impossible; for thus he would suffer his entire realm 
 and estate to be overthrown and destroyed, with all his rights 
 and books, a thing which, to speak in few words, he cannot do) ; 
 nevertheless, even in this way Christianity would not be helped, 
 but many more sects would arise than before. 
 
 For since obedience would be rendered this head not from 8 
 God's command, but from man's free will, it would easily and 
 oao in a short time be despised, and at last retain no member; 
 neither would it be necessary that it be confined to Rome 
 or any othor place, but be wherever and in whatever church 
 God would grant a man fit for the office. Oh, the indefiniteness 
 and confusion that w r ould result ! 
 
 Wherefore the Church can never be governed and preserved 9 
 better than if we all live under one head, Christ, and all the 
 bishops, equal in office (although they be unequal in gifts), be 
 diligently joined in unity of doctrine, faith, sacraments, prayer 
 and works of love, etc., just as St. Jerome writes that the 
 priests at Alexandria together and in common governed the 
 
 1 C£ SmaL Art., Melanchthon's Subscription, 326. 
 
320 THE SMALCWJ) ARTICLES. 
 
 churches, as did also the apostles, and afterwards all bishops 
 throughout all Christendom, until the Pope raised his head 
 ibove all. This article clearly shows that the Pope is the very ic 
 Antichrist, who has exalted and opposed himself against 
 Christ, because he does not wish Christians to be saved without 
 his power, which nevertheless is nothing, and is neither estab- 
 lished nor commanded by God. This is, properly speaking, to i 
 " exalt himself above all that is called God," 'as Paul says, 
 2 Thess. 2 : 4. 1 This indeed neither the Turks nor the Tartars 
 do, although they are great enemies of Christians, but they 
 allow whoever wishes to believe in Christ, and they receive 
 [outward or] bodily tribute and obedience from Christians. 
 
 The Pope, however, prohibits this faith, saying that if any 12 
 one wish to be saved he must obey. This we are unwilling to 
 do, even though on this account we must die in God's name. 
 This all proceeds from the fact that the Pope has wished to be 13 
 considered the supreme head of the Christian Church according 
 to divine law. Accordingly he has made himself equal to 
 and above Christ, and has caused himself to be proclaimed the 
 head, and then the lord of the Church, and finally of the 
 whole world, and simply God on earth, until he has attempted 
 to issue commands even to the angels in heaven. And when a 14 
 distinction is made between a dogma of the Pope and Holy 
 Scripture, and a comparison of the two is made, it is found 
 that the dogma of the Pope, even the best, has been taken from 
 [civil] imperial and heathen law, and treats of political matters 
 and decisions or rights, as the Decretals show ; afterwards, it 
 teaches of ceremonies concerning churches, garments, food, per- 
 sons and like shows, masks and comical things above measure, 
 but in all these things nothing at all of Christ, faith and the 
 qno commandments of God; and lastly is nothing else than 
 the devil himself, while over and against God he urges 
 [and disseminates] his falsehoods concerning masses, purgatory, 
 a monastic life, one's own works and [fictitious] divine worship 
 (for this is the true Papacy, upon each of which the Papacy is 
 altogether founded and is standing), and condemns, murders 
 and tortures all Christians who do not exalt and honor these 
 abominations of the Pope above all things. Wherefore just as 
 we cannot adore the devil himself as Lord and God, so we can- 
 not endure his apostle, the Pope or Antichrist, in his rule as 
 head or lord. For to lie and to kill, and to destroy body and 
 soul eternally, is a prerogative of the Papal government, as I 
 have very clearly shown in many books. 
 
 In these four articles they will have enough to condemn in 15 
 the Council. For they will not concede us even the least point 
 
 1 Cf. Sm. Art., 336, $ 39. 
 
Part III., Art. I. OF SIX. 321 
 
 in these articles. Of this we should be certain, and keep the 
 hope in mind, that Christ our Lord has attacked his adversary, 
 whom he will pursue and destroy, both by his Spirit and com- 
 ing. Amen. 
 
 For in the Council we will stand not before the Emperor or 16 
 the political magistrate, as at Augsburg (where the Emperor 
 published a most gracious edict, and caused matters to be heard 
 kindly and dispassionately), but we will appear before the Pope 
 and devil himself, who intends to hear nothing, but merelv 
 [when the case has been publicly announced] to condemn, to 
 murder and to force to idolatry. Wherefore we ought not here 
 to kiss his feet, or to say : " Thou art my gracious lord," but 
 as the angel in Zechariah 3 : 2 said to Satan : " The Lord re- 
 buke thee, O Satan." 
 
 310 PART THIRD. 
 
 Concerning the following articles we will be able to treat 
 with learned and reasonable men, or even among ourselves. 
 The Pope and the Papal government do not care much about 
 these. For with them conscience is nothing, but money, glory, 
 honors, power are to them everything. 
 
 I. Of Sin. 
 
 Here we must confess, as Paul says in Rom. 5:11, that sin t 
 originated [and entered the world] from one man Adam, by 
 whose disobedience all men were made sinners, and subject to 
 death and the devil. 1 This is called original or capital sin. 
 
 The fruits of this sin are afterwards the evil deeds which are 2 
 forbidden in the Ten Commandments, such as [distrust] unbe- 
 lief, false faith, idolatry, to be without the fear of God, arro- 
 gance, blindness, and, to speak briefly, not to know or regard 
 God ; secondly, to lie, to swear by [to abuse] God's name [to 
 swear falsely], not to pray, not to call upon God, not to regard 
 God's Word, to be disobedient to parents, to murder, to be un- 
 chaste, to steal, to deceive, 2 etc. 
 
 This hereditary sin is so deep [and horrible] a corruption of 3 
 nature, that no reason can understand it, but it must be [learned 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, ii., xviii. ; Apology, ii., chaj 
 (iii.) ; Formula of Concord, Ep. and Sol. Dec, i. 
 
 1 Rom. 5 : 12, 19. ■ Apology, ii : 7 sq. ; 24 sq. 
 
 41 
 
^22 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 and] believed from the revelation of Scriptures, 1 Ps. 51 : 5 •, 
 Rom. 5 : 12 sqq. ; Ex. 33 : 3 ; Gen. 3 : 7 sqq. Wherefore the 
 dogmas 2 of the scholastic doctors are pure errors and obscura- 
 tions contrary to this article, for by them it is taught : 
 
 That since the fall of Adam the natural powers of man 4 
 have remained entire and incorrupt, and that man by nature 
 has right reason and a good will, as the philosophers teach. 
 Il And that man has a free will to do good and omit evil, 5 
 and, again, to omit good and do evil. 
 
 Also that man by his natural powers can observe and do all 6 
 the commands of God. 
 
 And that, by his natural powers, he can love God above all 7 
 things, and his neighbor as himself. 
 
 Also if a man do as much as is in him, God certainly grants £ 
 to him his grace. 
 
 And if he wish to come to the sacrament, there is no need of 9 
 a good intention to do good, but it is sufficient if he have not 
 a wicked purpose to commit sin ; so entirely good is his nature 
 and so efficacious the sacrament. 
 
 Also that it is not founded upon Scripture that, for a good 10 
 work, the Holy Ghost with his grace is necessary. 
 
 Such and many similar things have arisen from want of un- 1 1 
 derstanding and learning concerning both sins and Christ our 
 Saviour, and they are truly heathen dogmas which we cannot 
 endure. For if these dogmas would be right, Christ has died 
 in vain, since there is in man no sin and misery for which he 
 should have died ; or he would have died only for the body, 
 not for the soul, inasmuch as the soul is entirely sound, and the 
 body only is subject to death. 
 
 II. Of the Law. 
 
 Here we hold that the Law was given by God, first to restrain 1 
 in by threats and the dread of punishment, and by the proin- 
 se and offer of grace and favor. But all these miscarried, on 
 account of the wickedness which sin has wrought in man. 
 For thereby a part were rendered worse, who are hostile to the 2 
 Law, because it forbids those things which they do willingly, 
 and enjoins those things which they do unwillingly. There- 
 fore, if they were not restrained by punishment, they would do 
 more against the Law than before. For these are rude and 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Apology, chap, (iii.), xii. : 88 sq. ; Formula of Con 
 cord, Ep. and Sol. Dec, v., vi. 
 
 1 Formula of Concord, Epit., i. : 8, p. 520. 
 
 1 Aug. Conf., xviii. : 8, p. 43 : Apology, ii. : 8 sq., p. 79. 
 
Part III., Art. III. OF REPENTA.NCE 323 
 
 wicked [unbridled and secure] men, who do evil wherever they 
 
 have the opportunity. 
 
 «5jo The rest are blind and arrogant, and think that they ob-3 
 
 serve and can observe the Law by their own powers, as has 
 been said above concerning the scholastic theologians ; thence 
 come the hypocrites and false saints. 1 
 
 But the chief office or power of the Law is that it reveal 4 
 original sin with all its fruits, and show man how very low his 
 nature has fallen, and that it has become utterly corrupted ; as 
 the Law must tell that man neither has nor cares for God, and 
 adores other gods, a matter which before and without the Law 
 would not have been believed. In this way he becomes terri- 
 fied, is humbled, desponds, despairs and anxiously desires aid; 
 neither does he know whither to flee ; he begins to be enraged 
 at God, and to murmur, etc. This is what Paul says (Rom. 4 : 
 15): " The Law worketh wrath." And Rom. 5 : 20 : " Sin is 
 increased by the Law." [" The Law entered that the offence 
 might abound."] 
 
 III. Of Repentance. 
 
 This office [of the Law] the New Testament retains and 1 
 exercises, as St. Paul (Rom. 1 : 18) does, saying: "The wrath 
 of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and un- 
 righteousness of men." And 3 : 19 : "All the world is guilty 
 before God." " No man is righteous before him." And Christ 
 (John 16 : 8) says: "The Holy Ghost will reprove the world 
 of sin." 
 
 This therefore is a thunderbolt of God, by which he strikes 2 
 manifest sinners and hypocrites in one mass, and declares no 
 one righteous, but forces them all together to terror and de- 
 spair. 2 This is the hammer, as Jeremiah says (23 : 29) : " Is 
 not my Word like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" 
 This is not activa contritio, or manufactured repentance, but 
 vassiva contritio [torture of conscience], true sorrow of heart, 
 suffering and sense of death. 3 
 
 For that is the beginning of true repentance ; and here man 3 
 must hear such a sentence as this : " You are all of no account, 
 whether you be manifest sinners or saints [in your own opinion] ; 
 you all must become different and do otherwise than you now 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, xii. ; Apology, xii. ; chap, (vi.;, 
 16 sq. ; Large Catechism, Baptism, 497, \ 77 sqq. ; Formula of Concord, iv. : 16 
 sq. ; v. : 7 sq. 
 
 1 Cf. Formula of Concord, Sol. Dec, v. : 10, p. 636. 
 * See above, Part III., Art. ii., \ 4. 
 ' Cf. Apology, xii. : 29, p. 254. 
 
324 THE BMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 are and arc doing, be you great, wise, powerful and holy as you 
 may. Here no one is [righteous, holyj, godly," etc. 1 
 
 But to this office the New Testament immediately adds the 4 
 consolatory promise of grace through the Gospel, which must 
 be believed, as Christ declares (Mark 1:15): " Repent and be- 
 lieve the Gospel," i. e. become different and do otherwise, and 
 010 believe my promise. And before him John is named a 5 
 
 preacher of repentance, but "for the remission of sins," i. e. 
 John was to accuse all, and prove that they were sinners, that 
 they might know what they were before God, and might ac- 
 knowledge that they were lost men, and might thus be prepared 
 for the Lord, to receive grace, and to expect and accept from 
 him the remission of sins. Thus Christ also (Luke 24:47)6 
 himself says: "That repentance and remission of sins should 
 be preached in his name among all nations." 
 
 But when the Law alone, without the co-operation of the 7 
 Gospel, exercises this, its office is death and hell, and man must 
 despair, as Saul and Judas ; 2 just as St. Paul (Rom. 7:10) says 
 that through sin the Law killeth. On the contrary, the Gos-8 
 pel brings consolation and remission, not only in one way, but 
 through the Word and sacraments and the like, as we will heal 
 afterward that " with the Lord is plenteous redemption," as Ps. 
 130 : 7 says, against the dreadful captivity of sin. 
 
 We will next contrast the false repentance of tbe sophists 9 
 with true repentance, in order that both may be the hotter un- 
 derstood. 
 
 Of the False Repentance of the Papists 
 
 It was impossible that they should teach correctly concern- io 
 ing repentance, since they did not rightly know what s. ; ds are. 
 For, as has been shown above, 3 they do not believe aright con- 
 cerning original sin, but say that the natural powers of man 
 have remained unimpaired and incorrupt ; that reason can 
 teach aright, and the will can accordingly do aright [those thing? 
 which are taught], that God certainly gives his grace when 9 
 man does only as much as is in him, according to his free will. 
 
 From this dogma it follows that they must repent only for :i 
 actual sins, such as wicked thoughts that are acquiesced in (for 
 wicked emotion [concupiscence, vicious feelings and inclinations], 
 lust and improper dispositions [according to them] are not sins), 
 and for wicked words and deeds, which the free will couM 
 readily have omitted. And to such repentance they fix three . 1 
 parts, contrition, confession and satisfaction, with this consola- 
 
 1 Cf. Rom. 3 : 10-12. 
 
 * Apology, xii., 8, p. 168. 
 
 • See above, Part III., i., 4 sq., p. 310. 
 
Part m., Art. III. OF REPENTANCE. 325 
 
 lion and promise added : If man truly repent, confess, render 
 satisfaction, he thereby merits forgiveness, and settles for his 
 «14 sins with God. Thus in repentance men were instructed 
 
 to repose confidence in their own works. Hence the ex- 13 
 pression originated, which was employed in the pulpit when 
 public absolution was announced to the people : " Prolong, O 
 God, my life, until I shall make satisfaction for my sins and 
 amend my life." 
 
 Here neither Christ nor faith was mentioned ; but they 14 
 fioped, by their own works, to overcome and efface sins before 
 God. And with this intention we became priests and monks, 
 that we might array ourselves against sin. 
 
 As to contrition, the state of the case was this: Since no one it 
 could retain all his sins in memory (especially as committed 
 through an entire year), they inserted this provision, viz. that 
 if the remembrance of a concealed sin should perhaps return, 
 this also should be repented of and confessed, etc. Meanwhile 
 they were commended to the grace of God. 
 
 Since also no one could know how great the contrition ought 16 
 to be which would be sufficient before God, they gave this con- 
 solation : He who could not have contrition, at least ought to 
 have attrition, which I may call a half or beginning of contri- 
 tion. Both these terms every one of them has understood, 
 and now knows, as little as I. 1 Such attrition is reckoned as 
 contrition to those going to confession. 
 
 And when any one said that he could not have contrition, or 17 
 could not lament his sins (as might have occurred in illicit love 
 or the desire for revenge, etc.), they asked whether he did not 
 wish or desire to lament. When one would reply Yes (for who, 
 save the devil himself, would here say No ?), they accepted this 
 as contrition, and forgave him his sins on account of this good 
 work of his [which they adorned with the name of contrition]. 
 Here they cite the example of Bernard, etc. 
 
 Here we see how blind reason, in matters pertaining to God, 18 
 gropes about, and, according to its own imagination, seeks for 
 consolation in its own works, and cannot think of Christ and 
 faith. But if it be considered in the light, this contrition is a 
 manufactured and fictitious thought [or imagination], derived 
 from man's own powers, without faith and without the know- 
 ledge of Christ. And in it, sometimes the poor sinner, when 
 he reflected upon his own lust and desire for revenge, would 
 have laughed, rather than wept, except one who either has 
 been struck by [the lightning of] the Law, or has been vainly 
 01c vexed by the devil with a sorrowful spirit. Such contri- 
 tion is certainly mere hypocrisy, and has not mortified 
 
 1 Apology, chap, (vi.) : 81, p. 201. 
 
326 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 the lust for sins [flames of lust] ; for they must grieve, even 
 though, if it had been free to them, they would have preferred 
 to sin. 
 
 With confession it stood thus : Every one must enumerate 15 
 all his sins (which is an impossible thing). This was a great 
 torment. But if any one had forgotten some sins, he would 
 be absolved on the condition that if they would occur to him 
 he must still confess them. Thereby he could never know 
 whether he had confessed sufficiently, or when the confession 
 would ever have an end. Yet they were pointed to their own 
 works, and comforted thus : The more perfectly one confesses, 
 and the more he is ashamed of himself and blames himself to 
 the priest, the sooner and better he renders satisfaction for his 
 sins ; for such humility certainly earns grace before God. 
 
 Here there was no faith or Christ, and the virtue of the 20 
 absolution was not declared to him, but upon the enumeration 
 of sins and the shame depended the consolation. What tor- 
 ture, rascality and idolatry such confession has produced can- 
 not be enumerated. 
 
 But the satisfaction is most indefinite [involved] of all. For 21 
 no man could know how much to render for a single sin, to say 
 nothing for all. Here they have resorted to the device of a 
 small satisfaction, which could indeed be rendered, as five Pa- 
 ternosters, a day's fast, etc. ; for the rest of the repentance they 
 point to purgatory. 
 
 Here also there was extreme misery. For some thought that 22 
 they would get out of purgatory, because, according to the old 
 canons, seven years' repentance belongs to a single mortal sin. 
 Nevertheless confidence was placed upon our work of satisfac- 23 
 tion, and if the satisfaction could have been perfect, confidence 
 would have been placed in it entirely, and neither faith nor 
 Christ would have been of use. But this was impossible. If 
 my one had repented in that way for a hundred years, he would 
 t;till not have known whether he had repented enough. This 
 is always to repent and never to come to repentance. 
 qi R Here now the holy See at Rome came to the aid of the 24 
 
 poor Church, and invented indulgences, whereby it remitted 
 and waived [expiation or] satisfaction, first, for a single year, 
 for seven years, for a hundred years, and distributed them 
 among the cardinals and bishops, so that one could grant in- 
 dulgence for a hundred years, and another for a hundred days. 
 But it reserved to itself alone the power to waive all the sat- 
 isfaction. 
 
 Since now this began to yield money, and the traffic in bulls 25 
 was profitable, it devised a golden jubilee year [a truly gold- 
 bearing year], and fixed it at Rome. It called this the remis- 
 sion of all punishment and guilt. Thither the people ran, be- 
 
Part III., Art. III. OF REPENTANCE. 327 
 
 cause every one wished to be freed from a grievous, insupport- 
 able burden. This was to find and raise the treasures of the 
 earth. 
 
 Immediately the Pope pressed still further, and multiplied 
 the golden years one upon another. But the more he devoured 
 money, the wider did his jaws open. Therefore by his legates 
 these years were published [everywhere] in the countries, until 
 all churches and houses were full of the jubilee. At length 26 
 he resorted to purgatory among the dead, first by establishing 
 masses and vigils, afterwards by indulgences and a golden year, 
 and finally souls became so cheap that he released one for a 
 farthing. 
 
 Nevertheless even this is not half. For although the Pope 2? 
 taught men to depend upon, and trust in, these indulgences for 
 salvation, yet he rendered the whole matter again uncertain. 
 For in his bulls he puts it thus : He who wishes to become 
 participant in the indulgences of a year of jubilee, ought to be 
 contrite, and to have confessed, and to pay money. Moreover 
 we have heard above that this contrition and confession are 
 with them uncertain and hypocrisy. Likewise also no one 
 knew what soul was in purgatory, and if some were therein, 
 no one knew who had repented and confessed aright. There- 
 fore he took the coveted money, and comforted them mean- 
 while with his power and indulgence, and pointed them again 
 to their uncertain work. 
 
 If now there were some who did not regard themselves 28 
 guilty of such actual sins in thoughts, words and works (as I 
 and my like, in monasteries and chapters, wished to be monks 
 and priests, and by fasting, watching, praying, saying Mass, 
 harsh clothing and hard beds to protect ourselves from evil 
 0-1,- spirits, and with heart and soul to be holy), yet the hered- 
 itary, inborn evil sometimes in sleep did that (as also St. 
 Augustine and Jerome among others confess) which is its na- 
 ture. Nevertheless each one was regarded by the others as so 
 holy, as we taught, without sin and full of good works, that 
 we could communicate and sell our good works to others, as 
 being superfluous to us for heaven. This is indeed true, and 
 seals, letters and illustrations are it hand. 
 
 Such as these did not need repentance. For of what would 25 
 they repent, as they had not acquiesced in the wicked thoughts? 
 What would they confess [concerning words not uttered], as 
 they had avoided the expression? For what should they ren- 
 der satisfaction, as they were so guiltless of any deed that they 
 could even sell their superfluous righteousness to other poor 
 sinners? Such saints were also the Pharisees and Scribes in 
 the time of Christ. 
 
 Here comes the fiery ange], St. John, the true preacher of $c 
 
328 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 repentance, and strikes with one bolt all of both classes [those 
 selling and those buying works] in one mass, and says: "Re- 
 pent" (Matt. 3 : 2). Thus the former imagine : We neverthe- 31 
 less have repented. The latter: We need no repentance. John 32 
 says : Repent ye all, for ye are false penitents ; so are these 
 false saints, and all of both classes need the forgiveness of sins, 
 because ye all still know not what true sin is, to be silent as 
 to your obligation to repent and escape from it. For no one 
 of you is good; you are full of unbelief, stupidity and igno- 
 rance of God and God's will. For here he is present: "Of 
 whose fulness have all we received, and grace for grace" (John 
 1 : 16), and without him no man can be just before God. 
 Wherefore if you wish to repent, repent aright ; your repent- 
 ance is nothing. And you hypocrites, who do not need repent- 
 ance, you generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from 
 the wrath to come ? etc. (Matt. 3:7; Luke 3 : 7). 
 
 In the same way Paul also preaches (Rom. 3: 10-12) .-33 
 "There is none righteous, there is none that understandeth, 
 there is none that seeketh after God, there is none that doetli 
 good, no not one ; they are all gone out of the way ; they are 
 together become unprofitable." And Acts 17 : 30 : " God now 34 
 commandeth all men everywhere to repent." " All men," he 
 says; no one excepted who is a man. This repentance teaches 35 
 q-jo us to discern sin, viz. that we are altogether lost, and that 
 with us, both within and without, there is nothing good, 
 and that we ought absolutely to become other and new men. 
 
 This repentance is not partial and beggarly [incomplete], such 36 
 as is that for actual sins, nor is it even as uncertain as that. 
 For it does not dispute as to whether there is or is not sin, but 
 it overthrows everything in a mass, and affirms that with respect 
 to us, all is nothing but sin. For why do we wish longer to 
 investigate, to divide or distinguish ? Therefore, this contri- 
 tion also is not uncertain. For nothing remains there by which 
 we can think of any good thing to pay for sin, but we only de- 
 spair concerning all things that w r e are, that we think, that we 
 speak and do, etc. 
 
 Likewise the confession also cannot be false, uncertain or 37 
 partial. For he who confesses that all in him is nothing but 
 sin, comprehends all sins, excludes none, forgets none. So also 38 
 the satisfaction cannot be uncertain, because it is not an uncer- 
 tain, sinful work of ours, but it is the suffering and blood of 
 the innocent Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the 
 world. 
 
 Of this repentance John preaches ; and afterwards Christ in 3$ 
 the Gospel, and we also. By this preaching of repentance we 
 dash to the ground the Pope and everything that is built upon 
 our good works. For all are built upon a rotten and vain 
 
Krt ill., Art. III. OF REPENTANCE. 329 
 
 foundation, which is called a good work or law, even though no 
 good work be there, but only wicked works, and no one does 
 the Law (as Christ, John 7:19, says), but all transgress it. 
 Therefore the building is nothing but falsehood and hypocrisy, 
 even [in the part] where it is most holy and beautiful. 
 
 This repentance in Christians continues until death, because, 4a 
 through the entire life, it contends with sin remaining in the 
 flesh, as Paul (Rom. 7 : 14-25) shows, that he wars with the 
 law in his members, etc. ; and this not by his own powers, but 
 by the gift of the Holy Ghost that follows the remission of 
 bins. This gift daily cleanses and purges the remaining sins, 
 and works so as to render man pure and holy. Hereof the 41 
 Pope, the theologians, the jurists, and every other man know 
 01 n nothing [from their own reason], but it is a doctrine from 
 heaven revealed through the Gospel, and is proclaimed as 
 heresy by the godless saints. 
 
 But if certain sectarists would arise, some of whom are per- 42 
 haps already present, and in the time of the insurrection of the 
 peasants came to my view, holding that all those who have once 
 received the Spirit or the forgiveness of sins, or have become 
 believers, even though they would afterwards sin, would still 
 remain in the faith, and sin would not injure them, and cry 
 thus: a Do whatever you please; if you believe, it is all 
 nothing ; faith blots out all sins," l etc. — They say, besides, that 
 if any one sins after he has received faith and the Spirit, he 
 never truly had the Spirit and faith. I have seen and heard 
 of many men so insane, and I fear that such a devil is still re- 
 maining in some. — 
 
 If, therefore, I say, such persons would hereafter also arise, 43 
 it is necessary to know and teach that if saints who still have 
 and feel original sin, and also daily repent, and strive with it, 
 fall in some way into manifest sins, as David into adultery, 
 murder and blasphemy, faith and the Holy Ghost are then ab- 
 sent from them [they cast out faith and the Holy Ghost]. 
 For the Holy Ghost does not permit sin to have dominion, to 14 
 gain the upper hand so as to be completed, but represses and 
 restrains it so that it must not do what it wishes. But if it do 
 what it wishes, the Holy Ghost and faith are not there present. 
 For St. John says (1 Ep. 3:9): " Whosoever is born of God a; 
 doth not commit sin, .... and he cannot sin." And yet that 
 is also the truth which the same St. John says (1 Ep. 1:8): 
 " If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the 
 !ruth is not in us." 
 
 1 Antinomians ; cf. Form, of Con., v. : 15, p. 636. 
 42 
 
330 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 IV. Of the Gospel. 
 
 We will now return to the Gospel, which not merely in one 
 way gives us counsel and aid against sin; for God is super- 
 abundantly rich in his grace. First, through the spoken AVord 
 by which the forgiveness of sins is preached in the whole 
 world; which is the peculiar office of the Gospel. Secondly, 
 through baptism. Thirdly, through the holy sacrament of the 
 altar. Fourthly, through the power of the keys, and also 
 through the mutual conversation and consolation of brethren, 
 Matt. 18 : 20 : " Where two or three are gathered together," etc. 
 
 320 V. Of Bajrism. 
 
 Baptism is nothing else than the Word of God [with mer- i 
 sion] in the water, commanded by his institution, or as Paul 
 says : " A washing in the Word ;" just as Augustine also says : 
 " The Word comes to the element, and it becomes a sacrament." 
 Therefore, we do not hold with Thomas and the monastic 2 
 preachers or Dominicans, who forget the Word (God's institu- 
 tion) and say that God has imparted to the water a spiritual 
 power, which, through the water, washes away sin. Nor do 3 
 we agree with Scotus and the Barefooted monks [Minorites or 
 Franciscan monks], who teach that, by the assistance of the di- 
 vine will, baptism washes away sins, and that this ablution oc- 
 curs only through the will of God, and by no means through 
 the Word and water. 
 
 Of the baptism of children, we hold that children ought to 4 
 be baptized. For they belong to the promised redemption 
 made through Christ, and the Church should administer it to 
 them. 
 
 VI. Of the Sacrament of the Altar. 
 
 Of the sacrament of the altar we hold that bread and wine 1 
 in the Supper are the true body and blood of Christ, and are 
 given and received not only by the godly, but also by wicked 
 Christians. 
 
 And that not only one form is to be given. For we do not 2 
 need that high art which teaches us that under the one form 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Art. IV: Apology iv., 48 sq., chap, (iii.), 62; For 
 mala of Concord, Ep. and Sol. Dec, v. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Art. V. : Augsburg Confession, ix. ; Apology, ix ; 
 Small Catechism, 361 ; Large Catechism, 384, 485 ; Formula of Concord, Ep. 
 xii., 6 sq. ; Sol. Dec, xii., 11 sq. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Art. VI. : Augsburg Confession, x., xxii. Apology, 
 x., xxii. ; Small Catechism, 365 ; Large Catechism, 499 ; Formula of Concord 
 Epi;. and Sol. Dec, vii. 
 
Part 111., Art. VIIL OF CONFESSION 331 
 
 there is as much as under both, as the sophists and Council of 
 Constance teach. 
 
 For although it may perhaps be true that there is as much 3 
 under one as under both, yet the one form is not the entire 
 ordinance and institution established and commanded by Christ. 
 And we especially condemn, and in God's name execrate, those 4 
 who not only omit both forms, but also tyrannically prohibit, 
 condemn and blaspheme them as heresy, and so exalt them- 
 selves against and above Christ, our Lord and God, etc. 
 
 We care nothing about the sophistical subtlety concerning 5 
 transubstantiation, by which they teach that bread and wine 
 leave or lose their own natural substance, and remain only the 
 appearance and color of bread, and not true bread. For it 
 agrees best with Holy Scripture that the bread be and remain 
 there, as Paul himself calls it (1 Cor. 10:16): "The bread 
 which we break." And (1 Cor. 11 : 28) : " Let him so eat of 
 that bread." 
 
 321 VII. Of the Keys. 
 
 The keys are an office and power given by Christ to the 1 
 Church for binding and loosing sins, not only such as are gross 
 and well known, but also such as are subtle, hidden, and known 
 only to God, as it is written in Ps. 19:13: " Who can under- 
 stand his errors?" And in Rom. 7:25, St. Paul complains 
 that with the flesh he serves the law of sin. For it is not in 2 
 our power, but belongs to God alone, to judge what, how great 
 and how many are sins, as it is written in Ps. 144 (143 : 2) : 
 " Enter not into judgment with thy servant ; for in thy sight 
 shall no man living be justified." And Paul (1 Cor. 4 : 4) says : 3 
 " For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified ?" 
 
 VIII. Of Confession, 
 
 Since absolution or the power of the keys is also a consola- 1 
 ion and aid against sin and a bad conscience, appointed by 
 Christ himself in the Gospel, Confession or absolution ought by 
 no means to be abolished in the Church, especially on account 
 of [tender and] timid consciences and uncultivated youth, in 
 order that they may be heard, and instructed in Christian doc- 
 trine. 
 
 But the enumeration of sins ought to be free to every one, 2 
 as to what he wishes to enumerate or not to enumerate. For 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Art. VII.: Augsburg Confession, Art. xxv/ii. ; Apol- 
 ogy, Arts, xi., xii., 39 sq. ; xxviii. ; Smalcald Articles, 333, 24, 68. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Art. VIII.: Augsburg Confession, Arts, xi., xxv. ; 
 Apology, Art. xi., xii., chap, (vi.) ; Smalcald Articles, Part II., Art. iii., g 19 ; 
 Small Catechism, 363. 
 
332 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 as long as wo arc in the flesh, we will not lie when we say: 
 " I am a poor man, full of sins." Rom. 7:23: "I see an- 
 other law in my members," etc. For since private absolution 
 arises from the office of the keys, it should not be neglected, 
 but must be esteemed of the greatest worth, just as all other 
 offices also of the Christian Church. 
 
 And in those things which concern the spoken, outward 3 
 Word, we must firmly hold that God grants his Spirit or grace 
 to no one, except through or with the preceding outward Word. 
 Thereby we are protected against enthusiasts, i. e. spirits who 
 boast that they have the Spirit without and before the Word, 
 and accordingly judge Scripture or the spoken Word, and explain 
 and stretch it at their pleasure, as Miinzer did, and many still 
 do at the present day; they wish to be acute judges between 
 the Spirit and the letter, and yet know not what they say or 
 propose. Because the Papacy also is nothing but enthusiasm, 4 
 by which the Pope boasts that all laws exist in the shrine of 
 onn his heart, and whatever he decides and commands in his 
 churches is spirit and law, even though it be above and 
 contrary to Scripture and the spoken Word. 
 
 All this is the old devil and old serpent, who also converted 5 
 Adam and Eve into enthusiasts, and led them from the outward 
 "Word of God to spiritualism and self-conceit, and nevertheless 
 he effected this through other outward words. Just so our en- 6 
 thusiasts [at the present day] condemn the outward Word, and 
 nevertheless they themselves are not silent, but they fill the 
 world with their pratings and writings, as though indeed the 
 Spirit were unable to come through the w r ritings and spoken 
 word of apostles, but he must come through their writings and 
 words. Why therefore do not they also omit their own sermons 
 and writings, until the Spirit himself come to men, without 
 their writings and before them, as they boast that they have re- 
 ceived the Spirit without the preaching of the Scriptures? But 
 of these matters there is not time now to dispute at greater 
 length ; we have heretofore paid sufficient attention to this 
 subject. 1 
 
 For even those who believe before baptism, or become belie v- 7 
 ing in baptism, believe through the outward Word that precedes, 
 os the adults, who have come to reason, must first have heard : 
 " He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved," even 
 though they are at first unbelieving, and receive the Spirit and 
 baptism ten years afterwards. Cornelius (Acts 10 : 1 sqq.) had 8 
 heard long before among the Jews of the coming Messiah, 
 through whom he was righteous before God, and in such faith 
 
 1 E. g. Luther's Exposition of Gospel of John, Luther's Works, Walch's 
 ed.,vii., p. 1149 sq., 2225, 2327 ; fceckendorf's History, 3 : 166. 
 
Part III., Art. X. OF ORDINATION. 333 
 
 his prayers and alms were acceptable to God (as Luke calls him 
 devout and fearing God), and without such preceding Word 
 and hearing could not have believed or been righteous. But 
 St. Peter had to reveal to him that the Messiah (in whom, as 
 one that was to come, he had hitherto believed) had already 
 come, and his faith in the coming Messiah did not hold him 
 captive among the hardened and unbelieving Jews, but he 
 knew that he was now to be saved by a present Messiah, and 
 he neither denied nor persecuted him, as did the Jews. 
 
 In a word, enthusiasm inheres in Adam and his children 9 
 from the beginning to the end of the world ; its poison has been 
 implanted and infused into them by the old dragon, and is the 
 origin, power and strength of all heresy, especially of that of 
 the Papacy and Mahomet. Therefore in regard to this we 10 
 ought and must constantly maintain that God does not wish to 
 deal with us otherwise than through the spoken Word and the 
 sacraments, and that whatever without the Word and sacraments 
 is extolled as spirit is the devil himself. For God also wished 11 
 000 to appear to Moses through the burning bush and spoken 
 Word ; and no prophet, neither Elijah nor Elisha, received 
 the Spirit without the Ten Commandments or spoken Word. 
 Neither was John the Baptist conceived without the preceding 
 word of Gabriel, nor did he leap in his mother's womb without 
 the voice of Mary.. And Peter says (2 Ep. 1:21): "The 12 
 prophecy came not by the will of man ; but holy men of God 
 spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Without the 
 outward Word they were not holy, neither as unholy did the 
 Holy Ghost move them to speak ; but they were holy Peter 
 says, when the Holy Ghost spake through them. 
 
 IX. Of Excommunication, 
 
 The greater excommunication, as the Pope calls it, we regard 
 only as a civil penalty, and not pertaining to us ministers of 
 the Church. But the less is true Christian excommunication, 
 which prohibits manifest and obstinate sinners from the sacra- 
 ment and other communion of the Church until they are re- 
 formed and avoid sin. And ministers ought not to confound 
 this ecclesiastical punishment or excommunication with civi' 
 penalties. 
 
 X. Of Ordination and the Call. 
 
 If the bishops were true bishops, and would devote them- 1 
 selves to the Church and the Gospel, they might be allowed, 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Art. IX. : Augsburg Confession, xxviii. ; Apology 
 xxviii. : 13, 14 ; Sraalcald Articles, 342 : 74. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Art. X.: Augsburg Confession, v., xiv. ; Apology 
 xiv. ; Smalcald Articles, 340 sqq. ; Small Catechism, 369 sqq. 
 
o3i THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 c or the sake of love and unity, and not from necessity, to or- 
 dain and confirm us and our preachers ; nevertheless, under 
 the condition that all masks and phantoms [deceptions, absur- 
 dities and appearances] of unchristian nature and display be 
 laid aside. Yet because they neither are nor wish to be true i 
 bishops, but worldly lords and princes, who will neither preach, 
 nor teach, nor baptize, nor administer the Lord's Supper, nor 
 perform any work or office of the Church, but persecute and 
 condemn those who being; called discharge this duty ; for their 
 sake the Church ought not to remain without ministers. 
 
 Therefore, as the ancient examples of the Church and the 3 
 Fathers teach us, we ourselves will and ought to ordain suit- 
 able persons to this office; and (even according to their own 
 laws) they have not the right to forbid or prevent us. For 
 their laws say that those ordained even by heretics should be 
 regarded and remain as ordained, as St. Jerome writes of the 
 Church at Alexandria, that at first it was governed in common 
 by the bishops through the priests and preachers. 
 
 324 XI. Of the Marriage of Priests. 
 
 In prohibiting marriage, and burdening the divine order of 1 
 priests with perpetual celibacy, they have neither reason nor 
 right, but have treated it as antichristian, tyrannical, sceptical 
 scoundrels, and have afforded occasion for all kinds of horrible, 
 abominable sins of impurity, in which they still wallow. But 2 
 just as the power has been given neither to us nor to them to 
 make a woman out of a man, or man out of a woman, or to 
 annihilate both, so also it has not been given them ; so also 
 power has not been given them to sunder and separate such 
 creatures of God, or to forbid them from living honorably in 
 marriage with one another. Therefore we are unwilling to 3 
 assent to their abominable celibacy, nor will we even tolerate 
 it, but we wish to have marriage free as God has instituted and 
 appointed it, and we wish neither to rescind nor hinder his 
 work ; for Paul says that this prohibition of marriage is a doc- 
 trine of devils (1 Tim. 4 : 1 sqq.). 
 
 XII. Of the Church. 
 
 We do not acknowledge them as the Church, and they are 1 
 not [because in truth they are not the Church] ; we also will 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Art. XI.: Augsburg Confession, xxiii. ; Apology 
 xxiii. ; Large Catechism, 424 sq. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Art. XII.: Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, Augsburg 
 Confession, vii., xv. ; Apology, vii. ; Small Catechism, 358; Large Catechism, 
 456 sqq.; Formula of Concord, Sol. Dec, x., 19 sq. 
 
£ 
 
 Part III., Art. XIV. OF MONASTIC VOWS. 33 
 
 not listen to those things which, under the name of Church, 
 they either enjoin or forbid. For, thank God, to-day a child 7 
 seven years old knows what the Church is, viz. saints, believers 
 and lambs who hear the voice of their Shepherd. For the chil- 
 dren repeat : " I believe in one holy [Catholic or] Christian 
 Church." This holiness does not consist in an alb, a tonsure, 3 
 a long gown and other of their ceremonies devised by them 
 beyond Holy Scripture, but consists in the Word of God and 
 true faith. 
 
 XIII. How Man is Justified before God, and of Good Works. 
 
 What I have hitherto and constantly taught concerning this 1 
 I cannot in the least change, viz. that by faith (as St. Peter says) 
 we acquire a new and clean heart, and God accounts, and will 
 account us righteous and holy, for the sake of Christ, our Medi- 
 ator. And although sin in the flesh has not been altogether 
 removed and become dead, yet he will not punish or regard 
 this. 
 
 For good works follow this faith, renewal and forgiveness 2 
 of sins. And that in them which is still sinful and imperfect 
 is not accounted as sin and defect, even for Christ's sake ; but 
 one the entire man, both as to his person and his works, is and 
 is called just and holy, from pure grace and mercy, shed 
 upon us [unfolded] and displayed in Christ. Wherefore we 3 
 cannot boast of our many merits and works, if they be viewed 
 apart from grace and mercy, but as it is written, (1 Cor. 1 : 31) : 
 M He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord," viz. that he has 
 1 gracious God. For thus all is well. We say besides that if 
 ^ood works do not follow, faith is false and not true. 
 
 XIV. Of Monastic Vows. 
 
 As monastic vows directly conflict with the first chief arti- 1 
 ^le, 1 they ought to be absolutely abolished. For it is of them 
 that Christ says (Matt. 24 : 5, 23 sqq.) : " I am Christ," etc. 
 For he who makes a vow to live in a monastery believes that 2 
 he will enter upon a mode of life holier than the ordinary 
 Christians, and by his own works wishes to earn heaven not 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Art. XIII.: Augsburg Confession, iv., vl., xi.; 
 Apology, ii. (iii.), xx. ; Sraalcald Articles, Part II., Art. i. ; Formula of Con- 
 cord, Epit. and Sol. Dec, iii., iv. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Art. XIV. : Augsburg Confession, xxvii. ; Apology, 
 xvi., xxvii.; Smalcald Articles, Part II., Art. iii. Cf. Luther: "De Votis Mo- 
 nasticis," Wittenberg, 1521. 
 
 1 See Smalcald Articles, Part II. y Art. i., f 1. 
 
336 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 only for himself, but also for others; this is to !eny Christ 
 And they boast from their St. Thomas that a monastic vow is i 
 on an equality with baptism. 1 This is blasphemy against God. 
 
 XV. Of Human Traditions. 
 
 The declaration of the Papists that human traditions serve i 
 for the remission of sins, or merit salvation, is altogether un- 
 christian and condemned, as Christ says (Matt. 15:9): "In 
 vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the command- 
 ments of men." And Tit. 1 : 14 : " That turn from the truth." 
 Also their declaration that it is a mortal sin if one do not ob- 2 
 serve these statutes, is not right. 
 
 These are the articles on which I must stand; and if God 3 
 so will I shall stand even to my death. And I do not know 
 how to change or to concede anything in them. If any one 
 else will concede anything, he will do it at the expense of his 
 conscience. 
 
 Lastly, the Pope's bundle of impostures still remains, con- 4 
 cerning foolish and childish articles, as the dedication of 
 churches, the baptism of bells, the baptism of the altar-stone, 
 with its godfathers to pray and offer gifts. Such baptism is 
 administered to the reproach and mockery of holy baptism, 
 and should not be tolerated. Afterwards, concerning the con- 5 
 secration of wax tapers, palm-branches, cakes, spices, oats, etc., 
 which nevertheless cannot be called consecrations, but are noth- 
 oon ing but mockery and fraud. There are infinite other such 
 deceptions, which we commit to their god, and which 
 may be adored by them, until they are weary of them. We 
 will not be confused by [ought to have nothing to do with] 
 them. 
 
 Dr. Martin Luther subscribed. 
 
 Dr. Justus Jonas, Rector, subscribed. 
 
 Dr. John Bugenhagen, Pomeranus subscriled. 
 
 Dr. Caspar Creutziger subscribed. 
 
 Niclas Amsdorf of Magdeburg subscribed. 
 
 George Spalatine of Altenburg subscribed. 
 
 I, Philip Melanchthon, approve the above articles as 
 right and Christian. But of the Pope, I hold that if 
 he would allow the Gospel, for the sake of the peace 
 and general unity of Christians, who are now under 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, xv., xxvi. ; Apology, vii., 30 sq.. 
 xr. ; Formula of Concord, Epitome and Sol. Dec, x. 
 
 1 Apology, xxvii., \ 20. Luther wrote on the margin of the Apology 
 ' Blasphemy of St. Thomas." 
 
SUBSCRIPTIONS. 337 
 
 hirn, and may be under him hereafter, the superiority 
 over bishops which he has in other respects could be 
 allowed to him, according to human right, also by us. 
 
 John Agricola of Eisleben subscribed. 
 
 Gabriel Didymus subscribed. 
 
 I, Dr. Urban Rhegius, Superintendent of the churches 
 in the Duchy of Luneburg, subscribe my name and the 
 names of my brethren, and of the Church of Hanover. 
 
 I, Stephen Agricola, Minister at Hof, subscribe. 
 
 Also I, John Draconites, Professor and Minister at Mar- 
 burg. 
 
 I, Conrad Figenbotz, for the glory of God subscribe that 
 I have thus believed, and am still preaching and firmly 
 believing as above. 
 
 I, Andrew Osiander of Niirnberg, subscribe. 
 
 I, M. Veit Dieterich, Minister at Niirnberg, subscribe. 
 
 I, Erhard Schnepf, Preacher at Stuttgart, subscribe. 
 
 Conrad Oetinger, Preacher of Duke Ulrich at Pforzheim. 
 
 Simon Schneeweis, Pastor of the Church at Crailsheim. 
 
 I, John Schlainhauffen, Pastor of the Church at 
 Koethen, subscribe. 
 
 M. George Helt of Forchheim. 
 
 M. Adam of Fiilda, 1 -r, i • tj 
 
 « A r\ r Preachers in Hesse. 
 
 M. Anthony Corvinus, j 
 
 I, John Bugenhagen, Pomeranus, 1 Doctor, again sub 
 scribe in the name of M. John Brentz, as on depart- 
 ing from Smalcald he directed me orally and by a letter 
 which I have shown to these brethren who have sub- 
 scribed. 
 
 I, Dionysius Melander, subscribe to the Confession, the 
 Apology, and the Concordia on the subject of the Eu- 
 charist. 
 
 Paul Rhodius, Superintendent of Stettin. 
 
 Gerard Oeniken, Superintendent of the Church at Min- 
 den. 
 
 I, Brixius North anus, Minister of the Church of Christ 
 which is at Soest, subscribe to the Articles of the rev 
 erend Father, Martin Luther, and confess that hitherto 
 I have thus believed and taught, and by the Spirit 1 
 will continue thus to believe and teach. 
 
 Michael Coelius, Preacher at Mansfeldt, subscribed. 
 no- M. Peter Geltner, Preacher at Frankfort, subscribed. 
 ( Wendal Faber, Pastor of Seeburg in Mansfeldt. 
 
 I, John iEpiNUS, subscribe. 
 
 Likewise, I, John Amsterdam 2 of Bremen. 
 
 1 Native <>f Pomerania. - John Timann, native of Amsterdam ami pastor of 
 St. Martin's, Bremen. 
 
 43 
 
338 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 I, Frederick Myconius, Pastor of the Church at Gotha 
 
 in Thnringia, subscribe in my own name, and in thai 
 
 of Justus Menius of Eisenach. 
 I, John Lang, D., and Preacher of the Church at Erfurt, 
 
 in my own name, and in that of my other co-workera 
 
 in the Gospel, viz. : 
 Licentiate Ludwig Platz of Melsungen. 
 
 M. SlGISMUND KlRCHNER. 
 
 M. Wolfgang Kismetter. 
 
 M. Melchior Weitman. 
 
 M. John Tale. 
 
 M. John Killian. 
 
 M. Nicholas Faber. 
 
 M. Andrew Menser, I subscribe with my hand. 
 
 And I, Egidius Mechler, have subscribed with my hand. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 328 OF THE POWER AND PRIMACY OF THE POPE. 
 Treatise Written by the Theologians assembled at Smalcald, 1 in 
 the year MDXXXVIL 
 
 The Roman pontiff claims for himself that by divine right i 
 he is above all bishops and pastors [in all Christendom]. 
 
 Secondly, he adds also that by divine right he has both 2 
 swords, i. e. the right of bestowing and transferring kingdoms. 
 
 And thirdly, he says that to believe this is necessary for sal- 3 
 vation. And for these reasons the Roman bishop calls him- 
 self the vicar of Christ on earth. 
 
 These three articles we hold to be false, godless, tyrannical 4 
 and pernicious to the Church. 
 
 In order, moreover, that our affirmation may be understood, 5 
 we will first define what they call to be above all by divine 
 right. For they mean that he is universal, or as they say oecu- 
 menical bishop, i. e. from whom all bishops and pastors through- 
 out the entire world ought to seek ordination and confirmation, 
 whc has the right of electing, ordaining, confirming, deposing 
 all bishops [and pastors]. Besides this, he claims for himself 6 
 the authority to frame laws concerning services, concerning 
 changing the sacraments and concerning doctrine, and wishes 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Art. xxviii.; Apology, Art 
 vii., 23 sqq., xxviii.; Smalcald Articles, Part, II., Art. iv.; Part III., Art. viii. 
 \ 4 sqq ; Art. x. 
 
Appendix. POWER AND PRIMACY OF THE POPE. 339 
 
 nis articles, his decrees, his laws to be regarded equal to the 
 divine laws, i. e. he holds that, by the Papal laws, the con- 
 sciences of men are so bound that those who neglect them, 
 even without public offence, sin mortally [that they cannot be 
 discontinued without sin. For he wishes to found this power 
 upon divine right and the Holy Scriptures; yea, he wishes 
 that they be preferred to the Holy Scriptures and God's com- 
 mands]. And it is still more horrible that he adds that be- 
 lief in all these things belongs to the necessity of salvation. 
 
 329 I. Of the First Article. 
 
 A. From the Gospel. 
 
 First, therefore, we will show from the Gospel that the Ro- 7 
 man bishop is not by divine right above other bishops and 
 pastors. 
 
 Luke 22 : 25. Christ expressly prohibits lordship among 8 
 the apostles [that any apostle should have the pre-eminence 
 over the rest]. For this was the very question which they 
 were disputing when Christ spake of his passion, viz. who 
 should command, and be as it were the vicar of the absent 
 Christ. There Christ reproves this error of the apostles, and 
 teaches that there shall not be lordship or superiority among 
 them, but that the apostles would be sent forth as equals to the 
 common ministry of the Gospel. Accordingly, he says : " The 
 kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them ; and they 
 that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors, but 
 ye shall not be so ; but he that is greatest among you, let him 
 be as the younger ; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve." 
 The antithesis here shows that lordship is disapproved. 
 
 The same is taught by the parable when Christ in the same 
 dispute concerning the kingdom (Matt. 18 : 2) sets a little child 
 in the midst, signifying that among ministers there is not to 
 be sovereignty, just as a child neither takes nor seeks sove- 
 reignty for himself. 
 
 John 20 : 21. Christ sends forth his disciples on an equality 9 
 without any distinction when he says : " As my Father hath 
 sent me, even so send I you." He says that he sends indi- 
 viduals in the same manner as he himself was sent ; and hence 
 grants a prerogative or lordship to no one above the rest. 
 
 Gal. 2 : 7 sq. Paul manifestly affirms that he was neither 10 
 ordained nor confirmed by Peter, nor does he acknowledge 
 Peter to be one from whom confirmation should be sought. 
 And ho expressly contends from this circumstance that his call 
 qoq does not depend upon the authority of Peter. But he 
 ought to have acknowledged Peter as a superior if bv di- 
 
340 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 vine right Peter was superior. Paul accordingly says tha\ ne 
 liad at once preached the Gospel without consulting Peter. 
 Also: " Of those who seemed to be somewhat (whatsoever they 
 were, it maketh no matter to me ; God accepteth no man's per- 
 son). " And : " They who seemed to be somewhat in confer- 
 ence added nothing to me." Since Paul therefore clearly testi- 
 fies that he did not even wish to seek for the confirmation of 
 Peter, even when he had come to him, he teaches that the au- 
 thority of the ministry depends upon the Word of God, and 
 that Peter was not superior to the other apostles, and that ordi- 
 nation or confirmation was not to be sought from Peter alone 
 [that the office of the ministry proceeds from the general call 
 of the apostles, and that it is not necessary for all to have the 
 call or confirmation of this person alone]. 
 
 In 1 Cor. 3 : 6, Paul makes ministers equal, and teaches that i . 
 the Church is above the ministers. Hence superiority or lord- 
 ship over the Church or the rest of the ministers is not ascribed 
 to Peter. For he says thus : " All things are yours ; whether 
 Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas," i. e. Let not other ministers or 
 Peter assume for themselves lordship or superiority to the 
 Church; let them not burden the Church with traditions; let 
 not the authority of any avail more than the Word [of God] ; 
 let not the authority of Cephas be opposed to the authority of 
 the other apostles, as they reasoned at that time : " Cephas, who 
 is an apostle of higher rank, observes this; therefore, Paul and 
 the rest ought to observe this." Paul removes this pretext from 
 Petar, and denies that his authority is to be preferred to the 
 rest or to the Church. 
 
 B. From History. 
 
 The Council of Nice resolved that the bishop of Alexandria ia 
 should administer the churches in the East, and the Roman 
 bishop the suburban, i. e. those which were in the Roman prov- 
 inces in the West. 1 Hence it was first by human law, i. e. the 
 resolution of the Council, that the authority of the Roman 
 bishop arose. If already by divine law the Roman bishop 
 would have had the superiority, it would not have been lawful 
 for the Council to have removed any right from him and to 
 have transferred it to the bishop of Alexandria; yea all the 
 ooi bishops of the East ought perpetually to have sought or- 
 dination and confirmation from the bishop of Rome. 
 
 The Council of Nice determined also 2 that bishops should be i j 
 elected by their own churches, in the presence of a neighbor- 
 ing bishop or of several. The same was observed also in the 14 
 
 Council of Nice (325), Canon 6. ' Canon 4. 
 
\ppendix. POWER AND PRIMACY OF THE POPE. 34 J 
 
 vVest and in the Latin churches, as Cyprian and Augustine 
 testify. For Cyprian says in his fourth letter to Cornelius: 
 u For which reason you must diligently observe and keep the 
 divine observance and apostolic practice, as it is also observed 
 among us and in almost all the provinces, that for celebrating 
 properly ordinances all the neighboring bishops of the same 
 province should assemble; and the bishop should be chosen in 
 the presence of the people, who have most fully known the life 
 of each one, which we also see was done among us in the or- 
 dination of our colleague, Sabinus; so that by the suffrage of 
 the entire brotherhood, and by the judgment of the bishops, 
 who had assembled in their presence, the episcopate was con- 
 ferred and hands imposed upon him." 
 
 Cyprian calls this custom a divine tradition and an apostolic 15 
 observance, and affirms that it was observed in almost all the 
 provinces. Since therefore neither ordination nor confirmation 
 was sought from a bishop of Rome in the greater part of the 
 world in the Latin and Greek churches, it is sufficiently appa- 
 rent that the churches did not then ascribe superiority and dom- 
 ination to the bishop of Rome. 
 
 Such superiority is impossible. For it is impossible for one 16 
 bishop to be the inspector of the churches of the whole world, 
 or for churches situated in the most remote lands [all the min- 
 isters] to seek ordination from one. For it is manifest that the 
 kingdom of Christ has been dispersed through the whole world ; 
 and to-day there are many churches in the East which do not 
 seek ordination or confirmation from the Roman bishop [which 
 have ministers ordained neither by the Pope nor his bishops]. 
 Therefore since such superiority [which the Pope, contrary to 
 all Scripture, arrogates to himself] is impossible, and the 
 churches in the greater part of the world have not acknow- 
 ledged it, it is sufficiently apparent that it was not established 
 [by Christ, and does not spring from divine law], 
 000 Many ancient Synods have been proclaimed and held 17 
 
 in which the bishop of Rome did not preside; as that 
 of Nice and very many others. This also testifies that the 
 Church did not then acknowledge the primacy or superiority 
 of the bishop of Rome. 
 
 Jerome says: "If authority is sought, the world is greater 18 
 than the city. Wherever there has been a bishop, whether at 
 Rome, or Eugubium, or Constantinople, or Rhegium, or Alex- 
 andria, he is of the same merit and priesthood." 1 
 
 Gregory, writing to the patriarch at Alexandria, forbids him- 19 
 
 1 Ed. princeps and Selnecker in edition of 1582 add from Jerome: 
 "The influence of wealth and the humility of poverty do not render him 
 higher or lower." 
 
342 THE SMALCALD AKTIC1 E8 
 
 self to be called universal bishop. And in the " Register " he 
 says that in the Council of Chalcedon the primacy was offered 
 to the bishop of Rome, and was not accepted. 
 
 Lastly, how can the Pope be by divine right over the entire 2< 
 Church, when the Church has the election, and the custom 
 gradually prevailed that bishops of Rome should be confirmed 
 by emperors? 
 
 Also, 1 since there had been for a long time contests concern- 21 
 ing the primacy between the bishops of Rome and Constanti- 
 nople, the emperor Phocas at length determined that the pri- 
 macy should be assigned to the bishop of Rome. But if the 
 ancient Church had acknowledged the primacy of the Roman 
 pontiff, this contention would not have occurred, neither would 
 there have been need of a decree of the emperor. 
 
 C. Arguments of the Adversaries, 
 
 But they cite against us certain passages, viz. (Matt. 16 : 18 22 
 sq.) : " Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my 
 Church. ,, Also: "I will give unto thee the keys." Also 
 (John 21 : 15) : " Feed my sheep," and some others. But since 
 this entire controversy has been fully and accurately treated of 
 elsewhere in the books of our theologians, and all things can- 
 not be reviewed in this place, we refer to those writings, and 
 wish them to be regarded as repeated. Yet we will briefly 
 reply concerning the interpretation of the passages quoted. 
 
 In all these passages Peter is the representative of the 23 
 entire assembly of apostles, as appears from the text itself. 
 000 For Christ asks not Peter alone, but says : " Whom do ye 
 say that I am ?" 2 And what is here said in the singular 
 number : " I will give unto thee the keys ; and whatsoever 
 thou shalt bind," etc., is elsewhere expressed in the plural 
 (Matt, 18:18): "Whatsoever ye shall bind," etc. And in 
 John 20 : 23 : " Whosesoever sins ye remit," etc. These words 
 testify that the keys are given alike to all the apostles, and 
 that all the apostles are alike sent forth. 
 
 In addition to this, it is necessary to confess that the keys 24 
 pertain not to the person of a particular man, but to the Church, 
 ag many most clear and firm arguments testify. For Christ, 
 speaking concerning the keys (Matt. 18:19), adds : " If two of 
 you shall agree on earth," etc. Therefore he ascribes the keys 
 to the Church principally and immediately ; just as also for 
 this reason the Church has principally the right of calling. 
 [For just as the promise of the Gospel belongs certainly and 
 immediately to the entire Church, so the keys belong immedi- 
 
 • Germ, omits \ 21. " Matt. 16 : 15. 
 
Appendix. POWER AND PRIMACY OF THE POPE. 3 lo 
 
 ately to the entire Church, because the keys are nothing else 
 than the office whereby this promise is communicated to every 
 one who desires it, just as it is actually manifest that the 
 Church has the power to ordain ministers of the Church. And 
 Christ speaks in these words : " Whatsoever ye shall bind," 
 etc., and means that to which he has given the keys, namely, 
 the Church : " Where two or three are gathered together in 
 my name" (Matt. 18 : 20). Likewise Christ gives supreme and 
 final mrisdiction to the Church, when he says : " Tell it to the ' 
 Church."] 
 
 Therefore it is necessary in these passages that Peter be the 
 representative of the entire assembly of the apostles, and for this 
 reason they do not ascribe any prerogative, or superiority, or 
 lordship to Peter. 
 
 As to the declaration: "Upon this rock I will build my 2 5 
 Church," certainly the Church has not been built upon the au- 
 thority of man, but upon the ministry of the confession which 
 Peter made, in which he proclaims that Jesus is the Christ, the 
 Son of God. He accordingly addresses him as a minister : 
 " Upon this rock," i. e. upon this ministry. [Therefore he ad- 
 dresses him as a minister of such an office as is to be pervaded 
 by this confession and doctrine, and says: "Upon this rock," 
 i. e. this declaration and ministry.] 
 
 Furthermore, the ministry of the New Testament is not 26 
 bound to persons and places, as the Levitical ministry, but it is 
 dispersed throughout the whole world, and is there where God 
 gives his gifts, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers ; neither 
 does this ministry avail on account of the authority of any 
 person, but on account of the Word given by Christ. 
 004 And in this way most of the holy Fathers, as Origen, 27 
 
 Cyprian, Augustine, Hilary and Bede, interpret this pas- 
 sage (Upon this rock). Chrysostom l says thus : " ' Upon this 28 
 rock/ not upon Peter. For he built his Church not upon man, 
 but upon the faith of Peter. But what was his faith ? ' Thou 
 art the Christ, the Son of the living God/ " And Hilary says : 29 
 " To Peter the Father revealed that he should say, l Thou art 
 the Son of the living God/ Therefore the building of the 
 Church is upon this rock of confession ; this faith is the foun- 
 dation of the Church," etc. 
 
 And as to that which is said (John 21 : 15 sqq.) : " Feed my 3c 
 sheep," and " Lovest thou me more than these ?" it does not as 
 yet follow hence that a peculiar superiority was given Peter. 
 He bids him " feed," i. e. teach the Word, or rule the Church 
 with the Word, which Peter has in common with the otter 
 apostles. 
 
 1 Germ, omits \\ 28, 29. 
 
344 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 II. Of the Sp:cond Article. 
 
 The second article is still clearer, because Christ gave to the 31 
 apostles only spiritual power, i. e. the command to teach the 
 Gospel, to announce the forgiveness of sins, to administer the 
 sacraments, to excommunicate the godless without temporal 
 force; and he did not give the power of the sword or the right 
 to establish, occupy or confer kingdoms of the world. For 
 Christ says (Matt. 28 : 20) : "Go ye, teaching them to observe 
 all things whatsoever I have commanded you." Also (John 
 20 : 21) : " As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." 
 But it is manifest that Christ was not sent to bear the sword 
 or possess a wordly kingdom, as he himself says (John 18 : 36) : 
 " My kingdom is not of this world." And Paul says (2 Cor. 
 1 : 24) : " Not for that we have dominion over your faith." 
 And (2 Cor. 10:4): " The weapons of our warfare are not 
 carnal," etc. 
 
 As, therefore, Christ in his passion is crowned with thorns, 32 
 and led forth to be derided in royal purple, it was thereby sig- 
 nified that his spiritual kingdom being despised, i. e. the Gospel 
 being suppressed, another kingdom of the world would be es- 
 tablished with the pretext of ecclesiastical power. Wherefore 33 
 the constitution of Boniface VIII. and the chapter Omnes, 
 Dist. 22, and similar opinions which contend that the Pope is 
 by divine right the ruler of the kingdoms of the world, are 
 false and godless. From this persuasion horrible darkness has 34 
 overspread the Church, and also great commotions have arisen 
 in Europe. For the ministry of the Gospel was neglected, and 
 the knowledge of faith and a spiritual kingdom became ex- 
 oqc tinct; Christian righteousness was supposed to be that 
 external government which the Pope had established. 
 Then the popes began to seize upon kingdoms for themselves, 35 
 they transferred kingdoms, they vexed with unjust excommu- 
 nications and wars the kings of almost all nations in Europe, 
 but especially the German emperors ; so that they sometimes oc- 
 cupied the cities of Italy, and at other times reduced to subjec- 
 tion the bishops of Germany, and wrested from the emperors the 
 conferring of episcopates. Yea in the Clementines it is even 
 written : That when the empire is vacant, the Pope is the legit- 
 imate successor. Thus the Pope has not only usurped domin- 
 ion, contrary to Christ's command, but has also tyrannically 
 exalted himself above all kings. Neither in this matter is the 36 
 deed itself so much to be reprehended as it is to be detested, 
 that he assigns as a pretext the authority of Christ ; that he 
 transfers the keys to a worldly government; that he binds sal- 
 vation to these godless and execrable opinions, when he say?- 
 that it belongs to necessity for salvation that men believe that 
 
appendix. POWER AND PRIMACY OF THE POPE. 345 
 
 this dominion is in accordance with divine right. Since such 37 
 errors as these obscure faith and the kingdom of Christ, they 
 are in no way to be disguised. For the result shows that they 
 have been great pests to the Church. 
 
 III. Of the Third Article. 
 
 In the third place, this must be added : Even though the 38 
 bishop of Rome would have, by divine right, the primacy and 
 superiority, nevertheless obedience is not due those pontiffs who 
 defend godless services, idolatry and doctrine conflicting with 
 the Gospel ; yea such pontiffs and such a government ought to 
 be regarded as a curse, as Paul clearly teaches (Gal. 1:8): 
 " Though an angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto 
 you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be 
 accursed." And in Acts (5 : 29) : " We ought to obey God, 
 rather than men." Likewise the canons 1 also clearly teach that 
 we should not obey an heretical Pope. 
 
 non The Levitical priest was high priest by divine right, and 
 yet godless priests were not to be obeyed, as Jeremiah and 
 other prophets dissented from the priests. So the apostles dis- 
 sented from Caiaphas,and were under no obligations to obey them. 
 
 It is, however, manifest that the Roman pontiffs, with their 39 
 adherents, defend godless doctrines and godless services. And 
 the marks of Antichrist plainly agree with the kingdom of the 
 Pope and his adherents. For Paul (2 Ep. 2 : 3), in describing 
 to the Thessalonians Antichrist, calls him an adversary of Christ, 
 "whoopposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called 
 God, or that is worshipped, so that he as God sitteth in the 
 temple of God." He speaks therefore of one ruling in the 
 Church, not of heathen kings, and he calls this one the adver- 
 sary of Christ, because he will devise doctrine conflicting with 
 the Gospel, and will assume to himself divine authority. 
 
 Moreover, it is manifest, in the first place, that the Pope rules 4c 
 in the Church, and by the pretext of ecclesiastical authority and 
 of the ministry has established for himself this kingdom. For 
 he assigns as a pretext these words : " I will give to thee the 
 keys." Secondly, the doctrine of the Pope conflicts in many 
 ways [in all ways] with the Gospel, and the Pope assumes to 
 himself divine authority in a threefold manner: First, be- 
 cause he takes to himself the right to change the doctrine of 
 Christ and services instituted by God, and wishes his own doc- 
 trine and his own services to be observed as divine. Secondly, 
 because he takes to himself the power not only of binding and 
 loosing in this life, but also the right concerning souls after this 
 
 1 Decrees of Grratian, P. I., Dist. 40, c. 6, 
 ♦4 
 
346 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 life. Thirdly, because the Pope does not wish to be judged by 
 the Church or by any one, and prefers his own authority to the 
 decision of Councils and the entire Church. But to be unwill- 
 ing to be judged by the Church or by any one is to make one's 
 self God. Lastly, these errors so horrible, and this impiety, he 
 defends with the greatest cruelty, and puts to death those dis- 
 senting. 
 
 This being the case, all Christians ought to beware of becom-41 
 ing partakers of the godless doctrine, blasphemies and unjust 
 cruelties of the Pope. On this account they ought to desert 
 «q.- and execrate the Pope with his adherents, as the kingdom 
 of Antichrist ; just as Christ has commanded (Matt. 7 : 15) : 
 " Beware of false prophets." And Paul commands that god- 
 less teachers should be avoided and execrated as cursed (Gal. 
 1:8; Tit. 3 : 10). And (2 Cor. 6 : 14) says : " Be ye not un- 
 equally yoked together with unbelievers ; for what communion 
 hath light with darkness?" 
 
 To dissent from the agreement of so many nations and to be 42 
 called schismatics is a serious matter. But divine authority 
 commands all not to be allies and defenders of impiety and un- 
 just cruelty. 
 
 On this account our consciences are sufficiently excused ; for 
 the errors of the kingdom of the Pope are manifest. And 
 Scripture with its entire voice exclaims that these errors are a 
 doctrine of demons and of Antichrist. 1 The idolatry in the 43 
 profanation of the masses is manifest, which, besides other faults, 
 are shamelessly applied to most base gain. The doctrine of re- 44 
 pentance has been utterly corrupted by the Pope and his ad- 
 herents. For they teach that sins are remitted because of the 
 worth of our works. Then they bid us doubt whether the 
 remission occur. They nowhere teach that sins are remitted 
 freely for Christ's sake, and that by this faith we obtain remis- 
 sion of sins. Thus they obscure the glory of Christ, and de- 
 prive consciences of firm consolation, and abolish true divine 
 services, viz. the exercises of faith struggling with [unbelief 
 and] despair [concerning the promise of the Gospel]. 
 
 They have obscured the doctrine concerning sin, and have 45 
 framed a tradition concerning the enumeration of offences, pro- 
 ducing many errors and despair. They have devised in addi- 
 tion satisfactions, whereby they have also obscured the benefit 
 of Christ. 
 
 From these, indulgences have been born, which are pure 46 
 falsehoods, fabricated for the sake of gain. 
 000 Then how many abuses, and what horrible idolatry, the 4; 
 invocation of saints has produced ! 
 
 1 1 Tim. 4 : 1 ; 2 Thess. 2 : 3 sq. 
 
Appendix. POWER AND PRIMACY OF THE POPE. 347 
 
 What shameful acts have arisen from the tradition concern- 48 
 ing celibacy ! 
 
 What darkness the doctrine concerning vows has spread over 
 the Gospel ! They have there feigned that vows are righteous- 
 ness before God, and merit the remission of sins. Thus they 
 have transferred the benefit of Christ to human traditions, and 
 have altogether extinguished the doctrine concerning faith. 
 They have feigned that the most tiifling traditions are services 
 of God and perfection, and they have preferred these to the 
 works of callings which God requires and has ordained. 
 Neither are these errors to be regarded light; for they detract 
 from the glory of Christ and bring destruction to souls, neither 
 can they be passed by unnoticed. 
 
 Then to these errors two great sins are added: The first, 4$ 
 that he defends these errors by unjust cruelty and punishments. 
 The second, that he appropriates the decision of the Church, 
 and does not permit ecclesiastical controversies [such matters of 
 religion] to be judged according to the prescribed mode; yea, 
 he contends that he is above the Council, and that the decrees 
 of Councils can be rescinded, just as the canons sometimes im- 
 pudently speak. 1 But the examples testify that this was done 
 with much more impudence by the pontiffs. 
 
 Quest. 9, canon 3, 2 says : " No one shall judge the first seat ; 50 
 for the judge is judged neither by the emperor, nor by all the 
 clergy, nor by the kings, nor by the people." 
 
 The Pope exercises a twofold tyranny; he defends his errors 51 
 by force and by murders, and forbids judicial examination. 
 The latter does even more injury than any punishments. Be- 
 cause when the true judgment of the Church is removed, god- 
 less dogmas and godless services cannot be removed, and for 
 many ages are destroying infinite souls. 
 
 Therefore let the godly consider the great errors of the king- 52 
 dom of the Pope and his tyranny, and let them ponder first 
 that the errors must be rejected and the true doctrine embraced, 
 oqq for the glory of God and to the salvation of souls. Then 53 
 
 let them ponder also how great a crime it is to aid unjust 
 cruelty in killing saints, whose blood God will undoubtedly 
 avenge. 
 
 But especially the chief members of the Church, kings and 54 
 princes, ought to guard the interests of the Church, and to see 
 to it that errors be removed and consciences be healed [rightly 
 instructed], as God expressly exhorts kings (Ps. 2 : 10) : "Be 
 wise, now, therefore, O ye kings ; be instructed, ye judges of 
 the earth." For it should be the first care of kings [and great 
 
 1 Cf. Decret. Grat., P. I., Dist. 17. 
 
 1 See Decret. Grat., P. II., caus. 9, qu. 3, c. 13. 
 
348 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES 
 
 lords] to advance the glory of God. Wherefore it is very 
 shameful for them to exercise their influence and power to 
 confirm idolatry and infinite other crimes, and to slaughter 
 saints. 
 
 And in case the Pope should hold Synods [a Council], how 55 
 can the Church be healed if the Pope suffer nothing to be de- 
 creed contrary to his will, if he allow no one to express his 
 opinion except his adherents, whom by dreadful oaths and 
 curses he has bound, without any exception concerning God's 
 Word, to the defence of his tyranny and wickedness? 
 
 But since the decisions of Synods are the decisions of the 56 
 Church, and not of the Popes, it is especially incumbent on 
 kings to check the license of the popes [not allow such roguery], 
 and to so act that the power of judging and decreeing from the 
 Word of God be not wrested from the Church. And as other 
 Christians ought to censure the remaining errors of the Pope, 
 so they ought also to rebuke the Pope when he evades and im- 
 pedes the true knowledge and true decision of the Church. 
 
 Therefore even though the bishop of Rome would have the 57 
 primacy by divine right, yet since he defends godless services 
 and doctrine conflicting with the Gospel, obedience is not due 
 him, yea it is necessary to resist him as Antichrist. The errors 
 of the Pope are manifest and not trifling. 
 
 Manifest also is the cruelty [against godly Christians] which 58 
 he exercises. And it is clear that it is God's command that we 
 flee from idolatry, godless doctrine and unjust cruelty. On this 
 account all the godly have great, manifest and necessary rea- 
 sons for not obeying the Pope. And these necessary reasons 
 04A comfort the godly against all the reproaches which are 
 usually cast against them concerning offences, schism and 
 discord. 
 
 But those who agree with the Pope and defend his doctrine 59 
 and [false] services, defile themselves with idolatry and blas- 
 phemous opinions, become guilty of the blood of the godly, 
 whom the Pope [and his adherents] persecutes, detract from 
 the glory of God, and hinder the welfare of the Church, be- 
 cause they strengthen errors and crimes [for injury to all the 
 world and] to all posterity. 
 
 Part II. 
 Of the Power and Jurisdiction of Bishops. 
 
 [In our Confession and the Apology we have in general nar- 60 
 rated what we have had to say concerning ecclesiastical power. 
 For, etc.] The Gospel has assigned to those who preside over 
 churches the command to teach the Gospel, to remit sins, to ad- 
 minister the sacraments, and besides jurisdiction, viz. the com • 
 
appendix. POWER AND PRIMACY OF THE POPE. 349 
 
 mand to excommunicate those whose crimes are known, and 
 again of absolving the repenting. 
 
 And by the confession of all, even of the adversaries, it is 61 
 clear that this power by divine right is common to all who pre- 
 side over churches, whether they be called pastors, or elders, or 
 bishops. And accordingly Jerome openly teaches in the apos- 62 
 tolic letters that all who preside over churches are both bish- 
 ops and elders, and cites from Titus (Tit. 1 : 5 sq.) : " For this 
 cause hft I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest ordain elders in 
 every city." Then he adds : " A bishop must be the husband of 
 one wife." Likewise Peter and John call themselves elders 
 (1 Pet. 5 : 1 ; 2 John 1). And he then adds : " But that after- 
 wards one was chosen to be placed over the rest," occurred as a 
 remedy for schism, lest each one by attracting to himself might 
 rend the Church of Christ. For at Alexandria, from Mark 
 the evangelist to the bishops Heracles and Dionysius, the 
 elders always elected one from themselves, and placed him in a 
 higher station, whom they called bishop ; just as an army 
 would make a commander for itself. The deacons, moreover, 
 may elect from themselves one whom they know to be active, 
 and name him archdeacon. For with the exception of ordina- 
 tion, what does the bishop that the elder does not ? 
 o 41 Jerome therefore teaches that it is by human authority 63 
 
 that the grades of bishop and elder or pastor are distinct. 
 And the subject itself declares this, because the power [the of- 
 fice and command] is the same, as he has said above. But one 64 
 matter afterwards made a distinction between bishops and pas- 
 tors, viz. ordination, because it was so arranged that one bishop 
 might ordain ministers in a number of churches. 
 
 But since by divine authority the grades of bishop and pas- 65 
 tor are not diverse, it is manifest that ordination by a pastor in 
 his own church has been appointed by divine law [if a pastor 
 in his own church ordain certain suitable persons to the min- 
 istry, such ordination is, according to divine law, undoubtedly 
 effective and right]. 
 
 Therefore when the regular bishops become enemies of the 66 
 Church, or are unwilling to administer ordination, the churches 
 retain their own right. [Because the regular bishops persecute 
 the Gospel and refuse to ordain suitable persons, every church 
 has in this case full authority to ordain its own ministers.] 
 
 For wherever the Church is, there is the authority [com- 67 
 mand] to administer the Gospel. Wherefore it is necessary for 
 the Church to retain the authority to call, elect and ordain min- 
 isters. And this authority is a gift exclusively given to the 
 Church, which no human power can wrest from the Church, as 
 Paul al 50 testifies to the Ephesians (4 : 8) when he says : " He 
 ascended, he gave gifts to men." And he enumerates among 
 
350 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 the gifts specially belonging to the Church " pasters and 
 teachers," and adds that such are given "for the ministry, for 
 the edifying the body of Christ. ,, Where there is therefore a 
 true church, the right to elect and ordain ministers necessarily 
 exists. Just as in a case of necessity even a layman absolves, and 
 becomes the minister and pastor of another ; as Augustine narrates 
 the story of two Christians in a ship, one of whom baptized the 
 catechumen, who after baptism then absolved the baptizer. 
 
 Here belong the words of Christ which testify that the keys 65 
 have been given to the Church, and not merely to certain per- 
 sons (Matt. 18 : 20) : " Where two or three are gathered to- 
 gether in my name," etc. 
 540 Lastly, the declaration of Peter also confirms this (1 Ep. 69 
 
 2:9): " Ye are a royal priesthood." These words pertain 
 to the true Church, which, since it alone has the priesthood, cer- 
 tainly has the right to elect and ordain ministers. 
 
 And this also a most common custom of the Church testi- 70 
 fies. For formerly the people elected pastors and bishops.' 
 Then a bishop was added, either of that church or a neigh- 
 boring one, who confirmed the one elected by the laying on of 
 hands ; neither was ordination anything else than such a ratifi- 
 cation. Afterwards, new ceremonies were added, many of 71 
 which Dionysius describes. But he is a recent and fictitious 
 author [this book of Dionysius is a new fiction under a false 
 title], just as the writings of Clement also are supposititious. 
 Then the moderns added: "I give thee the power to sacrifice 
 for the living and the dead." But not even this is in Dionys- 
 ius. From all these things it is clear that the Church retains 72 
 the right to elect and ordain ministers. And the wickedness 
 and tyranny of bishops afford cause for schism and discord 
 [therefore, if the bishops either are heretics or will not ordain 
 suitable persons, the churches are in duty bound before God, 
 according to divine law, to ordain for themselves pastors and 
 ministers. Even though this be now called an irregularity or 
 schism, it should be known that the godless doctrine and tyr- 
 anny of the bishops is chargeable with it], because Paul (Gal, 
 1 : 7 sq.) enjoins that bishops who teach and defend a godless 
 doctrine and godless services should be regarded accursed. 
 
 We have spoken of ordination, which alone, as Jerome says, 1 73 
 distinguished bishops from other elders. Therefore there is 
 need of no discussion concerning the other duties of bishops. 
 Nor is it indeed necessary to speak of confirmation, nor of the 
 consecration of bells, which are almost the only things which 
 they have retained. Something must be said concerning juris- 
 diction. 
 
 1 Cf. above, | 62. 
 
Appendix. POWER AND PRIMACY OF THE POPE. 351 
 
 It is manifest that the common jurisdiction of excommunica-74 
 ting those guilty of manifest crimes belongs to all pastors. 
 This they have tyrannically transferred to themselves alone, 
 and have applied it to the acquisition of gain. For it is mani- 
 fest that the officials, as they are called, employed a license not 
 to be tolerated, and either on account of avarice or because of 
 other wanton desires tormented men and excommunicated them 
 040 without any due process of law. But what tyranny is it 
 for the officials in the states to have arbitrary power to 
 condemn and excommunicate men without due process of law ! 
 And with respect to what did they abuse this power? Clearly 75 
 not in punishing true offences, but in regard to the violation 
 of fasts or festivals, or like trifles? Only they sometimes 
 punished adulteries; and in this matter they often vexed 
 [abused and defamed] innocent and honorable men. 
 
 Since, therefore, bishops have tyrannically transferred this 76 
 jurisdiction to themselves alone, and have basely abused it, 
 there is no need, because of this jurisdiction, to obey bishops. 
 But since the reasons why we do not obey are just, it is right also 
 to restore this jurisdiction to godly pastors [to whom, by Christ's 
 command, it belongs], and to see to it that it be legitimately 
 exercised for the reformation of life and the glory of God. 
 
 Jurisdiction remains in those cases which, according to canon- 77 
 ical law, pertain to the ecclesiastical court, as they say, and 
 especially in cases of matrimony. It is only by human right 
 that the bishops have this also ; and indeed the ancient bish- 
 ops did not have it, as it appears from the Codex and Novelli 
 of Justinian that decisions concerning marriage at that time 
 belonged to the magistrates. And by divine law worldly mag- 
 istrates are compelled to make these decisions if the bishops 
 [judge unjustly or] be negligent. The canons also concede the 
 same. Wherefore also on account of this jurisdiction it is not 
 necessary to obey bishops. And indeed since they have framed 78 
 certain unjust laws concerning marriages, and observe them in 
 their courts, also for this reason there is need to establish other 
 courts. For the traditions concerning spiritual relationship 
 [the prohibition of marriage between sponsors] are unjust. 
 Unjust also is the tradition which forbids an innocent person 
 to marry after divorce. Unjust also is the law which in gen- 
 eral approves all clandestine and underhanded betrothals in 
 violation of the right of parents. Unjust also is the law con- 
 cerning the celibacy of priests. There are also other snares of 
 consciences in their laws, to recite all of which is of no profit. 
 It is sufficient to have recited this, that there are many unjust 
 laws of the Pope concerning matrimonial subjects on account 
 of which the magistrates ought to establish other courts. 
 ^44 Since therefore the bishops, who are devoted to the 79 
 Pope, defend godless doctrine and godless services, and do 
 
352 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 not ordain godly teachers, yea aid the cruelty of the Pope, and 
 besides have wrested the jurisdiction from pastors, and exercise 
 this only tyrannically [for their own profit] ; and lastly, since 
 in matrimonial cases they observe many unjust laws; the rea- 
 sons why the churches do not recognize these as bishops are suf- 
 ficiently numerous and necessary. 
 
 But they themselves should remember that riches have been go 
 given to bishops as alms for the administration and advantage 
 of the churches [that they may serve the Church, and perform 
 their office the more efficiently], just as the rule says: "The 
 benefice is given because of the office." Wherefore they can- 
 not with a good conscience possess these alms, and meanwhile 
 defraud the Church, which has need of these means for sup- 
 porting ministers, and aiding studies [educating learned men], 
 and caring for the poor, and establishing courts, especially mat- 
 rimonial. For so great is the variety and extent of matrimo-8i 
 nial controversies, that there is need of a special tribunal for 
 these, and for establishing this there is need of the means of the 
 Church. Peter predicted (2 Ep. 2:13) that there would be 82 
 godless bishops, who would abuse the alms of the Churcli for 
 luxury and neglect the ministry. Therefore let those who de- 
 fraud know that they will pay God the penalty for this crime. 
 
 345 Doctors and Preachers who Subscribed the Augsburg Con- 
 fession and Apology, a. d. 3IDXXXVII. 
 
 According to the command of the most illustrious princes and 
 of the orders and states professing the doctrine of the Gospel, we 
 have re-read the articles of the Confession presented to the Em- 
 peror in the Assembly at Augsburg, and by the favor of God all 
 the preachers who have been present in this Assembly at Smal- 
 cald harmoniously declare that they hold and teach in their 
 churches according to the articles of the Confession and Apology ; 
 they also declare that they approve the article concerning the 
 primacy of the Pope, and his power, and the power and jurisdic- 
 tion of bishops, which was presented to the princes in this Assem- 
 bly at Smalcald. Accordingly they subscribe their names. 
 
 I, Dr. John Bugenhagen, Pomeranus, subscribe the Ar- 
 ticles of the Augsburg Confession, the Apology, and the 
 Article presented to the princes at Smalcald concerning 
 the Papacy. 
 
 I also, Dr. Urban Rhegius, Superintendent of the churches 
 in the Duchy of Liineburg, subscribe. 
 
 Nicolaus Amsdorf of Magdeburg subscribed. 
 
Appendix. POWER AND PRIMACY OF THE POPE. 353 
 
 George Spalatine of Altenburg subscribed. 
 
 I, Andrew Grander, subscribe. 
 
 M. Veit Dieterich of Nurnberg subscribed. 
 
 Stephen Agricola, Minister at Hof, subscribed with his 
 
 own hand. 
 John Draconites of Marburg subscribed. 
 Conrad Figenbotz subscribed to all throughout. 
 Martin Bucer. 
 I, Erhard Schnepf, subscribe. 
 Paul Rhodius, Preacher in Stettin. 
 Gerhard Oeniken, Minister of the Church at Minden. 
 Simon Schneeweis, Pastor of Crailsheim. 
 Brixhjs Northanus, Minister at Soest. 
 I, Pomeranus, again subscribe in the name of M. John 
 
 Brentz, as he enjoined me. 
 Philip Melanchthon subscribes with his own hand. 
 Anthony Corvinus subscribes with his own hand, as well 
 
 as in the name of Adam a Fulda. 
 John Schlainhauffen subscribes with his own hand. 
 M. George Helt of Forchheim. 
 Michael Coelius, Minister at Mansfeldt. 
 Peter Geltner, Minister of the Church of Frankfort. 
 Dionysius Melander subscribed. 
 346 Paul Fagius of Strassburg. 
 
 Wendel Faber, Pastor of Seeburg in Mansfeldt. 
 Conrad Oetinger of Pforzheim, Chaplain of Ulric, Duke 
 
 of Wiirtemburg. 
 Boniface Wolfart, Minister of the Word of the Church 
 
 at Augsburg. 
 John .ZEpinus, Superintendent of Hamburg, subscribed 
 
 with his own hand. 
 John Amsterdam of Bremen does the same. 
 John Fontanus, Superintendent of Lower Hesse, sub- 
 scribed. 
 Frederick Myconius subscribed for himself and Justus 
 
 Menius. 
 Ambrose Blaurer. 
 
 I have read, and again and again re-read, the Confession and 
 Apology presented at Augsburg by the Most Illustrious Prince, 
 the Elector of Saxony, and by the other princes and estates of 
 the Roman Empire, to his Imperial Majesty. I have also read 
 the Formula of Concord concerning the sacrament, made at Wit- 
 tenberg with Dr. Bucer and others. I have also read the ar- 
 ticles written at the Assembly at Smalcald in the German lan- 
 guage by Dr. Martin Luther, our most revered preceptor, and the 
 tract concerning the Papacy and the Power and Jurisdiction of 
 
 46 
 
354 THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 
 
 Bishops. And, according to my mediocrity, I judge that all 
 these agree with Holy Scripture, and with the belief of the true 
 and lawful Catholic Church. But although in so great a num- 
 ber of most learned men who have now assembled at Smalcald 
 I acknowledge that I am the least of all, yet as I am not per- 
 mitted to await the end of the assembly, I ask you, most re- 
 nowned man, Dr. John Bugenhagen, most revered Father in 
 Christ, that your courtesy may add my name, if it be necessary, 
 to all that I have above mentioned. For I testify in this my 
 own handwriting that I thus hold, confess and constantly will 
 teach, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 
 Done at Smalcald, Feb. 23, 1537. 
 
 John Brentz, Minister of Hall. 
 
PART V. 
 THE SMALL CATECHISM. 
 
THE SMALL CATECHISM. 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PREFACE OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER 
 
 PART FIRST. 
 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 
 THE APOSTLES' CREET 
 Art. I. — Of Creation. 
 Art II. — Of Redemption. 
 Art. III.— Of Sanctification. 
 
 PART THIRD. 
 THE LORD'S PRAYER. 
 
 PART FOURTH. 
 
 THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM. 
 
 INTRODUCTION TO PART V.— OF CONFESSION. 
 
 PART FIFTH. 
 THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR 
 
 APPENDIX I. 
 MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER 
 
 APPENDIX II. 
 
 BLESSING AT TABLE. 
 
 APPENDIX III. 
 
 TABLE OF DUTIES. 
 
 W 
 
ENCHIRIDION : 
 THE SMALL CATECHISM OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER, 
 
 FOB 
 
 PASTORS AND PREACHERS. 
 
 349 PREFACE OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER. 
 
 Martin Luther to all Faithful and Godly Pastors 
 and Preachers : Grace, Mercy and Peace in Jesus 
 Christ, our Lord. 
 
 The deplorable condition in which I found religious affairs i 
 during a recent visitation of the congregations has impelled 
 me to publish this Catechism, or statement of the Christian 
 doctrine, after having prepared it in very brief and simple 
 terms. Alas I what misery I beheld! The people, especially 2 
 those who live in the villages, seem to have no knowledge 
 whatever of Christian doctrine, and many of the pastors are 
 ignorant and incompetent teachers. And, nevertheless, they all 3 
 maintain that they are Christians, that they have been baptized 
 and that they have received the Lord's Supper. Yet they can- 
 not recite the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, or the Ten Command- 
 ments ; they live as if they were irrational creatures, and now 
 that the Gospel has come to them, they grossly abuse their 
 Christian liberty. 
 
 Ye bishops ! what answer will ye give to Christ for having 4 
 s® shamefully neglected the people and paid no attention to the 
 duties of your office? I invoke no evil on your heads. But 5 
 you withhold the cup in the Lord's Supper, insist on the ob- 
 servance of your human laws, and yet, at the same time, do not 
 take the least interest in teaching the people the Lord's Prayer, 
 the Creed, the Ten Commandments, or any other part of the 
 Word of God. Woe unto you ! 
 
 Wherefore I beseech you in the name of God, my beloved 6 
 brethren, who are pastors or preachers, to engage heartily in the 
 discharge of the duties of your office, to have mercy on the 
 people who are entrusted to your care, and to assist us in intro- 
 ducing the Catechism among them, and especially among the 
 
 859 
 
360 THE SMALL CATECHISM. 
 
 young. And if any of you do not possess the necessary quali- 
 
 orA fications, I beseech you to take at least the following forms 
 
 and read them, word for word, to the people on this wise: 
 
 In the first place, let the preacher take the utmost care to 7 
 avoid all changes or variations in the text and wording of the 
 Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, the Sacra- 
 ments, etc. Let him, on the contrary, take each of the forms 
 respectively, adhere to it, and repeat it anew year after year. 
 For young and inexperienced people cannot be successfully in- 
 structed unless we adhere to the same text or the same forms 
 of expression. They easily become confused when the teacher 
 at one time employs a certain form of words and expressions, 
 and at another, apparently with a view to make improvements, 
 adopts a different form. The result of such a course Avill be, 
 that all the time and labor which we have expended will be 
 lost. 
 
 This point was well understood by our venerable fathers, 8 
 who w r ere accustomed to use the same words in teaching the 
 Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments. We, 
 too, should follow this plan when we teach these things, par- 
 ticularly in the case of the young and ignorant, not changing a 
 single syllable, nor introducing any variations when, year after 
 year, we recur to these forms and recite them anew before our 
 hearers. 
 
 Choose, therefore, the form of words which best pleases you, 9 
 and adhere to it perpetually. When you preach in the pres- 
 ence of intelligent and learned men, you are at liberty to ex- 
 hibit your knowledge and skill, and may present and discuss 
 these subjects in all the varied modes which are at your com- 
 mand. But when you are teaching the young, retain the same ic 
 form and manner without change : teach them, first of all, the 
 Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, etc., always 
 presenting the same words of the text, so that those who learn 
 can repeat them after you and retain them in the memory. 
 
 But if any refuse to receive your instructions, tell them 11 
 plainly that they deny Christ and are not Christians ; such 
 persons shall not be admitted to the Lord's Table, nor present 
 a child for baptism, nor enjoy any of our Christian privileges, 
 but are to be sent back to the Pope and his agents, and, indeed, 
 oe 1 to Satan himself. Their parents and employers should, 12 
 
 besides, refuse to furnish them with food and drink, and 
 notify them that the government was disposed to banish from 
 the country all persons of such a rude and intractable character. 
 
 For although we cannot, and should not, compel them to 13 
 exercise faith, we ought, nevertheless, to instruct the great 
 mass with all diligence; so that they may know how to distin- 
 guish between right and wrong in their conduct toward those 
 
PREFACE OE DR. MARTIN LUTH KK. 361 
 
 with whom they live or among whom they desire to earn their 
 living. For whoever desires to reside in a city, and enjoy the 
 rights and privileges which its laws confer, is also bound to 
 know and obey those laws. God grant that such persons may 
 become sincere believers ! But if they remain dishonest and 
 vicious, let them at least withhold from public view the vices 
 of their hearts. 
 
 In the second place, when those whom you are instructing i 
 have become familiar with the words of the text, it is time to 
 teach them to understand the meaning of those words, so that 
 they may become acquainted with the object and purport of the 
 lesson. Then proceed to another of the following forms, or, at ic 
 your pleasure, choose any other which is brief, and adhere 
 strictly to the same words and forms of expression in the text, 
 without altering a single syllable ; besides, allow yourself ample 
 time for the lessons. For it is not necessary that you should, it 
 on the same occasion, proceed from the beginning to the end of 
 the several parts ; it will be more profitable if you present them 
 separately, in regular succession. When the people have, for 
 instance, at length correctly understood the First Command- 
 ment, you may proceed to the Second, and so continue. By 
 neglecting to observe this mode the people will be overbur- 
 dened, and be prevented from understanding and retaining in 
 memory any considerable part of the matter communicated to 
 them. 
 
 In the third place, when you have thus reached the end of 17 
 this Short Catechism, begin anew with the Large Catechism, 
 and by means of it furnish the people with fuller and more 
 comprehensive explanations. Explain here at large every 
 Commandment, every Petition, and, indeed, every part, show- 
 ing the duties which they severally impose, and both the ad- 
 vantages which follow the performance of those duties, and also 
 the dangers and losses which result from the neglect of them. 
 Insist in an especial manner on such Commandments or other iS 
 parts as seem to be most of all misunderstood or neglected by 
 your people. It will, for example, be necessary that you should 
 enforce with the utmost earnestness the Seventh Commandment, 
 which treats of stealing, when you are teaching workmen, 
 dealers, and even farmers and servants, inasmuch as many of 
 these are guilty of various dishonest and thievish practices. So, 
 too, it will be your duty to explain and apply the Fourth Com- 
 mandment with great diligence when you are teaching children 
 and uneducated adults, and to urge them to observe order, to 
 be faithful, obedient and peaceable, as well as to adduce nume- 
 rous instances mentioned in the Scriptures which show that 
 God punished such as were guilty in these things and blessed 
 the obedient. 
 
 46 
 
362 THE SMALL CATECHISM. 
 
 oro Here, too, let it be your great aim to urge magistrates 19 
 
 and parents to rule wisely and to educate the children, ad- 
 monishing them, at the same time, that such duties are imposed 
 on them, and showing them how grievously they sin if they 
 neglect them. For in such a case they overthrow and lay waste 
 alike the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world, act- 
 ing as if they were the worst enemies both of God and of men. 
 And show them very plainly the shocking evils of which they 20 
 are the authors when they refuse their aid in training up chil- 
 dren to be pastors, preachers, writers, etc., and set forth that on 
 account of such sins God will inflict an awful punishment upon 
 them. It is, indeed, necessary to preach on these things ; for 
 parents and magistrates are guilty of sins in this respect which 
 are so great that there are no terms in which they can be de- 
 scribed. And truly, Satan has a cruel design in fostering these 
 evils. 
 
 Finally, inasmuch as the people are now relieved from the 21 
 tyranny of the Pope, they refuse to come to the Lord's Table, 
 and treat it with contempt. On this point, also, it is very neces- 
 sary that you should give them instructions, while, at the same 
 time, you are to be guided by the following principles : That 
 we are to compel no one to believe, or to receive the Lord's 
 Supper ; that we are not to establish any laws on this point, or 
 appoint the time and place ; but that we should so preach as to 22 
 influence the people, without any law adopted by us, to urge, 
 and, as it were, to compel us, who are pastors, to administer the 
 Lord's Supper to them. Now this object may be attained if 
 we address them in the following manner : It is to be feared 
 that he who does not desire to receive the Lord's Supper at 
 least thre r or four times during the year despises the Sacra- 
 ment, and is no Christian. So, too, he is no Christian who 
 neither believes nor obeys the Gospel ; for Christ did not say, 
 " Omit or despise this," but, " This do ye, as oft as ye drink 
 it," etc. He commands that this should be done, and by no 
 means be neglected and despised. He says, " This do." 
 
 Now, he who does not highly value the Sacrament shows 23 
 thereby that he has no sin, no flesh, no devil, no world, no 
 death, no danger, no hell ; that is to say, he does not believe 
 that such evils exist, although lie may be deeply immersed in 
 them, and completely belong to the devil. On the other hand, 
 he needs no grace, no life, no Paradise, no heaven, no Christ, 
 oro n o God, no good thing. For if he believed that he was 
 involved in such evils, and that he was in need of such 
 blessings, he could not refrain from receiving the Sacrament, 
 wherein aid is afforded against such evils, and, again, such 
 blessings are bestowed. It will not be necessary to compel him 
 by the force of any law to approach the Lord's Table ; he will 
 
PREFACE OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER. 363 
 
 hasten to it of his own accord, will compel himself to come, 
 and indeed urge you to administer the Sacrament to him. 
 
 Hence, you are by no means to adopt any compulsory law in 74 
 this case, as the Pope has done. Let it simply be your aim to 
 set forth distinctly the advantages and losses, the wants and 
 the benefits, the dangers and the blessings, which are to be con- 
 sidered in connection with the Sacrament; the people will, 
 doubtless, then seek it without urgent demands on your part. 
 If they still refuse to come forward, let them choose their own 
 ways, and tell them that those who do not regard their own 
 spiritual misery, and do not desire the gracious help of God, 
 belong to Satan. But if you do not give such solemn admo- 25 
 nitions, or if you adopt odious compulsory laws on the subject, 
 it is your own fault if the people treat the Sacrament with con- 
 tempt. Will they not necessarily be slothful if you are silent 
 and sleep? Therefore consider the subject seriously, ye Pas- 26 
 tors and Preachers. Our office has now assumed a very differ- 
 ent character from that which it bore under the Pope ; it is now 
 of a very grave nature, and is very salutary in its influence. 
 It consequently subjects us to far greater burdens and labors, 
 dangers and temptations, whilst it brings with it an inconsider- 
 able reward and very little gratitude in the world. But Christ 27 
 himself will be our reward if we labor with fidelity. May 
 I Ie grant such mercy unto us who is the Father of all grace, 
 to whom be given thanks and praises through Christ, our Lord, 
 for ever ! Amen. 
 
354 PART FIRST. 
 
 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 
 
 In the plain form in which they are to be taught by the Head of a family. 
 
 The First Commandment. 
 
 I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no other gods 1 
 before me. 
 
 What is meant by this Commandment f 2 
 
 Answer. We should fear, love, and trust in God above all 
 things. 
 
 The Second Commandment. 
 
 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain ; 3 
 for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name 
 in vain. 
 
 What is meant by this Commandment f 4 
 
 Answer. We should so fear and love God as not to curse, 
 swear, conjure, lie, or deceive by his name, but call upon him 
 in every time of need, and worship him with prayer, praise, 
 and thanksgiving. 
 
 The Third Commandment. 
 
 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 5 
 
 What is meant by this Commandment f 6 
 
 Answer. We should so fear and love God as not to despise 
 
 his Word and the preaching of the Gospel, but deem it holy, 
 
 and willingly hear and learn it. 
 
 The Fourth Commandment. 
 
 Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be ; 
 long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 
 
 What is meant by this Commandment f £ 
 
 Answer. We should so fear and love God as not to despise 
 occ nor displease our parents and superiors, but honor, serve, 
 obey, love, and esteem them. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — See Large Catechism. 
 364 
 
Part I. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 361 
 
 The Fifth Commandment. 
 
 Ihou shalt not kill. 9 
 
 What is meant by this Commandment f 10 
 
 Answer. We should so fear and love God as not to do our 
 neighbor any bodily harm or injury, but rather assist and com- 
 fort him in danger and want. 
 
 The Sixth Commandment. 
 
 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 1 1 
 
 What is meant by this Commandment f 1 1 
 
 Answer. We should so fear and love God as to be chaste and 
 pure in our words and deeds, each one also loving and honor- 
 ing his wife or her husband. 
 
 The Seventh Commandment. 
 
 Thou shalt not steal. n 
 
 What is meant by this Commandment f 14 
 
 Answer. We should so fear and love God as not to rob our 
 neighbor of his money or property, nor bring it into our pos- 
 session by unfair dealing or fraudulent means, but rather assist 
 him to improve and protect it. 
 
 The Eighth Commandment. 
 
 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 15 
 
 What is meant by this Commandment f 16 
 
 Answer. We should so fear and love God as not deceitfully 
 to belie, betray, slander, nor raise injurious reports against our 
 neighbor, but apologize for him, speak well of him, and put 
 the most charitable construction on all his actions. 
 
 The Ninth Commandment. 
 
 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house. 17 
 
 What is meant by this Commandment f 18 
 
 Answer. We should so fear and love God as not to desire by 
 craftiness to gain possession of our neighbor's inheritance or 
 ncn home, or to obtain it under the pretext of a legal right, 
 but be ready to assist and serve him in the preservation 
 of his own. 
 
 The Tenth Commandment. 
 
 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, 19 
 nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that 
 is thy neighbor's. 
 
366 THE SMALL CATECHISM. 
 
 What is meant by this Commandment f 20 
 
 Answer. We should so fear and love God as not to alienate 
 our neighbor's wife from him, entice away his servants, nor let 
 loose his cattle, but use our endeavors that they may remain 
 and discharge their duty to him. 
 
 What does God declare concerning all these Commandments f 21 
 
 Answer, He says : I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, 
 isiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the 
 third and fourth generation of them that hate me: and shew- 
 ing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my 
 commandments. 
 
 What is meant by this declaration f 77 
 
 Answer. God threatens to punish all those who transgress 
 these commandments. We should, therefore, dread his dis- 
 pleasure and not act contrarily to these commandments. But 
 he promises grace and every blessing to all who keep them. 
 We should, therefore, love and trust in him, and cheerfully do 
 what he has commanded us. 
 
 357 PART SECOND. 
 
 THE CREED. 
 
 In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the Head of a family. 
 
 The First Article. 
 
 Of Creation. 1 
 
 I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven 
 «md earth. 
 
 What is meant by this Article f 7 
 
 Answer. I believe that God has created me and all that ex- 
 ists ; that he has given and still preserves to me my body and 
 soul, with all my limbs and senses, my reason and all the facul- 
 ties of my mind, together with my raiment, food, home, and 
 family, and all my property ; that he daily provides me abun- 
 dantly with all the necessaries of life, protects me from all dan 
 ger, and preserves me and guards me against all evil ; aW which 
 he does out of pure, paternal, and divine goodness and mercy, 
 without any merit or worthiness in me; for all which I am in 
 duty bound to thank, praise, serve, and obey him. This is 
 most certainly true. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Part II., Art. I. : Nicene Creed, § 1 ; A ug. Conf . 
 Art. i. ; Smalcald Art., Part I. ; Large Catechism. 
 
Part II. THE CREED. 367 
 
 The Second Article. 
 
 Of Redemption. 3 
 
 Ami iu Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was con- 
 ceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered 
 under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He de- 
 scended into hell ; the third day He rose again from the dead ; 
 He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God 
 the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the 
 quick and the dead. 
 
 ]Vhat is meant by this Article f 4 
 
 Answer. I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of 
 the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Vir- 
 orn gin Mary, is my Lord ; who has redeemed me, a lost and 
 condemned creature, secured and delivered me from all 
 sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with sil- 
 ver and gold, but with his holy and precious blood, and with 
 his innocent sufferings and death ; in order that I might be his, 
 live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting 
 righteousness, innocence and blessedness : even as he is risen 
 from the dead, and lives and reigns to all eternity. This is 
 most certainly true. 
 
 The Third Article. 
 
 Of Sanctification. $ 
 
 I believe in the Holy Ghost ; the Holy Christian Church, 
 the Communion of Saints ; the Forgiveness of sins ; the Res- 
 urrection of the body; and the Life everlasting. Amen. 
 
 What is meant by this Article f 6 
 
 Answer. I believe that I cannot by my own reason or 
 strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to him ; 
 but the Holy Ghost has called me through the gospel, enlight- 
 ened me by his gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the 
 true faith ; in like manner as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and 
 sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and preserves it 
 in union with Jesus Christ in the true faith ; in which Chris- 
 tian Church he daily forgives abundantly all my sins, and the 
 sins of all believers, and will raise up me and all the dead at 
 the last day, and will grant everlasting life to me and to all 
 who believe in Christ. This is most certainly true. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Art. II. : Nicene Creed, \ 2 sqq. ; Athanasian Creed 
 \ 27 sqq.; Aug. Conf., Art. iii. ; Apology, Art. iii. (p. 83) ; Smalcald Arts. ; 
 Part. I. ; Large Catechism ; Form. Con., chap. viii. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Art. III. : Nicene Creed, \\ 4, 5 ; Aug. Conf., Arts, v, 
 vii, xvii., xviii. ; Apology, Arts, vii., xviii. ; Smalcald Arts. Part III., Arts, ir., 
 Tii. 
 
368 TIIK SMALL CATECHISM. 
 
 PART THIRD. 
 
 THE LORD'S PRAYER. 
 
 In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the Head of a family* 
 
 The Introduction. i 
 
 Our Father who art in heaven. 
 
 What is meant by this Introduction f ? 
 
 Answer. God would thereby affectionately encourage us to 
 believe that he is truly our Father, and that we are his chil- 
 dren indeed, so that we may call upon him with all cheerful- 
 ness and confidence, even as beloved children entreat their 
 affectionate parents. 
 
 359 The First Petition. 3 
 
 Hallowed be thy name. 
 
 What is meant by this Petition f 4 
 
 Answer. The name of God is indeed holy in itself; but we 
 pray in this petition that it may be hallowed also by us. 
 
 How is this effected f 5 
 
 Answer. When the Word of God is taught in its truth and 
 purity, and we, as the children of God, lead holy lives in ac- 
 cordance with it; to this may our blessed Father in heaven 
 help us ! But whoever teaches and lives otherwise than as 
 God's Word prescribes, profanes the name of God among us ; 
 from this preserve us, Heavenly Father ! 
 
 The Second Petition. 6 
 
 Thy kingdom come. 
 
 What is meant by this Petition t 7 
 
 Answer. The kingdom of God comes indeed of itself, with- 
 out our prayer ; but we pray in this petition that it may come 
 unto us also. 
 
 When is this effected f 8 
 
 Answei\ When our heavenly Father gives us his Holy 
 Spirit, so that by his grace we believe his holy Word, and 
 live a godly life here on earth, and in heaven for ever. 
 
 Parallel Passages.— Part III.: Large Catechism; cf. Luthers " Amle- 
 gung des Vater Una. fur die einfaltigen Laieri" (Witt., 1518); "Kurze Form wit 
 das Vater Uns. zu beten," and "Kurze und gute Auslegung des heil. Vater Uns. fiit 
 tick und hintersich" (Witt., 1520). 
 
Part III. THE LORDS PRAYER. 369 
 
 The Third Petition. 9 
 
 Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 
 What is meant by this Petition? ic 
 
 Answei\ The good and gracious will of God is done indeed 
 without our prayer ; but we pray in this petition that it maj 
 be done by us also. 
 
 When is this effected f 1 1 
 
 Answer. When God frustrates and brings to naught every 
 evil counsel and purpose which would hinder us from hallow- 
 ing the name of God and prevent his kingdom from coming 
 to us, such as the will of the devil, of the world, and of our 
 own flesh ; and when he strengthens us, and keeps us steadfast 
 in his Word and in the faith, even unto our end. This is his 
 gracious and good will. 
 
 360 The Fourth Petition. n 
 
 Give us this day our daily bread. 
 
 What is meant by this Petition f 13 
 
 Answer. God gives indeed without our prayer even to the 
 wicked also their daily bread ; but we pray in this petition that 
 he would make us sensible of his benefits, and enable us to re- 
 ceive our daily broad with thanksgiving. 
 
 What is implied in the words : " Our daily bread "f 14 
 
 Answer. All things that pertain to the wants and the support 
 of this present life ; such as food, raiment, money, goods, house 
 and land, and other property ; a believing spouse and good chil- 
 dren ; trustworthy servants and faithful magistrates ; favorable 
 seasons ; peace and health ; education and honor ; true friends, 
 good neighbors, and the like. 
 
 The Fifth Petition. 15 
 
 And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who tres- 
 pass against us. 
 
 What is meant by this Petition? 16 
 
 Answer. We pray in this petition that our heavenly Father 
 would not regard our sins, nor deny us our requests on account 
 of them ; for we are not worthy of any thing for which we 
 pray, and have not merited it; but that he would grant us all 
 things through grace, although we daily commit much sin, and 
 deserve chastisement alone. We will therefore, on our part, 
 both heartily forgive, and also readily do good to, those who 
 may injure or offend us. 
 
 The Sixth Petition. 17 
 
 And lead us not into temptation. 
 47 
 
370 THE SMALL CATECHISM. 
 
 What is meant by this Petition f lo 
 
 Answer. God indeed tempts no one to sin ; but we pray in 
 this petition that God would so guard and preserve us ihat the 
 devil, the world, and our own flesh may not deceive us, nor 
 lead us into error and unbelief, despair, and other great and 
 Bhameful sins; and that, though we may be thus tempted, we 
 may nevertheless finally prevail and gain the victory. 
 
 361 The Seventh Petition. 19 
 
 But deliver us from evil. 
 
 What is meant by this Petition f 20 
 
 Answer. We pray in this petition, as in a summary, that our 
 heavenly Father would deliver us from all manner of evil, 
 whether it affect the body or soul, property or character, and, 
 at last, when the hour of death shall arrive, grant us a happy 
 end, and graciously take us from this world of sorrow to him- 
 self in heaven. 
 
 What is meant by the word " Amen "f 2 1 
 
 Answer. That I should be assured that such petitions are 
 acceptable to our heavenly Father, and are heard by him ; for 
 he himself has commanded us to pray in this manner, and has 
 promised that he will hear us. Amen, Amen ; that is, Yea, yea, 
 it shall be so. 
 
 PART FOURTH. 
 
 THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISM. 
 
 In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the Head of a family. 
 I What is Baptism ? 1 
 
 Answer. Baptism is not simply water, but it is the water 2 
 comprehended in God's command, and connected with God's 
 Word. 
 
 What is that Word of God ? 3 
 
 Answer. It is that which our Lord Jesus Christ spake, as 4 
 it is recorded in the last chapter of Matthew, verse 19 : "Go 
 ye, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the 
 Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." 
 
 II. What gifts or benefits does Baptism confer? 5 
 
 Answer. It worketh forgiveness of sins, delivers from death 6 
 <>nn and the devil, and confers everlasting salvation on all who 
 believe as the Word and promise of God declare. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Part TV. : Augsburg Confession, Art. ix. ; Apnlogj 
 A.ru ix. • Smalcald Articles, Part III., Art. v.; Large Catechism. 
 
PabtIV. OF CONFESSION. 371 
 
 What are such words and promises of Godf 7 
 
 Answer. Those which our Lord Jesus Christ spake, as they 8 
 are recorded in the last chapter of Mark, verse 16 : " He that 
 believeth and is baptized, shall be saved ; but he that believeth 
 not, shall be damned." 
 
 III. How can water produce such great effects f 9 
 Answer. It is not the water indeed that produces these effects, iq 
 
 but the Word of God which accompanies and is connected with 
 the water, and our faith, which relies on the Word of God con- 
 nected with the water. For the water, without the Word of 
 God, is simply water and no baptism. But when connected 
 with the Word of God, it is a baptism ; that is, a gracious wa- 
 ter of life and a " washing of regeneration " in the Holy Ghost, 
 as St. Paul says to Titus in the third chapter, vers. 5-8 : " Ac- 
 cording to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regenera- 
 tion and renewing of the Holy Ghost ; which he shed on us 
 abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being jus- 
 tified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the 
 hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying." 
 
 IV. What does such baptizing with water signify f 1 1 
 Answer. It signifies that the old Adam in us-is to be drowned 12 
 
 and destroyed by daily sorrow and repentance, together with 
 all sins and evil lusts; and that again the new man should 
 daily come forth and rise, that shall live in the presence of 
 God in righteousness and purity for ever. 
 
 Where is it so written f 13 
 
 Answer. St. Paul, in the Epistle to the Romans, chapter 6, 14 
 verse 4, says : " We are buried with Christ by baptism into 
 death ; that like as he was raised up from the dead by the glory 
 of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." 
 
 363 OF CONFESSION. 1 
 
 How plain questions should be taught concerning it. 1 $ 
 
 What is Confession f 16 
 
 Answer. Confession consists of two parts : the one is, that we 
 confess our sins ; the other, that we receive absolution or for- 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Arts, xi., xxv. ; Apology, of 
 Art. xi. (iv. 58) ; Art xii. (v. 11, 12), (Art. vi.) ; Smalcald Articles, Part IIL, 
 Art. viii. 
 
 1 MUller makes of this a distinct part. Hase gives it as an Appendii 
 to Part IV., Of Baptism. Francke entitles it " Introduction to Part V.' 
 This is the view of Walch Introduction, p. 611 sqq. 
 
372 THE SMALL CATECHISM. 
 
 giveness through the pastor as of God himself, in no wine 
 doubting, but firmly believing that our sins are thus forgiven 
 before God in heaven. 
 
 Wliat sins ought we to confess f 15 
 
 Answer. In the presence of God we should acknowledge our- 
 selves guilty of all manner of sins, even of those which we do 
 not ourselves perceive ; as we do in the Lord's Prayer. But 
 n the presence of the pastor we should confess those sins alone 
 o v which we have knowledge and which we feel in our hearts. 
 
 Which are these f 1 8 
 
 Answer. Here reflect in your condition, according to the Ten 15 
 Commandments, namely : Whether you are a father or mother, 
 a son or daughter, a master or mistress, a man-servant or maid- 
 servant — whether you have been disobedient, unfaithful, sloth- 
 ful, whether you have injured any one by words or actions, 
 whether you have stolen, neglected, or wasted aught, or done 
 other evil. 
 
 Please show me a short way to confess. 2c 
 
 Answer. You should speak to the confessor thus : Reverend 21 
 and dear sir, I beseech you to hear my confession, and to an- 
 nounce to me forgiveness for God's sake. 
 
 Say: 
 
 I, a poor sinner, confess before God that I am guilty of all 22 
 sins ; especially I confess before thee that I am a man-servant, a 
 maid-servant, etc. But alas, I serve my master unfaithfully ; 
 for here and there I have not done what he told me ; I have 
 provoked him, and caused him to curse ; I have neglected 
 many things and let them go to waste ; likewise, in words and 
 deeds I have been immodest ; I have been angry with my 
 on a equals ; I have grumbled and sworn at my wife. For all 
 this I am sorry, and pray for grace : I mean to do better. 
 
 A master or mistress should say thus : 
 
 In particular I confess before thee that I have not been 23 
 faithful in training my children, domestics and wife [family] 
 for God's glory. I have cursed. I have given a bad example 
 by unchaste words and works. I have injured my neighbor. 
 I have slandered, have overcharged and have given spurious 
 goods and short measure. 
 
 And whatever more he has done in violation of God's com- :_j 
 mand and his station, etc. But if any one do not feel that he 
 is oppressed by these or greater sins, he should not be anxious, 
 or search for or devise other sins, and thereby make a torture 
 out of confession, 1 but should mention one or two sins known 
 
 1 Cf. Aug. Conf., xxv. : 7 sqq. ; Apology, Art. xi. (iv.) : 63. p. 166. 
 
Part V. THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR. 37,'< 
 
 to hjmself. Thus: In particular I confess that I once cursed. 
 I once used immodest words. I have neglected this or that, 
 etc. Let this suffice. 
 
 But if you know of none at all (which, however, is scarcely 25 
 possible), mention none in particular, but receive the forgive- 
 ness after the general confession which you make before God 
 to the minister. 
 
 Then the Confessor slwuld say : 
 
 God be merciful unto thee and strengthen thy faith. Amen. 26 
 
 And again : 
 Dost thou believe that my forgiveness is the forgiveness of 27 
 God? 
 
 Answer. Yes, dear sir. 
 
 Then let him say : 
 
 As thou believest, so be it done unto thee. And in the 28 
 name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive to thee thy sins, in 
 the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
 Ghost. Amen. Depart in peace. 
 
 But those who have great burdens upon their consciences, 29 
 or are distressed and tempted, a father confessor will know 
 well how to console with passages of Scripture and to encour- 
 age them to faith. This should only serve as an ordinary form 
 of confession for the uncultivated. 
 
 365 PART FIFTH. 
 
 THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR; 
 
 OR, 
 
 THE LORD'S SUPPER. 
 
 In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the Head of a family. 
 
 What is the Sacrament of the Altar f 1 
 
 Answer. It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus 2 
 Christ, under the bread and wine, 1 given unto us Christians to 
 eat and to drink, as it was instituted by Christ himself. 
 
 Where is it so written f 3 
 
 Answer. The holy Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, 4 
 together with St. Paul, write thus: 2 
 
 Parallel Passages.— Part V. : Aug. Conf., Art. x. ; Apology, Art. x. : 
 54-57 ; Smal. Arts., Art. vi. ; Large Catechism ; Form. Con., Art. vii. 
 
 1 Large Catechism, Part V., Art. vii. : 8 sqq. ; Form. Con., Sol. Dec, 
 vii. : 35 sqq. 
 1 Matt 26 : 26-28 : Mark 14 : 22-24 ; Luke 22 : 19, 20 ; 1 Cor. 11 : 23- 25. 
 
374 THE SMALL CATECHISM. 
 
 "Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which he was be* 
 trayed, took bread : and when he had given thanks, lie brake 
 it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my 
 body, which is given for you : this do, in remembrance of me. 
 
 " After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had 
 
 supped, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all 
 
 of it : this cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed 
 
 or you, for the remission of sins : this do ye, as oft as ye drink 
 
 t, in remembrance of me." 
 
 What benefits are derived from such eating and drinking ? 5 
 
 Answer, They are pointed out in these words : " Given, and 6 
 shed for you, for the remission of sins." Namely, through 
 these words, the remission of sins, life and salvation are 
 granted unto us in the Sacrament. For where there is re- 
 mission of sins, there are also life and salvation. 
 
 How can the bodily eating and drinking produce such great effects f 7 
 o fifi Answer. The eating and the drinking, indeed, do not pro- 8 
 
 duce them, but the words which stand here, namely : " Given, 
 and shed for you, for the remission of sins." These words are, 
 besides the bodily eating and drinking, the chief things in the 
 Sacrament; and he who believes these words has that which 
 they declare and set forth, namely, the remission of sins. 
 
 Who is it, then, that receives this Sacrament worthily? 9 
 
 Answer. Fasting and bodily preparation are indeed a good ic 
 external discipline ; but he is truly worthy and well prepared, 
 who believes these words : " Given, and shed for you, for the 
 remission of sins." But he who does not believe these words, 
 or who doubts, is unworthy and unfit ; for the words : " For 
 You," require truly believing hearts. 
 
 [APPENDIX IJ 
 
 MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER. 
 
 In the form in which they are to be taught by the Head of a family. 
 
 In the morning, when thou risest, thou shalt make the sign of the holy 1 
 cross, and say : 
 
 In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
 Holy Ghost. Amen. 
 
 Then kneeling or standing thou shalt say the Apostles' Creed and the 2 
 Lord's Prayer. 
 
 To these thou canst also add this Prayer : 
 
 I give thanks unto thee, heavenly Father, through Jesus 
 Christ, thv dear Son. that thou hast protected me through the 
 
Appendix II. BLESSING AT TABLE. 375 
 
 night from all danger and harm ; and I beseech thee to pre- 
 serve and keep me this day also from all sin and evil ; that in 
 « fi7 all my thoughts, words, and deeds I may serve and please 
 thee. Into thy hands I commend my body and soul, and 
 all that is mine. Let thy holy angel have charge concerning 
 me, that the wicked one have no power over me. Amen. 
 
 And then thou shouldst go with joy to thy work, after perhaps a hymn 3 
 has been sung, as the Ten Commandments, or what thy devotion may 
 suggest. 
 
 Evening Prayer. 
 
 In the evening, when thou goest to bed, thou shalt make the sign 0/ the 4 
 holy cross, and say : 
 
 In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
 
 floly Ghost. Amen. 
 
 Tlien kneeling or standing, thou shall say the Apostles' Creed and the 5 
 Lord's Prayer. 
 
 Then, if thou wilt, thou mayest add this Prayer : 
 I give thanks unto thee, heavenly Father, "through Jesus 
 Christ thy dear Son, that thou hast this day so graciously pro- 
 tected me, and I beseech thee to forgive me all my sins, and the 
 wrong which I have done, and by thy great mercy defend me 
 from all the perils and dangers of this night. Into thy hands 
 I commend my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let thy 
 holy angel have charge concerning me, that the wicked one 
 have no power over me. Amen. 
 
 Then thou shouldst go to sleep immediately and joyfully. 
 
 [APPENDIX II.] 
 
 THE BLESSING AND THANKSGIVING AT TABLE 
 
 In the form in which they are to be taught by the Head of a family. 
 Grace before Meat. 
 
 Before meat, the members of the family standing at the table reverently 6 
 and with folded hands, there shall be said : 
 
 The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord : and thou givest 7 
 
 them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and 
 
 satisfiest the desire of every living thing. 1 
 
 o fi o Note. — Pleasure {Wohlgef alien) means, that all ani-8 
 
 mals receive so much to eat that thev are on this account 
 joyful and of good cheer; for care and avarice hinder such 
 pleasure. 
 
 1 Ps. 145 : 16. Otherwise rendered : " Fillest every living thing with 
 pleasure." 
 
376 THE SMALL CATECHISM. 
 
 Thei\ shall be said the Lord's Prayer, and after that this Prayer: g 
 Lord God, heavenly Father, bless unto us these thy gifts, 
 which of thy tender kindness thou hast bestowed upon us, 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 Thanks after Meat. 
 
 After 'meat, all standing reverently and with folded hands, there shall be I 
 said : 
 
 O give thanks unto the Lord, for lie is good: for his mercy 
 endureth for ever. 1 He giveth food to all flesh : 2 he giveth to 
 the beast his food and to the young ravens which cry. He de- 
 lighteth not in the strength of the horse ; he taketh not plea- 
 sure in the legs of a man. The Lord taketh pleasure in them 
 that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. 3 
 
 Then the Lord's Prayer and the following Prayer : 1 1 
 
 We give thanks to thee, O God our Father, for all thy bene- 
 fits, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee liveth and 
 reigneth for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 369 [APPENDIX III.] 
 
 TABLE OF DUTIES, i 
 
 Or certain passages of the Scriptures, selected for various orders and 
 conditions of men, wherein their respective duties are set forth. 
 
 Bishops, Pastors and Preachers. 2 
 
 A bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vig- 
 ilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality apt to teach, 
 not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre ; but 
 patient, not a brawler, not covetous ; one that ruleth well his 
 own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity ; 
 not a novice, but holding fast the faithful Word, as he hath 
 been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to ex- 
 hort and to convince the gainsayers. 1 Tim. 3 : 2-6 ; Tit. 1 : 9. # 
 
 What Duties Hearers owe their Bishops. 4 3 
 
 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the 
 Gospel should live of the Gospel (1 Cor. 9 : 14). Let him that 
 is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teach eth in 
 all good things (Gal. 6 : 6). Let the elders that rule well be 
 counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in 
 
 1 Ps. 136 : 1. ■ Pa. 1% : 25. » Ps. 147 : 9-11. 
 
 * Omitted in German. 
 
Appendix III. TABLE OF DUTIES. 377 
 
 word and doctrine. For the Scripture saith, Thou shalt not 
 muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer 
 is worthy of his reward (1 Tim. 5:17, 18). Obey them that 
 have the rule over you, and submit yourselves : for they watch 
 for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may 
 do it with joy and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for 
 you. Heb. 13:17. 
 
 Magistrates. 4 
 
 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For 
 there is no power but of God : the powers that be are ordained 
 of God ; for rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the 
 evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power ? Do that 
 which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same ; for he 
 is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that 
 which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in 
 vain : for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute 
 wrath upon him that doeth evil. Rom. 13 : 1-4. 
 
 370 What Duties Subjects owe Magistrates. 1 5 
 
 Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's 
 (Matt. 22 : 21). Let every soul be subject unto the higher 
 powers, etc. Wherefore we must needs be subject, not only for 
 wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For for this cause pay ye 
 tribute also ; for they are God's ministers, attending continu- 
 ally upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues ; 
 tribute to whom tribute is due ; custom to whom custom ; fear 
 to whom fear ; honor to whom honor (Rom. 13 : 1, 5 sqq.). I 
 exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, inter- 
 cessions and giving of thanks be made for all men ; for kings 
 and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and 
 peaceable life in all godliness and honesty (1 Tim. 2 : 1 sq.). 
 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, 
 etc. (Tit. 3:1). Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man 
 for the Lord's sake : whether it be to the king as supreme ; or 
 unto governors as those that are sent, etc. 1 Pet. 2 : 13 sq. 
 
 Husbands. 6 
 
 Ye husbands, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, 
 giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as 
 being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be 
 not hindered (1 Pet. 3 : 7). And be not bitter against them. 
 Col. 3 : 29. 
 
 Wives. 7 
 
 Wives, submit yourselves unto your husbands, as unto the 
 
 1 Omitted in German. 
 
 48 
 
378 THE SMALL CATECHISM. 
 
 Lord. Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord : 
 whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not 
 afraid with any amazement. Eph. 5 : 22 ; 1 Fet 3 : 6. 
 
 Parents. 8 
 
 Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath : but bring 
 them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Eph. 6 : 4. 
 
 Children. 9 
 
 Children, obey your parents in the Lord : for this is right. 
 Honor thy father and mother ; which is the first commandment 
 with promise ; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest 
 live long on the earth. Eph. 6 : 1-3. 
 
 Male and Female Servants, and Laborers. ic 
 
 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters accord- 
 ing to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your 
 heart, as unto Christ; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers ; 
 but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the 
 o 71 heart ; with good-will doing service, as to the Lord, and 
 not to men ; knowing that whatsoever good thing any man 
 doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond 
 or free. Epb 3 ; 5-8. 
 
 Masters and Mistresses. n 
 
 Ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threat- 
 ening ; knowing that your Master also is in heaven ; neither is 
 there respect of persons with him. Eph. 6:9; Col. 4:1. 
 
 Young Persons in General. 12 
 
 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. 
 Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with 
 humility : for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the 
 humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand 
 of God, that he may exalt you in due time. 1 Pet. 5 : 5, 6. 
 
 Widows. 13 
 
 She that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, 
 and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day ; but 
 she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. 1 Tim. 
 5 : 5, 6. 
 
 Christians in General. 14 
 
 Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Herein are com- 
 prehended all the commandments (Rom. 13 : 9, 10). And 
 persevere in prayer for all men. 1 Tim. 2:1,2. 
 
PART VI. 
 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 FIRST PREFACE. 
 SECOND PREFACE, 
 
 PART FIRST. 
 
 THE TEN COMMA NDMEN1& 
 The First Commandment. 
 Exposition of Appendix, 
 
 The Second Commandment. 
 The Third Commandment. 
 The Fourth Commandment. 
 The Fifth Commandment. 
 The Sixth Commandment. 
 The Seventh Commandment. 
 The Eighth Commandment. 
 The Ninth Commandment. 
 The Tenth Commandment. 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 
 THE CEEED. 
 Of Articles op Faith, and their Necessity. 
 
 Article I. 
 Article II. 
 Article III. 
 Conclusion. 
 
 PART THIRD. 
 
 THE LORD'S PRAYER 
 Of the Necessity and Manner of Prayer. 
 The First Petition. 
 The Second Petition. 
 
 181 
 
382 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 The Third Petition. 
 The Fourth Petition. 
 The Fifth Petition. 
 The Sixth Petition. 
 The Seventh Petition. 
 
 PART FOURTH. 
 OF BAPTISM. 
 Of its Institution and Nature. 
 Of its End and Efficacy. 
 Of the Faith of those to be Baptized, 
 Of Infant Baptism. 
 Of the Significance of Baptism. 
 
 PART FIFTH. 
 OF THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR. 
 Of its Institution and Nature. 
 Of its Efficacy and Profit. 
 Of the Firm of Communicants. 
 Exhortation to its Frequent Usb. 
 
THE LARGE CATECHISM 
 
 OF 
 
 DR. MARTIN LUTHER. 
 
 375 A Christian, Profitable and Necessary Preface, 
 and Faithful, Earnest Exhortation of Dr. Mar- 
 tin Luther to all Christians, but especially to 
 all Pastors and Preachers, in order that they 
 may daily exercise themselves in the cate- 
 chism, which is a short summary of the entire 
 Holy Scriptures, and that they may always 
 Practise the same. 
 
 We have no slight reason for urging so constantly the Cate- i 
 chism, and for both desiring and beseeching others to do the 
 same, since we see to our sorrow that many pastors and preachers 
 are in this so very negligent, and slight not only their office, but 
 even the doctrine itself; some from great and ambitious art, 
 but others from pure indolence and care for their palates, being 
 not otherwise disposed than if it were for the sake of their ap- 
 petites that they are pastors and preachers, and as though they 
 had nothing to do but to spend and consume as long as they 
 live ; as they have been accustomed to do under the Papacy. 
 
 And although they have everything that they are to preach 2 
 nd teach set forth now so fully, clearly, and intelligibly in so 
 many excellent books, and Sermones per se loquentes, Dormi 
 secure, Paratos et Tliesauros, 1 as in former times they were 
 called ; yet they are not so godly and honest as to buy these 
 books, or even if they have them, they do not look at them or 
 read them. Alas ! they are shameful gluttons and ministers 
 of their appetites, who would much more properly be swine- 
 herds and dog-fanciers than pastors and Gospel ministers. 
 
 -And now that they are delivered from the unprofitable and 3 
 w«.Jmsome bubbling concerning the Seven Canonical Hours, 
 oh that, instead thereof, thfey ^ r ould only, morning, noon and 
 
 Titles of collections of Postii*. 
 
384 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 night, read a page or two in the Catechism, the Prayer Book, 
 the New Testament, or elsewhere in the Bible, and pray tlie 
 o 7fi Lord's Prayer once for themselves and their parishioners, 
 so that they might render honor and return thanks to the 
 Gospel, by which they have been delivered from burdens and 
 troubles so manifold, and might have some little shame because 
 like brutes they retain no more of the Gospel than such cor- 
 rupt, pernicious, shameful, carnal liberty! For, alas! the com- 4 
 mon people regard the Gospel altogether too lightly ; so that 
 even though we use all diligence, we accomplish no great re- 
 sults. What will be the consequence if we be careless and in- 
 dolent, as we were under the Papacy ? 
 
 To this there is added this shameful vice and secret infection 5 
 of security and satiety, viz. that many regard the Catechism as 
 a plain, unimportant statement of doctrine which they can read 
 o?er once, and then throw the book into a corner, and be 
 ashamed to read in it again. 
 
 Yea, even among the nobility there are some rude and nig- 1 
 gardly fellows, who declare that, from now on, there is need 
 neither of pastors nor preachers; that we have everything in 
 books, and every one can learn it for himself; and in this con- 
 fidence they allow the parishes to fall into decay and desola- 
 tion, and cause pastors and preachers to suffer hunger and ex- 
 treme distress. Such conduct is to be expected from crazy 
 Germans. For we Germans have such disgraceful people, and 
 must endure them. 
 
 But this I say for myself. I am also a doctor and a preacher, 7 
 yea, as learned and experienced as all who have such presump- 
 tion and security. Yet I do as a child who is being taught the 
 Catechism. Every morning and whenever I have time I read 
 and say, word for word, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, 
 the Lord's Prayer, the Psalms, etc. And I must still read and 
 study daily, and yet I cannot master it as I wish, but must re- 
 main, and that too gladly, a child and pupil of the Catechism. 
 And yet these delicate, fastidious fellows pretend with one 
 reading to be doctors above all doctors, and to know everything 
 and be in need of nothing. And this is indeed a sure sign that 
 o 77 they despise both their office and the souls of the people, 
 
 yea even God and his Word. They need not be afraid of 8 
 a ftdl, since they are already fallen all too horribly; but they 
 need become children, and begin to learn their alphabet, which 
 they imagine that they have long since outgrown. 
 
 Therefore I beg such indolent epicures or presumptuous 9 
 eaints, for God's sake, to believe and be persuaded that they 
 are by no means bo learned or such great doctors as they imag- 
 ine ; and never to presume that they have thoroughly learned 
 this [all the parts of the Catechism], or know enough of every- 
 
FIKST PREFACE. 385 
 
 thing, even though they think that they know it ever so well. 
 For though they should know and understand it perfectly 
 (which, however, is impossible in this life), yet if it be daily 
 read and practised in thought and speech, it yields much profit 
 and fruit; for in such reading and repetition and meditation 
 the Holy Ghost is present, and ever bestows new and more 
 light and devoutness, so that we daily relish and appreciate it 
 better, according as Christ promises (Matt. 18 : 20) : " Where 
 two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in 
 the midst of them." 
 
 Besides, nothing is more effectual against the devil, the world 10 
 and the flesh and all evil thoughts than to be occupied with the 
 Word of God, and to speak thereof, and meditate upon it ; so 
 that the first Psalm declares those blessed who meditate upon 
 the law of God day and night. Undoubtedly, you will never 
 offer any incense or other savor against Satan more efficacious 
 than employment upon God's commandments and words, and 
 speaking, singing, or thinking thereof. For this is indeed the 
 truly holy water and holy sign from which he flees, and by 
 which he is driven away. 
 
 If you had no other profit and fruit therefrom, for this rea- n 
 son alone you ought gladly to read, speak, think of and prac- 
 tise these things, viz. thereby to drive away the devil and evil 
 « 7 o thoughts. For he cannot hear or endure God's Word ; 
 and God's Word is not like any careless talk, as that of 
 Dietrich of Berne, 1 etc., but as St. Paul says (Rom. 1 : 16): 
 " The power of God." Yea, indeed, the power of God which 
 gives the devil extreme pain, and strengthens, comforts and 
 helps us beyond measure. 
 
 And what need is there of many words? If I were to re- 12 
 count all the profit and fruit which God's Word produces, 
 whence would I have enough paper and time ? The devil is 
 called the master of a thousand arts. But what shall we say 
 of God's Word, which drives away and brings to naught this 
 master of a thousand arts with all his arts and power? It 
 must of course be the master of more than a hundred thousand 
 arts. And shall we frivolously despise such power, profit, 13 
 strength and fruit — we, especially, who wish to be pastors and 
 preachers? If so, we should not only have nothing given us 
 to eat, but be driven out with the dogs, and be cast away with 
 refuse, because we not only daily need this all, as we do our 
 daily bread, but must also daily use it against the daily and in- 
 cessant attacks and stratagems of the devil with his thousand 
 arts. 
 
 1 The reference is to verses commemorating the exploits of Theodoric, 
 king of the Ostrogoths. 
 
 49 
 
386 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 And if this were not sufficient to admonish us to read the 14 
 Catechism daily, yet God's command even alone ought to con- 
 strain us, which in Dent. 6 : 6 sqq. he solemnly enjoins, that 
 we should always meditate upon his precepts, when we sit down, 
 and when we walk forth, and when we lie down, and when we 
 rise up, and should have them before our eyes and in our hands 
 as a constant mark and sign. Doubtless he did not so solemnly 
 require and enjoin this without a purpose; but because he knew 
 our danger and need, as well as the constant and furious assaults 
 and temptations of devils, he wishes to w T arn, equip and pre- 
 serve us against them, as with a good armor against their fiery 
 darts and with good medicine against their poisonous draughts. 
 
 Oh, what mad, senseless fools are w r e, that while we must ever [5 
 live and dwell among such mighty enemies as devils, we never- 
 theless despise our armor and defence, and are too indolent to 
 look for, or think of them ! 
 o 7 q And what else are such supercilious, presumptuous 16 
 
 saints, who are unwilling to read and study the Catechism 
 daily, doing, but esteeming themselves much more learned than 
 God himself with all his saints, angels, patriarchs, prophets, 
 apostles, and all Christians ? For inasmuch as God himself is 
 not ashamed to teach the same daily, since he knows nothing 
 better to teach, and always keeps teaching the same thing, and 
 does not take up anything new or different, and all the saints 
 know nothing better to learn, or different, and cannot learn this 
 perfectly, are we not wonderful men to imagine, if we have once 
 read or heard it, that we know it all, and have no farther need 
 to read and learn, but can learn perfectly in one hour what 
 God himself cannot finish teaching, since he continues teaching 
 it from the beginning to the end of the world, and all prophets, 
 together with all saints, have been occupied with learning it but 
 in part, and are still pupils, and must remain such ? 
 
 For it is certain that whoever knows the Ten Command- 17 
 ments perfectly must know all the Scriptures, so that, in all 
 circumstances and events, he can advise, help, comfort, judge 
 and decide both spiritual and temporal matters, and is qualified 
 to sit in judgment upon all doctrines, estates, spirits, laws, and 
 whatever else is in the world. And what indeed is the entire : I 
 Psalter but thoughts and exercises upon the First Command- 
 ment ? But now I know of a truth that such indolent epicures 
 and presumptuous spirits do not understand a single psalm, 
 much less the entire Scriptures ; and yet they pretend that they 
 know and despise the Catechism, which is a compend and brief 
 summary of all the Holy Scriptures. 
 
 Therefore I again implore all Christians, especially pastors 19 
 and preachers, not to be doctors too soon, and imagine that they 
 know everything (for imagination and stretched cloth fall far 
 
SECOND PKEFACE. 38 1 
 
 short of the measure), but that they daily exercise themselves 
 in these studies and constantly apply them to practice. Let 
 them guard with all care and diligence against the poisonous 
 on a infection of such security and presumption, and persevere 
 in reading, teaching, learning, thinking, meditating, not 
 ceasing until they have learned by experience and are sure 
 that, by this teaching, they have killed Satan, and have become 
 more learned than God himself and all his saints. 
 
 If they manifest such diligence, then I will agree with them, 2c 
 and they will perceive what fruit thev will have, and what ex- 
 cellent men God will make of them ; so that in due time they 
 themselves will acknowledge that the longer and the more they 
 have studied the Catechism, the less they know of it, and the 
 more they find yet to learn ; and then only, as hungry and 
 thirsty ones, will they truly appreciate that which now, because 
 of great abundance and satiety, they cannot endure. To this 
 end may God grant his grace ! Amen. 
 
 SHORT PREFACE OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER. 
 
 This little work has been planned and undertaken in order i 
 to furnish a course of instruction for children and the simple- 
 minded. Hence of old such works received in Greek the name 
 Catechism, i. e. instruction for children. This of necessity 2 
 every Christian should know ; so that he who does not know 
 this should not be reckoned among Christians nor be admitted 
 to the sacrament, just as a mechanic who does not understand 
 the rules and customs of his trade is rejected and regarded in- 
 capable. Therefore the young should be thoroughly instructed 3 
 in the parts which belong to the Catechism or instruction for 
 children, and should diligently exercise themselves therein. 
 
 Therefore it is the duty of every father of a family at least 4 
 once a week to examine his children and servants, and to ascer- 
 tain what they know of it, or have learned, and, if they be not 
 familiar with it, to keep them faithfully at it. For I well re- c 
 member the time — and it may even now be daily seen — when 
 there were adults and even aged persons so uncultivated as to 
 know nothing of these things, and who, nevertheless, went to 
 Baptism and the Lord's Supper, and used everything belong- 
 ing to Christians, notwithstanding the fact that those who come 
 oQi to the Lord's Supper ought to know more and have a 
 fuller understanding of all Christian doctrine than chil- 
 dren and new scholars. However, for the common people, we 
 would be satisfied with the three parts, which have been in Chris- 
 tendom from of old, but have been little taught and employed, 
 
388 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 until tlioy arc generally and diligently practised, and have be- 
 come familiar to all, both young and old, who wish to be and tc 
 be called Christians. These are the following : 
 
 382 I. 
 
 The Ten Commandments, 
 i. 
 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 
 
 n. 
 
 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain ; 2 
 'the J 
 in vain. 
 
 for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name 
 
 in. 
 Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy. 3 
 
 IV. 
 
 Honor thy father and mother, that thy days may be long 4 
 upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 
 
 V. 
 
 Thou shalt not kill. 5 
 
 VI. 
 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 6 
 
 VII. 
 Thou shalt not steal. 7 
 
 VIII. 
 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 8 
 
 IX. 
 
 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house. 9 
 
 x. 
 
 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-ser- ic 
 vant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any- 
 thing that is thy neighbor's. 
 
 383 II. 
 
 The Chief Articles op our Faitii. 
 
 I. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven 11 
 and earth. 
 
THE LOKiyS PKAYER. 389 
 
 II. And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord ; who was 12 
 conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary ; suf- 
 fered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried ; he 
 descended into hell ; the third day he rose again from the dead, 
 he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, 
 the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the 
 quick and the dead. 
 
 III. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Christian Church, 13 
 {he communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrec- 
 tion of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. 
 
 III. 
 The Lord's Prayer. 1 14 
 
 Our Father who art in heaven, 
 
 1. Hallowed be thy name, 
 
 2. Thy kingdom come, 
 
 3. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven : 
 
 4. Give us this day our daily bread, 
 
 5. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who 
 trespass against us. 
 
 6. And lead us not into temptation, 
 
 7. But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and 
 the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 004 These are the most necessary parts which every Chris- 15 
 
 tian should first learn to repeat word for word, and which 
 our children should be accustomed to recite daily when they 
 arise in the morning, when they sit down to their meals, and 16 
 when they retire at night; and until they repeat them they 
 should be given neither food nor drink. The same duty is 17 
 also incumbent upon every head of a household with respect to 
 his man-servants and maid-servants, if they do not know these 
 things and are unwilling to learn them. For a person who is 18 
 so heathenish as to be unwilling to learn these things is not to 
 be tolerated; for in these three parts everything contained in 
 the Scriptures is comprehended in short, general and simple 
 terms. For the holy Fathers or apostles (whoever they were) 19 
 have thus embraced in a summary the doctrine, life, wisdom 
 and art of Christians, of which they speak and treat, and with 
 which they are occupied. 
 
 When these three parts are apprehended, we ought to know 2c 
 how to speak concerning our sacraments, which Christ himself 
 instituted, viz. Baptism, and the holy body and blood of Christ, 
 according to the text which Matthew (28 : 19 sqq.) and Mark 
 
 1 Lit. : The Prayer, or " Our Father/' which Christ taught. 
 
390 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 (16 : 15 sq.) record at the close of their Gospels as to huw 
 Christ gave his last instructions to his disciples and sent them 
 forth. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Of Baptism. 
 
 " Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the 21 
 Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. He that be- 
 lie veth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that belie veth 
 not shall be damned." 
 
 So much is sufficient for a plain person to know from the 22 
 Scriptures concerning Baptism. In like manner, also, concern- 
 ing the other sacrament, in short, simple words, according to 
 the text of St. Paul. 1 Cor. 11 : 23 sq. 
 
 V. 
 
 385 Of the Lord's Supper. 23 
 
 " Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which he was 
 betrayed, took bread : and when he had given thanks, he brake 
 it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat ; this is 
 my body, which is given for you : this do, in remembrance 
 of me. 
 
 " After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had 
 supped, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink, ye all 
 of it : this cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed 
 for you, for the remission of sins : this do ye, as oft as ye drink 
 it, in remembrance of me." 
 
 Thus there are in all five parts of the entire Christian doc- 24 
 trine which should be constantly practised and required [of 
 children], and heard recited word for word. For you must 
 not depend upon that which the young people may learn and 
 retain from the sermon alone. When these parts have been 25 
 well learned, you may assign besides some psalms or hymns, 
 based thereupon, in order to enforce the same, and thus to lead 
 the youth into the Scriptures, and accustom them to make daily 
 progress therein. 
 
 Yet it is not enough for them alone to comprehend and re- 26 
 cite these parts verbatim. Let the young people also attend 
 the preaching, especially during the time which is devoted to 
 the Catechism, that they may hear it explained, and may learn 
 to understand what every part contains, and, in their turn, be 
 able to explain what they have heard, and when asked may 
 give a correct answer, so that the preaching may not be with- 
 out profit and fruit. For the reason that we exercise s'Jch 27 
 diligence in preaching so often upon the Catechism b> in 
 
PartI. the ten commandments. 391 
 
 order that its truths may be inculcated on our youth, not in 
 an ambitious and acute manner, but briefly and with the 
 greatest simplicity, so as to enter the mind readily and be 
 fixed in the memory. 
 
 Therefore we propose to take up the above-mentioned articles i\ 
 in regular older, and treat of them as plainly as possible and 
 a ? fully as necessity demands. 
 
 386 PART FIRST. 
 
 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 
 
 The First Commandment. 
 Thou shall have no other gods before me. 
 
 That is : Thou shalt have [and worship] me alone as thy i 
 God. What is the force of this, and how is it to be under- 
 stood ? What is it to have a god ? or, what is God ? An- z 
 swer : A god is that whereto we are to look for all good and 
 to take refuge in all distress ; so that to have a god is to trust 
 and believe him from the whole heart; as I have often said 
 that the confidence and faith of the heart alone make both God 
 and an idol. If your faith and trust be right, then is your 3 
 god also true. And, on the other hand, if your trust be false 
 and wrong, then you have not the true God ; for these two be- 
 long together, viz. faith and God. That now, I say, upon 
 which you set your heart and put your trust is properly your 
 god. Therefore it is the intent of this commandment to re- 4 
 quire such true faith and trust of the heart as regards the only 
 true God, and rest in him alone. That is as much as to say : 
 " See to it that you let me be your God, and you never seek 
 another," i. e. " Whatever you lack in good, seek it of me, and 
 look to me for it, and whenever you suffer misfortune and dis- 
 tress, lay hold of me and cling fast to me. I verily will give 
 you enough and help you out of every necessity ; only let not 
 your heart cleave to or rest in any other." 
 
 This I must unfold somewhat more plainly, that it may be 5 
 understood and perceived by ordinary examples of the contrary, 
 on- Many a one thinks that he has God and everything in 
 abundance when he has money and possessions, in which 
 he trusts and boasts so arrogantly as to care for no one. Lo, t 
 such a man also has a god, Mammon by name, L e. money and 
 possessions, on which he sets all his heart, and which is also 
 >he most common idol on earth. He who has money and pos-7 
 
392 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 sessions feels secure, and is as joyful and undismayed as though 
 he were in the midst of Paradise. On the other hand, he who 8 
 has none doubts and is despondent, as though he knew of no 
 God. For very few are to be found who are of good cheer, 9 
 and who neither mourn nor complain if they have not Mam- 
 mon. This [care and desire for money] adheres and clings k 
 our nature, even to the grave. 
 
 So too, whoever trusts and boasts in the possession of great ic 
 skill, prudence, power, favor, friendship and honor has also a 
 god, but not the only true God. This appears again when you 
 notice how presumptuous, secure and proud people are because 
 of such possessions, and how despondent when without them 
 or deprived of them. Therefore I repeat that the true expla- 
 nation of this point is that to have a god is to have something 
 upon which the heart entirely trusts. 
 
 Besides, consider what, in our blindness, we have hitherto 1 1 
 been doing under the Papacy. If any one had toothache, he 
 fasted and honored St. Apollonia [macerated his flesh by volun- 
 tary fasting to the honor of St. Apollonia] ; if he were afraid 
 of fire, he sought St. Laurence as his deliverer ; if he dreaded 
 pestilence, he made a vow to St. Sebastian or Rachio, and a count- 
 less number of such abominations, where every one selected his 
 own saint whom he worshipped and invoked in distress. Here 12 
 belong those also whose idolatry is most gross, and who make a 
 covenant with the devil, in order that he may give them plenty 
 of money or help them in love-affairs, preserve their cattle, re- 
 store to them lost possessions, etc., as e. g. sorcerers and nec- 
 romancers. For all these place their heart and trust elsewhere 
 than in the true God, and neither look to him for any good nor 
 seek anything from him. 
 o 8 o Thus you can easily understand what and how much 13 
 
 this commandment requires, viz. that man's entire heart 
 and all his confidence be placed in God alone, and in no one 
 else. For to have God, you can easily perceive, is not to lay 
 hold of him with our hands or to put him in a bag [as money], 
 or to lock him in a chest [as silver vessels]. But he is said to 14 
 be apprehended when the heart lays hold of him and depends 
 upon him. But to depend upon him with the heart is nothing 15 
 else than to trust in him entirely. For this reason he wishes 
 to withdraw us from everything else, and to attract us to him- 
 self, viz. because he is the only eternal good. As though he 
 w r ould say : Whatever you have heretofore sought of the saints, 
 or for which you have trusted in Mammon, as well as all else, 
 expect of me, and regard me as the one who will help you and 
 endow you richly with all good things. 
 
 Lo, you have here the true honor and service of God, which 1* 
 pleases God, and which he commands under penalty of ("tenia! 
 
Tart I. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 393 
 
 wrath, viz. that the heart know no other trust or confidence 
 than in him, and do not suffer itself to be torn from him, but, 
 for him, risk and disregard everything upon earth. On the i; 
 other hand, you can easily see and judge how the world prac- 
 tises only false worship and idolatry. For no people has ever 
 been so godless as not to institute and observe some sort of di- 
 vine service. Thus every one has set up as his own god what- 
 ever he looked to for blessings, help and comfort. 
 
 When, for example, the heathen who aimed at power and 18 
 dominion elevated Jupiter as the supreme god, the others, who 
 were bent upon riches, happiness, or pleasure and a life of ease, 
 venerated Hercules, Mercury, Venus, or others. Women with 
 child worshipped Diana or Lucina. Thus every one makes 
 onq that to which his heart is inclined his god. So that even 
 
 in the mind of the heathen to have a god is nothing but 19 
 to trust and believe. But their error is this, that their trust is 
 false and wrong ; for it is not placed in the only God, beside 
 whom there is truly no other in heaven or upon earth. Where- 20 
 fore the heathen really form their self-invented notions and 
 dreams of God into an idol, and put their trust in that which 
 is altogether nothing. Thus is it with all idolatry ; for it con- 21 
 sists not merely in erecting an image and worshipping it, 
 but rather in the heart, which is intent on something else, and 
 seeks help and consolation from creatures, saints or devils, and 
 neither accepts God, nor looks to him for good to such an ex- 
 tent as to believe that he is willing to help ; neither believes 
 that whatever good it experiences comes from God. 
 
 Besides, there is also a false divine service and extreme idol- 22 
 atry, which we have hitherto practised, and is still prevalent in 
 the world, upon which also all ecclesiastical orders are founded, 
 and which alone concerns the conscience, that seeks in its own 
 works help, consolation and salvation, presumes to wrest hea- 
 ven from God, and reckons how many institutions it has 
 founded, how often it has fasted, attended Mass, etc. Upon 
 such things it depends, and of them boasts, as though unwill- 
 ing to receive anything from God gratuitously, but desires it- 
 self to earn them or merit them superabundantly, as though he 
 were in our service and debt, and we his lord. What is this 2 ^ 
 but reducing God to an idol, yea, a mere Pomona, and eleva- 
 ting and regarding ourselves as God? But this is slightly too 
 subtile, and cannot be comprehended by young pupils. 
 
 But let this be said to the simpler, in order that they may 24 
 well note the meaning of this commandment and retain it in 
 memory, viz. that we are to trust in God alone, and look to him 
 oqq and expect from him all good, as from one who gives us 
 body, life, food, drink, nourishment, health, protection, 
 peace and all necessaries of both temporal and eternal things; 
 
 50 
 
394 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 who also preserves us from misfortune, and if any evil befall 
 us delivers and aids us, so that it is God alone (as has been suf- 
 ficiently said) from whom we receive all good, and by whom 
 we are delivered from all evil. Hence also, I think, we Ger- 25 
 mans from ancient times designate God (more elegantly and 
 appropriately than in any other language) by that name from 
 the word Good, since he is an eternal fountain which gushes 
 forth and overflows with pure good, and from which emanates 
 all that is and is called good. 
 
 For even though otherwise we experience much good from it 
 men, we are still to consider whatever we receive by his com- 
 mand or arrangement as received from God. For our parents, 
 and all rulers, and every one besides, with respect to his neigh- 
 bor, have received from God the command that they should do 
 us all manner of good ; so that we receive these blessings not 
 from them, but, through them, from God. For creatures are 
 only the hand, channels and means whereby God gives all 
 things, as he gives to the mother breasts and milk to support 
 her child, and corn and all manner of produce spring from the 
 earth for nourishment, none of which could be produced by any 
 creature of himself. 
 
 Therefore no man should presume to take or give anything 27 
 except as God has commanded ; in order that thereby it may 
 be acknowledged as God's gift, and thanks may be rendered 
 him for it. On this account also these means of receiving good 
 gifts through creatures are not to be rejected, neither should we 
 in presumption seek other ways and means than God has com- 
 manded. For that would not be receiving from God, but seek- 
 ing of ourselves. 
 
 Let every one, then, see to it that he esteem this command- 28 
 ment great and high above all things, and do not deride it. 
 Ask and examine your heart diligently, and you will find 
 whether it cleave to God alone or not. If you have a heart 
 that can expect of him nothing but what is good, and this too 
 qqi especially in want and distress, and that renounces and for- 
 sakes everything that is not God, then you have the only 
 true God. If, on the contrary, it cleave to anything else, of 
 which it expects more good and help than of God, and do not 
 find refuge in him, but in adversity flee from him, then you 
 have an idol, another god. 
 
 In order that it may be seen that God will not have this 25 
 commandment disregarded, but will most strictly enforce it, he 
 has attached to it first a terrible threat, and then a beautiful 
 consolatory promise which it is important to learn and to im- 
 press upon young people, that they may take it to heart and 
 retain it: 
 
Part I. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 395 
 
 Exposition of the Appendix to the Fiest Commandment. 
 
 For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the 30 
 iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and 
 fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy 
 unto thousands of them that love me and keep my command- 
 nents. 
 
 Although these words pertain to all the commandments (as 31 
 we shall hereafter learn), yet they are joined to this as the 
 chief commandment, to indicate that it is of first importance 
 that men have a right head ; for where the head is right, the 
 whole life must be right, and nice versd. Learn, therefore, 32 
 from these words how angry God is with those who trust in 
 anything but him, and again how good and gracious he is to 
 those who trust and believe in him alone with the whole heart; 
 so that his anger does not cease until the fourth generation, 
 while, on the other hand, his blessing and goodness extend to 
 many thousands. Learn this, that you may not live in such 33 
 security and commit yourself to chance, as men of brutal heart, 
 who think that it makes no great difference how they live. 
 He is a God who, if men turn from him, will not leave it 34 
 unavenged, and will not cease to be angry until the fourth gen- 
 eration, even until they are utterly exterminated. Therefore 
 he is to be feared, and not to be despised. 
 oQQ This also he has demonstrated in all history, as the 35 
 
 Scriptures fully show and daily experience can well teach. 
 For, from the beginning, he has utterly extirpated all idolatry, 
 and, on account of it, both heathen and Jews ; even as at the 
 present day he overthrows all false worship, so that all who 
 remain therein must finally perish. Therefore, although proud, 36 
 powerful and rich worldlings are now to be found, who boast 
 defiantly of their Mammon, notwithstanding that God is angry 
 or laughs at them, in the confidence that they can endure his 
 wrath ; yet, before they are aware, they shall be wrecked, with 
 all in which they trusted ; as all others have perished who have 
 thought themselves more secure or powerful. 
 
 And just because of such hardened men who imagine, be- 37 
 cause God connives and allows them to rest in security, that he 
 either is entirely ignorant or cares nothing about such matters, 
 he must deal thus severely and inflict punishment, not forget- 
 ting them unto children's children ; so that every one may see that 
 this is not a matter of sport to him. For they are those whom 3? 
 he means when he says : " Who hate me," i. e. those who per- 
 sist in their defiance and pride ; who will not hear what is 
 prea ,'hed or said to them ; who, if they be reproved, in order 
 that before punishment begin they may learn to know them- 
 
396 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 selves and amend, are so mad and foolish that they clearly 
 merit wrath ; as we see now daily in bishops and princes. 
 
 But terrible as are these threatcnings, so much the more 39 
 powerful is the consolation of the promise, that those who trust 
 in God alone should be sure that he will show them mercy, i. e. 
 that he will show them pure goodness and blessing, not only 
 for themselves, but also to their children and children's chil- 
 dren, even to the thousandth generation. This ought certainly 4c 
 to move and impel us, if we wish all temporal and eternal good, 
 oqo to stay our hearts with all confidence upon God ; since the 
 Supreme Majesty makes such gracious offers and such rich 
 promises. 
 
 Therefore let every one give the most earnest heed that it be 41 
 not regarded as though this were spoken by a man. For to 
 you it is a question either of eternal blessing, happiness and 
 salvation, or of eternal wrath, misery and woe. What more 
 would you have or desire than that which he so kindly prom- 
 ises, viz. to be yours with every blessing, and to protect and 
 help you in all need ? 
 
 But this, alas! is the great calamity, that the world believes 42 
 nothing of this, and regards it not as God's Word, because it 
 sees that those who trust in God, and not in Mammon, suffer 
 care and want, and the devil opposes and resists them ; that 
 they have neither money, favor nor honor, and besides can 
 scarcely support life; while, on the other hand, those who 
 serve Mammon have power, favor, honor, possessions and 
 every comfort in the eyes of the w T orld. For this reason, 
 against such appearances, these words must be grasped ; and 
 we must remember that they do not lie or deceive, but must 
 prove true. 
 
 Reflect for yourself or make inquiry and tell me : Do all 43 
 they who have employed all their care and diligence to accu- 
 mulate great possessions and wealth finally attain them ? You 
 will find that they have labored and toiled in vain, or even 
 though [with much toil] they have amassed great treasures, 
 they have been dispersed and scattered, so that they themselves 
 have never found happiness in their wealth, and it never 
 reached the third generation. 
 oqa In all histories, as well as^in the experience of aged 44 
 
 people, you will find enough examples. See that you only 
 regard and ponder them. 
 
 Saul was a great king, chosen of God, and a godly man ; but 45 
 when he was established in his throne, he let his heart decline 
 from God, put his trust in his crown and power, and perished 
 with all that he had ; so that none of his children remained. 
 
 David, on the other hand, was a poor, despised man, hunted 46 
 down and chased, so that he nowhere felt secure of his life; 
 
Part I. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 397 
 
 yet he was to be preferred to Saul, and become king. For 
 these words must abide and prove true, since God cannot lie 
 or deceive. Only let not the devil and the world deceive you 
 by appearances, which indeed remain for a time, but finally are 
 nothing. 
 
 Let us then learn well the First Commandment, that we 47 
 may see how God will allow no presumption nor any trust in 
 any other object, and how he requires nothing higher of us 
 than confidence from the heart for everything good ; so that we 
 may proceed straight forward and employ all the blessings 
 which God gives no farther than as a shoemaker uses his 
 needle, awl and thread for work, and then lays them aside, or 
 as a traveller uses an inn, and food and his bed, only for tem- 
 poral necessity, each one in his station, according to God's order, 
 and without allowing any of these things to be our lord or 
 idol. Let this suffice with respect to the First Commandment, 48 
 which we have had to explain at length, since it is of chief im- 
 portance, because, as before said, where the heart is rightly dis- 
 posed toward God and this commandment is observed, all the 
 rest follow. 
 
 The Second Commandment. 
 
 395 Tlwu shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. 49 
 
 As the First Commandment has instructed the heart and 50 
 taught it faith, so this commandment leads us forth and directs 
 the mouth and tongue to God. For the first objects that, 
 springing from the heart, manifest themselves are words. 
 Therefore as I have taught above what it is to have a god, so it 
 is necessary to comprehend simply the meaning of this and all 
 the commandments, and to answer accordingly. 
 
 If, then, it be asked: How do you understand the Second 51 
 Commandment, and what is meant by taking God's name in 
 vain ? we answer briefly : It is taking God's name in vain if 
 we call upon the Lord God in any way in support of falsehood 
 or wrong of any kind. Therefore this commandment forbids 
 the mention of God's name, or taking it upon the lips, when 
 the heart knows or should know differently, as among those 
 who take oaths in courts of justice, where one side falsifies 
 against the other. For God's name cainot be more abused 5: 
 than when used to support falsehood and deceit. Let this be 
 considered the plain and most simple meaning of this com- 
 mandment. 
 
 From this every one can readily infer when and in how 53 
 many ways God's name is taken in vain, although it is impos- 
 nible to enumerate all its abuses. Yet, iu a few words, all 
 abuse of God's name occurs first in worldly business and in 
 matters which concern money, possession?, honor, whether it be 
 
398 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 publicly befue courts of justice, in the market or elsewherej 
 where men make false oaths in God's name, or take the respon- 
 sibility of the matter upon their souls. And this is especially 
 prevalent in marriage affairs, where two secretly betroth them- 
 selves to one another, and afterward abjure. 
 
 But. the greatest abuse occuru in spiritual matters, which per- 54 
 tain to the conscience, when false preachers rise up and offer 
 their lying vanities as God's Word. 
 oq fi Behold, all this is decorating one's self with God's name, 55 
 
 or wishing to be fair and maintain our cause, whether it 
 occur in gross, worldly business or in sublime, subtile matters 
 of faith and doctrine. And among liars belong also blas- 
 phemers, not alone those who are very gross, well known to 
 every one, who, without fear, disgrace God's name (they belong 
 not to our school, but to that of the hangman) ; but also those 
 who publicly traduce the truth and God's Word, and refer it to 
 the devil. Of this there is no need to speak further. 
 
 Here, then, let us learn and thoroughly understand the im- 56 
 portance of this commandment, that we diligently be on our 
 guard against every abuse of the holy name, as the greatest 
 sin that can be outwardly committed. For to lie and deceive 
 is in itself a great sin, but is greatly aggravated by attempting 
 a justification, and where, to confirm it, the name of God is in- 
 voked and is used as a cloak for shame, so that from a single 
 lie a double lie, nay manifold lies, result. 
 
 Therefore, to this commandment God has added also a sol- 57 
 emn threat, viz. : " For the Lord will not hold him guiltless 
 that taketh his name in vain." That is : It shall in nowise be 
 overlooked or pass unpunished in any one. For just as he will 
 not leave it unavenged if any one turn his heart from him, so 
 too will he not suffer his name to be employed to support a lie. 
 Now r , alas ! it is a common calamity in all the world that there 58 
 are so few 7 who are not guilty of using the name of God in 
 falsehood and all wickedness. They are as few as those who 
 in their heart trust alone in God. 
 
 For by nature we all have within us this beautiful virtue, 59 
 viz. that every one who has committed a wrong would like to 
 oq 7 cover up and adorn his disgrace, so that no one may see it 
 or know it ; and no one is so bold as to boast to all the 
 world of the wickedness he has perpetrated, but wishes every- 
 thing to be done secretly, and without any one being aware of it. 
 Then if any one be arraigned, the name of God must suffer for 
 it, and change the villainy into godliness, and the shame into 
 honor. This is the common course of the world, which, like a 
 great deluge, has inundated all lands. Hence we have also as 6c 
 our reward that which we seek and merit, pestilences, w-ars, 
 famines, conflagrations, floods, faithless wives, spoiled children, 
 
Part I. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 399 
 
 faithless servants, and trouble of every kind. Whence else 
 should we have so much misery ? It is still a great mercy that 
 the earth bears and supports us. 
 
 Therefore, above all things, the attention of our young peo-6i 
 pie should be directed to this commandment, and they should 
 be accustomed to hold this and the First Commandment in high 
 regard ; and in case they transgress, resort must at once be had 
 to the rod, and the commandment must be held before them, 
 and be constantly inculcated, so that they may be brought up 
 not only with punishment, but also in the reverence and fear 
 of God. 
 
 Thus you now understand what it is to take God's name 62 
 in vain, viz. (to recapitulate briefly) either simply in false- 
 hood, to present, in God's name, anything untrue, or to curse, 
 swear, conjure and, in short, to practise wickedness in any 
 way. 
 
 But besides this you must also know how to use the name 63 
 of God aright. For by the words : " Thou shalt not take the 
 name of the Lord thy God in vain/' he gives us plainly to un- 
 derstand that it is to be used properly. For it has been re- 
 vealed and given to us for the very purpose that it may be of 
 constant use and profit. Therefore, since the use of this holy 64 
 name for falsehood or wickedness is here forbidden, it neces- 
 sarily follows that we are, on the other hand, commanded to 
 employ it for truth and for all good, as where one swears truly 
 where there is need and it is demanded. So also when it is 
 rightly taught, and when the name is invoked in trouble or 
 praised and thanked in prosperity, etc. ; all of which is com- 
 prehended summarily and commanded in the passage (Ps. 50 : 
 oqo 15) : " Call upon me in the day of trouble ; I will deliver 
 thee, and thou shalt glorify me." For all this is bringing 
 it into the service of truth, and using it in a blessed way, 
 and thus his name is hallowed, as we pray in the Lord's 
 Prayer. 
 
 Thus you have an explanation of the sum of the entire com- 65 
 mandment. And with this understanding the question with 
 which many teachers have troubled themselves is solved, viz. 
 Why, in the Gospel, swearing is prohibited, 1 and yet Christ, 
 St. Paul and other saints often swore? The explanation is 66 
 briefly this : We are not to swear in support of evil, i. e. in 
 falsehood ; and where there is no need or use, but for the sup- 
 port of good and the advantage of our neighbor. For it is 
 truly a good work whereby God is praised, truth and justice 
 are established, falsehood is refuted, peace is made among men, 
 obedience is enforced, and contentions are suppressed. For thus 
 
 1 See Matt. 5 : 2,i sqq. ; James § » 12, 
 
400 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 God himself interposes and decides between right and wrong, 
 good and bad. If the one side swear falsely, they have their 6j 
 sentence that they shall not escape punishment, and though it 
 be deferred a long time, they shall not succeed ; so that all that 
 they may gain thereby will slip out of their hands, and they 
 never will enjoy it ; as I have seen in the case of many who 6H 
 repudiated their marriage-vows, that they have never had a 
 good hour or a healthful day, and thus perished miserably in 
 body, soul and possessions. 
 
 Therefore I again and again advise and exhort, that by ^9 
 means of warning and terror, restraint and punishment, thej 
 be accustomed to shun falsehood, and especially to avoid the 
 use of God's name in its support. For where they are allowed 
 to do thus, no good will result, as it is even now evident that 
 the world is worse than it has ever been, and that there is no 
 government, no obedience, no fidelity, no faith, but only pre- 
 sumptuous, licentious men, whom no teaching or reproof helps ; 
 qqq all of which is only God's wrath and punishment for such 
 flagrant contempt of this commandment. 
 
 On the other hand, chey should be constantly urged and in- 70 
 cited to honor God's name, and to have it always upon their 
 lips in everything that may happen to them or come to their 
 notice. For to give true honor to his name is to look to it and 
 implore it for all consolation; so that (as we have heard above) 
 first the heart, by faith, gives God the honor due him, and 
 afterwards the lips, by confession. 
 
 This habit is not only blessed and useful, but especially pow- 71 
 erful against the devil, who is ever about us, and lies in wait 
 to bring us into sin and shame, calamity and trouble, but who 
 is always offended to hear God's name, and cannot remain long 
 where it is mentioned and called upon from the heart. And, 72 
 indeed, many a terrible and shocking calamity would befall us 
 if, by our calling upon his name, God did not preserve us. I 
 have myself tried it, and learned by experience that often sud- 
 den great calamity was immediately averted and removed dur- 
 ing such invocation. To vex the devil, I say, we should always 
 have this holy name in our mouth, so that he may not be able 
 to injure us as he would wish. 
 
 For this end it is also of service that we be in the habit of 72 
 daily commending ourselves to God, with soul and body, wife, 
 child, servants and all that we have, against all necessities that 
 may occur; whence also the blessing and thanksgiving at meals, 
 and other prayers morning and evening, have originated and 
 remain in use. Likewise also the practice of children to cross 74 
 themselves and exclaim, when any thing monstrous or terrible 
 is seen or heard : " Lord God, protect us!" "Help, dear Lord 
 Jesus 1" etc. Thus too, if any one experience unexpected good, 
 
PabtI. the ten COMMANDMENTS. 401 
 
 however trivial, that he say: "God be praised and thanked 
 4qq for bestowing this on me !" As formerly the children were 
 accustomed to fast and pray to St. Nicholas and other 
 saints. This would be more pleasing and acceptable to God 
 than all monasticism and Carthusian sanctity. 
 
 So we might thus train our youth, in a childlike way and in 75 
 the midst of their plays, in God's fear and honor, so that the 
 First and Second Commandments might be familiar and in 
 constant practice. Then some good might adhere, spring up 
 and bear fruit, and men grow up in whom an entire land might 
 rejoice and be glad. This would be the true way to bring up j6 
 children ; since, by means of kindness, and with delight, they 
 can be become accustomed to it. For what must only be forced 
 with rods and blows will have no good result, and at farthest, 
 under such treatment, they will remain godly no longer than 
 the rod descends upon their backs. 
 
 But this manner of training so spreads its roots in the heart 77 
 that they fear God more than rods and clubs. This I say with 
 such simplicity, for the sake of the young, that it may penetrate 
 their minds. For since we are preaching to children, we must 
 also prattle with them. Thus have we prevented the abuse, and 
 have taught the right use of the divine name, which should con- 
 sist not only in words, but also in practice and life ; so that we 
 may know that God is well pleased with this, and will as richly 
 reward it as he will terribly punish its abuse. 
 
 The Third Commandment. 
 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 78 
 
 The word Sabbath (Feiertag) is derived from the Hebrew 79 
 word which properly signifies to rest (feiren), i. e. to abstain 
 from labor. Hence we are accustomed to say, in German, Feier- 
 abend machen, i. e. to cease working, or give a holy evening 
 [sanctify the Sabbath]. Now, in the Old Testament, God sep- 8c 
 4/y. arated the seventh day, and appointed it for rest, and com- 
 manded that it should be regarded holy above all others. 
 According to this external observance, this commandment was 
 given to the Jews alone, that they should abstain from toil- 
 some work, and rest, so that both man and beast might recup- 
 erate, and might not be debilitated by unremitting labor. Al-3i 
 though they afterwards interpreted this too strictly, 1 and grossly 
 abused it, so that they traduced and could not endure in Christ 
 those works which they themselves were accustomed to do there- 
 on, as we read in the Gospel ; just as though the commandment 
 were fulfilled in this, viz. that no external [manual] work what- 
 
 x Literally : " Stretched this too tightly." 
 51 
 
402 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 ever be performed, which was not, the meaning, but, as we shall 
 hear, that they sanctify the Sabbath or Day of Rest. 
 
 This commandment, therefore, according to its gross sense, 3: 
 does not pertain to us Christians ; for it is altogether an exter- 
 nal matter, like the other ordinances of the Old Testament, 
 which were bound to particular customs, persons, times and 
 places, and all of which have now been made free through 
 Christ. 
 
 But to derive hence Christian instruction for the simple as 83 
 to what, in this commandment, God requires, let it be observed 
 that we keep the festal days, not for the sake of intelligent and 
 learned Christians (for they have no need of this observance), 
 but first of all for bodily causes and necessities, which nature 
 teaches and requires ; and for the common people, man-servants 
 and maid-servants, who are occupied the whole week with their 
 work and trade, that for a day they may forbear, in order to 
 rest and be refreshed. 
 
 Secondly, and most especially, that on such day of rest (since 84 
 otherwise it cannot be accomplished) time and opportunity be 
 taken to attend divine service, so that we meet to hear and treat 
 of God's Word, and afterwards to praise God in singing and 
 prayer. 
 
 But this, I say, is not so limited to any time, as with the 85 
 Jews, that it must be just on this or that day ; for in itself no 
 one day is better than another, and this should indeed occur 
 daily ; but since the mass of people cannot give such attend- 
 ance, there must be at least one day in the week set apart. But 
 since from of old Sunday [the Lord's Day] has been appointed 
 M^n for this purpose, we also should continue the same, that 
 everything be done in harmonious order, and no one, by 
 unnecessary innovation, create disorder. 
 
 Therefore the simple meaning of the commandment is this, 86 
 viz. since holidays are observed, such observance be devoted to 
 hearing God's Word; so that the special employment of this 
 day be the ministry of the Word for the young and the mass 
 of poor people ; yet that the observance of rest be not so strictly 
 interpreted as to forbid any other incidental and necessary work. 
 
 When, then, it is asked : " What is meant by the command- 87 
 ment : ' Remember the sabbath-day to sanctify it ' ?" Answer : 
 To sanctify the Sabbath is the same as " to keep it holy." But 
 what is meant by " keeping it holy " ? Nothing else than to 
 be occupied in holy words, works and life. For the day needs 
 no sanctification for itself; for in itself it has been created 
 holy [from the beginning of the creation it was sanctified by 
 its Creator]. But God desires it to be holy to thee. Therefore 
 it becomes holy or unholy on thy account, according as thou 
 an occupied on the same with things that are holy or unholy. 
 
PabtL the TEN COMMANDMENTS. 403 
 
 How then does such sanctification occur ? Not that [with 88 
 folded hands] we sit behind the stove and do no rough [ex- 
 ternal] work, or deck ourselves with a garland and put on our 
 best clothes, but (as lias been said) that we occupy ourselves 
 with God's Word, and exercise ourselves therein. 
 
 And indeed we Christians ought always to keep such a Sab- 8$ 
 bath, and to be occupied with nothing but holy things, i. e. 
 daily to meditate upon God's Word, and carry it in our hearts 
 and upon our lips. But because (as has been said) we do not 
 all have leisure, we must devote several hours a week to the 
 young, or at least a day to the mass of people, in order that we 
 may be concerned about this alone, and especially urge the Ten 
 Commandments, the Creed and the Lord's Prayer, and thus 
 direct our whole life and being according to God's Word. 
 The Sabbath is truly kept whenever time is devoted to earn- 9c 
 est attention to this, and the practice of it ; but that cannot be 
 called a true Christian Sabbath where this is not done. For 
 they who are not Christians can keep holiday and be idle just 
 as well as the entire swarm of our ecclesiastics, who stand daily 
 in the churches, singing, and ringing bells, but who keep no 
 ™ Sabbath day holy, because they neither preach nor practise 
 God's Word, but teach and live contrary to it. 
 
 For the Word of God is the sanctuary above all sanctuaries, 91 
 yea, the only one which we Christians know and have. For 
 though we had the bones of all the saints, or all holy and con- 
 secrated garments upon a heap, they would not avail us any- 
 thing; for all that is a dead thing which can sanctify nobody. 
 But God's Word is the treasury which sanctifies everything 
 whereby even all the saints themselves were sanctified. What- 92 
 ever be the hour when God's Word is taught, preached, heard, 
 read or meditated upon, person, day and work are then sancti- 
 fied thereby, not because of the external work, but because of 
 the Word, which makes saints of us all. Therefore I constantly 
 say that all our life and work must be guided by God's Word, 
 if it is to be pleasing to God or holy. Where this occurs, this 
 commandment exerts its power and is fulfilled. 
 
 On the contrary, any matter or work that is without God's 93 
 Word is unholy before God, no matter how brilliant it may 
 appear, even though it be covered with relics, such as the fic- 
 titious spiritual orders, which know nothing of God's Word and 
 seek holiness in their own works. 
 
 Notice, therefore that the power and efficacy of this com- 94 
 mandment consist not in the resting, but in the sanctifying, so 
 that to this day belongs a special holy exercise. For other 
 works and occupations are not properly holy exercises, unless 
 the man himself be first holy. But here a work is to be done 
 whereby man is himself made holy, which occurs (as we have 
 
404 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 m* beard) alone through God's Word. For this, then, fixed 
 places, times, persons, and the entire external order of di- 
 vine service have been created and appointed, so that it may be 
 publicly and constantly exercised. 
 
 Since, therefore, so much depends upon God's Word that 95 
 without it no Sabbath can be kept holy, we ought to know that 
 God will insist upon a strict observance of this commandment, 
 and will punish all who despise his Word and are not willing 
 to hear and learn it, especially at the time appointed for the 
 purpose. 
 
 Therefore this commandment is violated not only by those 96 
 who grossly abuse and desecrate the Sabbath, as those who, on 
 account of their avarice or frivolity, cease to hear God's Word, 
 or lie in taverns, and are dead drunk, like swine ; but also by 
 that other great crowd, who listen to God's Word as though it 
 were a trifle, and attend upon preaching only froru custom, 
 and at the end of the year know as little of it as at the begin- 
 ning. For hitherto the opinion has been prevalent that it is 97 
 properly hallowed when on Sunday a Mass or the Gospel is 
 heard ; but no one has asked about God's Word, as also no one 
 taught it. Yet now, even since we have God's Word, we nev- 
 ertheless do not correct the abuse ; but while constantly attend- 
 ing upon preaching and exhortation, we hear it without care 
 and seriousness. 
 
 Know, therefore, that it is not only to be heard, but to be 98 
 learned and retained in memory, and do not regard it as an 
 optional matter or one of no great importance, but as God's 
 commandment, who will require of you how you have heard, 
 learnt and honored his Word. 
 
 Likewise those fastidious spirits are to be reproved who 99 
 when they have heard a sermon or two, find it tedious and 
 dull, thinking that they know all that well enough, and need 
 -/•jr no more instruction. For just that is the sin which has 
 been hitherto reckoned among mortal sins, and is called 
 d.xrjdia y i. e. torpor or satiety, a malignant, dangerous plague 
 which the devil infuses into the hearts of many, that he may 
 surprise us and secretly withdraw God's Word from us. 
 
 For let me tell you this, even though you know it perfectly 100 
 and be already master of all things, you are still daily in the 
 dominion of the devil, who ceases neither day nor night to steal 
 unawares upon you, so that he may kindle in your heart un- 
 belief and wicked thoughts against the foregoing as well as 
 against all the commandments. Therefore you must always 
 have God's Word in your heart, upon your lips and in your 
 ears. But where the heart is idle, and the Word does not 
 sound, he breaks in and does the damage before we are aware. 
 On flit* other hand, such is the efficacy of the Word wherevenoi 
 
Part I. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 405 
 
 seriously contemplated, heard and used, that it never leparts 
 without fruit, but always awakens new understanding, pleasure 
 and devoutness, and produces a pure heart and pure thoughts. 
 For these words are not inoperative or dead, but creative, liv- 
 ing words. And even though no other interest or necessity :oa 
 impel us, yet this ought to influence every one, since thereby the 
 devil is put to flight and driven away, and, besides, this com- 
 mandment is fulfilled, which is more pleasing to God than any 
 work of hypocrisy, however brilliant. 
 
 The Fourth Commandment. 
 
 Thus far we have learned the first three commandments, viz 103 
 those which relate to God. First, that with our whole heart 
 and throughout all our life we trust in him and fear and love 
 him. Secondly, that we abuse not his holy name in the sup- 
 port of falsehood or any bad work, but employ it to the praise 
 of God and the profit and salvation of our neighbor and our- 
 selves. Thirdlv, that in the observance of the Sabbath and of 
 rest we diligently use and employ God's Word, so that all our 
 actions and our entire life be directed by it. Now follow the 
 other seven, which relate to our neighbor, among which the 
 first and greatest is: 
 
 Honor thy father and thy mother. 104 
 
 jnn The parental estate God has especially honored above 105 
 
 all estates that are beneath him, so that he not only com- 
 mands us to love our parents, but to honor them. For with 
 respect to brothel's, sisters and our neighbors in general he 
 commands nothing higher than that we love them ; so that he 
 separates and distinguishes father and mother above all other 
 persons upon earth, and places them next to himself. For 
 to honor is far higher than to love, inasmuch as it com- 106 
 prehends not only love, but also modesty, humility and def- 
 erence as though to a majesty there hidden, and requires not 
 only that they be addressed kindly and with reverence, but 
 most of all that both in heart and with the body we so act as 
 to show that we esteem them very highly, and that, next to 
 God, we regard them the very highest. For one whom we 107 
 honor from the heart we must truly regard as high and 
 great. 
 
 We must, therefore, impress it upon the young that they 108 
 should regard their parents in God's stead, and remember that 
 however lowly, poor, frail and queer they may be, neverthe- 
 less they are father and mother given them by God. And 
 they are not to be deprived of their honor because of their 
 mode of life or their failings. Therefore we are not to regard 
 
106 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 (heir persons, how they may be, but the will of God wno has 
 thus appointed and ordained. In other respects we are, in- 
 deed, all alike in the eyes of God ; but among us there must 
 necessarily be such inequality and distinction with respect to 
 order, and therefore God commands that you be careful f o 
 obey me as your father, and that I have the precedence. 
 
 Learn, therefore, first, what is the honor towards parents re- 109 
 quired by this commandment, viz. first, that they be held in 
 honor and esteemed above all things, as the most precious treas- 
 ure on earth. Secondly, that in our words to them we observe 11c 
 modesty, and do riot speak roughly, haughtily and defiantly ; 
 but yield to them in silence, even though they go too far. 
 Thirdly, also, with respect to works, that we show them such in 
 honor, with body and possessions, as to serve them, help them, 
 and provide for them when old, sick, infirm, or poor, and all 
 that not only gladly, but with humility and reverence, as 
 doing it before God. For he who knows how to regard them 
 in his heart will not allow them to suffer hunger or want, but 
 will place them above and near him, and will share with them 
 whatever he has and can obtain. 
 *n~ Secondly, notice how great, good and holy a work is 112 
 
 here assigned children, which is, alas ! so much neglected 
 and disregarded, and no one perceives that God has com- 
 manded it or that it is a holy, divine Word and doctrine. For 
 if it had been regarded as such, every one could have per- 
 ceived that it required holy men to live according to these 
 words, and there would have been no need of inventing mo- 
 nasticism and spiritual orders, but every child would have 
 abided by this commandment, and could have directed his con- 
 science to God, and said : " If I am to do a good and holy 
 work, I know of none better than to render all honor and 
 obedience to my parents, because God has himself commanded 
 it. For what God has commanded must be much and faruj 
 nobler than everything that we may ourselves devise; and 
 because there is no higher or better teacher to be found than 
 God, there can be no better doctrine than he imparts. Now he 
 teaches fully what we should do if we wish to perform truly 
 good works ; and in that he commands them, he shows that 
 they please him. If, then, it is God who makes this command, 
 and who knows not how to appoint anything better, I will 
 never improve upon it." 
 
 In this manner we would have had godly children properly 1 1 1 
 taught and reared in true blessedness, who would have re- 
 mained at home in the service of their parents and in obe- 
 dience to them, causing them much pleasure and joy. And 
 vet God's commandment was not thus honored, but was neg- 
 lected and allowed to pass out of sight, so that a child could 
 
Part I. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 407 
 
 not lay it to heart, and meanwhile gaped in ignora it aston- 
 ishment at our devices, and never acknowledged God's 
 authority. 
 
 Let us therefore, at length, learn, for God's sake, that pla- 1 1 5 
 cing all other things out of sight, our youths look first to this 
 4™ commandment, if they wish to serve God with truly good 
 works, viz. that they do what is pleasing to their fathers 
 and mothers, or to those to whom they may be subject in their 
 stead. For every child that knows and does this has, in the 
 first place, this great consolation in his heart, that he can joy- 
 fully exult and say (in spite of and against all who are occu- 
 pied with works of their own device) : " Behold this work is 
 well pleasing to my God in heaven, that I know for certain." 
 Let them all come together with their many great, distressing 1 1€ 
 and difficult works and make their boast; we will see whether 
 they can show one that is greater and nobler than obedience to 
 parents, to whom God has appointed and commanded obedience 
 next to his own majesty ; so that if God's Word and will are 
 accomplished, nothing shall be esteemed higher than the will 
 and word of parents ; yet see that we abide in obedience to 
 God and violate not the former commandments. 
 
 Therefore you should be heartily glad and thank God that 117 
 he has chosen you and made you w r orthy to do a work so 
 precious and acceptable to him. Only see that you esteem it 
 great and precious, although it be regarded as the most humble 
 and despised, not on account of our worthiness, but because it 
 is comprehended and established in the jewel and sanctuary, 
 namely the Word and commandment of God. Oh how gladly 118 
 might all Carthusians, monks and nuns pay a high price for 
 this jewel, if in all their ecclesiastical establishments and in- 
 stitutions they could bring a single work into God's presence 
 done by virtue of his commandment, and be able before his 
 face to say with joyful heart : " Now I know that this work 
 is well pleasing to thee." What will become of these poor 
 wretched persons when, in the sight of God and all the world, 
 contrasted with a little child who has lived according to this 
 commandment, they shall blush with shame, and shall be 
 obliged to confess that with their whole life they are not 
 worthy to give it a drink of water ? But it serves them 1 ight 1 iy 
 in return for their Satanic perversion in treading God's com- 
 mandment under foot, that they torment themselves with 
 works of their own device, and in addition have scorn and 
 loss for their reward. 
 
 Should not the heart therefore leap and melt for joy if it 1 ac 
 may go to work and do what is commanded, so that it can say : 
 4 «q Lo, this is better than all holines? of the Carthusians, . 
 even though they kill themselves fasting and praying 
 
408 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 without ceasing, upon their knees? For you have hve a sure 
 test and a divine testimony that he lias commanded this, but 
 concerning the other not a word. But this is the calamity and 
 sad blindness of the world, viz. that no one believes it, since 
 the devil has so deceived us with false holiness and the out- 
 ward speciousness of our own works. 
 
 Therefore I would be very glad (I say again) if men would 121 
 open their eyes and ears, and take this to heart, in order that 
 we may not be again led astray from the pure Word of God to 
 the lying vanities of the devil. Thus also matters would be 
 in a good condition; so that parents would have more joy, 
 love, friendship and concord in their houses; thus the children 
 could captivate their parents' hearts. When they are obsti- 122 
 nate, on the other hand, and will not do what they ought until 
 a rod is laid upon their back, they otfend both God and their 
 parents, so that they deprive themselves of this treasure and 
 joy of conscience, and lay up for themselves only misfortune. 
 Therefore, as every one complains, the course of the world now 123 
 is such that both young and old are altogether dissolute and 
 beyond control, have no modesty nor sense of honor, do noth- 
 ing good except as they are driven to it by blows, and perpe- 
 trate what wrong and detraction they can behind each other's 
 back ; therefore God also punishes them, that they sink into all 
 kind of indecency and misery. Thus the parents commonly are 124 
 themselves stupid and ignorant; one fool begets [teaches] an- 
 other, and as they have lived, so live their children after them. 
 
 This now should be the first and most important considera- 125 
 tion (I say) to urge us to the observance of this commandment ; 
 on which account, even if we had no father and mother, we 
 ought to w T ish that God would set up wood and stone before 
 us, that we might call them father and mother. How much 
 more, since he has given us living parents, should we rejoice 
 to show them honor and obedience, because we know it is so 
 highly pleasing to the Divine Majesty and to all angels, and 
 vexes all devils, and is besides the highest work which we can 
 do, after the sublime divine worship comprehended in the pre- 
 vious commandments; so that giving of alms and every other 126 
 410 g°°d work toward our neighbor are not equal to this ! For 
 God has assigned this estate the highest place, yea in his 
 own stead, upon earth. This will and pleasure of God ought 
 to be sufficient to cause and induce us to do what we can with 
 good will and pleasure. 
 
 Besides this, it is our duty before the world to be grateful 127 
 for benefits and every good which we have of parents. But 128 
 in this again the devil rules in the world, so that the children 
 forget their parents, as we all forget God, and no one considers 
 fiow God nourishes, protects and defends us, and bestows so 
 
Part I. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 409 
 
 great good oil body and soul : especially if an evil hour come 
 we are offended and murmur with impatience, and all good 
 which we have all our life received is as if it never had been. 
 Just so also we do with our parents, and there is no child that 
 understands and considers this, except it be enlightened and 
 led thereto by the Holy Ghost. 
 
 God knows very well this perverseness of the world ; there- 129 
 fore he admonishes and urges by commandments that every 
 one consider what parents have done for him, and he will 
 find that he owes to them body and life, as well as sustenance, 
 support and rearing, since otherwise he would have perished a 
 hundred times in his own filth. Therefore it is a true and 130 
 good saying of old and wise men : Deo, parentibus et magistris 
 non potest satis gratia? rependi, that is, to God, to parents and 
 to teachers we can never render sufficient gratitude and com- 
 pensation. He that regards and considers this will indeed 
 without compulsion do all honor to his parents, and cherish 
 them as those through whom God has done him all good. 
 
 Besides all this, it should be a great inducement to influ- 131 
 ence us the more to obedience to this commandment, that God 
 adds to the same a temporal promise and says : " That thy days 
 may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee" 
 41 1 Here we can see how much God is in earnest in respect 132 
 
 to this commandment, inasmuch as he not only declares 
 that it is well pleasing to him, and how much joy and delight 
 he has therein ; but also that it shall be for our prosperity and 
 promote our highest good ; so that we may have a pleasant and 
 agreeable life, furnished with every good thing. Therefore 133 
 also St. Paul indicates the same and highly rejoices in it, when 
 he says (Eph. 6:2, 3) : This " is the first commandment with 
 promise, that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long 
 on the earth." For although the rest also include their prom- 
 ises, yet in none is it so plainly and explicitly stated. 
 
 Here then thou hast the fruit and the reward, viz. that who- 134 
 ever observes this commandment shall have good days, happi- 
 ness and prosperity ; and on the other hand, also, the punish- 
 ment, that whoever is disobedient shall the sooner perish, and 
 never enjoy life. For to have long life in the sense of the 
 Scriptures is not only to become old, but to have everything 
 which belongs to long life, as, namely, health, wife and child, 
 support, peace, good government, etc., without which this life 
 can neither be enjoyed in cheerfulness nor long endure. If, 135 
 therefore, thou wilt not obey father and mother and submit 
 to discipline, then obey the inquisitor; if thou wilt not obey 
 him, then submit to the executioner, i. e. death [death the all- 
 subduer, the teacher of wicked children]. For in regard to 136 
 this God is determined: Either if you obey him, rendering 
 
110 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 love and service, he will grant you exceeding great recompense 
 with all good, or if you offend him he will send upon you 
 death and the torturer. 
 
 Whence come so many criminals that must daily be hanged, 137 
 beheaded, broken upon the wheel, but from disobedience [to 
 parents], because they will not submit to discipline in good 
 part? and the result is [since they are unwilling to hear the 
 reproof of parents given in kindness and love] that, by the 
 punishment of God, they bring upon themselves misfortune 
 and grief. For it seldom happens that such wicked people 
 die a natural or timely death. 
 
 . 19 But the godly and obedient have this blessing, that 
 they live long in quietness, and see their children's chil- 
 dren (as said above 1 ) to the third and fourth generation. 
 
 As experience also teaches that where there are honorable, 1 38 
 old families who stand well and have many children, they have 
 their origin in this fact, viz. that some of them were well 
 brought up and were regardful of their parents. So on the 
 other hand it is written of the wicked (Ps. 109 : 13) : " Let his 
 posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their 
 name be blotted out." Therefore consider well how great a 139 
 thing in God's sight obedience is, since he so highly esteems 
 it, is so highly pleased with it, and rewards it so richly, 
 and besides is so rigid in punishing those who transgress with 
 respect to it. 
 
 All this I say, that it may be well impressed upon the 14c 
 young. For no one believes how necessary this command- 
 ment is, since it has not been thus esteemed and taught hither- 
 to under the papacy. Every one thinks they are insignificant 
 and easy words which he has always known, therefore men 
 pass this lightly by, are eagerly intent upon other matters, and 
 do not see or believe that God is so greatly offended if this be 
 disregarded, or that he esteems it a work so well pleasing and 
 precious if it be observed. 
 
 In connection with this commandment it is proper to speak 14 
 further of all kinds of obedience to persons in authority who 
 have to command and to govern. For all authority flows and 
 is propagated from the authority of parents. For where a 
 father is unable alone to educate his [rebellious and irritable] 
 child, he employs a schoolmaster 2 that he may instruct it ; if 
 he be too weak, he obtains the assistance of his friends and 
 neighbors ; if he depart, he confers and delegates his authority 
 and government to others who are appointed for the purpose. 
 
 1 See above, \\ 39, 40, p. 392. 
 
 1 The magistratum of M tiller's Latin is probably a typographical error 
 PfaJY, Hase, Francke have maghtrum. 
 
Part I. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 41 J 
 
 Likewise fin must have domestics, man-servants and maid-ser- 143 
 vants, under him for the management of the household, so that 
 £,0 all whom we call masters are in the place of parents and 
 must derive their power and authority to govern from 
 them. Hence also they are all called fathers in the Scriptures, 
 as those who in their government perform the functions of the 
 office of a father, and should have a paternal heart toward 
 their subordinates. As also from antiquity the Romans and 
 other nations called the masters and mistresses of the house- 
 hold patres et matres familioe, that is housefathers and house- 
 mothers. So also they called their national rulers and chiefs 
 patres patriw, that is fathers of the country, for a great shame 
 to us who would be Christians that we do not call them so, 
 or, at least, do not esteem and honor them as such. 
 
 "What a child owes to father and mother the same owe all 143 
 who are embraced in the household. Therefore man-servants 
 and maid-servants should be careful not only to be obedient to 
 their masters and mistresses, but also tc honor them as their 
 own fathers and mothers, and to do everything which they 
 know is expected of them, not from compulsion and with re- 
 luctance, but with pleasure and joy for the cause just mentioned, 
 namely, that it is God's command and is pleasing to him 
 above all other works. Therefore they ought rather to pay 144 
 wages in addition and be glad that they may obtain masters and 
 mistresses, to have such joyful consciences and to know how 
 they may do truly golden works ; a matter which has hitherto 
 been neglected, and despised, when instead everybody ran, in the 
 devil's name, into convents or pilgrimages and for indulgences, 
 with loss [of time and money] and with an evil conscience. 
 
 If indeed this truth could be impressed upon the poor peo- 145 
 pie, a servant-girl would leap and thank and praise God, and 
 with her menial work for which she receives support and 
 wages she would acquire such a treasure as all that are es- 
 teemed the greatest saints have not obtained. Is it not an ex- 
 cellent boast to know and say this, that if you perform your 
 daily domestic task it is better than all the ascetic life and 
 sanctity of monks ? And if you have the promise in addi- 146 
 tion that you shall fare well and prosper in all good, how can 
 you be more blessed or lead a holier life in regard to works ? 
 For in the sight of God faith alone can render holy and 147 
 serve him, but the works are for the service of man. Then 14* 
 you have all good protection and defence in the Lord, a joyful 
 conscience and a gracious God besides, who will reward you a 
 hundredfold, so that you are even a nobleman if you be only 
 414 pious and obedient. But if not, you have in the first 
 place only the wrath and displeasure of God, no peace of 
 heart, and afterwards all manner of plagues and misfortunes. 
 
412 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 Whoever will not be influenced by this and inclined to piety 149 
 we leave to the hangman and to death. Therefore let every 
 one who allows himself to be advised rememtJer that God is 
 not making sport, and know that it is God who speaks with 
 you and demands obedience. If you obey him you are his 
 dear child, but if you despise this commandment, then take 
 shame, calamity and grief for your reward. 
 
 The same also is to be said of obedience to civil govern- 150 
 nient, which (as we have said) is embraced in the estate of 
 fatherhood and extends farthest of all relations. For here 
 the father is not one of a single family, but of as many people 
 as he has tenants, citizens or subjects. For God through them, 
 as through our parents, gives to us support, estate, protection 
 and security. Therefore since they bear such name and title 
 with all honor as their highest dignity, it is our duty to honor 
 them and to esteem them great as the greatest treasure and the 
 most precious jewel upon earth. 
 
 He, now, who is obedient here, is willing and ready to serve, 151 
 and cheerfully does all that pertains to honor, knows that he 
 is pleasing God and will receive joy and happiness for his re- 
 ward. If he will not do it in love, but despises and resists 
 authority or rebels, let him know on the other hand also that 
 he shall have no favor or blessing, and where he thinks to 
 gain a florin thereby, he will elsewhere lose ten times as much, 
 or become a victim to the hangman, perish by war, pestilence 
 and famine, or experience no good in his children, and be 
 obliged to suffer injury, injustice and violence at the hands of 
 his servants, neighbors or strangers and tyrants ; so that what 
 we seek and deserve comes upon us as our reward. 
 41 r If we would only once give it fair consideration that 152 
 
 such works are pleasing to God and have so rich a reward, 
 we would be established in possession of purely superabundant 
 good and would have what our heart desires. But because 
 the word and command of God are so lightly esteemed, as 
 though some vagabond had spoken it, let us see therefore 
 whether you are the man to oppose him. How difficult it 
 will be for him to recompense you! Therefore it is better 153 
 for you to live thus with the divine favor, peace and happi- 
 uess than with displeasure and misfortune. Why, think you, 154 
 is the world now so full of unfaithfulness, disgrace, calamity 
 and murder, but that every one desires to be his own master 
 and subject to no authority, to care nothing for any one, and do 
 what pleases him ? Therefore God punishes one knave by 
 means of another, so that when you defraud and despise your 
 master, another comes and deals the same with you, yea in 
 your household you must suffer ten times mure from wife, 
 child or servants. 
 
Part I. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 413 
 
 We feel indeed our misfDrtune, we murmur and complain 155 
 of unfaithfulness, violence and injustice, but are unwilling to 
 see that we ourselves are knaves who have truly deserved this 
 punishment, and yet are not thereby reformed. We do not 
 really desire the divine favor and happiness, therefore it is but 
 fair that we have misfortune without mercy. There must 156" 
 somewhere upon earth be still some godly people that God 
 yet allows us so much good ! On our own account we should 
 have neither a farthing in the house nor a stalk of straw in 
 the field. All this I have been obliged to urge with so many 157 
 words, in hope that some one may take it to heart, that we 
 may be relieved of the blindness and misery in which we have 
 lain so long, and may truly understand the Word and will of 
 God. and earnestly accept it. For therein w r e would learn how 
 we could have joy, happiness, and salvation, both temporal 
 and eternal, in abundance. 
 .in Thus we have two kinds of fathers presented in this 158 
 
 commandment, fathers in blood and fathers in office, or 
 those to whom belongs the care of the family, and those to 
 whom belongs the care of the nation. Besides these they are 
 yet spiritual fathers ; not like those in the Papacy, who have 
 indeed caused themseves be so designated, but have not per- 
 formed the functions of the paternal office. For those only 
 are to be called spiritual fathers who govern and guide us by 
 the Word of God. Of this name St. Paul boasts (1 Cor. 4 : 15), 
 where he says : " In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through 
 the Gospel." Because they are fathers indeed they are entitled 159 
 to honor above all others. But they are regarded of the least 160 
 importance : for the only honor the w r orld has to confer upon 
 them is to drive them out of the country and to grudge them 
 a piece of bread, and in short they must be (as says St. Paul, 
 1 Cor. 4: 13) "as the filth of the world and the offscouring 
 of all things." 
 
 Yet there is need that this also be urged upon the populace, 161 
 that those who would be Christians are under obligation in the 
 sight of God to esteem them worthy of double honor who min- 
 ister to their souls, that they deal well with them and provide 
 for them. For that, God wishes to give you additional bless- 
 ing and will not let you come to want. But in this every one 162 
 withholds and makes objections, and all are afraid that they 
 will perish from bodily want, and therefore cannot now sup- 
 port a respectable preacher, where formerly they filled ten 
 gormandizers. In this we also deserve that God deprive us 163 
 of his Word and blessing, and again allow preachers of lies 
 to arise to lead us to the devil, and in addition to drain our 
 sweat and blood. 
 
 But those who keep in sight God's will and commandment 164 
 
114 TIIE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 have the promise that everything which they bestow uj>on 
 temporal and spiritual fathers, and whatever th"y do to honor 
 them, shall be richly recompensed to them, so that they shall 
 have not only bread, clothing and money for a year or two, but 
 long life, support and peace, and shall be eternally rich and 
 blessed. Therefore only do what is your duty, and let God 165 
 4,- take care how he shall support you and provide you 
 with abundance. Since he has promised it, and has never 
 yet lied, he will not be found lying to you in this. 
 
 This ought indeed to encourage us, and give us hearts that \6( 
 would melt in pleasure and love toward those to whom we owe 
 this honor, so that we would raise our hands and joyfully 
 thank God who has given us such promises, induced by which 
 we ought to run to the ends of the world [to the remotest 
 parts of India]. For although the whole world should com- 
 bine, it could not add an hour to our life or give us a single 
 grain from the earth. But God wishes to give you all exceed- 
 ing abundantly according to your heart's desire. He who 
 despises and regards this is not worthy ever to hear a word of 
 God. This is indeed superfluous to say to those who come 
 under the instruction of this commandment. 
 
 In addition, it would not be amiss to preach to the parents, 167 
 and such as bear their office, as to how they should deport 
 themselves toward those who are committed to them for their 
 government. For although this is not expressed in the Ten 
 Commandments, it is nevertheless abundantly enjoined in 
 many places in the Scriptures. And God desires to have it 
 embraced in this commandment when he speaks of father and 
 mother. For he does not wish to have in this office and gov- 168 
 ernment knaves and tyrants ; nor does he assign to them this 
 honor, viz. power and authority to govern, and to allow them- 
 selves to be worshipped ; but they should consider that they 
 are under obligations of obedience to God ; and that first of 
 all they are earnestly and faithfully to discharge the duties of 
 their office, not only to support and provide for the bodily ne- 
 cessities of their children, servants, subjects, etc., but especially 
 to train them to the honor and praise of God. Therefore do 169 
 not think that this is appointed for thy pleasure and arbitrary 
 will ; but that it is a strict command and institution of God, 
 to whom also thou must give account of the matter. 
 
 But this is again a sad evil, that no one perceive* or heeds 17c 
 this, and all live on as though God gave us children for our 
 pleasure or amusement, and servants that we should employ 
 41 o them like a cow or ass, only for work, or as though all we 
 had to do with our subjects were only to gratify our wan- 
 tonness, without any concern on our part as to what they learn 
 or how they live; and no one is willing to see that this is the 17 
 
Part I. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 41 1 
 
 command of the Supreme Majesty, who will most strictly call 
 us to an account and punish for it ; noi that there is so great 
 need to be so intensely anxious about ihe young. For if we 171 
 wish to have proper and excellent persons both for civil and 
 ecclesiastical government, we must spare no diligence, time or 
 cost in teaching and educating our children, that they may 
 serve God and the world, and we must not think only how 
 we may amass money and possessions for them. For God can 173 
 indeed without us support and make them rich, as he daily 
 does. But for this purpose he has given us children, and has 
 commanded us to train and govern them according to his will, 
 else he would have no need of father and mother. Let every 174 
 one know, therefore, that above all things it is his duty, or oth- 
 erwise he will lose the divine favor, to bring up his children in 
 the fear and knowledge of God ; and, if they have talents, to 
 give them also opportunity to learn and study, that they may 
 be able to avail themselves of that for which there is need [to 
 have them instructed and trained in a liberal education, that 
 men may be able to have their aid in government and in what- 
 ever is necessary]. 
 
 If that were done God would also richly bless us and give 175 
 us grace, that there would be men trained by whom land and 
 people would be reformed, and likewise well-educated citizens, 
 chaste and domestic wives, who afterwards would continue to 
 rear godly children and servants. Here think what deadly 176 
 injury you are doing if you be negligent and fail to bring up 
 your child to usefulness and piety, and how you bring upon 
 yourself all sin and wrath, meriting hell even in your dealings 
 with your own children, even though you be otherwise ever so 
 pious and holy. And because this is disregarded, God so fear- 177 
 fully punishes the world that there is no discipline, govern- 
 ment or peace, of which we all complain, but do not see that it 
 is our fault, for as we train them we have spoiled and dis- 
 obedient children and subjects. Let this be sufficient exhorta- 178 
 tion ; for to amplify this belongs to another time. 
 
 419 The Fifth Commandment. 
 
 Thou shall not kill, 175 
 
 We have now completed the discussion of both spiritual and 18c 
 temporal government, that is, divine and paternal authority 
 and obedience, But here we go forth from our own house 
 to our neighbor's, to learn how we should live with respect to 
 one another, every one for himself toward his neighbor. There- 
 fore God and government are not included in this commands 
 ment, nor the power which they have to kill. For God has;S« 
 delegated his authority to governments to punish evil-doers 
 
416 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 instead of parents, who aforetime (as we read in Moses) were 
 required to bring their children to judgment and sentence 
 them to death. Therefore this prohibition pertains to indi- 
 viduals and not to government. 
 
 This commandment is now easy enough, and is often treated, 18a 
 because we hear it annually in the Gospel of St. Matthew 
 (5:21 sqq), where Christ himself explains and sums it up — 
 namely, that we must not kill, either with hand, heart, mouth, 
 signs, gestures, help or counsel. Therefore it is forbidden to 
 every one to be angry, except those (as we said) who are in 
 the place of God, that is, parents and government. For it is 
 pr< per for God, and for every one who stands in his stead, to 
 be angry, to reprove and punish, even on account of those who 
 transgress this and the other commandments. 
 
 But the cause and need of this commandment is that God 183 
 well knows that the world is evil, and that this life has much 
 unhappiness ; therefore he has placed this and the other com- 
 mandments between the good and the wicked. As now there are 
 many temptations against all the commandments, so the temp- 
 tation in respect to this is that we must live among many peo- 
 ple who do us wrong, that we have cause to be hostile to them. 
 
 As when your neighbor sees that you have better posses- 184 
 sions from property, and more happiness [a larger family and 
 more fertile fields] from God, than he, he is offended, envies 
 you, and speaks no good of you. 
 
 ,nn Thus by the devil's incitement you will have many 
 enemies who cannot bear to see you have any good, either 
 bodily or spiritual. When we see them it is natural for our 
 hearts in their turn to rage and bleed and take vengeance. 
 Thus there arise cursing and blows, from which follow finally 
 misery and murder. Therefore God like a kind father an- 185 
 tici pates, interposes and wishes to have all quarrels settled, 
 that no misfortune come of them, nor one destroy another. 
 And in fine he would hereby defend, liberate and keep in 
 peace every one against all the crime and violence of every 
 one else ; and has, as it were, placed this commandment as a 
 wall, fortress and refuge about our neighbor, that we do him 
 no bodily harm or injury. 
 
 Thus this commandment insists upon it that no one offend 186 
 his neighbor on account of any injury, even though he have 
 fully deserved it. For where murder is forbidden, all cause 
 also is forbidden whence murder may originate. For many 
 a one, although he does not kill, yet curses and makes impre- 
 cations, which if fulfilled with respect to any one, he would 
 not live long. Since this inheres in every one by nature, and 187 
 is a matter of ordinary experience, that no one is willing to 
 Buffer at the hands of another, God wishes to remove the 
 
PartI. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 417 
 
 root and source by which the heart is embittered against our 
 neighbor, and to accustom us ever to keep in view this com- 
 mandment, always as in a mirror to contemplate ourselves in 
 it, to regard the will of God, and with hearty confidence and 
 invocation of his name to commend to him the wrong which 
 we suffer ; and thus let our enemies rage and be angry, doing 
 what they can. Thus we may learn to calm our wrath, and to 
 have a patient, gentle heart, especially toward those who give 
 tis cause to be angry, i. e. our enemies. 
 
 Therefore the entire sum of this commandment is to be im- 188 
 pressed upon the simple-minded most explicitly, viz. What is 
 the meaning of not to kill f In the first place, that we hurt 
 no one with our hand or deed. Then that we do not employ 
 our tongue to instigate or counsel thereto. Further, that we 
 neither use nor assent to any kind of means or methods 
 whereby any one may be injured. And finally that the heart 
 be not ill-disposed toward any one, nor from anger and hatred 
 *ni wish him ill, so that body and soul may be innocent in 
 respect to every one, but especially in respect to those who 
 wish you evil or actually commit such against you. For to do 
 evil to one who wishes and does you good is not human, but 
 diabolical. 
 
 Secondly, it is to be observed that not only he who does evil 189 
 to his neighbor is guilty of violating this commandment, but 
 he also who can do him good, anticipate, prevent, defend and 
 save him, so that no bodily evil or harm happen to him, and 
 yet does it not. If, therefore, you send away one that is 190 
 naked when you could clothe him, you have caused him to 
 freeze; if you see one suffer hunger and do not give him food, 
 you have caused him to starve. So also if you see any one 
 innocently sentenced to death or in like distress, and do not 
 save him, although you know ways and means to do so, you 
 have killed him. And it will not avail to make the pretext 
 that you did not afford any help, counsel or aid thereto, for 
 you have withheld your love from him and deprived him of 
 the benefit whereby his life -would have been saved. 
 
 Therefore God also properly calls all those murderers who 19, 
 do not afford counsel and help in distress and danger of body 
 and life, and will pass a most terrible sentence upon them in 
 the last day, as Christ himself has announced, as he shall say 
 (Matt. 25 : 42 sq.) : " I was an hungered and ye gave me no 
 meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink ; I was a stran- 
 ger and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not; 
 sick and in prison, and ye visited me not." That is: You 
 would have suffered me and mine to die of hunger, thirst and 
 cold, would have suffered the wild beasts to tear us to pieces 
 or left us to decay in prison or perish in distress. What else 191 
 53 
 
418 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 is that but to reproach them as murderers and bloodhounds? 
 For although you have not actually done all this, you have 
 nevertheless, so far as you were concerned, suffered him to 
 perish in misfortune. 
 
 It is just as if I saw some one struggling in deep water or 
 one fallen in the fire, and could extend to him the hand to save 
 him and pull him out, and yet refused to do it. Would I not 
 d.99 a Pl )ear even in the eyes of the world a murderer and a 
 
 criminal? Therefore it is God's ultimate purpose that 19 
 we suffer harm to befall no man, but show to every one love 
 and all good ; and (as we have said) this has especial reference 
 to our enemies. For to do good to our friends is but a miser- 194 
 able heathen virtue, as Christ declares it (Matt. 5 : 46). 
 
 Thus we again have the Word of God whereby he would en- 195 
 courage and urge us to truly noble and sublime works, as gentle- 
 ness, patience, and, in short, love and kindness to our enemies, 
 and would ever remind us to reflect upon the First Command- 
 ment, that he is our God, i. e. that he will help, assist and protect 
 us, that thus he may extinguish the desire of revenge in us. 
 
 This we ought to practise and inculcate, and we would have 196 
 an abundance of good works to do. But this would not be 197 
 preaching to the benefit of the monks ; it would be greatly to 
 the detriment of the ecclesiastical estate, and an infringement 
 upon the sanctity of Carthusians, and would even forbid their 
 good works and clear the convents. For in this wise the 
 state of common Christians would be considered as high, and 
 even higher, and everybody would see how they mock and 
 delude the world with a false, hypocritical appearance of holi- 
 ness, because they disregard this commandment like the others, 
 and esteem them unnecessary, as though they were not com- 
 mandments, but mere advice ; and besides, they have shame- 
 lessly proclaimed and boasted of their hypocritical estate and 
 works as the most perfect life ; for, in order that they might 
 lead a pleasant, easy life, without the cross and without pa- 
 tience, they also have resorted to their cloisters, so that they 
 might not be obliged to suffer wrong from any one or to do 
 him any good. 
 
 But know now that these are the truly holy and godly 198 
 works, in which, with all the angels, he rejoices, in compar- 
 ison with which all human holiness is but filth and stench, 
 and deserves only wrath and damnation. 
 
 423 The Sixth Commandment. 
 
 Tlwu shaM not commit adultery. 199 
 
 The commandments that follow are easily understood from 200 
 the explanation of the preceding; for they are all to the effect 
 
Part I. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 419 
 
 that we be careful to avoid doing any kind of injury to our 
 neighbor. But they are arranged in very precise order. In 
 the first place, they treat of his person. Then we proceed to 
 the person nearest him, or the possession nearest his body, 
 namely his wife, who is one flesh and blood with him; so that 
 we cannot inflict a higher injury upon our neighbor in any 
 good that is his. Therefore it is explicitly forbidden here 
 to bring any disgrace upon him in respect to his wife. He 201 
 expressly mentions adultery, because among the Jews it w r as 
 a command and appointment that every one must be married. 
 Therefore also the young were early married, so that the 
 state of celibacy w r as held in small esteem, neither w T ere pub- 
 lic prostitution and lewdness tolerated as now. Therefore 
 adultery was the most common form of unchastity among 
 them. 
 
 But because there is among us such a shameful mixture and 202 
 the very dregs of all kinds of vice and lewdness, this com- 
 mandment is also directed against all manner of impurity, 
 whatever it may be called ; and not only is the external act- 
 forbidden, but every kind of cause, incitement and means, so 
 that the heart, the lips and the whole body may be chaste and 
 afford no opportunity, help, or persuasion for impurity. And 203 
 not only this, but that we also defend, protect and rescue 
 wherever there is danger and need ; and give help and counsel, 
 so as to maintain our neighbor's honor. For wherever you 204 
 allow such a thing when you could prevent it, or connive at it 
 as if it did not concern you, you are as truly guilty as the one 
 perpetrating the deed. Thus it is required, in short, that 205 
 every one both live chastely himself and help his neighbor 
 do the same. Thus God by this commandment wishes to sur- 
 round and protect as if with bars every wife and husband, 
 that no one injure, harm or touch them. 
 404 But since this commandment is directed to the state of 206 
 
 matrimony and gives occasion to speak of the same, you 
 may well mark and understand, first, how highly God honors 
 and extols this estate, inasmuch as by his commandment he both 
 sanctions and guards it. He has already sanctioned it above 
 in the Fourth Commandment: "Honor thy father and thy 
 mother ;" but here he has (as we said) guarded and protected 
 it. Therefore he also wishes us to honor it, and to maintain 207 
 and use it as a truly divine and blessed estate ; because in the 
 first place he has instituted it above all others, and therefore 
 created man and woman (as is evident) not for lewdness, but 
 to live in the married relation, be faithful, beget children, and 
 nourish and train them to the glory of God. 
 
 Therefore God has also most richly blessed this estate above 208 
 e ^ oftiprq . ami in addition has applied and appropriated every 
 
420 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 thing in the world to it, that this estate may indeed be richly 
 provided for. Married life is therefore no subject for jest or 
 idle inquisitiveness ; bu! it is an excellent thing, and one con- 
 cerning which the earnestness of God is occupied. For it is 
 of the highest importance to him that to fight against wicked- 
 ness and the devil men be raised up who may serve the world 
 and promote the knowledge of himself, godly living and all 
 virtues. 
 
 Therefore I have always taught that this estate be not de-2'.$ 
 spised nor held in disrepute, as is done by the blind world 
 and our false spiritual guides ; but that it be regarded accord- 
 ing to God's Word, by which it is adorned and sanctified, so 
 that it is not only placed on an equality with other conditions 
 in life, but that it transcends them all, whether they be that of 
 emperor, prince, bishop or whatever they will. For both ec- 
 clesiastical and civil estates must humble themselves, and all 
 must be found in this estate, as we shall hear. Therefore it is 21c 
 not a particular estate, but at the same time the most common 
 and the most noble which pervades all Christendom, yea which 
 even extends through all the world. 
 ,«r In the second place, you must know that it is not 211 
 
 only an honorable but also a necessary state, solemnly 
 commanded by God; so that, in general, in all conditions, 
 man and woman, who have been created for it, shall be found 
 in this estate ; yet with some exceptions (although few) whom 
 God has especially exempted, because they are not fit for the 
 married estate, or who by high supernatural gifts can main- 
 tain chastity without this estate. For where nature has its 212 
 course, as it is implanted by God, it is not possible to maintain 
 chastity without marriage. For flesh and blood remain flesh 
 and blood, and the natural inclination and excitement have 
 their course without let or hindrance, as the observation and 
 experience of all testify. That, therefore, it may be the more 
 easy in some degree to avoid unchastity, God has commanded 
 the estate of matrimony, that every one may have his proper 
 portion, and be satisfied therewith ; although God's grace is 
 yet necessary that the heart also may be pure. 
 
 From this you see how the popish crew, priests, monks and 2 1 3 
 nuns, resist God's order and commandment, inasmuch as they 
 despise and forbid matrimony, and presume and vow to main- 
 tain perpetual chastity, and besides deceive the simple-minded 
 with lying words and appearances. For no one has so little 214 
 love and inclination to chastity as just those who because of 
 great sanctity avoid marriage, and either indulge in open and 
 shameless prostitution or secretly do even worse, viz. that 
 which is too bad to mention, as has, alas ! been learned too 
 fully. And in short, even though they abstain from the act, 215 
 
Part I. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 421 
 
 their hearts are so full of impure thoughts aud evil desires 
 that there is a continual burning and secret suffering which 
 can be avoided in the married life. Therefore are all vows 216 
 of chastity out of the married state condemned by this com- 
 mandment; and free permission is granted, yea even the com- 
 mand is given, to all poor constrained consciences which have 
 been deceived by their monastic vows, to abandon the condi- 
 tion of unchastity and enter the married life, considering 
 that even if the monastic life had divine sanction, it were 
 nevertheless out of their power to maintain chastity, and if 
 they remain in that condition they must only sin more and 
 more against this commandment. 
 » no I speak of this now in order that the young may be so 217 
 
 instructed as to be induced to marry, and to know that it 
 is a blessed estate and well pleasing to God. For in this way 
 it might in the course of time again receive its proper honor, 
 and we should have less of the pernicious, horrible, disorderly 
 life which now runs riot in open prostitution and other shame- 
 ful vices which are the result of the disregard of married life. 
 Therefore it is the duty of both parents and government to see 218 
 to our youth, that they be brought up to discipline and re- 
 spectability, and when they have come to years of maturity to 
 have them married honorably and in the fear of God ; and he 
 will not fail to add his blessing and grace, that men may have 
 joy and happiness from the same. 
 
 From all this it can now be concluded that this command- 219 
 ment not only demands that every one live chastely in thought, 
 word and deed in his condition, that is, especially in the estate 
 of matrimony, but also that every one love and esteem his 
 wife or her husband as a gift of God. For where marital 
 chastity is to be maintained, man and wife must by all means 
 live together in love and harmony, that one may cherish the 
 other from the heart and with entire fidelity. For that is one 
 of the principal points which enkindle the love and desire of 
 purity ; so that where this is found, chastity will follow as a 
 matter of course without any command. Therefore also St. 22c 
 Paul so diligently exhorts husband and wife to love and honor 
 one another. Here you have again a precious, yea many and 221 
 great good works, of which you can joyfully boast, against all 
 ecclesiastical estates, chosen without God's Word and com- 
 mandment. 
 
 The Seventh Commandment. 
 
 Thou shalt not steal. 222 
 
 After our person and wife or husband, temporal property is 223 
 the nearest good. That also God wishes to have secure, and 
 
422 THE LAKGE CATECHISM. 
 
 Las commanded that no one shall damage or injure his nt*/h- 
 bor in his possessions. For to steal is nothing else than to get 224 
 another's property wrongfully into our possession. This'om- 
 prehends all kinds of advantage in all kinds of trade to the 
 disadvantage of our neighbor. This is indeed such a widespread 
 and common crime, but so little regarded and observed, that it 
 40-, exceeds all measure, so that if all thieves — who neverthe- 
 less do not wish to be considered such — were to be hanged 
 to the gallows, the world would soon be desolate and Would 
 be without both executioners and gallows. For as we have 
 just said to steal is not only to rob our neighbors' cofi'er . a.id 
 pockets, but to be too far-reaching in the market, in ail -to.es 
 and shops, wine- and beer-cellars, workshops, and in short 
 whenever we trade or take or give money, goods or work. 
 
 As, for instance, to explain this somewhat roughly for the 225 
 common mass of people, so that it may be sejn how godly 
 we are : When a man-servant or maid-servant (iocs not serve 
 faithfully, and does damage,-or at least allows it to occur when 
 it could be prevented, or otherwise from indolence, idleness 
 or malice neglects the goods entrusted to him, to the ^pite and 
 vexation of master and mistress. And when this is done pur- 
 posely (for I do not speak of unavoidable casualties), you can 
 dispose of thirty, forty dollars a year, which if another had 
 taken secretly he would be hung by the rope. But you even 
 bid defiance and make your boast of it, and no one dare call 
 you a thief! 
 
 The same I say of mechanics, workmen and day-laborers, 22^ 
 who all follow their own will, and know not in how many 
 ways to take advantage of people, and yet are careless and un- 
 faithful in their work. All these are far worse than secret 
 thieves, against whom we can guard with lock and bolt, or 
 who, if apprehended, are treated in such a manner that they 
 will not do the same again. But against these no one can 
 guard. No one dare even look awry at them or accuse them 
 of theft, so that one would ten times rather lose from his 
 purse. For here are my neighbors, good friends, my own 
 servants, to whom I look for fidelity, who defraud me first of 
 all. 
 
 Likewise also in the market and in common trade this 2?~, 
 course prevails to the greatest extent, where one openly de- 
 frauds another with defective goods, false measures, weights, 
 coins, and by taking advantage by expert arts and uncommon 
 transactions cr dexterous inventions, in short by getting the 
 400 best of the bargain and wantonly oppressing and distress- 
 ing him. And who indeed can even recount or imagine 
 it all ? This is in short the most general trade and the largest 21% 
 guild ou earth, and if we regard the world through all condi- 
 
PajrtI. the ten commandments. 423 
 
 tions of life it appears to be only a vast, wide stall, full of 
 great thieves. 
 
 Therefore they also are called judicial robbers, despoilers of 229 
 land and commerce, not pickpockets and sneak-thieves who 
 steal the ready cash, but who sit upon the bench and are 
 stvled great noblemen, and honorable, pious citizens, and yet 
 rob and steal upon a good pretext. 
 
 Yes, here we might be silent about the insignificant indi-23 
 vidual thieves if we would attack the great, powerful arch- 
 thieves that are in the company of lords and princes, who daily 
 plunder not only a city or two, but all Germany. Yea what 
 would become of the head and supreme protector of all thieves, 
 the holy chair at Rome, with all its retinue, which has appro- 
 priated the wealth of all the world, and has it in possession to 
 this day? 
 
 This is, in short, the course of the world : that whoever can 231 
 steal and rob openly goes in freedom and security unmolested 
 by any one, and is yet to be honored. But the small, secret 
 thieves who have once reached too far must bear the shame and 
 punishment to keep the former in positions of honor and piety. 
 But let them know that in the sight of God they are the 
 greatest thieves, who also will punish them as they deserve and 
 are worthy. 
 
 Because this commandment is so far-reaching and compre-232 
 hensive, as just indicated, it is necessary to present the same 
 with emphasis to the common people, to let them know that 
 these things cannot be done with impunity, but always to keep 
 before their eyes the wrath of God, and inculcate the same. 
 For this we have to preach not to Christians, but chiefly to 
 knaves and scoundrels, to whom it would be more fitting 
 for judges, jailers, and executioners to preach. Therefore 233 
 let every one know that it is his duty, at the risk of God's 
 displeasure, not only to do no injury to his neighbor, nor to de- 
 prive him of gain, nor to perpetrate any act of unfaithfulness 
 40Q or malice in any bargain or transaction of trade, but 
 faithfully to preserve his property for him, to secure and 
 promote his advantage; and this especially applies to every 
 one who takes money, wages and support for such service. 
 
 He now who wantonly despises this may indeed go his way 234 
 and escape the hangman, but he shall not escape the wrath and 
 punishment of God ; and when he has long practised his defi- 
 ance and arrogance, he shall yet remain a tramp and beggar, 
 and in addition have all plagues and misfortune. Now, when 235 
 you ought to preserve the property of your master and mistress, 
 for which service you have your support, you go your own 
 way, take your wages like a thief, expect to be honored as a 
 nobleman, of whom there are are many that are insolent to- 
 
424 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 wards their masters and mistresses, and are unwilling to do 
 them a favor or service by which to protect them from loss. 
 
 But beware, and consider what you will gain, that when 236 
 you have your own household (to which God will help with all 
 misfortunes) it will be recompensed to you, and you will find 
 that where you have done injury or defrauded to the value of 
 one mite, you will have to pay thirty again. 
 
 Such shall be the lot of mechanics and laborers of whom 237 
 we hear and from whom we are obliged to suffer such intoler- 
 able maliciousness, as though they were noblemen in another's 
 possessions, and every one were obliged to give them what 
 they demand. Only let them continue practising their exac- 238 
 tions as long as they can ; but God will not forget his com- 
 mandment ; and he will reward them according as they have 
 served, and will hang them, not upon a green gallows, but 
 upon a dry one ; so that in all their life they shall neither 
 prosper nor accumulate anything. And indeed if there were 239 
 a well-ordered government in the land such wantonness might 
 be checked and prevented, as was the case in ancient times 
 among the Romans, when such characters were suddenly visited 
 in a way that others took warning, 
 -on No more shall others prosper who change the open, 240 
 
 free market into a carrion-pit of extortion and a den of 
 robbery, where the poor are daily oppressed, and who cause 
 new impositions and famine, every one using the market ac- 
 cording to his caprice in proud defiance, as though it were his 
 right and privilege to sell his property for as high a price as 
 he please, and no one had a right to say a word about it. 
 These we will indeed allow to pass, and let them practise their 241 
 exactions, extortions and avarice, but we will trust in God, who 
 nevertheless will so arrange it that when you have completed 242 
 your extortion he will pronounce his curse, and your grain in 
 the storehouse, your beer in the cellar, your cattle in the stalls 
 shall all perish, and verily where you have defrauded any one 
 to the amount of a florin, your entire pile shall be consumed 
 with rust, so that you shall in no wise enjoy it. 
 
 And indeed we see this being fulfilled daily before our eyes, 243 
 that no stolen or dishonestly acquired possession brings pros- 
 perity. How many there are who rake and scrape day and 
 night, and yet grow not a farthing richer ! And men, though 
 they gather much, are subject to so many plagues and mis- 
 fortunes that they cannot enjoy it or transmit it to their chil- 
 dren. But because no one takes notice of it, and we go on as 244 
 though it did not concern us, God must visit us in a different 
 manner and teach us the mode of his government, so that he 
 imposes one taxation after another, or billets a troop of soldiers 
 upon us, who in one hour empty our coffers and purses, and do 
 
Part I. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 425 
 
 not desist as long as we have a farthing left ; and in addition, 
 by way of thanks, burn and devastate house and home, and out- 
 rage and kill wife and children. 
 
 And, in short, if you steal much, depend upon it that twice 245 
 as much will be stolen from you ; and he who with violence 
 and wrong robs and acquires will find one who shall deal after 
 401 the same fashion with him. For God is master of this 
 art, that since every one robs and steals of another, he 
 punishes one thief by means of another. Where else should 
 we find enough gallows and ropes? 
 
 Whoever is willing to be instructed can be sure that this is 246 
 the commandment of God, and that it must not be treated as 
 a jest. For although you despise us, defraud, steal and rob, 
 we will indeed submit, suffer and endure your haughtiness, and 
 according to the Lord's Prayer forgive and show pity ; for we 
 know that the godly shall have enough, and you injure your- 
 self more than another. 
 
 But of this beware: When the poor man comes to you (of 247 
 whom there are so many now) who must buy with the penny 
 of his daily wages, and live upon it, and you are harsh to him, 
 as though every one lived by your favor, and you extort and ex- 
 act to the utmost amount, and besides with pride and haughti- 
 ness turn him off whom you ought to help with a gift, he will 
 go away wretched and sorrowful ; and because he can complain 
 to no one he will cry and call to heaven, — then beware (I say 
 again) as of the devil himself. For such groaning and call- 
 ing will be no jest, but will have a weight and emphasis that 
 will prove too heavy for you and all the world. For it will 
 reach Him who takes care of the poor sorrowful hearts, and will 
 not allow this injury done them to escape his vengeance. But 
 if you despise that cry and defy Him who hears it, then remem- 
 ber whom you have brought upon you. If you are successful 
 and prosperous you may, before all the world, call God and 
 me a liar. 
 
 Now we have exhorted, warned and protested enough ; he 248 
 who will not heed or believe it may go on until he learn this 
 by experience. Yet it is important to impress this upon the 
 young, that they may be careful not to follow the old lawless 
 crowd, but keep their eyes fixed upon God's commandment, 
 lest his wrath and punishment come upon them. Nothing 249 
 further belongs to us, except to instruct and reprove with 
 God's Word ; but to check such open wantonness there is need 
 * 09 °f government and princes who have eyes and voice, by 
 which to establish and maintain order in all manner of 
 trade and commerce, so that the poor be not burdened and op- 
 pressed or burden themselves with others' sins. 
 
 Let this suffice concerning the explanation of what is steal- 25* 
 54 
 
426 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 ing, that it he not taken too narrowly, but extend as far as we 
 have to do with our neighbors. And briefly, in a summary, 
 like the former commandments, it is herewith forbidden in the 
 first place to do our neighbor any injury or wrong (of what- 
 ever sort supposable in curtailing his possessions and property, 
 or preventing or hindering his enjoyment of them), or even to 
 consent or allow such a thing, but to interpose and prevent it. 
 And, on the other hand, it is commanded that we improve his 251 
 possessions and promote all his interests; and, in case he suf- 
 fer want, that we help, communicate and lend both to friends 
 and foes. 
 
 Whoever now seeks and desires good works will find here 252 
 in abundance such as are heartily acceptable and pleasing to 
 God, and in addition are favored and crowned with most excel- 
 lent blessings, that we can be sure of a rich compensation for 
 all that we do for our neighbor's good and from true friend- 
 ship ; as King Solomon also teaches (Prov. 19:17): " He that 
 hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord ; and that 
 which he hath given will he pay him again." Here then thou 253 
 hast a rich Lord who is certainly sufficient for thee, and who 
 will not suffer thee to want or to come short in anything ; thus 
 thou canst with a joyful conscience enjoy a hundred times more 
 than thou couldst acquire by extortion in unfaithfulness and 
 wrong. But whoever does not desire the blessing will find 
 wrath and misfortune enough. 
 
 The Eighth Commandment. 
 
 Thou shall not bear false witness. 254 
 
 Besides body, wife or husband, and temporal possessions, 255 
 we have yet another treasure, namely, personal honor and good 
 -00 report, with which we cannot dispense. For it is intoler- 
 able to live among men in open shame and general con- 
 tempt. Therefore God wishes the reputation, character and honor 256 
 of our neighbor to be assailed or diminished as little as his 
 money and possessions, that every one may stand in his integ- 
 rity before wife, child, servants and neighbors. And in the 257 
 first place we take the most manifest meaning of this command- 
 ment according to the words (Thou shalt not bear false witness), 
 as pertaining to courts of justice, where a poor innocent man is 
 accused and oppressed by false witnesses in order to be pun- 
 ished in his body, property or honor. 
 
 This appears indeed little to concern us now, but with the ?.$$ 
 Jews it was a common and ordinary matter. For the people 
 were organized under an excellent and regular government ; 
 and where such a government is, it is not administered with- 
 out cases of this sin. The cause of it is, that where judges, 
 
Part I. THE TEX COMMANDMENTS. 427 
 
 magistrates, princes or* others in authority sit in judgment, it 
 cannot in the course of the world be otherwise but that men 
 will be unwilling to give offence, will Matter and speak with 
 regard to favor, money, hope or friendship; and in conse- 
 quence a poor man and his cause must be oppressed and be 
 subject to wrong and punishment. And it is a common calam- 
 ity in the world that those who sit in judgment are seldom 
 godly men. 
 
 For a judge ought necessarily to be above all things a god- 25 
 lv man, and not only godly, but also wise, modest, yea, a 
 brave and fearless man. So also ought a witness to be fear- 
 less, but especially a godly man. For he w 7 ho would judge 
 all matters rightly and decide them by his verdict will often 
 offend good friends, relatives, neighbors and the rich and pow- 
 erful who can greatly serve or injure him. Therefore he must 
 be quite blind, closing eyes and ears, neither seeing nor hear- 
 ing, but going straight forward in everything that comes be- 
 fore him, and deciding accordingly. 
 
 Therefore this commandment is given first of all that every 260 
 one shall help his neighbor to secure his rights, and not allow 
 4^» them to be hindered or violence to be done them, but to 
 strictly maintain and promote them as God may grant, 
 whether he be judge or witness, and let it affect what it will. 
 And especially is a goal set up here for our jurists that they 261 
 use all diligence in dealing truly and uprightly with every 
 case, allowing right to be right, and neither perverting nor 
 glossing it over or keeping silent concerning it, irrespective of 
 money, possession, honor or power. This is one part and the 
 most immediate sense of this commandment respecting all that 
 takes place in court. 
 
 Afterwards, however, it extends much further, if we apply it 262 
 to spiritual jurisdiction or administration ; here it is a fact that 
 every one bears false witness against his neighbor. For wher- 
 ever there are godly preachers and Christians, they must bear 
 the judgment of the world, and be called heretics, apostates, 
 yea seditious and desperately wicked miscreants. And besides 
 the Word of God must be subjected to the most shameful and 
 virulent persecutions, blasphemies, contradictions, perversions 
 and false explanations and applications. But that w r e w r ill let 
 pass ; for it is the way of the blind world that she condemns 
 and persecutes the truth and the children of God, and yet es- 
 teems it no sin. 
 
 In the third place, what concerns us all, this commandment :6' : 
 forbids all sins of the tongue whereby we can injure or molest 
 our neighbor. For to bear false witness is nothing else but a 
 work of the tongue. Whatever therefore is done with the 
 tongue against a fellow-man is hereby forbidden by God; 
 
428 THE LABliE CATECHISM. 
 
 whether it be false preachers with their doctrine and blas- 
 phemy, false judges and witnesses with their unjust verdicts, or 
 outside of court by lying and evil-speaking. Here belongs 264 
 particularly the detestable vice of gossip and slander, with 
 which the devil instigates us, and of which there is much to 
 be said. For k is a common evil plague that every one pre- 
 fers hearing evil to hearing good of his neighbor; and al- 
 though we ourselves are ever so bad, we cannot suffer that any 
 one should say anything bad about us, but every one would 
 much rather that all the world should speak of him in terms of 
 gold ; and yet we cannot bear that only the best be said of others. 
 -ocr Therefore, to avoid this vice we should consider that 265 
 
 no one is allowed publicly to judge and reprove his neigh- 
 bor, although he may see him sin, unless he have a command 
 to judge and to reprove. For there is a great difference be- 266 
 tween these two things, viz. judging sin and knowing it. 
 You may indeed know it, but you are not to judge it. I can 
 indeed see and hear that my neighbor sins, but I have no com- 
 mand to report it to others. If therefore I rush on, judging 
 and passing sentence, I fall into a sin which is greater than 
 his. But if you know it, change your ears into a grave and 
 cover it, until you are appointed as judge and to punish by 
 virtue of your office. 
 
 Those are called slanderers who are not content with know- 26; 
 ing a thing, but proceed to exercise judgment, and when they 
 know a slight offence of another, carry it into every corner, 
 and are gratified that they can stir up another's baseness, as 
 swine roll themselves in the dirt and root in it with the snout. 
 It is nothing else than meddling with the office and judgment 26; 
 of God, and pronouncing sentence and punishment with the 
 most severe verdict. For no judge can punish to a higher de- 
 jree nor go further than to say : " He is a thief, a murderer, 
 a traitor," etc. Therefore, whoever presumes to say the same 
 of his neighbor goes just as far as the emperor and all govern- 
 ments. For although you do not wield the sword, you employ 
 your poisonous tongue to the shame and hurt of your neighbor. 
 
 God therefore forbids that any one speak evil of another 269 
 although he be guilty, and the former know it right well ; 
 much less if he do not know it, and have it only from hear- 
 say. But you answer : Shall I not say it if it be the truth ? 27c 
 Answer: Why do you not make accusation to a regular judge? 
 Yes. But I cannot prove it publicly, and thus I might be 
 silenced and turned away in a harsh manner [incur the pen- 
 alty of a false accusation]. Ah ! here's the rub. 1 If you 
 
 1 Lit. : "Ah, indeed do you smell the roast?" Latin quotes from Ter 
 rence, Andria: JTinz Wee lacrynujE. 
 
Part! THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 42^ 
 
 do not venture to stand before the proper authorities with 
 *on your charges, then hold your tongue. But if you know 
 it, know it for yourself and not for another. For if you 
 repeat it, although it be true, you will appear as a liar, because 
 you cannot prove it, and you are besides acting wickedly. For 
 we ought never to deprive any one of his honor or good name 
 unless he be publicly condemned. 
 
 Everything, therefore, which cannot be properly proved is 271 
 false witness. 
 
 Therefore what is not made public by sufficient proof no 272 
 one shall make public or declare for truth : and in short, 
 whatever is secret should be kept secret or secretly reproved, 
 as we shall hear. Therefore, if you encounter an evil tongue 273 
 which betrays and slanders another, contradict such a one to 
 his face, that he may blush ; thus many a one will keep silence 
 who else would bring some poor man into bad repute, from 
 which he would not easily extricate himself. For honor and 
 a good name are easily tarnished, but not easily restored. 
 
 Thus you see, in short, it is forbidden to speak any evil of 274 
 our neighbor, and yet the civil government, preachers, father 
 and mother are excepted, that this commandment may be so 
 understood that evil be not unreproved. Just therefore as, 
 according to the Fifth Commandment, no one is to be injured 
 in body, and yet the executioner is excepted, who, by virtue 
 of his office, does his neighbor no good, but only evil and harm, 
 and nevertheless does not sin against God's commandment, be- 
 cause God has, on his own account instituted that office; for 
 he has reserved punishment for his own good pleasure, as he 
 has threatened in the First Commandment, — just so also, al- 
 though no one has a right in his own person to judge and con- 
 demn another, yet if they to whose office it belongs refuse to 
 do it, they sin as well as he who should do so without such 
 office. For here necessity requires one to speak of the evil, to 275 
 make accusation, to investigate and testify ; and it is not differ- 
 nt from the case of a physician who is sometimes compelled 
 o handle and examine a patient in parts otherwise not to be 
 examined. Just so governments, father and mother, brothers 
 407 and sisters, and other good friends, are under obligation 
 to each other to reprove evil wherever it is needful and 
 profitable. 
 
 But the true way in this matter would be to observe the 276 
 order according to the Gospel (St. Matt. 18 : 15), where Christ 
 says: "If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him 
 his fault between thee and him alone" Here you have a pre- 
 cious and excellent doctrine whereby to govern well the tongue, 
 which is to be carefully observed against this abuse. Let this, 
 then, be your rule, that you do not too readily speak evil of 
 
430 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 vour neighbor to others; but admonish him privately that lie 
 mav amend. Likewise, also, if some one report to you what 
 this or that one lias done, teach him also, it' he: have seen it 
 himself, to go and admonish him; but if not, let him keep 
 silent. 
 
 The same you can learn also from the daily government of 277 
 the household. For when the master of the house sees that 
 the servant does not do what he ought, he himself takes him 
 to account. But if he were so foolish as to let the ser\*int sit 
 at home, and went on the streets to complain of him to his 
 neighbors, he would no doubt be told: " You fool ! what does 
 that concern us? go and tell him himself." See, that would be 278 
 acting quite brotherly, so that the evil would be stayed, and 
 your neighbor's honor would be maintained. As Christ also 
 says in the same place : "If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy 
 brother." Then you have done a good work ; for do you 
 think it is a little matter to gain a brother? Let all monks 
 and holy orders step forth, with all their works melted to- 
 gether into one mass, and see if they can boast that they have 
 " gained a brother." 
 
 Further, Christ teaches: "But if he will not hear thee, then 279 
 take wit/i thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three 
 witnesses every word may be established." So he whom it con- 
 400 cerns is always to be treated with personally, and not to 
 
 be spoken of without his knowledge. But if that do 28c 
 not avail, then bring it before the public, whether before the 
 civil or the ecclesiastical tribunal. For then you do not 
 stand alone, but you have those witnesses with you by whom 
 you can convict the guilty one, relying on whom the judge can 
 pronounce sentence of punishment. This is the right and reg- 
 ular course for checking and reforming a wicked person. But 281 
 if we only gossip about another in all corners, and stir up his 
 >aseness, no one will be reformed, and afterwards when we 
 are to stand up and bear witness we deny having said so. 
 Therefore it would be well for such tongues that their delight 282 
 in thus talking were severely punished, so that others would 
 profit by the example. If you were acting for your neighbor's 283 
 reformation or from love of the truth, you would not act in 
 an underhanded way and shun the day and the light. 
 
 All this refers to secret sins. But where the sin is public, 284 
 so that the judge and everybody know it, you can, without 
 any sin, avoid him and let him go, because he has brought 
 himself to shame, and also you may publicly testify against him. 
 For when a matter is public in the light of day, there can be 
 no slander or false judgment or witness. As we now reprove 
 the Pope with his doctrine, which is publicly set forth in books 
 and proclaimed in all the world. For where the sin is public, 
 
PaktI. the ten commandments. 431 
 
 the reproof also must be public, that every one may learn to 
 guard against it. 
 
 Thus we have now the sum and general understanding of 285 
 this commandment, viz. that no one do any injury with the 
 tongue to his neighbor, whether friend or foe ; nor speak evil 
 of him, whether it be true or false, unless it be done by com- 
 mandment or for his reformation ; but that every one employ 
 his tongue to say the best of every one else, to cover his neigh- 
 bor's sins and infirmities, excusing him, apologizing for him 
 and adorning him with due honor. The chief consideration is 2S6 
 400 what Christ indicates in the Gospel, in which he compre- 
 hends all commandments respecting our neighbor (Matt. 
 7:12): " Whatsoever ye icould that men should do to you, do ye 
 even so to them" 
 
 Even nature teaches the same thing in our own bodies, as 287 
 St. Paul says (1 Cor. 12:22): "Much more, those members 
 of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary : and 
 those members of the body which we think to be less honor- 
 able, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our 
 uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness." No one 
 covers face, eyes, nose and mouth. For they, as in themselves 
 the most honorable members which we have, do not require it. 
 But the most infirm members, of which we are ashamed, we 
 cover with all diligence, yea, hands, eyes and the whole body 
 must help to cover and conceal them. Thus also should we 288 
 among ourselves adorn to the best of our ability whatever 
 blemishes and infirmities we find in our neighbor, and serve 
 and help him to promote his honor; and on the other hand 
 prevent whatever may be discreditable to him. And it is 289 
 especially an excellent and noble virtue for one always to put 
 the best construction upon all he may hear of his neighbor 
 (if it be not a public crime), and present it in a favorable light 
 against the poisonous tongues that are busy wherever they can 
 pry out and discover something to blame in a neighbor, and 
 that pervert it in the worst way ; as is especially now done 
 with the precious Word of God and its preachers. 
 
 There are comprehended, therefore, in this commandment 29c 
 very many good works which please God most highly, and 
 bring abundant good and blessing, if only the blind world and 
 the false saints could recognize them as such. For there is 291 
 nothing on or in the entire man which can do both greater and 
 more extensive good or harm in spiritual and in temporal 
 matters than the tongue, though it is the least and feeblest 
 member. 
 
432 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 440 The Ninth and Tenth Commandments. 
 
 Tfwu shaft not covet thy neighbor's house. Thou shalt not covet 291 
 thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, 
 nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's. 
 
 These two commandments are given especially to the Jews, 293 
 although in part they also concern us. For they do not inter- 
 pret them as referring to unchastity or theft, because these are 
 forbidden above. They also thought that they had kept all 
 those when they had done or not done the external act. 
 Therefore God has added these two commandments in order 
 that it be esteemed as sin and be forbidden to desire or in any 
 way to aim at getting our neighbor's wife or possessions; and 294 
 especially because under the Jewish government man-servants 
 and maid-servants were not free, as now, to serve for wages as 
 long as they pleased, but were their master's property, with 
 their body and all they had, as cattle and other possessions. 
 So, too, every man had power over his wife to put her away 295 
 publicly by giving her a bill of divorce, and to take another. 
 Therefore they were in constant danger among each other that 
 if one took a fancy to another's wife he might take occasion 
 both to dismiss his own w T ife and to estrange the other's wife 
 from him, that he might obtain her under pretext of right. 
 That was not considered a sin nor disgrace with them ; as little 
 as now with hired help, when a proprietor dismisses his man- 
 servant or maid-servant, or takes another's servants from him 
 in any way. 
 
 Therefore (I say) they thus interpreted, as is right also (al- 296 
 though it goes farther and higher) that no one think or pur- 
 pose to obtain another's wife, servants, house and estate, land, 
 meadows, cattle, even with appearance of right or by seem- 
 ingly proper means, yet with injury to his neighbor. For 
 above, in the Seventh Commandment, the vice is forbidden, 
 where one appropriates to himself the possessions of others or 
 keeps them from his neighbor without right. But here it is 
 also forbidden to take anything from your neighbor, even 
 though you could do so honorably in the eyes of the world, 
 so that no one could accuse or blame you as though you had 
 obtained it by fraud. 
 4A1 For we are so inclined by nature that no one desires to 297 
 
 see another have as much as himself, and each one ac- 
 quires as much as he can, without regard to how another may 
 fare. And yet we all pretend to be godly, adorn ourselves 29? 
 most finely and conceal our rascality, resort to and invent adroit 
 devices and deceitful artifices (such as now are daily most ingeni- 
 ously contrived) as though they were derived from justice ; yea, 
 we even dare to impertinently refer to it, and boast of it, and 
 
JfARTl. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 433 
 
 do not wish to have it called rascality, but shrewdness and 
 caution. In this jurists and counsellors assist, who twist and 299 
 stretch the law as it will help their cause, irrespective of equity 
 or their neighbor's necessity. And, in short, whoever is the 
 most expert and cunning finds most help in law, as they 
 themselves say: The laws favor the watchful (Vigilantibus 
 jura subveniunt). 
 
 This last commandment therefore is given not for rogues in 300 
 the eyes of the world, but just for the most pious, who wish to 
 be praised and be called honest, upright people who have not 
 offended against the former commandments, as especially the 
 Jews claimed to be ; and even now for many great noblemen, 
 gentlemen and princes. For the other common masses belong 
 yet farther down, under the Seventh Commandment, as those 
 who do not ask how they may acquire their possessions with 
 honor and right. 
 
 This occurs principally in litigations, where it is the purpose 301 
 to get something from our neighbor and to eject him from his 
 possessions. As (to give examples) when people quarrel and 
 wrangle for a large inheritance, real estate, etc., they avail 
 themselves of, and resort to, whatever has the appearance of 
 right, so dressing and adorning everything that the law must 
 favor their side, and they keep possession of the property with 
 such title that no one can make complaint or lay claim thereto. 
 In like manner, if any one desire to have a castle, city, duchy, 302 
 or any other great thing, he practises so much financiering 
 through relationships and by any means he can that another 
 440 is deprived of it, and it is judicially declared to be his, and 
 confirmed with deed and seal as acquired honestly and by 
 princely title. 
 
 Likewise also in common trade where one dexterously slips 303 
 something out of another's hand so that he must look after it, 
 or surprises and defrauds him in what he regards as his ad- 
 vantage and benefit, so that the latter cannot regain or redeem 
 it without injury, debt or perhaps distress; and the former 
 gains the half or even more ; and yet this must not be consid- 
 ered as acquired by fraud or stolen, but honestly bought. Here 
 they say : The first is the best, and every one must look to 
 his own interest, let another get what he can. And who can 304 
 be so wise as to think of all that one can get into his posses- 
 sion by such specious pretexts? This the world does not con- 
 sider wrong, and will not see that the neighbor is thereby put 
 to a disadvantage and must sacrifice what he cannot spare 
 without injury. Yet there is no one who wishes this to be 
 done him ; from which they can easily perceive that such de- 
 vice and appearance are false. 
 
 Thus was the case formerly also with respect to wives. They 305 
 55 
 
434 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 were skilled in such devices that if one were pleased with an- 
 other woman, he himself or through others (as there were 
 many ways and means to be thought of) caused Ikt husband 
 to conceive some displeasure toward her, or had her resist 
 him and so conduct herself that he was obliged to dismiss 
 her. That sort of thing undoubtedly prevailed much under 
 the Law, as also we read in the Gospel, of king Herod, that 
 he took his brother's wife while he was yet living, and vet 
 wished to be thought an honorable, pious man, as St. Mark 
 also testifies of him. But such an example I trust will not 306 
 be found among us, because in the New Testament those who 
 are married are forbidden to be divorced — except in case where 
 one shrewdly by some stratagem takes away a rich bride from 
 another. But it is not a rare thing with us that one estranges 
 or entices away another's man-servant or maid-servant, or al- 
 lures them by flattering words. 
 »A<y In whatever way such things happen we must know 307 
 
 that God does not wish that you deprive your neighbor of 
 anything that belongs to him, that he suffer the loss and you 
 gratify your avarice with it, even if you could claim it hon- 
 orably before the world ; for it is a secret and dastardly im- 
 position practised under a disguise that it may not be known. 
 For although you go your way as if you had done no one any 
 wrong, you have nevertheless injured your neighbor. And if 
 it be not stealing and cheating, it yet is desiring your neigh- 
 bor's property ; that is, aiming at possession of it, enticing it 
 away from him without his will, and being unwilling to see 
 him enjoy what God has granted him. And although the 308 
 judge and every one must leave you in possession of it, yet 
 God will not leave you therein. For he sees the deceitful 
 heart and the malice of the world, who wherever ye yield to 
 her a finger's breadth, is sure to take an ell iu addition, and at 
 length public wrong and violence follow. 
 
 Therefore we abide by the common sense of these command- 309 
 ments, that in the first place we do not desire our neighbor harm, 
 nor even assist nor give occasion for it, but gladly leave and 
 see him in the enjoyment of his own, and besides advance and 
 preserve for him what may be for his profit and service, as we 
 should wish to be treated. Thus these commandments are es- 31c 
 pecially given against envy and miserable avarice, that God 
 may remove all causes and sources whence arises everything 
 by which we do injury to our neighbor, and therefore he ex- 
 presses it in plain words : Thou shalt not covet, etc. For he 
 would especially have the heart pure, although we shall never 
 attain to that as long as we live here: so that this command- 
 ment, like all the rest, will constantly accuse us and show how 
 ungodly we are in the sight of God. 
 
PabtI: the ten commandments. 435 
 
 Conclusion of the Ten Commandments. 
 
 Thus we have the Ten CommandmcLts, a compend of di-311 
 vine doctrine, as to what we shall do, that our whole life may 
 aa. be pleasing to God, and the true fountain and channel 
 from and in which everything must flow that is to be 
 considered a good work, so that outside of these Ten Com- 
 mandments no work or thing can be good or pleasing to God, 
 however great or precious it be in the eyes of the world. 
 Let us see now what our great saints can boast of their spir-312 
 :tual orders and their great and grievous works which they 
 nave invented and set up, with the omission of those of the 
 commandments as though they were of far too little conse- 
 quence or were long ago perfectly fulfilled. 
 
 I am of opinion that here any one will find his hands full, 313 
 and will have enough to do to observe these, viz. : meekness, 
 patience and love to enemies, chastity, kindness, etc., and what 
 such virtues imply. But such works are not of value and 
 make no display in the eyes of the world ; for they are not 
 unusual and ambitious and restricted to particular times, 
 places, customs and postures, but are common, e very-day do- 
 mestic works which one neighbor can practise toward another, 
 and therefore they are not of high esteem. 
 
 But the other works claim the astonished attention of men, 314 
 being aided by their great display, expense and magnificent 
 buildings, and these they so adorn that everything shines and 
 glitters; they waft incense, they sing and ring bells, they light 
 tapers and candles, so that nothing else can be seen or heard. 
 For it is regarded a most precious work which no one can suf- 
 ficiently praise if a priest stand there in a surplice embroidered 
 with gilt, or a layman continue all day upon his knees in 
 church. But if a poor girl tend a little child, and faithfully 
 do what she is told, that is nothing ; for else what should 
 monks and nuns seek in their cloisters ? 
 
 But see, is not that a shocking presumption of those despe- 315 
 zy.r rate saints, who dare to invent a higher and better life 
 and condition than the Ten Commandments teach, pre- 
 tending (as we have said) that this is a plain life for the 
 common man, but that theirs is for saints and perfect ones ? 
 Neither do the miserable blind people see that no man can 3 it 
 achieve so much as to observe one of the Ten Commandments 
 as it should be, but both the Apostles' Creed and the Lord's 
 Prayer must help us (as we shall hear), by which we must 
 strive after that attainment [power and strength to keep the 
 commandments], and pray for it and receive it continually. 
 Therefore all their boasting amounts to as much as though I 
 
436 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 boasted that I had not a penny, but that I would confidently 
 undertake to pay ten florins. 
 
 All this I say and urge, to do away with the sad abuse which 31; 
 has taken so deep root, and still cleaves to everybody, and that 
 men accustom themselves in all conditions upon earth to look 
 only here, and to be concerned with this law. For it will be 
 ;i long time before they will invent a doctrine or state equal to 
 these Ten Commandments ; because they are so high that no 
 one, by mere human power, can attain to them. And who- 
 ever attains to them will be a heavenly, angelic man, far above 
 all holiness in the world. Only occupy yourself with them, 318 
 and try your best, apply aLl power and ability, and you will 
 find so much to do that you will neither seek nor esteem any 
 other work or holiness. This is sufficient for the first part of 319 
 the common Christian doctrine, both for teaching and exhort- 
 ation. Yet in conclusion we must repeat the text which be- 
 longs to these commandments, of which we have treated already 
 in connection with the First Commandment, that we may 
 learn how strenuously God insists upon it that we learn, 
 teach and practise the Ten Commandments : 
 
 " For 1 the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the in- 32c 
 iquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth 
 generation of them that hate me, and shoiving mercy unto thou- 
 sands of them, that love me and keep my commandments ." 
 **o Although (as we have heard above) this appendix was 32 1 
 
 primarily attached to the First Commandment, it was 
 nevertheless laid down for the sake of all the commandments, 
 as all of them together are here referred to, and should be 
 thereby enforced. Therefore I have said that this should be 
 presented to and inculcated upon the young, that they may 
 learn and remember it ; that they may see what is to urge and 
 move us to keep these Ten Commandments. And it is to 
 be regarded as though this declaration were specially added to 
 
 h, and inhered in and pervaded them all. 
 
 Now there is comprehended in these words (as said before) 322 
 joth a threatening of wrath and a friendly promise, so as not 
 only to terrify and warn us, but also to induce and encourage 
 us to receive and highly esteem his Word as a matter of divine 
 earnestness, because he himself declares how much he is in 
 earnest and how rigidly he will enforce it, namely, that he will 
 severely and terribly punish all who despise and transgress his 
 commandments ; and again how richly he will reward, bless and 
 do all good to those who hold them in high esteem, and are glad 
 to act and live according to them. Thereby he demands that 321 
 they all proceed from a heart which fears God alone and re- 
 gards him, and from such fear avoids everything against his 
 will, lest it should move him to wrath ; and on the other hand 
 
Part I. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 437 
 
 also trusts in him alone, and from love to him does all he 
 wishes, because he expresses himself as friendly as a father, 
 and offers us all grace and every good. 
 
 Just this is also the import and true interpretation of the 324 
 first and chief commandment, from which all the others must 
 flow and proceed. This word : " TJiou sJialt have no other gods 
 before me" therefore means nothing more or less than to de- 
 mand in the simplest way, Thou shalt fear, love and trust in 
 me as thine only true God. For where the heart is thus to- 
 wards God, it has fulfilled this and all the other command- 
 ments. And, on the other hand, whoever fears and loves any- 
 thing else in heaven and upon earth will keep neither this nor 
 any other commandment. Therefore the entire Scriptures 325 
 have everywhere preached and inculcated this commandmentj 
 as consisting in these two things : Fear of, and trust in God. 
 And especially the prophet David in all his Psalms, as when 
 he says (Ps. 147 : 11) : " The Lord taketh pleasure in them that 
 fear him, in those that hope in his mercy" As if the entire 
 *j.j commandment were explained in one verse, as much as to 
 say : The Lord taketh pleasure in those who have no 
 other gods. 
 
 Thus the First Commandment is to shine and impart its 326 
 splendor to all the others. Therefore must this declaration 
 run through all the commandments, like a hoop in a wreath, 
 to join and hold together the end and the beginning ; that it 
 be continually repeated and not forgotten ; as, namely, in the 
 Second Commandment, that, moved by love and confidence 
 derived according to the First Commandment, we fear God 
 and do not take his name in vain to curse, lie, deceive, and for 
 other modes of seduction and rascality ; but make proper and 
 good use of it, calling upon him in prayer, praise and thanks- 
 giving. In like manner shall such fear, love and trust urge 
 and impel us not to despise his Word, but to gladly hear, learn 
 and honor it, and esteem it holy. 
 
 So afterwards, through all the following commandments of 327 
 our duties towards our neighbor, everything must proceed 
 from the power and in virtue of the First Commandment, viz. 
 that we honor father and mother, masters and all in authority, 
 and be subject and obedient to them, not on their own account, 
 but for God's sake. For you are not to regard or fear father 
 or mother, or from love of them to do or omit anything. But 
 see to that which God would have you do, and what he will 
 quite confidently demand of you ; if you omit that, you have 
 an angry judge, but in the contrary case a gracious father. 
 
 Likewise, that you do your neighbor no harm, injury or 328 
 violence, nor in any wise molest him, whether it respect his 
 ^dy, wife, property, honor or rights, as all these things aw 
 
438 THE LARGE CATECfitSM. 
 
 commanded in their order, even though you have opportunity 
 and cause to do so, and no man could reprove you; hut that 
 you do good to all men, help them, and promote their interest 
 wherever and whenever you can, purely from love of God 
 and in order to please him, in the confidence that he will abun- 
 dantly reward you for everything. Thus you see how the 329 
 First ( ommandment is the chief source and fountain-head 
 whence all the rest proceed ; and again they all return to that 
 4j 8 and depend upon it, so that beginning and end run into 
 each other and are hound together. 
 
 This (I say) is necessary and profitahle to teach, admonish 33c 
 and remind the young people, that they may be brought up in 
 the fear and reverence of God, and not with blows and com- 
 pulsion. For where it is considered and laid to heart that 
 they are not human trifles, but the commandments of the 
 Divine Majesty, who insists upon them with such earnestness, 
 is angry with those who despise them, and will assuredly pun- 
 ish them, but, on the other hand, will abundantly reward 
 those who keep them, there will be a spontaneous impulse and 
 a desire gladly to do the will of God. Therefore it is not in 331 
 vain that it is commanded in the Old Testament to write the 
 Ten Commandments on all walls and corners, yes, even on the 
 garments, not for an idle show, as did the Jews ; but that we 
 might have our eyes constantly fixed upon them, and have 
 them always in our memory, and keep them in all our actions 
 and ways ; and that every one make them his daily practice in 331 
 all cases, in every business and bargain, as though they were 
 written in every place wherever he would look, yea, where- 
 ever he goes or stays. Thus there would be occasion enough, 
 both at home in our own house and abroad with our neigh- 
 bors, to practise the Ten Commandments, that no one need 
 run far for them. 
 
 From this it again appears how far these Ten Command- 331 
 nents are to be exalted and extolled above all orders, com- 
 mandments and works which are taught and practised aside 
 from them. For here we can challenge all the wise and all 
 saints to step forth and say, Let us see whether they can pro- 
 duce any work like these commandments, upon which God 
 insists with such earnestness, and which he enjoins with his 
 greatest wrath and punishment, and besides adds such glorious 
 promises of an outpouring of all good things and blessings 
 upon us. Therefore they should be taught above all others, 
 and be esteemed sacred and precious, as the highest treasure 
 given by God. 
 
Part II. THE CREED. 139 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 
 449 OF THE CREED. 
 
 Tucrs far we have heard the first part of Christian doctrine, i 
 in which we have seen all that God wishes us to do or to leave 
 undone. The Creed, therefore, properly follows, which teaches 
 us everything that we must expect and receive from God ; 
 and, to speak most explicitly, teaches us to know him fully. 
 This is intended to help us do that which according to the Ten 2 
 Commandments we ought to do. For (as said above) they are 
 set so high that all human ability is far too feeble and weak to 
 [attain to or] keep them. Therefore it is as necessary to learn 
 this part in order to know how to attain thereto, and whence 
 and whereby to obtain such power. For if we could, of our 3 
 own power, keep the Ten Commandments as they are to be 
 kept, we would need nothing further, neither Creed nor Lord's 
 Prayer. But before such advantage and necessity of the Creed 4 
 are explained, it is sufficient at first for the simple-minded that 
 they learn to comprehend and understand the Creed itself. 
 
 In the first place, the Creed has hitherto been divided into 5 
 twelve articles. Although if all points which are written in 
 the Scriptures and which belong to the Creed were to be dis- 
 tinctly set forth, there would be far more articles nor could 
 they be clearly expressed in so few words. But that it may be 6 
 most easily and clearly understood, as it is to be taught to chil- 
 dren, we will briefly sum up the entire Creed in three articles, 
 according to the three persons in the Godhead to whom every- 
 thing that we believe pertains; so that the first article, Of God 
 the Father, explains Creation, the second article, Of God the 
 Son, explains Redemption, and the third, Of God the Holy 
 Ghost, explains Sanctification. As though the Creed were 7 
 briefly comprehended in so many words : I believe in God the 
 Father, a\1io has created me; I believe in God the Son, who 
 has redeemed me ; I believe in the Holy Ghost, who sanctifies 
 *rn me. One God and one faith, but three persons, therefore 
 
 also three articles or confessions. Let us thus briefly run £ 
 over the words. 
 
 Article I. 
 
 7 believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and 9 
 earth. 
 
 This represents and sets forth most briefly the essence, will, \c 
 action and work of God the Father. Since the Ten Command- 
 
4-40 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 ments have taught that we arc to have no other gods, it is nat- 
 ural to ask the question: What kind of a being is God? 
 Wliat dues he do? How shall we praise, represent or describe 
 him, that he may be known? That is taught in this and the 
 following article. So that the Creed is nothing else than the 
 answer and confession of Christians, arranged with respect to 
 the First Commandment. As if you were to ask a little child : i 
 My dear, what sort of a God have you ? what do you know 
 of him? He could say: First, indeed, my God is God the 
 Father, who has created heaven and earth; besides him I be- 
 lieve in nothing else as God ; for there is no one else who 
 eon Id create heaven and earth. 
 
 But for the learned, and those who have acquired some 12 
 scriptural knowledge, these three articles may be extended and 
 divided into as many parts as there are words. But now for 
 young scholars let it suffice to indicate the most necessary points, 
 namely, as we have said, that this article refers to the Creation : 
 that we emphasize the words : Creator of heaven and 
 earth. But what is the force of this or what do you mean 13 
 by these words : " / believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker, 
 etc. ? Answer : I believe and mean to say that I am a crea- 
 ture of God ; that is, that he has given and constantly pre- 
 serves to me my body, soul and life, members great and small, 
 all my senses, reason and understanding, food and drink, shelter 
 and support, wife and child, domestics, house and possessions, 
 etc. Besides, he causes all creatures to serve for the necessities 14 
 and uses of life — sun, moon and stars in the firmament, day 
 and night, air, fire, water, earth and whatever it bears and pro- 
 duces, bird and fish, beasts, grain and all kinds of produce, 
 and whatever else there is of bodily and temporal goods, good 15 
 government, peace, security. So that we learn in this article 16 
 ,r| that none of us has his life of himself, or anything that 
 is here enumerated or can be enumerated, neither can he 
 of himself preserve them, however small and unimportant a 
 thing it might be, for all is comprehended in the word : Cre- 
 ator. 
 
 Besides this we also confess that God the Father has not 17 
 only given us all that we have and see before our eyes, but 
 daily preserves and defends against all evil and misfortune, 
 averts all sort of danger and calamity; and that he does all 
 without our merit of pure love and goodness, as a friendly fa- 
 ther, who cares for us that no evil befall us. But to speak iS 
 more of this pertains to the other two parts of this article, 
 where we say : " Father Almighty" 
 
 Hence we must infer and conclude, since everything which 39 
 we have and are, and whatever is in heaven and upon the earth, 
 are daily given and preserved to us by God, that it is our duty 
 
Tart II. THE CREED. 44. 
 
 to love, praise and thank him without ceasing ; and in short 
 (o serve him with all these things, as he has enjoined in the 
 Ten Commandments. 
 
 Here we could say much if we would attempt to show how 20 
 few there are that believe this article. For we all pass over 
 it, hear it, and say it, but neither see nor consider what the 
 words teach us. For if we believed it with the heart, we 21 
 would also act accordingly, and not stalk about proudly, bid 
 lefiance and boast as though we had life, riches, power and 
 nonor, etc. all of ourselves, so that others must fear and serve 
 us, as is the practice of the unhappy, perverted world, which 
 is immured in darkness, and abuses all the good things and 
 gifts of God only for its own pride, avarice, lust and luxury, 
 and never once regards God, so as to thank him or acknow- 
 ledge him as Lord and Creator, 
 »rn Therefore, if we only believed it, this article must hum- 22 
 
 ble and terrify us all. For we sin daily with eyes, ears, 
 hands, body and soul, money and possessions, and with every- 
 thing we have, as especially do those who even fight against the 
 Word of God. Yet Christians have this advantage, that they 
 acknowledge themselves in duty bound to serve God for all 
 these things, and to be obedient to him [which the world knows 
 not how to do]. 
 
 We ought, therefore, daily to practise this article, to remember ■. 3 
 and consider in all that we see, and in all good that falls to our 
 lot, and wherever we escape from calamity or danger, that it is 
 God who gives and does all these things ; that therein we per- 
 ceive and see his paternal heart and his transcendent love to- 
 ward us. Thereby the heart would be aroused and kindled to 
 be thankful for all such good things, and to employ them to the 
 honor and praise of God. Thus we have most briefly presented 24 
 the meaning of this article, as much as is at first necessary for the 
 most simple to learn, both as to what we have and receive from 
 God, and what we owe in return, which is a most excellent ob- 
 ject of knowledge, but a far greater treasure. For here we see 
 how the Father has given himself to us, together with all 
 creatures, and has most richly provided for us in this life, be- 
 sides that he has overwhelmed us with unspeakable, eternal 
 treasures in his Son and the Holy Ghost, as we shall hear. 
 
 Article II. 
 
 And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived 25 
 by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary ; suffered under 
 Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried ; he descended 
 into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead, he as- 
 cended into heaven, and sifteth on the rigid hand of God the 
 
 56 
 
*42 TILE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 Father Almighty ; from thence he shall come to judge the quick 
 and the dead. 
 
 mt o Here we learn to know the second person of the God- 26 
 
 head, so that we see what we have from God over and above 
 those temporal goods already spoken of; namely, how com- 
 pletely he has poured forth his riches and withheld nothing. 
 This article is therefore very rich and broad ; but that we may 
 briefly treat of it in a childlike way, we will take up one word 
 and comprehend in that the entire sum of the article, namely 
 (as we have said), that we may learn how we are redeemed. 
 This is t-uight in the words : "In Jesus Christ our LordP 
 
 If now you are asked, What do you believe in the second 27 
 article, Of Jesus Christ? answer briefly: I believe that Jesus 
 Christ, true Son of God, has become my Lord. But what is it 
 " to become Lord " ? It is that he has redeemed me from sin, 
 from the devil, from death and all evil. For before I had no 
 Lord or King, but was captive under the power of the devil, 
 condemned to death, bound in sin and blindness. 
 
 For when we had been created by God the Father, and had 28 
 received from him all manner of good, the devil came and led 
 us into disobedience, sin, death, and all evil, so that we fell un- 
 der his wrath and displeasure and were doomed to eternal dam- 
 nation, as we had merited and deserved. There was no counsel, 29 
 help or comfort until this only-begotten and eternal Son of 
 God in his unfathomable goodness had compassion upon our 
 misery and wretchedness, and came from heaven to help us. 
 Thus therefore the tyrants and jailers are all expelled, and in 3c 
 their stead stands Jesus Christ, Lord of life, righteousness, 
 salvation and of all good, and who delivered us poor lost mortals 
 from the jaws of hell, has redeemed us and made us free, and 
 brought us again into the favor and grace of the Father, and 
 has taken us as his own property under his shelter and protec- 
 tion, that he may govern us by his righteousness, wisdom, 
 power, life and blessedness. 
 *r» Let it then be considered the sum of this article that 31 
 
 the little word Lord signifies simply as much as Redeemer, 
 i. e. He who has brought us from Satan to God, from death to 
 life, from sin to righteousness, and who preserves us in the 
 same. But all the points which follow in order in this article 
 only serve to express and explain this redemption ; that is, how 
 and whereby it was accomplished, how much be suffered and 
 what he paid and risked, that he might redeem us and bring us 
 under his dominion, namely, that he became man, conceived 
 and born without [any stain of] sin, of the Holy Ghost and of 
 the Virgin Mary, that he might be Lord over sin ; that he 
 suffered, died and was buried, that he might make satisfaction 
 
Part II. THE CREED. 443 
 
 for me and pay what I owe, not with silver nor gold, but with 
 his own precious blood. And all that in order to become my 
 Lord. For he did none of these for himself, nor had he any 
 need of it. And after that he rose again from the dead, de- 
 stroyed and swallowed up death, and finally ascended into 
 heaven and assumed the government at the Father's right 
 hand ; so that the devil and all principalities and powers must 
 be subject to him and lie at his feet, until finally at the last day 
 he will part and separate us from the wicked world, from the 
 devil, death, sin, etc. 
 
 But to explain all these single points especially belorgs not 32 
 to brief sermons for children, but rather to the ampler sermons 
 that extend over the entire year, especially at those times which 
 are appointed for the purpose, to treat at length of each ar- 
 ticle — of the birth, sufferings, resurrection, ascension of Christ, 
 etc. 
 
 Ay, the entire Gospel which we preach consists in this, viz. 33 
 that we properly understand this article as that upon which 
 our salvation and all our happiness depend, and which is so 
 rich and comprehensive that we never can learn it fully. 
 
 Article III. 
 
 [ believe in the Holy Ghost ; the holy Christian Church, the com- 34 
 munion of saints ; the forgiveness of sins ; the resurrection of 
 the body, and the life everlasting. Amen, 
 
 ^cr This article I cannot explain better than (as I have 35 
 
 said) that it treats of Sanctification, viz. that thereby the 
 Holy Ghost, with his office, is declared and set forth, namely, 
 that he makes holy. 
 
 Therefore we must establish ourselves upon the word Holy 
 Ghost, because it is so precise and comprehensive that we can- 
 not use another like it. For there are besides many kinds of $6 
 spirits mentioned in the Holy Scriptures — the spirit of man, 
 heavenly spirits and evil spirits. But the Spirit of God alone 
 is called the Holy Ghost, that is, He which has sanctified and 
 still sanctifies us. For as the Father is called Creator, the Son 
 Redeemer, so the Holy Ghost, from his work, must be called 
 Sanctifier, or one that makes holy. But what is the process of 37 
 such sanctification ? Answer : Just as the Son obtain* domic- 
 ion, whereby he redeems us, by his birth, death, resurrection^ 
 etc., so also the Holy Ghost effects our sanctification, as follows, 
 namely, by the communion of saints or Christian Church, for- 
 giveness of sins, resurrection of the body and eternal life ; that 
 is, he first leads us into his holy congregation, and places us 
 in the bosom, of the Church, whereby he preaches to us and 
 brings us to ChrLit. 
 
144 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 For neither you nor I could ever know anything of Christ, 38 
 or believe on him and have him for our Lord, except as it is 
 offered to us and granted to our hearts by the Holy Ghost 
 through the preaching of the Gospel. The work is finished 
 and accomplished; for Christ, by his suffering, death, resurrec- 
 tion, etc., has acquired and gained the treasure for us. But if 
 the work remained concealed, so that no one knew of it, then it 
 were in vain and lost. That this treasure therefore might not 
 lie buried, but be appropriated and enjoyed, God has caused the 
 Word to go forth and be proclaimed, in which he gives the Holy 
 Ghost to bring this treasure home and apply it to us. There- 39 
 fore sanctification is nothing else but bringing us to Christ to 
 receive this good, to which, of ourselves, we could not attain. 
 
 Learn then to understand this article most clearly. If you 40 
 are asked : What do you mean by the words : " / believe in the 
 Holy Ghost"*! you can answer: I believe that the Holy Ghost 
 makes me holy, as his name implies. But whereby does he 41 
 accomplish this? or what are his means and method to this 
 ± rn end ? Answer : The Christian Church, the forgiveness of 
 sin, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. 
 For in the first place he has a peculiar congregation in the 42 
 world, which is the mother that bears every Christian through 
 the Word of God, which he reveals and preaches, and through 
 which he illumines and enkindles hearts, that they understand 
 and accept it, cling to it and persevere in it. 
 
 For where he does not cause it to be preached and made 43 
 alive in the heart, so as to be understood, it is lost, as was the 
 case under the Papacy, where faith was entirely put under a 
 bushel, and no one recognized Christ as his Lord or the Holy 
 Ghost as his Sanctifier, i. e. no one believed that Christ is our 
 Lord in the sense that he has acquired this treasure for us, 
 and, without our works and merit, made us acceptable to the 
 Father. And what indeed was the cause? This, verily, that 44 
 
 Holy Ghost was not there to reveal it, and caused it to be 
 preached ; but men and evil spirits were there, who taught us 
 to obtain grace and be saved by our works. Therefore it is no 45 
 Christian '^hurch ; for where Christ is not preached there is no 
 Holy Ghost who makes, calls and gathers the Christian Church, 
 without which no one can come to Christ the Lord. Let this 
 suffice concerning the sum of this article. But because the dif-46 
 ferent points, which are here enumerated, are not quite clear to 
 the simple, we will run over them. 
 
 The holy Christian Church the Creed denominates a com- 47 
 munion of saints, for both expressions are taken together as 
 one idea. But formerly the one point was not there, as it is 
 also unintelligible in the translation. If it is to be given very 
 plainly, it must be expressed quite differently. For the word 
 
Pabt [I. THE CKEED. 445 
 
 ecclesia is properly an assembly. But we are accustomed to the 48 
 word churchy which the simple do not refer to an assembled 
 multitude, but to the consecrated house or building. Although 
 the house ought not to be called church, except for the reason 
 that the multitude assembles there. For we who assemble con- 
 stitute and occupy a particular space, and give a name to the 
 house according to the assembly. 
 
 *ry Therefore the word " church " (Kirche) means really no- 
 thing else than a common assembly, and is not German, but 
 Greek (as is also the word ecclesia) ; for in their own language 
 they call it kyria, as in Latin it is called curia. Therefore in 
 our mother-tongue, in genuine German, it ought to be a Chris- 
 tian congregation or assembly (eine Christliche Gemeine oder 
 Sammlung), or, best of all and most clearly, a holy Christian 
 people (eine Heilige Christenheit). 
 
 So also the word communion, which is added, ought not 45 
 to be communion (Gemeinschafl), but congregation (Gemeine). 
 And it is nothing else than an interpretation or explanation 
 whereby some one meant to explain what the Christian Church 
 is. This those of us who understood neither Latin nor Ger- 
 man have rendered Gemeinschafl der Heiligen, although no one 
 would speak so in German, nor is it understood. But, to speak 
 correct German, it ought to be eine Gemeine der Heiligen, a con- 
 gregation of saints, that is, a congregation made up purely of 
 saints, or, to speak yet more plainly, ein Heilige Gemeine, a holy 
 congregation. I make this explanation in order that the words 5c 
 Gemeinschafl der Heiligen may be understood, because the ex- 
 pression has become so established by custom that it cannot 
 well be eradicated, and it is treated almost as heresy if one 
 should attempt to change a word. 
 
 But this is the meaning and substance of this addition: I 51 
 believe that there is upon earth a holy assembly and congrega- 
 tion of pure saints, under one head, even Christ, called together 
 by the Holy Ghost in one faith, one mind and understanding, 
 with manifold gifts, yet one in love, without sects or schisms. 
 And I also am a part and member of the same, a participant 52 
 and joint owner of all the good it possesses, brought to it and 
 incorporated into it by the Holy Ghost, in that I have heard 
 and continue to hear the Word of God, which is the means of 
 entrance. For formerly, before we had attained to this, we 
 were of the devil, knowing nothing of God and of Christ. 
 Thus, until the last day, the Holy Ghost abides Avith the holy 53 
 congregation or Christian people. By means of this congrega- 
 tion he brings us to Christ and teaches and preaches to us the 
 Word, whereby he works and promotes sanctification, causing 
 *ro [this community] daily to grow and become strong in the 
 faith and the fruits of the Spirit, which he produces. 
 
446 THE LARGE CATECITxSM. 
 
 We further believe that in this Christian Church we have 54 
 forgiveness of sin, which is wrought through the holy sacra- 
 ments and absolution, and through all manner of consolatory 
 promises of the entire Gospel. Therefore whatever is to be 
 preached concerning the sacraments belongs here, and in short 
 I he whole Gospel and all the duties of Christianity, which also 
 must be preached and taught without ceasing. For although 
 the grace of God is secured through Christ, and sanctification 
 is wrought by the Holy Ghost through the Word of God in 
 the unity of the Christian Church, yet on account of our flesh 
 which we bear about with us we are never without sin. 
 
 Everything therefore in the Christian Church is so ordered 55 
 that we shall daily obtain free and full forgiveness of sin 
 through the Word and signs, appointed to comfort and en- 
 courage our consciences as long as we live here. Thus, although 
 we have sin, the Holy Ghost does not allow it to injure us, be- 
 cause we are in the Christian Church, where there is full for- 
 giveness of sin, both in that God forgives us, and in that we 
 forgive, bear with and help each other. 
 
 But outside of this Christian Church, where the Gospel is 56 
 not, there is no forgiveness, as also there can be no sanctifica- 
 tion. Therefore all who do not seek sanctification through the 
 Gospel and forgiveness of sin, but expect to merit it by their 
 works, have expelled and severed themselves from this Chris- 
 tian Church. 
 
 Yet meanwhile, since sanctification has begun and is growing 57 
 daily, we expect that our flesh will be destroyed and buried 
 with all its uncleanness, and will come forth gloriously, and 
 arise to entire and perfect holiness in a new eternal life. For 58 
 • rq now we are only half pure and holy, so that the Holy 
 Ghost has ever to continue his work in us through the Word, 
 and daily to dispense forgiveness, until we attain to that life 
 where there will be no more forgiveness, but only perfectly 
 ure and holy people, full of godliness and righteousness, de- 
 livered and free from sin, from death and from all evil, in a 
 new, immortal and glorified body. 
 
 Behold, all this is^to be the office and work of the Holy 50 
 Ghost, viz. that he begin and daily increase holiness upon the 
 earth by means of two things, namely, the Christian Church 
 and the forgiveness of sin. But in our dissolution he will ac- 
 complish and perfect it in an instant, and will forever preserve 
 us therein by the last two things confessed in the Creed. 
 
 But the term Avjersiehung ties Fleischcs (Resurrection of the 6c 
 P'^sh) hers employed is not according to good German idiom. 
 For when we Germans hear the word Fleisch (flesh;, we trnnk 
 no farther than the shambles. But in good German i&j$i 
 we would say Aujerstehung des Leibs, or Leidhnaiiis (Resurreo- 
 
Part II. THE CREED. 447 
 
 lion of the body). Yet it is Dot a matter of much moment 
 if we only understand the words in their true sense. 
 
 This is the force of this article, which must ever continue in 61 
 operation. For creation is accomplished and redemption is 
 finished. But the Holy Ghost carries on his work without 
 ceasing to the last day. And for that purpose he has appointed 
 a congregation upon the earth, by which he speaks and does 
 everything. For he has not yet brought together all his 6: 
 Christian people nor completed the distribution of forgiveness. 
 Therefore we believe in Him who through the Word daily 
 brings us into the fellowship of this Christian people, and 
 through the same Word and the forgiveness of sins bestows, 
 increases and strengthens faith, in order that when he has 
 accomplished it all and we abide therein, and die to the world 
 and to all evil, he may finally make us perfectly and for ever 
 holy ; which now we expect in faith through the Word. 
 
 Behold, here you have the entire divine essence, will and 63 
 dfiO wor k depicted most exquisitely in quite short and yet rich 
 words, wherein consists all our wisdom, which surpasses 
 the wisdom, mind and reason of all men. For although the 
 whole world with all diligence has endeavored to ascertain the 
 nature, mind and work of God, yet has she never been able to 
 determine anything whatever of it. But here we have every- 64 
 thing in richest measure; for here in all three articles he has 
 revealed himself, and opened the deepest recesses of his pater- 
 nal heart and of his pure unutterable love. For he has cre- 
 ated us for this very object, viz. that he might redeem and 
 sanctify us; and in addition he has given and imparted to us 
 everything in heaven and upon earth, and has given to us even 
 his Son and the Holy Ghost, by whom to bring us to himself. 
 For (as explained above) we could never attain to the know- 65 
 ledge of the grace and favor of the Father except through the 
 Lord Christ, who is a mirror of the paternal heart, outside of 
 whom we see nothing but an angry and terrible Judge. But 
 of Christ we could know nothing except by the revelation of 
 the Holy Ghost. 
 
 These articles of the Creed, therefore, separate and distinguish 6$ 
 us Christians from all other people upon earth. For all outside 
 of Christianity, whether heathen, Turks, Jews or false Chris- 
 Jans and hypocrites, although they believe in and worship only 
 one true God, yet know not what his mind towards them is, 
 and cannot confide in his love or expect any good from him ; 
 therefore they abide in eternal wrath and damnation. For they 
 have not the Lord Christ, and besides are not illumined and 
 favored by the gifts of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 From this you perceive that the Creed contains quite a differ- 67 
 ent doctrine from the Ten Commandments. For the latter 
 
418 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 teaches indeed what we ought to do, but the former tells what 
 God has done for and gives to us. The Ten Commandments 
 also are written in the hearts of all men, but the Creed no hu- 
 man wisdom can comprehend, but it must be taught by the 
 Holy Ghost. The Law, therefore, can make no Christian, for 68 
 the wrath and displeasure of God abide upon us for ever, as 
 long as we cannot keep it and do what God demands of us; 
 d p 1 but the faith of the Creed brings pure grace, and makes us 
 
 godly and acceptable to God. For by the knowledge of 69 
 this we love and delight in all the commandments of God; 
 because we see that God, with all that he has, gives himself to 
 us — the Father, with all creatures; the Son, with his entire 
 work ; and the Holy Ghost, with all his gifts — to assist and 
 enable us to keep the Ten Commandments. 
 
 Let this suffice concerning the Creed to lay a foundation for yc 
 the simple, that they may not be burdened ; so that if they un- 
 derstand the substance of it they may afterwards strive to ac- 
 quire more, and to refer whatever they learn in the Scriptures 
 to these parts, and ever to grow and increase in richer under- 
 standing. For as long as we live here we shall daily have 
 enough of this to preach and to learn. 
 
 PART THIRD. 
 
 462 OF PRAYER. 
 
 The Lord's Prayer. 
 
 We have now heard what we must do and believe, and i 
 wherein consists the best and happiest life. Now follows the 
 third part, i. e. how we ought to pray. For since we are so 2 
 situated that no man can perfectly keep the Ten Command- 
 ments, even though he have begun to believe, and since the 
 devil with all his power, together with the world and our own 
 flesh, resists our endeavors to keep them, nothing is so neces- 
 sary as that we should resort to the ear of God and call upon 
 him and pray to him, that he would give, preserve and increase 
 in us faith and the fulfilment of the Ten Commandments, and 
 that he would remove everything that is in our way and op- 
 poses us therein. But that we might know what and how to 3 
 pray, our Lord Christ has himself taught us both the mode and 
 the words, as we shall see. 
 
 But before we enter upon the explanation of the Lord's 4 
 Prayer, it is most necessary to exhort and incite people to 
 prayer, as both Christ and the apostles have done. And the 5 
 
Part III. THE LORD'S PRAYER. 449 
 
 first consideration is, that it is our duty to pray because of 
 God's command men t. For this we learned in the Second 
 Commandment : " Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord 
 thy God in vain/' which requires that we praise that holy 
 name, and call upon it in every time of need, or pray. For 
 to call upon the name of God is nothing else than to pray. 
 Prayer is therefore as rigidly and earnestly and sacredly com- 6 
 manded as to have uo other God, not to kill, not to steal, etc. 
 Let no one think, therefore, that it is the same whether he 
 pray or not, as careless people who go about in such delusion, 
 and ask: "Why should I pray? Who knows whether God 
 will hear my prayer, or pay any attention thereto? If I do 
 not pray, some one else will." And thus they fall into the 
 habit of never praying ; and even console themselves, because 
 we condemn false and hypocritical prayers, as though we taught 
 that there is no duty or need of prayer. 
 4 fi o But this is ever true, viz. that services which have been 7 
 
 practised hitherto in the churches by repetitions and intona- 
 tions were no prayers. For such external matters, when they 
 are properly observed, may be a good exercise for young chil- 
 dren, scholars and simple persons, and may be called singing or 
 reading, but are not really praying. But praying, as the Sec- 8 
 ond Commandment teaches, is to call upon God in every time of 
 need. This he requires of us, and has not left it to our choice. 
 But it is our duty and obligation to pray if we would be Chris- 
 tians, as much as are our duty and obligation to obey our pa- 
 rents and the government ; for in prayer and by calling upon 
 it the name of God is truly honored and rightly employed. 
 This we must therefore mark, above all things, that thereby we 
 silence and repel such thoughts as would deter and keep us from 
 prayer. Just as it would be idle for a son to say to his father, 9 
 "Of what advantage is my obedience? I will go and do what 
 I can ; it is all the same ;" but there stands the commandment, 
 Thou shalt and must do it. So also here it is not left to my 
 will to do or to leave undone, but I shall and must pray [at 
 the risk of God's wrath and displeasure. 1 
 
 This is therefore to be considered and noticed before every- 10 
 thing else, that thereby we may silence and repel the thoughts 
 which would keep and deter us from praying — as though it 
 were not of much consequence whether we pray or not, or it 
 were commanded those only who are holier and in better favor 
 with God than we — as indeed the human heart is by nature ever 
 
 1 The part enclosed in brackets, which ends with I 11, is wanting in the 
 Ed. Pr. of the Large Catechism, but found in the editions from 1530 on. 
 It was not inserted in the first German edition of the Book of Concord 
 but was adopted by the Latin edition. 
 67 
 
450 THE LAKGE CATECHISM. 
 
 despairing, so that it always flees from God, in the thought that 
 he does not wish or desire our prayer, because we are sinners and 
 have merited nothing but his wrath. Against such thoughts (I n 
 say) we should regard this commandment and turn to God, that 
 we may not by such disobedience excite his anger still more. 
 For by this commandment he gives us plainly to understand 
 that he will not reject us or cast us oft* although we are sinners, 
 but that he would rather draw us to himself, so that we might 
 »n» humble ourselves before him, acknowledge our misery and 
 ruin, and pray for grace and help. Therefore we read in 
 the Scriptures that he is angry also with those who did not re- 
 turn to him, and by their prayers assuage his wrath and seek hi3 
 grace when they were smitten for their sins.] 
 
 From this you are to conclude and think, because it is so sol- 12 
 emnly commanded to pray, that you should by no means de- 
 spise your prayer, but rather set great store by it, and always 
 seek an illustration from the other commandments. A child 13 
 should by no means despise obedience to father and mother, but 
 should always think : The work is a work of obedience, and 
 what I do, I do with no other intention but because I walk in 
 the obedience and commandment of God, in which I can estab- 
 lish myself and stand firm, and I esteem it a great thing, not 
 on account of any worthiness of mine, but on account of the 
 commandment. So here also what and for what we pray we 
 should regard as demanded by God, and we should do it in 
 obedience to him, thinking: On my account it would amount to 
 nothing; but it shall avail, for the reason that God has com- 
 manded it. Therefore whatever be any one's necessity or desire, 
 he should always come before God in prayer in obedience to this 
 commandment. 
 
 We pray, therefore, and exhort most diligently every one to 14 
 take this to heart and by no means to despise our prayer. For 
 hitherto it has been taught in the name of Satan in such a 
 manner that no one esteemed it, and men supposed it to be 
 enough to do the work, whether God would hear it or not. But 
 that is staking prayer on a risk, and murmuring it on a ven- 
 ture; and therefore it is a lost prayer. For we allow such 15 
 thoughts as these to deter us and lead us astray : " I am not 
 holy or worthy enough ; if I were as godly and holy as St. 
 Peter or St. Paul, then I would pray." But put such thoughts 
 far away, for just the same commandment which applied to St. 
 Paul applies also to me ; and the Second Commandment is 
 given as much on my account as on his account, so that he can 
 boast of no better or holier commandment. 
 -nr Therefore thou shouldst say: "My prayer is as precious, 16 
 
 holy and pleasing to God as that of St. Paul or of the 
 most holy saints." And this is the reason: "For I will gladly 
 
Part III. THE LORD'S PRAYEK. 451 
 
 grant that he is holier in his person, but not on account of the 
 commandment; since God does not regard prayer on account 
 of the person, but on account of his word and obedience thereto. 
 Yet the reason is this : I rest my prayer upon the same com- 
 mandment with those of all the saints, and besides I pray for 
 the same thing and for the same reason for which they pray 
 and ever have prayed ; and therefore it is as precious to me, as 
 well as much more needful, as to those great saints." 
 
 This is the first and most important point, that all our pray- i> 
 ers are based and rest upon obedience to God, irrespective of 
 our person, whether we be sinners or saints, worthy or un- 
 worthy. And we must know that God will not have it treated 18 
 as a jest, but that he is angry, and will punish all who do not 
 pray as surely as he punishes all other disobedience ; besides, 
 that he will not suffer our prayers to be in vain or lost. For 
 if he had not purposed to answer your prayer, he would not 
 bid you pray and give so solemn a commandment for that pur- 
 pose. 
 
 In the second place, we should be the more urged and incited 19 
 to pray because God has also made the promise, and declared that 
 it shall surely be to us as we pray, as he says (Ps. 50 : 15) : " Call 
 upon me in the day of trouble : I will deliver thee." And 
 Christ, in the Gospel of St. Mattthew (7:7): "Ask and it shall 
 be given you ;" " For every one that asketh receiveth." Such 2c 
 promises ought certainly to encourage and animate our hearts 
 to take pleasure and delight in prayer, since he testifies in his 
 Word that our prayer is heartily pleasing to him, and shall as- 
 suredly be heard and granted, that we may not despise it or 
 think lightly of it, and pray upon an uncertainty. 
 
 This you can hold up to him and say : " Here I come, dear 21 
 Father, and pray, not of my own purpose or upon my own 
 worthiness, but according to thy commandment and promise, 
 which cannot fail or deceive me." Whoever, therefore, does not 
 believe this promise, must know again that he excites God to 
 anger by most highly dishonoring him and reproaching him 
 with falsehood. 
 
 Besides this, we should be allured and induced to pray be- 22 
 »nn cause, in addition to this commandment and promise, God 
 anticipates us, and himself arranges the words and form 
 of prayer for us, and places them upon our lips, as to how and 
 what we should pray, that we may see how heartily he pities 
 us in our distress, and may never doubt that such prayer is truly 
 pleasing to him, and shall certainly be answered. This gives 23 
 indeed a great advantage to this [the Lord's Prayer] over all 
 prayers that we might ourselves compose. For in them the 
 conscience would ever be in doubt, and might say : I have 
 prayed, but who knows how it pleases him, or whether I have 
 
452 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 adopted the right form and proportions? Hence there is no 
 nobler prayer to be found upon earth than the Lord's Prayer 
 which we daily pray, because it has this excellent testimony, 
 that God loves to hear it, which we ought not to surrender for 
 all the riches of the world. 
 
 And therefore also is it prescribed that we should see and 24 
 consider the distress which ought to urge and compel us to 
 pray without ceasing. For whoever would pray must have 
 something to present, state and name which he desires; if not, 
 it cannot be called a prayer. 
 
 Therefore we have rightly rejected the prayers of monks and 25 
 priests, who howl and growl in a hostile manner day and night, 
 but none of them think of praying for a hair's breadth of any- 
 thing. And if we would collect all the churches, together with 
 all ecclesiastics, they would be obliged to confess that they have 
 never from the heart prayed for even a drop of wine. For none 
 of them has ever purposed to pray from obedience to God and 
 faith in his promise, nor has any one regarded any distress, but 
 they only thought (when they had done their best) that they had 
 done a good work, whereby they paid God for his benefits as 
 men unwilling to take anything from him, but wishing only to 
 give him something of their own. 
 
 But where there is to be a true prayer there must be earnest- 26 
 ness. Men must feel their distress, and such distress as presses 
 them and compels them to call and cry out ; then prayer will 
 be made spontaneously, as it ought to be, and men will require 
 no teaching how to prepare themselves and to attain to the 
 - fi7 proper devotion. But the distress which ought to concern 27 
 
 us most, both for ourselves and for every one, you will 
 find abundantly set forth in the Lord's Prayer. Therefore it 
 is to serve also to remind us of the same, that we contemplate 
 it and lay it to heart that we may not become remiss in prayer. 
 For we all have necessities and wants enough, but the great 
 want is that we do not feel and realize them. Therefore God 
 also requires that we lament and plead our necessities and 
 wants, not because he does not know them, but that we may 
 kindle our hearts to stronger and greater desires, and open wide 
 our arms to receive so much the more. 
 
 It is well, therefore, for every one to accustom himself from 28 
 his youth daily to pray for all his wants, whenever he is sen- 
 sible of anything affecting his interests or that of other 
 people, among whom he may be, as for preachers, govern- 
 ment, neighbors, domestics ; and always (as we have said) co 
 hold up to God his commandment and promise, knowing that 
 he will not have them disregarded. This I say, because 1 79 
 would like to see people brought again to pray truly and earn- 
 estly, and not have them go about coldly and indifferently, 
 
PabtIIL THE LOKiyS PKAYEE. 453 
 
 whereby they become daily more unable to pray ; which is just 
 what the devil desires, and for what he works with all his 
 powers. For he is well aware what damage and harm it 
 does his cause if men exercise themselves rightly in prayer. 
 
 For this we must know, that all our shelter and protection 3c 
 rest in prayer alone. For we are far too feeble to cope with 
 the devil and all his powers and adherents that set themselves 
 against us, and they might easily crush us under their feet. 
 Therefore we must consider and have recourse to those weapons 
 with which Christians must be armed in order to stand against 
 the devil. For what do you think has hitherto accomplished so 31 
 much in defending us and frustrating the counsels and purposes 
 of our enemies, as well as restraining the murder and insurrec- 
 tion whereby the devil thought to crush us, together with the 
 Gospel, except that the prayer of a few godly men intervened 
 like a wall of iron on our side? We should indeed have been 
 spectators of a far different play, viz. how the devil w T ould have 
 destroyed all Germany in its own blood. Now they may con- 
 *nc> fidently deride it and make a mock of it. But by prayer 
 alone, if we shall only persevere and not become slack we 
 will yet be a match both for them and the devil. For, when- 32 
 ever a godly Christian prays : " Dear Father, let thy will be 
 done," God speaks from on high and says : " Yes, dear child, it 
 shall be so, in spite of the devil and of all the world." 
 
 Let this be said as an exhortation, that men may learn, first 33 
 of all, to esteem prayer as something great and precious, and to 
 make a proper distinction between " vain repetitions" and pray- 
 ing for something. For we by no means reject prayer, but the 
 bare, useless howling and murmuring we reject, as Christ him- 
 self also rejects and prohibits " vain repetitions." Now we 34 
 will most briefly and clearly treat of the Lord's Prayer. Here 
 we find all needs and distresses comprehended in seven succes- 
 sive articles or petitions, which never cease to pertain to us, and 
 each so great that it ought to constrain us to pray and plead 
 the same all our lives. 
 
 The First Petition. 
 
 Hallowed be thy name. 35 
 
 This is indeed somewhat obscure, and not in good German 36 
 idiom. For in our mother-tongue we would say : " Heavenly 
 Father, help that thy name may by all means be holy." But 37 
 what is it to pray that his name may be holy ? Is it not holy 
 already ? Answer : Yes it is always holy in its nature, but not 
 in our use. For God's name is given to us because we have 
 been baptized and have become Christians, so that we are called 
 children of God, and have the sacraments, whereby he so unites 
 
154 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 us with himself that everything which is his must serve for 
 our use. 
 
 But here a great necessity rests upon us, for which we ought 38 
 to be most concerned, that this name have its proper honor, be 
 esteemed holy and sacred, as our greatest treasure and sanctu- 
 ary ; and that as godly children we pray that the name of God, 
 i«q which is holy in heaven, may also be and remain holy with 
 us upon earth and in all the world. 
 
 But how does it become holy among us ? Answer, as plainly 39 
 as it can be said : When both our doctrine and life are godly 
 and Christian. For since in this prayer we call God our 
 Father, it is our duty always to deport and demean ourselves 
 as godly children, that we may not live to his shame, but to his 
 honor and praise. 
 
 Now the name of God can be profaned by us either in words 40 
 or in works. (For whatever we do upon the earth must be 
 either words or works, speech or act.) In the first place, it is 41 
 profaned if men preach, teach and speak error and delusion in 
 the name of God, so that this name must serve to adorn and to 
 find market for falsehood. Such is indeed the greatest profana- 
 tion and dishonor of the divine name. In the next place also, 41 
 where men make use of the holy name as a cloak for their 
 shame by swearing, cursing, conjuring, etc. In the third place, 43 
 by an openly wicked life and works, when those who are called 
 Christians and people of God are adulterers, drunkards, ava- 
 ricious, gourmands, envious and slanderers. Here also must 
 the name of God come to shame and be profaned because of 
 us. For just as it is a shame and disgrace to a natural father 44 
 to have a bad, ruined child that opposes him in words and 
 deeds, so that on its account he suffers reproach and contempt ; 
 so also it brings dishonor upon God if we who are called by 
 his name and have all manner of goods from him teach, speak 
 and live in any other manner except as godly and heavenly 
 children, that he must hear it said of us that we cannot be the 
 children of God, but must rather be the children of the devil. 
 
 Thus you perceive that in this petition we pray just for that 45 
 which God has enjoined in the Second Commandment ; namely, 
 that his name be not taken in vain to swear, curse, lie, deceive, 
 etc., but be rightly employed to the praise and honor of God. 
 For whoever employs the name of God for any sort of wrong 
 *«Q profanes and desecrates this holy name, as aforetime a 
 church was considered desecrated when a murder or any 
 other crime had been perpetrated therein, or when a pyx or 
 altar was desecrated, as though holy in themselves, yet becom- 
 ing unholy in use. Thus this point is easy and clear as soon 46 
 as the language is understood, viz. that to hallow is the same as in 
 our idiom to praise, magnify and honor both in word and deed. 
 
PabtIIL THE LOKD'S PEAYER. 455 
 
 Here learn of how great need such prayer is. For because 47 
 we see how full the world is of sects and false teachers, who all 
 wear the holy name as a cover and sham for the doctrines of 
 devils, we ought by all means to pray without ceasing, and to 
 cry and call upon God against all such as preach and believe 
 falsely and whatever opposes and persecutes our Gospel's pure 
 doctrine, and would suppress it, as bishops, tyrants, fanatics, etc. 
 Likewise also for ourselves who have the Word of God, but are 
 not thankful for it, nor live as you ought according to the same. 
 If now you pray for this with your heart, you can be sure that 48 
 it pleases God. For he will not hear anything more dear to 
 him than that his honor and praise be considered above every- 
 thing else, and his Word be taught in its purity and be esteemed 
 precious and holy. 
 
 The Second Petition. 
 Tliy kingdom come. 
 
 As in the First Petition we prayed that, as respects the 49 
 honor and name of God, he would prevent the world from 
 adorning its lies and wickedness therewith, but cause it to be 
 esteemed high and holy both in doctrine and life, that he may 
 be praised and magnified in us ; so here we pray that his king- 
 dom may come. But just as the name of God is in itself holy, 50 
 and we pray nevertheless that it be holy among us, so also his 
 kingdom comes of its own power without our prayer, yet we 
 pray nevertheless that it may come to us ; that is, that it pre- 
 vail among us and with us, so that we may be a part of those 
 among whom his name is hallowed and his kingdom prospers. 
 4-,, But what is the kingdom of God? Answer : Nothing 51 
 
 else than what we learned in the Creed, that God sent his 
 Son Jesus Christ our Lord into the world to redeem and deliver 
 us from the power of the devil, and to bring us to himself, and 
 to govern us as a King of righteousness, life and salvation against 
 sin, death and an evil conscience. And besides he has given us 
 his Holy Ghost, to apply the same to us by his holy Word, and 
 to illumine and strengthen us by his power in the faith. 
 
 Therefore we pray here in the first place that this may be- 5? 
 come effective with us, and that the name of God be so praised 
 through his holy Word and a Christian life that we who have 
 accepted it may abide and daily grow therein, and that it may 
 gain approbation and adherence among other people, proceed 
 with power throughout the world, that many may find entrance 
 into the kingdom of grace, be made partakers of redemption, 
 and be so led by the Holy Ghost that we shall for ever remain 
 altogether in a kingdom now begun. 
 
 For God's kingdom comes to us in two ways ; first, here 53 
 
456 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 temporarily through the Word and faith ; and secondly, in 
 eternity for ever through revelation. We therefore pray for 
 both, viz. that it may come to us who are not yet therein, and 
 to us who have received the same, by daily increase, and here- 
 after in eternal life. All that is but as much as to say : Dear 54 
 Father, we pray, give first thy Word, that the Gospel be 
 preached effectively throughout the world ; and secondly, that 
 it be received in faith, and work and live in us, so that through 
 the Word and the power of the Holy Ghost thy kingdom may 
 prevail among us, and the kingdom of the devil be overcome, 
 that it may have no right or power over us, until at last it 
 shall be utterly destroyed, and sin, deatli and hell shall be ex- 
 terminated, that we may live for ever in perfect righteousness 
 and blessedness. 
 
 From this you perceive that we pray here not for a crust 55 
 of bread or a temporal, perishable good ; but for an eternal, 
 ineffable treasure and everything that God himself can effect ; 
 which is far too great for any human heart to think of desir- 
 ing if he had not himself commanded us to pray for the same. 
 - 7 p But because he is God he claims the honor of giving 56 
 
 much more and more richly than any one can compre- 
 hend — like an eternal, unfailing fountain, which the more it 
 pours forth and overflows, the more it continues to give — and 
 he desires nothing more earnestly of us than that we ask much 
 and great things of him, and again is angry if w r e do not ask 
 and pray confidently. 
 
 For just as if the richest and most mighty emperor would 57 
 bid a poor beggar ask whatever he might desire, and were pre- 
 pared to give great imperial presents, and the fool would beg 
 only for a dish of gruel ; he would be rightly considered a 
 rogue and a scoundrel, who was despising and making a monk 
 of the invitation of his imperial majesty, and who would not 
 be worthy of coming into his presence. So also it is a great 
 reproach and dishonor to God if we to whom he offers and 
 pledges such great and unspeakable treasures despise the same, 
 and do not have sufficient confidence to receive them, but 
 scarcely venture to pray for a piece of bread. 
 
 That is all the fault of the shameful unbelief which does 58 
 not look to God for as much good as will satisfy the stomach ; 
 much less expects without doubt such eternal treasures of God. 
 Therefore we must strengthen ourselves against it, and let this 
 be our first prayer. Then indeed wil? all else be richly be- 
 stowed upon us, as Christ teaches (Matt. 6 : 33) : " Seek ye first 
 the kingdom of God and his righteousness ; and all these things 
 shall be added unto you." For how could he allow as to suffer 
 want in temporal things when he promises that which is eternal 
 and imperishable? 
 
Part III. THE LORD'S PRAYER. 457 
 
 The Third Petition. 
 Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 59 
 
 Thus far we have prayed that God's name be honored by 60 
 as, and that his kingdom prevail among ns ; in which two 
 points is comprehended all that pertains to the honor of God 
 and to our salvation, that we come into the ownership of God 
 Aj,y and all his possessions. But the great need is, that we 
 cling firmly to their, and do not suffer ourselves to be torn 
 therefrom. For as in a good government it is not only necessary 61 
 that there be those who build and govern well, but also those 
 who make defence, afford protection and maintain it in security ; 
 so here also, although we have prayed for the things of the 
 greatest need, viz. for \ the Gospel, faith and the Holy Ghost, 
 that he may govern us and redeem us from the power of the 
 devil, we must also pray that his will be done. For if we are 
 to abide therein, there will be quite wonderful encounters, so 
 that, on account of them, we must suffer many thrusts and blows 
 from everything that ventures to oppose and prevent the ful- 
 filment of the two petitions that precede. 
 
 For no one believes how the devil opposes and exerts all his 62 
 powers against them, and cannot suffer that any one teach or 
 believe aright. And it hurts him beyond measure to suffer his 
 lies and abominations, that have been honored under the most 
 specious pretexts of the divine Name, to be exposed, and that he 
 be disgraced, and besides be driven out of the heart, and suffer 
 such a breach to be made in his kingdom. Therefore, with all 
 his power and might he chafes and rages as a fierce enemy, 
 and marshals all his subjects, and enlists the world and our 
 own flesh as his allies. For our flesh is in itself indolent and 63 
 inclined to evil, even though we have accepted and believe the 
 Word of God. The world, too, is perverse and wicked ; this he 
 incites against us in various ways, and kindles and adds fuel, 
 that he may hinder and drive us back, cause us to fall and 
 again bring us under his power. That is all his will, mind 64 
 and thought, for which he strives day and night, and never 
 rests a moment, but employs all arts, malicious devices, ways 
 and means which he can invent. 
 
 We therefore who would be Christians must surely reckon 65 
 upon having the devil with all his angels, together with the 
 world, as our enemies, who will bring every possible misfortune 
 and grief upon us. For w T here the Word of God is preached, 
 accepted or believed, and produces fruit, there the holy cross 
 m-m cannot be wanting. And let no one think that he shall 
 have peace ; but he must risk whatever he has upon earth — 
 possessions, honor, house and estate, w T ife and child, body and 
 life. That hurts indeed our flesh and the old Adam. For the U 
 
 68 
 
458 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 test is to be steadfast and to suffer with patience whatever afflic- 
 tions befall us, and to yield whatever is taken from us. 
 
 Therefore there is just as ranch need, as in everything else, 67 
 that we pray without ceasing : " Dear Father, thy will be done, 
 not the will of the devil and of our enemies, nor of anything 
 that would persecute and destroy thy holy Word, or hinder thy 
 kingdom ; and grant that we may bear with patience and may 
 overcome in whatever it be our lot to suffer on account of this 
 thy will, so that our poor flesh may not yield or fall away 
 from weakness or indolence." 
 
 In these three petitions we find expressed in the simplest 61 
 manner the need which pertains to God himself, yet all for our 
 sakes. For whatever we pray concerns only us, namely, as 
 we have said, that the will of God, which must be done with- 
 out us, may also be done in us. For as his name must be hal- 
 lowed and his kingdom come without our prayer, so also his 
 will must be done and succeed, although the devil with all his 
 adherents raise a tumult and rage in fury, and undertake to 
 utterly exterminate the Gospel. But for our own sake we must 
 pray that, even against their fury, his will be also done with- 
 out hindrance in us, that they may accomplish nothing, and we 
 remain firm against all violence and persecution, and submit to 
 the will of God. 
 
 Such prayer must indeed be our protection and defence now, 69 
 to repel and overcome all that the devil, Pope, bishops, tyrants 
 and heretics can do against our Gospel. Let them rage all to- 
 gether and attempt their utmost, and deliberate and resolve how 
 they may destroy and exterminate us, that their will and coun- 
 A~r sel may prevail. One or two Christians with this petition 
 alone shall be our wall against them, upon which they 
 shall dash themselves to pieces. This consolation and con- 7c 
 fidence we have, that the will and purpose of the devil and of 
 all our enemies must fail and come to naught, however proud, 
 secure and powerful they know themselves to be. For if their 
 will were not broken and frustrated, the kingdom of God 
 could not abide upon the earth or his name be hallowed. 
 
 The Fourth Petition. 
 Give us this day our daily bread. 71 
 
 Here we are mindful of the poor bread-basket, namely, of 72 
 our body and the necessaries of the temporal life. It is a brief 
 and simple word, but it is also very broad and comprehensive. 
 For if you speak of, and pray for, daily bread, you pray for 
 everything that is necessary in order to have and enjoy the 
 same, and also against everything which interferes with it. 
 Therefore you must enlarge your thoughts and extend them 
 
Part in. THE LOKiyS PKAYEK. 459 
 
 afar, not only to the oven or the flour-barrel, but to the dis- 
 tant field and the entire land, which bears and brings to us 
 daily bread and every sort of sustenance. For if God did not 
 cause it to grow, and bless and preserve it in the field, we could 
 never take bread from the oven or have any to set upon the 
 table. 
 
 To speak briefly, this petition includes everything that belongs 73 
 to our entire life in the world. For on that account alone do we 
 need daily bread. But to our life it is not only necessary that 
 our body have food and covering and other necessaries, but also 
 that we live in peace and quiet with those among whom we live 
 and have our intercourse in daily business and conversation and 
 in every manner possible ; in short, whatever pertains to the 
 interests of family, of neighbors and of government. For 
 where these things do not prosper as they ought, the necessa- 
 4 7fi ries of life also must fail, and life cannot be maintained. 
 
 There is, besides, the greatest need to pray for temporal 74 
 authority and government, as that by which, most of all, God 
 preserves to us our daily bread and all the comforts of this life. 
 For though we had received of God all good things in abun- 
 dance, we should not be able to retain any of them, or use 
 them in security and happiness, if he did not give us a per- 
 manent and peaceful government. For where there are dis- 
 sension, strife and war, there the daily bread is already taken 
 away, or at least diminished. 
 
 Therefore it would be very proper to place in the coat-of-75 
 arms of every pious prince the figure of a loaf of bread, in- 
 stead of that of a lion or of a wreath of rue, or to stamp it 
 upon the coin, to remind both them and their subjects that 
 by their office we have protection and peace, and that without 
 them we could not eat and retain our daily bread. Wherefore 
 also they are worthy of all honor, so that we should give to 
 them for their office what we ought and can, as to those through 
 whom we enjoy in peace and quietness what we have, inas- 
 much as otherwise we could not retain a farthing ; and that in 
 addition we shall also pray for them that through them God 
 may bestow on us still more blessing and good. 
 
 Thus we have very briefly indicated how far this petition 76 
 extends through all interests upon earth. Of this any one 
 might indeed make a long prayer, and with many words enu- 
 merate all the things that are included therein, as that we pray 
 God to give to us food and drink, garments, house and estate, 
 and health of body, also that he cause the grain and fruits of 
 the field to grow and produce richly. And that afterwards he 
 help us in our families, giving and preserving to us a godly 
 wife, pious children and servants ; cause our work, handicraft, 
 or whatever we have to do to prosper and succeed, and favor 
 
460 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 us with faithful neighbors and good friends, etc. Also to give 77 
 to emperors, kings and all ranks, and especially to our rulers 
 and all counsellors, magistrates and officers, wisdom, strength 
 ,~ 7 and success for good government and victory over the 
 Turks and all our enemies ; to give to subjects and the 
 common people obedience, peace and harmony in their life with 
 one another; and that he would preserve us from all sorts of 78 
 calamity to body and support, as lightning, hail, fire, flood, 
 poison, pestilence, cattle-plague, war and bloodshed, famine, 
 destructive beasts and wicked men, etc. All this it is impor-79 
 tant to impress upon the simple, viz. that these things come 
 from God and must be prayed for by us. 
 
 But this petition is especially directed against our chief 80 
 enemy, the devil. For all his thought and desire is occupied 
 with depriving us of all that we have from God and hindering 
 us in its enjoyment; and he is not satisfied to obstruct and de- 
 stroy spiritual government in order that he may lead souls 
 astray by his lies and bring them under his power, but he also 
 seeks to prevent the stability of all government and honorable 
 peaceable relations upon earth. Thus he causes so much con- 
 tention, murder, sedition and war, also lightning and hail, de- 
 struction of grain and cattle, poisoning the air, etc.; in short, 81 
 he is sorry that any one has a morsel of bread from God and 
 eats the same in peace; and if it were in his power, and our 
 prayer (next to God) did not prevent him, he would not allow 
 a stalk in the field or a farthing in the house, yea, not even an 
 hour of life, to those especially who have the Word of God and 
 endeavor to be Christians. 
 
 Thus God also wishes to indicate to us how he cares for us 82 
 in all our need and faithfully provides also for our daily main- 
 tenance. And although he grants and preserves the same even 83 
 to the wicked and knaves, yet he wishes that we pray to 
 him for it ; so that we may recognize that we receive it from 
 his hand, and may feel his paternal goodness toward us therein. 
 For when he withdraws his hand nothing can prosper or be 
 
 laintained to the end, as is daily seen and experienced. How 84 
 much trouble there is now in the world only on account of bad 
 coin, yea on account of daily oppression and imposition in com- 
 mon trade, bargaining and labor on the part of those who wan- 
 4 7R tonly oppress the poor and deprive them of their daily 
 bread ! This indeed we must allow them to do ; but let 
 them take care that they do not omit the common prayer, and 
 that this petition in the Lord's Prayer be not against them. 
 
Part III. THE LORD'S PRAYER. 461 
 
 The Fifth Petition. 
 
 And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass 8 5 
 against us. 
 
 This point now pertains to our poor miserable life, which, al- 86 
 though we have and believe the Word of God, and do and suifer 
 his will, and are supported by his gifts and blessings, is never- 
 theless not without sin. For we stumble daily and transgress 
 because we live in the world, among men who do us great 
 wrong aud give cause for impatience, anger, revenge, etc. And 87 
 besides we have Satan at our back, who attacks us on every 
 side, and fights (as we have heard) against all the foregoing 
 petitions, so that it is not possible to stand always firm in such 
 a persistent conflict. 
 
 Therefore there is here again great need to call upon God and 88 
 to pray : " Dear Father, forgive us our trespasses." Not as 
 though he did not without, and even before, our prayer forgive 
 sin (for he has given us the Gospel, in which is pure forgive- 
 ness) before we prayed or ever thought about it. But this is to 
 the intent that we may recognize and accept such forgiveness. 
 For since the flesh in which we daily live is of such a nature 89 
 that it neither believes .nor trusts God, and is ever active in 
 evil lusts and devices, that we sin daily in word and deed, in 
 sins of omission and commission, by which peace of conscience 
 is destroyed, so that it is afraid of the wrath and displeasure of 
 God, and thus loses the comfort and consolation of the Gospel, 
 it is an unceasing necessity that we have recourse to this peti- 
 tion, and obtain therein consolation wherewith to again comfort 
 the conscience. 
 4~q But this should serve to break our pride and keep us 90 
 
 humble. For he has reserved this prerogative to himself, 
 that if any one boast of his godliness and despise others, he 
 may regard himself in the light of this prayer, and thus he will 
 find that he is no better than others, and that in the presence 
 of God all must lower their plumes, and be glad merely that 
 they can attain forgiveness. And let no one think that as long 97 
 as we live here he can reach such position that he will not 
 need such forgiveness. In short, if God do not forgive with- 
 out intermission we are lost. 
 
 It is therefore the intent of this petition that God would 9a 
 not regard our sins and bring in account against us what we 
 daily deserve ; but would deal graciously with us, and forgive, 
 as he has promised, and thus grant us a joyful and confident 
 conscience to stand before him in prayer. For where the heart 
 is not in right relation towards God, nor can take such confi- 
 derce, it will never more venture to pray. But such con- 
 
462 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 fident and joyful heart is impossible except in the ae,uirance of 
 the forgiveness of sin. 
 
 But there is a necessary yet consolatory addition attajhed : 93 
 "As we forgive." 
 
 He has promised that we shall be sure that everything is 
 forgiven and pardoned, yet in so far as we also forgive our 
 neighbor. For just as we daily sin much against God — and 94 
 yet he forgives us all through grace — so we must ever forgive 
 our neighbor who does us injury, violence and wrong, and 
 shows malice toward us, etc. If, therefore, you do not forgive, 95 
 then do not think that God forgives you ; but if you forgive, 
 you have this consolation and assurance, that you have forgive- 
 ness in heaven. This is not on account of your forgiving, for 96 
 God forgives freely and without condition, out of pure grace, 
 because he has so promised as the Gospel teaches. But he has 
 rather appointed this as a token for our confirmation and assur- 
 ,™ ance in addition to the promise (which accords also with 
 this prayer), (Luke 6 : 37) : "Forgive and ye shall be for- 
 given" Therefore Christ also repeats it after the Lord's Prayer, 
 and says (Matt. 6 : 14) : "For if ye forgive men their trespasses } 
 your heavenly Father will also forgive you." 
 
 This sign is therefore annexed to this petition, that when we 97 
 pray we remember the promise and think : "Dear Father, for 
 this reason I come and pray thee to forgive me ; not that I can 
 make satisfaction, or can merit anything by my works, but 
 because thou hast promised and attached the seal thereto, that I 
 should be as sure as though I had absolution pronounced by 
 thyself." For as great effects as Baptism and the Lord's Supper 98 
 produce, which are appointed as external signs, this sign can 
 also produce to confirm our consciences and cause them to re- 
 joice< And it is especially given for this purpose, viz. that we 
 might practise and make -use of it every hour, as that which we 
 have with us at all times. 
 
 The Sixth Petition. 
 And lead us not into temptation. 99 
 
 We have now heard enough of the struggle and toil required 100 
 to preserve all that for which we pray, and to persevere therein, 
 which, nevertheless, is not achieved without infirmities and 
 stumbling. Besides, although we have received forgiveness 
 and a good conscience and are entirely acquitted, yet is our 
 life of such a nature that one stands to-day, and to-morrow 
 falls. Therefore, even though we be godly and stand be- 
 fore God with a good conscience, yet we must ever pray that 
 he would not suffer us to relapse and yield to trials and temp- 
 tations. 
 
Part III. THE LORD'S PRAYER 463 
 
 But this temptation, or (as our old Saxons used to say) ioi 
 Bekocrunge, is of three kinds, namely, of the flesh, of the 
 world and of the devil. For we all dwell in the flesh and ioa 
 carry the old Adam on our shoulders ; he exerts himself and 
 daily incites us to wantonness, indolence, excess in eating and 
 drinking, avarice and deception, to defraud our neighbor and 
 to impose upon him, and, in short, to all manner of evil lusts 
 which cleave to us by nature, and to which we are incited by 
 the society and example of other people, and by what we hear 
 and see, which often irritate and corrupt even a guiltless heart. 
 4Q1 Then comes the world, which offends us in word and 103 
 
 deed, and impels us to anger and impatience. In short, 
 there is nothing but hatred and envy, enmity, violence and 
 wron[,, unfaithfulness, vengeance, cursing, raillery, slander, 
 pride and haughtiness, with superfluous ornament, honor, fame 
 and power, where no one is willing to be the least, but every 
 one de,iires to sit at the head and to be seen before all. 
 
 Then comes the devil, inciting and provoking in all direc- 104 
 tions, but especially exerting himself in spiritual matters and 
 such as pertain to the conscience, namely, to induce us to de- 
 spise and disregard the works and Word of God, to tear us 
 from our faith, from hope and from love, and bring us into a 
 perverted faith or unbelief, false security and obduracy; or, on 
 the other hand, to despair, denial of God, blasphemy and in- 
 numerable other shocking things. These are indeed snares 
 and nets — yea, real fiery darts which the devil shoots most 
 venomously into the heart, and not flesh and blood. 
 
 Great and grievous indeed are these dangers and temptations 105 
 which every Christian must bear, even though each one were 
 alone by himself. So that every hour that we are in this vile 
 life, where we are attacked on all sides, chased and hunted down, 
 we are moved to cry out and to pray that God would not suffer 
 us to become weary and faint and to relapse into sin, shame 
 and unbelief; for otherwise it would be impossible to overcome 
 even the least temptation. 
 
 This, then, is "not leading us into temptation" viz. when he 106 
 gives us power and strength to resist, even when the temptation 
 be not taken away. or removed. For since we live in the flesh 
 and have the devil about us, no one can escape temptation and 
 allurements; and it cannot be otherwise than that we must 
 endure trials — yea, even be entangled in them ; but for this we 
 pray, viz. that we may not fall and be drowned therein. 
 
 To feel temptation is therefore a far different thing from 107 
 
 -go consenting or yielding to it. We must all feel it, although 
 
 not all in the same manner, but some in a greater degree 
 
 and more severely than others ; as youth suffer especially from 
 
 the flesh, afterwards they that attain to middle life and old age, 
 
484 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 from the world, but others who are occupied w ith spiritual 
 matters — that is, strong Christians — from the devil. But such iof 
 feeling, as long as it is against our will and we prefer to be rid 
 of it, can harm no one. For if we did not feel it, it could 
 not be called a temptation. But to consent thereto is when we 
 give it loose reins and do not resist or pray against it. 
 
 Therefore we Christians must be armed and daily expect to 109 
 be incessantly attacked, so that no one go on in security and 
 heedlessly, as though the devil were far from us, but at all 
 times expect and return his blows. For though I now am 
 chaste, patient, kind and in firm faith, the devil will yet this 
 hour send such an arrow into my heart that I can scarcely 
 stand. For he is an enemy that never desists nor becomes 
 tired, so that when one temptation ceases, others always arise 
 anew. 
 
 Therefore there is no help or comfort, except to run hither 11c 
 and to take hold of the "Lord's Prayer" and thus address 
 God from the heart : " Dear Father, thou hast taught me to 
 pray. Let me not relapse because of temptations." Thus you 1 1 1 
 shall see that they must desist, and finally yield. Else if you 
 venture to help yourself by your own thoughts and counsel, 
 you will only make the matter worse and give the devil more 
 space. For he has a serpent's head, which if it gain an open- 
 ing into which he can pry, the whole body will follow with- 
 out detention. But prayer can prevent him and drive him 
 back. 
 
 The Seventh and Last Petition. 
 
 But deliver us from evil. Amen. 112 
 
 -go In the Greek text this petition says: "Deliver or pre- 113 
 
 serve us from the evil one, or the malicious one;" and looks 
 as if it were speaking of the devil, as though he would comprehend 
 everything in one, that the entire substance of all our prayer 
 should be directed against our chief enemy. For it is he who 
 \pre vents and destroys everything among us that we pray for: 
 the-4iame or honor of God, God's kingdom and will, our daily 
 bread, a cheerful good conscience, etc. 
 
 Therefore we finally sum it all up and say : "Dear Father, 114 
 pray help that we be rid of all these calamities.' , But there is 115 
 nevertheless also included whatever may happen to us under 
 the devil's kingdom — poverty, shame, death, and, in short, all 
 misery and sorrow which is so without limit upon the earth. 
 For since the devil is not only a liar, but also a murdcer, he 
 constantly seeks our life, and wreaks his anger whenever he 
 can affect our bodies with misfortune and harm. Hence it 
 comes that he often breaks men's necks or drives them to in- 
 sanity, drowns some, and induces many to commit suicide, and 
 
 
Part IV. BAPTISM. 465 
 
 to many other terrible calamities. Therefore we have nothing 116 
 left upon earth to do but to pray against this arch-enemy with- 
 out ceasing. For unless God preserved us we would not be 
 secure against him for even an hour. 
 
 Hence you see again how God wishes us to pray to him for 117 
 everything also which affects our bodily interests, that we seek 
 and expect help nowhere else except in him alone. But this 118 
 point he put last. For if we are to be preserved and delivered 
 from all evil, the name of God must be sanctified in us, his 
 kingdom must be with us and his will be done among us. 
 After that he will preserve us from sin and shame, and be- 
 sides from everything that might harm or injure us. 
 
 Thus God has briefly placed before us all the necessities 1 19 
 which may ever concern us, so that we might have no excuse 
 for not praying. But all depends upon this, that w r e learn to 
 say "Amen" that is, that we do not doubt that our prayer will 
 surely be heard, and that what we pray shall be done. For 120 
 this is nothing else than the word of undoubting faith, not of 
 one praying at a venture, but of one who knows that God 
 40, does not lie to him, since he has promised to grant it. 
 Where, therefore, there is no such faith, there also can be 
 no true prayer. It is, therefore, a pernicious delusion of those 121 
 who thus pray that they cannot from the heart say "Amen" 
 thereto, and positively conclude that God will answer their 
 prayer, but that they remain in doubt and say, " How should 
 I be so bold as to boast that God will answer my prayer ? 
 Since I am nothing but a poor sinner," etc. 
 
 The reason for this is, they regard not the promise of 122 
 God, but their own work and worthiness, whereby they de- 
 spise God and reproach him with lying, and therefore they 
 receive nothing. As St. James says (1:6): "But let him 123 
 ask in faith, nothing wavering: for he that waver eth is like a 
 wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. For let not 
 that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." 
 Only consider the importance that God attaches to our being, 124 
 sure that we do not pray in vain, and to our avoidance of a 
 light estimation of prayer. 
 
 PART FOURTH. 
 
 485 OF BAPTISM. 
 
 We have now finished the three chief parts of common 1 
 Christian doctrine. Besides these we have yet to speak of our 
 59 
 
466 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 two sacraments instituted by Christ, of which also every Chris- 
 tian oughl to have at least some short elementary instruction, 
 because without them there can be no Christian ; although, alas ! 
 hitherto no instruction concerning them has been given. But a 
 in the first place we take up baptism, by which we are first re- 
 ceived into the Chiistian Church. That it may be readily un- 
 derstood, we will carefully treat of it, and keep only to that 
 which it is necessary to know. For how it is to be maintained 
 and defended against heretics and sects we will commend to 
 the learned. 
 
 In the first place, it is important above all things to know 3 
 well the words upon which baptism is founded, and to which 
 everything pertains that is to be said on the subject, namely, 
 where the Lord Christ speaks (Matt. 28 : 19): "Go ye therefore 4 
 and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of tlie Father, 
 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." 
 
 Likewise in St. Mark, the last chapter (v. 16) : "He that be- 5 
 lieveth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that belteveth not 
 shall be damned" 
 
 In these words we must notice, in the first place, that here 6 
 stands God's commandment and institution that we shall not 
 doubt that baptism is divine, and not devised and invented by 
 men. For as truly as I can say no man has spun the Ten 
 Commandments, the Creed and the Lord's Prayer out of his 
 head, but they are revealed and given by God himself, so also 
 I can boast that baptism is no human trifle, but that it is in- 
 *gn stituted by God himself, and that it is most solemnly and 
 rigidly commanded that we must be baptized or we can- 
 not be saved. It is not, then, to be regarded a trifling matter, 
 like the putting on of a new coat. For it is of the greatest im- 7 
 portance that we esteem baptism excellent, glorious and exalted, 
 for which we chiefly contend and fight, because the world is now 
 so full of sects exclaiming that baptism is a merely external 
 thing, and that external things are of no use. But let it be 8 
 ever so much an external thing, here stand God's Word and 
 commandment which have instituted, established and confirmed 
 baptism. But what God has instituted and commanded cannot 
 be a vain, useless thing, but must be most precious, though in 
 external appearance it be of less value than a straw. If hith- 9 
 erto, when the Pope with his letters and bulls dispensed indul- 
 gences and consecrated altars and churches, solely because it has 
 been considered a great thing of the letters and seals ; we ought 
 to esteem baptism much more highly and more precious, because 
 God has commanded it, and it is performed in his name. For 
 these are the words . Go . . . baptize — but not in your name, 
 but in the name of God. 
 
 For to be baptized in the name of God is to be baptized not ic 
 
Part IV. BAPTISM. 40 1 
 
 by men, but by God himself. Therefore, although it is per- 
 formed by human hands, it is nevertheless God's own work. 
 From this fact every one may himself readily infer that it is a 
 far higher work than the work of any man or saint. For what 
 greater work can we do than the work of God ? 
 
 But here the devil makes his great efforts to delude us with 1 1 
 false appearances, and lead us away from the work of God io 
 our own works. For the appearance is much more splendid 
 when a Carthusian does many great and difficult works ; and 
 we all think much more of that which we do and merit our- 
 selves. But the Scriptures teach thus : Even though we collect 12 
 in one mass the works of all the monks, however splendidly 
 they may shine, they would not be as noble and good as if God 
 should pick up a straw. Why ? Because the person is nobler 
 and better. And here we must not estimate the person accord- 
 ing to the works, but the works according to the person, from 
 4Q~ whom they most derive their worth. But insane reason 13 
 
 does not regard this, and because baptism does not present 
 the attractive appearance of the works which we do, it is to be 
 esteemed as nothing. 
 
 From this now derive a proper understanding of the subject, 14 
 and when asked what baptism is, answer, that it is not simply 
 water, but water comprehended in God's Word and command- 
 ment, and sanctified thereby, so that it is nothing else than a 
 divine water ; not that the water in itself is better than other 
 water, but that God's Word and commandment are added. 
 
 Therefore it is pure wickedness and blasphemy of the devil 15 
 that now our new spirits mock at baptism, separate it from 
 God's Word and institution, and regard nothing but the water 
 which is taken from the well ; and then they prate and say : 
 How is a handful of water to save souls? Yes indeed, my 16 
 friend, who does not know as much as that, that if they be 
 separated from one another water is water? But how dare you 
 thus interfere with God's order, and tear out the most precious 
 jewel with which God has connected it and set it, and which 
 he will not have separated ? For the germ in the water is 
 God's Word and commandment and the name of God, which 
 is a treasure greater and nobler than heaven and earth. 
 
 Thus we now comprehend the difference, that baptism is 17 
 quite another thing from all other water ; not on account of the 
 natural water, but because something more noble is here added. 
 For God himself stakes his honor, his power and might there- 
 on. Therefore it is not simply natural water, but a divine, 
 heavenly, holy and blessed water, and in whatever other terms 
 we can praise it, — all on account of the Word, which is a 
 heavenly, holy Word, that no one can sufficiently extol, for it 
 has and is able to do all that God is and can do [since it has 
 
468 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 all the virtue and power of God comprised in it]. Hence also 18 
 it derives its character as a sacrament, as St. Augustine also 
 taught: "Acceded vcrbum ad ekmentum et fit sacramentum." 
 That is, when the Word is joined to the element or natural sub- 
 stance it becomes a sacrament, that is, something holy and di- 
 vine, and a holy and divine sign. 
 . 8 £ Therefore we always teach that the sacraments and all 19 
 
 external things which God has ordained and instituted should 
 not be regarded according to the coarse, external mask, as we re- 
 gard the shell of a nut, but as the Word of God is included there- 
 in. For thus we also speak of the parental estate and of civil 20 
 government. If we would regard the persons in such estate 
 according to their noses, eyes, skin, and hair, flesh and bones, 
 we should find them to look like Turks and heathen. And you 
 might well proceed to say : Why should I esteem them more 
 than others ? But because the commandment of God is added : 
 " Honor- thy father and thy mother" I see quite another man, 
 adorned and clothed with the majesty and glory of God. The 
 commandment (I say) is the chain of gold about his neck, yea, 
 the crown upon his head, which shows to me how and why I 
 shall honor this flesh and blood. 
 
 Thus, and much more even, we must honor baptism, and es- 21 
 teem it glorious, on account of the Word, as being honored 
 both in word and deed by God himself, and confirmed with 
 miracles from heaven. For do you think it was a jest that 
 when Christ was baptized the heavens opened and the Holy 
 Ghost descended visibly, and there was nothing present but 
 divine glory and majesty? 
 
 Therefore I exhort again that these two, the water and the 22 
 Word, be by no means separated. For if the Word be taken 
 away, the water is the same as that with which the servant 
 cooks, and may indeed be called a bath- keeper's baptism. But 
 when the Word is added, as God has ordained, it is a sacra- 
 ment, and is called Christian baptism. This is the first part 
 .ofj:he essence and dignity of the holy sacrament. 
 
 frnce we know now what baptism is, and how it is to be ad- 23 
 ministered, we must, in the second place, also learn why and 
 for what purpose it is instituted ; that is, what it avails, gives 
 and produces. And this also we cannot discern better than 
 from the words of Christ above quoted : ' He that believeth and is 
 baptized shall be saved." Therefore we state it most simply thus, 24 
 that the power, work, profit, fruit and end of baptism is this, 
 viz. to save. For no one is baptized in order that he may be- 
 come a prince, but, as the words declare, that he be saved. But 25 
 to be saved, we know, is nothing else than to be delivered from 
 4gq sin, death and the devil, and to enter into the kingdom of 
 Christ, and to live with him for ever. 
 
PabtIV. BAPTISM. 46S> 
 
 Here you see again how highly and precious we should esteem 26 
 baptism, because in it we obtain such an unspeakable treasure, 
 which also indicates sufficiently that it cannot be simply water. 
 For water alone could not do such a thing, but the Word does 
 it, and (as said above) the name of God is comprehended there- 
 in. But where the name of God is, there also must be life and 27 
 salvation, that it may indeed be called a divine, blessed, fruit- 
 ful and gracious water ; for by the Word such power is im- 
 parted to baptism that it is a laver of regeneration, as St. Paul 
 also calls it (Tit. 3 : 5). 
 
 But as our would-be wise, new spirits declare that faith alone 28 
 saves, and that works and everything external avail nothing, we 
 answer : It is true, nothing in us is in any way effectual but 
 faith, as we shall hear still further. But this these blind 29 
 guides are unwilling to see, viz. that faith must have something 
 which it is to believe, something of which it may take hold, 
 and upon which it can stand and rest. Thus faith clings to 
 the water, and believes that in baptism is pure salvation and 
 life ; not in the w r ater (as we have said plainly enough), but 
 in the Word and institution of God incorporated therein, and 
 the name of God which inheres in it. If I believe this, what 
 else is that but believing in God as in him who has given 
 and set his Word in this ordinance, and proposes to us 
 this external element wherein we may apprehend such a 
 treasure. 
 
 We therefore say that it is madness to separate faith, and 30 
 that wherein faith adheres and to which it is bound, though it 
 be something external. Yea, it must be something external, 
 that it may be apprehended by the senses, comprehended, and 
 thereby be brought into the heart, as indeed the entire Gospel 
 is an external, verbal proclamation. In short, what God does 
 and works in us he proposes to work through such external in- 
 £qq stitutions. Wherever, therefore, he speaks, yea, whereby 
 or whereinsoever he speaks, there faith must look, and to 
 that it must hold. Now here we have the words: "He that^x 
 believeth and is baptized shall be saved." To what else do they 
 refer but to baptism, i. e. the w r ater comprehended in God's in- 
 stitution ? Hence it follows that whoever rejects baptism re- 
 jects the Word of God, faith and Christ, who directs us to bap- 
 tism and binds us thereto. 
 
 In the third place, since we have learned the great benefit and 33 
 power of baptism, let us see further who is the person that re- 
 ceives these benefits and gifts of baptism. That also is again 33 
 most clearly and beautifully expressed in the words : " He 
 that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." That is, faith 
 alone makes the person worthy to receive profitably the sav- 
 ing, divine water. Because these blessings are here promised 
 
470 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 and presented in the words in and with the water, th<y cannot 
 be received, except we believe it with the heart. Although 3i 
 it is in itself a transcendent divine treasure, it is of no avail 
 without faith. Therefore is the effect of this single word, " IT* 
 that believcth" — so great that it excludes and rejects all work 
 which we can do in the opinion thereby to merit and obtain 
 salvation. For it is determined that whatever is not of faith 
 avails nothing and receives nothing. 
 
 But if they say, as they are accustomed, Baptism also is it- 35 
 self a work, and you say works are of no avail for salvation, 
 what then would remain of faith ? Answer : Yes, our works 
 avail nothing for salvation, but baptism is not our work, but 
 the work of God (for you must make a great distinction be- 
 tween the baptism of Christ and a bath-keeper's baptism). 
 God's works are saving and necessary for salvation, and do not 
 exclude faith, but demand it ; for without faith they cannot be 
 apprehended. For in this, that you suffer the water to be 36 
 poured upon you, you have not so received baptism that it be- 
 comes a blessing to you ; but it will be a blessing to you if you 
 have yourself baptized with the purpose, according to God's 
 command and institution, and besides in God's name, to receive 
 in the water the promised salvation. This the hand cannot do, 
 nor the body ; but the heart must believe it. 
 
 Thus we see plainly that this is no work of our doing, but 37 
 4QI a treasure which he gives us, and which faith apprehends; 
 just as the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross is not a work, 
 but a treasure comprehended in the Word, and offered to us and 
 received by faith. Therefore they do us wrong in exclaiming 
 against us that we preach against faith ; since we alone insist 
 upon it as of such necessity that without it nothing can be re- 
 ceived or enjoyed. 
 
 Thus we have these three parts which it is necessary to know 38 
 concerning this sacrament, especially that the institution of God 
 is to be held in all honor, which alone would be sufficient, 
 though it be an entirely external thing. Just as the command- 
 " Honor thy father and thy mother" refers to bodily flesh 
 and blood, wherein we are to regard not the mere flesh and 
 blood, but the commandment of God in which they are com- 
 prehended, and on account of which the flesh is called father 
 and mother ; so also, though we had no more than these words, 
 " Go ye and baptize" etc., it would be necessary for us to accept 
 and do \t as the institution of God. Yet now we have not 39 
 only God's commandment and injunction, but also the promise, 
 on account of which it is still far more glorious than whatever 
 else God has commanded and ordained, and is in short so full 
 of consolation and grace that heaven and earth cannot compre- 
 hend it. But it lequires a special art to believe this, for there ac 
 
Part IV. BAPTISM. 471 
 
 is no want of treasure, but there is a want of faith to appre- 
 hend it and hold it firmly. 
 
 Therefore every Christian has enough in baptism to learn 41 
 and to practise all his life. For he has always enough to do to 
 believe firmly what baptism promises and brings, viz. victory 
 over death and the devil, forgiveness of sin, the grace of God, 
 the entire Christ and the Holy Ghost with his gifts. In short, 42 
 it is so transcendent that if timid nature consider it, it might 
 well doubt whether it could be true. For only consider, if 43 
 I here were somewhere a physician who understood the art of 
 saving men from dying, or, if they died, of restoring them to 
 life, so that they would live for ever, how the world would pour 
 in money like snow and rain, so that because of the throng of 
 the rich no one could find access ! But here in baptism there 
 MQ.n is brought free to every one's door such a treasure and 
 such medicine as utterly destroys death and preserves all 
 men alive. 
 
 We must so regard baptism and avail ourselves of its 44 
 blessings, that when our sins and conscience oppress us we 
 strengthen ourselves and take comfort and say : I am baptized, 
 and if baptized it is promised me that I shall be saved and have 
 eternal life, both in soul and body. For for this reason two 45 
 things are done in baptism, viz. the body which can apprehend 
 nothing but the water is sprinkled, and the word is spoken for 
 the soul to apprehend. 
 
 But because water and the Word are united in baptism, there- 46 
 fore body and soul must be saved and live for ever; the soul 
 through the Lord which it believes ; but the body because it is 
 united with the soul, and also apprehends baptism as it is able 
 to apprehend it. We have, therefore, no greater jewel in body 
 and soul, for thereby we are made holy and are saved, which 
 otherwise no kind of life, no work upon earth, could attain. 
 
 This must suffice respecting the nature, blessing and use of 
 baptism, for it answ r ers the present purpose. 
 
 Of Infant Baptism. 
 
 Here we are brought to a question by which the devil, 47 
 through his sects, confuses the world, namely — Of Infant Bap- 
 tism. Whether children also believe, and it be right to baptize 
 them? Concerning this, we say briefly : Let the simple and 48 
 unlearned dismiss this question from their minds, and refer it 
 to the learned. But if you will answer, then answer thus : 49 
 
 That the baptism of infants is pleasing to Christ is suffici- 
 ently proved from his own work, namely, that God sanctifies 
 .qo many of them who have been thuo baptized, and has given 
 them the Holy Ghost; and that the«j are yet many eveu 
 
4?2 THE LAKGE CATECHISM. 
 
 to-day in both whose life and doctrine we perceive that they 
 have the Holy Ghost; as it is also given to us by the grace of 
 God that we can explain the Scriptures and come to the know- 
 ledge of Christ, which is impossible without the Holy Ghost. 
 
 But if God did not accept the baptism of infants, lie would not 50 
 <X*ive the Holy Ghost nor any part thereof to any of them ; 
 therefore during this long time unto this day no man upon 
 earth could have been a Christian. But since God confirms 
 baptism by the gift of his Holy Ghost, as is plainly percepti- 
 ble in some of the Church Fathers, as St. Bernard, Gerson, John 
 Huss and others, who were baptized in infancy, and since the 
 holy Christian Church cannot perish until the end of the 
 world, they must acknowledge that such infant baptism is 
 pleasing to God. For he can never be opposed to himself, or 
 support falsehood and wickedness, or for its promotion impart 
 his grace and Spirit. This is indeed the best and strongest 51 
 proof for the simple-minded and unlearned. For they shall 
 not take from us or overthrow this article: U I believe in a 
 holy Christian Church, the communion of saints." 
 
 Further, we say that we are not so much concerned to know 52 
 whether the person baptized believe or not ; for on that ac- 
 count baptism does not become spurious ; but everything de- 
 pends upon the Word and commandment of God. This now 53 
 is perhaps somewhat acute, but it rests entirely upon what I 
 have said, that baptism is nothing else but water and the Word 
 of God in and with each other, i. e. when the Word is added to 
 the water, baptism is genuine, even though faith be wanting. 
 For my faith does not make baptism, but receives it ; and bap- 
 tism does not therefore become spurious if it be wrongly re- 
 ceived or employed, as it is not bound (as said) to our faith, but 
 to the Word. 
 
 For even though a Jew should to-day come with evil pur- 54 
 pose and wickedness, and we should baptize him in all good 
 faith, we must say that his baptism is nevertheless genuine. 
 For here is the water together with the Word of God, even 
 lough he do not receive it as he should, just as those who 
 unworthily partake of the Lord's Supper receive the true sac- 
 rament, even though they do not believe. 
 ,q 4 Thus you see that the objection of the sectarians is vain. 55 
 
 For (as we have said) even though infants did not believe, 
 which, however, is not the case (as we shall now prove), yet 
 their baptism would be genuine, and no one should rebaptize 
 them. So too the sacrament of the Lord's Supper is not cor- 
 rupted though some one approach it with evil purpose, and he 
 is not to be allowed on account of his abuse to take it a second 
 time, the selfsame hour, as though he had not received the true 
 sacrament at first ; for that would be the greatest profanation 
 
Part IV. BAPTISM. 473 
 
 and contempt of the sacrament. How can we think it possible 
 that God's Word and institution should therefore fail and be 
 of no account, because we make a wrong use of it? 
 
 Therefore I say, if you have not believed, then believe now and 56 
 say thus : The baptism indeed was right, but I, alas ! did not 
 receive it aright. For I myself also, and all who are baptized, 
 must speak thus before God : " I come in my faith and in that 
 of others, yet I cannot rest in this, viz. that I believe, and that 
 many people pray for me ; but in this I can rest, that it is thy 
 Word and commandment. Just as I receive the Lord's Supper, 
 trusting not in my faith, but in the Word of Christ ; whether 
 I am strong or weak I commit myself into the hand of God. 
 But this I know, that he bids me go eat and drink, etc., and 
 gives me his body and blood, that will not deceive me or prove 
 false to me." 
 
 Thus we do also in infant baptism. We bring the child in 57 
 the purpose and hope that it may believe, and we pray that 
 God may grant it faith : but we do not baptize it upon that, 
 but solely upon the command of God. Why so ? Because 
 we know that God does not lie : I and my neighbor, and in 
 short all men, may err and deceive, but the Word of God can- 
 not err. 
 
 Therefore they are presumptuous and likewise obtuse minds 58 
 that draw such inferences and conclusions as that where there 
 is not the true faith, there also can be no true baptism. Just 
 as if I w T ould draw the inference : If I do not believe, then 
 Christ is nothing; or thus: If I am not obedient, then father, 
 mother and government are nothing. Is it indeed a correct 
 conclusion that where any one do not what he ought, the 
 *qr thing therefore in itself shall be nothing and of no value? 
 
 My dear reader, just invert the argument and draw this 59 
 inference. For this very reason baptism is something and is 
 right, because it has been wrongly received. For if it were not 
 romething right and true in itself, it could not be wrongly re- 
 ceived nor sinned against. The saying is : " An abuse does 
 not destroy a matter, but confirms it." For gold is not the less 
 gold though a harlot wear it in sin and shame. 
 
 Therefore let it be decided that baptism always remains true, 6c 
 retains its full nature, even though a person should be bap- 
 tized, and yet should not truly believe. For God's institution 
 and Word cannot be changed or perverted by men. But these 61 
 fanatics are so blinded that they do not see the Word and com- 
 mandment of God ; and regard baptism only as they regard 
 water in the brook or in a vessel ; and the magistrate only as they 
 look upon another man ; and because they regard neither faith 
 nor obedience, they conclude that these institutions themselves 
 are of no account. Here lurks a concealed seditious devil, who 6* 
 
 60 
 
474 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 would like to tear the crown from the head of authority to 
 trample it under foot, and in addition pervert and bring to 
 naught all the works and institutions of God. Therefore we 6 j 
 must be brave and well armed, and not allow ourselves to be 
 turned from the Word, so as not to regard baptism a mere 
 empty sign, as the fanatics dream. 
 
 Finally, we must also know what baptism signifies, and why 64 
 God has ordained just such external sign and form for the sac- 
 rament by which we are first received into the Christian Church. 
 But the act or form is this, that we are sunk under the water, 65 
 which passes over us, and afterwards are drawn out again. 
 These two parts, to be sunk under the water and drawn out 
 again, signify the power and efficacy of baptism, which is no- 
 thing else than putting to death the old Adam, and after that 
 the resurrection of the new man, both of which must take 
 place in us all our lives. So that a truly Christian life is no- 
 thing else than a daily baptism, once begun and ever to be con- 
 tinued. For this must be practised without ceasing, that we 
 ever keep purging away whatever is of the old Adam, and that 
 that which belongs to the new man may come forth. But what 66 
 is the old man ? It is that which is born in us, from Adam, 
 AQn malicious, hateful, envious, lascivious, avaricious, indolent, 
 haughty, yea, unbelieving, infected with all vices, and hav- 
 ing by nature nothing good in it. When now we are received 67 
 into the kingdom of Christ, these things must daily decrease, 
 that we daily become more gentle, more patient, more meek, 
 and ever withdrawn more and more from unbelief, avarice, 
 hatred, envy, haughtiness. 
 
 This is the true use of baptism among Christians, as signified 68 
 by the employment of water. Where this therefore is not prac- 
 tised, but the old man is left unbridled, so as to continually be- 
 come stronger, that is not rightly using baptism, but striving 
 against baptism. For those who are without Christ cannot 69 
 hut daily become worse, according to the proverb which ex- 
 presses the truth, " Worse and worse — the longer, the worse." 
 If a year ago one was proud and avaricious, then he is to-day 70 
 much prouder and more avaricious ; so that the vice grows and 
 increases from youth up. A young child has no special bad 
 habits; but if it grow up it becomes unchaste and impure, 
 and if it reach maturity real vices begin to prevail and become 
 daily worse. 
 
 Therefore the old man goes unrestrained in his nature if he 71 
 be not checked and suppressed by the power of baptism. On 
 the other hand, where men have become Christians, he daily 
 decreases until he is finally destroyed. That is rightly to be 
 buried in baptism, and to daily come forth again. Therefore 72 
 the external sign is appointed not only for a p >werful effect^ 
 
Part IV. BAPTISM 475 
 
 but also for an important signification. Where, therefore, faith 73 
 flourishes with its fruits, there it has no empty significance, but 
 the work [of mortifying the flesh] is added ; but where faith 
 is wanting, it remains a mere unfruitful sign. 
 
 And here you perceive that baptism, both in its power and 74 
 significance, comprehends also the third sacrament, which has 
 4q 7 been called repentance, as it is really nothing else than 
 
 baptism. For what else is repentance but an earnest 75 
 attack upon the old man [that his lusts be restrained] at the 
 beginning of a new life ? Therefore if you live in repentance, 
 you walk in baptism, which not only signifies such a new life, 
 but also produces, begins and exercises it. For therein are 76 
 given grace, spirit and power to overcome the old man, so that 
 the new man may come forth and become strong. 
 
 Therefore our baptism abides for ever ; and even though some 77 
 one should fall from it and sin, we nevertheless always have 
 access thereto, that we may again subdue the old man. But we 7S 
 must not again be sprinkled with w T ater ; for though we were a 
 hundred times put under the water, it would nevertheless be only 
 one baptism, although the act and significance continue and 
 remain. Repentance, therefore, is nothing else than a return 79 
 and approach to baptism, that we return to and practise what 
 had been begun and had been abandoned. 
 
 This I say, therefore, that we do not fall into the opinion 80 
 in which we for a long time had been, by imagining that 
 our baptism is something past, which we can no longer use 
 after we have fallen again into sin. And the reason is, that it 
 was regarded only according to the external act once performed 
 and completed. And this arose from the fact that St. Je-81 
 rome w 7 rote that repentance is the second plank by which we must 
 swim forth and cross over after the ship is broken, by which we 
 climb, and on ivhich vie are carried across the deep when we come 
 into the Christian Church. Thereby the use of baptism is so 
 removed that it can profit us no longer. Therefore the expres- 82 
 sion is not correct, or else never rightly understood. For the 
 ship never breaks, because (as we have said) it is the institution 
 of God, and not a matter of ours ; but it happens, indeed, that 
 we slip and fall out of the ship. Yet if any one fall out, let 
 him see to it that he swim up and cling to it till he again come 
 into it and live in it, as he had formerly begun. 
 
 Thus it appears how excellent a thing baptism is, which 83 
 delivers us from the jaws of the devil and makes us God's own, 
 suppresses and takes away sin, and afterwards daily strengthens 
 4Q£ the new man ; and is and remains ever efficacious until we 
 pass from this estate of misery to eternal glory. 
 
 For this reason let every one esteem his baptism as a daily 84 
 dross in which he shall constantly walk, that he may ever be 
 
476 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 found in the faith and its fruits, that he suppress the old man 
 and grow up in the new. For if we would be Christians we 83 
 must practise the work whereby we are Christians. But if any 86 
 one fall away therefrom, let him again come into it. For just 87 
 as Christ the mercy-seat does not abolish himself or forbid us 
 again to come to him, eveu though we sin, so all his treasure 
 and gifts also remain. If, therefore, we have once in baptism 88 
 received forgiveness of sin, it will remain every day, as long as 
 we live, that is, as long as we carry the old man about with us. 
 
 499 PART FIFTH. 
 
 OF THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR. 
 
 As we have heard of holy baptism, so we must speak also con- 1 
 cerning the other sacrament, namely, concerning these three 
 points : What it is, what are its benefits, and who shall receive it. 
 And all these are established by the words whereby Christ has 
 instituted it. This every one who desires to be a Christian and 2 
 go to the sacrament should know. For we do not think that 
 they who know not what they seek, or why they come, should 
 be admitted or should have it administered to them. The 
 words are these: 
 
 "Our Lord Jesus Christ the same night in which he was be- 3 
 trayed, took bread ; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, 
 and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat ; this is my body, 
 which is given for you : this do in remembrance of me. 
 
 "After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had 
 supped, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of 
 it : this cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for 
 you for the remission of sins: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in 
 remembrance of me." 
 
 \ Here also we do not wish to enter into controversy and con- 4 
 tend with the traducers and blasphemers of this sacrament, but 
 we must first learn (as we did in respect of baptism) what is of 
 the greatest importance, namely, that the chief point is the 
 Word and institution or command of God For it has not been 
 invented or introduced by any man, but without any one's coun- 
 sel and deliberation it has been instituted by Christ. Therefore 5 
 just as the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer and the 
 rnn Creed retain their nature and worth, although you never 
 keep the first, pray the second or believe the third ; so 
 also does this precious sacrament remain undisturbed, so that 
 nothing can be withdrawn or taken from it, even though we 
 employ and dispense it unworthily. Can you think indeed that 6 
 
PartV. THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR 177 
 
 God is so concerned about what we do and believe, as on (hat 
 account to change his institutions ? Yet in all worldly things 
 everything remains as God has created and ordered it, no mat- 
 ter how we employ or use it. This must always be maintained, 7 
 for thereby the prating of nearly all the fanatical spirits can be 
 rfpelled. For they regard the sacraments as something that 
 we do without the Word of God. 
 
 What is therefore the Sacrament of the Altar ? 8 
 
 Answer : It is the time body and blood of our Lord Jesus 
 Christy in and under the bread and wine which we Christians are 
 commanded by the Word of Christ to eat and to drink. And as 9 
 we have said of baptism that it is not simply water, so here also 
 we say the sacrament is bread and wine, but not mere bread 
 and wine as are ordinarily served at table, but bread and wine 
 comprehended in and connected with the Word of God. 
 
 It is the Word (I say) which makes and distinguishes this ic 
 sacrament, so that it is not mere bread and wine, but is and is 
 properly called the body and blood of Christ. For it is said : 
 " Accedat verbum ad elementum, et fit sacramentum." "If the 
 Word be joined tu the element it becomes a sacrament." This 
 saying of St. Augustine is so explicitly and so well put that 
 he has scarcely said anything better. The Word must make a 
 sacrament of the element, else it remains a mere element. Now, 1 1 
 it is not the word or institution of a prince or emperor, but of 
 the Exalted Majesty, at whose feet all creatures should fall and 
 say : " Amen, it is as he says," and accept it with all reverence, 
 fear and humility. 
 r/y| With this Word you can strengthen your conscience and 12 
 
 say : If a hundred thousand devils, together with all fanat- 
 ics raise the objection, How can bread and wine be the body 
 and blood of Christ? etc., I know that all spirits and scholars 
 together are not as wise as is the Divine Majesty in his little fin- 
 ger. For here stands the Word of Christ : " Take, eat; this is 13 
 my body ; — Drink ye all of this, this is the new testament in 
 my blood," etc. Here we abide, and would like to see those who 
 will constitute themselves his masters, and make it different 
 from what he has spoken. It is true, indeed, that if you take 14 
 away the Word or regard it without the Word, you have 
 nothing but mere bread and wine. But if the Word be added 
 thereto, as it must be, then in virtue of the same it is truly the 
 body and blood of Christ. For as the lips of Christ have 
 spoken, so it is, as he can never lie or deceive. 
 
 Hence it is easy to reply to all manner of questions about 15 
 which at the present time men ire anxious, as, for instance: 
 Whether a wicked priest can administer and distribute the sac- 
 rament, and such like other points. For here conclude and 16 
 say : Even though a knave take or distribute the sacrament, he 
 
478 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 receives the true sacrament, that is, the true body and blood of 
 Christ, just as truly as he who receives or administers it in the 
 most worthy manner. For it is not founded upon the holiness 
 of men, but upon the /Vord of God. And as no saint upon 
 earth, yea, no angel in heaven, can change bread and wine into 
 the body and blood of Christ, so also can no one change or alter 
 it, even though it be abused. For the Word by which it be- 17 
 came a sacrament and was instituted does not become false be- 
 cause of the person or his unbelief. For he does not say : If 
 you believe or are worthy you will receive my body and blood, 
 but : Take, eat and drink, this is my body and blood. Likewise : 
 Do this (namely, what I now do, institute, give and bid you 
 take). That is as much as to say, No matter whether you 18 
 be worthy or unworthy, you have here his body and blood by 
 virtue of these words which are added to the bread and the wine. 
 This mark, and observe well ; for upon these words rest all 19 
 3ur foundation, protection and defence against all error and 
 temptation that have ever come or may yet come. 
 p.™ Thus we have briefly the first point which pertains to 20 
 
 the essence of this sacrament. Now let us further look to 
 the efficacy and benefits on account of which the sacrament was 
 instituted ; which is also the most necessary part therein, that 
 we may know what we should there seek and obtain. This is 21 
 plain and clear from the words just mentioned : " This is my 
 body and blood, given and shed for you, for the remission of sins." 
 That is as much as to say briefly : We approach the sacrament 22 
 in order to receive there a treasure by and in which we obtain 
 forgiveness of sins. Why so ? Because the words stand here 
 and give us the same ; for on this account he bids me eat and 
 drink, that it may be my own and may benefit me, as a sure 
 pledge and token, yea, just the very same thing that is appointed 
 for me against my sins, death and every calamity. 
 
 On this account indeed is it called a food of souls, which 23 
 nourishes and strengthens the new man. For by baptism we 
 are first born anew ; but (as we said before) there remains 
 besides the old vicious nature of flesh and blood in man, and 
 there are so many hindrances and temptations of the devil and 
 of the world that we often become weary and faint, and some- 
 times also stumble. 
 
 Therefore it is given for daily food and sustenance, that faith 24 
 may refresh and strengthen itself so as not to retire in such a 
 battle, but that it become ever stronger and stronger. For the 25 
 new life must be so regulated that it continually increase and 
 progress ; but it must suffer much opposition. For the devil 26 
 is such a furious enemy that if he sees that we oppose him 
 and attack the old man, and that he cannot overpower us with 
 violence, he prowls and moves about on all sides, attempts all 
 
Part V. THE SACKAMENT OF THE ALTAR 479 
 
 arts, and does not desist, until he finally wearies ns, so that we 
 either renounce our faith or yield hands and feet and become 
 careless or impatient. Therefore is this consolation here given 27 
 when the heart feels that the burden is becoming too heavy, so 
 that it may here obtain new power and refreshment. 
 r/j« But here a wilful misrepresentation is made by our wise 28 
 
 spirits with their great art and wisdom, crying out and pro- 
 testing : How can bread and wine forgive sins or strengthen 
 faith ? Although they hear and know that we do not say this 
 of such bread and wine as is in itself bread and wine, but of such 
 bread and wine as is the body and blood of Christ, and is united 
 with the words. That, we say, is the treasure, and nothing else, 
 through which such forgiveness is obtained. Now the only 29 
 way in which it is given and appropriated to us is in the words : 
 "Given and shed for you." For herein I have both truths, that 
 it is the body and blood of Christ, and that it is mine as a 
 treasure and gift. But the body of Christ can never be an un-30 
 fruitful, vain thing, without efficacy and without benefits. Yet 
 however great be the treasure in itself, it must be comprehended 
 in the Word and administered to us, else we should never be 
 able to know or seek it. 
 
 Therefore also it is vain talk when they say that the body 31 
 and blood of Christ are not given and shed for us in the Lord's 
 Supper, and therefore we cannot have forgiveness of sins in the 
 sacrament. For although the work was accomplished and the 
 forgiveness of sins acquired on the cross, yet it cannot otherwise 
 come to us, but through the Word. For what would we other- 
 wise know about it, that such a thing was accomplished and is 
 to be given us if it were not delivered to us in the preaching 
 or administration of the oral Word? Whence will they know, 
 or how can they lay hold of and appropriate to themselves, this 
 forgiveness, except they hold and believe the Scriptures and 
 the Gospel ? But now the entire Gospel and the article of the 32 
 Creed : " I believe a holy Christian Church, the forgiveness of 
 sin" etc., are by the Word embodied in this sacrament and pre- 
 sented to us. Why should we allow this treasure to be torn 
 from the sacrament ? Since they must confess that these are 
 the words which we hear everywhere in the Gospel, and they 
 dare by no means say that these words in the sacrament are of 
 no use, as little as that the entire Gospel or Word of God, apart 
 from the sacrament, is of no use. 
 rn^ Thus we have now the entire sacrament, both as to what 33 
 
 it is in itself and as to what it brings and profits. Now 
 we must also see who is the person that receives this efficacy 
 and benefit. That is answered briefly, as we said above of bap- 
 tism and often elsewhere: Whoever believes it has what the 
 words declare and bring, For they are not spoken or pro- 
 
480 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 claimed to stone and wood, but to those who bear them, to 
 whom he says: u Take and eat" etc. And because he offers 34 
 and promises forgiveness of sin, it cannot be received otherwise 
 than by faith. This faith he himself demands in the Word 
 when he says: " Given and shed for you" As if he had said : 
 For this reason I give it, and bid you eat and drink, that you 
 may partake of it and enjoy it. Whoever now receives these 35 
 words, and believes that what they declare is true, has it. But 
 whoever does not believe it has nothing, as it is offered to him 
 in vain, and he refuses to enjoy such a saving good. The treas- 
 ure indeed is opened and placed at every one's door, yea, upon 
 every one's table, but it is necessary that you also take of it, 
 and confidently regard it as the words give it to you. 
 
 This now is the entire Christian preparation for receiving 36 
 this sacrament worthily. For since this treasure is fully pre- 
 sented in the words, it can be apprehended and appropriated 
 only by the heart. For such a gift and eternal treasure cannot 
 be seized by the hand. Fasting and prayer, etc. may indeed 37 
 be an external preparation and discipline, that the body may 
 bear itself modestly and reverently towards the body and blood 
 of Christ; yet that which is given in and with it cannot be 
 seized and appropriated by the body. But this is done by the 
 faith of the heart, which discerns this treasure and desires it. 
 This may suffice for -the general instruction respecting this sac- 38 
 rament ; for what is further to be said of it belongs to another 
 time. 
 
 In conclusion, since we have now the true understanding and 39 
 doctrine of the sacrament, there is indeed need of some exhort- 
 ation and admonition, that men may not neglect so great a 
 treasure which is daily administered and distributed among 
 r^r Christians — that is, that those who would be Christians 
 often prepare themselves to receive this venerable sacra- 
 ment. For we see that men are negligent and indifferent with 40 
 respect to it ; and there is a great multitude of such, who hear 
 the Gospel, and who, because the nonsense of the Pope has 
 been abolished, and we are freed from his laws and coercion, go 
 one,two, three years or even longer without the sacrament, as 
 thoughxthey were such strong Christians that they have no need 
 of it ; and some allow themselves to be prevented and deterred 41 
 by the pretence that we have taught that no one should ap- 
 proach it unless he feel hunger and thirst, and which urge him 
 to it. Some pretend that it is a matter of liberty and not 
 necessary, and that it is sufficient to believe without it ; and thus 
 for the most part they go so far that they become quite hard- 
 ened, and finally despise both the sacrament and the Word of 
 God. 
 
 Now, it is true, as we have said, that no one should be co- 43 
 
PartV. the saceament of the altar. 481 
 
 erced or compelled, lest we again institute an inquisition de- 
 structive to souls. But this we must know, nevertheless, that 
 such people as so long a time deprive themselves of, and with- 
 draw from, the sacrament, are not to be considered Christians. 
 For Christ has not instituted it to be treated as a show ; but 
 has offered it to his Christians, that they may eat and drink it, 
 and thereby remember him. 
 
 And those indeed who are true Christians, and esteem the 4 
 sacrament precious and holy, ought to urge and impel them- 
 selves thereto. Yet that the simple-minded and the weak who 
 also desire to be Christians be the more incited to consider the 
 cause and need which ought to impel them, we will treat some- 
 what of this point. For as in other matters pertaining to faith, 44 
 love and patience, it is not enough to teach and instruct, but 
 there is need also of daily exhortation, so here also is there need 
 of importunity in preaching, that men may not become indiffer- 
 ent and be offended, since we know and feel how the devil al- 
 ways opposes this and everything Christian, and drives and de- 
 ters therefrom as much as he can. 
 rn„ And we have, in the first place, the clear text in the 45 
 
 very words of Christ : " Do this in remembrance of me." 
 These are words bidding and commanding us, by which all who 
 would be Christians are enjoined to partake of this sacrament. 
 Therefore whoever would be a disciple of Christ, with whom 
 he here speaks, must consider and observe this, not from com- 
 pulsion, as being forced by men, but in obedience to the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, and to please him. But if one say: It is writ- 46 
 ten in immediate connection, " as oft as ye do it" from which 
 it appears that he compels no one, but leaves it to our free 
 choice, answer: That is true, yet it is not written that we 47 
 should never do so. Yea, just because he uses the words, "as 
 oft as ye do it" it is implied that we shall often do it ; and 
 therefore it is added that he wishes to have the sacrament free, 
 not limited to special times, like the Passover of the Jews, 
 which they were obliged to eat only once a year, and just upon 
 the fourteenth day of the first full moon in the evening, and 
 which must not vary a day. As if he would say thereby : I in- 
 stitute a Passover or Supper for you which you shall enjoy not 
 only once a year, just upon this evening, but often, when and 
 where you will, according to every one's opportunity and ne- 
 cessity, bound to no place or appointed time, although the Pope 48 
 afterwards perverted it, and again made a Jewish feast of it. 
 
 Thus, you perceive, it is not left free in such a sense that we 49 
 may despise it. For that I call despising it if one allow so long 
 a time to elapse and with nothing to hinder him, but yet never 
 feels desire for it. If you wish such liberty you may as well 
 have so much more, and be no Christian, that you may neither 
 
 61 
 
482 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 believe nor pray . for the one is just as much the command of 
 Christ as the other. But if you wish to be a Christian, you 
 must from time to time render satisfaction and obedience to this 
 commandment. For this commandment ought ever to move 50 
 you to examine yourself and to think : See, what sort of a 
 Christian I am ! If I were truly one, I would sometimes 
 have some little longing for that which my Lord has com- 
 manded me to do. 
 rQ.* And, indeed, because we are so much estranged from it 51 
 
 we perceive what sort of Christians we were under the 
 Papacy, that we went from mere compulsion and fear of hu- 
 man commandments, without inclination and love, and never 
 regarded the commandment of Christ. But we neither urge 52 
 nor compel any one ; nor need any one do it as a favor or ser- 
 vice to us. But you should be induced and constrained of your 
 own accord, by this, viz. that he desires it and that it is pleas- 
 ing to him. You must not be influenced by men to faith or 
 to any good work. We, on our part, do no more than to say 
 and exhort you as to what you ought to do — not for our sake, 
 but for your own sake. He invites and allures you; and 
 if you despise it, you must yourself answer for it. 
 
 This is the first point, especially for those who are cold and 53 
 indifferent, that they may come to reflection and be awakened. 
 For this is certainly true, as I have found in my own experience, 
 and as every one will find, that if a person thus withdraw from 
 this sacrament, he will daily become more and more hardened 
 and cold, and will at last altogether disregard it. Otherwise 54 
 we must, from time to time, examine heart and conscience, and 
 assume the position of those who desire to be right with God. 
 And the more this is done, the more will the heart be warmed 
 and enkindled, that it may not become entirely cold. 
 
 But if you say: How if I feel that I am not prepared? 53 
 Answer : The same is also my temptation, especially from the 
 old way under the Pope, in which we were compelled to self- 
 torture in order to be so perfectly pure that God could not find 
 the least blemish in us. On this account we became so timid 
 that every one was instantly thrown into consternation and said 
 to himself: Alas! thou art unworthy! For then nature and 56 
 reason begin to reckon our unworthiness in comparison with the 
 great and precious good ; and then it appears like a dark lan- 
 tern in contrast with the bright sun, or as filth in comjrrisoii 
 with precious stones. Because nature and reason see this they 
 refuse to approach, and would wait until they are prepared, so 
 long that one week brings another, and one half year the other. 
 But if you are to regard how good and pure you are, and labor 57 
 that nothing burden the conscience, you must never approach. 
 
 We must, therefore, make a distinction here among men. For 58 
 
PartV. THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR. 483 
 
 r«o those who are shameless and dissolute must be told to stay 
 away. For they are not prepared to receive forgiveness of 
 sin. For they do not desire it, and do not wish to be godly. 
 But the others, who are not so hardened and wicked, and desire 59 
 to be godly, must not absent themselves, even though they be 
 feeble and full of infirmities: as St. Hilary also says: "If 
 any one have not committed sin in such a way as to be properly 
 put out of the congregation and to be esteemed as no Christian, 
 he ought not to absent himself from the sacrament, that he may 
 not deprive himself of life." For no one will reach such a posi- 60 
 tion that he will not retain many daily infirmities in flesh and 
 blood. 
 
 Therefore such people must learn that it is the highest art 61 
 to know that our sacrament does not depend upon our worth- 
 iness. For we are not baptized because we are worthy and holy, 
 nor do we go to confession because we are pure and without sin, 
 but the contrary, as poor miserable men, and just because we 
 aoe unworthy ; unless it be some one who neither desires grace 
 or absolution nor intends to reform. 
 
 But whoever earnestly desires grace and consolation should 62 
 feel impelled of his own accord, and should allow no one to 
 deter him, but say : I, indeed, desire to be worthy ; but I come 
 not upon any worthiness, but upon thy Word, because thou hast 
 commanded it, and I desire to be thy disciple, no matter what 
 becomes of my worthiness. But this is difficult. For we al-63 
 ways have this obstacle and hindrance to encounter, viz. that 
 we look more upon ourselves than upon the Word and lips of 
 Christ. For nature desires so to act that it can stand and rest 
 in itself, and where it cannot do so it declines to take a step. 
 Let this suffice concerning the first point. 
 
 In the second place, there is besides this commandment also 64 
 a promise, as we heard above, which ought most strongly to in- 
 cite and encourage us. For here stand the kind and precious 
 words : " This is my body, given for you. Tlxis is my blood, shed 
 for you, for the remission of sins." These words, I have said, 65 
 r«q are not preached to wood and stone, but to thee and me. 
 Else he might as well be silent and not institute a sacra- 
 ment. Therefore consider, and bring thyself into this YOU, 
 that his speaking with thee be not in vain. 
 
 For in this he offers to us the entire treasure which he has 66 
 brought for us from heaven, and to which he so invites us in 
 other places with the greatest kindness, as in St. Matt. 11 : 28 : 
 " Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will 
 give you rest." Now it is indeed a sin and a shame that he so 67 
 cordially and faithfully summons and exhorts us to our highest 
 and greatest good, and we act so distantly with regard to it, and 
 permit so long a time to pass [without nartaking of the sacra- 
 
484 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 ment] that we grow quite cold and hardened, and have no in- 
 clination or love for it. We must never regard the sacra- 68 
 ment as something injurious from which we had better flee, but 
 as a remedy imparting only salvation and comfort, which will 
 cure us and give us life, both in soul and body. For where the 
 soul has recovered the body also is relieved. How then is it 
 that we regard it as if it were a poison, the eating of which 
 would bring death ? 
 
 It is indeed true that those who despise it and live in an 69 
 unchristian manner receive it to their hurt and judgment, for 
 nothing shall be good or saving to them, just as with a sick 
 person who from caprice eats and drinks what is forbidden him 
 by the physician. But those who are sensible of their weak- 7c 
 ness, desire to be rid of it and long for help, should regard and 
 use it only as a precious antidote against the poison which is in 
 them. For here in the sacrament you shall receive, from the 
 lips of Christ, forgiveness of sin, which contains and brings 
 with it the grace and Spirit of God, with all his gifts, protec- 
 tion, shelter and power against death and Satan and all mis- 
 fortune. 
 ri« Thus you have, on the part of God, both the command- 71 
 
 ment and the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ. Besides 
 this, on your part, your own distress which oppresses you, and 
 because of which this commandment, invitation and promise 
 are given, ought to impel you. For he himself says : " They 
 that be whole need not a physician, but they that be sick ;" that is, 
 those who are weary and heavy-laden with their sins, with the 
 fear of death, temptations of the flesh and of the devil. If, 72 
 therefore, you are heavy-laden and feel your weakness, then go 
 joyfully to this sacrament and obtain refreshment, consolation 
 and strength. For if you would wait until you are rid of such 73 
 burdens, that you might approach worthily and with entire 
 purity to the sacrament, you must for ever stay away. For in 74 
 that case he pronounces sentence and says : If you are pure 
 and godly you have no need of me, and I have no need of 
 thee. Therefore they alone are to be called unworthy who 
 neither feel their infirmities nor wish to be considered sinners. 
 
 But if you say: What shall I do if I cannot feel such dis- 75 
 tress or experience hunger and thirst for the sacrament? An- 
 swer : For those who are so minded that they do not realize 
 their condition I know no better counsel than that they ex- 
 plore deeply their own heart to ascertain whether they also 
 nave flesh and blood. And if you find that to be the case, then 
 go, for your good, to St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians, and 
 hear what is the nature of the fruits of your flesh : "Now the 
 works of the flesh" (he says c. 5 : 19 sqq.) "are manifest, which 
 are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness. In^civinusness, idol- 
 
PabtV. THE SACKAMENT OF THE ALTAR. 485 
 
 airy, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedi- 
 tions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings and such 
 like." 
 
 Therefore if you cannot feel it, only believe the Scriptures. 76 
 They will not lie to you, and they know your flesh better than 
 you yourself. Yea, St. Paul further concludes (Rom. 7:18): 
 " / know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing" 
 If St. Paul, therefore, speaks thus of his flesh, we had better 
 not pretend to be more holy. But that we do not feel it is so 77 
 much the worse ; for it is a sign that there is a leprous flesh 
 which feels nothing, and yet rages and consumes. Yet, as we 78 
 have said, even if you be quite dead to all sensibility, only be- 
 r^ lieve the Scriptures, which pronounce sentence upon you. 
 And, in short, the less you feel your sins and infirmities, 
 the more reasoii have you to go to the sacrament to seek help 
 and a remedy. 
 
 In the second place, look about you and see whether you are 79 
 also in the world. Or if you do not know it, ask your neigh- 
 bors. And if you are in the world, do not think that there 
 will be lack of sins and misery. For only begin to deport 
 yourself as though you would be godly and adhere to the Gos- 
 pel, and see whether no one will become your enemy, and do 
 you harm, wrong and violence, and likewise give you cause for 
 sin and crime. If you have not experienced it, then learn it 
 from the Scriptures, which everywhere give this praise and tes- 
 timony to the world. 
 
 Besides this, you will also have the devil about you, whom 80 
 you will not entirely tread under foot, because our Lord Christ 
 himself could not entirely avoid him. Now, what is the devil ? 81 
 Altogether, as the Scriptures call him, a liar and murderer. A 
 liar to lead the heart astray from the Word of God, and to 
 blind it, that you cannot feel your distress or come to Christ. 
 A murderer, who cannot bear one single hour to see you live. 
 If you could see how many knives, darts and arrows are every 82 
 moment aimed at you, you would be glad to come to the sacra- 
 ment as often as possible. But there is no reason why men walk 
 so securely and heedlessly, except that they neither think nor be- 
 lieve that they are in the flesh, and in this wicked world or in the 
 kingdom of the devil. 
 
 Therefore only try this and practise it well, and examine 83 
 yourself, or look about you a little, and only keep to the Scrip- 
 tures. If even then you still feel nothing, you have so much 
 the more need to lament both to God and to your brother. 
 Then take counsel and seek others' prayers, and do not desist 
 until the stone be removed from your heart. Then, indeed, the 84 
 distress will not fail to be manifest, and you will find that you 
 have sunk twice as deep as any other po' >v sinner, and are much 
 
486 THE LARGE CATECHISM. 
 
 more in need of the sacrament against the misery which unfor- 
 tunately you do not feel, so that God may give his grace, and 
 you may feel it more and hunger the more for the sacrament. 
 This, too, especially since the devil plies his forces against you, 
 r 10 and lies in wait for you without ceasing, to seize and de- 
 stroy you, soul and body, so that you are not secure against 
 him one hour. How soon might he have suddenly brought 
 you into misery and distress when you least expected it! 
 
 Let this then be said for exhortation, not only for those of 85 
 us who are adults and aged, but also for the young people, who 
 ought to be brought up in the understanding of Christian doc- 
 trine. For thereby the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and 
 the Lord's Prayer might be more easily inculcated to our youth, 
 and they would learn it with zest and pleasure, and thus would 
 accustom themselves to it and practise it from their youth. 
 For the old are wellnigh defunct, so that these and other 86 
 things cannot be attained, unless we train the people who are 
 to follow and succeed us in our office and work, that they also 
 bring up their children in good fruits, that the Word of God 
 and the Christian Church may be preserved. Therefore let 87 
 every father of a family know that it is his duty, by the injunc- 
 tion and command of God, to teach these things to his children, 
 or have them learn what they ought to know. For since they 
 are baptized and received into the Christian Church, they should 
 also enjoy this communion of the sacrament, so that they may 
 serve us and be useful to us ; for they must all indeed help us 
 in believing, loving, praying and fighting against the devil. 
 
PART VII. 
 fHE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PART FIRST. 
 EPITOME. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 OF THE STANDARD OF DOCTRINE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 OF ORIGINAL SIN. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 OF THE FREE WILL. 
 
 CHAPTER IIL 
 OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH BEFORE GOD. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 OF GOOD WORKS. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 OF THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 OF THE THIRD USE OF THE LAW. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 OF THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 OF THE DESCENT OF CHRIST TO HELL. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 OF ECCLESIASTICAL CEREMONIE& 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 OF GOD'S ETERNAL PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION. 
 62 489 
 
490 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 OF OTHER HERESIES AND SECTS. 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 SOLID DECLARATION. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 OF THE STANDARD OF DOCTRINE. 
 OF THE ANTITHESIS, OR REJECTION OF FALSE DOCTRINE 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 OF ORIGINAL SIN. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 OF THE FREE WILL, OR HUMAN POWERS. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 DF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH BEFORE GOD. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 OF GOOD WORKS. 
 
 CHAPTER V, 
 OF THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 OF THE THIRD USE OF THE DIVINE LAW. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 OF THE LORDS SUPPER. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 OF THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 OF THE DESCENT OF CHRIST TO HELL 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 OF ECCLESIASTICAL CEREMONIES. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 OF GOD'S ETERNAL PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 OF OTHER HERETICS ANP «FCT8. 
 
THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 PART FIRST. 
 
 517 EPITOME 
 
 Of the Articles in Controversy among the Thelogians 
 of the Augsburg Confession, Set forth and Reconciled 
 in a Christian Way, according to God's Word, in the 
 following Recapitulation. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Of the comp7*ehensive summary, rule and standard according to 
 which all dogmas should be judged, and the controversies that 
 have occurred should, in a Christian way y be decided and set 
 forth. 
 
 I. We believe, teach and confess that the only rule and stand- i 
 ard according to which at once all dogmas and teachers should 
 be esteemed and judged are nothing else than the prophetic and 
 apostolic Scriptures of the Old and of the New Testament, as it is 
 written (Ps. 119 : 105) : " Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and 
 a light unto my path." And St. Paul (Gal. 1:8): " Though 
 an angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you, let 
 him be accursed ." 
 
 Other writings, of ancient or modern teachers, whatever rep- 2 
 utation they may have, should not be regarded as of equal au- 
 thority with the Holy Scriptures, but should altogether be sub- 
 ordinated to them, and should not be received other or further 
 than as witnesses, in what manner and at what places, since the 
 time of the apostles, the [purer] doctrine of the prophets and 
 apostles was preserved. 
 
 Parallel Passages.— Sol. Dec, 568; Smalcald Articles, Part II., Art 
 ii:15 
 
 491 
 
492 THE FORMULA OF OONOOKD. 
 
 II. And because directly after the times of the apostles, and 3 
 even in their lives, false teachers and heretics arose, and against 
 them, in the early Church, symbols, i. e. brief, plain confessions, 
 were composed, which were regarded as the unanimous, univer- 
 sal Christian faith, and confession of the orthodox and true 
 Church, namely, the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, 
 and the Athanastan Creed; we confess them as binding 
 upon us, and hereby reject all heresies and dogmas which, 
 contrary to them, have been introduced into the Church of 
 God. 
 r, g III. Moreover as to the schism in matters of faith which 4 
 
 has occurred in our time, we regard the unanimous consensus 
 and declaration of our Christian faith and confession, especially 
 against the Papacy and its false 1 worship, idolatry, superstition, 
 and against other sects, as the symbol of our time, viz. The 
 First Unaltered Augsburg Confession, delivered to the 
 Emperor Charles V. at Augsburg in the year 1530, in the 
 great Diet, together with its Apology, and the Articles com- 
 posed at Smalcald in the year 1537, and subscribed by the 
 chief theologians of that time. 
 
 And because such matters pertain also to the laity and the 5 
 salvation of their souls, we confessionally acknowledge the 
 Small and Large Catechisms of Dr. Luther, as thev are in- 
 eluded in Luther's works, as the Bible of the laity, wherein 
 everything is comprised which is treated at greater length in 
 Holy Scripture, and is necessary that a Christian man know for 
 his salvation. 
 
 In accordance with this direction, as above announced, all 6 
 doctrines should be adjusted, and that which is contrary thereto 
 should be rejected and condemned, as opposed to the unanimous 
 declaration of our faith. 
 
 In this way the distinction between the Holy Scriptures of 7 
 the Old and of the New Testament and all other writings is 
 preserved, and the Holy Scriptures alone remain the only judge, 
 rule, and standard, according to which, as the only test-stone, 
 all dogmas should and must be discerned and judged, as to 
 whemer they be good or evil, right or wrong. 
 
 But x the other symbols and writings cited are not judges, as 8 
 are the Holy Scriptures, but only a witness 2 and declaration of 
 the faith, as to how at any time the Holy Scriptures have been 
 understood and explained in the articles in controversy in the 
 Church of God by those who then lived, and how the opposite 
 dogma was rejected and condemned [by what arguments the 
 dogmas conflicting with the Holy Scripture were rejected and 
 condemned]. 
 
 1 Cf. Preface to Book of Concord, \ 3. " CI \ 2. 
 
Part I. ORIGINAL SIN. 493 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 519 Of Original Sin. 
 
 Statement of the Controversy, 
 
 Whether Original Sin be properly and without any distinc- i 
 tion man's corrupt nature, substance and essence, or iudeed the 
 principal and best part of his essence [substance], namely, the 
 rational soul itself in its highest state and powers? Or 
 whether, even since the fall, there be a distinction between 
 man's substance, nature, essence, body, soul, and Original Sin, 
 so that the nature is one thing, and Original Sin, which inheres 
 in the corrupt nature and corrupts the nature, is another? 
 
 Affirmative. 
 
 The pure doctrine, faith and confession according to the 
 above standard and comprehensive declaration : 
 
 1. We believe, teach and confess that there is a distinction i 
 between man's nature, not only as he was originally created by 
 God, pure and holy, and without sin, but also as we have it [that 
 nature] now, since the fall, namely, between the nature itself, 
 which ever since the fall is and remains a creature of God, and 
 Original Sin, and that this distinction is as great as the distinc- 
 tion between a work of God and a work of the devil. 
 
 2. We believe, teach and confess also that this distinction 3 
 should be maintained with the greatest care, because the dogma 
 that no distinction is to be made between our corrupt human 
 nature and original sin conflicts with the chief articles of our 
 Christian faith, concerning Creation, Redemption, Sanctification 
 and the resurrection of our body, and cannot coexist therewith. 
 
 For God created not only the body and soul of Adam and 4 
 Eve before the fall, but also our bodies and souls since the 
 fall, notwithstanding that they are corrupt, which God also still 
 acknowledges as his woik, as it is written (Job 10 : 8) : " Thine 
 hands have made me and fashioned me together round about." 
 Deut. 32:18; Isa. 45:9 sqq. ; 54:5; 64:8; Acts 17:28; 
 Job 10 : 8 ; Ps. 100 : 3 ; 139 : 14 ; Eccl. 12:1. 
 ,™ This human nature, nevertheless without sin, and, there- 5 
 
 fore, not of other's but our own flesh, the Son of God has 
 assumed into the unity of his person, and according to it become 
 our true brother. Heb. 2 : 14 : " Forasmuch then as the chil- 
 dren were partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise 
 took part of the same." Again, v. 1 6 ; 4 : 15 : " He took not on 
 him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abra- 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Art. ii. ; Apology, Art. ii. 
 Smalcald Articles, Part. III., Art. i.; Sol, I>ec. 573 sqq. 
 
494 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 ham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like 
 unto his brethren," "yet without sin." Therefore Christ has 6 
 redeemed it, as his work, sanctifies it as his work, raises it from 
 the dead and gloriously adorns it as his work. But Original 
 Sin he has not created, assumed, redeemed, sanctified ; he also 
 will not raise it, or with the elect adorn or save it, but in the 
 [blessed] resurrection it will be entirely destroyed. 
 
 Hence the distinction between the corrupt nature and the 7 
 corruption which infects the nature, and by which the nature 
 became corrupt, can easily be discerned. 
 
 3 But, on the other hand, we believe, teach and confess that 8 
 Original Sin is not a slight, but so deep a corruption of human 
 nature, that nothing healthy or uncorrupt in man's body or 
 soul, in inner or outward powers, remains, but, as the Church 
 
 sings : 
 
 " Through Adam's fall is all corrupt, 
 Nature and essence human." 
 
 This unspeakable injury cannot be discerned by the reason, 9 
 but only from God's Word. 1 And [we affirm] that the nature 10 
 and this corruption of nature no one but God alone can ever 
 separate from one another ; and yet this fully comes to pass, 
 through death, in the resurrection, where our nature which we 
 now bear will rise and live eternally, without original sin, and 
 separated and sundered from it, as it is written (Job 19 : 26) : 
 " I shall be compassed again with this my skin, and in my flesh 
 shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes 
 shall behold." 
 
 Negative. 
 
 Rejection of the false opjjosite dogmas. 
 
 Therefore we reject and condemn the dogma that Original 11 
 Sin is only a realus or debt, on account of what has been com- 
 mitted by another [diverted to us] without any corruption of 
 our nature. 2 
 f -o 1 2. Also that evil lusts are not sin, but concreated, essen- 12 
 
 tial properties of the nature, as though the above-mentioned 
 defeat and evil were not true sin, because of which man without 
 Chris\[not ingrafted into Christ] is to be a child of w r rath. 3 
 
 3/^We likewise reject the error of the Pelagians, by which 13 
 it is alleged that man's nature, even since the fall, is incorrupt, 
 and, especially with respect to spiritual things, in naturalibus, 
 
 1 Cf. Smalcald Articles, Part III., Art. i., \ 3. 
 
 3 This error is ascribed especially to Albertus Pighius. Kollner's Sym 
 bolik of Catholic Church, 285, 290. 
 
 8 Taught by Pelagians, both ancient and modern ; cf. Council of Trent, 
 Bess. v. (p. 6 Tauchnitz edition). 
 
Part I. ORIGINAL SIN. 495 
 
 i. e. in its natural powers, it has remained entirely giod and 
 pure. 1 
 
 4. Also that Original Sin is only external, a slight, insignifi- 14 
 cant spot, sprinkle, or stain dashed upon the nature, beneath 
 which [nevertheless] the nature has retained its powers unim- 
 paired even in spiritual things. 2 
 
 5. Also that Original Sin is only an external impediment to 1 5 
 unimpaired spiritual powers, and not a despoliation or want of 
 the same, as when a magnet is smeared with garlic-juice its 
 natural power is not thereby removed, but only impeded ; or 
 that this stain can be easily washed away, as a spot from the 
 face or pigment from the wall. 3 
 
 6. Also, that in man the human nature and essence are not 16 
 entirely corrupt, but that man still has something good in him, 
 even in spiritual things, namely, piety, skill, aptness or ability 
 in spiritual things to begin to work, or to co-work for some- 
 thing [good]. 4 
 
 7. On the other hand, we also reject the false dogma of the 17 
 Manichseans, when it is taught that Original Sin, as something 
 essential and self-subsisting, has been infused by Satan into the 
 nature, and intermingled with it, as poison and wine are mixed. 
 
 8. Also that not the natural man, but something else and 18 
 extraneous to man, sins, and, on this account, not the nature, 
 but only Original Sin in the nature, is accused. 5 
 
 9. We reject and condemn also as a Manichsean error the 19 
 doctrine that Original Sin is properly, and without any distinc- 
 tion, the substance, nature and essence itself of the corrupt man, 
 
 r no so that no distinction between the corrupt nature, consid- 
 ered by itself, since the fall, and Original Sin, can be con- 
 ceived of, nor can they be distinguished from one another even 
 in thought. 6 
 
 10. Moreover this Original Sin is called by Dr. Luther 20 
 natural sin, personal sin, essential sin (Natursiinde, Person- 
 sunde, Wesentlichle Siinde) ; not that the nature, person or es- 
 sence of the man is, without any distinction, itself Original Sin, 
 but that, by such words, the distinction might be indicated be- 
 
 1 Almost the general opinion of the Scholastics ; for they contended that 
 since the fall men were destitute only of the donum supernaturale. Cf 
 Kollner, p. 284. 
 
 2 Ascribed to D'Andrada, a Romish opponent of Chemnitz, who thus 
 wrote in his Defensio Trid. fidei CathoL, lib. v., p. 451 sqq. 
 
 5 Almost the very words of Vict. Strigel in the disputation with Flaciiu 
 ai Weimar in 1560. Cf. Carpzov, 1179. 
 4 Also taught by Strigel in his declaration, written 1562. 
 e Ascribed by Augustine to the Manichseans. Cf. Sol. Dec 
 ' The doctrine of Flacius and his adherents. 
 
496 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 tween Original Sin which inheres in human nature, and other 
 flins which are called actual sins. 
 
 11. For Original Sin is not a sin which is committed, but it 21 
 inheres in the nature, substance and essence of man, so that 
 though no wicked thought ever should arise in the heart of 
 corrupt man, nor idle word be spoken, nor wicked deed be 
 done, yet the nature is nevertheless corrupt through Original 
 Sin, which is born in us by reason of the sinful seed, and is a 
 fountain-head of all other actual sins, as wicked thoughts, 
 words and works, as it is written (Matt. 15 : 19) : "Out of the 
 heart proceed evil thoughts." Also (Gen. 6:5; 8:21): " The 
 imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth." 
 
 12. Thus it is also well to note the diverse signification of 2? 
 the word " nature," whereby the Manichseans cover their error 
 and lead astray many simple men. For sometimes it means the 
 essence [the very substance] of man, as when it is said : God 
 created human nature. But at other times it means the dispo- 
 sition and the vicious quality [disposition, condition, defect or 
 vice] of a tiling, which inheres in the nature or essence, as 
 when it is said : The nature of the serpent is to bite, and the 
 nature and disposition of man is to sin, and is sin ; here the 
 word nature does not mean the substance of man, but some- 
 thing that inheres in the nature or substance. 
 
 13. But as to the Latin terms "substance" and " accident," 23 
 because they are not words of Holy Scripture, and besides un- 
 known to the ordinary man, they should not be used in ser- 
 mons before ordinary, uninstructed people, but simple people 
 should be excused from this [in this matter regard should 
 roo rightly be had to the simple and uneducated]. But in the 24 
 
 schools, among the learned, these words are rightly retained 
 in disputations concerning Original Sin, because they are well 
 known and used without any misunderstanding, to distinguish 
 exactly between the essence of a thing and what is attached to 
 it in an accidental way. 
 
 For the distinction between God's work and that of the 25 
 levil is thereby designated in the clearest way, because the 
 devil can create no substance, but can only, in an accidental 
 way, from God's decree [God permitting] corrupt a substance 
 created by God. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Of tqe Free Will. 
 
 Statement ofllie~6ontroversy. 
 
 Since the will of man is found in four dissimilar states, 1 
 namely: 1. Before the fall; 2. Since the fall; 3. After re- 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, xviii. ; Apology, xviii. ; SmaJ 
 cald Articles, Part III., Art. i. ; Sol. Dec, ii. 
 
PaktI. THE FREE WILL. 497 
 
 generation ; 4. After resurrection of the body, the chief ques- 
 tion is only concerning the will and ability of man in the sec- 
 ond state, namely, what powers, in spiritual things, he has, 
 from himself, since the fall of our first parents, and before re 
 generation, and whether, from his own powers, before he has 
 been born again by God's Spirit, he be able to dispose and pre- 
 pare himself for God's grace, and to accept [and apprehend] 
 or not, the grace offered through the Holy Ghost in the Word 
 and holy [divinely-instituted] sacraments. 
 
 Affirmative. 
 
 The pure doctrine concerning this article, according to God's 
 
 Word. 
 
 1. Concerning this subject, our doctrine, faith and confession 2 
 is, that, in spiritual things, the understanding and reason of 
 man are [altogether] blind, and, from their own powers, under- 
 stand nothing, as it is written (1 Cor. 2 : 14) : " The natural 
 man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ; for they 
 are foolishness to him ; neither can he know them, because he 
 is examined concerning spiritual things." 
 
 2. Likewise we believe, teach and confess that the will of un- 3 
 regenerate man is not only turned away from God, but also ha^ 
 become an enemy of God, so that it has inclination and desire 
 rnA for that which is evil and contrary to God, as it is written 
 
 (Gen. 8 : 21) : "The imagination of man's heart is evil from 
 his youth." Also (Rom. 8:7): "The carnal mind is enmity 
 against God ; for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither 
 indeed can be." Yea, as unable as a dead body is to quicken 
 and restore itself to bodily, earthly life, just so unable is man, 
 who by sin is spiritually dead, to raise himself to spiritual life, 
 as it is written (Eph. 2:5): " Even when we were dead in sins, 
 he hath quickened us together with Christ ;" (2 Cor. 3:5): 
 " Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything 
 good, as of ourselves, but that we are sufficient is of God." 
 
 3. Yet God the Holy Ghost effects conversion, not without 4 
 means ; but uses for this purpose the preaching and hearing of 
 God's Word, 1 as it is written (Rom. 1 : 16) : " The Gospel is 
 the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." 
 Also (Rom. 10 : 17) : " Faith cometh by hearing of the Word 5 
 of God." And it is God's will that his Word should be heard, 
 and that man's ears should not be closed. 2 With this Word 
 the Holy Ghost is present, and opens hearts, so that they, as 
 
 1 Cf. Augsburg Confession, v. : 4. 
 
 ' Ps. 95 . 7, 8 ; Heb; 3 : 7. Apology, xiii., 13 ; xxiv., 70 ; Smalcald Ar 
 tides, Part III,, Art. viii., I 3 sqq. ; Sol. Dec., 597. 
 63 
 
498 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 Lydia, in Acts 16, are attentive to it, and are thus converted 
 through the grace and power of the Holy Ghost, whose work 
 alone the conversion of man is. For, without his grace, and 6 
 if he do not grant the increase, our willing and running, our 
 planting, sowing and watering, all are nothing, as Christ says 
 (John 15:5): "Without me, ye can do nothing." In these 
 short words he denies to the free will all power, and ascribes 
 everything to God's grace, in order that no one may boast be- 
 fore God : 1 Cor. 1 : 29 [2 Cor. 12:5; Jer. 9 : 23]. 
 
 Negative. 
 
 Contrary false doctrine. 
 
 We therefore reject and condemn all the following errors, ah f 
 contrary to the standard of God's Word : 
 
 1. The host [insane dogma] of philosophers who are called 8 
 Stoics, as also of the Maniehseans, who taught that everything 
 that happens must have happened so, and could not have hap- 
 pened otherwise, and that everything that man does, even in out- 
 rpc ward things, he does by necessity, and that he is coerced to 
 
 evil works and deeds, as inchastity, robbery, murder, theft 
 and the like. 1 
 
 2. We reject also the gross error of the Pelagians, who taught 9 
 that man by his own powers, without the grace of the Holy 
 Ghost, can turn himself to God, believe the Gospel, be obedient 
 in heart to God's Law, and thus merit the forgiveness of sins 
 and eternal life. 
 
 3. We reject also the error of the Semi-Pelagians, 2 who teach 10 
 that man, by his own powers, can make a beginning of his con- 
 version, but without the grace of the Holy Ghost cannot com- 
 plete it. 
 
 4. Also when it is taught 3 that, although man by his free 1 1 
 will before regeneration, is too weak to make a beginning, and, 
 by his own powers, to turn himself to God, and in heart to be 
 obedient to God ; yet, if the Holy Ghost, by the preaching of 
 the Word, have made a beginning, and oifered therein his grace, 
 then the will of man, from its own natural powers, to a certain 
 extent, although feebly, can add, help and co-operate therewith/ 
 can qualify and prepare itself for grace, 5 and embrace and ac- 
 cept it, and believe the Gos pel. _ ^-- 
 
 1 Of the Stoics, Chrysippus especially taught this doctrine of necessity. 
 Cf. Oicero de fato, c. 17 sq. The Manichaeans are erroneously said to 
 have denied all moral liberty. See Epistle of Secundus the Manichsear 
 to Augustine, I 2. 2 Massilians. 8 By Synergis te. Cf. Sol. Dec. 
 
 4 Asserted by Strigel in Weimar Disputation. 
 
 6 Forc.ila of Erasmus, employed by Melanchthon in Loci Theol. Ed 
 '.648. 
 
Part I. THE FREE WILL. 499 
 
 5. Also that man, after he has been born again, can perfectly 12 
 observe and completely fulfil God's Law, and that this fulfill- 
 ing is our righteousness before God, by which we merit eternal 
 life. 1 
 
 6. Also that we condemn the error of the Enthusiasts,* who 13 
 imagine that God, without means, without the hearing of God's 
 Word, also without the use of the holy sacraments, draws men 
 to himself, and enlightens, justifies and saves them. 2 
 
 * Enthusiasts are those who expect the illumination of the Spirit [ce- 
 lestial revelation] without the preaching of God's Word. 
 
 7. Also that in conversion and regeneration God entirely 14 
 exterminates the substance and essence of the old Adam, and 
 especially the rational soul, and, in this conversion and regen- 
 eration, creates a new soul out of nothing. 3 
 
 con 8. Also, when the following expressions are employed 15 
 
 with out explanation, viz. that the will of man, before, in, 
 and after conversion, resists the Holy Ghost, and that the Holy 
 Ghost is given to those who resist him intentionally and per- 
 sistently ; " for," as Augustine says, " in conversion God changes 
 the unwilling into willing, and dwells in the willing. ,, 
 
 As to the expressions of ancient and modern church teachers, 16 
 when it is said : Deus trahit, sed volentem trahit, i. e. " God 
 draws, but he draws the willing," and Hominis voluntas in con- 
 versione non est otiosa sed agit aliquid, i. e. " In conversion the 
 will of man is not idle, but effects something/' 4 we maintain 
 that, inasmuch as these expressions have been introduced for 
 confirming the false opinion concerning the powers of the nat- 
 ural free will in man's conversion, against the doctrine concern- 
 ing God's grace, they are not in harmony with the form of 
 sound doctrine, and therefore, when we speak of conversion 
 to God, should be avoided. 
 
 But, on the other hand, it is correctly said that, in conver- 17 
 sion God, through the drawing of the Holy Ghost, changes 
 stubborn and unwilling into willing men, and that after such 
 conversion, in the daily exercise of repentance, the regenerate 
 will of man is not idle, but also co-operates in all the deeds of 
 the Holy Ghost, which he works through us. 
 
 9. Also what Dr. Luther has written, viz. that man's will is 18 
 in his conversion purely passive, 5 i. e. it does nothing whatever, 
 
 1 Doctrine of Papists and monks (cf. Sol. Dec. ii. : 79) ; also of Schwenk- 
 feldians, Sol. Dec, xii. : 33. 
 
 ' The error of the Anabaptists and Schwenkfeldians. Cf. Augsburg Con- 
 fession, Art. v. : 4 ; Formula of Concord, Ep. xii. : 22 sqq. ; Sol. Dec, xii. : 
 80 sqq. 8 Error of the Flacians. 
 
 4 Expressions of Chrysostom, the Scholastics and Melanchthon. 
 
 * Cf. Sol. Dec, ii. : 89. 
 
500 THE POKMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 is to be understood in respect of divine grace in kindling new 
 motions, i. e. when God's Spirit, through the heard Word or 
 the use of the holy sacrament, lays hold upon man's will, and 
 woiks [in man] the new birth and conversion. For if [after] 
 the Holy Ghost has wrought and accomplished this, and man's 
 will has been changed and renewed alone by his divine power 
 and working, then the new will of man is an instrument and 
 organ of God the Holy Ghost, so that he not only accepts grace, 
 but also, in the works which follow, co-operates with the Hdy 
 Ghost. 
 
 Therefore, before the conversion of man, there are only two 15 
 efficient causes, 1 namely, the Holy Ghost and the Word of God, 
 as the instrument of the Holy Ghost, whereby he works con- 
 ro 7 version. To this Word man ought to listen, nevertheless 
 it is not from his own powers, but only through the grace 
 and working of the Holy Ghost, that he can believe and ac- 
 cept it. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. 
 
 Statement of the Controversy. 
 
 Since it is unanimously confessed in our churches, upon the 1 
 authority of God's Word and according to the sense of the 
 Augsburg Confession, that we poor sinners are justified before 
 God, and saved alone by faith in Christ, and thus Christ alone 
 is our righteousness, who is true God and man, because in him 
 the divine and human natures are personally united with one 
 another (Jer. 23 : 6 ; 1 Cor. 1 : 30 ; 2 Cor. 5 : 21), the question 
 has arisen: "According to which nature is Christ our right- 
 eousness ?" and thus two contrary errors have arisen in some 
 churches. 
 
 For the one side 2 has held that Christ alone, according to his 2 
 
 divinity, is our righteousness, if he dwell in us by faith ; con- 
 
 •rasted with which divinity, dwelling in men by faith, all the 
 
 ins of men should be regarded as a drop of water to the great 
 
 ocean. On the contrary, others 3 have held that Christ is our 
 
 righteousness before God, alone according to the human nature. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsbnrg^Confession, iv., vi., xii., xx. ; Apology 
 Chap. ii. ; Smalcald Articles, Part II., Art. i. ; Part III., Art. xiii. ; Formula oj 
 Concord, Sol. Dec, iii. 
 
 1 Melanclithon had added a third cause : " A will assenting to and not re 
 sisting God's Word." See Examen Ordinandorum, p. 36 (edition of 155o) 
 Cf. Sol. Dee., ii. : 90. 
 
 * Andrew Osiander (f 1554) and his followers. 
 
 ' Francis Stancar (f 1574) and his followers. 
 
Part I. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH BEFORE GOD. 501 
 
 Affirmative 
 
 Pure Doctrine of the Christian Churches against both errors just 
 
 \ mentioned. 
 
 1. Against both the errors just recounted, we unanimously be- 3 
 lieve, teach and confejss that Christ is our righteousness, neither 
 according to the divine nature alone, nor according to the human 
 nature alone, but the entire Christ according to both natures, alone 
 in his obedience, which as God and man he rendered the Father 
 even to death, and thereby merited for us the forgiveness of sins 
 and eternal lite, as it is written : "As by one man's disobedience, 
 
 r nn many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one, shall 
 many be made righteous " (Rom. 5 : 19). 
 
 2. Therefore we believe, teach and confess that our right-*, 
 eousness before God is, that God forgives us our sins out of 
 pure grace, without any work, merit or worthiness of ours pre- 
 ceding, attending or following, for he presents and imputes 
 to us the righteousness of Christ's obedience, on account oi 
 which righteousness we are received into grace by God, ana 
 regarded righteous. 
 
 3. We believe, teach and confess that faith alone is the 5 
 means and instrument whereby we lay hold of Christ, and 
 thus in Christ of that righteousness which avails before God, 
 for the sake of which this faith is imputed to us for righteous- 
 ness (Rom. 4 : 5). 
 
 4. We believe, teach and confess that this faith is not a bare 6 
 knowledge of the history of Christ, but such a great gift of God 
 that thereby we come to the right knowledge of Christ as our 
 Redeemer in the Word of the Gospel, and trust in him that 
 alone for the sake of his obedience, out of grace, we have the 
 forgiveness of sins, and are regarded holy and righteous before 
 God the Father, and eternally saved. 
 
 5. We believe, teach and confess that, according to the usage 7 
 of Holy Scripture, the word justify means in this article, " to 
 absolve," that is, to declare free from sins. Prov. 17:15: 
 " He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the 
 righteous, even they both are abomination to the Lord." Also 
 (Rom. 8 : 33) : " Who shall lay anything to the charge of 
 God's elect? It is God that justifieth." 
 
 And when in place of this, the words regeneration and vivi-8 
 fication are employed, as in the Apology, 1 this is done in the 
 same sense ; for by these terms, in other places, the renewal of 
 man is understood, and [which] is distinguished from justifica- 
 tion by faith. 
 
 6. We believe, teach and confess also that although many 9 
 
 1 Art. iv. : 65 sq. ; xii. : 46. 
 
602 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 weaknesses and defects cling to the rightly believi'ig and truly 
 regenerate, even to the grave, yet they have reason to doubt 
 neither of the righteousness which is imputed to them by faith, 
 roq nor of the salvation of their souls, but should regard it 
 certain that for Christ's sake, according to the promise 
 and [immovable] Word of the holy Gospel, they have a gracious 
 God." 
 
 7. We believe, teach and confess that, for the maintenance 10 
 of the pure doctrine concerning the righteousness of faith be- 
 fore God, it is necessary that the exclusive particles, z. e., the 
 following words of the holy apostle Paul, whereby the merit 
 of Christ is entirely separated from our works, and the honor 
 given to Christ alone, be retained with especial care, as when 
 the holy apostle Paul writes : " Of grace," " without merit," 
 
 " without law/' " without works," " not of works." All these 
 words, taken together, mean that " we are justified and saved 
 alone by faith in Christ" (Eph. 2:8; Rom. 1:17; 3:24; 
 4:3 sqq.; Gal. 3 : 11 ; Heb. 11). 
 
 8. We believe, teach and confess that although the contrition ii 
 that precedes, and the good works that follow, do not belong to 
 the article of justification before God, yet such a faith should 
 not be imagined as can coexist with a wicked intention to sin 
 and to act against conscience. But after man is justified by 
 faith, then a true living faith worketh by love (Gal. 5 : 6). 
 Thus good works always follow justifying faith, and are surely 
 found with it, if it be true and living ; for it never is alone, 
 but always has with it love and hope. 
 
 Antithesis or Negative. 
 Contrary Doctrine Rejected. 
 
 Therefore we reject and condemn all the following errors: 12 
 
 1. That Christ is our righteousness alone according to his 13 
 divine nature. 1 
 
 2. That Christ is our righteousness alone according to his 14 
 human nature A 
 
 3. That in the expressions of the prophets and apostles, i« 
 when the righteousness of faith is spoken of, the words "jus- 
 tify " and " be justified " do not signify to declare or be de- 
 clared free from sins, and obtain the forgiveness of sins, but 
 actually to be made righteous before God, because of love in- 
 fused by the Holy Ghost, virtues and the works following 
 them. 8 
 
 1 Error of Osiander. * Error of Stancar, following Peter Lombard. 
 
 * Error of Osiander ; also of the Papists. Cf. Council of Trent, Sess 
 vi M Oaj>. 10. 
 
Part I. GOOD WORKS. 503 
 
 -o ft 4. That faith looks not only to the obedience of Christ, iG 
 
 but to his divine nature, as it dwells and works in us, and 
 that by this indwelling our sins are covered. 1 
 
 5. that faith is such a trust in the obedience of Christ as 17 
 can exist and remain in a man who has no genuine repentance, 
 in whom also no love follows, but he persists in sins against 
 conscience. 2 
 
 6. That not God himself, but only the gifts of God, dwell 18 
 in the believer. 3 
 
 7. That faith saves, on this account, viz. because by faith 19 
 the renewal, which consists in love to God and one's neighbor, 
 
 is begun in us. 4 
 
 8. That faith has the first place in justification, although 20 
 also renewal and love belong to our righteousness before God, 
 in such a manner that they [renewal and love] are not the 
 chief cause of our righteousness, but, nevertheless, our right- 
 eousness before God is, without this love and renewal, not en- 
 tire or complete. 
 
 9. That believers are justified before God, and saved partly by 21 
 the imputed righteousness of Christ, and by the beginning of new 
 obedience, or in part by the imputation of Christ's righteousness, 
 but in part also by the beginning of new obedience. 
 
 10. That the promise of grace is imputed to us by faith in 22 
 the heart, and by the confession which is made with the mouth, 
 and by other virtues. 
 
 11. That faith without good works does not justify, and 23 
 therefore that good works are necessarily required for right- 
 eousness, and without their presence man cannot be justified. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Of Good Works. 
 
 Statement of the Controversy. 
 
 Concerning the doctrine of good works two divisions have 1 
 arisen in some churches: 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, vi., xx. ; Apology (III.); xx. : 
 Smalcald Articles, Part III., Art. xiii. ; Cf. Art. ii. ; Formula of Concord, Sol 
 Dec, iv. 
 
 1 Error of Osiander. 
 
 1 Osiander charged the Lutherans with this error. It is that of the 
 Antinomians. Cf. Smalcald Articles. Part III., Art. iii., \ 42 sqq. 
 
 3 Perhaps taught by Stancar. who. according to Planck, iv. : 467 sq. ; 
 taught that the Holy Ghost is sent not according to his essence, but ac- 
 cording to his effect, operation and manifestation. 
 
 * Errors 6-11 were taught by George Major (f 1574). 
 
604 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 roi 1. First, some theologians have differed with reference? 
 
 to the following expressions, where the one side wrote: 1 
 " Good works are necessary for salvation." " It is impossible to 
 be saved without good works." Also : " No one lias ever been 
 saved without good works." But the other side, 2 on the con- 
 trary, wrote: "Good works are injurious to salvation." 
 
 2. Afterwards a schism arose also between some theologians 3 
 with respect to the two words, " necessary " and " free," since 
 the one side 3 contended that the word rt necessary " should not 
 be employed concerning the new obedience, which does not pro- 
 ceed from necessity and coercion, but from the free will. The 
 other side has retained the word " necessary," because this obe- 
 dience is not at our option, but regenerate men are bound to 
 render this obedience. 
 
 From this disputation concerning the terms a controversy 4 
 concerning the subject itself afterwards occurred. For the one 
 Bide contended that among Christians the law should not at all 
 be urged, 4 but men should be exhorted tc good works alone 
 from the Holy Gospel. The other side contradicted this. 
 
 Affirmative. 
 
 Pure Doctrine of the Christian Churches concerning this Contro 
 
 versy. 
 
 For the thorough statement and decision of this controversy, 5 
 our doctrine, faith and confession is : 
 
 1. That good works certainly and without doubt follow true 6 
 faith, if it be not a dead, but a living faith, as the fruit of a 
 good tree. 
 
 2. We believe, teach and confess also that good works should 7 
 be entirely excluded, as well when the question at issue is con- 
 cerning salvation, as in the article of justification before God/ 
 as the apostle testifies with clear words, where it is written : 
 11 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man 
 unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, 
 .... Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute 
 sin," etc. (Rom. 4 : 6 sqq.). And elsewhere : " By grace are ye 
 saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift 
 of God ; not of Works, lest any man should boast " (Eph. 2 
 8,9). 
 
 1 George Major, Justus Menius and others, based on expressions of Me- 
 lanchthon. See Frank's Theology of the Formula of Concord, ii. : 149 
 sqq. 2 Nicolaus Amsdorf (f 1565). 
 
 • Antinomians. Cf. Epitome, vi. 
 
 4 Opinion of John Agricola (f 1566). 
 
 5 Major had made a distinction between eternal salvation and justifica- 
 tion. 
 
Part I. GOOD WORKS. 505 
 
 con 3. We believe, teach and confess also that all men, but 8 
 
 those especially who are born again and renewed by the 
 Holy Ghost, are bound to do good works. 
 
 4. In this sense the words " necessary," " should " and 9 
 " must " are employed correctly and in a Christian manner, 
 also with respect to the regenerate, and in no way are contrary 
 to the form and language of sound words. 
 
 5. Nevertheless by the words mentioned, " necessity " and :o 
 "necessary," if they be employed concerning the regenerate, 
 not coercion, but only due obedience is understood, which the 
 truly believing, so far as they are regenerate, render not from 
 coercion or the impulse of the Law, but from the free will ; be- 
 cause they are no more under the Law, but under grace (Rom. 
 6:14; 7:6; 8:14). 
 
 6. Therefore we also believe, teach and confess that when it 11 
 is said : The regenerate do good works from the free will ; this 
 should not be understood as though it were at the option of the 
 regenerate man to do or to forbear doing good when he wished, 
 and nevertheless could retain faith when he intentionally per- 
 severed in sins. 
 
 7. Yet this should not be understood otherwise than as the 12 
 Lord Christ and his apostles themselves declare, namely, that 
 the liberated spirit does not do this from fear of punishment, 
 as a slave, but from love of righteousness, as children (Rom. 
 
 8 : 15). 
 
 8. Although this free will in the elect children of God is 13 
 not complete, but is burdened with great weakness, as St. Paul 
 complains concerning himself (Rom. 7 : 14-25 ; Gal. 5:17). 
 
 9. Nevertheless, for the sake of the Lord Christ, the Lord 14 
 does not impute this weakness to his elect, as it is written : 
 
 " There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are 
 in Christ Jesus " (Rom. 8 : 1). 
 
 10. We believe, teach and confess also, that not works, 1 but 15 
 alone the Spirit of God, through faith, maintains faith and sal- 
 vation in us, of whose presence and indwelling good works are 
 evidences. 2 
 
 533 Negative. 
 
 False Contrary Doctrine. 
 
 1. We reject and condemn the following modes of speaking, 16 
 viz. when it is taught and written that good works are neces- 
 sary to salvation. Also, that no one ever has been saved with- 
 out good works. Also, that it is impossible without good 
 works to be saved. 
 
 1 Major and Menius to the contrary. 
 ■ Cf. Apology (III.) : 63. 
 u 
 
60C THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 2. We reject and condemn the unqualified expression : Good 17 
 works are injurious to salvation, 1 as offensive and detrimental to 
 Christian discipline. 
 
 For, especially in these last times, it is no less needful to ad- i? 
 inonish men to Christian discipline [to the way of living aright 
 and godly] and good works, and instruct them how necessary 
 it is that they exercise themselves in good works as a declara- 
 tion of their faith and gratitude to God, than that the works 
 be not mingled in the article of justification ; because men may 
 be damned by an epicurean delusion concerning faith, 2 as well 
 as by Papistic and Pharisaic confidence in their own works 
 and merits. 
 
 3. We also reject and condemn the dogma that faith and the 19 
 indwelling of the Holy Ghost are not lost by wilful sin, but 
 that the saints and elect retain the Holy Ghost, even though 
 they fall into adultery and other sins, and persist therein. 3 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Of the Law and the Gosfel. 
 
 Statement of the Controversy. 
 
 Whether the preaching of the Holy Gospel be properly not 1 
 only a preaching of grace, which announces the forgiveness of 
 sins, but also a preaching of repentance 4 and censure, rebuking 
 unbelief, which is rebuked not in the Law, but alone through 
 the Gospel. 
 
 Affirmative. 
 
 Pure Doctrine of GooVs Word. 
 
 1. We believe, teach and confess that the distinction between 2 
 the Law and the Gospel is to be maintained in the Church as 
 -„. an especially brilliant light, whereby, according to the ad- 
 monition of St. Paul, the Word of God may be rightly 
 
 divided. 
 
 2. We believe, teach and confess that the Law is properly a 3 
 divine doctrine, which teaches what is right and pleasing to 
 God, and reproves everything that is sin and contrary to God's 
 will. 
 
 3. Therefore everything that reproves sin is and belongs to 4 
 the preaching of the Law. 
 
 4. But the Gospel is properly such a doctrine as teaches what 5 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Apology, iv., 5 sqq. ; 62 sqq. ; (III.), 65 sqq. ; Smal 
 csild Articles, Part III., Art. ii., iv. ; Sol. Dec, v. 
 
 1 Amsdorf. J Cf. Sol. Dec, iv. : 87. 
 
 8 Antinomians (see above, iii. : 17). 
 
 * Insisted on by Agricola. Cf. Apology (III.) : 66 ; xii. : 29. 
 
Part I. THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL 507 
 
 man who has not observed the Law, and therefore is condemned 
 by it, should believe, viz. that Christ has expiated and made 
 satisfaction for all sins, and, without any merit of theirs [no 
 merit of the sinner intervening], has obtained and acquired for- 
 giveness of sins, righteousness that avails before God, and eter- 
 nal life. 
 
 5. But since the term Gospel is not used in one and the same 6 
 sense in the Holy Scriptures, on account of which this dissen- 
 sion originally arose, we believe, teach and confess that if by 
 the term Gospel the entire doctrine of Christ be understood, 
 which he proposed in his ministry, as also did his apostles (in 
 which sense it is employed, Mark 1:15; Acts 20 : 21), it is 
 correctly said and written that the Gospel is a preaching of re- 
 pentance and of the forgiveness of sins. 
 
 6. But if the Law and the Gospel be contrasted with one 7 
 another, as Moses himself is called a teacher of the Law, and 
 Christ a preacher of the Gospel, we believe, teach and confess 
 that the Gospel is not a preaching of repentance or reproof, 
 but properly nothing else than a preaching of consolation, and 
 
 a joyful message which does not reprove or terrify, but against 
 the terrors of the Law consoles consciences, points alone to 
 the merit of Christ, and again comforts them by the precious 
 preaching of the grace and favor of God, obtained through 
 Christ's merit. 
 
 7. As to the revelation of sin, because the veil of Moses 8 
 hangs before the eyes of all men as long as they hear the bare 
 preaching of the Law, and nothing concerning Christ, and 
 therefore do not learn from the Law to perceive their sins 
 roc aright, but either become presumptuous hypocrites [who 
 
 swell with the opinion of their own righteousness] as the 
 Pharisees, or despair as did Judas ; Christ takes the Law into 
 his hands, and explains it spiritually (Matt. 5 : 21 sqq. ; Rom. 
 7 : 14). And thus the wrath of God is revealed from heaven 
 against all sinners (Rom. 1:18), how great it is ; by this means 
 t&y are instructed in the Law, and then from it first learn to 
 know aright their sins — a knowledge to which Moses never 
 could coerce them. 
 
 Therefore, although the preaching of the suffering and death 9 
 of Christ, the Son of God, 1 is an earnest and terrible proclama- 
 tion and declaration of God's wrath, whereby men are for the 
 first time led aright to the Law, after the veil of Moses has 
 )een removed from them, so that they first know aright how 
 great things God in his Law requires of us, nothing of which 
 we can observe, and therefore should seek all our righteousness 
 in Christ — ■ 
 
 1 Agricola maintained that this was sufficient for exciting repentance. 
 
508 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 8. Yet as long as all this (namely, Christ's suffering and 10 
 death) proclaims God's wrath and terrifies man, it is still not 
 properly the preaching of the Gospel, but the preaching of 
 Moses and the Law, and therefore a " strange work wl of Christ, 
 whereby he attains his proper office, i. e. to preach grace, con- 
 sole and quicken, which is properly the preaching of the 
 Gospel. 
 
 Negative. 
 Contrary Doctrine which is Rejected. 
 
 Therefore we reject and regard incorrect and injurious then 
 dogma that the Gospel is properly a preaching of repentance or 
 reproof, and not alone a preaching of grace. 2 For thereby th( 
 Gospel is again converted into a law, the merit of Christ and 
 the Holy Scriptures obscured, Christians robbed of true conso- 
 lation, and the door opened again to [the errors and supersti- 
 tions of] the Papacy. 
 
 536 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Of the Third Use of the Law. 
 
 Statement of the Controversy. 
 
 Since the Law was given to men for three reasons : first, i 
 that thereby outward discipline might be maintained against 
 wild, disobedient men [and that wild and intractable men might 
 be restrained, as though by certain bars] ; secondly, that men 
 thereby may be led to the knowledge of their sins; thirdly, that 
 after they are regenerate and [much of] the flesh notwithstanding 
 cleaves to them, they may have, on this account, a fixed rule, 
 according to which they should regulate and direct their whole 
 life ; a dissension has occurred between some few theologians, 
 concerning the third use of the Law, viz. whether it is to be 
 urged or not upon regenerate Christians. The one side has 
 said, Yea ; 3 the other, Nay. 4 
 
 Pahallel Passages. — Sol. Dec, vi. ; Smalcald Articles, Part III., Art. iii. : 
 
 40 ; Formula of Concord, Sol. Dec, ii : 65 sqq. 
 
 1 Cf. Sol. Dec, in loco. 
 
 * Ascribed not only to Agricola, but to Anton, Otto, Paul Crell and 
 Christopher Pezel. 
 
 • Luther against Agricola, 1538 and 1539; Erlangen, Ed. 32: 1, fi4; De 
 Wette's Luther's Letters, v. : 147. 
 
 4 Called Modern Antinomians. See " New Confession of the Antino- 
 mians," Schliisselbera;, Catalog Hseretic. iv. : 45 
 
Pakti. THE THIRD USE OF THE LAW. 509 
 
 Affirmative. 
 
 The true Christian Doctrine Concerning this Controversy. 
 
 1. We believe, teach and confess that although men rightly 2 
 believing [in Christ] and truly converted to God have been 
 freed and exempted from the curse and coercion of the Law, 
 they nevertheless are not on this account without Law, but 
 have been redeemed by the Son of God, in order that they 
 should exercise themselves in it day and night [that they 
 should meditate upon God's Law day and night, and constantly 
 exercise themselves in its observance (Ps. 1:2)], (Ps. 119). 
 For even our first parents before the fall did not live without 
 Law, which Law of God was also written upon their hearts, be- 
 cause they were created in the image of God (Gen. 1 : 26 sq. ; 
 2:16 sqq".; 3:3). 
 
 2. We believe, teach and confess that the preaching of the 3 
 Law is to be urged with diligence, not only upon the unbeliev- 
 ing and impenitent, but also upon the rightly believing, truly 
 converted, regenerate, and justified by faith. 
 
 3. For although they are regenerate and renewed in the 4 
 spirit of their mind, yet, in the present life, this regeneration 
 rq? and renewal are not complete, but are only begun, and be- 
 lievers are, in the spirit of their mind, in a constant strug- 
 gle against the flesh, i. e. against the corrupt nature and dispo- 
 sition which cleaves to us unto death. On account of this old 
 Adam, which still inheres in the understanding, will and all 
 the powers of man, it is needful that the Law of the Lord al- 
 ways shine upon the way before him, in order that he may do 
 nothing from self-imposed human devotion [that he may frame 
 nothing in a matter of religion from the desire of private devo- 
 tion, and may not choose divine services not instituted by God's 
 Word] ; likewise, that the old Adam also may not employ his 
 own will, but may be subdued against his will, not only by the 
 admonition and threatening of the Law, but also by punishments 
 and blows, so that he may follow and surrender himself captive 
 to the Spirit (1 Cor. 9 : 27 ; Rom. 6:12; Gal. 6 : 14 ; Ps. 119 : 1 
 sqq.; Heb. 13 : 21 [Heb. 12 : 1]). 
 
 4. Then as to the distinction between the works of the Law 5 
 and the fruits of the Spirit, we believe, teach and confess that 
 the works which are done according to the Law, as long as they 
 are and are called works of the Law, are only extorted from man 
 by the force of punishment and the threatening of God's wrath. 
 
 5. But the fruits of the Spirit are the works which the 6 
 Spirit of God who dwells in believers works through the re- 
 generate, and are done by believers so far as they are regen- 
 erate [spontaneously and freely], as though they knew of no 
 command, threat or reward; for in this manner the children 
 
510 THE FORMULA OF CONCOKD. 
 
 of God live in the Law and walk according to the Law of God, 
 a manner which St. Paul, in his Epistles, calls the Law of 
 Christ and the Law of the mind [Rom. 7 : 25 ; 8:7 [Rom. 8 : 
 2; Gal. 6:2]). 
 
 6. Thus the Law is and remains both to the penitent and 7 
 impenitent, both to regenerate and unregenerate men, one and 
 Hie same Law, namely, the immutable will of God ; and the 
 distinction, so far as it concerns obedience, is alone in the men, 
 inasmuch as one who is not yet regenerate does what is required 
 him by the Law out of constraint and unwillingly (as also the 
 regenerate do according to the flesh) ; but the believer, so far 
 as he is regenerate, without constraint and with a willing spirit, 
 does that which no threatening [however severe] of the Law 
 could ever extort from him. 
 
 538 Negative. 
 
 False Contrary Doctrine, 
 
 Therefore we reject as a dogma and error injurious and con- 8 
 flicting with Christian discipline and true piety that the Law 
 in the above-mentioned way and degree should not be urged 
 upon Christians and those truly believing, but only upon un- 
 believers and those not Christian, and upon the impenitent. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Of the Lord's Supper. 
 
 Although the Zwinglian teachers are not to be reckoned 1 
 among the theologians who acknowledge and profess the Augs- 
 burg Confession, as they separated from them when this Con- 
 fession was presented, 1 nevertheless since they are intruding 
 themselves [with their assembly], and are attempting, under the 
 name of this Christian Confession, to introduce their error, 2 we 
 have wished also to make such a report as is needful [we have 
 judged that the Church of Christ should be instructed also*] 
 concerning this controversy. 
 
 Statement of the Controversy. 
 
 Chief Controversy between our Doctrine and that of the Sacramem 
 \ arians upon this article. 
 
 Whether in the Holy Supper the true body and blood of 2 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, x. ; Apology, x. ; Smalcald Ar» 
 tides, Part III., Art. vi. ; Small Catechism, 365 ; Large Catechism, 499 ; Formula 
 of Concord, Sol. Dec, vii, 
 
 1 For they offered the " Tetrapolitan Confession," and Zwingli his own 
 "Fidei Rationis." a Preface to Book of Concord, p. 12, 35. 
 
Part I. THE LORD'S SUPPER 511 
 
 our Lord Jesus Christ are truly and essentially present, are dis- 
 tributed with the bread and wine, and received with the mouth 
 by all those who use this sacrament, whether tl iey be worthy 
 or unworthy, godly or ungodly, believing or unbelieving; by 
 the believing, for consolation and life ; by the unbelieving, for 
 judgment [so that the believing receive from the Lord's Sup 
 per consolation and life, but the unbelieving take it for theii 
 judgment]? The Sacramentarians say, No; we say, Yea. 
 
 For the explanation of this controversy it is to be noted in 3 
 the beginning that there are two kinds of Sacramentarians. 
 Some are gross Sacramentarians, who declare in clear [deutschen] 
 words what they believe in their hearts, viz. that in the Holy 
 Supper nothing but bread and wine is present, and distributed 
 and received with the mouth. 1 Others, however, are subtle Sac- 4 
 ramentarians, and the most injurious of all, who partly speak very 
 rqq speciously in our own words, and assert that they also be- 
 lieve in a true presence of the true, essential, living body 
 and blood of Christ in the Holy Supper, yet that this occurs 
 spiritually through faith. 2 Nevertheless beneath these specious 5 
 words, precisely the former gross opinion is contained, viz. that 
 in the Holy Supper nothing is present and received with the 
 mouth except bread and wine. For with them the word 
 spiritually means nothing else than the Spirit of Christ, or the 
 power of the absent body of Christ, and his merit, which are 
 present ; but the body of Christ is in no mode or way present, 
 except only above in the highest heaven, to which in heaven 
 we should elevate ourselves by the thoughts of our faith, and 
 there, and not at all in the bread and wine of the Holy Sup- 
 per, should seek this body and blood [of Christ]. 
 
 Affirmative. 
 
 Confession of the Pure Doctrine concerning the Holy Suppei 
 against the Sacramentarians. 
 
 1 . We believe, teach and confess that, in the Holy Supper the 6 
 body and blood of Christ are truly and essentially present, and 
 are truly distributed and received with the bread and wine. 
 
 2. We believe, teach and confess that the words of the tes- 7 
 lament of Christ are not to be understood otherwise than as 
 they sound, according to the letters ; so that the bread does not 
 signify the absent body, and the wine the absent blood of 
 Christ, but that, on account of the sacramental union, they 
 [the bread and wine] are truly the body and blood of Christ. 3 
 
 1 Carlstadt, Zwingli, CEcolampadius. 
 
 ' Bucer, Peter Martyr, Calvin and the Crypto-Calvinistic theologians 
 of Leipsic and Wittenberg. 
 • Smalcald Articles, Part III., Art. vi ; Large Catechism, 501 : 14. Th« 
 
512 THE FOHMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 3. As to the consecration, we believe, teach ami confess that 8 
 no work of man or declaration of the minister [of the church] 
 produces this presence of the body and blood of Christ in the 
 Holy Supper, but that this should be ascribed only and alone 
 to the almighty power of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 4. But at the same time we also unanimously believe, teach 9 
 and confess that in the use of the Holy Supper the words of 
 the institution of Christ should in no way be omitted, but 
 r*A should be publicly recited, as it is written (1 Cor. 10: 
 
 16): "The cup of blessing, which we bless, is it not the 
 communion of the blood of Christ?" etc. This blessing occurs 
 through the recitation of the Word of Christ. 
 
 5. Moreover the foundations upon which we stand against ig 
 the Sacramentarians in this matter are those which Dr. Luther 
 has laid down in his Large Confession concerning the Lord's 
 Supper. 1 
 
 The first is this article of our Christian faith : Jesus Christ 1 1 
 is true, essential, natural, perfect God and man. in one person, 
 undivided and inseparable. 
 
 The second : That God's right hand is everywhere ; at which 12 
 Christ is in deed and in truth placed according to his human 
 nature, [and therefore] being present rules, and has in his 
 hands and beneath his feet everything that is in heaven and 
 on earth [as Scripture says (Eph. 1 : 22)] : There [at this right 
 hand of God] no man else, or angel, but only the Son of Mary, 
 is placed ; whence he can effect this [those things which we have 
 said]. 
 
 The third: That God's Word is not false, and does not 13 
 deceive. 
 
 The fourth : That God has and knows of many modes of 14 
 being in a place, and not only the one [is not bound to the 
 one] which philosophers call local [or circumscribed]. 2 
 
 6. We believe, teach and confess that the body and blood of 15 
 Christ are received with the bread and wine, not only spirit- 
 ually by faith, but also orally ; yet not in a Capernaitic, 3 but in 
 
 a supernatural, heavenly mode, because of the sacramental 
 union ; as the\words of Christ clearly show, where Christ di- 
 rects to take, eat and drink, as was then done by the apostles, 
 for it is writteri (Mark 14 : 23) : " And they all drank of it." 
 
 meaning of this expression is explained by Sol. Dec., vii. : 14 : " With the 
 bread and wine the body and blood of Christ are truly and essentially 
 present, offered and received." 
 
 1 Wittenberg, 1528, Erlangen Ed., 30 : 151. 
 
 * Cf. Sol. Dec., vii. : 98 sqq. 
 
 8 The word is derived from John 6 : 26, 52 : " As though his flesh were 
 rent with the teeth and digested like other food," \ 42. 
 
Part! THE LORD'S SUPPER. 513 
 
 St, Paul likewise says (1 Cor. 10 : 16) : "The bread which we 
 break is it not the communion of the body of Christ?" i. e. 
 he who eats this bread, eats the body of Christ, which also the 
 chief ancient teachers of the Church, Chrysostom, Cyprian, 
 Leo I., Gregory, Ambrose, Augustine, unanimously testify. 
 
 7. We believe, teach and confess that not only the truly be- 16 
 lieving [in Christ] and worthy, but also the unworthy and un- 
 believing, receive the true body and blood of Christ ; yet not 
 cAi for life and consolation, but for judgment and condemna- 
 tion, if they are not converted and do not repent (1 Cor. 
 
 11:27,29). 
 
 For although they repel Christ from themselves as a Sa- 17 
 viour, yet they must admit him even against their will as a 
 strict Judge, who is present also to exercise and render judg- 
 ment upon impenitent guests, as well as to work life and con- 
 solation in the hearts of the truly believing and worthy. 
 
 8. We believe, teach and confess also that there is only one 18 
 kind of unworthy guests, viz. those who do not believe; con- 
 cerning whom it is written (John 3:18): " He that believeth 
 not is condemned already." By the unworthy use of the Holy 
 Supper this judgment is augmented, increased, and aggravated 
 (1 Cor. 11 : 29). 
 
 9. We believe, teach and confess that no true believer, as 19 
 long as he retain living faith, however weak he may be, re- 
 ceives the Holy Supper to his judgment, which was instituted 
 especially for Christians weak in faith, and yet penitent, for the 
 consolation and strengthening of their weak faith (Matt. 9 : 12; 
 11:5, 28). 
 
 10. We believe, teach and confess that all the worthiness of 20 
 the guests of this heavenly feast is and consists alone in the 
 most holy obedience and absolute merit of Christ, which we 
 appropriate to ourselves by true faith, and of it [this merit] 
 we are assured by the sacrament. This worthiness does not at 
 all depend upon our virtues or inner and outward prepara- 
 tions. 1 
 
 Negative. 
 
 Contrary condemned Doctrines of the Sacramentarians. 
 
 On the other hand, we unanimously reject and condemn all 21 
 the following erroneous articles, which are opposed and contrary 
 to the above-presented doctrine, simple [simplicity of] faith, 
 and the [pure] confession concerning the Lord's Supper : 
 
 1. The Papistic transubstantiation, where it is taught in 22 
 the Papacy that in the Holy Supper the bread and wine lose 
 their substance and natural essence, and are thus annihilated ; 
 
 1 Cf. 1 38. 
 U 
 
514 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 rjg that they are changed into the body of Christ, and the out- 
 ward form alone remains. 
 
 2. The Papistic sacrifice of the mass for the sins of the liv-23 
 ing and the dead. 
 
 3. That [the sacrilege whereby] to laymen only one form of 24 
 the sacrament is given, and the cup is withheld from them, 
 against the plain words of the testament of Christ, and they 
 are [thus] deprived of his blood. 
 
 4. When it is taught that the words of the testament of 25 
 Christ should not be understood or believed simply as they 
 sound, but that they are obscure expressions, whose meaning 
 must be sought first in other passages of Scripture. 1 
 
 5. That in the Holy Supper the body of Christ is not re- 26 
 ceived orally with the bread ; but that with the mouth only 
 bread and wine are received, and the body of Christ only 
 spiritually by faith. 2 
 
 6. That the bread and wine in the Holy Supper are nothing 27 
 more than [symbols or] tokens, whereby Christians recognize 
 one another. 3 
 
 7. That the bread and wine are only figures, similitudes and 28 
 representations of the far, absent body of Christ. 4 
 
 8. That the bread and wine are no more than a memorial, 5 29 
 seal and pledge, through which w T e are assured, when faith ele- 
 vates itself to heaven, that it there becomes participant of the 
 body and blood of Christ as truly as, in the Supper, we eat bread 
 and drink wine. 6 
 
 9. That the assurance and confirmation of our faith [con- 3c 
 cerning salvation] occur in the Holy Supper alone through 
 the external signs of bread and wine, and not through the truly 
 present true body and blood of Christ. 
 
 10. That in the Holy Supper only the power, efficacy and merit 31 
 of the far absent body and blood of Christ are distributed. 7 
 
 11. That the body of Christ is so enclosed in heaven that it 32 
 an in no way be at one and the same time in many or all places 
 lpon earth where his Holy Supper is celebrated. 8 
 
 r 40 12. That Christ has not promised, neither can afford, the 33 
 essential presence of his body and blood in the Holy Supper, 
 
 1 Zwinglil (Ecolampadius, Calvin. John vi. especially was appealed to. 
 
 * See Consensus Tigurinus, Art. ix. 
 
 * Zwingli, De vera et falsa religione (Opp. iii., p. 145 sq.). 
 
 4 Opinion of Zwingli, Calvin, Beza, Bullinger. See Planck, iv. : 21, 63. 
 6 Cf. Sol. Dec, vii. : 115 sqq. 
 
 * Calvin, e. g. Comment on 1 Cor. 11 : 23. 
 
 1 See Calvin's Institutes, iv., chap, xxii., \ 18. 
 
 a See Consensus Tigurinus, xxi. ; Niemyer, xxiv., p. 196. Cf. Sol. Dec 
 vii : 119. 
 
PartI. THE LORD'S SUPPER. 515 
 
 because the nature and property of his assumed human nature 
 cannot suffer or permit it. 
 
 13. That God, according to [even by] his omnipotence 34 
 (which is dreadful to hear), is not able to render his body 
 essentially present in more than one place at one time. 1 
 
 14. That not the omnipotent Word of Christ's testament, 35 
 but faith, produces and makes [is the cause of] the presence of 
 the body and blood of Christ in the Holy Supper. 
 
 15. That believers should not seek the body [and blood] of 36 
 Christ in the bread and wine of the Holy Supper, but from 
 the bread should raise their eyes to heaven, and there seek the 
 body of Christ. 2 
 
 16. That unbelieving, impenitent Christians in the Holy 37 
 Supper do not receive the true body and blood of Christ, but 
 only bread and wine. 3 
 
 17. That the worthiness of the guests in this heavenly meal 38 
 consists not alone in true faith in Christ, but also in the external 
 preparation of men. 4 
 
 18. That even the truly believing, who have and retain a 39 
 true, living, pure faith in Christ, can receive this sacrament to 
 their judgment, because they are still imperfect in their out- 
 ward life. 5 
 
 19. That the external visible elements in the Holy Sacrament 4.0 
 should be adored. 6 
 
 20. Likewise, we consign also to the just judgment of God 41 
 all presumptuous, ironical, blasphemous questions (which out 
 of regard to decency are not to be mentioned), and other ex- 
 pressions, which very blasphemously and with great offence 
 [to the Church] are proposed by the Sacramentarians in a gross, 
 carnal, Capernaitic way concerning the supernatural, heavenly 
 mysteries of this sacrament. 
 
 21. As, then, we hereby utterly [reject and] condemn the 4.2 
 Capernaitic eating [manducation] of the body of Christ, which 
 the Sacramentarians, against the testimony of their conscience, 
 *»» after all our frequent protests, wilfully force upon us, and 
 
 in this way make our doctrine odious to their hearers, as 
 though [we taught that] his flesh were rent with the teeth, and 
 digested as other food ; on the contrary, we maintain and believe, 
 according to the simple words of the testament of Christ, in the 
 true, yet supernatural eating of the body of Christ, as also in 
 the drinking of his blood, a doctrine which man's sense and 
 
 • Beza used almost these words : Creophagia, p. 152 sq. 
 
 1 Consensus Tigurinus, xxi. • All the Sacramentarians. 
 
 4 Doctrine of the papists; Council of Trent, Sess. xiii., chaps. 7 and 11. 
 »Id. 
 
 • With worship, latria ; see Council of Trent, Sess. xiii., chaps. 5 and 6, 
 
516 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 reason docs not comprehend, but, as in all other articles of 
 faith, our reason is brought into captivity to the obedience of 
 Christ, and this mystery is not embraced otherwise than by faith 
 alone, and is not revealed elsewhere than in the "Word alone. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Of the Person of Christ. 
 
 From the controversy concerning the Holy Supper a dis- i 
 igreement has arisen between the pure theologians of the 
 Augsburg Confession and the Calvinists, who also have con- 
 fused some other theologians, concerning the person of Christ 
 and the two natures in Christ and their properties. 
 
 Statement of the Controversy. 
 Chief Controversy in this Dissension. 
 
 The chief question, however, has been whether, because of 2 
 the personal union, the divine and human natures, as also their 
 properties, have really, that is, in deed and truth, a communion 
 with one another in the person of Christ, and how far this com- 
 munion extends? 
 
 The Sacramentarians have asserted that the divine and hu- 3 
 man natures in Christ are united personally in such a way that 
 neither has really, that is, in deed and truth, in common with 
 the other that which is peculiar to either nature, but that they 
 have in common nothing more than the names alone. For 
 " union," they plainly say, 1 " makes common names," i. e. the 
 personal union makes nothing more than the names common, 
 namely, that God is called man, and man God, yet in such a 
 way that God has nothing really, that is, in deed and truth, in 
 common with humanity, and humanity nothing in common with 
 divinity, as to its majesty and properties. Dr. Luther, and 
 those who hold with him, have, against the Sacramentarians, 
 contended for the contrary. 
 
 545 
 
 Affirmative. 
 
 Pure Doctrine of the Christian Church concerning the Person 9/ 
 
 Christ. 
 
 To explain this controversy, and settle it according to the 4 
 
 Parallel Passages. — (Ecumenical Creeds: Augsburg Confession, III.; 
 Apology, III.; Smalcald Articles, Part I.; Small Catechism, Creed, Art. ii.; 
 Large Catechism, ib. ; Formula of Concord, Sol. Dec, viii. Cf. Martin Chem- 
 nitz, De duabus naturis. 
 
 1 See below, \ 24-28. Borrowed by Sacramentarians from Theodora 
 
Part I. THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 517 
 
 guidance [analogy] of our Christian faith, our doctrine, faith 
 and confession is as follows : 
 
 1. That the divine and human natures in Christ are person- 5 
 ally united, so that there are not two Christs, one the Son of 
 God, the other the Son of man, but that one and the same is 
 the Son of God and Son of man (Luke 1 : 35 ; Rom. 9 : 5). 
 
 2. We believe, teach and confess that the divine and human 6 
 natures are not mingled into one substance, nor the one changed 
 into the other, but each retains its own essential properties, 
 which can never become the properties of the other nature. 
 
 3. The properties of the divine nature are : to be almighty, 7 
 eternal, infinite, and, according to the property of its nature 
 and its natural essence, to be, of itself, everywhere present, to 
 know everything, etc.; which never become properties of the 
 human nature. 
 
 4. The properties of the human nature are : to be a corporeal 8 
 creature, to be flesh and blood, to be finite and circumscribed, to 
 suffer, to die, to ascend and descend, to move from one place to 
 another, to suffer hunger, thirst, cold, heat, and the like ; which 
 never become properties of the divine nature. 
 
 5. As the two natures are united personally, i. e. in one per- 1 
 son, we believe, teach and confess that this union is not such a 
 combination and connection that neither nature should have 
 anything in common with the other, personally, i. e. because of 
 the personal union, as when two boards are glued together, 
 where neither gives anything to the other, or takes anything 
 from the other. 1 But here is the highest communion, which 
 God has truly with [assumed] man, from which personal union 
 and the highest and ineffable communion that follows there- 
 from, all results that is said and believed of the human concern- 
 ing God, and of the divine concerning the man Christ; as the 
 ancient teachers of the Church explained this union and com- 
 munion of the natures by the illustration of iron glowing with 
 fire, and also by the union of body and soul in man. 2 
 
 p.^ fi 6. Hence we believe, teach and confess that God is iu 
 
 man and man is God, which could not be if the divine 
 and human natures had, in deed and truth, absolutely nc com- 
 munion with one another. 
 
 For how could a man, the son of Mary, in truth be called or 11 
 be God, the Son of the Highest, if his humanity were not per- 
 sonally uuited with the Son of God, and he thus had really, 
 i. e. in deed and truth, nothing in common with him, except 
 only the name of God? 
 
 1 Cf. Sol. Dec. viii. : 14, 15. 
 
 1 So Gregory of Nyssa, Basil, John Damascenus. Seo Catalogue of 
 Testimonies. 
 
518 rPIi: FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 7. Hence we believe, teach and confess that Mary conceived 12 
 and bore not a mere man, and no more, but the true Son of 
 God; therefore she is also rightly called and is the mother of 
 God. 
 
 8. Hence we also believe, teach and confess that it was not 13 
 a mere man who, for us, suffered, died, was buried, descended 
 to hell, arose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and was 
 raised to the majesty and almighty power of God, but a man 
 whose human nature has such a profound, ineffable union and 
 communion with the Son of God that it is [was made] one 
 person with him. 
 
 9. Therefore the Son of God truly suffered for us, neverthe- 14 
 less according to the property of the human nature, which he 
 assumed into the unity of his divine person, and made it his 
 own, so that he might suffer and be our high priest for our 
 reconciliation with God, as it is written (1 Cor. 2:8): "They 
 have crucified the Lord of glory." And (Acts 20 : 28) : " We 
 are purchased with God's blood." 
 
 10. Hence we believe, teach and confess that the Son of 15 
 man is really, that is, in deed and truth, exalted, according to 
 his human nature, to the right hand of the almighty majesty 
 and power of God, because he [that man] was assumed into 
 God when he was conceived of the Holy Ghost in his moth- 
 er's wornb, and his human nature was personally united with 
 the Son of the Highest. 
 
 11. This majesty, according to the personal union, he [Christ] 16 
 always had, and yet, in the state of his humiliation, he ab- 
 rAm stained from it, and, on this account, truly grew in all wis- 
 dom and favor with God and men ; l therefore he exercised 
 
 this majesty, not always, but when [as often as] it pleased him, 
 until, after his resurrection, he entirely laid aside the form of 
 a servant, and not the nature, and was established in the full 
 use, manifestation and declaration of the divine majesty, and 
 thus entered into his glory (Phil. 2 : 6 sqq.), so that now not 
 only as God, but also as man, he knows all things, can do all 
 things, is present with all creatures, and has, under his feet and 
 in his hands, everything that is in heaven, and on earth, and 
 under the eartK, as he himself testifies (Matt. 28 : 18 ; John 
 13 : 3) : "An power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." 
 And StTraul says (Eph. 4:10): " He ascended up far above 
 all heavens, that he might fill all things." Everywhere pres- 
 ent, he can exercise this his power, and to him everything is 
 possible and everything known. 
 
 12. Hence, being present, he also is able, and to him ii is 17 
 very easy, to impart his true body and blood in the Holy Sup- 
 
 1 See Luke 2 : 52. 
 
PartI. THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 519 
 
 per, cot according to the mode or property of the human na- 
 ture, but according to the mode and property of the right hand 
 rAn of God, as Dr. Luther says in our Christian Faith for 
 Children [according to the analogy of our Christian faith 
 comprised in his Catechism]; which presence [of Christ in the 
 Holy Supper] is not [physical or] earthly, or Capernaitic; 
 nevertheless it is true and substantial, as the words of his testa- 
 ment sound : " This is, is, is my body," etc. 
 
 By this our doctrine, faith and confession the person of i 
 Christ is not divided, as it was by Nestorius, who denied the 
 communicatio idiomatum, i. e. the true communion of the prop- 
 erties of both natures in Christ, and thus separated the person, 
 as Luther has explained in his book concerning the Councils. 
 Neither are the natures, together with their properties, con- 
 founded with one another [or mingled] into one essence, as 
 Eutyches erred ; neither is the human nature in the person of 
 Christ denied, or extinguished, nor is either creature changed 
 into the other ; l but Christ is and remains, for all eternity, God 
 and man in one undivided person, which, next to the Holy 
 Trinity, is the highest mystery, as the Apostle testifies (1 Tim. 
 3 : 16), upon which our only consolation, life and salvation de- 
 pend. 
 
 549 Negative. 
 
 Contrary False Doctrines concerning the Person of Christ. 
 
 Therefore we reject and condemn, as contrary to God's Word 19 
 and our simple [pure] Christian faith, all the following erro- 
 neous articles, when it is taught : 
 
 1. That God and man in Christ are not one person, but that 20 
 the one is the Son of God, and the other the Son of man, as 
 Nestor i us raved. 
 
 2. That the divine and human natures have been mingled 21 
 with one another into one essence, and the human nature lias 
 been changed into Deity, as Eutyches fanatically asserted. 
 
 3. That Christ is not true, natural and eternal God, as Arius 22 
 held [blasphemed]. 
 
 4. That Christ did not have a true human nature [consist- 23 
 iug] of body and soul, as Marcion imagined. 
 
 5. That the personal union renders only the names and titles 24 
 common. 2 
 
 6. That it is only a phrase and mode of speaking 3 when it 25 
 is said : God is man, man is God ; for that the divinity has 
 uothing in common with the humanity, as also the humanity 
 
 1 Error of Monophysites, Schwenkfeldians. See below, xii. : 29. 
 
 2 See above, \ 3. Cf. \ 26. 
 
 * Zwingli termed it allceosia. Cf. Sol. Dec., viii., \ 39 sqa. 
 
520 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 has nothing really, that is, in deed and truth, common with the 
 divinity [Deity]. 
 
 7. That the communication is only verbal when it is said : 2t 
 " The Son of God died for the sins of the world ;" " The Son 
 of man has become almighty ." 
 
 8. That 1 the human nature in Christ has become an infinite 27 
 essence in the same manner as the divinity, and from this, es- 
 sential power and property, imparted and effused upon the hu- 
 man nature, and separated from God, is everywhere present in 
 the same manner as the divine nature. 
 
 9. That the human nature has become equal to, and like the 28 
 divine nature, in its substance and essence, or in its essential 
 properties. 
 
 10. That the human nature of Christ is locally extended in 29 
 all places of heaven and earth, which should not be ascribed 
 even to the divine nature. 
 
 11. That, because of the property of his human nature, it is 30 
 impossible for Christ to be able to be at the same time in more 
 than one place, much less to be everywhere with his body. 2 
 
 12. That only the mere humanity has suffered for us and re- 31 
 deemed us, and that the Son of God in suffering had actually 
 no participation with the humanity, as though it did not pertain 
 to him. 3 
 
 13. That Christ is present with us on earth in the Word, 32 
 the sacraments and all our troubles, only according to his di- 
 vinity, and this presence does not at all pertain to his human 
 nature, according to which he has also nothing more whatever 
 to do with us even upon earth, since he redeemed us by his suf- 
 fering and death. 4 
 
 14. That the Son of God, who assumed human nature, since 33 
 he has laid aside the form of a servant does not perform all the 
 works of his omnipotence in, through and with his human na- 
 ture, but only some, and those too only in the place 5 where his 
 human nature is locally. 
 
 15. That, according to his human nature, he is not at all 34 
 capable 6 of omnipotence and other attributes of the divine na- 
 
 1 Charged by Bullinger, Beza, Peter Martyr against the Wittenberg 
 theologians/ Cf. Sol. Dec., viii., I 63. 
 
 1 " Let them no longer ascribe to the glorified body of Christ the prop 
 erty of being in many places at once." — Calvin's Institutes, iv. : 17, 29. 
 "The body of Christ, since its resurrection, is limited, and received intc 
 heaven till the last day."— lb. 26. 8 Cf. Sol. Dec, viii. : 40 sqq. 
 
 4 Calvin. Cf. Sol. Dec, viii. : 78 sqq. ; 87 sqq. 
 
 • I. e. in heaven. Cf. above, vii. : 32. Also note to vii. : 14. 
 
 ' Beza in Mompelgard Colloquy : " The finite is not capable or partici 
 pant of the infinite." 
 
Part! THE PEKSOX OF CHK1ST. 521 
 
 ture against the express declaration of Christ (Matt. 28 : 18) : 
 "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." And 
 [they contradict] St. Paul [who says] (Col. 2:9): " In him 
 dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." 
 
 16. That to him [to Christ according to his humanity] great 35 
 power is given in heaven and upon earth, namely, greater and 
 more than to all angels and other creatures, but that he has no 
 participation in the omnipotence of God, and that this also ha? 
 not been given him. Hence they devise an intermediate power, 
 that is, such power between the almighty power of God and the 
 power of other creatures, given to Christ, according to his hu- 
 manity, by the exaltation, as is less than God's almighty 
 power, and greater than that of other creatures. 1 
 rrn 17. That Christ, according to his human spirit, has a 36 
 
 certain limit as to how much he should know, and that he 
 knows no more than is becoming and needful for him to know 
 for [the execution of] his office as judge. 
 
 18. That not even yet does Christ have a perfect knowledge 37 
 of God and all his works ; of whom, nevertheless, it is written 
 (Col. 2:3): " In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and 
 knowledge." 
 
 19. That it is impossible for Christ, according to his human 38 
 mind, to know what has been from eternity, what at the pres- 
 ent time is everywhere occurring, and will be yet to [all] 
 eternity. 
 
 20. When it is taught, and the passage (Matt. 28 : 18) : "All 39 
 power is given unto me," etc., is thus interpreted and blas- 
 phemously perverted, viz. that to Christ according to the divine 
 nature, at the resurrection and his ascension to heaven,' was re- 
 stored, i. e. delivered again all power in heaven and on earth ; 
 as though, in his state of humiliation, he had also, according to 
 his divinity, 2 divested himself of this and abandoned it. By 
 this doctrine, not only are the words of the testament of Christ 
 perverted, but also the way is prepared for the accursed Arian 
 heresy, so that finally the eternal divinity of Christ is denied, 
 and thus Christ, and with him our salvation, are entirely lost 
 where this false doctrine is not [constantly] contradicted from 
 the firm foundation of God's Word and our simple Christian 
 [Catholic] faith. 
 
 1 Cf. Sol. Dec, viii. : 54, 55. Errora 16-19 were held by some of the 
 Calvinists. 
 
 1 The Crypto-Calvinists taught that Christ was exalted according to 
 both natures. 
 66 
 
622 THE FOKMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 Of the Descent of Christ to Hell. 
 STATEMENT OF THE CONTROVERSY. 
 CJiief Controversy concerning this Article. 
 
 There has also been a controversy among some theologians, i 
 who have subscribed to the Augsburg Confession concerning 
 the following article : When, and in what manner, the Lord 
 Christ, according to our simple Christian faith, descended to 
 hell, whether this was done before or after his death? Also, 
 whether it occurred according to the soul alone, or according to 
 the divinity alone, or in body and soul, spiritually or bodily? 
 Also, whether this article belongs to the passion or to the 
 glorious victory and triumph of Christ? 
 
 But since this article, as also the preceding, cannot be com- 2 
 prehended by the senses or by the reason, but must be grasped 
 alone by faith, it is our unanimous advice that there should be 
 no disputation concerning it, but that it should be believed 
 and taught only in the simplest manner; according as Dr. Lu- 
 ther of blessed memory, in his sermon at Torgau in the year 
 1533, 1 has, in a very Christian manner, explained this article, 
 separated from it all useless, unnecessary questions, and ad- 
 monished all godly Christians to Christian simplicity of 
 faith. 
 
 For it is sufficient that we know that Christ descended to 3 
 hell, destroyed hell for all believers, and delivered them from 
 the power of death and of the devil, from eternal condemna- 
 tion [and even] from the jaws of hell. But how this occurred, 
 we should [not curiously investigate, but] reserve until the 
 other world, where not only this point [mystery], but also still 
 others, will be revealed which we here simply believe, and can- 
 not comprehend with our blind reason. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Of Church Kites which are [commonly] called Adia- 
 \ phora or Matters of Indifference. 
 
 Concerning ceremonies or church rites which are neither 1 
 commanded\ nor forbidden in God's Word, but have been in- 
 
 Parai/lel Passages. — (Ecumenical Creeds ; Augsburg Confession, iii. ; 
 Small Catechism, 357; Large Catechism, 452 sqq. ; Formula of Concord, 
 Sol, Dec, ix. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, xv., xxvi. ; Apology, vii. :3( 
 sqq. ; xv. ; Smalcald Articles, Part III., Art. xv. ; Formula of Concord, Sol 
 Dec, x. 
 
 1 Erlangen Edition, 20 : 165 sqq. 
 
Part I. ecclesiastical cekemonies. 523 
 
 trod need into the Church for the sake of good order and pro- 
 priety, a dissension has also occurred among the theologians of 
 the Augsburg Confession. 
 
 Statement of the Controversy. 
 
 The chief question has been, whether, in time of persecution 2 
 and in case of confession, even if the enemies of the Gospel do 
 not agree with us in doctrine, yet some abrogated ceremonies, 
 which in themselves are matters of indifference and ai-e neither 
 commanded nor forbidden by God, may without violence to con- 
 science be re-established in compliance with the pressure and de- 
 rrn mand of the adversaries, and thus in such ceremonies and 
 adiaphora we may [rightly] have conformity with them? 
 The one side 1 says, Yea ; the other 2 says, Nay, thereto. 
 
 Affirmative. 
 The Pure and True Doctrine and Confession concerning this Artidt. 
 
 1. For settling also this controversy we unanimously believe, 3 
 teach and confess that the ceremonies or church rites which are 
 neither commanded nor forbidden in God's Word, but have 
 been instituted alone for the sake of propriety and good order, 
 are in and of themselves no service, nor are even a part of the 
 service of God. Matt. 15:9: "In vain they do worship me, 
 teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." 
 
 2. We believe, teach and confess that the Church of God of 4 
 every place and every time has the power, according to its 
 circumstances, to change such ceremonies, in such manner as 
 may be most useful and edifying to the Church of God. 
 
 3. Nevertheless, that herein all inconsiderateness and offence 5 
 should be avoided, and especial care should be taken to exercise 
 forbearance to the weak in faith (1 Cor. 8:9; Rom. 14 : 13). 
 
 4. We believe, teach and confess that in time of persecution, 6 
 when a bold [and steadfast] confession is required of us, we 
 should not yield to the enemies in regard to such adiaphora, as 
 the apostle has written (Gal. 5:1): "Stand fast, therefore, in 
 the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not en- 
 tangled again in the yoke of bondage." Also (2 Cor. 6 : 14) : 
 "Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers," etc. 
 
 " For what concord hath light with darkness ?" Also (Gal. 
 2:5): " To whom we gave place, no, not for an hour, that the 
 truth of the Gospel might remain with you." For in such a 
 
 1 The authors of the Leipsic Formula : Melanchthon, Paul Eber (f 1569), 
 Bugenhagen (f 1558), George Major (f 1574), John Pfeffinger (f 1573). 
 
 1 Especially Flacius, Nicol. Gallus (f 1570), John Wigand (f 1587), 
 imsdorf, Joach. Westphal (f 1574). 
 
524 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 case it is no longer a question concerning adiaphora, but con- 
 cerning the trutli of the Gospel, concerning [preserving] Chris- 
 tian liberty, and concerning sanctioning open idolatry, as also 
 concerning the prevention of offence to the weak in the faith 
 [how care should be taken lest idolatry be openly sanctioned 
 and the weak in faith be offended]; in which we have nothing 
 to concede, but should boldly confess and suffer what God sends, 
 and what he allows the enemies of his "Word to inflict upon us. 
 rrq 5. We believe, teach and confess also that no Church j 
 
 should condemn another because one has less or more ex- 
 ternal ceremonies not commanded by God than the other, if 
 otherwise there is agreement among them in doctrine and all its 
 articles, as also in the right use of the holy sacraments, accord- 
 ing to the well-known saying : " Disagreement in fasting does 
 not destroy agreement in faith." 1 
 
 Negative. 
 
 False Doctrines concerning this Article. 
 
 Therefore we reject and condemn as wrong, and contrary to 8 
 God's Word, when it is taught : 
 
 1. That human ordinances and institutions should be re- 9 
 garded in the churches as in themselves a service or part of the 
 service of God. 2 
 
 2. When such ceremonies, ordinances and institutions are ic 
 violently forced upon the Church of God, contrary to the 
 
 Christian liberty which it has in external things. 3 
 
 3. Also, that in the time of persecution 4 and public confes- 11 
 sion [when a clear confession is required] we may comply with 
 the enemies of the Gospel in the observance of such adiaphora 
 and ceremonies, or may come to an agreement with them, — 
 which causes injury to the truth. 5 
 
 4. Also, when these external ceremonies and adiaphora are 12 
 abrogated in such a manner as though it were not free to the 
 Church of God to employ one or more 6 [this or that] in Chris- 
 tian liberty, according to its circumstances, as may be most use- 
 ful at an}\ time to the Church [for edification]. 
 
 1 Irenseus In Ep. to Victor, Bishop of Rome, in Eusebius's Church His- 
 tor*, v. : 24. Cf. Augsburg Confession, xxvi. : 44. 
 
 2 Opinion of the Papists. See Confutation, I., Art. xv ; II., Art. v. 
 Cf. Apology, xv. : 40. s Cf. Apology, xv. : 37. 
 
 4 As when the Augsburg Interim was introduced by force. 
 
 5 See extracts from Leipsic Interim, Walch's Introduction, p. 865 ; 01 
 text of Interim, Gieseler's Church History, iv. : 201-203. 
 
 6 Sol. Dec, x. : 30. An error of the Papists, who affirmed that in eccle- 
 siastical rites nothing ought to be changed without the consent of the 
 Pope, Cf. Council of Trent, Sess. xxv., p. 85 (Tauchn. Ed.) 
 
PabtL ETERNAL PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION. 525 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Of God's Eternal Foreknowledge [Predestination] anl 
 
 Election. 
 
 Concerning this article no public dissension has occurred i 
 among the theologians of the Augsburg Confession. 1 But since 
 it is a consolatory article, if treated properly, and by this mean? 
 r r* the introduction in the future of a controversy likely tc 
 cause offence may be avoided, it is also explained in this 
 writing. 
 
 Affirmative. 
 
 The Pure and True Doctrine concerning this Article, 
 
 1. First of all, the distinction between foreknowledge and 2 
 predestination, that is, between God's foreknowledge and his 
 eternal election, ou°;ht to be accuratelv observed. 
 
 2. For the foreknowledge of God is nothing else than that 3 
 God knows all things before they happen, as it is written (Dan. 
 2 : 28) : " There is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets and 
 maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in 
 the latter days." 
 
 3. This foreknowledge is occupied alike with the godly and 4 
 the wicked ; but it is not the cause of evil or of sin, so that 
 men do what is wrong (which originally arises from the devil 
 and the wicked, perverse will of man) ; nor the cause of their 
 ruin [that men perish], for which they themselves are responsi- 
 ble [which they ought to ascribe to themselves] ; but only reg- 
 ulates it, and fixes to it a limit [how far it should progress and] 
 how long it should last, and that everything, notwithstanding 
 that in itself it is evil, should serve his elect for their salva- 
 tion. 
 
 4. The predestination or eternal election of God, however, 5 
 is occupied only with the godly, beloved children of God, and 
 this is a cause of their salvation, which he also provides as well 
 as disposes what belongs thereto. Upon this [predestination 
 of God] our salvation is founded so firmly that the gates of 
 hell cannot overcome it (John 10 : 28 ; Matt. 16 : 18). 
 
 5. This is not to be investigated in the secret counsel of 6 
 God, but to be sought in the Word of God, where it is also 
 revealed. 
 
 6. But the Word of God leads us to Christ, who is the Book 7 
 of Life, 2 in whom all are written and elected that are to be 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Formula of ConcoM, xi. 
 
 1 But between them and the Reformed. A controversy on this subject 
 arose at Strasburg in 1561 between Jerome Zanchi and John Marbach. 
 ■ Phil. 4:3; Hev. 17 : & 
 
K26 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 3uved, as it is written (Eph. 1:4): "He hath cnosen us in 
 him" [Christ] "before the foundation of the world." 
 
 7. Thus Christ calls to himself all sinners, and promises 8 
 them rest, and he is anxious that all men should come to him 
 rrr and permit him to help them. To them he offers himself 
 
 in his Word, and wishes them to hear it, and not to stop 
 their ears or [neglect and] despise the Word. He promises 
 besides the power and efficiency of the Holy Ghost, and di- 
 vine assistance for perseverance and eternal salvation [that we 
 may remain steadfast in the faith and attain eternal salvation]. 
 
 8. Therefore we should judge concerning this our election to 9 
 eternal life neither from reason nor from the Law of God, 
 which would lead either into a dissipated, dissolute epicurean 
 life, or into despair, and would excite in the heart of men per- 
 nicious thoughts (and such thoughts cannot be effectually 
 guarded against as long as they follow their own reason), so 
 that they think to themselves : " If God has elected me to salva- 
 tion, I cannot be condemned, although I do whatever I will." 
 And again : " If I am not elected to eternal life, it matters not 
 what good I do ; for my efforts are nevertheless all in vain." 
 
 9. But the true judgment concerning predestination must be ic 
 learned alone from the Holy Gospel concerning Christ, in 
 which it is clearly testified that " God hath concluded them all 
 in unbelief, that he might have merey upon all," and that " he 
 
 is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come 
 to repentance " (Rom. 11 : 32 ; Ez. 18 : 23 ; 33 : 11 ; 2 Pet. 3 : 
 9 ; 1 John 2 : 2). 
 
 10. To him, therefore, who is really concerned about the re- 11 
 vealed will of God, and proceeds according to the order which 
 St. Paul has observed in the Epistle to the Romans, who first 
 directs men to repentance, knowledge of sins, to faith in Christ, 
 to divine obedience, before he speaks of the mystery of the 
 eternal election of God, this doctrine [concerning God's pre- 
 destination] is useful and consolatory. 
 
 11. That, however, "many are called, few are chosen," does 12 
 not mean\that God is unwilling that all should be saved, but 
 the reason\ is that they either do not at all hear God's Word, 
 but wilfully despise it, close their ears and harden their hearts, 
 and in this manner foreclose the ordinary way to the Holy 
 Ghost, so that he cannot effect his work in them, or, when it is 
 heard, they consider it of no account, and do not heed it. For 
 this [that they perish] not God or his election, but their wick- 
 edness, is responsible (2 Pet. 2 : 1 sqq. ; Luke 11 : 49, 52 ; Heb. 
 12 : 25 sq.). 
 
 — « 12. Moreover, a Christian should apply himself [in med- 13 
 
 itation] to the article concerning the eternal election of God, 
 bo far as it has been revealed in God's Word, which presents 
 
Tart I. ETEKSAL PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION. W 
 
 Christ to us as the Book of Life, which, by the preaching of 
 the holy Gospel, he opens and spreads out to us, as it is writ- 
 ten (Rorn. 8 : 30) : " Whom he did predestinate, them he also 
 called." In him, therefore, we should seek the eternal election 
 of the Father, who, in his eternal divine counsel, determined 
 that he would save no one except those who acknowledge his 
 Son, Christ, and truly believe on him. Other thoughts are to 
 he entirely banished [from the minds of the godly], as they 
 proceed not from God, but from the suggestion of Satan, where- 
 by he attempts to weaken or to entirely remove from us th^ 
 glorious consolation which we have in this salutary doctrine, 
 viz. that we know [assuredly] that out of pure grace, with- 
 out any merit of our own, we have been elected in Christ to 
 eternal life, and that no one can pluck us out of his hand ; as 
 he has promised this gracious election not only with mere words, 
 but has also certified it with an oath, and sealed it with the holy 
 sacraments, which we can [ought to] call to mind in our most 
 severe temptations, and from them comfort ourselves, and there- 
 by quench the fiery darts of the devil. 
 
 13. Besides, we should endeavor with the greatest pains to 14 
 live according to the will of God, and, as St. Peter admonishes 
 (2 Ep. 1 : 10), "make our calling sure," and especially adhere 
 to [not recede a finger's breadth from] the revealed Word, that 
 can and will not fail us. 
 
 14. By this brief explanation of the eternal election of God [5 
 his glory is entirely and fully given to God, that alone, out of 
 pure mercy, without all merit of ours, he saves us, according to 
 the purpose of his will ; besides, also, no cause is given any one 
 for despondency or an abandoned, dissolute life [no opportunity 
 
 is afforded either for those more severe agitations of mind and 
 faintheartedness or for epicureanism]. 
 
 Antithesis or Negative. 
 False Doctrine concerning this Article. 
 
 Therefore we believe and hold: When the doctrine concern- 16 
 ing the gracious election of God to eternal life is so presented 
 Jiat troubled Christians cannot comfort themselves therewith, 
 j.r 7 but thereby despondency or despair is occasioned, or the 
 impenitent are strengthened in their wantonness, that such 
 doctrine is treated [wickedly and erroneously] not according to 
 the Word and will of God, but according to reason and the in- 
 stigation of Satan. "For," as the apostle testifies (Rom. 15 : 4), 
 "whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our 
 learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scrip- 
 tures, might have hope." Therefore we reject the following 
 errors : 
 
528 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 1. As when it is taught that God is unwilling that all men 17 
 repent and believe the Gospel. 
 
 2. Also, that when God calls us to himself he is not in earn- 18 
 est that all men should come to him. 2 
 
 3. Also, that God does not wish every one to be saved, but, 19 
 without regard to their sins, alone from the counsel, purpose 
 and will of God, some are appointed to condemnation, so that 
 
 hey cannot be saved. 3 
 
 4. Also, that not only the mercy of God and the most holy :o 
 aerit of Christ, but also in us is a cause of God's election, on 
 
 account of which God has elected us to everlasting life. 4 
 
 All these erroneous doctrines are blasphemous and dreadful, 21 
 whereby there is removed from Christians all the comfort which 
 they have in the holy Gospel and the use of the holy sacra- 
 ments, and therefore should not be tolerated in the Church of 
 God. 
 
 This is a brief and simple explanation of the controverted 22 
 articles, which for a time have been discussed and taught with 
 conflicting opinions among the theologians of the Augsburg 
 Confession. Hence every simple Christian, according to the 
 guidance of God's AVord and his simple Catechism, can dis- 
 tinguish w r hat is right or wrong, where not only the pure 
 doctrine is stated, but also the erroneous contrary doctrine is 
 repudiated and rejected, and thus the controversies, full of 
 causes of offence, that have occurred, are thoroughly settled and 
 decided. 
 
 May Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, grant the 23 
 grace of his Holy Ghost, that we all may be one in him, and 
 constantly abide in this Christian unity, which is well pleasing 
 to him ! Amen. 
 
 1 For defence of this error see Calvin's Institutes, iii. : xxi. sqq. 
 
 1 Cf. Calvin's Institutes, iii. : xxiv. 
 
 • " They are abandoned to this depravity, because they have been raised 
 up by a just but inscrutable judgment of God to display his glory in 
 heir condemnation." — Calvin's Institutes, xxiv. : 14. 
 
 4 Charged! by the Calvinists against the Lutherans; more justly attributed to 
 Arrninians. Cf. above, $ 13. Faith can never be a cause " on account of which?' 
 God elects, ^ince it is never a cause "on account of which," we are justified. 
 See the propter Christum per Jidem of Art. IV. of the Augsburg Confession. ( f. 
 above, § 13. 
 
Part I. othek hekesies and sects. 529 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 558 Of Other Factions [Heresies] and Sects, which 
 
 never Embraced the Augsburg Confession. 
 
 In order that such [heresies and sects] may not silently be i 
 ascribed to us, because, in the preceding explanation, no men- 
 tion of them has been made, we wish at the end [of this writ- 
 ing] simply to enumerate the mere articles wherein they [the 
 heretics of our time] err and teach what is contrary to our 
 Christian faith and confession above presented. 
 
 Erroneous Articles of the Anabaptists. 
 
 The Anabaptists are divided into many sects, 1 as one con- 2 
 tends for more, another for less error ; nevertheless, they all in 
 common propound [profess] such doctrine as is neither to be 
 tolerated nor allowed in the Church, the commonwealth and 
 worldly government or domestic life. 
 
 Articles that cannot be tolerated in the Church. 
 
 1. That Christ did not assume his body and blood of the 3 
 Virgin Mary, but brought them with him from heaven. 2 
 
 2. That Christ is not true God, but only [is superior to other 4 
 saints, because he] has more gifts of the Holy Ghost than any 
 other holy man. 3 
 
 3. That our righteousness before God consists not only in 5 
 the sole merit of Christ, but in renewal, and thus in our own 
 godliness [uprightness] in which we walk. 4 This is based in 
 great part upon one's own special, self-chosen [and humanly- 
 devised] spirituality [holiness], and in fact is nothing else than 
 a new sort of monkery. 
 
 4. That 5 children who are not baptized are not sinners be- 6 
 fore God, but righteous and innocent, who, in their innocency, 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Sol. Dec. xii. Cf. Augsburg Confession, i. : 5, 6 
 v. 4 ; ix. : 3 ; xii. : 7 sqq. ; xiv. ; xvi. : 3; xvii. : 2, 3 ; Apology, ix., xvi. ; Sinai 
 cald Articles, Part III., Art. viii. : 3 sqq. ; Large Catechism, 492, \ 47 sqq. 
 Formula of Concord, Ep. ii. : 13. 
 
 1 Among those of the sixteenth century were the Miinzerites, Miinster- 
 ites, Hoffmanites, Mennonites. 
 
 1 In order to avoid the taint of Adam. Melchior Hoffman and Simon 
 Menno taught thus. 
 
 • This error is referred to Ludwig Hetzer, David George or Joris, and 
 Trechsel. 
 
 4 Mttnzer, Hoffman and others insisted upon good works for justifies 
 tion. * Errors 4-6 held by Anabaptists generally. 
 
 67 
 
510 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 because they have not yet attained their reason [the use of rea- 
 son], will be saved without baptism (which, according to their 
 assertion, they do not need). Therefore they reject the entire 
 doctrine concerning original sin, and what belongs to it. 
 rrq 5. That children should not be baptized until they have 
 attained their reason [the use of reason], and can them- 
 selves confess their faith. 
 
 6. That the children of Christians, because they have been 8 
 born of Christian and believing parents, are holy and the chil- 
 Iren of God, even without and before baptism. For this rea- 
 son also they neither attach much importance to the baptism 
 of children, nor encourage it, contrary to the express words of 
 God's promise, which pertains only to those who keep God's 
 covenant and do not despise it (Gen. 17 : 7 sqq.). 
 
 7. That 1 that is no true Christian congregation [church]- *» 
 wherein sinners are still found. 
 
 8. That no sermon should be heard or attended in those ic 
 churches in which the Papal masses have previously been ob- 
 served and said. 
 
 9. That no one [godly man] should have anything to don 
 with those ministers of the Church who preach the Gospel ac- 
 cording to the Augsburg Confession, and censure the sermons 
 and errors of the Anabaptists ; also, that no one should serve or 
 in any way labor for them, but should flee from and shun them 
 as perverters of God's Word. 
 
 Articles that cannot be tolerated in the Government 
 
 1. That, 2 under the New Testament, the magistracy is not an 12 
 estate pleasing to God. 
 
 2. That a Christian cannot, with a good, inviolate conscience, 13 
 hold or exercise the office of magistrate. 
 
 3. That a Christian cannot, without injury to conscience, use 14 
 the office of the magistracy against the wicked in matters as 
 they occur [matters so requiring], nor may subjects invoke for 
 their protection and screening the power which the magistrates 
 possessland have received from God. 
 
 4. That a Christian cannot, with a good conscience, take an 1 5 
 oath, neither can he by an oath do homage [promise fidelity] to 
 his prince or sovereign. 
 
 5. That, under the New Testament, magistrates cannot, with- 16 
 out injury to conscience, inflict capital punishment upon trans- 
 gressors. 
 
 1 In errors 7-9 the Anabaptists have followed the Donatists. 
 ■ Errors 1-4. See Confession of Mennonites, 37, 38 ; Gieseler's Church 
 History, iv. : 374. 
 
Part I. OTHER HERESIES AND SECTS. 531 
 
 Articles that cannot be tolerated in Domestic Life. 
 
 1. That a Christian cannot [with an inviolate conscience] 17 
 nold or possess property, but is in duty bound to devote it to 
 the church. 
 
 2. That a Christian cannot, with a good conscience, be a 18 
 landlord, merchant, or cutler [maker of arms]. 1 
 
 3. That on account of diverse faith married persons may be 19 
 divorced and abandon one another, and be married to another 
 person of the same faith. 2 
 
 Erroneous Articles of the Schwenckfeldians. 
 
 1. That all who regard Christ according to the flesh as a 2c 
 creature have no true knowledge of Christ as reigning King 
 of heaven. 
 
 2. That, by his exaltation, the flesh of Christ has so assumed 21 
 all divine properties that Christ as man is in might, power, 
 majesty and glory equal to the Father and to the Word, every- 
 where as to degree and condition of essence, so that now there 
 
 is only one essence, property, will and glory of both natures in 
 Christ, and that the flesh of Christ belongs to the essence of the 
 Holy Trinity. 
 
 3. That the Church service [ministry of the Word], the 22 
 Word preached and heard, is not a means whereby God the 
 Holy Ghost teaches men, and works in them saving knowledge 
 of Christ, conversion, repentance, faith and new obedience. 
 
 4. That the water of baptism is not a means whereby God 23 
 the Lord seals adoption and works regeneration. 
 
 5. That bread and wine in the Holy Supper are not means 24 
 through and by which Christ distributes his body and blood. 
 
 6. That a Christian who is truly regenerated by God's 25 
 Spirit can, in this life, observe and fulfil the Law of God 
 perfectly. 
 
 7. That there is no true Christian congregation [church] 26 
 where no public excommunication [and some formal mode of 
 excommunication] or no regular process of the ban [as it is 
 commonly called] is observed. 
 
 p. fi , 8. That the minister of the church who is not on his 27 
 
 part truly renewed, regenerate, righteous and godly cannot 
 teach other men with profit or distribute true sacraments. 
 
 Error of the New Arians. 
 That Christ is not true, essential, natural God, of one eternal, 28 
 
 1 For they thought that these occupations conflicted with mutual love. 
 Of. U 16, 17. 
 
 1 Confession of Mennonites, 39. The Mllnsterites defended polygamy. 
 
632 THE FORMULA OF COS CORD. 
 
 divine essence with God the Father and the Holy Ghost, but is 
 only adorned with divine majesty beneath and beside God the 
 Father [is so adorned with divine majesty, with the Father, that 
 he is inferior to the Father]. 
 
 Error of the Anti-Trinitarians. 
 
 This is an entirely new sect, not heard of before in Christen- 29 
 dom, composed of those who believe, teach and confess that 
 there is not only one, eternal, divine essence of the Father, Son 
 and Holy Ghost, but as God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost 
 are three distinct persons, so each person has its essence distinct 
 and separate from the other persons of the Godhead ; and never- 
 theless [some of them think] that all three, just as in another 
 respect three men distinct and separate from one another are of 
 equal power, wisdom, majesty and glory, or [others think that 
 these three persons and essences] are unequal with one another 
 in essence and properties, so that the Father alone is properly 
 and truly God. 
 
 These and like errors, one and all, with whatever other errors 3 
 depend upon and follow from them, we reject and condemn as 
 wrong, false, heretical, contrary to the Word of God, the three 
 Creeds, the Augsburg Confession and Apology, the Smalcald 
 Articles and Luther's Catechisms, against which all godly 
 Christians, of both high and low station, should be on their 
 guard as they love the welfare and salvation of their souls. 
 
 That this is the doctrine, faith and confession of us all, for 31 
 which we will answer, at the last day, before the just Judge, 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, and that against this we will neither 
 secretly nor publicly speak or write, but that we intend, by the 
 grace of God, to persevere therein, we have, after mature delib- 
 eration, testified, in the true fear of God and invocation of his 
 name, by signing with our own hands this Epitome. 
 
 Bergen May 29th, 1577. 
 
563 PART SECOND. 
 
 SOLID, PL.iIN AND CLEAR REPETITION ANL 
 
 DECLARATION 
 
 Of Certain Articles of the Augsburg Confession, con- 
 cerning WHICH, FOR SOME TIME, THERE HAS BEEN CON- 
 troversy among some theologians who subscribe 
 thereto, Stated and Settled according to the An- 
 alogy of God's Word and the Summary Contents op 
 our Christian Doctrine. 
 
 565 PREFACE. 
 
 By the inestimable goodness and mercy of the Almighty, the i 
 doctrine concerning the chief articles of our Christian religion, 
 which under the Papacy was horribly obscured by human opin- 
 ions and traditions, has been again explained and corrected, in 
 accordance with God's Word, by Dr. Martin Luther of holy 
 and blessed memory, and the Papistic errors, abuses and idol- 
 atry have been rebuked. This pure reformation, however, has 2 
 been regarded by its opponents as introducing new doctrine ; it 
 has been violently and falsely charged with being directly con- 
 trary to God's Word and Christian ordinances, and has to bear 
 the burden of numberless other calumnies and accusations. On 3 
 this account the electors, princes and estates that have embraced 
 the pure doctrine of the Holy Gospel, and have reformed their 
 churches in a Christian manner according to God's Word, at the 
 great Diet of Augsburg in the year 1530 had a Christian Con- 
 fession prepared from God's Word, which they delivered to the 
 Emperor Charles V. In this they clearly and plainly made a 
 Christian Confession as to what was held and taught in the 
 Christian evangelical churches concerning the chief articles, 
 and those especially in controversy between them and the Pa- 
 pists. This Confession was received by their opponents with 
 disfavor, but, thank God, remains to this day without refuta- 
 tion or invalidation. From our inmost hearts we herewith once 4 
 again confess this Christian Augsburg Confession, which is so 
 thoroughly grounded in God's Word. We abide by the sim- 
 ple, clear and plain meaning of the same that its words convey, 
 and regard it in all respects as a Christian symbol, which at the 
 
 633 
 
534 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 present time true Christians should receive next to God's Word ; 
 rnn just as in former times, when great controversies arose in 
 the Church of God, symbols and confessions were composed, 
 which pure teachers and hearers confessed with heart and mouth. 
 We intend also, by the grace of the Almighty, to faithfully abide 5 
 until our end by this Christian Confession, as it was delivered 
 in the year 1530 to the Emperor Charles V. ; and it is our 
 purpose, neither in this nor in any other writing, to recede in 
 the least from that Confession or to compose another or new 
 confession. 
 
 Although the Christian doctrine of this Confession has, in t 
 great part, remained unchallenged, save among the Papists, yet 
 it cannot be denied that some theologians have departed from 
 some of its principal and most important articles, and that they 
 either have not learned the true meaning of these articles, or 
 h*we not continued steadfastly therein, but that some have even 
 undertaken to attach to it an extraneous meaning, while at the 
 same time professing to adhere to the Augsburg Confession, and 
 availing themselves of this boast as a pretext. From this, 7 
 grievous and injurious dissensions have arisen in the pure evan- 
 gelical churches; just as during the lives of the holy apostles, 
 among those who wished to be called Christians and boasted 
 of Christ's doctrine, horrible error arose. For some sought to 
 be justified and saved by the Law (Acts 15 : 1-29) ; others de- 
 nied the resurrection of the dead (1 Cor. 15:12); and still 
 others did not believe that Christ was true and eternal God. 
 There the holy apostles in their sermons and writings earnestly 
 opposed, although such pernicious errors and severe controversy 
 could not occur without offence, both to believers and to those 
 weak in the faith ; just as at present our opponents, the Papists, 
 rejoice at the dissensions among us, in the unchristian and vain 
 hope that these discords will finally cause the suppression of 
 the pure doctrine. Because of them, those that are weak in 8 
 faith are also greatly offended, and some doubt whether, amid 
 such dissensions, the pure doctrine be with us, while others know 
 not with whom to side with respect to the articles in contro- 
 versy. For these controversies are not mere misunderstandings 9 
 or disputes concerning words, as are apt to occur where one side 
 has not sufficiently understood the meaning of the other, and 
 P- fi7 thus the dispute is confined to a few words, whereon 
 nothing of much moment depends. But here the sub- 
 jects of controversy are great and important, and of such a 
 nature that the opinion of the party in error cannot be tolerated 
 in the Church of God, much less be excused or defended. 
 
 Necessity, therefore, requires us to explain these controverted ic 
 articles according to God's Word and approved writings; so 
 that every one who has Christian understanding can notice what 
 
Part II. COMPREHENSIVE SUMMARY. 635 
 
 opinion concerning the matters in controversy accords with 
 God's Word, and what disagrees therewith. Thus the errors 
 and corruptions that have arisen may be shunned and avoided 
 by sincere Christians who prize the truth aright. 
 
 668 Of the Comprehensive Summary, Foundation, Rulk 
 and Standard whereby, according to God's Word, all 
 Dogmas should be Judged, and the Controversies that 
 have occurred should, in a christian manner, be ex- 
 plained and decided. 
 
 Because, for thorough, permanent unity in the Church, it is 1 
 before all things necessary that we have a comprehensive, unan- 
 imously approved summary and form, wherein are brought to- 
 gether from God's Word the common doctrines, reduced to a 
 brief compass, which the churches that are of the true Chris- 
 tian religion acknowledge as confessional (just as the ancient 
 Church always had for this use its fixed symbols); and this 2 
 authority should not be attached to private writings, but to such 
 books as have been composed, approved and received in the 
 name of the churches which confessionally bind themselves to 
 one doctrine and religion ; we have declared to one another, 
 with heart and mouth, that we will neither make nor receive 
 any separate or new 1 confession of our faith, but acknowledge 
 as confessional the public common writings which always and 
 everywhere were received in all the churches of the Augsburg 
 Confession, as such symbols or public confessions, before the 
 dissensions arose among those who accept the Augsburg Con- 
 fession, and as long as, in all articles, there was, on all sides, a 
 unanimous adherence to, and maintenance and use of, the pure 
 doctrine of God's Word, as the late Dr. Luther explained it. 
 rgQ 1. First, we receive and embrace the Prophetic and 3 
 
 Apostolic Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as 
 the pure, clear fountains of Israel, which are the only true 
 standard whereby to judge all teachers and doctrines. 
 
 2. And because, of old, the true Christian doctrine, in a 4 
 pure, sound sense, was collected from God's Word into brief 
 articles or sections against the corruption of heretics, we ac- 
 cept as confessional the three (Ecumenical Creeds, namely, 
 the Apostles', the Nicene and the Athanasian, as glorious con- 
 fessions of the faith, brief, devout and founded upon God's 
 Word, wherein all the heresies which at that time had arisen 
 in the Christian Church are clearly and unanswerably refuted. 
 
 3. Thirdly, Because, in these last times, God, out of especial 5 
 
 1 Cf I 20. 
 
536 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 grace, from the darkness of the Papacy has brought his truth 
 again to light, through the faithful service of the precious man 
 of God, Dr. Luther, and against the corruptions of the Papacy 
 and also of other sects has collected the same doctrine, from and 
 according to God's Word, into the articles and sections of the 
 Augsburg Confession ; we confessionally accept also the first 
 unaltered Augsburg Confession (not because it was composed 
 by our theologians, but because it has been derived from God's 
 Word, and is founded firmly and well therein, precisely in the 
 form in which it was committed to writing in the year 1530, 
 and presented to the Emperor Charles V. by some electors, 
 princes and deputies of the Roman Empire as a common con- 
 fession of the reformed churches at Augsburg) as the symbol 
 of our time, whereby our Reformed churches are distinguished 
 from the Papists and other repudiated and condemned sects 
 and heresies, after the custom and usage of the early Church, 
 whereby succeeding councils, Christian bishops and teachers 
 appealed to the Nicene Creed, and confessed it [publicly de- 
 clared that they embraced it]. 
 
 4. Fourthly, in order that the proper and true sense of the 6 
 often-quoted Augsburg Confession might be more fully set 
 forth and guarded against the Papists, and that under the 
 name of the Augsburg Confession condemned errors might 
 not steal into the Church of God after the Confession was de- 
 r 7n livered, a fuller Apology was composed, and published in 
 
 the year 1531. We unanimously accept this also as con- 
 fessional, because in it the said Augsburg Confession is not only 
 sufficiently elucidated and guarded, but also confirmed by clear, 
 irrefutable testimonies of Holy Scripture. 
 
 5. Fifthly, the Articles composed, approved and received at 7 
 Smalcald in the large assembly of theologians in the year 1537 
 we confessionally accept, in the form in which they were first 
 framed and printed in order to be delivered in the council at 
 Mantua, or wherever it would be held, in the name of the 
 electors, princes and deputies, as an explanation of the above- 
 mentioned Augsburg Confession, wherein by God's grace they 
 determined to abide. In them the doctrine of the Augsburg 
 Confession is repeated, and some articles are stated at greater 
 length from God's Word, and besides the cause and foundation 
 why we have abandoned the papistical errors and idolatries, 
 and can have no fellowship with them, and also why we havt; 
 not determined or even thought of coming to any agreement 
 with the Pope concerning them, are sufficiently indicated. 
 
 6. Lastly, because these highly important matters belong also 8 
 to the common people and laity, who, for their salvation, must 
 distinguish between pure and false doctrine, we accept as con- 
 fessional also t-be Large and the Small Catechisms of Dr. Lu- 
 
Part II. COMPREHENSIVE SUMMARY. 537 
 
 ther, 1 as they were written by him and incorporated in his 
 works, because they have been unanimously approved and re- 
 ceived by all churches adhering to the Augsburg Confession, 
 and publicly used in churches, schools and [privately in] fam- 
 ilies, and because also in them the Christian doctrine from 
 God's Word is comprised in the most correct and simple way, 
 and, in like manner, is sufficiently explained for simple laymen. 
 
 These public common writings have been always regarded in 9 
 the pure churches and schools as the sum and type of the doc- 
 trine which the late Dr. Luther has admirably deduced against 
 the Papacy and other sects from God's Word, and firmly estab- 
 lished; to whose full explanations in his doctrinal and polem- 
 ical writings we appeal in the manner and to the extent indi- 
 cated by Dr. Luther himself in the necessary and Christian 
 admonition concerning his writings, made in the Latin preface 
 e.71 to his published works, wherein he has expressly drawn 
 this distinction, viz. that God's Word alone is and should 
 remain the only standard and rule, to which the writings of 
 no man should be regarded equal, but to it everything should 
 be subordinated. 
 
 But hereby other good, useful, pure books, expositions of ic 
 the Holy Scriptures, refutations of errors, explanations of doc- 
 trinal articles (which, as far as consistent with the above-men- 
 tioned type of doctrine, are regarded as useful expositions and 
 explanations, and can be used with advantage) are not rejected. 
 But by what has thus far been said concerning the summary 
 of our Christian doctrine we have only meant that we have 
 a unanimously received, definite, common form of doctrine, 
 which our Evangelical churches together and in common con- 
 fess ; from and according to which, because it has been derived 
 from God's Word, all other writings should be judged and ad- 
 justed as to how far they are to be approved and accepted. 
 
 For that we have embodied the above-mentioned writings, n 
 viz. the Augsburg Confession, Apology, Smalcald Articles, 
 Luther's Large and Small Catechisms, as the sum of our 
 Christian doctrine, has occurred for the reason that these have 
 been always and everywhere regarded as containing the com- 
 mon, unanimously received understanding of our churches, 
 since the chief and most enlightened theologians of that time 
 subscribed them, and all evangelical churches and schools have 
 cordially received them. As they also, as before mentioned, :a 
 were all written and sent forth before the divisions among the 
 theologians of the Augsburg Confession arose, and then because 
 they were held as impartial, and neither can nor should be re- 
 jected by any part of those who have entered into controversy, 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, Introduction, | 5. 
 AS 
 
538 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 ami no one who is true to the Augsburg Confession will com 
 plain of these writings, but will cheerfully accept and tolerate 
 them as witnesses [of the truth] ; no one, therefore, can blame 
 us that we derive from them an explanation and decision of 
 the articles in controversy, and that, as we lay God's Word, 
 the eternal truth, as the foundation, so also we introduce and 
 quote these writings as a witness of the truth, and a presenta- 
 tion of the unanimously received correct understanding of our 
 predecessors who have steadfastly held to the pure doctrine. 
 
 572 Of the Articles in Controversy with respect to 
 the Antithesis, or opposite doctrine. 
 
 For the maintenance of pure doctrine, and for thorough, 14 
 permanent, godly unity in the Church, it is necessary not 
 only that pure, wholesome doctrine be rightly presented, but 
 also that the opponents who teach otherwise be reproved (1 
 Tim. 3 [2 Tim. 3 : 16] ; Tit. 1 : 9). For faithful shepherds, as 
 Luther says, should do both, viz. feed or nourish the lambs and 
 defend from the wolves, so that they may flee from strange 
 voices (John 10 : 12) and may separate the precious from the 
 vile (Jer. 15 : 19). 
 
 Therefore concerning this, we have thoroughly and clearly 15 
 declared to one another as follows : that a distinction in every 
 way should and must be observed between, on the one hand, 
 unnecessary and useless wrangling, whereby, since it scatters 
 more than it builds up, the Church ought not to be disturbed, 
 and, on the other hand, necessary controversy, as when such a 
 controversy occurs as involves the articles of faith or the 
 chief heads of the Christian doctrine, where for the defence 
 of the truth the false opposite doctrine must be reproved. 
 
 Although the aforesaid writings afford the Christian reader. 16 
 who has pleasure and love for the divine truth, a clear and cor- 
 rect answer concerning each and every controverted article of 
 our Christian religion, as to what, according to God's Word of 
 the Prophetic and Apostolic Scriptures, he should regard and 
 receive as right and true, and what he should reject, shun and 
 avoid as false and wrong; yet, in order that the truth may be 
 preserved the more distinctly and clearly, and be separated 
 from all errors, and be not hidden and concealed under rather 
 general words, we have clearly and expressly made a declara- 
 tion to one another concerning the chief and highly important 
 articles, taken one by one, which at the present time have come 
 into controversy; so that there might be a public, definite tes- 
 timony, not only for those now living, but also for our pos- 
 terity, as to what is and should remain the unanimously received 
 
Part II. ORIGINAL SIN. 53b 
 
 understanding and judgment of our churches in ieferenc« to the 
 articles in controversy, namely : 
 
 1. First, that we reject and condemn all heresies and errors 17 
 which, in the primitive, ancient, orthodox Church, were rejected 
 and condemned, upon the true, firm ground of the holy divine 
 Scriptures. 
 r~o 2. Secondly, we reject and condemn all sects and here- 18 
 
 sies which are rejected in the writings, just mentioned, of 
 the comprehensive summary of the Confession of our churches. 
 
 3. Thirdly, because within thirty years, on account of the 19 
 Interim 1 and otherwise, some divisions arose among some theo- 
 logians of the Augsburg Confession, we have wished plainly, 
 distinctly and clearly to state and declare our faith and confession 
 concerning each and every one of these taken in thesis and an- 
 tithesis, i. e. the true doctrine and its opposite, for the purpose in 
 all articles of rendering the foundation of divine truth manifest, 
 and censuring all unlawful, doubtful, suspicious and condemned 
 doctrines (wherever and in whatever books they may be found, and 
 whoever may have written them or even now may be disposed 
 to defend them) ; so that every one may be faithfully warned 
 to avoid the errors, diffused on all sides, in the writings of 
 some theologians, and no one be misled herein by the reputa- 
 tion of any man. If the Christian reader will carefully exam- 20 
 ine this declaration in every emergency, and compare it with the 
 writings enumerated above, he will find that what was in the 
 beginning confessed concerning every article in the comprehen- 
 sive summary of our religion and faith, and what was after- 
 ward restated at various times, and is repeated by us in this 
 document, is in no way contradictory, but the simple, immu- 
 table, permanent truth, and that we, therefore, do not change 
 from one doctrine to another, as our adversaries falsely assert, 
 but earnestly desire to retain the once-delivered Augsburg Con- 
 fession, and its unanimously received Christian sense, and 
 through God's grace to abide thereby firmly and constantly, 
 in opposition to all corruptions which have entered. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 Of Original Sin. 
 
 First, a controversy concerning Original Sin has occurred r 
 t-- among some theologians of the Augsburg Confession with 
 respect to what it properly is. For one side 2 contended 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, Art. ii. ; Apology, Art. IL; 
 Smalcald Articles, Part. III., Art. i.; Epitome, I. 
 
 1 The Augsburg Interim of 1548. 
 
 * Matthias Flacius Illvricus and his adherents. 
 
540 THE FOKMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 that, because, through the fall of Adam, mau's nature and 
 essence are entirely corrupt now since the fall, the nature, 
 substance and essence of the corrupt man, or indeed the prin- 
 cipal, highest part of his being, namely, the rational soul in 
 its highest state and principal powers, is Original Sin itself. 
 This is called "natural" or "personal sin," for the reason that 
 it is not a thought, word or work, but the nature itself, whence, 
 as from a root, all other sins proceed, and on this account there 
 is now since the fall, because the nature is corrupt through sin, 
 no distinction whatever between the nature and essence of man 
 and Original Sin. 
 
 But the other side taught, in opposition, that Original Sin is a 
 noi properly the nature, substance or essence of man, i. e. man's 
 body or soul, which even now since the fall are and remain the 
 creatures and works of God in us, but it is something in the 
 nature, body and soul of man, and in all his powers, namely, 
 a horrible, deep, inexpressible corruption of the same, so that 
 man is destitute of the righteousness wherein he was originally 
 created, and in spiritual things is dead to good and perverted 
 to all evil ; and that, because of this corruption and inborn sin, 
 which inheres in the nature, all actual sins flow forth from the 
 heart ; and that a distinction must, therefore, be observed be- 
 tween, on the one hand, the nature and essence of the corrupt 
 man, or his body and soul, which as the creatures of God per- 
 tain to us even since the fall, and Original Sin, on the othe*\ 
 which is a work of the devil, whereby the nature has becomo 
 corrupt. 
 
 Now this controversy concerning Original Sin is not unneces- ^ 
 sary wrangling, but if this doctrine be rightly presented from 
 and according to God's Word, and be separated from all Pela- 
 gian and Manichsean errors, then (as the Apology 1 ) says, the 
 benefits of Christ and his precious merit, and the gracious 
 efficacy of the Holy Ghost, will be the better known and the 
 more extolled ; the honor which belongs to him will also be 
 iscribed to God, if his work and creation in men be rightly 
 K~r distinguished from the work of the devil, whereby the na- 
 ture has been corrupted. In order, therefore, to explain $ 
 this controversy in the Christian way and according to God's 
 Word, and to maintain the correct, pure doctrine, we will col- 
 lect from the above-mentioned writings the thesis and anti- 
 thesis, that is, the correct doctrine and its opposite, into brief 
 paragraphs : 
 
 1. And first it is true that Christians should not only regard 5 
 and recognize as sins the actual transgression of God's com- 
 mands ; but also that the horrible, dreadful hereditary malady 
 
 * ii. : 33. 50. 
 
Part II. OKIUINAL SIN. 541 
 
 whereby the entire nature is corrupted, should above all things 
 be regarded and recognized as sin, yea, as the chief sin, which 
 is a root and fountain-head of all actual sins. This is called by 6 
 Luther a " natural " or " personal sin," in order to declare that 
 even though man would think, speak or do nothing evil (which, 
 nevertheless, since the fall of our first parents, is impossible in 
 this life), yet that his nature and person are sinful, i. e. by 
 Original Sin, as a spiritual leprosy, he is thoroughly and utterly 
 infected and corrupted before God; and on account of this cor- 
 ruption, and because of the fall of the first man, the nature or 
 pers< n is accused or condemned by God's Law, so that we are 
 by nature the children of wrath, death and damnation, inless 
 delivered therefrom by the merit of Christ. 
 
 2. It is also clear and true, as the Nineteenth Article of the 7 
 Augsburg Confession teaches, that God is not a creator, author 
 
 r cause of sin, but from the instigation of the devil, through 
 one man, sin (which is a work of the devil) has entered the 
 world (Rom. 5 : 12 ; 1 John 3 : 7). And even at the present 
 day, in this connection of sin and nature [in this corruption of 
 nature], God does not create and make sin in us, but with the 
 nature which God at the present day still creates and makes m 
 men, Original Sin is propagated from sinful seed, 1 through car- 
 nal conception and birth of father and mother. 
 
 3. Thirdly, what [and how great] this hereditary evil is, no 8 
 reason knows and understands, but, as the Smalcald Articles 2 
 say, it must be learned and believed from the revelation con- 
 r~ fi tained in Scripture. And in the Apology this is briefly 
 
 comprehended in the following paragraphs : 
 
 1. That this hereditary evil is the cause of our all being, by 9 
 reason of the disobedience of Adam and Eve, in God's displeas- 
 ure, and by nature children of wrath, as the apostle shows 
 (Rom. 5 : 12 sqq. j Eph. 2 : 3). 
 
 2. Secondlv, that there is an entire want or lack of the con- 10 
 created original righteousness, or of God's image, according to 
 which man was originally created in truth, holiness and right- 
 eousness; and likewise an inability and unfitness for all the 
 things of God, or, as the Latin words read : Descriptio peccati 
 originalis detrahit naturse 11011 renovatse, et dona, et vim, seu 
 facultatem et actus inchoandi et efficiendi spiritualia. That is: 
 
 The definition of original sin takes awav from the unrenewed 
 
 » 
 
 nature the gifts, the power, and all activity for beginning and 
 effecting anything in spiritual things. 3 
 
 3. That Original Sin (jn human nature) is not only such an 1 
 entire absence of all good in spiritual, divine things, but that it 
 
 is at the same time also, instead of the lost image of God in 
 
 * Cf. ft 11. 28, 38 ■ Part III., Art. i. : 63. 3 Cf. Apology, u. : 3 
 
542 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 man, a deep, wicked, horrible, fathomless, inscrutable and un- 
 speakable corruption of the entire nature and all its powers, 
 especially of the highest, principal powers of the soul in un- 
 derstanding, heart and will ; that now, since the fall, man re- 
 ceives by inheritance an inborn wicked disposition, an inward 
 impurity of heart, wicked lusts and propensities ; that we all :a 
 have by nature inherited fiom Adam such a heart, feeling and 
 thoughts as, according to their highest powers and the light of 
 reason, are naturally inclined and disposed directly contrary 
 to God and his chief commands, yea, they are at enmity with 
 God, especially as to what concerns divine and spiritual things. 
 For, in other respects, as regards natural, external things 
 which are subject to the reason, man still has, to a certain 
 degree, understanding, power and ability, although very much 
 weakened, all of which, nevertheless, has been so infected 
 and contaminated by Original Sin that before God it is of 
 no use. 
 r~« 4. The penalties of Original Sin, which God has im- 13 
 
 posed upon the children of Adam and upon Original 
 Sin, are death, eternal damnation, and also other bodily and 
 spiritual, temporal and eternal miseries, and the tyranny and 
 dominion of the devil, so that human nature is subject to the 
 kingdom of the devil, and has been surrendered to the power 
 of the devil, and is held captive under his sway, who stupefies 
 [fascinates] and leads astray many great, learned men in the 
 world by means of dreadful error, heresy and other blindness, 
 and otherwise delivers men to all sorts of crime. 1 
 
 5. Fifthly, this hereditary evil is so great and horrible that 14 
 it can be covered and forgiven before God only for Christ's 
 sake, and in the baptized and believing. Human nature also, 
 which is deranged and corrupted thereby, must and can be 
 healed only by the regeneration and renewal of the Holy 
 Ghost, which, nevertheless, is only begun in this life, but will 
 at length be fully completed in the life to come. 2 
 
 These points, which have been quoted here only in a sum- 15 
 mary way, are set forth more fully in the above-mentioned 
 writings of the common confession of our Christian doctrine. 2 
 
 But this doctrine must now be so maintained and guarded 16 
 that it may not incline either to the Pelagian or the Manicha3an 
 side. Therefore the contrary doctrine concerning this article, 
 which is censured and rejected in our churches, should also be 
 briefly reported. 
 
 1. And first, in opposition to the old and the new Pelagians, 17 
 the following false opinions and dogmas are censured and re- 
 jected, namely, that Original Sin is only a reatus or debt, on 
 
 1 Cf. Apology, ii. : 49. * Cf. Epitome, i. : 10 ; Apology, ii. : 35 
 
Part II. ORIGINAL SIN. 543 
 
 account of what has been committed by another without any 
 corruption of our nature. 
 
 2. Also that sinful, evil lusts are not sins, but conditions, ur 18 
 concreated and essential properties of the nature. 1 
 
 3. Or as though the above-mentioned defect and evil were 19 
 not before God properly and truly sin, on account of which 
 man without Christ [unless he be grafted into Christ and be 
 delivered through him] must be a child of wrath and damna- 
 tion, and also be beneath the power and in the kingdom of 
 (Satan. 
 
 r«o 4. The following Pelagian errors and the like are also 20 
 
 censured and rejected, namely : that nature, ever since the 
 fall, is incorrupt, and that especially with respect to spiritual 
 things it is entirely good and pure, and in naturalibus, i. e., in 
 its natural powers, it is perfect. 
 
 5. Or that Original Sin is only external, a slight, insignifi- 21 
 cant spot sprinkled or stain dashed upon the nature of man, 
 or corruptio tantum accidentlum aut qualltatum, i. e. a corrup- 
 tion only of some accidental things, along with and beneath 
 which the nature, nevertheless, possesses and retains its integrity 
 and power even in spiritual things. 
 
 6. Or that Original Sin is not a despoliation or deficiency, 22 
 but only an external impediment to these spiritual good powers, 
 as when a magnet is smeared with garlic-juice, whereby its 
 natural power is not removed, but only impeded ; or that this 
 stain can be easily washed away, as a spot from the face or 
 pigment from the wall. 2 
 
 7. They likewise are rebuked and rejected who teach that 23 
 the nature has indeed been greatly weakened and corrupted 
 through the fall, but that, nevertheless, it has not entirely lost 
 all good with respect to divine, spiritual things, and that what 
 
 is sung in our churches, 
 
 "Through Adam's fall is all corrupt, 
 Nature and essence human," 
 
 is not true, but from natural birth we still have something 
 good (small, little and inconsiderable though it be), namely : 
 capacity, skill, aptness or ability in spiritual things to begin to 
 work or co-work for something. For concerning external, 24 
 temporal, worldly things and transactions, which are subject 
 to reason, there will be an explanation in the succeeding 
 article. 
 
 These and doctrines of like kind, contrary to the truth, are 25 
 censured and rejected for the reason that God's Word teaches 
 
 1 Cf. Apology, ii. : 5. a Cf. Epitome, i. 15, note. 
 
544 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 that the corrupt nature, of and by itself, has no power for any- 
 thing good in spiritual things, not even for the least, as good 
 thoughts, but that, of and by itself, it can do nothing but sin. 
 Gen. 6:5; 8:21. 
 r 7 q Therefore [But] this doctrine must also be guarded, on 26 
 
 the other side, from Manichaean errors. Accordingly, the 
 following erroneous doctrines and the like are rejected, namely : 
 that now, since the fall, human nature is in the beginning cre- 
 ated pure and good, and that afterwards Original Sin from 
 will, jut is infused and mingled by Satan (as something essen- 
 tial) in the nature, as poison is mingled with wine [that in the 
 beginning human nature was created by God pure and good, 
 but that now, since the fall, Original Sin, etc.]. 1 
 
 For although in Adam and Eve the nature was originally 27 
 created pure, good and holy, nevertheless sin has not entered 
 nature through the fall in the way fanatically taught by the 
 Manichseans, as though Satan had created or made something 
 essentially evil, and mingled it with their nature. But since, 
 from the seduction of Satan, through the fall, according to 
 God's judgment and sentence, man, as a punishment, has lost 
 his concreated original righteousness, human nature, as has been 
 said above, 2 is perverted and corrupt by this deprivation or de- 
 ficiency, want and injury, which has been caused by Satan ; so 
 that at present the nature of all men, who in a natural way are 
 conceived and born, is transmitted by inheritance with the same 
 want and corruption. For since the fall human nature is not 28 
 at first created pure and good, and only afterward corrupted 
 by Original Sin, but in the first moment of our conception the 
 seed whence man is formed is sinful and corrupt. Thus also 
 Original Sin is not something existing of itself in or apart 
 from the nature of the corrupt man, as it is also not the 
 peculiar essence, body or soul of the corrupt man, or the man 
 himself. 
 
 Original Sin, and the nature of man corrupted thereby, can- 29 
 not and should not, therefore, be so distinguished, as though 
 the nature before God were pure, good, holy, but Original Sin 
 alone which dwells therein were evil. 
 
 Also, as Augustine writes of the Manichseans, as though it 30 
 <i ere not the corrupt man himself who sins by reason of inborn 
 Original Sin, but something different and foreign in man, and 
 therefore that God, by the Law, accuses and condemns not the 
 nature as corrupt by sin, but only the Original Sin therein. 
 For, as stated above in the thesis, 3 i. e. the explanation of the 
 
 1 Francke (iii. : 89) directs attention to the fact that the translator of 
 the Latin version has here missed the sense of the original. Cf. \ 28. 
 Ǥ7. 'g5sq. v ll. 
 
Part II. ORIGINAL SIN. 515 
 
 pure doctrine concerning Original Sin, the entire nature of man, 
 which is born in the natural way of father and mother, is en- 
 tirely and to the farthest extent corrupted and perverted by 
 Original Sin, in body and soul, in all its powers that pertain 
 and belong to the goodness, truth, holiness and righteousness 
 rnn concreated with it in Paradise. Nevertheless, the nature 
 is not entirely exterminated or changed into another sub- 
 stance [diverse in genus or species], which, according to its es- 
 sence, is not like our nature, and therefore cannot be one essence 
 with us. 
 
 Because of this corruption the entire corrupt nature of man 31 
 would be accused and condemned by the Law, if sin were not, 
 for Christ's sake, forgiven. 
 
 But the Law accuses and condemns nature, not because we 32 
 have been created men by God, but because we are sinful and 
 wicked ; not because and so far as nature and its essence, ever 
 since the fall, is a work and creature of God in us, but because 
 and so far as it has been poisoned and corrupted by sin. 
 
 But although Original Sin, like a spiritual poison or leprosy 33 
 (as Luther says), has poisoned and corrupted all human nature, 
 so that we cannot clearly show and point out the nature apart 
 by itself, and Original Sin apart by itself; nevertheless, the cor- 
 rupt nature, or essence of the corrupt man, body and soul, or 
 the man himself whom God has created (and within whom 
 dwells the Original Sin that also corrupts the nature, essence or 
 the entire man), and Original Sin, which dwells in man's nature 
 or essence, and corrupts it, are not one thing ; as also in external 
 leprosy the body which is leprous, and the leprosy on or in the 
 body, are not, properly speaking, one thing. A distinction must 
 be observed also between our nature, as created and preserved 
 by God, and Original Sin, which dwells in the nature. These 
 two must and also can be considered, taught and believed with 
 their distinctions according to Holy Scripture. 
 
 The chief articles also of our Christian faith urge and com- 34 
 pel us to preserve this distinction. 1 
 
 r o| For, first, in the article of Creation, Scripture shows that 
 not only has God before the fall created human nature, but 
 also that, since the fall, it is a creature and work of God (Deut 
 32 : 6 ; Isa. 45 : 11 ; 54 : 5 ; 64 : 8 ; Acts 17 : 25 ; Rev. 4:11) 
 
 "Thine hands," says Job (10:8-12), "have made me and 35 
 fashioned me together round about ; yet thou dost destroy me. 
 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay ; 
 and wilt thou bring- me into dust again ? Hast thou not 
 poured me out as milk, and curdled me as cheese? Thou hast 
 clothed me with skin and flesh, and fenced me with bones and 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, i. : 3 sqq. 
 M 
 
546 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 sinews. Thou hast granted me life and favor, and thy visita- 
 tion hath preserved my spirit." 
 
 "I will praise thee," says David (Ps. 139 : 14-16), "for [36 
 am fearfully and wonderfully made ; marvpllous are thy works ; 
 and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not 
 hid from thee when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought 
 in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my sub- 
 stance yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members 
 were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as 
 yet there was none of them." 
 
 In the Ecclesiastes of Solomon it is written [12 : 7] : "Then 37 
 shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit to 
 God who gave it." 
 
 These passages clearly testify that God ever since the fall is 38 
 the Creator of man, and creates his body and soul. Therefore 
 the corrupt man cannot be, without any distinction, sin itself, 
 for otherwise God would be a creator of sins ; as also our Small 
 Catechism, in the explanation of the First Article, confesses: 
 4 ' I believe that God has created me with all that exists, that 
 he has given and still preserves to me my body and soul, with 
 all my limbs and senses, my reason and all the faculties of my 
 mind." Likewise in the Large Catechism 1 it is thus written : 
 " I believe and mean to say that I am a creature of God, i. e. 
 that he has given and constantly preserves to me my body, 
 soul and life, members great and small, and all my senses." 
 Although the same creature and work of God is lamentably 
 rnn corrupted by sin ; for the mass (massa), from which God 
 now forms and makes man was in Adam corrupted and 
 perverted, and is thus transmitted by inheritance to us. 
 
 And here pious Christian hearts ought to consider the un- 39 
 speakable goodness of God that God did not immediately cast 
 from himself into hell-fire this corrupt, perverted, sinful 
 mass, but from it forms and makes human nature of the 
 >resent day, which is lamentably corrupted by sin, in order 
 hat by his dear Son he may cleanse it from all sin, sanctify 
 and save it. 
 
 From this article now the distinction is indisputable and 40 
 clear. For Original Sin does not originate with God. God 
 is not a creator or author of sin. Original Sin also is not a 
 creature or work of God, but a work of the devil. 
 
 If, now, there would be no difference whatever between the 41 
 nature or essence of our body and soul, wdiich is corrupted by 
 Original Sin, and Original Sin, by which the nature is cor- 
 rupted, it would follow either that God, because he is the 
 creator of this our nature, also created and made Original Sin, 
 
 1 450 : 13. 
 
Part II. ORIGINAL SIN. 54"i 
 
 which would also be his work and creature ; or, because sin is 
 a work of the devil, that Satan would be the creator of this 
 ur nature, soul and body, which must also be a work or crea- 
 tion of Satan if, without any distinction, our corrupt nature 
 should be regarded as sin itself; both of which are contrary to 
 the article of our Christian faith. Wherefore, in order that 42 
 God's creation and work in man may be distinguished from 
 the work of the devil, we say that it is God's creation that 
 man has body and soul. Also that it is God's work that man 
 can think, speak, do and work anything; for " in him we live, 
 and move, and have our being." But that the nature is cor- 
 rupt, that its thoughts, words and works are wicked, is origin- 
 ally a work of Satan, who, through sin, thus corrupted God's 
 work in Adam, which from him is transmitted by inheritance 
 to us. 
 
 Secondly, in the article of Redemption, the Scriptures testify 43 
 rno forcibly that God's Son assumed our human nature with- 
 out sin, so that he was, in all things, sin excepted, made 
 like us, his brethren, Heb. 2 : 14. Hence all the old orthodox 
 teachers have maintained that Christ, according to his assumed 
 humanity, is of one essence with us, his brethren ; for he has 
 assumed a human nature, which in all respects (sin alone ex- 
 cepted) is like our human nature in its essence and all essential 
 attributes, and they have condemned the contrary doctrine as 
 manifest heresy. 
 
 If, now, there were no distinction between the nature or es-44 
 sence of corrupt man and Original Sin, it must follow that 
 either Christ did not assume our nature, because he did not 
 assume sin ; or that because he assumed our nature he also 
 assumed sin ; both of which are contrary to the Scriptures. 
 But inasmuch as the Son of God assumed our nature, and not 
 Original Sin, it is hence clear that human nature, ever since 
 the fall, and Original Sin, are not one thing, but must be dis- 
 tinguished. 
 
 Thirdly, in the article of Sauctification, Scripture testifies 45 
 that God cleanses, washes and sanctifies men from sin (1 John 
 1 : 7), and that Christ saves his people from their sins (Matt. 
 1 : 21). Sin, therefore, cannot be man himself; for God, for 
 Christ's sake, receives man into grace, but he remains hostile to 
 sin to eternity. Wherefore that Original Sin is baptized in the 
 name of the Holy Trinity, sanctified and saved, 1 and other such 
 expressions, whereby we will not offend simple-minded people, 
 that are found in the writings of the recent Manichseans, are 
 unchristian and dreadful to hear. 
 
 1 Christopher Irenaeus and other followers 01 Flacius taught thus. Sec 
 Carpzov's Isagoge, 1170. 
 
548 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 Fourthly y in the article of the Resurrection, Scripture testifies 4.6 
 that it is precisely the substance of this our flesh, but without 
 sin, which will rise again, and that in eternal life we will have 
 and retain precisely this soul, but without sin. 
 K ~, If, now, there were no difference whatever between our 47 
 
 corrupt body and soul, and Original Sin, it would follow, 
 contrary to this article of the Christian faith, that either this 
 our flesh will not rise again at the last day, and that in eternal 
 life we will not have body and soul of the present essence, but 
 another substance (or another soul), because then we will be 
 without sin, or that [at the last day] sin also will rise again, 
 and, in eternal life, will be and remain in the elect. 
 
 Hence it is clear that we must reject this doctrine [of the 48 
 Manichseans] (with all that depends upon it and follows from 
 it), which asserts and teaches that Original Sin is the nature, 
 substance, essence, body or soul itself of corrupt man, so that 
 between our corrupt nature, substance and essence, and Original 
 Sin, there is no distinction whatever. For the chief articles of 
 our Christian faith forcibly and emphatically testify why a dis- 
 tinction should and must be maintained between man's nature 
 or substance, which is corrupted by sin, and sin, whereby man 
 is corrupted. For a simple statement of the doctrine and its 49 
 opposite, with respect to the main point involved in this con- 
 troversy, this is sufficient in this place, where the subject is not 
 argued at length, but only the principal points are treated, 
 article by article. 
 
 But with respect to terms and expressions, it is best and 50 
 surest to use and retain the form of sound words employed 
 concerning this article in the Holy Scriptures and the above- 
 mentioned books. 
 
 Also to avoid strife about words, equivocal terms, 1 i. e. words 51 
 and expressions, which may be understood and used in several 
 senses, should be carefully and distinctly explained, as when it 
 is said : God creates the nature of men, where by the term 
 " nature " the essence, body and soul of men are understood. 
 But often the disposition or vicious quality is called its nature, 
 as : " It is the nature of the serpent to bite and poison." Thus 
 Luther says 2 that sin and to sin are the disposition and nature 
 of the corrupt man. 
 r R r Therefore Original Sin properly signifies the deep cor- 52 
 
 ruption of our nature, as it is described in the Smal- 
 cald Articles. 8 But sometimes we thereby understand the con- 
 crete or the subject, i. e. man himself w r ith body and soul, 
 wherein sin is and inheres, on account of which man is cor- 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, i. : 22. ■ Works, Walch's Ed., v. : 776 ; xi. : 396 sq, 
 • Part in., Art. i. : 3. 
 
PabtIL ORIGINAL SIN. 549 
 
 rupted, infected with poison and sinful, as when Luther says :* 
 " Thy birth, thy nature, thy entire essence is sin," i. e. sinful 
 and unclean. 
 
 Luther himself declares that by "natural sin," "personal 53 
 sin," " essential sin," 2 he means that not only words, thoughts 
 and works are sin, but that the entire nature, person and essence 
 of man is entirely corrupted [and is altogether depraved] by 
 Original Sin. 
 
 Moreover, as to the Latin terms " substance " and " accident," 54 
 we are of the opinion that, in sermons to congregations of plain 
 people, they should be avoided, because such terms are unknown 
 to ordinary men. But when learned men, in treating this sub- 
 ject, employ them among themselves or with others to whom 
 this word is not unknown, as Eusebius, Ambrose and especially 
 Augustine, and also still other eminent church-teachers, from 
 the necessity of explaining this doctrine in opposition to the 
 heretics, they regard them as constituting an " immediate divis- 
 ion," i. e. a division between which there is no mean, so that 
 everything which there is must be either "substance," i. e. an 
 independent essence, or " accident," i. e. an incidental matter 
 which does not exist by itself essentially, but in another inde- 
 pendent essence, and can be distinguished therefrom; which 
 division Cyril and Basil also use. 
 
 And because, among others, it is also an indubitable, indis- 55 
 putable axiom in theology that every substance or self-exist- 
 ing essence, so far as it is a substance, is either God himself 
 or a work and creation of God ; Augustine, in many writings 
 against the Manichseans, in common with all true teachers, has, 
 after due consideration and with earnestness, rejected and con- 
 demned the expression : Peccalum originis est substantia vel na- 
 tura, i. e. Original Sin is man's nature or substance. In con- 
 formity with him, all the learned and intelligent also have al- 
 ways maintained that what does not exist by itself, neither is 
 a part of another self-existing essence, but exists, subject to 
 change, in another thing, is not a substance, i. e. something self- 
 existing, but an accident, i. e. something incidental. Thus Au- 
 gustine is accustomed to speak constantly in this way: Original 
 Sin is not the nature itself, but an accidens vitium in natura, 
 i. e. an incidental defect and damage in the nature. In this 56 
 way also, in our schools and churches, previous to this contro- 
 versy, [learned] men spoke, according to the rules of logic, 
 freely and without any suspicion [of heresy], and, on this ac- 
 p.™ count, were never censured either by Dr. Luther or any 
 orthodox teacher of our pure, evangelical Church. 
 
 For since it is the indisputable truth that everything that 53 
 
 1 See above, \ 51. ■ Works, Walcli's Ed., xi. : 39G. Cf. v. : 685 sq. 
 
550 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 there is, is either a substance or an accident, i. e. either a self- 
 existing essence or something incidental in it, as lias been just 
 shown and proved by the testimony of the church -teachers, and 
 no truly intelligent man has ever doubted concerning this; if 
 the question be asked whether Original Sin be a substance, i. e. 
 such a thing as exists of itself, and not in another, or an acci- 
 dent, i. e. such a tiling as does not exist by itself, but in an- 
 other, and cannot exist or be by itself, necessity constrains us, 
 and no one can evade it, to confess directly and candidly that 
 Original Sin is no substance, but an accident. 
 
 Hence also the permanent peace of the Church of God with 58 
 respect to this controversy will never be promoted, but the dis- 
 sension will rather be strengthened and maintained, if the min- 
 isters of the Church remain in doubt as to whether Original Sin 
 be a substance or accident, and whether it be thus rightly and 
 properly named. 
 
 Hence if the churches and schools are to be relieved of this 59 
 scandalous and very mischievous controversy, it is necessary 
 that each and every one be properly instructed concerning this 
 matter. 
 
 But if it be further asked as to what kind of an accident 6c 
 Original Sin is, it is another question, and one to which no 
 philosopher, no Papist, no sophist, yea, no human reason, how- 
 ever acute it may be, can give the right explanation, but all 
 understanding and every explanation of it must be derived 
 solely from the Holy Scriptures, which testify that Original 
 Sin is an unspeakable evil, and such an entire corruption of 
 human nature that in it and all its internal and external pow- 
 ers nothing pure or good remains, but everything is entirely cor- 
 r£~ rupt, so that, on account of Original Sin, man is in God's 
 sight truly, spiritually dead, and, with all his powers, has 
 died to that which is good. 1 
 
 In this way, then, by the word "accident/' Original Sin is 61 
 not extenuated [namely] when it is explained according to [the 
 analogy of] God's Word, after the manner in which Dr. Lu- 
 ther, in his Latin exposition of the third chapter of Genesis, 
 has written with great earnestness against the extenuation of 
 Original Sin ; but this word is employed only to designate the 
 distinction between the work of God (which is our nature, not- 
 withstanding that it is corrupt) and the work of the devil (which 
 is sin), that inheres in God's work, and is a most profound and 
 indescribable corruption of it. 
 
 Therefore Luther also has employed in his treatment of this 61 
 subject the term "accident," as also the term "quality," and has 
 not rejected them ; but likewise, with especial earnestness and 
 
 1 pf. U 10, 11. 
 
Part II. THE FREE WILL, OR HUMAN POWERS. 55^ 
 
 great zeal, he has taken the greatest pains to explain and tc 
 represent to each and every one what a horrible quality and 
 accident it is, whereby human nature is not merely polluted, 
 but is so deeply corrupted that nothing pure or uncorrupt re- 
 mains in it, as his words on Ps. 90 run : Sive igitur peccatum 
 origin is qualitatem sive morbum vocaverimus, profecto extre- 
 mum malum est uon solum pati seternarn iram et mortem, sed ne 
 agnoscere quidem, qua? pateris. That is : Whether we call Orig- 
 inal Sin a quality or a disease, it is indeed the utmost evil not 
 only to suffer the eternal wrath of God and eternal death, but 
 also not to understand what we suffer. And again on Gen. 3: 
 Qui isto veneno peccati originis a planta pedis usque ad ver- 
 ticem infect! sumus, siquidem in natura aclhuc integra accidere. 
 That is : We are infected by the poison of Original Sin from 
 the sole of the foot to the crown of the head, inasmuch as this 
 happened to us in a nature still perfect. * 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 Of the Free Will, or Human Powers. 
 
 Since a dissent has occurred not only between the Papists i 
 and us, but also even among some theologians of the Augsburg 
 rnn Confession, concerning the free will, we will first of all 
 exactly show the points of the controversy. 
 
 For since man, with respect to his free will, can be found l 
 and considered in four distinct, dissimilar states, the question 
 at present is not concerning his condition with regard to the 
 same before the fall, or his ability since the fall, and before his 
 conversion, in external things which pertain to this temporal life ; 
 also not concerning his ability in spiritual things after he has 
 been regenerated and is controlled by God's Spirit; or the sort 
 of a free will he will have when he rises from the dead. But 
 the principal question is only and alone as to the ability of the 
 understanding and will of the unregenerate man in his conjer- 
 sion and regeneration from his own powers surviving since the 
 fall : Whether when the Word of God is preached, and the 
 grace of God is offered, he can prepare himself for grace, ac- 
 cept the same, and assent thereto? This is the question upon 
 which now for quite a number of years there has been a con- 
 troversy among some theologians in the churches of the Augs- 
 burg Confession. 
 
 For the one side 1 has held and taught that although man, 3 
 from his own powers, cannot fulfil God's command, or truly 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Coufessiou, xviii., xx. ; Apology, xviii 
 Smalcald Articles, Part III., Art. i. ; Epitome, ii. 
 
 1 Called Philippists. 
 
552 THE FOKMULA OF CONCOKD. 
 
 trust, fear and love God, without the grace of the Holy Ghi&tj 
 nevertheless, before regeneration sufficient natural powers sur- 
 vive for him to prepare himself to a certain extent for grace, 
 and to assent, although feebly ; yet, if the grace of the Holy 
 Ghost were not added thereto, he could by this accomplish 
 nothing, but must be vanquished in the struggle. 
 
 On the other side, the ancient and modern enthusiasts 1 have 4 
 taught that God, through his Spirit, converts men and leads 
 them to the saving knowledge of Christ, without any means 
 and instrument of the creature, i. e. without the external 
 preaching and hearing of God's Word. 
 
 Against both these parties the pure teachers of the Augsburg 5 
 Confession have taught and contended that by the fall of our 
 first parents man was so corrupted that, in divine things per- 
 taining to our conversion and the salvation of our souls, he is 
 by nature blind when the Word of God is preached, and 
 neither does nor can understand it, but regards it foolishness, 
 r oq and also does not of himself draw nigh to God, but is and 
 remains an enemy of God, until by the power of the Holy 
 Ghost, through the preached and heard Word, out of pure grace, 
 without any co-operation of his own, he is converted, made be- 
 lieving [presented with faith], regenerated and renewed. 
 
 In order to explain this controversy in a Christian manner, 6 
 according to the guidance of God's Word, and by his grace to 
 decide it, our doctrine, faith and confession are as follows : 
 
 Namely, that in spiritual and divine things the intellect, 7 
 heart and will of the unregenerate man cannot, in any way, by 
 their own natural powers, understand, believe, accept, think, will, 
 begin, effect, do, work or concur in working anything, but they 
 are entirely dead to good, and corrupt ; so that in man's nature, 
 since the fall, there is, before regeneration, not the least spark 
 of spiritual power remaining still present, by which, of him- 
 self, he can prepare himself for God's grace, or accept the 
 offered grace, or, for and of himself, be capable of it, or apply 
 or accommodate himself thereto, or, by his own powers, be able 
 of himself, as of himself, to aid, do, work or concur in work- 
 ing anything for his conversion, either entirely, or in half, or 
 in even the least or most inconsiderable part, but he is the ser- 
 vant [and slave] of sin (John 8 : 34 ; "Eph. 2:2,2 Tim. 2 : 
 26). Hence the natural free will, according to its perverted 
 disposition and nature, is strong and active only with respect to 
 what is displeasing and contrary to God. 
 
 This declaration and general reply to the chief question and 8 
 statement of the controversy presented in the introduction to 
 thin article, the following arguments from God's Word confirm 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, ii. : 13. 
 
Part II. THE FEEE WILL, OK HUMAN POWERS. 503 
 
 and strengthen, and although they are contrary to proud reason 
 and philosophy, yet we know that the wisdom of this perverted 
 world is only foolishness before God, and that articles of faith 
 should be judged only from God's Word. 
 
 For, first, although man's reason or natural understanding 9 
 has still indeed a dim spark of the knowledge that there is a 
 God, as also (Rom. 1 : 19 sqq.) of the doctrine of the Law; 
 yet it is so ignorant, blind and perverted that when even the 
 most able and learned men upon earth read or hear the Gospel 
 rq of the Son of God and the promise of eternal salvation, 
 they cannot, from their own powers, perceive, apprehend, 
 understand or believe and regard it true, but the more diligence 
 and earnestness they employ in order to comprehend, with their 
 reason, these spiritual things, the less they understand or be- 
 lieve, and, before they become enlightened or taught of the 
 Holy Ghost, they regard all this only as foolishness or fictions. 
 (1 Cor. 2 : 14) : " The natural man receiveth not the things of i* 
 the Spirit of God ; for they are foolishness to him." (1 Cor. 
 1 : 21) : " For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by 
 wisdom knew not God, it pleased God, by the foolishness of 
 preaching, to save them that believe." (Eph. 4:17 sq.) : 
 "They" (?*. e. those not born again of God's Spirit) "walk in 
 the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, 
 being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance 
 that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart." 
 (Matt. 13:11 sqq. [Luke 8:18]): " They seeing, see not, and 
 hearing, they hear not, neither do they understand ; but it is 
 given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heav- 
 en." (Rom. 3:11, 12): "There is none that understandeth, 
 there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out 
 of the way, they are all together become unprofitable; there is 
 none that doeth good, no, not one." 
 
 So, too, the Scriptures expressly call natural men, in 
 spiritual and divine things, darkness. (Eph. 5:8; Acts 26 : 
 18; John 1:5): "The light shineth in darkness" (i. e. in the 
 dark, blind world, which does not know or regard God), "and 
 the darkness comprehendeth it not." Also the Scriptures teach 
 that man in sins is not only weak and sick, but also entirely 
 dead (Eph. 2:1, 5; Col. 2:13). 
 
 As now a man who is physically dead cannot, of his own 1 
 powers, prepare or adapt himself to obtain again temporal life; 
 so the man who is spiritually dead in sins cannot, of his own 
 strength, adapt or apply himself to the acquisition of spiritual 
 and heavenly righteousness and life, unless he be delivered and 
 quickened by the Son of God from the death of sin. 1 
 
 3 Cf. Epitome, ii. : 3. 
 70 
 
554 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 Therefore the Scriptures deny to the understanding, heart n 
 
 and will of the natural man all aptness, skill, capacity and 
 ability in spiritual things, to think, to understand, begin, will, 
 r Q1 undertake, do, work or concur in working anything good 
 
 oJ1 and right, as of himself. (2 Cor. 3 : 5) : " Not that we are 
 sufficient of ourselves, to think anything, as of ourselves; hut 
 our suffieieney is of God." (Rom. 3:12): "They are alto- 
 gether unprofitable." (John 8 : 37) : " My Word hath no place 
 in you." (John 1:5): " The darkness comprehendeth " (or re- 
 ceiveth) "not the light," (1 Cor. 2 : 14) : "The natural man 
 perceiveth not" (or, as the Greek word properly signifies, taketh 
 not, comprehendeth not, reeeiveth not) " the things of the 
 Spirit," i, e. he is not capable of spiritual things; "for they 
 are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them." Much 13 
 less can lie truly believe the Gospel, or assent thereto and re- 
 gard it as truth." (Rom. 8:7): " The carnal mind," or that of 
 the natural man, " is enmity against God ; for it is not subject 
 to the Law of God, neither indeed can be." And, in a word, 14 
 that remains eternally true which the Son of God says (John 
 15:5): " Without me ye can do nothing." And Paul (Phil. 
 2:13): " It is God which worketh in you, both to will and to 
 do of his good pleasure." This precious passage is very com- 
 forting to all godly Christians, who feel and experience in their 
 hearts a small spark or earnest longing for divine grace and 
 eternal salvation ; for they know that God has kindled in their 
 hearts this beginning of true godliness, and that he will further 
 strengthen and help them in their great weakness to persevere 
 in true faith unto the end. 
 
 To this also all the prayers of the saints relate, in which they 15 
 pray that they may be taught, enlightened and sanctified of 
 God, and thereby declare that those things which they ask of 
 God they cannot have from their own natural powers ; as in 
 Ps. 119, alone, David prays more than ten times that God may 
 impart to him understanding, that he may rightly receive and 
 learn the divine doctrine. [Very many] similar prayers are in 
 the writings of Paul (Eph. 1:17; Col. 1:9; Phil. 1:9). 
 These prayers and the testimonies concerning our ignorance 
 and inability have been written, not for the purpose of render- 
 ing us idle and remiss in reading, hearing and meditating upon 
 God's Word, but first that from the heart we should thank 
 God that, through his Son, he has delivered us from the dark- 
 ness of ignorance and the captivity of sin and death, and, 
 through baptism and the Holy Ghost, has regenerated and 
 illumined us. 
 j. q2 And after God, through the Holy Ghost in baptism, 1. 
 
 has kindled and made a beginning of the true knowledge 
 of God and faith, we should pray him without intermission 
 
Part II. THE FREE WILL, OR HUMAN TOWERS. 556 
 
 that, through the same Spirit and his grace, by means of the 
 daily exercise of reading, and applying to practice, God's Word, 
 he may preserve in us faith and his heavenly gifts, strengthen 
 us from day to day, and support us to the end. For unless 
 God himself be our school-teacher, we can study and learn 
 nothing that is acceptable to him and that is salutary to our- 
 selves and others. 
 
 Secondly, God's Word testifies that the understanding, heart 17 
 and will of the natural, unregenerate man in divine things are 
 not only turned entirely from God, but also turned and per- 
 verted against God to every evil. Also, that he is not only 
 weak, feeble, impotent and dead to good, but also through 
 Original Sin is so lamentably perverted, infected and corrupted 
 that, by his disposition and nature, he is entirely evil, perverse 
 and hostile to God, and that, with respect to everything that is 
 displeasing and contrary to God, he is strong, alive and active. 
 (Gen. 8 : 22) : " The imagination of man's heart is evil from 
 his youth." (Jer. 17 : 9) : " The heart of man is defiant and 
 despairing," or perverted and full of misery, " so that it is un- 
 fathomable." This passage St. Paul explains (Rom. 8) : " The 
 carnal mind is enmity against God." (Gal. 5:17): " The flesh 
 lusteth against the spirit; . . . and these are contrary the one 
 to the other." (Rom. 7:14):" We know that the Law is spirit- 
 ual ; but I am carnal, sold under sin." And soon afterward 
 (18,23): "I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth 
 no good thing. For I delight in the Law of God, after the 
 inward man," which, through the Holy Ghost, is regenerate; 
 " but I see another law in my members, warring against the 
 law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of 
 sin." 
 
 If, now, in St. Paul and in other regenerate men the natural i£ 
 or carnal free will, even after regeneration, strives against God's 
 Law, much more perverse and hostile to God's Law and will, 
 will it be before regeneration. Hence it is manifest (as in the 
 article concerning Original Sin it is further declared, to which, 
 for the sake of brevity, we now refer) that the free will, from 
 its own natural powers, not only cannot work or co-work as to 
 anything for its own conversion, righteousness and salvation, 
 rqo or follow, believe or assent to the Holy Ghost, who through 
 the Gospel oifers him grace and salvation, but rather from 
 its innate, wicked, perverse nature it hostilely resists God and 
 his will, unless it be enlightened and controlled by God's 
 Spirit. 
 
 On this account, also, the Holy Scriptures compare the heart 19 
 of the unregenerate man to a hard stone, which does not yield 
 to the one who touches it, but resists, and to a rough block, and 
 to a wild, unmanageable beast; not that man, since the fall, is 
 
666 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 no longer a rational creature, or is converted to God without 
 hearing and meditating upon God's Word, or in external, 
 worldly things cannot understand, or do or abstain from doing, 
 anything of his free will, good or evil. 
 
 For, as Doctor Luther says upon Ps. 90 : " In worldly and 2c 
 external affairs, which pertain to the livelihood and maintenance 
 ^f the body, man is intelligent, reasonable and very active, but 
 in spiritual and divine things, which pertain to the salvation of 
 the soul, man is like a pillar of salt, like Lot's wife, yea, like a 
 log and a stone, like a lifeless statue, which uses neither eyes 
 nor mouth, neither sense nor heart. For man neither sees nor 21 
 perceives the fierce and terrible wrath of God on account of 
 sin and death [resulting from it], but he continues even know- 
 ingly and willingly in his security, and thereby falls into a 
 thousand dangers, and finally into eternal death and damna- 
 tion ; and no prayers, no supplications, no admonitions, yea, 
 also no threats, no reprimands are of any avail; yea, all teach- 
 ing and preaching are lost upon him, until he is enlightened, 
 converted and regenerated by the Holy Ghost. For this [re- 22 
 new r al of the Holy Ghost] no stone or block, but man alone, 
 was created. And although God, according to his just, strict • 
 sentence, eternally casts away the fallen evil spirits, he has never- 
 theless, out of pure mercy, willed that poor fallen human na- 
 ture might again become capable and participant of conver- 
 sion, the grace of God and eternal life; not from its own 
 natural [active or] effective skill, aptness or capacity (for the 
 nature of man is perverse enmity against God), but from pure 
 grace, through the gracious efficacious working of the Holy 
 Ghost." And this Dr. Luther calls capacity (not active, but 23 
 rq* passive) which he thus explains : Quando patres liberum 
 arbitrium defendunt, capacitatem libertatis ejus predicant, 
 quod scilicet verti potest ad bonum per gratiam Dei et fieri 
 revera liberum, ad quod creatum est. That is : When the 
 Fathers defend the free will, they say of it that it is capable of 
 freedom in so far that, through God's grace, it can be turned to 
 good, and become truly free, for which it was created. Tom. 1, 
 p. 236. 
 
 Augustine also has written to like effect, lib. 2, Contra Julianum. 
 Dr. Luther on Hosea 6 ; also in the Church-Postils on the Epistle for 
 Good Friday; also on the Gospel for the third Sunday after Epiphany. 
 
 But before man is enlightened, converted, regenerated, re- 24 
 newed and led by the Holy Ghost, he can of himself and of his 
 own natural powers begin, work or co-operate as to anything 
 in spiritual things, and in his own conversion or regeneration, 
 as little as a stone or a block or clay. 1 For although he can 
 
 1 Cf. I 59. 
 
Part IL THE FKEE WILL, OK HUMAN POWERS. 55/ 
 
 conjiol the outward members and hear the Gospel, and to a 
 curtain extent meditate upon it and discourse concerning it, as 
 is to be seen in the Pharisees and hypocrites ; nevertheless he 
 regards it foolishness, and cannot believe it, and also in this 
 case he is worse than a block, in that he is rebellious and hos- 
 tile to God's will, if the Holy Ghost be not efficacious in him, 
 and do not kindle and work in him faith and other virtues 
 pleasing to God, and obedience. 
 
 Thirdly, for the Holy Scriptures, besides, refer conversion, 25 
 faith in Christ, regeneration, renewal, and all that belongs to 
 their efficacious beginning and completion, not to the human 
 powers of the natural free will, either entirely, or half, or the 
 least or most inconsiderable part ; but ascribe them in soliduiUy 
 i. e. entirely, alone to the divine working and the Holy Ghost, 
 as also the Apology teaches. 1 
 
 The reason and free will have the power, to a certain extent, 26 
 to live an outwardly decent life ; but to be born anew, and to 
 obtain inwardly another heart, sense and disposition, this only 
 the Holy Ghost effects. He opens the understanding and heart 
 to understand the Scriptures and to give heed to the Word, as 
 it is written (Luke 24 : 45) : " Then opened he their understand- 
 ing, that they might understand the Scriptures." Also (Acts 16 : 
 14) : " Lydia heard us; whose heart the Lord opened, that she 
 attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul." " He 
 worketh in us, both to will and to do of his own good pleas- 
 ure " (Phil. 2 : 13). He gives repentance (Acts 5 : 31 ; 2 Tim. 
 595 2 : 25). He works faith (Phil. 1 : 29) : " For unto you it 
 is given, in behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him." 
 (Eph. 2:8): "It is the gift of God." (John 6 : 29) : " This 
 is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom he hath 
 sent." He gives an understanding heart, seeing eves, and hear- 
 ing ears (Deut. 29:4; Matt. 13 : 15). The Holy Ghost is a 
 spirit of regeneration and renewal (Tit. 3 : 5, 6). He takes away 
 the hard heart of stone, and gives a new tender heart of flesh, 
 that we may walk in his commands (Ez. 11 : 19 ; Deut. 30 : 6 ; 
 Ps. 51 : 10). He creates us in Christ Jesus to good works 
 (Eph 2 : 10), and makes us new creatures (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal, 
 6:15). And, in short, every good gift is of God (James 1 : 17). 
 No one can come to Christ unless the Father draw him (John 
 6 : 44). No one knoweth the Father, save him to whom the 
 Son will reveal him (Matt. 11 : 27). No one can call Christ 
 Lord, but by the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 12 : 3). " Without ma," 
 says Christ, "ye can do nothing" (John 15 : 1). All "our 
 sufficiency is of God " (2 Cor. 3 : 5). " What hast thou which 
 'hou didst not receive? Now, if thou didst receive it, why 
 
 1 Art. xviii. : 75, 
 
558 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 dost, thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?" (1 Cor. 4 : 7). 
 And indeed St. Augustine writes particularly of this passage, 27 
 that by it lie was constrained to lay aside the former erroneous 
 opinion which he had held concerning this subject. De Proe- 
 deatinaiione, cap. 3 : Gratiam Dei in eo tan turn consistere, quod 
 in prseconis veritatis Dei voluntas nobis revelaretur; ut autera 
 praedicato nobis evangelio conscntircmus, nostrum esse proprium, 
 et ex nobis esse. Item erravi (inquit), cum dicerem, nostrum 
 esse credere et vellc ; Dei autem, dare credentibus et volenti bus 
 facultatem operandi. That is: "I erred in this, that I held 
 that the grace of God consists alone in that God, in the preach- 
 ing of the truth, reveals his will; but that we consent to the 
 preached Go.spel is our own work, and stands within our own 
 powers." For St. Augustine also writes further: "I erred 
 when I said that it stands within our own. power to believe the 
 Gospel and to will ; but it is God's work to give to them that 
 believe and will the power of working." 
 
 This doctrine is founded upon God's Word, and conformable 28 
 to the Augsburg Confession and other writings above men- 
 tioned, as the following testimonies prove. 
 
 In Article XX. the Confession says as follows : " Because 29 
 through faith the Holy Ghost is given, the heart thus becomes 
 qualified for the doing of good works. For before, because it 
 rq fi is without the Holy Ghost, it is too weak, and besides is in 
 the devil's power, who drives poor human nature into many 
 sins." And a little afterward : " For without faith and Christ 
 human nature and ability is much too weak to do good works." 
 
 These passages clearly testify that the Augsburg Confession 3a 
 pronounces the will of man in spiritual things as anything else 
 than free, but says that he is the devil's captive; how, then, 
 from his own powers, is he to be able to turn himself to the 
 Gospel or Christ? 
 
 The Apology teaches of the free will thus: "We also say 31 
 that reason has, to a certain extent, a free will ; for in the things 
 which are to be comprehended by the reason we have a free 
 will." 1 And a little after: "For such hearts as are without 
 the Holy Ghost are without the fear of God, without faith, 
 without trust towards God they do not believe that God listens 
 to them, that he forgives their sins, and helps them in neces- 
 sities ; therefore they are godless. Now, ' a corrupt tree cannot 32 
 bring forth good fruit/ and ' without faith it is impossible to 
 please God.' Therefore, although we concede that it is within 
 our ability to perform such an outward work, nevertheless, we 
 say that, in spiritual things, the free will and reason have no 
 ability," etc. 2 Here it is clearly seen that the Apology ascribes 
 
 1 Apology, xviii. : 70. ■ Ibid., xviii. : 72, 73. 
 
Part II. THE FREE WILL, OR HUMAN POWERS. 559 
 
 no ability to the will of man, either for beginning good or for 
 itself co-operating. 
 
 In the Smalcald Articles the following errors concerning the 33 
 free will are also rejected : " That man has a free will to do good 
 and omit evil," 1 etc. And shortly afterward the error is also 
 rejected : " That it is not founded upon Scripture, that, for a 
 good work, the Holy Ghost, with his grace, is necessary." 3 
 
 It is further maintained in the Smalcald Articles as follows : 34 
 "And this repentance, in Christians, continues until death, be- 
 cause through the entire life it contends with sin remaining in 
 the flesh, as Paul (Rom. 7 : 23) shows that he wars with the 
 Law in his members, etc. ; and this, not by his own powers, 
 but by the gift of the Holy Ghost, that follows the remission 
 rq- of sins. This gift daily cleanses and purges the remain- 
 ing sins, and works so as to render man pure and holy." 3 
 These words say nothing whatever of our will, or that it also 35 
 of itself works in regenerate men, but ascribe it to the gift of 
 the Holy Ghost, which cleanses man and makes him daily more 
 godly and holy, and thus our own powers are entirely excluded 
 therefrom. 
 
 In the Large Catechism of Dr. Luther it is written thus : 36 
 "And I also am a part and member of the same, a participant 
 and joint owner of all the good it possesses, brought to it and 
 incorporated into it by the Holy Ghost, in that I have heard 
 and continue to hear the Word of God, which is the means of 
 entrance. For formerly, before we had attained to this, we 
 were of the devil, knowing nothing of God and of Christ. 
 Thus, until the last day, the Holy Ghost abides with the holy 37 
 congregation or Christian people. By means of this congrega- 
 tion he brings us to Christ and teaches, and preaches to us the 
 Word, whereby he works and promotes sanctification, causing 
 [this community] daily to grow and become strong in the faith 
 and the fruits of the Spirit, which he produces." 
 
 In these words the Catechism mentions not a word concern- 38 
 ing our free will or co-operation, but refers everything to the 
 Holy Ghost, viz. that, through the office of the ministry, he 
 brings us into the Church of God, wherein he sanctifies us, and 
 so provides that we daily grow in faith and good works. 
 
 And although the regenerate, ^ven in this life, advance so 39 
 t r that they will what is good, and love it, and even do good 
 and grow in it, nevertheless this (as above quoted) is not of our 
 will and ability, but the Holy Ghost, as Paul himself speaks 
 concerning this, works "to will and to do" (Phil. 2 : 13). As 
 also in Eph. 2 : 10 he ascribes this work to God alone, when 
 he says : " For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus 
 
 ' Pait III., Art. i. : v. " Ibid., g 10. » Part TIL, Art. iii. : 40 
 
560 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we 
 
 should walk therein." 
 
 rqo in the Small Catechism of Dr. Luther it is thus writ- 40 
 
 ten: "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or 
 strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him; 
 but the Holy Ghost has called me through the Gospel, enlight- 
 ened me by his gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the 
 true faith ; in like manner as he calls, gathers, enlightens and 
 sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and preserves it 
 in union with Jesus Christ in the true faith," etc. 
 
 And in the explanation of the second petition of the Lord's 4 : 
 Prayer the following words occur: "When is this effected? 
 When our Heavenly Father gives us his Holy Spirit, so that 
 by his grace we believe his holy Word and live a godly 
 life," etc. 
 
 These passages declare that, from our own powers, we cannot 42 
 come to Christ, but God must give us his Holy Ghost, by whom 
 we are enlightened, sanctified, and thus brought to Christ through 
 faith, and upheld in him ; and no mention is made of our will 
 or co-operation. 
 
 To this we will add a passage in which Dr. Luther expresses 43 
 himself, together with a solemn declaration added thereto, that he 
 intends to persevere in this doctrine unto the end, in his Large 
 Confession concerning the Holy Supper: " Hereby I reject and 
 condemn, as nothing but error all dogmas which extol our free 
 will ; as they directly conflict with this help and grace of our 
 Saviour, Jesus Christ. For since, out of Christ, death and sin 
 are our lords, and the devil our god and prince, there can be nc 
 power or might, no wisdom or understanding, in us, whereby we 
 can qualify ourselves for, or strive after righteousness and life; 
 but we are evidently the blinded and imprisoned ones of sin 
 and the devil, to do and to think what pleases him and is con- 
 trary to God and his commandments." 
 
 In these words Dr. Luther of godly and holy memory as- 4 
 cribes no power whatever to our free will to qualify itself for 
 righteousness or strive after it, but says that man is blinded and 
 held carptive, to do only the devil's will and that which is con- 
 trary to God the Lord. Therefore here there is no co-operation 
 of our will in the conversion of man, and man must be drawn and 
 rqq be born anew of God ; otherwise the thought of turning 
 one's self to the Holy Gospel for the purpose of accepting 
 it cannot arise in our hearts. Of this matter Dr. Luther also 
 wrote in his book De Servo Arbitrio, i. e. Of the Captive Will 
 of Man, in opposition to Erasmus, and well and thoroughly 
 elucidated and supported this position, and afterward in his 
 magnificent exposition of the book of Genesis, especially of 
 chapter 26, he repeated and explained it. He has there also in 
 
Part II. THE FEEE WILL, OK HUMAN POWERS. 661 
 
 the best and most careful way guarded against all misunder- 
 standing and perversion, his opinion and understanding of some 
 other peculiar disputations introduced incidentally by Erasmus, 
 as Of Absolute Necessity, etc. ; to which we also hereby appeal, 
 and we recommend it to others. 
 
 On this account the doctrine is incorrect by which it is as- 45 
 serted that the unregenerate man has still sufficient power to 
 desire to receive the Gospel and to be comforted by it, and ihat 
 thus the natural human will co-operates in a manner in conver- 
 sion. For such an erroneous opinion is contrary to the holy, 
 divine Scriptures, the Christian Augsburg Confession, its Apol- 
 ogy, the Smalcald Articles, the Large and the Small Catechisms 
 of Luther, and other writings of this excellent highly [divinely] 
 illumined theologian. 
 
 This doctrine concerning the inability and wickedness of our 46 
 natural free will, and concerning our conversion and regenera- 
 tion, viz. that it is a work of God alone and not of our pow- 
 ers, is impiously abused both by enthusiasts and by Epicureans ; 
 aad by their speeches many persons have become disorderly and 
 irregular, and in all the Christian exercises of prayer, reading 
 and devout meditation have become idle and indolent, as they 
 say that, because from their own natural powers they are un- 
 able to convert themselves to God, they will always strive with 
 all their might against God, or wait until God violently con- 
 vert them against their will ; or because they can do nothing 
 in these spiritual things, but everything is of the operation 
 alone of God the Holy Ghost, they will neither hear nor read 
 the Word nor use the sacrament, but wait until God, without 
 means, infuses from heaven his gifts, so that they can truly, in 
 themselves, feel and perceive that God has converted them. 
 fi ™ Other desponding hearts [our godly doctrine concerning 47 
 
 the free will not being rightly understood] might perhaps 
 fall into hard thoughts and perilous doubt as whether God have 
 elected them, and through the Holy Ghost will work also in 
 them his gifts, especially when they are sensible of no strong, 
 burning faith and sincere obedience, but only weakness, fear 
 and misery. 
 
 For this reason we will now relate still further from God's 48 
 Word how man is converted to God, how and through what 
 means (namely, through the oral Word and the holy Sacra- 
 ments) the Holy Ghost is efficacious in us, and is willing to 
 work and bestow, in our hearts, true repentance, faith and new 
 spiritual power and ability for good, and how we should act 
 ourselves towards these means, and [how] use them. 
 
 It is not God's will that any one should perish, but that 49 
 all men should be converted to him and be saved eternally. 
 (Ez. 33; 11): "As I live, I have no pleasure in the death 
 71 
 
5G2 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 of the wicked ; but that the wicked turn from his way and 
 live." (John 3: 16): "For God so loved the world that he 
 gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him 
 should not perish, but have everlasting life." 
 
 Therefore God, out of his immense goodness and mercy, $1 
 causes his divine eternal Law and his wonderful plan con- 
 cerning our redemption, namely, the holy, only saving Gos- 
 pel of his dear Son, our only Saviour and Redeemer, to be 
 publicly proclaimed; and by this [preaching] collects for him- 
 self from the human race an eternal Church, and works in the 
 hearts of men true repentance and knowledge of sins, and 
 true faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. And by this 
 means, and in no other way, namely, through his holy Word, 
 when it is heard as preached or is read, and the holy Sacra- 
 ments when they are used according to the Word, God desires 
 to call men to eternal salvation, to draw them to himself, and 
 to convert, regenerate and sanctify them. 1 (1 Cor. 1 : 21) : 51 
 " For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom 
 knew not God, it pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching, 
 to save them that believe." (Acts 10 : 5, 6) : Peter " shall tell 
 thee what thou oughtest to do." (Rom. 10 : 17) : " Faith com- 
 eth by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." (John 17 : 
 601 17, 20) : " Sanctify them by thy truth ; thy Word is truth," 
 etc. " Neither pray I for these alone ; but for them also 
 which shall believe on me through their word." Therefore the 
 eternal Father calls down from heaven, concerning his- dear 
 Son, and concerning all who, in his name, preach repentance 
 and forgiveness of sins: "Hear ye him" (Matt. 17:5). 
 
 This preaching [of God's Word] all who wish to be saved 52 
 ought to hear. For the preaching and hearing of God's Word 
 are instruments of the Holy Ghost, by, with and through 
 which he desires to work efficaciously, and to convert men to 
 God, and to work in them both to will and to do. 
 
 This Word man can externally hear and read, even though 53 
 he be not yet converted to God and regenerate ; for in these 
 external things, as above said, man, even since the fall, has, to 
 a certain extent, a free will, so that he can go to church and 
 hear or not hear the sermon. 
 
 Through this means, namely, the preaching and hearing of 54 
 his Word, God works, and breaks our hearts, and draws man, 
 so that through the preaching of the Law he sees his sins and 
 God's wrath, and experiences in his heart true terrors, repent- 
 ance and sorrow [contrition], and, through the preaching and 
 consideration of the holy Gospel concerning the gracious for- 
 
 1 I 52 ; Apology, vii. : 36 ; Smalcald Articles, Part III., Art. viii. : 3 sqq. , 
 Siil. Dec. xi. : 76, 77. 
 
Part U. THE FREE WILL, OR HUMAN POWERS. 563 
 
 giveness of sins in Christ, a spark of faith is kindled in him, 
 which accepts the forgiveness of sins for Christ's sake, and 
 comforts itself with the promise of the Gospel, and thus the 
 Holy Ghost (who works all this) is given to the heart (Gal. 
 4 : 6). 
 
 Although now both, viz. the planting and watering of the 55 
 preacher, and the running and willing of the hearer, would be 
 to no purpose, and no conversion would follow, if the power 
 and efficacy of the Holy Ghost were not added thereto, who, 
 through the Word preached and heard, enlightens and converts 
 die hearts, so that men believe this Word, and assent thereto ; 
 nevertheless neither preacher nor hearer should doubt this grace 
 and efficacy of the Holy Ghost, but should be certain, if the 
 Word of God is preached purely and clearly, according to the 
 command and will of God, and men listen attentively and 
 earnestly, and meditate upon it, that God is certainly present 
 with his grace, and grants, as has been said, what man can 
 nnn otherwise from his own powers neither accept nor give. 
 
 For concerning the presence, operation and gifts of the 56 
 Holy Ghost we should not and cannot always judge from sense, 
 L e. as to how and when they are experienced in the heart ; but 
 because they are often covered and occur in great weakness, we 
 should be certain, from and according to the promise, that 
 preaching and hearing the Word of God is [truly] an office 
 and work of the Holy Ghost, whereby he is certainly efficacious 
 and works in our hearts (2 Cor. 2 : 14 sqq.) [3 : 5 sqq.]. 
 
 But if a man will not hear preaching or read God's Word, 57 
 but despises the Word and Church of God, and thus dies 
 and perishes in his sins, he neither can console himself with 
 God's eternal election nor obtain his mercy; for Christ, in 
 whom we are chosen, offers to all men his grace in Word and 
 holy sacraments, and wishes earnestly that the Word be heard, 
 and has promised that where two or three are gathered together 
 in his name, and are occupied with his holy Word, he will be 
 in their midst. 
 
 But where such a man despises the instrument of the Holy 5 
 Ghost, and will not hear, no injustice befalls him if the Holy 
 Ghost do not enlighten him, but he be allowed to remain in the 
 darkness of his unbelief, and to perish ; for of this it is writ- 
 ten (Matt. 23 : 37) : " How often would I have gathered thy 
 children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under 
 her wings, and ye would not !" 
 
 And in this respect it might well be said that man is not a 59 
 stone or block. For a stone or block does not resist that which 
 moves it, and does not understand and is not sensible of what 
 is being done with it, as a man, as long as he is not converted, 
 with his will resists God the Lord. And it is nevertheless true 
 
564 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 that a man before his conversion is still a rational creature, 
 having an understanding and will, yet not an understanding 
 with respect to divine things, or a will to will something good 
 and salutary. Yet he can do nothing whatever for his conver- 
 sion (as has also been said [frequently] above), and is in this 
 respect much worse than a stone and block; for he resists the 
 Word and will of God, until God awakens him from the death 
 of sin, enlightens and renews him. 
 mo And although God does not force man to become godly 64 
 
 (for those who always resist the Holy Ghost and persist- 
 ently oppose the known truth, as Stephen says of the hardened 
 Jews (Acts 7 : 51), will not be converted), yet God the Lord 
 draws the man whom he wishes to convert, and draws him, too, 
 in such a way that his understanding, in place of darkened, be- 
 comes enlightened, and his will, in place of perverse, becomes 
 obedient. And the Scriptures call this " creating a new heart " 
 (Ps. 51 : 10). 
 
 For this reason it cannot be correctly said that man, before 61 
 his conversion, has a certain modus agendi, namely, a way of 
 working in divine things something good and salutary. For 
 inasmuch as man, before his conversion, is dead in sins (Eph. 
 2 : 5), there can be in him no power to work anything good in 
 divine things, and therefore he has also no modus agendi, or way 
 of working in divine things. But when a declaration is made 62 
 concerning this matter as to how God works in man, God has 
 nevertheless a modus agendi, or way of working in a man, as in 
 a rational creature, quite different from his way of working in 
 another creature that is irrational, or in a stone and block. 
 Nevertheless to man, before his conversion, a modus agendi, or 
 any way of working something good in spiritual things, cannot 
 be ascribed. 
 
 But when man is converted, and is thus enlightened, and his 63 
 will is renewed, man (so far as he is regenerate or is a new man) 
 wills what is good, and " delights in the Law of God after the 
 inward man " (Rom. 7 : 22), and henceforth does good to such 
 an extent and as long as he is impelled by God's Spirit, as 
 Paul says (Rom. 8:14): " For as many as are led by the Spirit 
 of God, they are the sons of God." And this impulse of the 64 
 Holy Ghost is not a coactio or coercion, but the converted man 
 does good spontaneously, as David says (Ps. 110:4): "Thy 
 people shall be willing in the day of thy power." And never- 
 theless that [the strife of the flesh and spirit] also remains in 
 the regenerate, of which St. Paul wrote (Rom. 7 : 22 sq.) : 
 " For I delight in the Law of God after the inward man : but 
 I see another law in my members, warring against the law of 
 my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin 
 which is in my members." Also ( v. 25) : " So then with m> 
 
Part II. THE FREE WILL, OR HUMAN POWERS. 565 
 
 mind I myself serve the Law of God ; but with the flesh the 
 law of sin." Also (Gal. 5:17): " For the flesh lusteth against 
 the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh ; and these are con- 
 fi0 . trary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things 
 that ye would." 
 
 From this, then, it follows that as soon as the Holy Ghost, 65 
 as has been said, through the Word and holy Sacraments, has 
 begun in us this his work of regeneration and renewal, it is 
 certain that, through the power of the Holy Ghost, we can and 
 should co-operate, although still in great weakness. But this 
 does not occur from our fleshly natural powers, but from the 
 new powers and gifts which the Holy Ghost has begun in us in 
 conversion, as St. Paul expressly and earnestly exhorts that " as 
 workers together" we "receive not the grace of God in vain" 
 (2 Cor. 6 : 1). This, then, is nothing else, and should thus 66 
 be understood, than that the converted man does good to such 
 an extent and so long as God, by his Holy Spirit, rules, guides 
 and leads him, and that as soon as God would withdraw from 
 him his gracious hand, he could not continue for a moment in 
 obedience to God. But if this would be understood thus 
 [if any one would take the expression of St. Paul in this 
 sense], that the converted man co- works with the Holy Ghost, 
 in the manner that two horses together draw a wagon, this 
 can in no way be conceded without prejudice to the divine 
 truth. 
 
 [(2 Cor. 6:1): Suvspyouvvez napaxalobfisv : We who are 
 servants or co-workers with God beseech you who are " God's 
 husbandry" and " God's building" (1 Cor. 3 : 9) to imitate our 
 example, that the grace of God may not be among you in vain 
 (1 Cor. 15 : 10), but that ye may be the temple of God, living 
 and dwelling in you (2 Cor. 6 : 16)]. 
 
 Therefore there is a great difference between baptized and 67 
 unbaptized men. For since, according to the doctrine of St. 
 Paul (Gal. 3 : 27), all who have been baptized have put on 
 Christ, and thus are truly regenerate, they have now a liberated 
 will, i. e. as Christ says they have been made free again (John 
 8 : 36) ; for this reason they afterward not only hear the Word, 
 but also, although in great weakness, are able to assent to it and 
 accept it. 
 
 For since we, in this life, receive only the first-fruits of the 68 
 Spirit, and the new birth is not complete, but only begun in us, 
 fi Qr the combat and struggle of the flesh against the spirit re- 
 mains even in the elect and truly regenerate man, in which 
 there is a great difference perceptible not only among Christians, 
 in that one is weak and another strong in the spirit, but also 
 every Christian experiences in himself that at one time he is 
 joyful in spirit, and at another fearful and alarmed : at one 
 
566 THE FORMULA OF OONOORD. 
 
 time ardent in love, strong in faith and hope, and at another 
 eold and weak. 
 
 But when the baptized have acted against conscience, allowed 69 
 
 sin to prevail in them, and thus have grieved and lost the Holy 
 Ghost, in them, they need not be rebaptized, but must again be 
 converted, as has been sufficiently said before. 
 
 For it is once for all true that in genuine conversion 070 
 •hange, new emotion [renewal] and movement in understand- 
 ing will and heart must occur, namely, that the heart perceive 
 sin, dread God's wrath, turn itself from sin, perceive and accept 
 the promise of grace in Christ, have good spiritual thoughts, a 
 Christian purpose and diligence, and strive against the flesh. 
 For where none of these occurs or is present there is also no 
 true conversion. But since the question is concerning the effi-71 
 cient cause, i. e. who works this in us, and whence man has 
 this, and how he attains it, this doctrine is thus stated : Because 
 the natural powers of man cannot act or help thereto (1 Cor. 
 2 : 14 ; 2 Cor. 3 : 5), God, out of his infinite goodness and mercy, 
 comes first to us, and causes his holy Gospel to be preached, 
 whereby the Holy Ghost desires to work and accomplish in us 
 this conversion and renewal, and through preaching and med- 
 itation upon his Word kindles in us faith and other divine vir- 
 tues, so that they are gifts and operations of the Holy Ghost 
 alone. This doctrine also directs us to the means whereby the 72 
 Holy Ghost desires to begin and work this [which we have 
 mentioned], instructs us how those gifts are preserved, strength- 
 ened and increased, and admonishes us that we should not re- 
 ceive this grace of God in vain, but diligently ponder how 
 grievous a sin it is to hinder and resist such operations of the 
 Holy Ghost. 
 nrxn From this thorough explanation of the entire doctrine 7} 
 
 concerning the free will we can now judge also with re- 
 spect to the last of the questions upon which, for quite a num- 
 ber of years, there has been controversy in the churches of the 
 Augsburg Confession : (Whether man before, in or after his 
 conversion resists the Holy Ghost, or does nothing whatever, 
 but only suffers what God works in him [or is purely passive]? 
 Whether in conversion man is like a block? Whether the 
 Holy Ghost is given to those who resist him ? Whether con- 
 version occur by coercion, so that God coerces men to conver- 
 sion against their wills ?), and the opposite dogmas and errors 
 are seen, exposed, censured and rejected, namely : 
 
 1. First, the folly of the Stoics and Manichseans, [who as- 71 
 serted] that everything that happens must so happen, and that 
 man does everything from coercion, and that even in outward 
 things the will of man has no freedom or ability to afford to a 
 certain extent external righteousness and respectable deport- 
 
Part II. THE FREE WILL, OR HUMAN POWERS. 567 
 
 merit, and to avoid external sins and vices, or that the will of 
 man is coerced to external wicked deeds, inchastity, robbery and 
 murder, etc. 
 
 2. Secondly, the gross error of the Pelagians, that the free 75 
 will, from its own natural powers and without the Holy Ghost, 
 can turn itself to God, believe the Gospel, and be obedient in 
 heart to God's Law, and by this, its voluntary obedience, can 
 merit the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. 
 
 3. Thirdly, the error of the Papists and scholastics, who 76 
 have presented it in a somewhat more subtile form, and have 
 taught that man from his own natural powers can make a be- 
 ginning of doing good and of his own conversion, and that 
 then the Holy Ghost, because man is too weak to bring it to 
 completion, comes to the aid of the good that has been begun 
 from his own natural powers. 
 
 4. Fourthly, the doctrine of the Synergists, who pretend that 77 
 man is not absolutely dead to good in spiritual things, but is 
 badly wounded and half dead. Therefore, although the free 
 ™ 7 will is too weak to make a beginning, and by its own 
 
 powers to convert itself to God, and to be obedient in 
 heart to God's Law ; nevertheless when the Holy Ghost makes 
 a beginning, and calls us through the Gospel, and offers his 
 grace, the forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation, that then 
 the free will, from its own natural powers, meets God, and to a 
 certain extent, although feebly, can act, help and co-operate 
 thereto, can qualify itself for, and apply itself to grace, and 
 embrace and accept it, and believe the Gospel, and also, in the 
 progress and support of this work, it can co-operate, by its own 
 powers, with the Holy Ghost. 1 
 
 But, on the contrary, it has above been shown at length that 78 
 such power, namely, the facultas applicandi se ad gratiam, i. e. 
 to qualify one's self from nature for grace, does not proceed from 
 our own natural powers, but alone from the operation of the 
 Holy Ghost, 
 
 5. Also the following doctrine of the popes and monks, that, 79 
 since regeneration, man, in this life, can completely fulfil the 
 Law of God, and through the fulfilment of the Law be right- 
 eous before God and merit eternal life. 
 
 6. On the other hand, the enthusiasts should be rebuked 80 
 with great severity and zeal, and should in no way be tolerated 
 in the Church of God, who fabricate that God, without any 
 means, without the hearing of the divine Word, and without 
 the use of the holy Sacraments, draws man to himself, and en- 
 lightens, justifies and saves him. 2 
 
 7. Also those who fabricate that in conversion and regenera-81 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, ii. : 11, 12, notes. ' Ibid., ii. : 13. 
 
568 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 tion God so creates a new heart and new man that the sub- 
 staoce and essence of the old Adam, and especially the rational 
 soul, are altogether annihilated, and a new essence of the soul 
 is created out of nothing. 1 This error St. Augustine expressly 
 rebukes on Psalm 25, where he quotes the passage from Paul 
 (Eph. 4 : 22) : "Put off the old man," etc., and explains it in 
 the following words: "That no one may think that some sub- 
 stance is to be laid aside, he has explained what it is to lay aside 
 the old man, and to put on the new, when he says in the suc- 
 ceeding words: ' Putting away lying, speak the truth.' So 
 that is to put off the old man and to put on the new." 
 nnn 8. Also if the following expressions be used without 82 
 
 being explained, viz. that the will of man, before, in, and 
 after conversion, resists the Holy Ghost, and that the Holy 
 Ghost is given to those who resist him. 2 
 
 For from the preceding explanation it is manifest that where 83 
 no change whatever occurs through the Holy Ghost to that 
 which is good in understanding, heart and will, and man does 
 not at all believe the promise, and is not rendered fit by God 
 for grace, but entirely resists the Word, there no conversion has 
 occurred or can exist. For conversion is such a change through 
 the operation of the Holy Ghost, in the understanding, will and 
 heart of man, that, by this operation of the Holy Ghost, man 
 can receive the offered grace. And indeed all those who ob- 
 stinately and persistently resist the operations and movements 
 of the Holy Ghost, which take place through the Word, do 
 not receive, but grieve and lose the Holy Ghost. 
 
 There remains, nevertheless, also in the regenerate a refrac- 84 
 toriness of which the Scriptures speak, namely, that " the flesh 
 lusteth against the spirit" (Gal. 5 : 17), that " fleshly lusts war 
 against the soul " (1 Pet. 2:11), and that " the law in the mem- 
 bers wars against the law of the mind" (Horn. 7 : 23). 
 
 Therefore the man who is not regenerate wholly resists God, 85 
 and is altogether a servant of sin (John 8 : 34; Rom. 6 : 16). 
 But the regenerate delights in the Law of God after the inward 
 man, but nevertheless sees in his members the law of sin, which 
 wars against the law of the mind ; on this account, with his 
 mind, he serves the Law of God, but, with the flesh, the law of 
 sin (Rom. 7 : 25). In this way the correct opinion can and 
 should be thoroughly, clearly and discreetly explained and 
 taught. 
 
 As to the expressions of Chrysostom and Basil : Trahit Deus, &( 
 sed volentem trahit; tantum velis, et Deus prceoccurrit, and also 
 the expression of the scholastics [and Papists], Hominis voluntas 
 in conversione non est otiosa, sed agit aliquid, i. e. " God draws, 
 
 1 Epitome, ii. : 14. ' Ibid., ii. : 15 
 
PabtIL THE FREE WILL, OR HLMAN POWERS. 569 
 
 but he draws the willing," and " In conversion the will of man 
 o ,q is not idle, but effects something," (expressions which have 
 been introduced for confirming the natural free will in 
 man's conversion, against the doctrine concerning God's grace), 
 from the explanation heretofore presented it is manifest that 
 they are not in harmony with the form of sound doctrine, but 
 are contrary to it, and therefore when we speak of conversion 
 to God should be avoided. 
 
 For the conversion of our corrupt will, which is nothing else 87 
 Jian a resuscitation of it from spiritual death, is only and 
 alone a work of God, just as also the resuscitation in the resur- 
 rection of the body should be ascribed to God alone, as has 
 been above fully set forth and proved by manifest testimonies 
 of Holy Scripture. 
 
 But how in conversion, through the drawing of the Holy 88 
 Ghost, God changes stubborn and unwilling into willing men, 
 and that after such conversion, in the daily exercise of repent- 
 ance, the regenerate will of man is not idle, but also co-operates 
 in all the deeds of the Holy Ghost, which he works through us, 
 has already been sufficiently explained above. 
 
 So also when Luther says 1 that with respect to his conver-89 
 sion man is purely passive, L e. does nothing whatever thereto, 
 but only suffers what God works in him, his meaning is not 
 that conversion occurs without the preaching and hearing of 
 God's Word; his meaning also is not that in conversion no 
 new emotion is awakened in us by the Holy Ghost, and no 
 spiritual operation begun; but he means that man of himself, 
 or from his natural powers, cannot contribute anything or help 
 to his conversion, and that conversion is not only in part, but 
 altogether an operation, gift and present and work of the Holy 
 Ghost alone, who accomplishes and effects it, by his virtue and 
 power, through the Word, in the understanding, will and heart 
 of man, tanquam in subjedo patiente, i. e. where man does or 
 works nothing, but only suffers. Not as a statue is cut in a 
 stone or a seal iuipressed into wax, which knows nothing of it, 
 and also perceives and wills nothing of it, but in the way 
 which is above narrated and explained. 
 rtjA Because also the youth in the schools have been greatly 9c 
 
 perplexed by the doctrine of the three efficient causes 2 con- 
 curring in the conversion to God of the unregenerate man, as 
 to the manner in which they, namely, the Word of God 
 preached and heard, the Holy Ghost and the will of man con- 
 jur ; it is again manifest from the explanation above presented 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, ii. : 18. 
 
 * Melanchthon in Loci Theologici (1535), Pfeffinger, Strigel and others 
 Cf. Epit., ii. : 19. 
 
 72 
 
)70 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 that conversion to God is a work of God the Holy Ghost alone, 
 who is the true master-workman that alone works this in us, 
 for which he uses the preaching and hearing of his Holy Word 
 as his ordinary [and lawful] means and instrument. But the 
 understanding and will of the un regenerate man are nothing 
 else than the subjectum convertendum, i. e. that which is to be 
 converted, as the understanding and will of a spiritually dead 
 man, in whom the Holy Ghost works conversion and renewal, 
 for which work the will of the man who is to be converted 
 does nothing, but only lets God work in him, until he is 
 regenerate; and then also by the Holy Ghost he works [co- 
 operates] in other succeeding good works that which is pleas- 
 ing to God, in the way and to the extent fully set forth above. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. 
 
 The third dissent has arisen, among some theologians of the i 
 Augsburg Confession concerning the righteousness of Christ or 
 of faith, which, out of grace, is imputed by God, through faith, 
 to poor sinners for righteousness. 
 
 For one side has contended that the righteousness of faith, 2 
 which the apostle calls the righteousness of God, is God's es- 
 sential righteousness, which is Christ himself as the true, nat- 
 ural and essential Son of God, who, by faith, dwells in the elect 
 and impels them to do right, and who thus is their righteous- 
 ness, compared with which righteousness the sins of all men 
 are as a drop of water compared with the great ocean. 
 
 On the contrary, others have held and taught that Christ is 3 
 our righteousness, alone according to his human nature. 
 nii In opposition to both these sides, it is unanimously 4 
 
 taught by the other teachers of the Augsburg Confession 
 that Christ is our righteousness, not alone according to his di- 
 vine nature, nor also alone according to his human nature, but 
 according to both natures, who as God and man has, through 
 his complete obedience, redeemed, justified and saved us from 
 our sins; that therefore the righteousness of faith is the for- 
 giveness of sins, reconciliation with God, and our acceptance as 
 God's children on account of the obedience only of Christ, 
 which alone through faith, out of pure grace, is imputed for 
 righteousness to all true believers, and on account of it they are 
 absolved from all their unrighteousness. 
 
 Besides this [controversy] there are on account of the In- 5 
 terim [by occasion of the formula of the Interim or of Inter- 
 religion], and otherwise, still other disputes caused and excited 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, iv., vi., xii., xx. ; Apology 
 iv. ; Suialcald Articles, Part II., Art. i. ; Part III., xiii. ; Epitome, iii. 
 
Part II. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH BEFORE GOD. 571 
 
 concerning the article Of Justification, which will hereafter be 
 explained in the antithesis, i. e. in the enumeration of those 
 errors which are contrary to the pure doctrine in this article. 
 
 This article concerning Justification by Faith (as the Apol- 6 
 ogy says 1 ) is the chief in the entire Christian doctrine, without 
 which no poor conscience has any firm consolatiou, or can know 
 aright the riches of the grace of Christ, as Dr. Luther also has 
 written : " If only this article remain in view pure, the Chris- 
 tian Church also remains pure, and is harmonious and without 
 all sects ; but if it do not remain pure, it is not possible to resist 
 any error or fanatical spirit" (Tom. 5, Jena Ed., p. 159). And 7 
 concerning this article Paul especially says that " a little leaven 
 leaveneth the whole lump." Therefore, in this article he em- 
 phasizes with so much zeal and earnestness the exclusive par- 
 ticles, or the words whereby the works of men are excluded 
 (namely, " without Law," " without works," " out of grace " 
 [" freely," Kom. 3 : 28 ; 4:5; Eph. 2 : 8, 9]), in order to indi- 
 cate how highly necessary it is that in this article, by the side of 
 the presentation of the pure doctrine, the antithesis, i. e. all con- 
 trary dogmas, by this means be separated, exposed and rejected. 
 
 Therefore, in order that this dissent may be explained in a 8 
 Christian way according to God's Word, and, b}' his grace, be 
 settled, our doctrine, faith and confession are as follows : 
 />i9 Concerning the righteousness of faith before God we 9 
 
 unanimously believe, teach and confess, according to the 
 comprehensive summary of our faith and confession above pre- 
 sented, viz. that a poor sinful man is justified before God, L e. 
 absolved and declared free and exempt from all his sins, and 
 from the sentence of well-deserved condemnation, and adopted 
 into sonship and heirship of eternal life, without any merit or 
 worth of his own, also without all preceding, present or subse- 
 quent works, out of pure grace, alone because of the sole merit, 
 complete obedience, bitter suffering, death and resurrection of 
 our Lord Christ, whose obedience is reckoned to us for right- 
 eousness. 
 
 These treasures are offered us by the Holy Ghost in the u, 
 promise of the holy Gospel ; and faith alone is the only 
 means whereby we lay hold upon, accept and apply and appro- 
 priate them to ourselves. This faith is a gift of God, whereby 11 
 we apprehend aright Christ our Redeemer in the Word of the 
 Gospel, and trust in him, that for the sake of his obedience 
 alone, out of grace, we have the forgiveness of sins, and before 
 God the Father are regarded godly and righteous, and are 
 eternally saved. Therefore the expressions of Paul, that we are 12 
 "justified by faith " (Rom. 3 : 28), or that " faith is counted for 
 
 1 Ch. ii., art, iv. : 2. 
 
572 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 righteousness * (Rom. 4 : 5), and that we are " made righteous 
 by the obedience of one" (Rom. 5 : 19), or that "by the right- 
 eousness of one justification of faith came to all men n (Rom. 
 5:18), are regarded and received as equivalents. For faith is 
 justifies, not because it is so good a work and so fair a virtue, 
 but because, in the promise of the Gospel, it lays hold of 
 and accepts the merit of Christ; for if we are to be justified 
 thereby, this must be applied and appropriated by faith. 
 Therefore the righteousness which, out of pure grace, is im- 14 
 puted to faith or the believer, is the obedience, suffering and res- 
 urrection of Christ, by which he has made satisfaction for us to 
 the Law, and paid the price of our sins. For since Christ is not 15 
 alone man, but God and man in one undivided person, he was 
 as little subject to the Law, because he is the Lord of the Law, 
 as, in his own person, to suffering and death. Therefore his 
 obedience not only in suffering and dying, but also that he in 
 our stead was voluntarily subject to the Law, and fulfilled it by 
 his obedience, is imputed to us for righteousness, so that, on ac- 
 count of this complete obedience, which by deed and by suffer- 
 RiQ i n &> m l^ e a °d nl death, he rendered his heavenly Father 
 for us, God forgives our sins, regards us godly and right- 
 eous, and eternally saves us. This righteousness is offered us ifc 
 by the Holy Ghost through the Gospel and in the sacraments, 
 and is applied, appropriated and received through faith, whence 
 believers have reconciliation with God, forgiveness of sins, the 
 grace of God, sonship and heirship of eternal life. 
 
 Accordingly, the word justify here means to declare righteous 17 
 and free from sins, and, for the sake of Christ's righteousness, 
 which is imputed by God to faith (Phil. 3 : 9), to absolve one 
 from their eternal punishment. For this use and understand 
 ing of this word is common in the Holy Scriptures of the Ola 
 and the New Testament, (Pro v. 17:15): " He that justifieth 
 the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are 
 abomination to the Lord." (Isa. 5 : 23) : " Woe unto them 
 which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the right- 
 eousness of the righteous from him !" (Rom. 8 : 33) : " Who 
 shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that 
 justifieth," i. e. absolves from sins, and declares exempt. 
 
 But because sometimes the word " regeneration " is employed iH 
 for the word "justification," it is necessary that this word be 
 properly explained, in order that the renewal which follows the 
 justification of faith may not be confounded with the justifica- 
 tion of faith, but they may be properly distinguished from one 
 another. 
 
 For, in the first place, the word " regeneration " is employed \g 
 so as to comprise at the same time the forgiveness of sins alone 
 for Christ's sake, and the succeeding renewal which the Hob 
 
Part II. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH BEFORE GOD. 573 
 
 Ghost works in those who are justified by faith. Again, it is 
 restricted to the remission of sins and adoption as sons of G( d. 
 And in this latter sense the word is much and often used in 
 the Apology, where it is written : " Justification is regenera- 
 tion," l although St. Paul has fixed a distinction between these 
 words (Tit. 3:5): " He saved us by the washing of regenera- 
 0.4 tion and renewal of the Holy Ghost." As also the word 
 " vivification " has sometimes been used in a like sense. 2 
 For if a man is justified through faith (which the Holy Ghost 2<j 
 alone works), this is truly a regeneration, because from a child of 
 wrath he becomes a child of God, and thus is transferred from 
 death to life, as it is written (Eph. 2 ; 5) : " When we were dead 
 in sins, he hath quickened us together with Christ." Also: 
 " The just shall live by faith " (Rom. 1 : 17 [Hab. 2 : 4J). In 
 this sense the word is much and often used in the Apology. 
 
 But again, it is often taken for sanctification and renewal, 21 
 which succeed the righteousness of faith, as Dr. Luther has 
 thus used it in his book concerning the Church and the Coun- 
 cils, and elsewhere. 
 
 But when we teach that through the operation of the Holy 22 
 Ghost we are born anew and justified, the sense is not that 
 after regeneration no unrighteousness clings any more, in being 
 and life, to the justified and regenerate, but that Christ, with 
 his complete obedience, covers all their sins, which still in this 
 life inhere in their nature. But without regard to this, through 
 faith and for the sake of Christ's obedience (which Christ ren- 
 dered the Father for us from his birth to his most ignominious 
 death upon the cross), they are declared and regarded godly and 
 righteous, although, on account of their corrupt nature, they 
 are still sinners, and so remain to the grave [while they bear 
 about this mortal body], But, on the other hand, the meaning 
 is not that we dare or should, without repentance, conversion 
 and renewal, obey sins, and remain and continue in them. 
 
 For true [and not feigned] contrition must precede; and to 23 
 those who thus, as has been said, out of pure grace, for the sake 
 of Christ the only Mediator, without all works and merit, are 
 righteous before God, i. e. are received into grace, the Holy 
 Ghost is also given, who renews and sanctifies them, and works 
 in them love to God and to their neighbor. But since the in- 
 cipient renemil is in this life imperfect, and sins still dwell in 
 the flesh, even in the regenerate, the lighteousness of faith be- 
 fore God consists in the gracious imputation of the righteous- 
 ness of Christ, without the addition of our works, »o that our 
 o-ic sins are forgiven us, and covered and not imputed (Ron;. 
 4 : 6 sqq.). 
 
 1 Ch. ii., art. iv. : 12. * Apology, ch. v., art. xii. : 46 sq. 
 
574 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 But here with especial diligence the greatest attention must 24 
 afterwards be given, if the article of justification is to ri main 
 pure, that not that which precedes faith and that whicL suc- 
 ceeds it be mingled together or inserted as necessary and be- 
 longing to it, because to speak of conversion and to speak of 
 justification are not one and the same thing. 
 
 For not everything that belongs to conversion belongs like- 25 
 wise to the article of justification, in and to which only the fol- 
 lowing belong and are necessary : the grace of God, the merit 
 of Christ, and faith which receives this in the promise of the 
 Gospel, whereby the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, 
 whence we receive and have forgiveness of sins, reconciliation 
 with God, sonship and heirship of eternal life. 
 
 Therefore true, saving faith is not in those who are without 26 
 contrition and sorrow, and who have a wicked purpose to remain 
 and persevere in sins ; but true contrition precedes, and genuine 
 faith is in or with true repentance [justifying faith is in those 
 who repent truly, not feign edly]. 
 
 Love is also a fruit which surely and necessarily follows 27 
 true faith. For that one does not love is a sure indication that 
 he is not justified, but is still in death, or has lost again the 
 righteousness of faith, as John says (1 John 3:14). But when 
 Paul says (Rom. 3 : 28) : " We are justified by faith without 
 works," he indicates thereby that neither the contrition that 
 precedes nor the works that follow belong to the article or 
 transaction of justification by faith. For good works do not 
 precede justification, but follow it, and the person must be jus- 
 tified before he can do a good work. 
 
 In like manner also, although the renewal or sanctification 28 
 k? also a benefit of Christ the Mediator and a work of the 
 Holy Ghost, it does not belong to the article or transaction of 
 justification before God, but follows the same, shue, on account 
 of our corrupt flesh, it is not, in this life, entirely perfect and 
 complete, as Dr. Luther has written well concerning this in his 
 excellent and extended exposition of the Epistle to the Gala- 
 p 1fi tians, in which he says as follows: " We concede indeed 29 
 
 that instruction shouid be given also concerning love and 
 good works, yet in such a way that this be done wher and 
 where it is necessary, as, namely, when we have to do with 
 woiksover and beyond this matter of justification. But here 
 the chief point w r ith which we have to do is this, that the question 
 is not whether we should also do and love good works, but by 
 what means we may be justified before God, and saved. And 
 here we answer with St. Paul : that we are justified alone by 
 faith in Christ, and not by the Jeeds of the Law or love. Not 
 that we hereby entirely reject works and love, as the adver- 
 saries falsely defame and accuse us, but that we dare not allow 
 
PabtII. the righteousness of faith before god. 576 
 
 ourselves to be led away, as Satan would desire, from the chief 
 point with which we have here to do, to another and foreign 
 transaction which does not belong whatever to this question. 
 Therefore, whereas, and as long as, we have to do with this 
 article of justification we reject and condemn works, since this 
 article can admit of no disputation or treatment whatever of 
 the subject of works; therefore in this matter we absolutely 
 sever all Law and works of the Law." So far Luther. 
 
 In order, therefore, that troubled hearts may have a firm, 3c 
 sure consolation, and also that due honor be accorded the merit 
 of Christ and the grace of God, the Scriptures teach that the 
 righteousness of faith before God consists alone in the gracious 
 [gratuitous] reconciliation or the forgiveness of sins, which is 
 presented to us out of pure grace, for the sake of the merit 
 alone of Christ as Mediator, and is received alone through faith 
 in the promise of the Gospel. Therefore, in justification be- 
 fore God, faith relies neither upon contrition nor upon love or 
 other virtues, but alone upon Christ, and in him upon his com- 
 plete obedience, whereby for us he has fulfilled the Law, which 
 [obedience] is imputed to believers for righteousness. 
 
 It is also neither contrition nor love or any other virtue, but 31 
 faith alone, which is the sole means and instrument whereby 
 we can receive and accept the grace of God, the merit of Christ, 
 and the forgiveness of sins, which are offered us in the promise 
 of the Gospel. 
 017 It is also correctly said that believers who through faith 32 
 
 in Christ are justified, in this life have first the imputed 
 righteousness of faith, and afterwards also the incipient right- 
 eousness of the new obedience or good works. But these two 
 must not be confounded or inserted at the same time into the 
 article of justification by faith before God. For since this in- 
 cipient righteousness or renewal is incomplete and imperfect in 
 us in this life because of the flesh, the person cannot stand 
 therewith and thereby before God's tribunal, but before God's 
 tribunal only the righteousness of the obedience, suffering and 
 death of Christ, which is imputed to faith, can stand, namely, 
 that only for the sake of this obedience the person (even after 
 his renewal, when he has already many good works and is in 
 the best life) is pleasing and acceptable to God, and is received 
 into adoption and heirship of eternal life. 
 
 Here belongs also what St. Paul writes (Rom. 4 : 3), that 33 
 Abraham was justified before God alone through faith, for the 
 sake of the Mediator, without the co-operatJon of his works, 
 not only when he was first converted from idolatry and had no 
 good works, but also when he was afterwards renewed by the 
 Holy Ghost, and adorned with many excellent good works 
 (Gen. 15:6; Heb. 11 : 8). And Paul puts the following ques- 
 
576 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 tion (Rom. 4 : 1 sqq.) : In what, then, did the righteousness, for 
 everlasting life, of Abraham before God, whereby God was gra- 
 3ious to him, and he was pleasing and acceptable to God, consist? 
 
 Thereupon he answers: "To him who worketh not, but be- 34 
 lieveth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted 
 for righteousness ;" as David also (Ps. 32 : 1) speaks of the 
 blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness 
 without works. 
 
 Therefore, even though the converted and believing have in- 35 
 cipient renewal, sanctification, love, virtue and good works, yet 
 these neither can nor should be introduced into or confounded 
 with the article of justification before God, in order that that 
 honor which belongs to him may remain with Christ the Re- 
 deemer, and since our new obedience is incomplete and imper- 
 fect, tempted consciences may have sure consolation. 
 
 And this is the intention of the apostle Paul when in this 36 
 article he so diligently and earnestly emphasizes the exclusive 
 particles, i. e. the words whereby works are excluded from the 
 article of justification : absque operibus, sine lege, gratis, non ex 
 operibus, i. e. " of grace," " without merit/' " without works," 
 n*a "not of works." These exclusive particles are all com- 
 prised in the expression : " By faith alone in Christ we are 
 justified before God and saved." For thereby works are ex- 
 cluded, not in the sense that a true faith can exist without con- 
 trition, or that good works should, must and dare not follow true 
 faith as sure and indubitable fruits, or that believers neither dare 
 nor must do anything good ; but that good works are excluded 
 from the article of justification before God, so that in the trans- 
 action of the justification of the poor sinner before God they 
 should not be introduced, inserted, or intermingled as necessary 
 or belonging thereto. The true sense of the exclusive particles 
 in the article of justification is this, which should, with all dili- 
 gence and earnestness, be urged in this article : 
 
 1. That thereby [through these particles] all our own works, 3; 
 merit, worth, glory and confidence in all our works in the article 
 of justification be entirely excluded, so that our works be nei- 
 ther constituted nor regarded, either entirely or in half or in the 
 least part, as the cause or merit of justification, upon which 
 God in this article and transaction looks, or we could or should 
 rely. 
 
 2, That this office and property abides with faith alone, that 3? 
 it alone, and nothing else whatever, is the means or instrument 
 by and through which God's grace and the merit of Christ are, 
 in the promise of the Gospel, received, apprehended, accepted, 
 applied to us, and appropriated ; and that from this office and 
 property of such application or appropriation, love and all other 
 virtues or works are excluded. 
 
Part II. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH BEFORE GOD. 577 
 
 3. That neither renewal, sanctification, virtues nor good works 39 
 be constituted and appointed tanquam forma 1 aut pars aid causa 
 justificationis, i. e. our righteousness before God, or a part or 
 cause of our righteousness, or should otherwise be intermingled 
 under any pretext, title or name whatever in the article of jus- 
 tification as necessary and belonging thereto ; but that the right- 
 eousness of faith consists alone in the forgiveness of sins out 
 fiiq °f P ure grace, alone for the sake of Christ's merit; which 
 blessings are offered us in the promise of the Gospel, and 
 are received, accepted, applied and appropriated alone by faith. 
 
 Therefore the true order between faith and good works, and 4c 
 also between justification and renewal or sanctification, must 
 abide and be maintained. 
 
 For good works do not precede faith, neither does sanctifica-41 
 tion precede justification. But in conversion, first faith is 
 kindled in us bv the Holv Ghost from the hearing of the Gos- 
 pel. It lays hold of God's grace in Christ, whereby the per- 
 son is justified. Then, when the person is justified, he is re- 
 newed and sanctified by the Holy Ghost, from which renewal 
 and sanctification the fruits of good works then follow. This 
 should not be understood as though justification and renewal 
 were sundered from one another, in such a manner that a gen- 
 uine faith sometimes could exist and continue for a long time, 
 together with a wicked intention, but hereby only the order [of 
 causes and effects, of antecedents and consequents] is indicated, 
 as to how one precedes or succeeds the other. For that never- 
 theless remains true which Luther has correctly said : " Faith 
 and good works [well] agree and fit [are inseparably connected] ; 
 but it is faith alone, without works, which lays hold of the 
 blessing ; and yet it is never and at no time alone." This has 
 been set forth above. 2 
 
 Many disputations also are usefully and well explained by 4a 
 means of this true distinction, of which the Apology treats iD 
 £20 reference to the passage (James 2 : 20). For when the 
 subject is concerning how faith justifies, the doctrine of 
 St. Paul is that faith alone, without works, justifies (Rom. 3 : 
 28), since, as has been said, it applies and appropriates the merit 
 >f Christ. But if the question be : Wherein and whereby a 
 Christian can perceive and distinguish, either in himself or in 
 another, a true living faith from a feigned and dead faith, since 
 many idle, secure Christians imagine for themselves a delusion 
 in place of faith, while they nevertheless have no true faith? 
 the Apology gives this answer: "James calls that dead faith 
 where every kind of good works and fruits of the Spirit do 
 not follow." 3 And to this effect the Latin edition of the Apol- 
 
 1 Cf. Apology, ch. iii. : 100. ■ See above, \ 25 sqq. ' Apology, ch. iii. : 127. 
 73 
 
578 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 ogy says: "James is right in denying that we are justified by 
 such faith as is without works, ?. e. which is dead." 1 
 
 But James speaks, as the Apology says, 2 concerning the 43 
 works of those who, through Christ, have already been jus- 
 tified, reconciled with God, and obtained forgiveness of sins. 
 But if the question be asked, Whereby and whence faith has 
 this, and what appertains to its justifying and saving? it is false 
 and incorrect to say: that faith cannot justify without works; 
 or that faith justifies or makes righteous, so far as it has love 
 with it, for the sake of which love this is ascribed to faith [it 
 has love with it, by which it is formed]; or that the presence 
 of works with faith is necessary if man is to be justified there- 
 by before God ; or that the presence of good works in the article 
 of justification, or for justification, is needful ; likewise that the 
 good works are a cause without which man cannot be justified, 
 and that they are not excluded from the article of justification 
 by the exclusive particles, as when St. Paul says : " Without 
 works," etc. For faith makes righteous alone in that, as a 
 means and instrument, it lays hold of and accepts, in the 
 promise of the Gospel, the grace of God and the merit of 
 Christ. 
 
 Let this suffice, according to the plan of this document, as a 44 
 compendious setting forth of the doctrine of justification by 
 faith, which is treated more at length in the above-mentioned 
 writings. From these, the antitheses also, i. e. the false con- 
 trary dogmas, are easily understood, namely, that in addition to 
 the errors recounted above, the following and the like, which 
 conflict with the explanation now published, must be censured, 
 exposed and rejected, as when it is taught : 
 
 1 . 3 That our love or good works are merit or cause, either 45 
 entirely or even in part, of justification before God. 
 
 2. Or that by good works man must render himself worthy 46 
 and fit that the merit of Christ be imparted to him. 
 
 3. Or that our formal righteousness before God is our inher- 47 
 nt newness or love, i. e. that our real righteousness before God 
 
 001 is the love or renewal which the Holy Ghost works in us, 
 and is in us. 
 
 4. Or that the righteousness of faith before God consists of 48 
 two parts, namely, the gracious forgiveness of sins, and then, 
 secondly, also renewal or sanctifi cation. 
 
 5. That faith justifies only initially, or partially, or prima- 49 
 rily, and that our newness or love justifies even before God, 
 either completively or secondarily. 
 
 1 Apology, ch. iii. : 129. " Ibid., $ 125, 130. 
 
 • Errors 2-5 charged both against the Papists and the subscribers to the 
 Augsburg and Leipsic Interims. 
 
Part 11. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH BEFORE GOD. 579 
 
 6. 1 Also that believers are justified before God, or are right- 5c 
 eous before God, at the same time both by imputation and by 
 beginning, or partly by the imputation of Christ's righteous- 
 ness, and partly by the beginning of new obedience. 
 
 7. Also that the application of the promise of grace occurs 51 
 lx)th by faith of the heart and confession of the mouth, and by 
 other virtues. That is: Faith alone makes righteous, for the 
 reason that righteousness by faith is begun in us, or that in 
 justification faith has the pre-eminence; nevertheless, the re- 
 newal and love belong also to our righteousness before God, 
 yet in such a way that it is not the chief cause of our righteous- 
 ness, but that our righteousness before God is not entire and 
 complete without such love and renewal. Also that believers 
 are justified and righteous before God, at the same time, by the 
 imputed righteousness of Christ and the incipient new obe- 
 dience, or in part by the imputation of Christ's righteousness 
 and in part by the incipient new obedience. Also that the 
 promise of grace is appropriated by us, by faith in the heart, 
 and confession which is made with the mouth, and by other 
 virtues. 
 
 It is also incorrect to teach that man must be saved in some 52 
 other way, or through something else, than as he is justified be- 
 fore God; so that while we are justified before God by faith 
 alone, without works, yet without works it is impossible to be 
 saved or obtain salvation. 2 
 
 This is false, for the reason that it is directly contrary to the 53 
 declaration of Paul (Rom. 4:6): " The blessedness of the man 
 unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works." And 
 the basis of Paul's argument is that we obtain salvation just in 
 the same way as righteousness ; yea, that precisely by this means, 
 when we are justified by faith, we receive adoption and heir- 
 ship of eternal life and salvation ; and, on this account, Paul 
 employs and emphasizes the exclusive particles, i. e. those words 
 >vhereby works and our own merits are entirely excluded, name- 
 on ly, " out of grace," " without works," as forcibly in the 
 article concerning salvation as in the article concerning 
 righteousness. 
 
 Likewise also the disputation 3 concerning the indwelling in 54 
 us of the essential righteousness of God must be correctly ex- 
 plained. For although, by faith, in the elect, who are justified 
 by Christ and reconciled with God, God the Father, Son and 
 Holy Ghost, who is eternal and essential righteousness, dwells 
 (for all Christians are temples of God the Father, Son aud Holy 
 Ghost, who also impels them to do right) ; yet this indwelling 
 
 1 For Errors 6, 7, see Epitome, iii. : 21, 22. * Cf. Epitome, iv. : 7. 
 
 8 Of Osiander. 
 
580 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 of God is not the righteousness of faith, of which St. Paul treats 
 and which he calls the righteousness of God, for the sake of 
 which we are declared righteous before God; but it follows the 
 preceding righteousness of faith, which is nothing else than the 
 forgiveness of sins and the gracious acceptance of the poor 
 6inner, alone for the sake of Christ's obedience and merit. 
 
 Therefore, since in our churches it is acknowledged [estab- 55 
 i^hed beyond controversy] among the theologians of the Augs- 
 burg Confession that all our righteousness is to be sought out- 
 side of ourselves and the merits, works, virtues and worthiness 
 of all men, and rests alone upon Christ the Lord ; yet it is well 
 to consider in what respect Christ is called, in this matter of 
 justification, our righteousness, namely, that our righteousness 
 rests not upon one or the other nature, but upon the entire per- 
 son of Christ, who as God and man is our righteousness in his 
 sole, entire and complete obedience. 
 
 For even though Christ had been conceived without sin by 56 
 the Holy Ghost, and thus been born, and in his human nature 
 alone would have fulfilled all righteousness, and yet would 
 have not been true and eternal God, this obedience and suffer- 
 ing of his human nature could not have been imputed to us for 
 righteousness. As also, if the Son of God had not become 
 man the divine nature alone could not have been our right- 
 eousness. Therefore w T e believe, teach and confess that the en- 
 tire obedience of the entire person of Christ, which he has ren- 
 dered the Father for us, even to his most ignominious death 
 upon the cross, is imputed for righteousness. For the human 
 nature alone, without the divine, could neither by obedience 
 nor suffering render satisfaction to eternal almighty God for 
 the sins of all the world ; and the divinity alone without the 
 humanity could not mediate between God and us. 
 nno But because, as above mentioned, the obedience is [not 57 
 
 only of one nature, but] of the entire person, it is a com- 
 plete satisfaction and expiation for the human race, whereby the 
 eternal, immutable righteousness of God, revealed in the Law, 
 is satisfied, and is thus our righteousness, which avails before 
 God and is revealed in the Gospel, and upon which faith be- 
 fore God relies, which God imputes to faith, as it is written 
 (Rom. 5 : 19): u For as by one man's disobedience many were 
 made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made 
 righteous." (1 John 1:7): " The blood of Jesus Christ, the 
 Son of God, cleanseth us from all sins." Also: "The just 
 shall live by his faith " (Hab. 2 : 4 [Rom. 1 : 17]). 
 
 Thus neither the divine nor the human nature of Christ is 5! 
 of itself imputed for righteousness, but only the obedience of 
 the person who is at the same time God and man. And faith 
 thus regards the person of Christ, who was made subject to the 
 
Part O. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH BEFORE GOD. 581 
 
 Law for us, bore our sins, and in his going to the Father 
 offered to his Heavenly Father for us poor sinners his entire, 
 complete obedience, from his holy birth even unto death, and 
 who has thereby covered all our disobedience which inheres in 
 our nature, and its thoughts, words and works, so that it is not 
 imputed to us for condemnation, but out of pure grace, alone 
 for Christ's sake, is pardoned and forgiven. 
 
 Therefore we reject and unanimously condemn, besides the 59 
 above-mentioned, also the following and all similar errors, as 
 contrary to God's Word, the do"trine of the prophets and apos- 
 tles, and our Christian faith : 
 
 1 } When it is taught that Christ is our righteousness before 60 
 
 CD O 
 
 God, alone according to his divine nature. 
 
 2. That Christ is our righteousness, alone according to his 61 
 human nature. 
 
 3. That in the expressions of the prophets and apostles, when 62 
 the righteousness of faith is spoken of, the words "justify" and 
 
 " be justified" do not signify to declare free from sins and ob- 
 tain the forgiveness of sins, but in deed and truth to be made 
 righteous, because of love infused by the Holy Ghost, virtues 
 and the works following thence. 
 094 4. That faith looks not only to the obedience of Christ, 63 
 
 but to his divine nature, as it dwells and works in us, and 
 that by this indwelling our sins are covered before God. 
 
 5. That faith is such' a trust in the obedience of Christ as can 64 
 be and remain in a man who has no genuine repentance, in 
 whom also no love follows, but he persists in sins against con- 
 science. 
 
 6. That not God, but only the gifts of God, dwell in the be- 65 
 liever. 
 
 These errors and the like, one and all, we unanimously reject 66 
 as contrary to the clear Word of God, and, by God's grace, we 
 abide firmly and constantly in the doctrine of the righteousness 
 of faith before God, as in the Augsburg Confession and the 
 Apology which follows it is presented, developed and proved 
 from God's Word. 
 
 Concerning what besides is needful for the real explanation 6; 
 of this sublime and chief article of justification before God, 
 upon which rests the salvation of our souls, we will direct 
 every one to the excellent and magnificent exposition by Dr. 
 Luther of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians, and for the 
 Bake of brevity to it we hereby refer. 
 
 1 For Errors 1-6, see notes on Epitome, iii. : 13 sqq. 
 
682 THE FORMULA OF COXCORD 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 Of Good Works. 
 
 A disagreement has occurred among the theologians of the i 
 Augsburg Confession also concerning good works. For a part 
 are accustomed to speak in the following words and manner: 
 " Good works are necessary for salvation ;" " It is impossible 
 to be saved without good works ;" " No one can be saved 
 without good works;" because by the rightly believing good 
 works are required as fruits of faith, and faith without love is 
 dead, although such love is no cause of salvation. 
 
 But the other side, on the contrary, have contended that 2 
 good works are indeed necessary ; not for salvation, but for 
 other reasons; and that, on this account, the preceding proposi- 
 tions or expressions used (as they are not in accord with the 
 nor form of sound doctrine and with the Word, and have been 
 always and are still set over against our Christian faith by 
 the Papists, in which \v T e confess " that faith alone justifies and 
 saves") are not to be tolerated in the Church, in order that the 
 merit of Christ our Saviour be not diminished, and the promise 
 of salvation may be and remain firm and certain to believers. 
 
 In this controversy also the following controverted proposi- 3 
 tion or expression was introduced by some few, 1 viz. " that 
 good works are injurious to salvation." It has also been dis- 
 puted by some that good works are not " necessary," but are 
 "voluntary" [free and spontaneous], because they are not ex- 
 torted by fear and the penalty of the Law, but are to be done 
 from a voluntary spirit and a joyful heart. On the contrary, 
 the other side 2 contend " that good works are necessary." 
 
 This latter controversy was originally introduced with respect 4 
 to the words " necessity " and " liberty," because especially the 
 word "necessity" signifies not only the eternal, immutable 
 order according to which all men are indebted and obliged to 
 obey God, but also sometimes a coercion, whereby the Law 
 forces men to good works. 
 
 But afterwards there was a disputation not alone concerning 5 
 the words, but, in the most violent manner, the doctrine itself 
 was called into question, and it was contended that the new 
 obedience in the regenerate, in accordance with the above-men- 
 tioned divine order, is not necessary. 3 
 
 In order to explain this disagreement in a Christian way and 6 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, vi., xx. ; Apology (iii.), xx. 
 Smalcald Articles, Part. III., Art. xiii.; Epitome, vi. 
 
 1 Amsdorf, especially. ' John Agricola. Cf notes on Epitome, in loco 
 * Thus, the Antinomians. 
 
Part II. GOOD WORKS. 583 
 
 according to the guidance of God's "Word, our doctrine, faith and 
 confession are as follows : 
 
 First, there is no controversy among our theologians concern- 7 
 ing the following points in this article, namely : that it is God's 
 will, regulation and command that believers should walk in 
 good works ; and that truly good works are not those which 
 every one, with a good intention, himself contrives, or which 
 are done according to human ordinances, but those which God 
 himself has prescribed and commanded in his Word. Also, 
 that truly good works are done, not from our own natural pow- 
 ers, but when by faith the person is reconciled with God and 
 renewed by the Holy Ghost, or (as Paul says) "created anew in 
 Christ Jesus to good works" (Eph. 2 : 10). 
 nnn There is also no controversy as to how and for what 8 
 
 reason the good works of believers, although, in this flesh, 
 they are impure and incomplete, please God and are acceptable, 
 namely, for the sake of the Lord Christ, by faith, because the 
 person is acceptable to God. For the works which pertain to 
 the maintenance of external discipline, which are done also by 
 the unbelieving and unconverted, and required of them, al- 
 though commendable before the world, and besides rewarded 
 by God in this world with temporal possessions ; yet, because 
 they do not proceed from true faith, are in God's sight sins, 
 i. e. stained with sin, and are regarded by God as sins and im- 
 pure on account of the corrupt nature and because the person 
 is not reconciled with God. For " a corrupt tree cannot bring 
 forth good fruit" (Matt. 7 : 18), as also it is written (Rom. 14 : 
 23) : " For whatsoever is not of faith is sin." For the person 
 must first be accepted of God, and that alone for the sake of 
 Christ, if the works of that person are to please him. 
 
 Therefore, of works that are truly good and well pleasing 9 
 to God, which God will reward in this world and the world to 
 come, faith must be the mother and source ; and on this account 
 they are correctly called by St. Paul " fruits of faith," as also 
 " of the Spirit." For, as Luther writes in the introduction of 1 
 St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans : " Thus faith is a divine work 
 in us, that changes us, of God regenerates us, and puts to death 
 the old Adam, makes us entirely different men in heart, spirit, 
 mind and all powers, and confers the Holy Ghost. Oh, it is a 
 living, efficacious, active thing that we have in faith, so that it 
 is impossible for it not to do good without intermission. It also 11 
 does not ask whether good works are to be done ; but before 
 the question is asked it has wrought them, and is always busy. 
 But he who does not produce such works is a faithless man, 
 and gropes and looks about after faith and good works, and 
 knows neither what faith nor what good works are, yet mean- 
 while babbles and prates, in many words, concerning faith and 
 
584 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 good works. Justifying faith is a living, firm trust in God's 
 grace, so certain that a man would die a thousand times for it 
 [rather than suffer this trust to be wrested from him]. And 12 
 this trust and knowledge of divine grace renders him joyful, 
 «27 fearless and cheerful with respect to God and all creatures, 
 which joy and cheerfulness the Holy Ghost works though 
 raith ; and on account of this, man becomes ready and cheerful 
 to do good to every one and to suffer everything for love and 
 praise to God, who has conferred this grace. Therefore it is 
 impossible to separate works from faith, yea, just as impossible 
 as for heat and light to be separated from fire." 
 
 But since there is do controversy on this point 1 among our 13 
 theologians, we will not treat it here at greater length, but only 
 make a simple and plain statement of the controverted points. 
 
 And first as to the necessity or voluntariness of good works, 14 
 it is manifest that in the Augsburg Confession and its Apology 
 the following expressions are often used and repeated: that" 
 good works are necessary, which also should necessarily follow 
 faith and reconciliation, also, that we necessarily should do and 
 must do the good works which God has commanded. 2 Thus 
 also in the Holy Scriptures themselves the words " necessity ," 
 " needful " and " necessary," also " should " and " must," are 
 used concerning what we are bound to do, because of God's 
 arrangement, command and will, as Rom. 13:5; 1 Cor. 9:9; 
 Acts 5 : 29 ; John 15:12; 1 John 4 : 21. 
 
 Therefore it is wrong to censure and reject the expressions or 15 
 propositions mentioned in this Christian and proper sense, as 
 has been done by some. 3 For it is right to employ them for 
 the purpose of censuring and rejecting the secure, Epicurean 
 delusion, by which many fabricate for themselves a dead faith 
 or vain persuasion which is without repentance and without 
 good works, as though there could be at the same time in a 
 heart true faith and the wicked intention to persevere and con- 
 tinue in sins — an impossibility; or, as though anyone, indeed, 
 could have and retain true faith, righteousness and salvation, 
 even though he be and remain a corrupt and unfruitful tree, 
 whence no good fruits whatever come ; yea, even though he 
 persist in sins against conscience, or wilfully relapse into these 
 sins — all of which is incorrect and false. 
 
 But here also mention must be made of the following dis- 16 
 tinction, viz. that necessity of Christ's arrangement, command 
 fi oo and will, and of our debt, be understood ; but not neces- 
 sity of coercion. That is : When the word " needful " is 
 
 1 i§ 7, 8. 
 
 Augsburg Confessi< 11, vi. : 1 ; xx. : 27 ; Apology, chap. iii. : 68 ; xx. : 9% 
 See note above \ 3. 
 
Part II. GOOD WORKS. 585 
 
 employed, it should be understood not of coercion, but alone of 
 the arrangement made by God's immutable will, to which we 
 are debtor; for his commandment also shows that the creature 
 should be obedient to its Creator. For in other places, as 2 Cor. 17 
 9 : 7, and in the Epistle of St. Paul to Philemon (v. 14), also 
 1 Pet. 5 : 2, the term "of necessity" is used for that to which 
 any one is forced against his will or otherwise, so that he acts 
 externally for appearance, but nevertheless without and against 
 liis will. For such hypocritical works God will not have [does 
 not approve], but wishes the people of the New Testament to 
 be a "willing people" (Ps. 110:3), and "sacrifice freely" 
 ^Ps. 54 : 7), " not grudgingly or of necessity, but to be obedient 
 from the heart " (2 Cor. 9:7; Rom. 6 : 17). " For God loveth 
 a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9 : 7). In this understanding, and in 18 
 such sense, it is correctly said and taught that truly good works 
 should be done freely or from a voluntary spirit by those whom 
 the Son of God has liberated ; as the disputation concerning the 
 voluntariness of good works has been introduced especially 
 with this intention. 
 
 But here, again, it is also well to note the distinction of which 19 
 St. Paul says (Rom. 7 : 22 sq.) " I delight in the Law of God " 
 [I am ready to do good] " after the inward man. But I see an- 
 other law in my members," that is not only unwilling or dis- 
 inclined, but also " warring against the law of my mind." And 
 concerning the unwilling and rebellious flesh Paul says (1 Cor. 
 9 : 27) : " I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection," 
 and (Gal. 5 : 24 ; Rom. 8:13): " They that are Christ's have 
 crucified," yea, slain, "the flesh with its affections and lusts." 
 But the opinion is false, and must be censured, when it is as- 2c 
 serted and taught that good works are so free to believers that 
 it is optional with them to do or to omit them, or that they can 
 act contrary thereto, and none the less are able to retain faith 
 and God's favor and grace. 1 
 
 Secondly, when it is taught that good works are needful, the 21 
 statement must also be made wherefore and for what reasons 
 they are needful, as these causes are enumerated in the Augsburg 
 Confession and Apology. 2 
 noq But here we must be well on our guard lest into the 22 
 
 article of Justification and Salvation works may be intro- 
 duced, and confused with it. Therefore the propositions are 
 justly rejected, 3 " that to believers good works are needful for 
 salvation, so that it is impossible without good works to be 
 saved." For they are directly contrary to the doctrine concern- 
 ing the exclusive particles in the article of Justification and 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, iv. : 11. * See parallel passages above, $ 14. 
 
 8 Epit., iv. ; 16. 
 74 
 
586 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 Salvation, i. e. they directly conflict with the words by which 
 St. Paul entirely excludes our works and merit from the article 
 of Justification and Salvation, and ascribes everything alone to 
 the grace of God and merit of Christ, as explained in the pre- 
 ceding article. Again they [these propositions concerning the 2? 
 necessity of good works for salvation] take from tempted, 
 troubled consciences the comfort of the Gospel, give occasion 
 for doubt, are in many ways dangerous, strengthen presumption 
 in one's own righteousness and confidence in one's own works; 
 besides are accepted by the Papists, and quoted in their interest, 
 against the pure doctrine of salvation by faith alone. Thus 24 
 they are contrary also to the form of sound words, where it is 
 written that blessedness is only " of the man unto whom God 
 imputeth righteousness without works" (Rom. 4 : 6). Also in 
 the sixth article of the Augsburg Confession it is written that 
 " wl are saved without works, by faith alone." Thus Lutl er 
 also has rejected and condemned these propositions : 
 
 1. In the false prophets among the Galatians [who led the 25 
 Galatians into error]. 
 
 2. In the Papists, in very many places. 26 
 
 3. In the Anabaptists, when they presented this interpreta- 27 
 tion : " We should not indeed rest faith upon the merit of 
 works, but we should nevertheless regard them as things need- 
 ful to salvation." 
 
 4. Also in some among his contemporaries, who wished to in- 28 
 terpret the proposition thus : " Although we require works as 
 needful to salvation, yet we do not teach to place trust in 
 works." On Gen. 22. 
 
 Accordingly, and for the reasons now enumerated, it should, 29 
 in accordance with what is right, be settled in our churches that 
 the aforesaid modes of speech should not be taught, defended 
 or excused, but be rejected from our churches and repudiated 
 as false and incorrect, and as expressions which, being renewed 
 by the Interim, originated in times of persecution, when there 
 fi of| ^as especial need of a clear, correct confession against all 
 sorts of corruptions and adulterations of the article of Jus- 
 tification, and were drawn [again] into disputation. 
 
 Thirdly, since also it is disputed whether good works pre- 3c 
 serve salvation, or whether they be needful for preserving 
 faith, righteousness and salvation, and upon this much that is 
 of great importance depends ; for " he that shall endure unto the 
 end, the same shall be saved" (Matt. 24 : 13) ; also (Heb. 3 : 6, 
 14): "We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the 
 beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end ;" we must 
 declare precisely how righteousness and salvation are to be 
 maintained in us, lest it be again lost. 
 
 And therefore the false Epicurean delusion is to be earnestly 31 
 
Part II. GOOD WORKS. 587 
 
 censured and rejected, by which some imagine that faith and 
 the righteousness and salvation received can be lost through no 
 sins or wicked deeds, even though wilful and intentional, but 
 that even if a Christian without fear and shame indulge his 
 wicked lusts, resist the Holy Ghost, and intentionally acquiesce 
 in sins against conscience, yet that he none the lass retains faith, 
 God's grace, righteousness and salvation. 1 
 
 Against this pernicious delusion the following true, immu- 32 
 fable, divine threats and severe punishments and admonitions to 
 Christians who are justified by faith should be often repeated 
 and impressed. (1 Cor. 6:9): " Be not deceived : neither for- 
 nicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, etc., shall inherit the 
 kingdom of God." (Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5): "They which 
 do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Rom. 
 8 : 13) : " If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die." (Col. 3:6): 
 " For which thing's sake the wrath of God cometh upon the 
 children of disobedience." 
 
 But when and in what way, from this foundation, the exhor- 33 
 tations to good works can be earnestly urged without an obscu- 
 ration of the doctrine of faith and of the article of Justifica- 
 tion, the Apology affords an excellent model, where in Article 
 xx., on the passage (2 Pet. 1 : 10) : " Give diligence to make 
 your calling and election sure," it says as follows : " Peter 
 teaches why good works should be done, viz. that we may make 
 our calling sure, i. e. that we may not fall from our calling if 
 fi oi we again sin. ' Do good works/ he says, ' that you may 
 persevere in your heavenly calling, that you may not fall 
 away again, and lose the Spirit and the gifts, which have fallen 
 to you, not on account of works that follow, but of grace, 
 through Christ, and are now retained by faith. But faith does 
 not remain in those who lead a sinful life, lose the Holy Ghost 
 and reject repentance." 2 Thus far the Apology. 
 
 But, on the other hand, the sense is not that faith only in 34 
 the beginning lays hold of righteousness and salvation, and 
 afterwards resigns its office to works that they may in the future 
 sustain faith, the righteousness received and salvation ; but in 
 order that the promise, not only of receiving, but also of re- 
 taining righteousness and salvation, may be firm and sure to us ; 
 St. Paul (Rom. 5 : 2) ascribes to faith not only the entrance to 
 grace, but also that we stand in grace and boast of future glory, 
 i. e. he ascribes the beginning, middle and end, all to faith 
 alone. Also (Rom. 11 : 20) : "Because of unbelief, thev were 
 broken off, and thou standest by faith." (Col. 1 : 22)": "He 
 will present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his 
 sight, if ye continue in the faith." (1 Pet. 1 : 5, 9) : "By the 
 
 1 Epitome, iv. : 19. ■ Apology, xx. : 90. 
 
588 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 power of God we are kept through faith, unto salvation." " Re- 
 ceiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." 
 
 Since, therefore, from God's Word it is manifest that faith 35 
 is the proper and only means whereby righteousness and salva- 
 tion are not only received, but also preserved by God, the de- 
 cree of the Council of Trent, 1 and whatever elsewhere 2 is set 
 forth in the same sense, should by right be rejected, viz. that 
 our good works support salvation, or that the righteousness of 
 faith received, or even faith itself, is either entirely or in part 
 supported and preserved by our works. 
 
 For although before this controversy some few pure teacheiS36 
 employed such expressions and the like, in the exposition of 
 the Holy Scriptures, yet thereby it was in no way intended to 
 establish the above-mentioned error of the Papists ; neverthe- 
 less, because afterwards controversy arose concerning such ex- 
 pressions, from which all sorts of offensive amplifications [de- 
 bates, offences and dissensions] followed, it is safest of all, ac- 
 cording to the admonition of St. Paul (2 Tim. 1 : 13), to hold 
 non fast to the form of sound words, as the pure doctrine itself, 
 whereby much unnecessary wrangling may be avoided and 
 the Church be preserved from many scandals. 
 
 Fourthly, as to the proposition that good works are injuri- 37 
 ous to salvation, we explain ourselves clearly, as follows : If 
 any one should wish to introduce good works into the article of 
 Justification, or rest his righteousness or trust for salvation there- 
 on, in order to merit God's grace and thereby be saved, to this we 
 say nothing, but St. Paul himself declares, and repeats it three 
 times (Phil. 3 : 7 sqq.), that to such a man his works are not only 
 useless and a hindrance, but also "injurious." But the fault 
 is not in the good works themselves, but in the false confidence 
 placed upon the works, contrary to the express Word of God. 
 
 Nevertheless, it by no means follows thence that we should 38 
 say simply and barely : " Good works are injurious to believers 
 or to their salvation ;" for in believers good works are indica- 
 tions of salvation when they occur from proper causes and for 
 true ends, i. e. as God requires them of the regenerate (Phil. 1 : 
 20). Since it is God's will and express command that believers 
 should do good works, which the Holy Ghost works in believers, 
 and with which, for Christ's sake, God is pleased, and to which 
 he promises a glorious reward in this life and the life to come. 
 
 For this reason, also, this proposition is censured and rejected 39 
 in our churches, viz. because it is stated in so absolutely false 
 and offensive a manner, whereby discipline and decency are im- 
 
 1 Sess. vi., Can. xxiv. 
 
 5 Melanchthon's Loci Theologici, Ed. of 1543, and books of Major and 
 MeniiH. 
 
PartIL THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL. 589 
 
 paLed, and a barbarous, savage, secure, Epicurean life is in- 
 troduced and strengthened. For what is injurious to his salva- 
 tion a person should with the greatest diligence avoid. 
 
 Since, however, Christians should not be deterred from good 40 
 works, but should be admonished and urged thereto most dili- 
 gently, this bare proposition cannot and should not be tolerated^ 
 borne or defended in the churches. 
 
 33 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Of the Law and the Gospel. 
 
 As the distinction between the Law and the Gospel is a very i 
 brilliant light, which is of service in rightly dividing 1 God's 
 Word, and properly explaining and understanding the Scrip- 
 tures of the holy prophets and apostles, we must with especial 
 care observe it, in order that these two doctrines may not be 
 mingled with one another, or out of the Gospel a law be made 
 whereby the merit of Christ is obscured and troubled con- 
 sciences robbed of their comfort, which they otherwise have in 
 the holy Gospel when it is preached in its purity, and by 
 which also they can support themselves in their most grievous 
 temptations against the terrors of the Law. 
 
 But here, likewise, there has occurred a dissent among some 2 
 theologians of the Augsburg Confession. For the one side 2 as- 
 serted that the Gospel is properly not only a preaching of grace, 
 but also that it is at the same time a preaching of repentance, 
 which rebukes the greatest sin, viz. unbelief. But the other 
 side held and contended that the Gospel is not properly a 
 preaching of repentance or of reproof [preaching of repentance, 
 convicting sin], as it properly belongs to God's Law to reprove 
 all sins, and therefore unbelief also; but that the Gospel is 
 properly a preaching of the grace and favor of God for Christ's 
 sake, through which the unbelief of the converted, which pre- 
 viously inhered in them and which the Law of God reproved, 
 is pardoned and forgiven. 
 
 When we now consider aright this dissent, it is especially 3 
 caused by this, viz. that the term " Gospel " is not always em- 
 ployed and understood in one and the same sense, but in two 
 ways, in the Holy Scriptures, as also by ancient and modern 
 church-teachers. For sometimes it is employed so that thereby 4 
 is understood the entire doctrine of Christ our Lord, which he 
 inculcated in his ministry upon earth, and commanded to be 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Apology, iv. : 1 sqq. ; 61 sqq. (iii.) ; 65 sqq., xii. : 53 
 sqq. ; Suaalcald Articles, Part III., Arts, ii., iv. ; Epitome, v. 
 
 1 Apology, chap. iii. : 66. Epitome, iv. : 19. 
 
590 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 inculcated in the New Testament, and thus comprised the ex- 
 planation of the Law and the proclamation of the favor and 
 grace of God, his heavenly Father, as it is written (Mark 1:1): 
 " The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of 
 ooa God. And shortly afterwards the chief heads are stated: 
 " Repentance and forgiveness of sins." Therefore when 
 Christ, after his resurrection, commanded the apostles to preach 
 the Gospel in all the world 'Mark 1G : 15), he compressed the 
 sum of this doctrine into a fev> words, when he said (Luke 24 : 
 46, 47): "Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to 
 suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day ; and that re- 
 pentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name 
 among all nations." So, too, Paul (Acts 20 : 21) calls his en- 
 tire doctrine the Gospel, but he embraces the sum of this 
 doctrine under the two heads : " Repentance toward God, and 
 faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." And in this sense the 5 
 general definition, i. e. the description of the word "Gospel," 
 when employed in a wide sense, and without the peculiar dis- 
 tinction between the Law and the Gospel, is correct, when it is 
 said that the Gospel is a preaching of repentance and remission 
 of sins. For John, Christ and the apostles began their preach- 
 ing with repentance, and explained and urged not only the 
 gracious promise of the forgiveness of sins, but also the Law 
 of God. Afterwards the term " Gospel " is employed in an- 6 
 other, namely, in its peculiar sense, by which it comprises not 
 the preaching of repentance, but only the preaching of the 
 grace of God, as follows directly afterwards (Mark 1 : 15), 
 where Christ says : "Repent and believe the Gospel." 
 
 But also the term " repentance " is not employed in the Holy 7 
 Scriptures in one and the same sense. For in some passages of 
 Holy Scripture it is employed and understood with reference 
 to the entire conversion of man, as Luke 13:5: " Except ye 
 repent, ye shall all likewise perish." And in chap. 15 : 7 : 
 " Likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repent- 
 eth." But in Mark 1 : 15, as also elsewhere, wh^re a distinc-8 
 tion is made between repentance and faith in Christ (Acts 20 : 
 21) or between repentance and remission of sins (Luke 24 : 46, 
 47), repentance means to do nothing else than to truly acknow- 
 ledge sins, from the heart to regret them, and to abstain there- 
 from. This knowledge proceeds from the Law, but does not 9 
 suffice for saving conversion to God, if faith in Christ be not 
 added, whose merits the consolatory preaching of the holy Gos- 
 pel offers to all penitent sinners who are terrified by the preach- 
 ing of the Law. For the Gospel proclaims the forgiveness of 
 sins, not to coarse and secure hearts, but to the bruised or pen- 
 «oc itent (Luke 4 : 18). And that from repentance or the ter- 
 rors of the Law despair may not result, the preaching of 
 
PaptII. THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL 591 
 
 the Gospel must be added, that it may be repentance to salva- 
 tion (2 Cor. 7 : 10). 
 
 For since the mere preaching of the Law, without Christ, io 
 either makes men presumptuous, 1 who imagine that by outward 
 works they can fulfil the Law, or forces them utterly to de- 
 spair, Christ takes the Law into his hands, and explains it 
 spiritually, from Matt. 5 : 21 sqq. ; Rom. 7 : 14 and 1:18, 
 and thus reveals his wrath from heaven upon all sinners, and 
 shows how great it is ; whereby they are instructed in the Law, 
 and from it first learn aright to know their sins — a knowledge 
 to which Moses never could coerce them. For as the apostle 
 testifies (2 Cor. 3 : 14 sq.), even though Moses be read, yet 
 nevertheless the veil which hangs before the face always re- 
 mains unremoved, so that they cannot perceive that the Law is 
 spiritual and how great things it requires of us, and how se- 
 verely it curses and condemns us because we cannot observe or 
 fulfil it. " Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the 
 veil shall be taken away" (2 Cor. 3:16). 
 
 Therefore the Spirit of Christ must not only comfort, butn 
 also, through the office of the Law, reprove the world of sin, 2 
 and thus do in the New Testament what the prophet calls " a 
 strange work" 3 (viz. reprove), in order that he may do his own 
 work, which is to comfort and preach of grace. For on this 
 account, through Christ, he was obtained [from the Father] 
 and sent to us, and for this reason also is called the Comforter, 
 as Dr. Luther has explained in his exposition of the Gospel 
 for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity, in the following words : 
 
 " That is all a preaching of the Law which holds forth our 12 
 sins and God's wrath, let it be done how or when it will. 
 Again, the Gospel is such a preaching as shows and gives 
 nothing else than grace and forgiveness in Christ, although 
 it is true and right that the apostles and preachers of the Gos- 
 pel (as Christ himself also did) sanction the preaching of the 
 Law, and begin it with those who do not yet acknowledge their 
 sins nor are terrified before [by the sense of] God's wrath; as 
 noo he says (John 16 : 8) : ' The Holy Ghost will reprove the 
 world of sin, because they believe not on me/ Yea, what 
 more forcible and more terrible declaration and preaching of 
 God's wrath against sin is there than the suffering and death 
 of Christ his Son? But as long as this all preaches God's 
 wrath and terrifies men, it is still properly the preaching nei- 
 ther of the Gospel nor of Christ, but of Moses and the Law, 
 against the impenitent. For the Gospel and Christ were never 
 provided and given to us in order to terrify and condemn, but 
 
 1 Cf. Smalcald Articles, Part III., Art. ii. : 3. 
 
 1 John 16 : 8. » Isa. 28 : 21, Cf. Apology, xii. : 51. 
 
692 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 to comfort and cheer those who are terrified and timid." And 13 
 again, "Christ says (John 16 : 8) : 'The Holy Ghost will re- 
 prove the world of sin ;' which cannot happen except through 
 the explanation of the Law" (Jena Ed., vol. ii., p. 455). 
 
 So, too, the Smalcald Articles say : " The New Testament 14 
 maintains and urges the office of the Law, which reveals sins 
 and God's wrath ; but to this office it immediately adds Ihe 
 iromise of grace through the Gospel." 1 
 
 And the Apology says: "To a true and salutary repentance 15 
 Jie preaching of the Law is not sufficient, but the Gospel should 
 be added thereto" 2 Therefore the two doctrines belong to- 
 gether, and should also be urged by the side of each other, but 
 in a definite order and with a proper distinction ; and the An- 
 tinomians or assailants of the Law are justly condemned, who 
 abolish the preaching of the Law from the Church, and wish 
 sins to be reproved, and repentance and sorrow to be taught, 
 not from the Law, but from the Gospel. 
 
 But in order that every one may see that in the dissent of 16 
 which we are treating we conceal nothing, but present the mat- 
 ter to the eyes of the Christian reader plainly and clearly : 
 
 We unanimously believe, teach and confess that the Law is 17 
 properly a divine doctrine, wherein the true, immutable will of 
 God is revealed as to how man ought to be, in his nature, 
 thoughts, words and works, in order to be pleasing and accept- 
 able to God ; and it threatens its transgressors with God's 
 wrath and temporal and eternal punishment. For as Luther 
 writes against the Antinomians : " Everything that reproves 
 £07 sin is and belongs to the Law, whose peculiar office it is 
 to reprove sin and to lead to the knowledge of sins (Rom. 
 3 : 20 ; 7:7);" and as unbelief is the root and spring of all 
 reprehensible sins, the Law reproves unbelief also. 
 
 But it is likewise true that the Law with its doctrine is illus- 18 
 trated and explained by the Gospel ; and nevertheless it remains 
 the peculiar office of the Law to reprove sins and teach con- 
 cerning good works. 
 
 In this manner the Law reproves unbelief if the Word of 19 
 God be not believed. Since now the Gospel, which alone pecu- 
 liarly teaches and commands to believe in Christ, is God's Word, 
 the Holy Ghost, through the office of the Law, also reproves 
 unbelief, i. e. that sinners do not believe in Christ, although it 
 is the Gospel alone which peculiarly teaches concerning saving 
 faith in Christ. 
 
 But the Gospel is properly a doctrine which teaches (as man 2c 
 does not observe the Law of God, but transgresses it, and his 
 corrupt nature, thoughts, words and works conflict therewith, 
 
 Part III.. Art. iii. : 1, 4. * Ibid., chap, (iii.) : 139. 
 
PartIL THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL. 593 
 
 and for this reason he is subject to God's wrath, death, all 
 temporal calamities and the punishment of hell-fire) what man 
 should believe, that with God he may obtain forgiveness of sins, 
 viz. that the Son of God, our Lord Christ, has taken upon him- 
 self and borne the curse of the Law, has expiated and settled 
 for all our sins, through whom alone we again enter into favor 
 with God, obtain by faith forgiveness of sins, are exempted 
 from death and all the punishments of sins, and are eternally 
 saved. 
 
 For everything that comforts, that offers the favor and grace 21 
 of God to transgressors of the Law, is and is properly said to 
 be the Gospel, a good and joyful message that God does not 
 will to punish sins, but, for Christ's sake, to forgive them. 
 
 Therefore every penitent sinner ought to believe, i. e. place 22 
 Lis confidence alone, in the Lord Christ, that "he was deliv- 
 ered for our offences, and was raised again for our justifica- 
 tion" (Rom. 4 : 25), who was "made sin for us who knew no 
 sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" 
 (2 Cor. 5 : 21), " who of God is made unto us wisdom and 
 righteousness and sanctification and redemption" (1 Cor. 1: 
 «oo 30), whose obedience is reckoned for us before God's strict 
 tribunal as righteousness, so that the Law, as above set 
 forth, is a ministration that kills through the letter and preaches 
 condemnation (2 Cor. 3 : 7), but the Gospel "is the power of 
 God unto salvation to every one that believeth" (Rom. 1 : 16), 
 that preaches righteousness and gives the Spirit (1 Cor. 1 : 18 ; 
 Gal. 3 : 2). Dr. Luther has urged this distinction with espe- 
 cial diligence in nearly all his writings, and has properly 
 shown that the knowledge of God derived from the Gospel is 
 far different from that which is taught and learned from the 
 Law, because even the heathen had to a certain extent, from 
 the natural law, a knowledge of God, although they neither 
 knew him aright nor glorified him (Rom. 1 : 20 sq.). 
 
 These two proclamations [kinds of doctrines] from the be- 23 
 ginning of the world have been always inculcated alongside 
 of each other in the Church of God, with a proper distinction. 
 For the successors of the venerated patriarchs, as also the patri- 
 archs themselves, not only constantly called to mind how man 
 was in the beginning created by God righteous and holy, and 
 through the fraud of the serpent transgressed God's command, 
 became a sinner, and corrupted and precipitated himself, with 
 all his posterity, into death and eternal condemnation; but also, 
 on the other hand, encouraged and comforted themselves by the 
 preaching concerning the Seed of the woman, who would bruise 
 the serpent's head (Gen. 3 : 15). Also, concerning the Seed of 
 Abraham, in whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed 
 (Gen. 22 : 18). Also, concerning David's Son, who should re- 
 75 
 
594 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 store again the kingdom of Israel and be a light to the heathen 
 (Ps. HO : 1 ; Isa. 49 : 6 ; Luke 2 : 32), who " was wounded for 
 our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities," by whose 
 " stripes we are healed." Isa. 53 : 5. 
 
 These two doctrines we believe and confess, viz. that even 24 
 to the end of the world they should be diligently inculcated in 
 the Church of God, although with proper distinction, in order 
 that, through the preaching of the Law and its threats in the 
 ministry of the New Testament, the hearts of impenitent men 
 may be terrified, and be brought to a knowledge of their sins 
 and to repentance; but not in such a way that they inwardly 
 despair and doubt, but that (since "the Law is a schoolmaster 
 unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith " (Gal. 3 : 24), 
 and thus points and leads us not from Christ, but to Christ, 
 nqq who " is the end of the Law," Rom. 10 : 4), they be on 25 
 
 the other hand comforted and strengthened by the preach- 
 ing of the holy Gospel concerning Christ our Lord, viz. that to 
 those who believe the Gospel, God, through Christ, forgives 
 all their sins, adopts them for his sake as children, and out of 
 pure grace, without any merit on their part, justifies and saves 
 them, but nevertheless not in such a way that they abuse and 
 sin against the grace of God. Paul (2 Cor. 3 : 7 sqq.) thor- 26 
 oughly and forcibly shows this distinction between the Law and 
 the Gospel. 
 
 Therefore, in order that the two doctrines, viz. that of the yj 
 Law and that of the Gospel, be not mingled and confounded 
 with one another, and to the one that be ascribed which belongs 
 to the other, whereby the merit and benefits of Christ are ob- 
 scured and the Gospel made again a doctrine of the Law, as 
 has occurred in the Papacy, and thus Christians be deprived of 
 the true comfort which in the Gospel they have against the 
 terrors of the Law, and the door be again opened in the 
 Church of God to the Papacy ; the true and proper distinction 
 between the Law and the Gospel must with all diligence be 
 inculcated and preserved, and whatever gives occasion for con- 
 fusion between the Law and the Gospel, i. e. whereby the two 
 doctrines, Law and Gospel, may be confounded and mingled 
 into one doctrine, should be diligently avoided. It is on this 
 account dangerous and wrong to convert the Gospel, properly 
 so called as distinguished from the Law, into a preaching of 
 repentance or reproof [a preaching of repentance, reproving 
 sin]. 1 For otherwise, if understood in a general sense of the 
 whole doctrine, as the Apology also sometimes says, the Gospel 
 is a preaching of repentance and forgiveness of sins. 2 But 
 close by the Apology also shows that the Gospel is properly 
 
 1 C£ Formula of Concord, Epitome, v. : 11. ■ Ibid., 9 1 
 
PaktII. THE THIKD USE OF THE DIVINE LAW. 59* 
 
 the promise of the forgiveness of sins, and of justification 
 through Christ ; but that the Law is a doctrine which reproves 
 sins and condemns. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 Of the Thied Use of the Divine Law. 
 
 Since the Law of God is useful, not only that thereby, ex- i 
 ternal discipline and decency be maintained against wild, dis- 
 own obedient men ; 2, likewise, that through it men be brought 
 to a knowledge of their sins ; 3, but even Avhen they have 
 been born anew by the Spirit of God and converted to the 
 Lord, and thus the veil of Moses has been removed from them, 
 they live and walk in the Law; a dissension has occurred be- 
 tween some few theologians concerning this last use of the Law. 
 For the one side l taught and maintained that the regenerate 2 
 should not learn the new obedience, or in what good works 
 they ought to walk, from the Law ; neither is this doctrine to 
 be urged thence, because they have been liberated by the Son 
 of God, have become the temples of his Spirit, and therefore 
 are free, so that, just as the sun of itself without any constraint 
 fulfils its course, so also they of themselves, by the prompting 
 and impulse of the Holy Ghost, do what God requires of them. 
 The other side taught, on the contrary : Although the truly be- 3 
 lieving are really moved by God's Spirit, and thus, according 
 to the inner man, do God's will from a free spirit; yet the 
 Holy Ghost uses with them the written law for instruction, 
 whereby even the truly believing may learn to serve God, not 
 according to their own thoughts, but according to his written 
 Law and Word, which are a sure rule and standard of a godly 
 life and walk, directed according to the eternal and immutable 
 will of God. 
 
 For the explanation and final settlement of this dissent we 4 
 unanimously believe, teach and confess that although the truly 
 believing and truly converted to God and justified Christians 
 are liberated and made free from the curse of the Law ; yet 
 that they should daily exercise themselves in the Law of the 
 Lord, as it is written (Ps. 1:2; 119:1): " Blessed is the man 
 whose delight is in the Law of the Lord ; and in his Law doth 
 he meditate day and night." For the Law is a mirror, in 
 which the will of God and what pleases him are exactly rep- 
 resented, so that it should be constantly held forth to believers 
 and be diligently urged upon them without intermission. 
 
 Parallel Passages.— Epit., vi. ; Smalcakl Articles, Part III., Art. iii. : 36 j 
 Sol. Dec, ii : 63 sqq. 
 
 *See Epitome, vi. : 1. 
 
596 THE FOKMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 For although " the Law is not made for a righteous man," 5 
 as the apostle testifies (1 Tim. 1 : 9), " but for the unrighteous," 
 yet this is not to be understood so absolutely as that the justified 
 si ould live without law. For the Law of God is written in 
 their heart, and to the first man immediately after his creation 
 a law also was given, according to which he should have acted. 
 But the meaning of St. Paul is that the Law cannot burden 
 04., with its curse those who through Christ are reconciled to 
 God, and need not vex with its coercion the regenerate, be- 
 cause, after the inner man, they have pleasure in God's Law. 1 
 
 And indeed, if the believing and elect children of God( 
 would be completely renewed by the indwelling Spirit in this 
 life, so that in their nature and all its powers they would be 
 entirely free from sin, they would need no law, and so also no 
 impeller, but what they are in duty bound to do according to 
 God's will they would do of themselves, and altogether vol- 
 untarily, without any instruction, admonition, solicitation or 
 urging of the Law; just as the sun, the moon and all the con- 
 stellations of heaven have of themselves, unobstructed, their 
 regular course, without admonition, solicitation, urging, force 
 or necessity, according to the arrangement of God which God 
 once gave them, yea, just as the holy angels render an entirely 
 voluntary obedience. 
 
 But since in this life believers have not been renewed per- 7 
 fectly or completely, completive vel consummative [as the an- 
 cients say], (for although their sins are covered by the perfect 
 obedience of Christ, so that they are not imputed to believers 
 for condemnation, and also, through the Holy Ghost, the mor- 
 tification of the old Adam and the renewal in the spirit of 
 their mind is begun), nevertheless the old Adam always clings 
 to them in their nature and all its internal and external pow- 
 ers. Of this the apostle has written (Rom. 7:18sqq.): "18 
 know that in me [that is, in my flesh] dwelleth no good thing." 
 And again : "For that which I do, I allow not; for what I 
 would, that do I not ; but what I hate, that do I." Again : 
 " I see another law in my members, warring against the law 
 of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin." 
 Also (Gal. 5 : 17) : "The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and 
 the spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to 
 the other : so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." 
 
 Therefore, because of these lusts of the flesh, the truly be- 9 
 lieving, elect and regenerate children of God require not only 
 the daily instruction and admonition, warning and threatening 
 of the Law, but also frequently reproofs, whereby they are 
 roused [the old man is shaken from them] and follow the 
 
 1 Rom. 7 : 22. 
 
Part II. THE THIRD USE OF THE DIVINE LAW. 59? 
 
 Spirit of God, as it is written (Ps. 119 : 71) : "It is good for 
 me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes." 
 And again (1 Cor. 9 : 27) : " I keep under my body and bring 
 P42 i fc m to subjection ; lest that, by any means, when I have 
 preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." And 
 again (Heb. 12:8): " But if ye be without chastisement, where- 
 of all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons;" as Dr. 
 Luther in more words has fully explained in the summer part 
 >f the Church Postils, on the Epistle for the Nineteenth Sun- 
 day after Trinity. 
 
 But we must also separately explain what with respect to io 
 the new obedience of believers the Gospel does, affords and 
 works, and what herein, so far as concerns the good works of 
 believers, is the office of the Law. 
 
 For the Law says indeed that it is God's will and com-n 
 mand that we should walk in a new life, but it does not give 
 the power and faculty so that we can begin and do it ; but the 
 Holy Ghost, who is given and received, not through the Law, 
 but through the preaching of the Gospel (Gal. 3 : 14), renews 
 the heart. Afterwards the Holy Ghost employs the Law, so 1 1 
 that from it he teaches the regenerate, and in the Ten Com- 
 mandments points out and shows them " what is the good and 
 acceptable will of God" (Rom. 12 : 2), in what good works 
 "God hath before ordained that they should walk" (Eph. 2: 
 10). He exhorts them thereto, and when, because of the flesh in 
 them, they are idle, negligent and rebellious, he reproves them 
 on that account through the Law, so that he carries on both 
 offices together ; he slays and makes alive, he leads to hell and 
 brings up again. For his office is not only to console, but also 
 to reprove, as it is written : " When the Holy Ghost is come, he 
 will reprove the world " (under which also is the old Adam) 
 "of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment." But sin is 13 
 everything that is contrary to God's Law. And St. Paul says : 14 
 "All Scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable for 
 doctrine, for reproof," etc., and to reprove is the peculiar office 
 of the Law. Therefore as often as believers stumble they are 
 reproved by the Holy Ghost from the Law, and by the same 
 Spirit are again comforted and consoled with the preaching of 
 the Holy Gospel. 
 
 But in order that, so far as possible, all misunderstanding 11 
 may be avoided, and the distinction between the works of the 
 Law and those of the Spirit be properly taught and preserved, 
 040 it is to be noted with especial diligence that when the sub- 
 ject of good works which are in accordance with God's Law 
 (for otherwise they are not good works) is treated, the word 
 " Law" has only one sense, viz. the immutable will of God, ac- 
 cording to which men should conduct themselves in their lives. 
 
598 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 But there is a distinction in the works, because of the distinc- if 
 Hon with respect to the men who strive to live according to this 
 Law and will of God. For as long as man is not regenerate, 
 and conducts himself according to the Law, and does the works 
 because they are thus commanded, from fear of punishment or 
 desire frr reward, he is still under the Law, and his works are 
 properly called by St. Paul works of the Law, for they are ex- 
 torted by the Law, as those of slaves; and they are saints after 
 the order of Cain [that is, hypocrites]. 
 
 But when man is born anew by the Spirit of God, and lib- 17 
 erated from the Law, i. e. made exempt from this coercion, and 
 is led by the Spirit of Christ, he lives according to the immu- 
 table will of God, comprised in the Law, and does everything, 
 so far as he is born anew, out of a free, cheerful spirit ; and this 
 is called not properly a work of the Law, but a work and fruit 
 of the Spirit, or as St. Paul names it " the law of the mind " 
 and " the Law of Christ/' For such men are no more under 
 the Law, but under grace, as St. Paul says (Rom. 8 [Rom. 7 : 
 23 ; 8 : 2 ; 1 Cor. 9 : 21]). 
 
 But since believers are not, in this world, completely renewed, 18 
 but the old Adam clings to them even to the grave, there also 
 remains in them a struggle between the spirit and the flesh. 
 Therefore they have indeed pleasure in God's Law according 
 to the inner man, but the law in their members struggles against 
 the law in their mind to such an extent that they are never 
 without law, and nevertheless are not under, but in the Law, 
 and live and walk in the Law of the Lord, and yet do nothing 
 from constraint of the Law. 
 
 But so far as concerns the old Adam, which still clings to 19 
 them, it must be urged on not only with the Law, but also with 
 punishments; nevertheless it does everything against its will 
 and under coercion, no less than the godless are urged on and 
 held in obedience by the threats of the Law (1 Cor. 9:27; 
 Rom. 7 : 18, 19). 
 0^4 So, too, this doctrine of the Law is needful for believ- 20 
 
 ers, in order that they may not depend upon their own 
 holii.ess and devotion, and under the pretext of the Spirit of 
 God establish a self-chosen form of divine worship, without 
 God's Word and command, as it is written (Deut. 12:8, 28, 32) : 
 c< Y( shall not do . . . every man whatsoever is right in his own 
 eyes ' etc., but "observe and hear all these words which I 
 command thee." " Thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish 
 therefrom." 
 
 So, too, the doctrine of the Law, in and with good works of 21 
 believers, is needful for this reason, for otherwise man can easily 
 imagine that his work and life are entirely pure and perfect. 
 But the Law of God prescribes to believers good works in this 
 
Part II. THE THIRD USE OF THE DIVINE LAW. 599 
 
 way, that, at the same time, it shows and indicates, as in a 
 mirror, that in this life they are still imperfect and impure in 
 ns, so that we must say with the apostle (1 Cor. 4:4): "I 
 know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified." 
 Therefore, when Paul exhorts the regenerate to good works, 
 he presents to them expressly the Ten Commandments (Rom. 
 13-9), and that his good works are imperfect and impure 
 lif recognizes from the Law (Rom. 7 : 7 sqq.) ; and David 
 declares (Ps. 119:35): "I have run the way of thy com- 
 mandments," but "enter not into judgment with thy ser- 
 vant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified" (Ps. 
 143:2). 
 
 But how and why the good works of believers, although in 22 
 this life, because of sin in the flesh, they are imperfect and im- 
 pure, nevertheless are acceptable and well pleasing to God, the 
 Law does not teach, as it requires an entire, perfect, pure obe- 
 dience if it is to please God. But the Gospel teaches that our 
 spiritual offerings are acceptable to God, through faith, for 
 Christ's sake (1 Pet. 2:5; Heb. 11:4 sqq.). In this way 23 
 Christians are not under the Law, but under grace, because by 
 faith in Christ the persons [of the godly] are freed from the 
 curse and condemnation of the Law ; and because their good 
 works, although they are still imperfect and impure, are accept- 
 able, through Christ, to God, because they do, not by coercion 
 of the Law, but by renewing of the Holy Ghost, voluntarily 
 and spontaneously from their hearts, what is pleasing to God, 
 so far as they have been born anew according to the inner 
 man ; although nevertheless they maintain a constant struggle 
 against the old Adam. 
 n*r For the old Adam, as an intractable, pugnacious ass, is 24 
 
 still a part of them, which is to be coerced to the obedience 
 of Christ, not only by the doctrine, admonition, force and threat- 
 ening of the Law, but also oftentimes by the club of punish- 
 ments and troubles, until the sinful flesh is entirely put off, 
 and man is perfectly renewed in the resurrection, where he 
 needs no longer either the preaching of the Law or its threat- 
 enings and reproofs, as also no longer the Gospel ; as these be- 
 long to this [mortal and] imperfect life. But as they will 25 
 behold God face to face, so, through the power of the indwell- 
 ing Spirit of God, will they do the will of God [the heavenly 
 Father] with unmingled joy, voluntarily, unconstrained, with- 
 out any hindrance, with entire purity and perfection, and will 
 eternally rejoice in him. 
 
 Accordingly, we reject and condemn as an error pernicious 26 
 and prejudicial to Christian discipline, as also to true piety, 
 the teaching that the Law, in the above-mentioned way and 
 degree, should not be urged upon Christians and those truly 
 
600 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 believing, but only upon the unbelieving, not Christian, and 
 impenitent. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 Of the Holy Supper. 
 
 Although perhaps, according to the opinion of some, the 1 
 exposition of this article should not be inserted into this docu- 
 ment, wherein it has been our intention to explain the articles 
 which have been drawn into controversy among the theologians 
 of the Augsburg Confession (from which the Sacramentarians 
 almost in the beginning, when the Confession -was first com- 
 posed and presented to the Emperor at Augsburg in 1530, en- 
 tirely withdrew and separated, and presented their own Con- 
 fession 1 ), yet, alas! as we have still some theologians and others 
 who glory in the Augsburg Confession, who in the last few 
 years no longer secretly, but partly publicly, have given their 
 assent in this article to the Sacramentarians, and against their 
 own conscience have wished violently to cite and pervert the 
 Augsburg Confession as in entire harmony in this article with 
 the doctrine of the Sacramentarians ; we neither can nor should 
 forbear in this document to give testimony in accordance with 
 n»n our confession of divine truth, and to repeat the true sense 
 and proper understanding, with reference to this article, 
 of the Word of Christ and of the Augsburg Confession, and 
 [for we recognize it to be our duty] so far as in us lies, by 
 God's help, to preserve it [this pure doctrine] also to posterity, 
 and to faithfully warn our hearers, together with other godly 
 Christians, against this pernicious error, which is entirely con- 
 trary to the divine Word and the Augsburg Confession, and 
 has been frequently condemned. 
 
 Statement of the Controversy. 
 
 Tiie Chief Conflict between our Doctrine and that of the Sacra- 
 mentarians in this Article, 
 
 Although some Sacramentarians strive to speak and to employ 2 
 words the very nearest the Augsburg Confession and the form 
 and mode of these churches, and confess that in the Holy Supper 
 <he body of Christ is truly received by believers, 2 yet if they 
 be forced to declare their meaning properly, sincerely and 
 clearly, they all unanimously explain themselves thus, viz. 
 that the true essential body and blood of Christ is as far from 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, x. ; Apology, x. ; Smalcald Ar- 
 ticles, Part III., Art. vi. ; Small Catechism, Part V. ; Large Catechism, Part V., 
 499; Epitome, vii. 
 
 1 See Epi tome, vii. : 1. * The words of Calvin and Beza. 
 
Part II. THE LORD'S SUPPER. 601 
 
 the consecrated bread and wine in the Holy Supper as the 
 highest heaven is distant from the earth. For their own words 
 run thus : Abesse Christi corpus et sanguinem a signis tan to 
 intervallo dicimus, quanto abest terra ab altissimis coelis. That 
 is : " We say that the body and blood of Christ are as far from 
 the signs as the earth is distant from the highest heaven." 
 Therefore, they understand this presence of the body of Christy 
 not as here upon earth, but only with respect to faith [when 
 they speak of the presence of the body and blood of Christ in 
 Jie Supper, they do not mean that they are present ipon earth, 
 except with respect to faith], i. e. that our faith, reminded ann 
 excited by the visible signs, as by the preached Word, elevates 
 itself and rises up above all heavens, and there receives and 
 enjoys the body of Christ, which is present there in heaven, 
 yea, Christ himself, together with all his benefits, in a true and 
 essential, but nevertheless only spiritual, manner. For [they 
 think that] as the bread and wine are here upon earth and not 
 in heaven, so the body of Christ is now in heaven and not 
 upon earth, and on this account nothing else is received by the 
 mouth in the Holy Supper but bread and wine. 
 
 In the first place, they 1 have alleged that the Lord's Supper 4 
 is only an external sign, whereby Christians may be known, 
 oaj and that therein nothing else is offered but mere bread 
 and wine (which are bare signs [symbols] of the absent 
 body of Christ). Since this would not stand the test, they have 
 confessed that the Lord Christ is truly present in his Supper, 
 namely by the communicatio idiomatum, 2 i. e. alone according 
 to his divine nature, but not with his body and blood. 
 
 Afterwards, when they were forced by Christ's words to 5 
 confess that the body of Christ is present in the Supper, they 
 still understood and declared it in no other way than spirit- 
 ually, that is, through faith to partake of his power, efficacy and 
 benefits [than that they believed the presence only spiritual, 
 i. e. that Christ only makes us partakers of his power, efficacy 
 and benefits], because [they say] through the Spirit of Christ, 
 who is everywhere, our bodies, in which the Spirit of Christ 
 dwells here upon earth, are united with the body of ,Christ ; 
 which is in heaven. 
 
 Thus through these grand, plausible words many great men t 
 were deceived when they proclaimed and boasted that they 
 were of no other opinion than that the Lord Christ is present 
 in his Holy Supper truly, essentially, and as one alive; but 
 they understand this alone according to his divine nature, and 
 
 1 Zwingli and his adherents. 
 
 * By which to the entire person that which belongs to one nature u 
 ascribed. Cf. Sol. Dec, viii. : 3(5. 
 
 76 
 
602 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 not of his body and blood, which are now in heaven, and no~ 
 where else [for they think concerning these that they are only 
 in heaven, etc.], and that lie gives us with the bread and wine 
 his true body and blood to eat, that we may partake of them 
 spiritually through faith, but not bodily with the mouth. 
 
 For they understand the words of the Supper: "Eat, this; 
 is my body," not properly, as they sound, according to the 
 letter, but as figurative expressions ; thus, that " eating " the 
 body of Christ means nothing else than "believing," and that 
 " body " is equivalent to " symbol," i. e. a sign or figure of the 
 body of Christ, which is not in the Supper on earth, but alone 
 m heaven. The word is they interpret sacramentally, or in a 
 significative manner, in order that no one may regard the thing 
 so joined with the signs, that the flesh also of Christ is now 
 present on earth in an invisible and incomprehensible manner. 
 That is: "The body of Christ is united with the bread sacra- 8 
 mentally, or significatively, so that believing, godly Christians 
 as surely partake spiritually of the body of Christ, which is 
 above in heaven, as with the mouth they eat the bread." But 
 nAn that the body of Christ is present here upon earth in the 
 Supper essentially although invisibly and incomprehen- 
 sibly, and is received orally, with the consecrated bread, even by 
 hypocrites or those w T ho are Christians only in appearance 
 [by name], this they are accustomed to execrate and condemn as 
 a horrible blasphemy. 
 
 On the other hand, it is taught in the Augsburg Confession 9 
 from God's Word concerning the Lord's Supper, thus : " That 
 the true body and blood of Christ are truly present in the Holy 
 Supper under the form of bread and wine, and are there com- 
 municated and received, and the contrary doctrine is rejected " 
 (namely, that of the Sacramentarians, who at the same time at 
 Augsburg presented their own Confession, 1 that the body of 
 Christ, because he has ascended to heaven, is not truly and es- 
 sentially present here upon earth in the sacrament [which denied 
 the true and substantial presence of the body and blood of 
 Christ in the sacrament of the Supper administered on earth, 
 on this account, viz. because Christ had ascended into heaven]. 
 For this opinion is clearly expressed in Luther's Small Cate- ia 
 chism in the following words : " The sacrament of the altar is 
 the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the 
 bread and wine, given unto us Christians to eat and to drink, 
 as it was instituted by Christ himself." Still more clearly in n 
 the Apology is this not only declared, but also established by 
 the passage from Paul (1 Cor. 10 : 16), and by the testimony 
 of Cyril, in the following words : " The tenth article has been 
 
 1 The Tetrapolitan. 
 
PartIL THE LOEiyS SUPPER. 603 
 
 received [approved], in which we confess that in the Lord's 
 Supper the body and blood of Christ are truly and substantially 
 present, and are truly oifered with the visible elements, bread 
 and wine, to those who receive the sacrament. For since Paul 
 says: 'The bread which we break is the communion of the 
 body of Christ/ etc., it would follow, if the body of Christ 
 were not, but only the Holy Ghost were truly present, that the 
 bread is not a communion of the body, but of the Spirit of 
 Christ. Thus we know that not only the Romish, but also the 
 Greek Church, has taught the bodily presence of Christ in the 
 Holy Supper." 1 And testimony is also produced from Cyril 
 that Christ also dwells bodily in us in the Holy Supper by the 
 communication of his flesh. 2 
 
 Afterwards, when those who at Augsburg delivered their Con- 12 
 fession concerning this article seemed to be willing to approve 
 the Confession of our churches, the following Formula Concor- 
 diw? i. e. articles of Christian agreement between the Saxon 
 theologians and those of Upper Germany, was composed and 
 M.Q p ig ne d at Wittenberg in the year 1536, by Dr. Martin 
 Luther and other theologians on both sides : 
 
 " We have heard how Mr. Martin Bucer explained his own 13 
 opinion, and that of other preachers who came with him from 
 the cities, concerning the holy sacrament of the body and blood 
 of Christ, viz. as follows : 4 
 
 " They confess, according to the words of Irenseus, that in 14 
 this sacrament there are two things, a heavenly and an earthly. 
 Therefore they hold and teach that, with the bread and wine, 
 the body and blood of Christ are truly and essentially present, 
 oifered and received. And although they believe in no trans- 
 substantiation, i. e. an essential transformation of the bread and 
 wine into the body and blood of Christ, and also do not hold 
 that the body and blood of Christ are included locally, i. e. 
 with respect to space, in the bread, or are otherwise perma- 
 nently united therewith apart from the use of the sacrament ; 
 yet they concede that through the sacramental union the bread 
 is the body of Christ, etc. [that when the bread is offered the 
 body of Christ is at the same time present, and is truly ten- 
 dered]. For apart from use, if the bread be laid by and pre- 15 
 served in a pyx, or be carried about and exhibited in proces- 
 sions, as occurs in the Papacy, they do not hold that the body 
 of Christ is present. 
 
 " Secondly, they hold that the institution of this sacrament it 
 made by Christ is efficacious in Christendom [the Church], and 
 
 1 Apology, x. : 54 sq. * Ibid., x. : 55. 
 
 • The Wittenberg Concordia, written by Melanchthon. 
 4 See Corpus Beformatorum. iii. : 75. 
 
604 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 that it /Iocs not depend upon the worthiness or un worthiness of 
 the minister who offers the sacrament or of the one who re- 
 ceives it. Therefore, as St. Paul says, that even the unworthy 
 partake of the sacrament, 1 they hold that also to the unworthy 
 the body and blood of Christ are truly offered, and the un- 
 worthy truly receive them, where the institution and command 
 of the Lord Christ are observed. But such persons receive 
 them to condemnation, 2 as St. Paul says ; for they abuse the 
 oly sacrament, because they receive it without true repentance 
 and without faith. For it was instituted for this purpose, viz. 
 that it might testify that to them the grace and benefits of 
 Christ are there applied, and that they are incorporated into 
 Christ and are washed by his blood, who there truly repent 
 and comfort themselves by faith in Christ." 
 nrr\ In the following year, when the chief theologians of j; 
 
 the Augsburg Confession assembled from all Germany at 
 Smalcald, and deliberated as to what to present in the Council 
 concerning this doctrine of the Church, by common consent 
 the Smalcald Articles were composed by Dr. Luther, and were 
 signed by all the theologians, collectively and individually, in 
 which the true and proper opinion is clearly expressed in short, 
 plain words, which agree most accurately with the words of 
 Christ, and every door and mode of escape for the Sacrament- 
 arians was closed. For they had interpreted to their advantage 18 
 [perverted] the Formula of Concord, i. e. the above-mentioned 
 articles of union, framed the preceding year, so that it should 
 be understood that the body of Christ is offered with the bread 
 in no other way than as it is offered, together with all his 
 benefits, by the Word of the Gospel, and that by the sacrament- 19 
 al union nothing else than the spiritual presence of the Lord 
 Christ by faith is meant. These articles, therefore, declare: 
 " The bread and wine in the Holy Supper are the true body 
 and blood of Jesus Christ, which are tendered and received, not 
 only by the godly, but also by godless Christians " 8 [those who 
 lave nothing Christian except the name]. 
 
 Dr. Luther has also more amply expounded and confirmed 20 
 this opinion from God's Word in the Large Catechism, 4 where 
 it is written : 
 
 "What is therefore the Sacrament of the Altar? Answer: 
 It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, in and 
 under the bread and wine, which we Christians are commanded 
 by the Word of Christ to eat and to drink." And shortly 21 
 after : " It is the Word, I say, which makes and distinguishes 
 this sacrament, so that it is not mere bread and wine, but is, and 
 
 1 1 Cor. 11 : 27. ■ Ibid., 11 : 29. s Smalcald Articles, Part III.. Art. vi 
 1 Part V., 6, 8 10-14; 499 sqq. 
 
Part II. THE LOUIES SUPPER 605 
 
 is pioperly called the body and blood of Christ.' Again : 22 
 " With this Word you can strengthen your conscience and say : 
 If a hundred thousand devils, together with all fanatics, raise 
 the objection, How can bread and wine be the body and blood 
 of Christ? I know that all spirits and scholars together are 
 not as wise as is the Divine Majesty in his little finger. For 
 here stands the Word of Christ : ' Take, eat ; this is my body. 
 Drink yc all of this ; this is the new testament in my blood/ 
 etc. Here we abide, and would like to see those who will con- 
 stitute themselves his masters, and make it different from what 
 pri he has spoken. It is true, indeed, that if you take away 23 
 
 the Word, or regard it without the Word, you have 
 nothing but mere bread and wine. But if the Word be added 
 thereto, as it must be, then in virtue of the same it is truly 
 the body and blood of Christ. For as the lips of Christ have 
 spoken, so it is, as he can never lie or deceive. 
 
 " Hence it is easy to reply to all manner of questions about 24 
 which at the present time men are anxious, as, for instance: 
 Whether a wicked priest can administer and distribute the sac- 
 rament? and such like other points. For here conclude and 
 reply : Even though a knave take or distribute the sacrament, 
 he receives the true sacrament, i. e. the true body and blood of 
 Christ, just as truly as he who receives or administers it in the 
 most worthy manner. For it is not founded upon the holiness 
 of men, but upon the Word of God. And as no saint upon 
 earth, yea, no angel in heaven, can change bread and wine into 
 the body and blood of Christ, so also can no one change or 
 alter it, even though it be abused. 
 
 " For the Word, by which it became a sacrament and was in- 25 
 stitutecl, does not become false. because of the person or his un- 
 belief. For he does not say : If you believe or are worthy you 
 will receive my body and blood, but : ' Take, eat and drink ; 
 this is my body and blood/ Likewise : ' Do this ' (viz. what 
 I now do, institute, give and bid you take). That is as much 26 
 as to say, No matter whether you be worthy or unworthy, you 
 ha""? here his body and blood, by virtue of these words which 
 are aided to the bread and wine. This mark and observe well ; 
 for upon these words rest all our foundation, protection and de- 
 fence against all error and temptation that have ever come or 
 may yet come." 
 prg Thus far the Large Catechism, in which the true pres- 27 
 
 ence of the body and blood of Christ in the Holy Supper 
 is established from God's Word ; and the same is understood 
 not only of the believing and worthy, bi t also of the unbeliev- 
 ing and unworthy. 
 
 But inasmuch as this highly-illumined man [Dr. Luther, the 2£ 
 hero illumined with unparalleled and most excellent gifte of 
 
006 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 the Holy Ghost] foresaw that after his death some would gas- 
 poet that he had receded from the above-mentioned doctrine and 
 other Christian articles, he has appended the following protest 
 to his Large Confession : 
 
 "Because I see the longer the time the greater the number :^ 
 of sects and errors, and that there is no end to the rage and 
 Any of Satan, in order that henceforth during my life, and 
 after my death, some of them may not, in future, support 
 themselves by me, and in order to strengthen their error 
 falsely quote my writings, as the Sacramentarians and Ana- 
 baptists begin to do ; I will in this writing, before God and all 
 the world, confess my faith, point by point [concerning all the 
 articles of our religion]. In this I intend to abide until my 30 
 death, and therein (and may God help me as to this!) to depart 
 from this world and to appear before the judgment-seat of 
 Jesus Christ; and if after my death any one will say: If Dr. 
 Luther were now living he would teach and hold this or that 
 article differently, for he did not sufficiently consider it, against 
 this I say now as then, and then as now, that, by God's grace, 
 I have most diligently considered all these articles by means 
 of the Scriptures [have examined them, not once, but very 
 often, according to the standard of Holy Scripture], and often 
 have gone over them, and will contend as confidently for them 
 as I am now contending for the Sacrament of the Altar. I am 
 not drunk or inconsiderate ; I know what I say ; I also am sen- 
 sible of the account which I will render at the coming of the 
 Lord Christ at the final judgment. Therefore no one should 31 
 interpret this as jest or mere idle talk ; to me it is serious; for 
 by God's grace I know Satan in great part; if he can pervert 
 or confuse God's Word, what will he not do with my words or 
 those of another?" 
 nro After this protest, Dr. Luther, of holy memory, presents 37 
 
 among other articles this also : " In the same manner I 
 also speak and confess " (he says) " concerning the Sacrament of 
 the Altar, that there the body and blood of Christ are in truth 
 orally eaten and drunken in the. bread and wine, even though 
 the priests [ministers] who administer it [the Lord's Supper], 
 or those who receive it, do not believe or otherwise abuse it. 
 For it does not depend upon the faith or unbelief of men, but 
 upon God's Word and ordinance, unless they first change God's 
 Word and ordinance and interpret it otherwise, as the enemies 
 of the sacrament do at the present day, who, of course, have 
 nothing but bread and wine ; for they also do not have the 
 Word and appointed ordinance of God, but have perverted 
 and changed it according to their own caprice." 
 
 Dr. Luther (who certainly, above others, understood the true 33 
 and propei meaning of the Augsburg Confession, and who con- 
 
Part II. THE LOKD'S SUPPER. G07 
 
 stantly, e\ -n to his end, remained steadfast thereto, and defended 
 it) shortly before his death, with great zeal, repeated in his last 
 Confession his faith concerning this article, where he writes 
 thus: " I reckon all in one mass as Sacramentarians and fa- 
 natics, as they also are who will not believe that the bread in 
 the Lord's Supper is his true natural body, which the godless 
 as Judas himself received with the mouth, as well as did St. 
 Peter, and all [other] saints ; he who will not believe this (I 
 say) should let me alone, and not hope for any fellowship with 
 me; there is no alternative [thus my opinion stands, which I 
 am not going, to change]." 
 
 From these explanations, and especially from that of Dr. 34 
 Luther as the chief teacher of the Augsburg Confession, every 
 intelligent man, if he be desirous of the truth and of peace, 
 can undoubtedly perceive what has always been the proper 
 sense and understanding of the Augsburg Confession in regard 
 to this article. 
 ncA For the reason that in addition to the expressions of 35 
 
 Christ and St. Paul (viz. that the bread in the Supper "is 
 the body of Christ " or " the communion of the body of Christ"), 
 also the forms : " under the bread," " with the bread," " in the 
 bread " [" the body of Christ is present and offered "], are em- 
 ployed, is that hereby the Papistical transubstantiation may be 
 rejected, and the sacramental union of the unchanged essence 
 of the bread and of the body of Christ may be indicated; just 36 
 as the expression, " the Word was made flesh " (John 1:14), is 
 repeated and explained by the equivalent expressions: "The 
 Word dwelt among us ;" (Col. 2:9): "In him dwelleth all the 
 fulness of the Godhead bodily;" also (Acts 10:38): "God 
 was with him;" also (2 Cor. 5:19): "God was in Christ," 
 and the like ; namely, that the divine essence is not changed 
 into the human nature, but the two natures unchanged are 
 personally united. [These phrases repeat the expression 
 of John above-mentioned, and declare that, by the incarna- 
 tion, the divine essence is not changed into the human nature, 
 but that the two natures without confusion are personally 
 united.] 
 
 And indeed many eminent ancient teachers, Justin, C/prian, 37 
 Augustine, Leo, Gelasius, Chrysostom and others, use this 
 simile concerning the words of Christ's testament: " This is 
 my body," viz. that just as in Christ two distinct, unchanged 
 natures are inseparably united, so in the Holy Supper the two 
 substances, the natural bread and the true natural body of 
 Christ, are present here together upon earth in the appointed 
 administration of the sacrament. Although this union of the 38 
 body and blood of Christ with the bread and wine is not a 
 personal union, as that of the two natures in Christ, but a sac- 
 
COS THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 ramental union, as Dr. Luther and our theologians, in the 
 frequently-mentioned Articles of Agreement [Formula of Con- 
 cord] in the year 1536 and in other places, call it ; in order to 
 declare that although they also employ the forms, " in the 
 bread," " under the bread," " with the bread," yet the words 
 of Christ they receive properly and as they sound, and under- 
 stand the proposition, i. e. the words of Christ's testament : 
 'This ia my body," not as a figurative, but as an unusual ex- 
 pression. For Justin says: "This we receive not as common 39 
 bread and common drink, but as Jesus Christ, our Saviour, 
 through the Word of God became flesh, and on account of our 
 salvation also had flesh and blood, so we believe that, by the 
 R __ Word and prayer, the food blessed by him is the body 
 
 and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ." Dr. Luther also 40 
 in his Large and especially in his last Confession, concerning 
 the Lord's Supper, with great earnestness and zeal defends 
 the very form of expression which Christ used at the first 
 Supper. 
 
 For since Dr. Luther is to be regarded the most distinguished 41 
 teacher of the churches which confess the Augsburg Confession, 
 whose entire doctrine as to sum and substance was comprised 
 in the articles of the frequently-mentioned Augsburg Confes- 
 sion, and was presented to the Emperor Charles V. ; the proper 
 understanding and sense of the said Augsburg Confession can 
 and should be derived from no other source more properly and 
 correctly than from the doctrinal and polemical writings of 
 Dr. Luther. 
 
 And indeed this very opinion, just cited, is founded upon 42 
 the only firm, immovable and indubitable rock of truth, from 
 the words of institution in the holy, divine Word, and was 
 thus understood, taught and propagated by the holy evan- 
 gelists and apostles and their disciples. 
 
 For since our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, concerning 43 
 whom, as our only Teacher, this solemn command : " Hear ye 
 him," has been given from heaven to all men, who is not a 
 mere man or angel, and also not only true, wise and mighty, 
 but the eternal truth and wisdom itself and Almighty God, 
 who knows very well what and how he should speak, and who 
 also can powerfully effect and execute everything that he speaks 
 and promises, as he says (Luke 21 : 33) : " Heaven and earth 
 shall pass away ; but my words shall not pass away ;" also 
 (Matt. 28 : 18) : "All power is given unto me in heaven and 
 in earth," — 
 
 Since now this true, almighty Lord, our Creator and Re- 44 
 deemer, Jesus Christ, after the Last Supper, when he is just 
 beginning his bitter suffering and death for our sins, on that 
 last sad time, with great consideration and solemnity, in the in- 
 
PjlktII. THE LORD'S SUPPER. 60S 
 
 Btitution of tli is most venerable sacrament (which was to be used 
 until the end of the world with great reverence and obedience 
 [and humility], and was to be an abiding memorial of his bitter 
 suffering and death and all his benefits, a sealing [and confir- 
 mation] of the New Testament, a consolation of all distressed 
 hearts and a firm bond and means of union of Christians with 
 nrn Christ their head and with one another), in the founding 
 and institution of the Holy Supper spake these words 
 concerning the bread which he blessed and gave [to his dis- 
 ciples] : " Take, eat ; this is my body, which is given for you," 
 and concerning the cup or wine : " This is my blood of the 
 new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of 
 sins ;" — 
 
 We are in duty bound not to interpret and explain these 45 
 words of the eternal, true and almighty Son of God, our 
 Lord, Creator and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, as allegorical, 
 metaphorical, tropical expressions, as may appear to be in con- 
 formity with our reason, but with simple faith and due obedi- 
 ence to receive the words as they sound, 1 in their proper and 
 plain sense, and allow ourselves to be diverted therefrom [from 
 this express testament of Christ] by no objections or human 
 contradictions spun from human reason, however charming 
 they may appear to the reason. 
 
 As when Abraham heard God's Word concerning offering 46 
 his son, although indeed he had cause enough for disputing as 
 to whether the words should be understood according to the 
 letter or with a moderate or mild interpretation, since they con- 
 victed not only with all reason and with divine and natural 
 law, but also with the chief article of faith concerning the 
 promised Seed, Christ, who was to be born of Isaac ; and yet, 
 as before, when the promise of the blessed Seed from Isaac 
 was given him (although it appeared to his reason impossible), 
 he gave God the honor of truth, and most confidently con- 
 cluded and believed that God could do what he promised ; so 
 also here faith understands and believes God's Word and com- 
 mand plainly and simply, as they sound, according to the letter, 
 and resigns the entire matter to the divine omnipotence and 
 wisdom, which it knows has many more modes and ways to 
 fulfil the promise of the Seed from Isaac than man with his 
 blind reason can comprehend. 
 nr» Thus, with all humility and obedience we too should 47 
 
 simply believe the plain, firm, clear and solemn word and 
 command of our Creator and Redeemer, without any doubt 
 and disputation as to how it may agree with our reason or be 
 possible. For these words the Lord, who is infinite wisdom 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, vii. : 7. 
 77 
 
610 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 and truth itself, has spoken, and every tiling which he prom- 
 ises he also can execute and accomplish. 
 
 Now, all the circumstances of the institution of the Holy 48 
 Supper testify that these words of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus 
 Christ, which in themselves are simple, plain, clear, firm and 
 indubitable, cannot and should not be understood otherwise 
 than in their usual, proper and common signification. For 
 since Christ gave this command [concerning eating his body, 
 etc.] at his table and at the Supper, there is indeed no doubt 
 that he speaks of real, natural bread and of natural wine, also 
 of oral eating and drinking, so that there can be no metaphor, 
 i. e. an alteration of meaning, in the word " bread," as though 
 the body of Christ were a spiritual bread or a spiritual food 
 of souls. So also Christ himself carefully shows that there is 49 
 no metonymy, i. e. that there is no alteration of meaning in the 
 same way, in the word " body," and that he does not speak 
 concerning a sign of his body, or concerning a symbol or figura- 
 tive body, or concerning the virtue of his body and the benefits 
 which he has earned by the sacrifice of his body [for us], but 
 of his true, essential body, which he delivered for us to death, 
 and of his true, essential blood, which he shed for us on the 
 tree [altar] of the cross, for the remission of sins. 
 
 Now, indeed, there is no interpreter of the Word of Jesus 50 
 Christ so faithful and sure as the Lord Christ himself, who 
 understands best his words and his heart and opinion, and who 
 is the wisest and most knowing in expounding them ; who 
 here, as in the making of his last will and testament and of 
 his ever-abiding covenant and union, as elsewhere in [present- 
 ing and confirming] all articles of faith, and in the institution 
 of all other signs of the covenant and of grace or sacraments, 
 as [for example] circumcision, the various offerings in the Old 
 Testament and holy baptism, has employed not allegorical, but 
 entirely proper, simple, indubitable and clear words; and in 51 
 >rder that no misunderstanding could occur with the words : 
 
 given for you," " shed for you," he has made a clear expla- 
 in nation. He also allowed his disciples to rest in the simple, 
 proper sense, and commanded them that they should 
 teach all nations to observe what he had commanded them, 
 the apostles. 
 
 Therefore, also, all three evangelists (Matt. 26 : 26 ; Mark 52 
 14 : 22; Luke 22 : 19) and St. Paul, who received it [the in- 
 stitution of the Lord's Supper] after the ascension of Christ 
 [from Christ himself], (1 Cor. 11 : 24), unanimously and with 
 one and the same words and syllables, concerning the conse- 
 crated and distributed bread repeat these distinct, clear, firm 
 and true words of Christ : " This is my body," altogether in 
 one way, without any explanation [trope, figure] and variation. 
 
Part II. THE LORD'S SUPPER. 611 
 
 Therefore there is no doubt that also concerning the other part 53 
 of the sacrament these words of Luke and Paul: "This cup 
 is the new testament in my blood," can have no other meaning 
 than that which St. Matthew and St. Mark give: " This " (name- 
 ly, that which you orally drink out of the cup) " is my blood of 
 the new testament," whereby I establish, seal and confirm 
 with you men my testament and the new covenant, viz. the 
 forgiveness of sins. 
 
 So also that repetition, confirmation and explanation of the 54 
 Word of Christ which St. Paul makes (1 Cor. 10 : 16), as an 
 especially clear testimony of the true, essential presence and 
 distribution of the body and blood of Christ in the Supper, is 
 to be considered with all diligence and solemnity [accurately], 
 where he writes as follows : " The cup of blessing which we 
 bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The 
 bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of 
 Christ?" From this we clearly learn that not only the cup 
 which Christ consecrated at the first Supper, and not only the 
 bread which Christ broke and distributed, but also that which 
 we break and bless, is the communion of the body and blood 
 of Christ, so that all who eat this bread and drink of this cup 
 truly receive and are partakers of the true body and blood 
 of Christ. For if the body of Christ were present and par- 55 
 taken of, not truly and essentially, but only according to its 
 fi rq power and efficacy, the bread would not be a communion 
 of the body, but must be called a communion of the Spirit, 
 power and benefits of Christ, as the Apology argues and con- 
 cludes. 1 And if Paul speaks only of the spiritual communion 56 
 of the body of Christ through faith, as the Sacramentarians 
 pervert this passage, he would not say that the bread, but that 
 the spirit or faith, was the communion of the body of Christ. 
 But as he says that the bread is the communion of the body of 
 Christ, viz. that all who partake of the consecrated bread also 
 become participants of the body of Christ, he must speak in- 
 deed not of a spiritual, but of a sacramental or oral participa- 
 tion of the body of Christ, which is common to godly and 
 godless Christians [Christians only in name]. 
 
 As also the causes and circumstances of this entire declara- 57 
 tion of St. Paul show that he deters and warns those who ate 
 of offerings to idols and had fellowship with heathen demon- 
 olatry, and nevertheless went also to the table of the Lord 
 and became partakers of the body and blood of Christ, that 
 they should not receive the body and blood of Christ for judg- 
 ment and condemnation to themselves. For since all those 
 who were partakers of the consecrated and broken bread in 
 
 1 Art. x. : 54. 
 
012 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 the Supper have communion also with the body of Christ, St. 
 Paul cannot speak indeed of spiritual communion with Christ, 
 which no man can abuse, and from which also no cue should 
 be warned 
 
 Therefore, also, our dear fathers and predecessors, as Luther 5* 
 and other pure teachers of tlw Augsburg Confession, explain 
 this expression of Paul with such words that it accords most 
 fully with the words of Christ when they write thus: The 
 bread which we break is the distributed body of Christ, or the 
 common [communicated] body of Christ, distributed to those 
 who receive the broken bread. 
 
 By this simple, well-founded exposition of this glorious testi- 59 
 mony (1 Cor. 10) we unanimously abide, and we justly are as- 
 tonished that some are so bold as to venture to cite this passage, 
 which they themselves had previously opposed to the Sacra- 
 mentarians, as now a foundation for their error, that in the 
 Supper the body of Christ is only spiritually partaken of. 
 [For thus they speak]: "The bread is the communion of the 
 nnn body of Christ, i. e. that by which there is fellowship with 
 the body of Christ (which is the Church), or is the means 
 by which we believers are united with Christ, just as the Word 
 of the Gospel is the means, apprehended by faith, through 
 which we are spiritually united to Christ and inserted into the 
 body of Christ, which is the Church." 
 
 For that not only the godly, pious and believing Christians, 6: 
 but also unworthy, godless hypocrites, as Judas and his com- 
 panions, who have no spiritual communion with Christ, and go 
 to the table of the Lord without true repentance and conver- 
 sion to God, also receive orally in the sacrament the true body 
 and [true] blood of Christ, and by their unworthy eating and 
 drinking grievously sin against the body and blood of Christ, 
 St. Paul teaches expressly. For he says (1 Cor. 11:27): 
 u Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the 
 Lord, unworthily," sins not merely against the bread and wine, 
 not merely against the signs or symbols and representation of 
 the body and blood, but " shall be guilty of the body and blood 
 of the Lord," which, present there [in the Holy Supper], he 
 dishonors, abuses and disgraces, as the Jews who in very deer 
 violated the body of Christ and killed him ; just as the anciei 
 Christian Fathers and church-teachers unanimously have un- 
 derstood and explained this passage. 
 
 There is, therefore, a twofold eating of the flesh of Christ, 6\ 
 one "spiritual," of which Christ especially treats (John 6 : 54), 
 which occurs in no other way than with the Spirit and faith, in 
 the preaching and consideration of the Gospel, as well as in 
 the Lord's Supper, and by itself is useful and salutary, and 
 necessary at all times for salvation to all Christians; without 
 
Part II. THE LORD'S SUPPER. 613 
 
 which spiritual participation also the sacramental or oral eating 
 in the Supper is not only not salutary, but even injurious and a 
 cause of condemnation. 
 on* But this spiritual eating is nothing else than faith, name- 6j 
 
 ly, to hearken to God's Word (wherein Christ, true God 
 and man, is piesented, together with all his benefits which he 
 has purchased for us by his flesh given for us to death, and by 
 his blood shed for us, namely, God's grace, the forgiveness of 
 sins, righteousness and eternal life), to receive it with faith and 
 appropriate it to ourselves, and in the consolation that we have 
 a gracious God, and eternal salvation on account of the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, with sure confidence and trust, to firmly rely 
 and abide in all troubles and temptations. [He who hears 
 these things related from the Word of God, and in faith re- 
 ceives and applies them to himself, and relies entirely upon 
 this consolation (that we have God reconciled and life eternal 
 on account of the Mediator, Jesus Christ), — he, I say, who with 
 true confidence rests in the Word of the Gospel in all troubles 
 and temptations, spiritually eats the body of Christ and drinks 
 his blood.] 
 
 The other eating of the body of Christ is oral or sacra- 63 
 mental, where, in the Holy Supper, the true, essential body and 
 blood of Christ are received and partaken of by all who eat 
 and drink in the Supper the consecrated bread and wine— by 
 the believing as an infallible pledge and assurance that their 
 sins are surely forgiven them, and Christ dwells and is effica- 
 cious in them, but by the unbelieving for their judgment and 
 condemnation. This the words of the institution by Christ 64 
 expressly teach, when at the table and during the Supper he 
 offers his disciples natural bread and natural wine, which he 
 calls his true body and true blood, and in addition says : " Eat 
 and drink." Such a command, in view of the circumstances, 
 cannot indeed be understood otherwise than of oral eating and 
 drinking, not in a gross, carnal, Capernaitic, yet in a super- 
 natural, incomprehensible way; to which the other command 65 
 adds still another and spiritual eating, when the Lord Christ 
 says further : " This do in remembrance of me/' where he 
 requires faith (which is the spiritual partaking of Christ's 
 body). 
 
 Therefore all the ancient Christian teachers expressly, and 66 
 in full accord with the entire holy Christian Church, teach, 
 according to these words of the institution of Christ and the 
 explanation of St. Paul, that the body of Christ is not only re- 
 ceived spiritually by faith, which occurs also without the use 
 of the sacrament, but also orally, not only by believing and 
 godly, but also by unworthy, unbelieving, false and wicked 
 Christians. As this is too long to be narrated here, we will 
 
G14 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 have to refer the Christian reader, for the sake of brevity, to 
 
 the more ample writings of our theologians. 
 
 nnn Hence it is manifest how unjustly and maliciously the 6; 
 
 Sacramentarian fanatics 1 deride the Lord Christ, St. Paul 
 and the entire Church in calling this oral partaking, and that 
 of the unworthy, duos pilos caudce cquince et commmtum, cujus 
 vel ipsum Satanam pudcat, as also the doctrine concerning the 
 majesty of Christ, excrementum Satance, quo diabolus sibi ipsi et 
 hominibus i/ludat, i. e. they speak so dreadfully thereof that a 
 godly Christian man should be ashamed to translate it. 
 
 But it must also be carefully stated who are the unworthy 6? 
 guests of this Supper — namely, those who go to this sacrament 
 without true repentance and sorrow for their sins, and without 
 true faith and the good intention to improve their lives, and 
 by their unworthy eating of the body of Christ incur temporal 
 and eternal punishments and are guilty of the body and blood 
 of Christ, 
 
 For Christians of weak faith, diffident and troubled, who, 69 
 because of the greatness and number of their sins, are terrified, 
 and think that, in this their great impurity, they are not worthy 
 of this precious treasure and the benefits of Christ, and who 
 feel and lament their weakness of faith, and from their hearts 
 desire that they may serve God with stronger, more joyful 
 faith and pure obedience, are the truly worthy guests for 
 whom this highly venerable sacrament [and sacred feast] has 
 been especially instituted and appointed; as Christ says (Matt. 70 
 11:28): "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy 
 laden, and I will give you rest." Also (Matt. 9 : 12): "They 
 that be whole need not a physician, but they that be sick." 
 Also (2 Cor. 12 : 9) : " God's strength is made perfect in weak- 
 ness." Also (Rom. 14:1): "Him that is weak in the faith 
 receive ye" (v. 3), "for God hath received him." "For who- 
 soever believeth in the Son of God," be it with a strong or 
 with a weak faith, "has eternal life" (John 3 : 15 sq.). 
 
 And the worthiness does not depend upon great or small 71 
 weakness or strength of faith, but upon the merit of Christ, 
 which the distressed father of little faith (Mark 9 : 21) en- 
 joyed as well as Abraham, Paul and others, who had a joyful 
 and strong faith. 
 „ R o Thus far we have spoken of the true presence and two- 72 
 
 fold participation of the body and blood of Christ, which 
 occurs either by faith spiritually or also orally, both by worthy 
 and unworthy [which latter is common to worthy and un- 
 worthy]. 
 
 Since also concerning the consecration and the common rule, 73 
 
 1 Theodore Beza and others, 
 
Part II. THE LORD'S SUPPER. 615 
 
 that " nothing is a sacrament without the appointed use" [or 
 divinely-instituted act], a misunderstanding and dissension has 
 occurred between some teachers of the Augsburg Confession, we 
 have also, concerning this matter, made a fraternal and unani- 
 mous declaration to one another to the following purport, viz. 
 that not the word or work of any man produces the true pres- 7< 
 ence of the body and blood of Christ in the Supper, whether it. 
 be the merit or declaration of the minister, or the eating and 
 drinking or faith of the communicants; but all this should be 
 ascribed alone to the power of Almighty God and the institu- 
 tion and ordination of our Lord Jesus Christ. [But all that 
 which we have present in the Supper of Christ is to be ascribed 
 absolutely and altogether to the power and Word of Almighty 
 God and the institution, etc.] 
 
 For the true and almighty words of Jesus Christ, which he 75 
 spake at the first institution, were efficacious not only at the first 
 Supper, but they endure, have authority, operate and are still 
 efficacious [their force, power and efficacy endure and avail even 
 to the present] ; so that in all places where the Supper is cele- 
 brated according to the institution of Christ, and his words are 
 used, from the power and efficacy of the words which Christ 
 spake at the first Supper the body and blood of Christ are truly 
 present, distributed and received. For where his institution is 
 observed and his words concerning the bread and cup [wine] 
 are spoken, and the consecrated bread and cup [wine] are dis- 
 tributed, Christ himself, through the spoken words, is still effi- 
 cacious by virtue of the first institution, through his Word which 
 he wishes to be there repeated. As Chrysostom says in his ser- 76 
 mon concerning the passion: "Christ himself prepares this 
 table and blesses it ; for no man makes the bread and wine set 
 before us the body aud blood of Christ, but Christ himself who 
 nnA was crucified for us. The w T ords are spoken by the mouth 
 of the priest, but, by God's power and grace, the elements 
 presented are consecrated in the Supper by the Word, where he 
 speaks: ' This is my body/ And just as the declaration (Gen. 
 1 :28): 'Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth/ 
 was spoken only once, but is ever efficacious in nature, so that 
 it is fruitful and multiplies; so also this declaration [This is 
 my body; this is my blood] was once spoken, but even to this 
 day and to his advent it is efficacious, and works so that in the 
 Supper of the churches his true body and blood are present." 
 
 Luther also [writes concerning this very subject in the same 77 
 manner], (vol. vi., Jena Ed., p. 99) : " This his command and in- 
 stitution are able and effect it that we administer and receive 
 not mere bread and wine, but his body and blood, as his words 
 run: 'This is my body/ etc.; 'This is my blood/ etc. It is 
 not our wo -k or declaration, but the command and ordination 
 
616 THE FORMULA uF CONCORD. 
 
 of Christ, that make? the bread the body, and the; wine the 
 blood, from the beginning of the first Supper even to the end 
 of the world, and that through our service and office they are 
 daily distributed." 
 
 Als: (vol. iii., Jena, p. 446) : " Thus here also, even though 1 78 
 should pronounce over all bread the words: 'This is Christ's 
 body/ it would of course not follow thence, but if we say, ac- 
 cording to his institution and command, in the administration 
 of the Holy Supper: 'This is my body/ it is his body, not on 
 account of our declaration or demonstration [because these words 
 when uttered have this efficacy], but because of his command — 
 that he has commanded us thus to speak and to do, and has 
 united his command and act with our declaration." 
 
 And indeed, in the administration of the Holy Supper the 79 
 words of institution should be publicly [before the church] 
 spoken or sung, distinctly and clearly, and should in no way be 
 omitted [and this for very many and the most important rea- 
 sons. First,] in order that obedience may be rendered to the 80 
 command of Christ: "This do" [that therefore should not be 
 omitted which Christ himself did in the Holy Supper], and 8; 
 [Secondly] that the faith of the hearers concerning the nature 
 and fruit of this sacrament (concerning the presence of the 
 fifi r body and blood of Christ, concerning the forgiveness of 
 sins and all benefits which have been purchased by the 
 death and shedding of blood of Christ, and are bestowed upon 
 us in Christ's testament) may be excited, strengthened and con- 
 firmed by Christ's Word, and [besides that the elements of bread 82 
 and wine may be consecrated or blessed for this holy use], in order 
 that the body and blood of Christ may therewith be administered 
 to be eaten and to be drunk [that with them the body of Christ 
 may be offered us to be eaten and his blood to be drunk], as Paul 
 declares (1 Cor. 10 : 16) : " The cup of blessing which we bless," 
 which indeed occurs in no other way than through the repetition 
 and recitation of the words of institution. 
 
 Nevertheless, this blessing, or the narration of the words of 83 
 institution of Christ, does not alone make a sacrament if the 
 entire action of the Supper, as it was instituted by Christ, be 
 not observed, as [for example] when the consecrated bread is 
 not distributed, received and partaken of, but is enclosed, sacri- 
 ficed or carried about. But the command of Christ, " This do," 8< 
 which embraces the entire action or transaction in this sacra- 
 ment, viz. that in an assembly of Christians bread and wine 
 are taken, consecrated, distributed, received, i. e. eaten and 
 drunk, and the Lord's death is therein' shown forth, should be 
 observed un separated and inviolate, as also St. Paul presents 
 before our eyes the entire action of the breaking of bread or 
 of distribution and reception (1 Cor. 10 : 16). 
 
Part II. THE LORD'S SUPPER. 617 
 
 [Let us now come also to the second point, of which mention 85 
 was made a little before.] To preserve the true Christian doc- 
 trine concerning the Holy Supper, and to avoid and obliterate 
 various idolatrous abuses and perversions of this testament, the 
 following useful rule and standard has been derived from the 
 words of institution : " Nothing has the nature of a sacrament 
 apart from the use instituted by Christ,' , or " apart from the 
 action divinely instituted." That is : " If the institution of 
 Christ be not observed as he appointed it, there is no sacra- 
 ment." This is by no means to be rejected, but with profit can 
 and should be urged and maintained in the churches of God. 
 And the use or action here is not chiefly the faith, also not only 86 
 the oral participation, but the entire, external, visible action of 
 the Lord's Supper instituted by Christ. [To this indeed is re- 
 quired], the consecration, or words of institution, and the dis- 
 tribution and reception, or oral partaking [manducation] of the 
 consecrated bread and wine, likewise the partaking of the 
 body and blood of Christ. And apart from this use, when, 87 
 nnn in the Papistic mass, the bread is not distributed, but 
 offered up or enclosed and borne about, and presented 
 for adoration, it is to be regarded as no sacrament; just as the 
 water of baptism, if used to consecrate bells or to cure leprosy, 
 or otherwise presented for worship, would be no sacrament or 
 baptism. For from the beginning [of the reviving Gospel] 
 this rule has been opposed to these Papistic abuses, and is ex- 
 plained by Dr. Luther himself (vol. iv., Jena Edition). 
 
 But we must besides observe also this, viz. that the Sacra- 88 
 mentarians artfully and wickedly pervert this useful and ne- 
 cessary rule, in order to deny the true, essential presence and 
 oral partaking of the body of Christ, which occurs here upon 
 earth alike by the worthy and the unworthy ; and who inter- 
 pret it as referring to the use by faith, i. e. the spiritual and 
 inner use of faith, as though with the unworthy there were no 
 sacrament, and the partaking of the body occurred only spir- 
 itually through faith, or as though faith made the body of 
 Christ present in the Holy Supper, and therefore unworthy, 
 unbelieving hypocrites do not actually receive the body of 
 Christ, 1 
 
 Now, it is not our faith that makes the sacrament, but only 89 
 the true word and institution of our Almighty God and Saviour, 
 Jesus Christ, which always is and remains efficacious in the 
 Christian Church, and neither by the worthiness or unworthi- 
 ness of the minister nor the unbelief of the one who receives it 
 is as anything invalidated or rendered inefficacious. Just as 
 the Gospel, even though godless hearers do not believe it, yet 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, vii. : 35, 37. 
 78 
 
618 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 is and remains none the less the true Gospel, but does not work 
 in the unbelieving to salvation; so, whether those who receive 
 the sacrament believe or do not belie ve, Christ remains none 
 the less true in his words when lie says: " Take, eat : this is 
 my body," and effects this [his presence] not by our faith, but 
 by his omnipotence. 
 
 But it is a pernicious, shameless error that some from cun- 9c 
 ning perversion of this familiar rule ascribe more to our faith, 
 which [in their opinion] alone renders present and partakes of 
 the body of Christ, than to the omnipotence of our Lord and 
 Saviour, Jesus Christ. 
 
 Concerning what pertains to the various imaginary reasons 91 
 nn<y and futile counter-arguments of the Sacramentariaus with 
 respect to the essential and natural attributes of a human 
 body, the ascension of Christ, his departure from this world, 
 etc., inasmuch as these have one and all been considered thor- 
 oughly and in detail, from God's Word, by Dr. Luther in his 
 controversial writings : " Against the Heavenly Prophets," l 
 " That these words, ' This is my body/ still stand firm ;" 2 like- 
 wise in his " Large " 3 and his " Small Confession concerning 
 the Holy Supper," 4 [published some years afterwards], and 
 other of his writings, and inasmuch as since his death nothing 
 new has been advanced by the factious spirits, for the sake of 
 brevity we will refer and appeal thereto. 
 
 For that we neither will, nor can, nor should allow ourselves 92 
 to be led away by thoughts of human wisdom, whatever au- 
 thority or outward appearance they may have, from the simple, 
 distinct and clear sense of the Word and testament of Christ 
 to a strange opinion, other than the words sound, but that, in 
 accordance with what is above stated, we understand and be- 
 lieve them simply; our reasons upon which we rest in this 93 
 matter, ever since the controversy concerning this article arose, 
 are those which Dr. Luther himself, 5 in the very beginning, 
 presented against the Sacramentarians in the following words: 
 " The reasons upon which I rest in this matter are the fol- 
 lowing : 
 
 " 1. The first is this article of our faith : Jesus Christ is es-94 
 sential, natural, true, perfect God and man in one person, undi- 
 vided and inseparable. 
 
 " 2. The second, that God's right hand is everywhere. 95 
 
 " 3. The third, that God's Word is not false and does not de- 96 
 ceive. 
 
 " 4. The fourth, that God has and knows of many modes of 97 
 being in any place, and not only the single one concerning 
 
 1 A. d. 1525. ■ 1527. 8 1528. * 1544. 
 
 * In his Large Confession concerning the Holy Supper. 
 
Part II. THE LORD'S SUPPER. 619 
 
 which fanatics talk flippantly and which philosophers call 
 local." 
 
 Also: "The one body of Christ [says Luther] has a t iree-98 
 fold mode or three modes of being anywhere. 
 nno "First, the comprehensible, bodily mode, as he went 99 
 
 about in the body upon earth, when, according to his size, 
 he made and occupied room [was circumscribed by fixed places]. 
 f I .is mode he can still use whenever he will, as he did after 
 the resurrection, and will use at the last day, as Paul says 
 (1 Tim. 6 : 15): "Which in his times He shall show who is 
 the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of 
 lords." And to the Colossians (3 : 4) he says : " When Christ 
 who is our life shall appear." In this manner he is not in 
 God or with the Father, neither in heaven, as the wild spirits 
 dream ; for God is not a bodily space or place. And to this 
 effect are the passages of Scripture which the fanatical spirits 
 cite, how Christ left the world and went to the Father. 
 
 "Secondly, the incomprehensible, spiritual mode, according to 10c 
 which he neither occupies nor makes room, but penetrates all 
 creatures according to his [most free] will, as, to make an im- 
 perfect comparison, my sight penetrates air, light or water, and 
 does not occupy or make room ; as a sound or tone penetrates 
 air or water or board and wall, and is in them, and also does 
 not occupy or make room ; likewise, as light and heat pene- 
 trate air, water, glass, crystal, and the like, and is in them, and 
 also does not make or occupy room ; and much more of the 
 like [many comparisons of this matter could be adduced]. 
 This mode he used when he rose from the closed [and sealed] 
 sepulchre, and passed through the closed door [to his disciples], 
 and in the bread and wine in the Holy Supper, and, as it is 
 believed, when he was born of his mother [the most holy 
 Virgin Mary]. 
 
 "Thirdly, the divine, heavenly mode, since he is one person 101 
 with God, according to which, of course, all creatures must be 
 far more penetrable and present to him than they are accord- 
 ing to the second mode. For if, according to that second 
 mode, he can be so in and with creatures that they do not feel, 
 touch, circumscribe or comprehend him, how much more won- 
 derfully is he in all creatures according to this sublime third 
 mode, so that they neither circumscribe nor comprehend him, 
 but rather that he has them present before himself, and cir- 
 cumscribes and comprehends them ! For you must place this 
 noq mode of the presence of Christ, as he is one person with 
 God, as far beyond creatures as God is beyond them ; and 
 again as deep and near to all creatures as God is in, and near 
 them. For he is one inseparable person with God; where God 
 is there must he also be, or our faith is false. But who will say 10: 
 
620 hie FORMULA OF OONCOKD. 
 
 or think how this occurs? We know indeed that it is so, 
 that he is in God beyond all creatures, and is one person with 
 God, but how it occurs we do not know; this [mystery] is 
 above nature and reason, even above the reason of all the 
 angels in heaven ; it is understood only by God. Because, 
 therefore, it is unknown to us, and yet is true, we should not 
 deny his words before we know how to prove to a certainty 
 that the body of Christ can by no means be where God is, and 
 that this mode of being [presence] is false. This the fanatics 
 ought to prove ; but we challenge them to do so. 
 
 " That God indeed has and knows still more modes in which 103 
 Christ's body is anywhere, I will not herewith deny; but I 
 would indicate what awkward and stupid men our fanatics are, 
 that they concede to the body of Christ no more than the first, 
 comprehensible way ; although they cannot even prove the 
 same, that it conflicts with our meaning. For I in no way 
 will deny that the power of God is able to effect so much as 
 that a body should at the same time be in a number of places, 
 even in a bodily, comprehensible way. For who will j^rove 
 that this is impossible with God? Who has seen an end to 
 his power? The fanatics think indeed that God cannot effect 
 it, 1 but who will believe their thoughts ? Whereby will 
 they confirm such thoughts?" 
 
 From these words of Dr. Luther it is also clear in what io^ 
 sense the word spiritual is employed in our churches with ref- 
 erence to this matter. For to the Sacramentarians this word 
 (spiritual) means nothing else than the spiritual communion, 
 when through faith those truly believing are in the spirit in- 
 corporated into Christ, the Lord, and become true spiritual 
 members of his body. 
 n>yn But when this word spiritual is employed in regard to 10 ^ 
 
 this matter by Dr. Luther or us, we understand thereby 
 the spiritual, supernatural, heavenly mode, according to which 
 Christ is present in the Holy Supper, and not only works 
 trust and life in the believing, but also condemnation in the 
 unbelieving; whereby we reject the Capernaitio thoughts of 
 the gross [and] carnal presence which is ascribed to and forced 
 upon our churches, against our manifold public testimonies, 
 by the Sacramentarians. 2 In this sense we also say [wish the 
 word spiritually to be understood when we say] that in the 
 Holy Supper the body and blood of Christ are spiritually re- 
 ceived, eaten and drunken ; although this participation occurs 
 with the mouth, yet the mode is spiritual. 
 
 Therefore our faith in this article, concerning the true pres- 106 
 ence of the body and blood of Christ in the Holy Supper, is 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, vii. : 32, 34. ' Ibid., vii. : 42 
 
Part II. THE LORD'S SUPPER 621 
 
 based upon the truth and omnipotence of the true, almight/ 
 God, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. These foundations 
 arc sufficiently strong and firm to strengthen and establish 
 our faith in all temptations concerning this article, and to 
 subvert and refute all the counter-arguments and objections of 
 the Sacramentarians, however agreeable and plausible they 
 may always be to the reason ; and upon them a Christian 
 heart also can firmly and securely rest and rely. 
 
 Accordingly, with heart and mouth we reject and condemn 107 
 as false, erroneous and misleading, all errors which are discord- 
 ant, contrary and opposed to the doctrines above mentioned 
 and founded upon God's Word, as, 
 
 1. The Papistic transubstantiation, where it is taught that 10? 
 the consecrated or blessed bread and wine in the Holy Supper 
 lose entirely their substance and essence, and are changed into 
 the substance of the body and blood of Christ, in such a way 
 that only the mere form of bread and wine is left, or the acci- 
 dents without the object ; under which form of the bread, 
 which is no more bread, but according to their assertion has 
 lost its natural essence, the body of Christ is present, even 
 apart from the administration of the Holy Supper, when the 
 bread is enclosed in the pyx or is presented for display and 
 adoration. 1 For nothing can be a sacrament without God's 
 command and the appointed use for which it is instituted in 
 God's Word, as is shown above. 2 
 «-.. 2. We likewise reject and condemn all other Papistic 109 
 
 abuses of this sacrament, as the abomination of the sacri- 
 fice of the mass for the living and dead. 
 
 3. Also, that contrary to the public command and institution no 
 of Christ, to the laity only one form of the sacrament is admin- 
 istered ; as the same Papistic abuses are thoroughly refuted 
 by means of God's Word and the testimonies of the ancient 
 churches, in the common confession of our churches, and the 
 Apology, the Smalcald Articles, and other writings of our 
 theologians. 
 
 But because in this document we have undertaken especial ly 1 1 1 
 to present our Confession and explanation only concerning the 
 true presence of the body and blood of Christ against the Sac- 
 ramentarians, some of whom, under the name of the Augsburg 
 Confession, have shamelessly insinuated themselves into our 
 churches; 3 we will also present and enumerate especially here 
 the errors of the Sacramentarians, in order to warn our hearers 
 to [detect and] be on their guard against them. 
 
 Accordingly, with heart and mouth we reject and condemn 112 
 
 1 Cf. Council of Trent, sess. xiii., caps, -f-6, Cans. 2, 4, 6, 7. * | S5. 
 " Cf. Epitome, vii. : 1. 
 
622 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 as false, erroneous and misleading all Sacramentarian opinions 
 and doctrines which are discordant, contrary and opposed to the 
 doctrines above presented and founded upon God's Word : 
 
 1. As when they assert that the words of institution are 113 
 not to be understood simply in their proper signification, as 
 they sound, of the true, essential presence of the body and 
 blood of Christ in the Holy Supper, but should be wrested, by 
 means of tropes or figurative interpretations, to another new, 
 strange sense. AVe hereby reject all such Sacramentarian 
 opinions and self-contradictory notions [of which some even 
 conflict with each other], however various and manifold they 
 may be. 
 
 2. Also, that the oral participation of the body and blood 114 
 of Christ in the Holy Supper is denied [by the Sacrament- 
 arians], and it is taught, on the contrary, that the body of 
 Christ in the Holy Supper is partaken of only spiritually by 
 faith, so that in the Holy Supper our mouth receives only 
 bread and wine. 
 
 3. Likewise, also, when it is taught that bread and wine in 115 
 the Lord's Supper should be regarded as nothing more than 
 tokens, whereby Christians are to recognize one another; or, 
 
 4. That they are only figures, similitudes and representa- 
 tions [symbols, types] of the far-absent body of Christ, in 
 such a manner that just as bread and wine are the outward 
 food of our body, so also the absent body of Christ, with its 
 merit, is the spiritual food of our souls. 
 
 fi7 n 5. Or that they are no more than tokens and memorials 116 
 
 of the absent body of Christ, by which signs, as an ex- 
 ternal pledge, we should be assured that the faith which turns 
 from the Holy Supper and ascends above all heavens becomes 
 there as truly participant of the body and blood of Christ as 
 in the Supper w r e truly receive with the mouth the external 
 signs • and that thus the assurance and confirmation of our 
 faith occur in the Holy Supper only through the external 
 signs, and not through the true, present body and blood of 
 Christ offered to us. 1 
 
 6. Or that in the Lord's Supper the power, efficacy and 117 
 merit of the far-absent body of Christ are distributed only to 
 faith, and we thus become partakers of his absent body ; and 
 that, in this just-mentioned way, the sacramental union is to 
 
 be understood, viz. with respect to the analogy of the sign 
 and that which is signified, i. e. as the bread and wine have a 
 resemblance to the body and blood of Christ. 
 
 7. Or that the body and blood of Christ cannot be received 118 
 and partaken otherwise than only spiritually by faith. 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, vii. : 30. 
 
Part II. THE LORD'S SUPPER 623 
 
 3. Likewise, when it is taught that, because of his asceusion 115 
 into heaven with his body, Christ is so enclosed and circum- 
 scribed in a definite place in heaven that with the same [his 
 body] he cannot or will not be truly present with us in the 
 Holy Supper, which is celebrated according to the institution 
 of Christ upon earth, but that he is as remote therefrom as 
 heaven and earth are from one another, 1 as some Sacrament- 
 arians have wilfully and wickedly falsified the text (Acts 3 : 
 21): "Who must occupy heaven," for the confirmation of 
 (heir error, and instead thereof have rendered it: " Who must 
 be received by heaven " or " in heaven," or be circumscribed 
 and contained, so that in his human nature he could or would 
 be in no way with us upon earth. 2 
 fi7 o 9. Likewise, that Christ has not promised the true, es- 12c 
 
 sential presence of his body and blood in his Supper, and 
 that he neither can nor will afford it, because the nature and 
 property of his assumed human nature cannot suffer or per- 
 mit it. 
 
 10. Likewise, when it is taught that not only the Word and 121 
 omnipotence of Christ, but faith, renders the body of Christ 
 present in the Holy Supper ; on this account the words of in- 
 stitution in the administration of the Holy Supper are omitted 
 by some. For although the Papistic consecration, in which 
 efficacy is ascribed to the speaking as the work of the priest, 
 
 as though it constitutes a sacrament, is justly rebuked and re- 
 jected, yet the words of institution can or should in no way 
 be omitted, as is shown in the preceding declaration. 3 
 
 11. Likewise, that believers do not seek the body of Christ, 12a 
 according to the words of Christ's institution, with the bread 
 and wine of the Supper, but are sent with their faith from the 
 bread of the Holy Supper to heaven, the place where the 
 Lord Christ is with his body, that they should become par- 
 takers of it there. 
 
 12. We reject also the doctrine that unbelieving and impen- 123 
 itent, godless Christians, who only bear the name of Christ, 
 but do not have right, true, living and saving faith, receive 
 
 in the Lord's Supper not the body and blood of Christ, but 
 only bread and wine. And since there are only two kinds of 
 guesls found at this heavenly meal, the worthy and the un- 
 worthy, we reject also the distinction made [by some] among 
 the unworthy, viz. that the godless Epicureans and deriders of 
 God's Word, who are in the external fellowship of the Church 
 in the use of the Holy Supper, do not receive the body and 
 blood of Christ for condemnation, but only bread and wine. 
 
 1 Calvin and Beza. * Calvin and the Wittenberg Crypto-Calviniste. 
 ■ Above, 2 79 sq. 
 
624 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 13. So too the doctrine that worthiness consists not only in 124 
 Irue faith, but in man's own preparation. 1 
 
 14. Likewise, the doctrine that even the truly believing, 125 
 who have and retain a right, true, living faith, and yet are 
 without the above-mentioned sufficient preparation of their 
 own, can, just as the unworthy guests, receive this sacrament 
 
 to condemnation. 
 
 n-j a 15. Likewise, when it is taught that the elements or the 26 
 
 visible form of the consecrated bread and wine ought to 
 be adored. But no one unless he be an Arian heretic can deny 
 that Christ himself, true God and man, who is truly and essen- 
 tially present in the Supper in the true use of the same, should 
 be adored in spirit and in truth, as also in all other places, 
 especially where his congregation is assembled. 
 
 16. We reject and condemn also all presumptuous, derisive, 127 
 blasphemous questions and expressions which are presented 
 with respect to the supernatural, heavenly mysteries of this 
 Supper in a gross, carnal, Capernaitic way. 
 
 Other and additional antitheses, or rejected contrary doctrines, 128 
 are reproved and rejected in the precedtng declaration, which, 
 for the sake of brevity, we will not repeat here. The con- 
 demnable or erroneous opinions that still remain, can be easily 
 understood and named from the preceding declaration ; for we 
 reject and condemn everything that is discordant, contrary and 
 opposed to the doctrine which is above mentioned and is thor- 
 oughly grounded in God's Word. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 Of the Person of Christ. 
 
 A controversy has also occurred among the theologians of 1 
 the Augsburg Confession concerning the Person of Christ, which 
 nevertheless did not first arise among them, but was originally 
 introduced by the Sacramentarians. 
 
 For since Dr. Luther, in opposition to the Sacramentarians, 2 
 maintained, with firm foundations from the words of institu- 
 tion, the true, essential presence of the body and blood of 
 Christ in the Holy Supper ; the objection was urged against 
 him by the Zwinglians that, if the body of Christ were present 
 at the same time in heaven and on earth in the Holy Supper, 
 
 Parallel Passages. — (Ecumenical Creeds; Aagsburg Confession, III.; 
 Apology, Art. iii. ; Smalcald Articles, Part I. ; Small Catechism, Creed, Art. ii. 
 Large Catechism, ib., 453 sqq. ; Epitome, viii. 
 
 1 Beza. Ses Mentzer's Exegesis, Aug. Conf., p. 488. See also Epitome 
 vii. : 38. 
 
PABrll. THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 625 
 
 it could be no real, true human body; for of such majesty as 
 
 is peculiar to God, the body of Christ is not capable. 
 
 fi7t - But as Dr. Luther contradicted and effectually refuted 3 
 
 this, as his doctrinal and polemical writings * concerning 
 the Holy Supper show, which, as well as his doctrinal writings, 
 we hereby publicly confess [approve and wish it to be publicly 
 attested] ; some theologians of the Augsburg Confession, since 4 
 his death, although they have not yet been willing publicly 
 and expressly to confess themselves with the Sacramentarians 
 concerning the Lord's Supper, have introduced and employed 
 precisely the same foundations concerning the person of Christ 
 whereby the Sacramentarians attempted to remove the true, es- 
 sential presence of the body and blood of Christ from his 
 Supper, viz. that nothing should be ascribed to the human na- 
 ture in the person of Christ which is above or contrary to its 
 natural, essential property; and in regard to this have bur- 
 dened the doctrine of Dr. Luther, and all those who have em- 
 braced it as in conformity with God's Word, with the charge 
 of almost all the ancient monstrous heresies. 2 
 
 To explain this controversy in a Christian way, in conformity 5 
 with God's Word, according to the guidance [analogy] of our 
 simple Christian faith, and by God's grace entirely settle it, 
 our unanimous doctrine, faith and confession are as follows : 
 
 We believe, teach and confess, although the Son of God has 6 
 been from eternity a particular, distinct, entire divine person, 
 and thus, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, true, essential, 
 j>erfect God, nevertheless that, in the fulness of time, he also 
 assumed human nature into the unity of his person, not in such 
 a way that there now are two persons or two Christs, but that 
 Christ Jesus is now in one person, at the same time true, eternal 
 God, born of the Father from eternity, and a true man, born 
 of the blessed Virgin Mary, as it is written (Rom. 9:5): 
 " Of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over 
 all, God blessed for ever." 
 
 We believe, teach and confess, that now, in this one undi- 7 
 vided person, there are two distinct natures, the divine, which 
 is from eternity, and the human, which in time was assumed 
 into the unity of the person of the Son of God ; which two 
 natures in the person of Christ are never either mingled or 
 separated from one another or changed the one into the other, 
 but each abides in its nature and essence in the person of 
 Christ to all eternity. 
 
 67fi We believe, teach and confess also, that, as both natures 8 
 mentioned abide un mingled and destroyed, each retains 
 
 1 Especially " Das die Wort — nachfest stehen" A. D. 1527. 
 
 1 They were called Marcionites, Samosateniana, Monothelites, etc. 
 
626 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 also its natural, essential properties, and for all etcrnit) does 
 not lay them aside, neither do the essential properties of the 
 one nature ever become the essential properties of the other 
 nature. 
 
 Accordingly we believe, teach and confess, that to be almighty, 9 
 eternal, infinite, to be of itself everywhere present at the same 
 time naturally, that is, according to the property of its nature 
 and its natural essence, and to know all things, are essential 
 attributes of the divine nature, which never to eternity become 
 essential properties of the human nature. 
 
 On the other hand, to be a corporeal creature, to be flesh and ic 
 blood, to be finite and circumscribed, to suffer, to die, to ascend 
 and descend, to move from one place to another, to suffer hun- 
 ger, cold, thirst, heat and the like, are properties of the human 
 nature, which never become properties of the divine nature. 
 
 We believe, teach and confess also, that now, since the incar- 1 1 
 nation, each nature in Christ does not so subsist of itself that 
 each is or constitutes a separate person, but that they are so 
 united that they constitute only one person, in which, at the 
 same time, both the divine and the assumed human nature are 
 and subsist, so that now, since the incarnation, to the entire per- 
 son of Christ belongs not only his divine nature, but also his 
 assumed human nature; and that, as without his divinity, so 
 also without his humanity, the person of Christ or of the in- 
 carnate Son of God, 1. e. the Son of God who has assumed 
 flesh and become man, is not entire. Hence Christ is not two 
 distinct persons, but is only one person, notwithstanding that 
 two distinct natures are found in him, unconfused in their nat- 
 ural essence and properties. 
 
 We believe, teach and confess also, that the assumed human 12 
 nature in Christ not only has and retains its natural, essential 
 properties, but that, besides, through the personal union with 
 divinity, and afterwards through glorification, it has been exv 
 alted to the right hand of majesty, power and might, over 
 fi77 everything that can be named, not only in this world, but 
 also in that which is to come (Eph. 1 : 21). 1 
 
 With respect now to this majesty, to which Christ has been 13 
 exalted according to his humanity, he did not first receive it 
 when he arose from the dead and ascended into heaven, but 
 \ hen, in his mother's womb, he was conceived and became man 
 and the divine and human natures w r ere personally united with 
 one another. Nevertheless, this personal union is not to be un- .4 
 derstood, as some incorrectly explain it, as though the two na- 
 tures, the divine and the human, were united with one another, 
 as two boards are glued together, so that they really, i. e. in 
 
 1 Cf. 2 60. 
 
PaktII. THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 627 
 
 deed and truth, have no communication whatever with one an- 
 other. For this was the error and heresy of Nestorius and 15 
 Samosatenus, who, as Suidas and Theodore, presbyter of Raithu, 
 testify, taught and held : duo yuostc, dxocvcovijzouz xpbz kauroa; 
 rtavrd^aacv, i. e. the two natures have no communication what- 
 ever with one another. Thereby the two natures are separated 
 from one another, and thus two Christs are constituted, so that 
 the one is Christ, and the other God the Word, who dwells in 
 Christ. 
 
 For thus Theodore the Presbyter wrote : " At the same time 16 
 in which the heretic Manes lived, one by the name of Paul, 
 who by birth was indeed of Samosata, but was a bishop 1 at An- 
 tioch in Syria, wickedly taught that the Lord Christ was no- 
 thing but a man in whom God the Word dwelt, just as in each 
 of the prophets; therefore he also held that the divine and hu- 
 man natures are apart and separate, and that in Christ they 
 have no communion whatever with one another, as though the 
 one were Christ, and the other God the Word, who dwells in 
 him." 
 
 Against this condemned heresy the Christian Church has 17 
 always and everywhere simply believed and held that the di- 
 vine and human natures in the person of Christ are so united 
 that they have a true communion with one another; whereby 
 the natures [do not meet and] are not mingled in one essence, 
 but, as Dr. Luther writes, in one person. Accordingly, on ac- 18 
 n~n count of this personal union and communion, the ancient 
 teachers of the Church, before and after the Council of 
 Chalcedon, frequently employed the word mixture in a good 
 sense and with [true] discrimination. For this purpose [the 
 sake of confirming this matter] many testimonies of the Fa- 
 thers 2 (if needful) could be adduced, which also are to be found 
 frequently in the writings of our divines, and explain the per- 
 sonal union and communion by the illustration of the soul and 
 body, and of glowing iron. For the body and soul, as also 19 
 fire and iron, have communion with each other, not by a phrase 
 or mode of speaking, or in mere words, but truly and really, 
 i. e. in deed and truth ; and, nevertheless, no confusion or 
 equalizing of the natures is thereby introduced, as when from 
 honey and water hydromel is made, which is no more pure 
 water or pure honey, but is a mixed drink. For in the union 
 of the divine and human natures in the person of Christ it is 
 far different. For it is a far different, more sublime, and [alto- 
 gether] ineffable communion and union between the divine and 
 human natures in the person of Christ, on account of which 
 union and communion God is man and man is God. Never- 
 
 1 Latin : Antistes ; Germ. : Vorsteher. a Cf. Epitome, viii. : 9. 
 
628 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 theless, thereby neither the natures nor their properties are in- 
 termingled, but each nature retains its own essence and prop- 
 erties. 
 
 On account of this personal union (without which such a 2c 
 true communion of the natures would not be thought of, nci- 
 ther could exist) not the mere human nature, whose property it 
 is to suffer and die, has suffered for the sins of the world, but 
 the Son of God himself truly suffered (nevertheless, according 
 to the assumed human nature), and in accordance with our sim- 
 ple Christian faith [as our Apostles' Creed testifies] truly died, 
 although the divine nature can neither surfer nor die. This Dr. 21 
 Luther has fully explained in his Large Confession concerning 
 the Holy Supper in opposition to the blasphemous allceosis of 
 Zwingli, as he taught that one nature should be taken and un- 
 derstood for the other, which Dr. Luther committed, as a mark 
 of the devil, to the abyss of hell. 1 
 
 For this reason the ancient teachers of the Church combined 22 
 both words, xotvtovia and ivcoatc, i. e. communion and union, in 
 the explanation of this mystery, and have explained the one by 
 the other. (Irenseus, Book iv., eh. 37 ; Athanasius, in the Let- 
 ter to Epictetus ; Hilary, concerning the Trinity, Book 9 ; Ba- 
 sil and Gregory of Nyssa, in Theodoret ; Damascenus, Book 3, 
 ch. 19. 2 ) 
 n-in On account of this personal union and communion of 23 
 
 the divine and human natures in Christ we believe, teach 
 and confess also, according to our simple Christian faith, all that 
 is said concerning the majesty of Christ according to his hu- 
 manity, [by which he sits] at the right hand of the almighty 
 power of God, and what follows therefrom ; aH of which 
 would not be, and could not occur, if this personal union and 
 communion of the natures in the person of Christ did not 
 exist really, i. e. in deed and truth. 
 
 On account of this personal union and communion of the 24 
 natures, Mary, the blessed Virgin, bore not a mere man, but 
 such a man as is truly the Son of the Most High God, as the 
 angel [Gabriel] testifies ; who showed his divine majesty even 
 in his mother's womb, that he was born of a virgin, with her 
 virginity uninjured. Therefore she is truly the mother of 
 God, and nevertheless truly remained a virgin. 
 
 Because of this he also wrought all his miracles, and mani- 25 
 fested this his divine Majesty, according to his pleasure, when 
 and as he willed, and therefore not only after his resurrection 
 and ascension, but also in his state of humiliation. For ex- 
 ample, at the wedding at Cana of Galilee ; also when he was 
 
 1 See below, \ 38 sqq. 
 
 ' For passage in full see Catalogus Testimoniorum. 
 
Pari II. THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 629 
 
 twelve years old among the learned ; also, in the garden, where 
 with a word he cast his enemies to the ground ; likewise in 
 death, where he died not merely as any other man, but in and 
 with his death conquered sin, death, hell, and eternal damna- 
 tion; which his human nature alone would not have been 
 able to do if it had not been thus personally united and did not 
 have communion with the divine nature. 
 
 Hence also the human nature had, after the resurrection 2% 
 from the dead, its exaltation above all creatures in heaven and 
 on earth ; which is nothing else than that he entirely laid aside 
 the form of a servant, and nevertheless did not lay aside his 
 human nature, but retains it to eternity, and according to his 
 assumed human nature is put in the full possession and use of 
 n™ the divine majesty. This majesty he nevertheless had al- 
 ready in his conception, even in his mother's womb; but 
 as the apostle testifies (Phil. 2:7): "He humbled himself/' 
 and, as Dr. Luther explains, in the state of his humiliation he 
 concealed it, and did not employ it except when he wished. 
 
 But now, since not merely as any other saint he has ascend- 27 
 ed to heaven, but, as the apostle testifies (Eph. 4 : 10), "above 
 all heavens," and also truly fills all things, and is every- 
 where present not only as God, but also as man [has dominion 
 and] rules from sea to sea and to the ends of the earth ; as the 
 prophets predict (Ps. 8:1,6; 93 : 1 sq. ; Zach. 9 : 10) and the 
 apostles testify (Mark 16 : 20) that he everywhere wrought 
 with them and confirmed the word with signs following. Yet 28 
 this occurred not in an earthly way, but, as Dr. Luther ex- 
 plains, according to the manner of the right hand of God, 
 which is no fixed place in heaven, as the Sacramentarians as- 
 sert without any ground in the Holy Scriptures, but is nothing 
 else than the almighty power of God, which fills heaven and 
 earth, in [possession of] which Christ is placed according to his 
 humanity, really, i. e. in deed and truth, without confusion and 
 equalizing of the two natures in their essence and essential 
 properties. From this communicated [divine] power, accord- 29 
 ing to the words of his testament, he can be and is truly pres- 
 ent with his body and blood in the Holy Supper, to which he 
 directs us by his Word. This is possible to no man besides, 
 because no man is in such a way united with the divine nature, 
 and placed in this divine almighty majesty and power through 
 and in the personal union of the two natures in Christ, as 
 Jesus, the Son of Mary. For in him the divine and human 30 
 natures are personally united with one another, so that in Christ 
 " dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2 : 9), 
 and in this personal union have such a sublime, inner, ineffable 
 communion that even the angels are astonished at it, and, as 
 St. Peter testifies, look into these things with delight and joy 
 
630 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 (1 Pet. 1 : 12); all of which .vill shortly be explained in order 
 and more fully. 
 
 From this foundation, of which mention has now been made, 31 
 and which the personal union declares, i. c. from the manner in 
 which the divine and human natures in (lie person of Christ 
 ngi are united with one another, so that they have not only 
 the names in common, but have communion witli one an- 
 ther, without any commingling or equalizing of the same in 
 ■ ieir essence, proceeds also the doctrine concerning the Commu- 
 nicatio Idiomatum. i. e. concerning the true communion of the 
 properties of the natures, of which more will be said here- 
 after. 
 
 For since this is true, viz. that " properties do not leave their 32 
 subjects," i. e. that each nature retains its essential properties, 
 and these are not separated from one nature and transferred to 
 another, as water is poured from one vessel into another ; so 
 also no communion of properties could be or subsist if the 
 above-mentioned personal union or communion of the natures 
 in the person of Christ were not true. This, next to the ar- 33 
 tide of the Holy Trinity, is the greatest mystery in heaven 
 and on earth, as Paul says (1 Tim. 3 : 16): "Without contro- 
 versy, great is the mystery of godliness, that God was manifest 
 in the flesh." For since the apostle Peter in clear words tes- 34 
 tifies (2 Ep. 1 : 4) that we also in whom Christ dwells only 
 by grace, on account of that sublime mystery, are in Christ, 
 " partakers of the divine nature," what then must be the na- 
 ture of the communion of the divine nature, of which the apos- 
 tle says that " in Christ dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead 
 bodily," so that God and man are one person ? 
 
 But since it is highly important that this doctrine of the 35 
 Oommunicatio Idiomatum, i. e. of the communion of the prop- 
 erties of both natures, be treated and explained with proper 
 discrimination (for the propositions or assertions, i. e. expres- 
 sions, concerning the person of Christ, and his natures and 
 properties, are not all of one kind and mode, and when they 
 are employed without proper discrimination the doctrine be- 
 comes erroneous and the simple reader is readily led astray), 
 the following statement should be carefully noted, which, for 
 the purpose of making it plainer and simple, may be presented 
 under three heads : 
 
 First, since in Christ two distinct natures exist and remain 36 
 unchanged and unconfused in their natural essence and prop- 
 erties, and moreover there is only one person of both natures, 
 that which is an attribute of only one nature is ascribed not to 
 that nature apart, as though separate, but to the entire person, 
 which is at the same time God and man, whether called God or 
 man. 
 
PartIL THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 631 
 
 nan But in this genus, t. e. this mode of speaking, it does 37 
 
 not follow that what is ascribed to the person is at the 
 same time a property of both natures, but a discriminative 
 declaration is made as to what nature it is according to which 
 anything is ascribed to the entire person. Thus the Son of 
 God was " born of the seed of David according to the flesh " 
 (Rom. 1 : 3). Also: Christ was put to death according to the 
 flesh, and hath suffered according to the flesh (1 Pet. 3:18; 
 
 But since, when it is said that that is ascribed to the entire 38 
 person which is peculiar to one nature, beneath the words se- 
 cret and open Sacramentarians conceal their pernicious error, by 
 naming indeed the entire person, but nevertheless understand- 
 ing thereby only the one nature, and entirely excluding the 
 other nature 1 — as though merely the human nature had suffered 
 for us — inasmuch as Dr. Luther has written concerning the 
 allceosis of Zwingli in his Large Confession concerning the 
 Holy Supper, we will here present Luther's own words, in 
 order that the Church of God may be guarded in the best way 
 against this error. His words are as follows : 
 
 "Zwingli calls that an allceosis when anything is ascribed to 39 
 the divinity of Christ which nevertheless belongs to the hu- 
 manity or the reverse. As Luke 24 : 26 : i Ought not Christ 
 to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?' 
 Here Zwingli triflingly declares that [the word] Christ is un- 
 derstood with respect to the human nature. Beware, beware, 1 40 
 say, of the allceosis ; for it is a mask of the devil, as it at last 
 forms such a Christ after which I certainly would not be a 
 Christian. For its design is that henceforth Christ should be 
 no more, and do no more with his sufferings and life, than an- 
 other mere saint. For if I believe [permit myself to be per- 
 suaded] that only the human nature has suffered for me, Christ 
 is to me a Saviour of little worth, since he indeed himself stands 
 in need of a Saviour. In a word, what the devil seeks by the 
 allceosis is inexpressible." 
 
 And shortly afterwards : " If the old sorceress, Dame Rea- 41 
 son, the grandmother of the allceosis, should say, Yea, divinity 
 can neither suffer nor die ; you should reply, That is true ; yet, 
 because in Christ divinity and humanity are one person, Scrip- 
 o«o ture, on account of this personal union, ascribes also to 
 divinity everything that occurs to the humanity, and the 
 reverse. And thus, indeed, it is in truth. For this must cer-42 
 tainly be said [acknowledged], viz. the person (he refers to 
 Christ) suffers and dies. Now the person is true God ; there- 
 fore, it is rightly said : The Son of God suffers. For although 
 
 1 Cf. Sol. Dec, vii. : 4. 
 
632 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 the one part (so to say), viz. the divinity, does not suffer, jet 
 the person, which is God, suffers in the other part, viz. in his 
 humanity; for in truth God's Son has been crucified for us, 
 i. e. the person which is God. For the person, the person. I 
 say, was crucified according to the humanity." 
 
 And again shortly afterwards: "If the allceosis exist, as 43 
 Zwingli proposes, it will be necessary for Christ to have two 
 persons, one divine and one human, because Zwingli applies 
 the passages concerning suffering, alone to the human nature, 
 and of course diverts them from the divinity. For if the 
 works be parted and disunited, the person must also be divided, 
 since all the works or sufferings, are ascribed not to the natures, 
 but to the person. For it is the person that does and suffers 
 everything, one thing according to one nature, and another ac- 
 cording to the other nature, all of which the learned know well. 
 Therefore we consider our Lord Christ as God and man in one 
 person, so that we neither confound the natures nor divide the 
 person." 
 
 Dr. Luther says also in his book, " Of the Councils and the 44 
 Church:" "We Christians must know that if God were not 
 in the [one] balance, and gave it weight, we would sink to the 
 ground with our scale of the balance. By this I mean : If it 
 were not said [if these things were not true], ' God has died 
 for us/ but only a man, we are lost. But if the death of God, 
 and that God died, lie in the scale of the balance, he sinks 
 down, and we rise up as a light, empty scale. But he also can 
 indeed rise again or spring from the scale; yet he could not 
 have descended into the scale unless he had first become a man 
 like us, so that it could be said: 'God died/ 'God's passion/ 
 ' God's blood/ ' God's death/ For in his nature God cannot die ; 
 but now God and man are united in one person, so that the ex- 
 npA pression ' God's death ' is correct, when the man dies who 
 is one thing or one person with God." Thus far Luther. 
 
 Hence it is manifest that it is incorrect to say or write 1 that 45 
 the above-mentioned expressions (" God suffered," " God died ") 
 are only verbal assertions, that is, mere words, and that it is not 
 so in fact. For our simple Christian faith proves that the Son 
 of God, who became man, suffered for us, died for us, and re- 
 deemed us with his blood. 
 
 Secondly, as to the execution of the office of Christ, the per- 46 
 son does not act and work in, with, through, or according to 
 only one nature, but in, according to, with and through both 
 natures, or, as the Council of Chalcedon declares, one nature 
 operates, with the communion of the other, in that which is a 
 property of either. Therefore Christ is our Mediator, Re- 47 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, viii. : 26. 
 
Part II. THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 633 
 
 deemer, King, High Priest, Head, Shepherd, etc., not only ac- 
 cording to one nature, whether it be the divine or the human, 
 but according to both natures, as this doctrine is in other places 
 more fully treated. 1 
 
 Thirdly, but it is still a much different thing when the sub- 43 
 ject of the question, or declaration, or discussion concerning 
 this is, whether then the natures in the personal union in 
 Christ have nothing else or nothing more than only their 
 natural, essential properties; for that they have and retain 
 fhese, is mentioned above. 2 
 
 Therefore, as to the divine nature in Christ, since in God 4q 
 there is no change (James 1 : 17) by the incarnation, his divine 
 nature, in its essence and properties, is not abated or advanced ; 
 is thereby, in or by itself, neither diminished nor increased. 
 
 But as to the assumed human nature in the person of Christ, 50 
 there have indeed been some who have wished to contend that 
 this also, in the personal union with divinity, has nothing more 
 than only the natural, essential properties according to which 
 it is in all things like its brethren ; and that, on this account, 
 nothing should or could be ascribed to the human nature in 
 Christ which is beyond or contrary to its natural properties, 
 even though the testimony of Scripture is to this effect. 3 But 51 
 that this opinion is false and incorrect is so clear from God's 
 Word that even their own comrades censure and reject such 
 nnc error. For the Holy Scriptures, and the ancient Fathers 
 from the Scriptures, very plainly testify that the human 
 nature in Christ, inasmuch as it has been personally united with 
 the divine nature in Christ (because, since the form of a ser- 
 vant and humiliation has been laid aside, it is glorified and ex- 
 alted to the right hand of the majesty and power of God), has 
 received, over and beyond its natural, essential, permanent 
 properties, also special, high, great, supernatural, inscrutable, 
 ineffable, heavenly prerogatives and excellences in majesty, 
 glory, power and might above everything that can be named, 
 not only in this world, but also in that which is to come (Eph. 
 1 : 21). So that the human nature in Christ, in its measure 
 and mode, is employed at the same time in the execution of the 
 office of Christ, and has also its efficacy, i. e. power and force, 
 not only from, and according to, its natural, essential attributes, 
 or only so far as its ability extends, but chiefly from and ac- 
 cording to the majesty, glory, power and might which it has 
 received through the personal union, glorification and exalta- 
 
 1 Against Osiander and Stancar. See Epitome, iii. : 1 sqq. ; Sol. Dec. 
 iii. : 57 sqq. * See above, \ 19. 
 
 3 Mentzer in his Exegesis, Aug. Conf., p. 138, 142 sqq., has collected sucl) 
 expressions of the Sacrauientarians. 
 
 80 
 
634 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 tion. AdcI even now the adversaries can or dare scarcely deny $a 
 this, except that they dispute and contend that those are only 
 created gifts or finite qualities, as in the saints, with which the 
 human nature is endowed and furnished; and that, according 
 to their [artful] thoughts or from their own [silly] argumenta- 
 tions or [fictitious] proofs, they wish to measure and calculate 
 of what the human nature in Christ, without annihilation, is 
 capable or incapable. 
 
 But the best, most certain and sure way in this controversy 53 
 is this, viz. that what Christ has received, according to his as- 
 sumed nature, through the personal union, glorification or ex- 
 altation, and of what his assumed human nature is capable be- 
 yond the natural properties, without annihilation, no one can 
 know better or more thoroughly than the Lord Christ himself; 
 and he has revealed in his Word as much thereof as it is need- 
 ful for us to know. Of this, so far as pertains to the present 
 matter, we have in the Scriptures clear, certain testimonies that 
 we should simply believe, and in no way dispute to the con- 
 trary, as though the human nature in Christ were not capable 
 of the same. 
 nnn Now that is indeed correct and true which has been said 54 
 
 concerning the created gifts which have been given and 
 imparted to the human nature in Christ, viz. that it possesses 
 them in or of itself. But these do not sufficiently explain the 
 majesty which the Scriptures, and the ancient Fathers from 
 Scripture, ascribe to the assumed human nature in Christ. 
 
 For to quicken, to have all judgment and power in heaven $5 
 and on earth, to have all things in his hands, to have all things 
 in subjection beneath his feet, to cleanse from sin, etc., are not 
 created gifts, but divine, infinite properties, which, nevertheless, 
 according to the declaration of Scripture, are given and com- 
 municated to the man Christ (John 5 : 27 ; 6 : 39 ; Matt. 28 : 
 18 ; Dan. 7 : 14 ; John 3 : 35 ; 13 : 3 ; Matt. 11 : 27 ; Eph. 1 : 
 22 ; Heb. 2 : 8 ; 1 Cor. 15 : 27 ; John 1 : 3). 
 
 And that this communication is to be understood, not as a 5 
 phrase or mode of speaking, i. e. only in words with respect to 
 the person, and only according to the divine nature, but accord- 
 ing to the assumed human nature, the three following strong, 
 irrefutable arguments and reasons show : 
 
 1. First, there is a unanimously-received rule of the entire 57 
 ancient orthodox Church that what Holy Scripture testifies 
 that Christ received in time he received not according to the 
 divine nature (according to which he has everything from 
 eternity), but the person has received it in time, by reason of, 
 and with respect to, the assumed human nature. 
 
 2. Secondly, the Scriptures testify clearly (John 5:21 sq. ; 58 
 6 : 39 sq.) that the power to quicken and to exercise judgment 
 
Part II. THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 635 
 
 has been given to Christ because he is the Son of man and as 
 he has flesh and blood. 
 
 3. Thirdly, the Scriptures speak not merely in general of the 59 
 Son of man, but also expressly indicate his assumed human 
 nature (1 John 1:7): "The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, 
 cleanseth us from all sin," not only according to the merit [of 
 the blood of Christ] which was once attained on the cross; but 
 in this place John speaks thereof, that in the work or act of 
 justification not only the divine nature in Christ, but also his 
 blood, by mode of efficacy, i. e. actually, cleanses us from all 
 on-* sins. Therefore, in John 6 [48-58], the flesh of Christ is 
 a quickening food ; as the Council of Ephesus also de- 
 clared that the flesh of Christ has power to quicken ; while 
 concerning this article many other glorious testimonies of the 
 ancient orthodox Church are elsewhere cited. 
 
 That Christ, therefore, according to his human nature, has 6a 
 received this, and that it has been given and communicated to 
 the assumed human nature in Christ, we should and must be- 
 lieve according to the Scriptures. But, as above said, 1 because 
 the two natures in Christ are so united that they are not min- 
 gled with one another or changed one into the other, and each 
 retains its natural, essential property, so that the properties of 
 one nature never become properties of the other nature ; this 
 doctrine must also be rightly explained and be diligently pre- 
 served against all heresies. 
 
 While we, then, invent nothing new from ourselves, but re- 61 
 ceive and repeat the explanations which the ancient orthodox 
 Church has given hereof from the good foundation of Holy 
 Scripture, viz. that this divine power, light, might, majesty and 
 glory was not given the assumed human nature in Christ il 
 such a way as the Father, from eternity, has communicated to 
 the Son, according to the divine nature, his essence and all 
 divine attributes, whence he is of one nature with the Father 
 and is equal to God. For Christ is only according to the di- 
 vine nature equal to the Father, but according to the assumed 
 human nature he is beneath God ; hence it is manifest that we 
 make no confusion, equalization or abolition of natures in 
 Christ. So, too, the power to quicken is not in the flash of 
 Christ as in his divine nature, viz. as an essential property. 
 
 Moreover, this communication or importation has not oc-62 
 curred through an essential or natural infusion of the proper- 
 ties of the divine nature into the human, as though the hu- 
 manity of Christ had these by itself and apart from the divine 
 essence, or as though the human nature in Christ had thereby 
 [by this communication] entirely laid aside its natural, essential 
 
 1 See above, I 31 so,(j. 
 
636 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 properties, and were now either transformed into divinity, 01 
 in and by itself, with such communicated properties, had be- 
 come equal to the same, or that now the natural, essential prop- 
 erties of both natures are of one kind, or indeed equal. For 
 fi88 these and similar erroneous doctrines were justly rejected 
 and condemned in ancient approved councils from the 
 foundation of Holy Scripture. " For in no way is either con- 
 version, confusion or equalization of the natures in Christ, or 
 the essential properties, to be either made or admitted." 
 
 We indeed never understand the words " real communication " 6j 
 or "communes really" (i. e. the impartation or communion 
 which occurs in deed and truth) of any physical communica- 
 tion or essential transfusion, i. e. of any essential, natural com- 
 munion or effusion, whereby the natures would be confused in 
 their essence, and their essential properties (as, against their own 
 conscience, some 1 have craftily and wickedly made perversions, 
 in order to make the pure doctrine suspected) ; but only have 
 opposed them to "verbal communication" i. e. the doctrine 
 when such persons assert that it is only a phrase and mode of 
 speaking, or nothing more than mere words, titles and names, 
 upon which they have also laid so much stress that they are 
 not willing to know of any other communion. Therefore, for 
 the true explanation of the majesty of Christ we have used 
 the terms, " Of the Real Communion," and wish thereby to 
 show that this communion has occurred in deed and truth, nev- 
 ertheless without any confusion of natures and their essential 
 properties. 
 
 Therefore we hold and teach, with the ancient orthodox 64 
 Church, as it explained this doctrine from the Scriptures, that 
 the human nature in Christ has received this majesty according 
 to the manner of the personal union, viz. because the entire 
 fulness of the divinity dwells in Christ, not as in other holy 
 men or angels, but bodily, as in its own body, so that with all 
 its majesty, power, glory and efficacy in the assumed human 
 nature, voluntarily when and as he [Christ] wills, it shines 
 forth, and in, with, and through the same manifests, exercises, 
 and executes its divine power, glory and efficacy, as the soul does 
 in the body and fire in glowing iron. For by this illustration, 2 
 as is also mentioned above, the entire ancient Church explained 
 naA this doctrine. At the time of the humiliation this maj-65 
 
 esty was concealed and withheld [for the greater part]; 
 but now since the form of a servant [or exinanitio~] has been 
 laid aside, it fully, powerfully and publicly is exercised in 
 heaven and on earth before all saints, and in the life to come 
 we will also behold this his glory face to face (John 17 : 24). 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, viii. : 27. ' See above, \ 18- 
 
Part II. THE PEKSON OF CHRIST. 637 
 
 Therefore in Christ there is and remains only one divine 66 
 omnipotence, power, majesty and glory, which is peculiar alone 
 to the divine nature ; but it shines, manifests and exercises it- 
 self fully, yet voluntarily, in, with and through the assumed, 
 exalted human nature in Christ. Just as in glowing iron 
 there are not two kinds of power to shine and burn [(as though 
 the fire had a peculiar, and the iron also a peculiar and separate 
 power of shining and burning)], but the power to shine and to 
 burn is a property of the fire ; yet because the fire is united 
 with the iron it manifests and exercises this its power to shine 
 and to burn in, with and through the glowing iron, so that the 
 glowing iron has thence from this union the power to shine 
 and to burn without conversion of the essence and of the nat- 
 ural properties of fire and iron. 
 
 On this account we understand such testimonies of Scripture 6; 
 as speak of the majesty to which the human nature in Christ 
 is exalted, not so that the divine majesty which is peculiar to 
 the divine nature of the Son of God should be ascribed in the 
 person of the Son of man [to Christ] only according to his di- 
 vine nature, or that this majesty in the human nature of Christ 
 should be only of such a kind that his human nature should 
 have only the mere title and name by a phrase and mode of 
 speaking, i. e, only in words, but in deed and truth should 
 have no communion whatever with it. For, since God is a 68 
 spiritual, undivided essence, and therefore is present everywhere 
 and in all creatures, and in whom he is (but he dwells espe- 
 cially in believers and saints), there he has with him his maj- 
 esty, it might also with truth be said that in all creatures in 
 whom God is, but especially in believers and saints, in whom 
 he dwells, all the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily, all 
 treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid, all power in 
 heaven and earth is given, because the Holy Ghost, who has 
 nnn all power, is given them. For in this way there is no dis-69 
 
 tinction made between Christ according to his human na- 
 ture and other holy men, and thus Christ is deprived of his 
 majesty, which he has received above all creatures, as a man or 
 according to his human nature. For no other creature, neither 70 
 man nor angel, can or should say : " All power is given unto 
 me in heaven and in earth ;" since although God is in the 
 saints with all the fulness of his Godhead, which he has every- 
 where with himself; yet in them he does not dwell bodily, or 
 with them is not personally united, as in Christ. For from 
 such personal union it follows that Christ says, even according 
 to his human nature (Matt. 28:18): "All power is given 
 anto me in heaven and in earth." Also (John 13 : 3) : "Jesus 
 knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands." 
 Also (Col. 2:9): "In him .lwelleth all the fulness of the God- 
 
638 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 head bodily." Also: "Thou erownedst him with glory and 
 honor, and didst set him over the works of thy bands; thou 
 hast put all tilings in subjection under his feet. For in that 
 he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not 
 put under him (Heb. 2 : 7 sq. ; Ps. 8 : 6). " He is exeepted 
 which did put all things under him " (1 Cor. 15 : 27). 
 
 Moreover we believe, teach and confess that there is in no 71 
 way such an infusion of the majesty of God, and of all his 
 properties, into the human nature of Christ, whereby the divine 
 nature is weakened [anything of the divine nature departs], or 
 anything of its own is surrendered to another, that [in this 
 manner] it does not retain for itself, or that the human nature 
 has received in its substance and essence, equal majesty separate 
 jr diverse from the nature and essence of the Son of God, as 
 when water, wine or oil is poured from one vessel into another. 
 For the human nature, as also no other creature, either in heav- 
 en or on earth, is capable of the omnipotence of God in such a 
 manner that it would be in itself an almighty essence, or have 
 in and by itself almighty properties ; for thereby the human 
 nature in Christ would be denied, and would be entirely con- 
 verted into divinity, which is contrary to our Christian faith, 
 as also to the doctrine of all the apostles and prophets. 
 
 But we believe, teach and confess that God the Father has 72 
 so given his Spirit to Christ his beloved Son, according to the 
 assumed humanity (for on this account he is called also Messias, 
 oq-j i. e. the Anointed), that he has received the gifts of the 
 Spirit, not, as other saints, in measure. For upon Christ 
 the Lord, according to his assumed human nature (since accord- 
 ing to his divinity he is of one essence with the Holy Ghost), 
 there rests " the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit 
 of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear 
 of the Lord " (Col. 2:3; Isa. 11 : 2 ; 61 : 1). This occurs not 73 
 in such a way that, on this account, as a man he knew and had 
 ability only with regard to some things, as other saints know 
 and are able by the grace of God, which works in them only 
 created gifts. But since Christ, according to his divinity, is the 
 second person in the Holy Trinity, and from him, as also from 
 the Father, the Holy Ghost proceeds, and is and remains his 
 Spirit and that of the Father for all eternity, not separated 
 from the Son of God ; the entire fulness of the Spirit (as tJ)p 
 Fathers say) has been communicated by the personal union ro 
 Christ according to the flesh, which is personally united with 
 the Son of God. This voluntarily manifests and exerciies it- 74 
 self, with all its power therein, therewith and thereby [in, with 
 and through the human nature of Christ], not so that he [Christ 
 according to his human nature] not only knows some things 
 and is ignorant of others, has ability with respect to some and 
 
Part II. THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 639 
 
 is without ability with respect to others, but [according to tlit 
 assumed human nature] knows and has ability with respect to 
 all things. For upon him the Father poured without measure 
 the Spirit of wisdom and power, so that, as man in deed and 
 truth, he has received through this personal union all know- 
 ledge and all power. And thus all the treasures of wisdom are 
 hidden in him, thus all power is given to him, and he is seated 
 at the right hand of the majesty and power of God. From 7$ 
 history it is also manifest that at the time of the Emperor 
 Yalens there was among the Arians a peculiar sect which was 
 called the Agnoetse, because they imagined that the Son, the 
 Word of the Father, knew indeed all things, but that his as- 
 sumed human nature is ignorant of many things; against whom 
 t jrreimrv the Great also wrote. 
 
 On account of this personal union, and the communion fo\-y6 
 lowing therefrom, which the divine and human natures have 
 with one another in deed and truth in the person of Christ, 
 there is ascribed to Christ, according to the flesh, that which 
 his flesh, according to its nature and essence, cannot be of it- 
 self, and, apart from this union, cannot have, viz. that his flesh 
 OQ9 is a true quickening food, and his blood a true quicken- 
 ing blood ; as the two hundred Fathers of the Council 
 of Ephesus l have testified, that " the flesh of Christ is quicken- 
 ing or a quickener." Hence also this man only, and no man 
 besides, either in heaven or on earth, can say with truth (Matt. 
 18:20): "Where two or three are gathered together in my 
 name, there am I in the midst of them." Also (Matt. 28 : 
 20) : " Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the 
 world." 
 
 These testimonies we also do not understand, as though with 77 
 us in the Christian Church and congregation only the divinity 
 of Christ were present, and such presence in no way whatever 
 pertained to Christ according to his humanity; for in like man- 
 ner Peter, Paul and all the saints in heaven would also be 
 with us on earth, since divinity, which is everywhere present, 
 dwells in them. This the Holy Scriptures testify only of Christ, 
 and of no other man besides. But we hold that by these words ->8 
 [the passages of Scripture above] the majesty of the man 
 Christ is declared, which Christ has received, according to his 
 humanity, at the right hand of the majesty and power of God, 
 viz. that he also, according to his assumed human nature and 
 with the same, can be and is present where he will, and es- 
 pecially that in his Church and congregation on earth, as Me- 
 diator, Head, King and High Priest, he is not half present or 
 there is only the half [one part of him] present, but the entire 
 
 1 Cf. above, I 5&. 
 
640 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 person of Christ is present, to which two natures belong, the 
 divine and the human : not only according to his divinity, but 
 also according to and with his assumed human nature, by which 
 he is our brother and we are flesh of his flesh and bone of his 
 bone. For the certain assurance and confirmation of this he 79 
 lias instituted his Holy Supper, that also according to our na- 
 ture, by which he has flesh and blood, he will be with us, and 
 in us dwell, work and be efficacious. 
 
 Upon this firm foundation Dr. Luther, of holy memory, 80 
 has also written [faithfully and clearly] concerning the majesty 
 of Christ according to his human nature. 
 
 In the Large Confession concerning the Lord's Supper he 81 
 writes thus concerning the person of Christ: "Since Christ is 
 such a man as is supernaturally one person with God, and apart 
 gqo from this man there is no God, it must follow that also, 
 according to the third supernatural mode, he is and can be 
 everywhere that God is, and all things are entirely full of 
 Christ, even according to humanity, not according to the first 
 corporeal, comprehensible mode, but according to the super- 
 natural, divine mode." 1 
 
 " For here you must stand [confess] and say : ' Wherever 82 
 Christ is according to the divinity, there he is a natural, divine 
 person, and he is also there naturally and personally, as his con- 
 ception in his mother's womb well shows. For if he were 
 God's Son, he must naturally and personally be in his mother's 
 womb and become man. But if, wherever he is, he is naturally 
 and personally, he must also be in the same place as man. For 
 there are not [in Christ] two separate persons, but only one 
 person. Wherever it is, there the person is only one and un- 
 divided ; and wherever you can say : ' Here is God,' there you 
 must also say : ' Therefore Christ the man is also there.' And 
 if you would show a place where God would be, and not the 
 man, the person would be already divided, because I could then 
 sav with truth : ' Here is God who is not man, and who never 
 as yet has become man.' 
 
 " Far be it from me that I should acknowledge or worship 83 
 such a God. For it would follow hence that space and place 
 separated the two natures from one another, and divided the 
 person, which, nevertheless, death and all devils could not di- 
 vide or rend from one another. And there would remain to 84 
 me a poor sort of Christ [a Christ of how much value, pray?], 
 who would be no more than a divine and human person at the 
 same time in only one place, and in all other places he must be 
 only a mere separate God and divine person without humanity. 
 No, friend, wherever you place God for me, there you must also 
 
 1 Cf. above, vii. : 99 sq. 
 
Part II. THE PERSON OF CI I REST. 641 
 
 place with him for me humanity ; they do not allow themselves 
 to be separated or divided from one another. They became one 
 person, which [as Son of God] does not separate from itself 
 [the assumed humanity]." 
 
 In the little book concerning the Last Words of David, 85 
 which Dr. Luther wrote shortly before his death, he says as fol- 
 oqa lows : "According to the other, the temporal, human birth, 
 the eternal power of God has also been given him, yet in 
 time, and not from eternity. For the humanity of Christ has 
 not been from eternity, as the divinity; but as we reckon and 
 write Jesus, the Son of Mary, is this year 1543 years old. But 
 from the instant when divinity and humanity were united in 
 one person, the man, the Son of Mary, is and is called almighty, 
 eternal God, has eternal might, and has created and sustains, by 
 the communicatio idlomatum, all things, because he is one per- 
 son with divinity, and is also true God. Of this he speaks 
 (Matt. 11 : 27): ' All things are delivered unto me of my Fa- 
 ther;' and Matt. 28:18: ' All power is given unto me in 
 heaven and in earth/ To what me? To me, Jesus of Naz- 
 areth, the Son of Mary, and born man. From eternity I had 
 it of the Father, before I became man. But when I became 
 man I received it in time, according to humanity, and kept it 
 concealed until my resurrection and ascension ; then it was to 
 be manifested and declared, as St. Paul says (Rom. 1:4): ' He 
 is declared and proved to be a Son of God with power/ John 
 (1 7: 10) calls it ' glorified/" 
 
 Similar testimonies are found in Dr. Luther's writings, but 86 
 especially in the book : " That these Words still stand Firm," 
 and in the " Large Confession concerning the Holy Supper;" to 
 which writings, as well-grounded explanations of the majesty 
 of Christ at the right hand of God, and of his testament, we 
 refer, for the sake of brevity, in this article, as well as in the 
 Holy Supper, as has been heretofore mentioned. 
 
 Therefore we regard it a pernicious error when to Christ, 87 
 according to his humanity, such majesty is denied. For there- 
 by there is removed from Christians the very great consolation 
 which they have from the presence and dwelling with them of 
 their Head, King and High Priest, who has promised them 
 that not only his mere divinity should be with them, which to 
 ns poor sinners is as a consuming fire to dry stubble, but that 
 very man who has spoken with us, who has experienced all 
 troubles in his assumed human nature, who can therefore have 
 nqr with us, as with men and brethren, sympathy, 1 will be 
 with us in all our troubles also according to the nature 
 in which he is our brother and we are flesh of his flesh. 
 
 1 Heb. 4 : 15 
 81 
 
642 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 Therefore we unanimously reject and condemn, with mouth 8£ 
 and heart, all errors not in accordance with the doctrine pre- 
 sented, as contrary to the Prophetic and Apostolic Scriptures, 
 the pure [received and approved] symbols, and our Christian 
 Augsburg Confession : 
 
 1. As when it is believed or taught by any one that, on ac- 89 
 count of the personal union, the human nature is mingled with 
 the divine or is changed into it. 
 
 2. Also, that the human nature in Christ, in the same mode 9 
 as the divinity, is everywhere present, as an infinite essence, 
 from essential power, likewise from a property of its nature. 1 
 
 3. Also, that the human nature in Christ has become equal 91 
 to and like the divine nature in its substance and essence or in 
 its essential properties. 
 
 4. Also, that the humanity of Christ is locally extended in 92 
 all places of heaven and earth ; which should not be ascribed 
 even to the divinity. 2 But that Christ, by his divine omnip- 
 otence, can be present with his body, which he has placed at 
 the right hand of the majesty and power of God, wherever he 
 will ; especially where, as in the Holy Supper, he has, in his 
 Word, promised this his presence, this his omnipotence and 
 wisdom can well accomplish without change or abolition of his 
 true human nature. 
 
 5. Also, that merely the human nature of Christ has suffered 93 
 for us and redeemed us, with which the Son of God had no 
 communion whatever in suffering. 3 
 
 6. Also, that Christ is present with us on earth, only accord- 94 
 ing to his divinity, in the preached Word and right use of the 
 sacraments ; and this presence of Christ does not in any way 
 pertain to his assumed human nature. 4 
 
 nnn 7. Also, that the assumed human nature in Christ has 95 
 
 in deed and truth no communion whatever with the di- 
 vine power, might, wisdom, majesty and glory, but has in com- 
 mon only the mere title and name. 5 
 
 These errors, and all that are contrary and opposed to the 96 
 [godly and pure] doctrine presented above, we reject and con- 
 demn, as contrary to the pure Word of God, the Scripturts of 
 the holy prophets and apostles, and our Christian faith and con- 
 fession. And we admonish all Christians, since in the Holy 
 Scriptures Christ is called a mystery, 6 upon which all heretics 
 dash their heads, not in a presumptuous manner to indulge in 
 subtile inquiries with their reason concerning such mysteries, 
 but with the venerated apostles simply to believe, to close the 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, viii. : 27. ; xii. : 21. ' Cf. Epitome, viii. : 29. 
 
 * See above, \ 40, Epitome, viii. : 31. 4 Cf. Epitome, viii. : 32 
 
 • Ibid., viii. : 24. 26. • 1 Tim. 3 : 16. 
 
Part II. ECCLESIASTICAL CEREMONIES. 643 
 
 eyes of their reason, and bring into captivity their understand- 
 ing to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5), and thence con- 
 sole themselves [seek most delightful and sure consolation] ; 
 and thus rejoice without ceasing that our flesh and blood are 
 placed so high at the right hand of the majesty and almighty 
 power of Gotl. Thus will we assuredly find constant consola- 
 tion in every adversity, and remain well guarded from per- 
 nicious error. 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 Of the Descent of Christ to Hell. 
 
 And because, even in the ancient Christian teachers of the i 
 Church, as well as in some among us, dissimilar explanations 
 of the article concerning the Descent to Hell are found, we, in 
 like manner, abide by the simplicity of our Christian faith 
 [comprised in the Creed], to which Dr. Luther in his sermon 
 in the castle at Torgau in 1533, "Concerning the Descent to 
 Hell," has referred, where we confess: "I believe in Jesus 
 Christ, His only Son, our Lord, .... dead and buried. He 
 descended into hell." For in this Confession the burial and 
 descent of Christ to hell are distinguished as different articles ; 
 and we simply believe that the entire person, God and man, 2 
 after the burial descended into hell, conquered the devil, de- 
 fi q- stroyed the power of hell, and took from the devil all his 
 
 might. We should not, however, trouble ourselves with 3 
 sublime and acute thoughts as to how this occurred ; for this 
 article can be comprehended by the reason and the five senses 
 as little as the preceding, as to how Christ is placed at the right 
 hand of the almighty power and majesty of God ; but [in such 
 mysteries of faith] we have only to believe and adhere to the 
 Word. Thus we retain the substance [sound doctrine] and 
 [true] consolation that neither hell nor devil can take captive 
 or injure us and all who believe in Christ. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Of Church Rites which are [commonly] called Adia- 
 phora, or Matters of Indifference. 
 
 Concerning Ceremonies and Church Rites which are nei- 1 
 ther commanded nor forbidden in God's Word, but have been 
 introduced into the Church with a good intention, for the sake 
 
 Parallel Passages. — (Ecumenical Creeds ; Small Catechism, Creed, Art. 
 ii. ; Large Catechism, ib., 452 ; Formula of Concord, Epitome, ix. 
 
 Parallel Passages. — Augsburg Confession, xv., xxvi. ; Apology, vii. : 30 
 ■qq. ; xv. ; Smalcald Articles, Part III., Art. xv. ; Epitome, x. 
 
644 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 of good order and propriety, or otherwise to maintain Christian 
 discipline, a dissension has in like manner arisen among some 
 theologians of the Augsburg Confession. Since the one side 3 
 held that also in time of persecution and in case of confession 
 [when confession of faith is to be made], even though the ene- 
 mies of the Gospel do not agree with us in doctrine, yet some 
 [long-since] abrogated ceremonies, which in themselves are 
 adiaphora, and neither commanded nor forbidden by God, may, 
 without violence to conscience, be re-established in compliance 
 with the pressure and demand of the adversaries, and thus in 
 such [things of themselves] adiaphora, or matters of indiffer- 
 ence, we may indeed have conformity with them. But the 3 
 other side contended that in case of confession in time of perse- 
 cution, especially when thereby the adversaries design through 
 force and compulsion, or in an insidious manner, to suppress 
 the pure doctrine, and gradually to introduce again into our 
 churches their false doctrine, this which has been* said can in 
 no way occur without violence to conscience and prejudice to 
 the divine truth. 
 «q« To explain this controversy, and by God's grace at last 4 
 
 to settle it, we present to the Christian reader the follow- 
 ing simple statement [in conformity with the Word of God] : 
 
 Namely, when, under the title and pretext of external adia- 5 
 phora, such things are proposed as (although painted another 
 color) are in fact contrary to God's Word, these are not to be 
 regarded adiaphora, but should be avoided as things prohibited 
 by God. In like manner, also, among the genuine adiaphora 
 such ceremonies should not be reckoned which have the ap- 
 pearance, or to avoid thereby persecution, feign the appearance, 
 as though our religion and that of the Papists were not far 
 apart, or as though the latter were not highly offensive to us ; 
 or wdien such ceremonies are designed for the purpose, and 
 therefore are required and received, as though by and through 
 them two contrary religions were reconciled and became one 
 body; or, again, when an advance towards the Papacy and a 
 departure from the pure doctrine of the Gospel and true re- 
 ligion should occur or gradually follow therefrom [when there 
 is danger lest we seem to have advanced towards the Papacy, 
 and to have departed, or to be on the point of departing grad- 
 ually, from the pure doctrine of the Gospel]. 
 
 For in this case what Paul writes (2 Cor. 6 : 14, 17) must t 
 have weight : " Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbe- 
 lievers; what communion hath light with darkness? Where- 
 fore, Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the 
 Lord." 
 
 Likewise, when there are useless, foolish spectacles, that are 7 
 profitable neither for good order, nor Christian discipline, nor 
 
PartII. ecclesiastical ceremonies. 645 
 
 evangelical propriety in the Church, these also are not gen nine 
 adiaphora, or matters of indifference. 
 
 But concerning those things which are genuine adiaphora, or 2 
 matters of indifference (as before explained), we believe, teach 
 and confess that such ceremonies, in and of themselves, are no 
 worship of God, also no part of the worship of God, but 
 should be properly distinguished from this, as it stands written : 
 " In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the com- 
 mandments of men" (Matt. 15 : 9). 
 
 Therefore we believe, teach and confess that the Church of 9 
 fioq God of every place and every time has, according to its 
 circumstances, the authority, power and right [in matters 
 truly adiaphora] to change, to diminish and to increase them, 
 without thoughtlessness and offence, in an orderly and becom- 
 ing way, as at any time it may be regarded most profitable, 
 most beneficial and the best for [preserving] good order [main- 
 taining], Christian discipline [and for iurazia worthy of the 
 profession of the Gospel], and the edification of the Church. 
 How even to the weak in faith we can yield and give way 
 with a good conscience in such external adiaphora Paul teaches 
 (Rom. 14), and proves it by his example (Acts 16:3; 21 : 2o ; 
 1 Cor. 9:19). 
 
 We believe, teach and confess also that at the time [in which ic 
 a confession of the heavenly truth is required] of confession, 
 when the enemies of God's Word desire to suppress the pure 
 doctrine of the holy Gospel, the entire Church of God, yea, 
 every Christian, but especially the ministers of the Word, as 
 the presidents of the congregation of God [as those whom God 
 has appointed to rule his Church], are bound, according to 
 God's Word, to confess the [godly] doctrine, and what belongs 
 to the whole of [pure] religion, freely and openly, not only in 
 words, but also in works and with deeds ; and that then, in this 
 case, even in such [things truly and of themselves] adiaphora, 
 they must not yield to the adversaries, or permit these adia- 
 phora to be forced upon them by their enemies, whether by 
 violence or cunning, to the detriment of the true worship of 
 God and the introduction and sanction of idolatry. For it is 11 
 written (Gal. 5:1): " Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty 
 wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not again entangled 
 in the yoke of bondage." Also (Gal. 2: 4 sq.): "And that 
 because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in 
 privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, 
 that they might bring us into bondage ; to whom we gave 
 place by subjection, no, not for an hour ; that the truth of the 
 Gospel might continue with you." 
 
 And [it is manifest that] Paul speaks in the same place con- 12 
 zeroing circumcision, which at the time was an adiaphoron (I 
 
646 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 Cor. 7 : 18 sq.), and was used by Paul at other places [never- 
 theless] with [Christian and] spiritual freedom (Acts 16 : 3). 
 But when the false apostles demanded and abused circumcision 
 for confirming their false doctrine, as though the works of the 
 Law were needful for righteousness and salvation, Paul says 
 that he would yield not for an hour, in order that the trutli of 
 the Gospel might continue [unimpaired]. 
 -™ Thus Paul } r ields and gives way to the weak in [the 13 
 
 observance of] food and times or days (Rom. 14 : 6). But 
 to the false apostles who wished to impose these upon the con- 
 science as necessary things he will yield not even in those 
 things which in themselves are adiaphora (Col. 2: 16): " Let 
 no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect 
 of an holy day." And when Peter and Barnabas yielded to a 
 certain extent [more than they ought], Paul openly reproves 
 them as those who have not walked aright, according to the 
 truth of the Gospel (Gal. 2:11 sqq.) 
 
 For here it is no longer a question concerning adiaphora, 14 
 which, in their nature and essence are and remain of them- 
 selves free, and accordingly can admit of no command or pro- 
 hibition that they be employed or be intermitted ; but it is a 
 question, in the first place, concerning the sacred article of our 
 Christian faith, as the apostle testifies, "in order that the truth 
 of the Gospel might continue/' which is obscured and per- 
 verted by such compulsion and command, because such adia- 
 phora are either publicly required for the sanction of false 
 doctrine, superstition and idolatry, and for the suppression of 
 pure doctrine and Christian liberty, or at least are abused for 
 this purpose by the adversaries, and are thus received [or cer- 
 tainly are thus received by them, and are believed to be r<^ 
 stored for this abuse and wicked end]. 
 
 Likewise, the article concerning Christian liberty is also here 15 
 at stake, to preserve which the Holy Ghost so earnestly charged 
 his Church through the mouth of the holy apostle, as heard 
 above. For as soon as this is weakened and the ordinances of 
 men [human traditions] arf. urged with compulsion upon the 
 Church, as though they were necessary and their omission were 
 wrong and sinful, the way is already prepared for idolatry, 
 whereby the ordinances of men [human traditions] are gradu- 
 ally multiplied and regarded as a service of God, not only equal 
 to the ordinances of God, but are even placed above them. 
 
 So also by such [untimely] yielding and conformity in 16 
 external things, where there has not been previously Christian 
 union in doctrine, idolaters are confirmed in their idolatry ; on 
 the other hand, the truly believing are distressed, offended and 
 weakened in their faith [their faith is grievously shaken, and 
 made to totter as though by a battering-ram] ; both of which 
 
Part II. ECCLESIASTICAL CEREMONIES. 647 
 
 every Christian for the sake of his soul's welfare and salvation 
 is bound to avoid, as it is written : " Woe unto the world be- 
 cause of offences !" Also : " Whoso shall offend one of these 
 little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a 
 ~/y. millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were 
 drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matt. 18 : 6, 7.) 
 
 But especially is that to be remembered which Christ says : 17 
 " Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I 
 confess also before my Father which is in heaven." 
 
 Moreover, that this has been always and everywhere the faith 18 
 and confession concerning such adiaphora, of the chief teachers 
 of the Augsburg Confession, into whose footsteps we have en- 
 tered, and intend by God's grace to persevere, in this their Con- 
 fession, the following testimonies drawn from the Smalcald 
 Articles, which was composed and subscribed in the year 1537 
 [most clearly], show : 
 
 Testimonies derived from the Smalcald Articles, 1 written in the 
 
 year 1537. 
 
 The Smalcald Articles say concerning this as follows : " We 1$ 
 do not acknowledge them as the Church, and also they are not; 
 we also will not listen to those things which, under the name 
 of Church, they either enjoin or forbid. For, thank God, to- 
 day a child seven years old knows what the Church is, name- 
 ly, saints, believers and lambs, who hear the voice of their 
 Shepherd." 
 
 And shortly before : 2 " If the bishops were true bishops, and 
 would devote themselves to the Church and the Gospel, they 
 might be allowed, for the sake of love and unity, and not from 
 necessity, to ordain and confirm us and our preachers ; never- 
 theless, under the condition that all masks and phantoms of an 
 unchristian nature and display be laid aside. Yet because they 
 neither are nor wish to be true bishops, but worldly lords and 
 princes, who will neither preach, nor teach, nor baptize, nor 
 administer the Lord's Supper, nor perform any work or office 
 of the Church, but persecute and condemn those who, being 
 called, discharge their duty ; for their sake, the Church ought 
 not to remain without ministers." 
 -Q2 And in the article, " Of the Primacy of the Pope," the 2c 
 
 Smalcald Articles say: 3 " Wherefore, just as we cannot 
 adore the devil himself as Lord and God, so we cannot endure 
 his apostle, the Pope or Antichrist, in his rule as head or lord. 
 Foi to lie and to kill and to destroy body and soul eternally 
 is a prerogative of the Papal government." 
 
 And in the treatise "Concerning the Power and Primacy of 21 
 
 1 Part III., Art. xii. * Part III., Art. x. * Part. II., Art. iv. ; $ 14. 
 
648 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 (lie Pope," which is appended to the Smalcald Articles, and was 
 also subscribed by the theologians then present with their own 
 bands, stand these words :* "No one should burden the Church 
 with his own traditions, but here it should be enjoined that 
 the power or influence of no one should avail more than the 
 Word of God." 
 
 And shortly afterwards : 2 " This being the case, all Christians 2: 
 ought most diligently to beware of becoming partakers of the 
 godless doctrine, blasphemies and unjust cruelties of the Pope; 
 but ought to desert and execrate the Pope with his members 
 as the kingdom of Antichrist, just as Christ has commanded 
 (Matt. 7:15): 'Beware of false prophets.' And Paul com- 
 mands us to avoid false teachers and execrate them as an abom- 
 ination. And in (2 Cor. 6:14), he says : ' Be ye not unequally 
 yoked together with unbelievers, for what communion hath 
 light with darkness?' 
 
 " It is difficult to separate one's self from so many lands and 21 
 nations, and to be willing to maintain this doctrine ; but here 
 stands God's command, that every one should beware and not 
 agree with those who maintain false doctrine or who think of 
 supporting it by means of cruelty." 
 
 So, too, Dr. Luther has amply instructed the Church of God 24 
 in an especial treatise concerning what should be thought of 
 ceremonies in general, and especially of adiaphora, vol. iii., Jena 
 ed., p. 523; likewise also in 1530, in German, vol. v., Jena ed. 
 «^« From this explanation every one can understand what 25 
 
 it is proper for every Christian congregation and every 
 Christian man, especially in time of confession [when a confes- 
 sion of faith should be made], and most of all preachers, to do 
 or to leave undone, without injury to conscience, with respect to 
 adiaphora, in order that God may not be incensed [provoked 
 to just indignation], love may not be injured, the enemies of 
 God's Word be not strengthened, and the weak in the faith be 
 not offended. 
 
 1. Therefore, 3 we reject and condemn as wrong when the 26 
 ordinances of men in themselves are regarded as a service or 
 part of the service of God. 
 
 2. We reject and condemn also as wrong when these ordi- 21 
 nances are urged by force upon the congregation of God as 
 necessary. 
 
 3. We reject and condemn also as wrong the opinion of 2? 
 those who hold that at a time of persecution we may comply 
 with the enemies of the holy Gospel in [restoring] such adia- 
 phora, or may come to an agreement with them, which causes 
 injury to the truth. 
 
 1 1 11. f I 41. • For 1, 2, 3 and 5, see also Epitome, x. : 8 39. 
 
Part II. ETERNAL PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION. 64S 
 
 4. We likewise regard it a sin worthy of punishment when, 29 
 in the time of persecution, on account of the enemies of the 
 Gospel, anything either in adiaphora or in doctrine, and what 
 otherwise pertains to religion, is done in word and act contrary 
 and opposed to the Christian confession. 
 
 5. We reject and condemn also when these adiaphora are ab- 3c 
 rogated [the madness of those who abrogate] in such a manner 
 as though it were not free to the Church of God at any time 
 and place to employ one or more in Christian liberty, accord- 
 ing to its circumstances, as may be most useful to the Church. 
 
 According to this doctrine the churches will not condemn 31 
 one another because of dissimilarity of ceremonies when, in 
 Christian liberty, one has less or more of them, provided they 
 otherwise are in unity with one another in doctrine and all its 
 articles, and also in the right use of the holy sacraments, ac- 
 cording to the well-known saying ; " Disagreement in fasting 
 does not destroy agreement in the faith." 1 
 
 704 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Of God's Eternal Foreknowledge [Predestination] and 
 
 Election. 
 
 Although among the theologians of the Augsburg Confes- 1 
 sion no public dissension whatever, causing offence, and that is 
 widespread, has as yet occurred concerning the eternal election 
 of the children of God ; yet since in other places this article 
 has been brought into very painful controversy, 2 and even 
 among our theologians there was some agitation concerning it, 
 and similar expressions were not always employed concerning 
 it by the theologians ; in order by the aid of divine grace to 
 prevent disagreement and separation in the future among our 
 successors, as well as among us, we have desired here also to pre- 
 sent an explanation of the same, so that every one may know 
 what is our unanimous doctrine, faith and confession concern- 
 ing this article also. For the doctrine concerning this article, 2 
 if presented from and according to the pattern of the divine 
 Word [and analogy of God's Word and of faith], neither can 
 nor should be regarded as useless or unnecessary, much less as 
 causing offence or injury, because the Holy Scriptures not only 
 in but one place and incidentally, but in many places, thoroughly 
 discuss and urge [explain] the same. Therefore, on account of 
 abuse or misunderstanding we should not neglect or reject the 
 doctrine of the divine Word, but precisely on that account, in 
 
 Paballel Passages. — Epitome, xi. Cf. Augsburg Confession. 
 
 1 Epitome, x. : 7. * Cf. Epitome, xi. : 1, note. 
 
 «2 
 
650 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 order to avert all abuse and misunderstanding, the true meaning 
 should and must be explained from the foundation of the Scrip- 
 tures. According to this the plain sum and substance [of the 
 heavenly doctrine] concerning this article consists in the fol- 
 lowing points : 
 
 First, the distinction between the eternal foreknowledge of 3 
 God, and the eternal election of his children to eternal salvation, 
 is to be accurately observed. For foreknowledge or prevision, 
 i. e. that God sees and knows everything before it happens, 
 which is called God's foreknowledge [prescience~\ y extends to all 
 creatures, good and bad ; namely, that he foresees and fore- 
 knows everything that is or will be, that is occurring or will 
 occur, whether it be good or bad, since before God all things, 
 whether they be past or future, are manifest and present. Thus 4 
 -Qr it is written (Matt. 10 : 29) : " Are not two sparrows sold 
 for a farthing, and one of them shall not fall on the ground 
 without your Father." And (Ps. 139 : 16) : "Thine eyes did 
 see my substance, yet being imperfect ; and in thy book all my 
 members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, 
 when as yet there were none of them." Also (Isa. 37 : 28) : 
 " I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and 
 thy rage against me." 
 
 But the eternal election of God, or predestination, i. e. God's 5 
 appointment to salvation, pertains not at the same time to the 
 godly and the wicked, but only to the children of God, who 
 were elected and appointed to eternal life before the foundation 
 of the world was laid, as Paul says (Eph. 1 : 4, 5) : " He hath 
 chosen us in him, having predestinated us unto the adoption of 
 children by Jesus Christ." 
 
 The foreknowledge of God (prescience) foresees and fore-*, 
 knows also that which is evil, but not in such a manner as 
 though it were God's gracious will that evil should happen. 
 But all that the perverse, wicked will of the devil and of men 
 purposes and desires to do, and will do, God sees and knows 
 before ; and his prescience, i. e. foreknowledge, so observes its 
 order also, even in wicked acts or works, that to the evil which 
 God does not will its limit and measure are fixed by God, how 
 far it should go and how long it should last, when and how he 
 would hinder and punish it; yet all this God the Lord so rules 
 that it must redound to the glory of the divine name and to 
 the salvation of his elect; and the godless, on that account, 
 must be put to confusion. 
 
 Moreover, the beginning and cause of the evil is not God's ; 
 foreknowledge (for God does not procure and effect or work 
 that which is evil, neither does he help or promote it) ; but 
 the wicked, perverse will of the devil and of men [is the 
 cause of the evil], as it is written (Hos. 13:9): "O Israel, 
 
Fart II. ETERNAL PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION. 65i 
 
 thou hast . destroyed thyself; but in me is thy help." Also 
 (Ps. 5:4): " Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wicked- 
 ness." 
 
 But the eternal election of God not only foresees and fore-g 
 knows the salvation of the elect, but is also, from the gracious 
 will and pleasure of God in Christ Jesus, a cause which pro- 
 cures, works, helps and promotes what pertains thereto ; upon 
 this [divine predestination] also our salvation is so founded 
 that " the gates of hell cannot prevail against it" (Matt. 16: 
 18). For it is written (John 10 : 28) : " Neither shall any man 
 70fi pl uc k m } T sheep out of my hand." And again (Acts 13 : 
 48) : " And as many as were ordained to eternal life, 
 believed." 
 
 This eternal election or appointment of God to eternal life 9 
 is also not to be considered merely in God's secret, inscrutable 
 counsel in such a manner as though it comprised in itself 
 nothing further, or nothing more belonged thereto, and nothing 
 more were to be considered therein, than that God foresaw who 
 and how many would be saved, and who and how many would 
 be damned, or that he only held a review, and would say thus : 
 " This one shall be saved, that one shall be damned ; this one 
 shall remain steadfast [in faith to the end], that one shall not 
 remain steadfast." 
 
 For from this many derive and adopt strange, dangerous ie 
 and pernicious thoughts, which occasion and strengthen either 
 security and impenitence or despondency and despair, so that 
 they fall into troublesome thoughts and [for thus some think, 
 with peril to themselves, nay, even sometimes] speak thus : 
 Since " before the foundation of the world was laid " (Eph. 1 : 
 4) " God has foreknown [predestinated] his elect for salva- 
 tion, and God's foreknowledge cannot err or be injured or 
 changed by any one" (Isa. 14 : 27 ; Rom. 9 : 19), "if I, then, 
 am foreknown [elected] for salvation, nothing can injure me 
 with respect to it, even though, without repentance, I practise 
 all sorts of sin and shame, do not regard the Word and sacra- 
 ments, concern myself neither with repentance, faith, prayer 
 nor godliness. But I nevertheless will and must be saved ; be- 
 cause God's foreknowledge [election] must come to pass. If, 
 however, I am not foreknown [predestinated], it nevertheless 
 helps me nothing, even though I would observe the Word, re- 
 pent, believe, etc. ; for I cannot hinder or change God's fore- 
 knowledge [predestination]." 
 
 And such thoughts occur indeed even to godly hearts, al- 1 
 though, by God's grace, they have repentance, faith and a good 
 purpose [of living in a godly manner], so that they think : " If 
 you are not foreknown [predestinated or elected] from eternity 
 for salvation, everything [your every effort and entire labor] is 
 
652 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 of no avail." This especially occurs when they regard their 
 weakness and the examples of those who have not persevered 
 [in faith to the end], but have fallen away again [from true 
 godliness to ungodliness, and have become apostates], 
 -fl- Against this false delusion and such dangerous thoughts is 
 
 we should establish the following firm foundation, which 
 »J3 sure and cannot fail, namely : Since all Scripture has been 
 given by God, not for [cherishing] security and impenitence, 
 but should serve " for reproof, for correction, for instruction in 
 righteousness" (2 Tim. 3 : 16); also, since everything in God's 
 Word has been prescribed to us, not that, we should thereby be 
 driven to despair, but "that we, through patience and comfort 
 of the Scriptures, might have hope" (Rom. 15 : 4); it is with- 
 out doubt in no way the sound sense or right use of the doc- 
 trine concerning the eternal foreknowledge of God that there- 
 by either impenitence or despair should be occasioned or 
 strengthened. Therefore the Scriptures present to us this 
 doctrine in no other way than to direct us thereby to the [re- 
 vealed] Word (Eph. 1 : 13; 1 Cor. 1 : 7), exhort to repentance 
 (2 Tim. 3 : 16), urge to godliness (Eph. 1 : 14 ; John 15 : 3), 
 strengthen faith and assure us of our salvation (Eph. 1:13; 
 John 10 : 27 sq. ; 2 Thess. 2 : 13 sq.). 
 
 Therefore, if we wish to think or speak correctly and profit- m 
 ably concerning eternal election, or the predestination and fore- 
 ordination of the children of God to eternal life, we should 
 accustom ourselves not to speculate concerning the mere, secret, 
 concealed, inscrutable foreknowledge of God, but how the 
 counsel, purpose and ordination of God in Christ Jesus, who 
 is the true book of life, has been revealed to us through the 
 Word, viz. that the entire doctrine concerning the purpose, 14 
 counsel, will and ordination of God pertaining to our redemp- 
 tion, call, righteousness and salvation should be taken together; 
 as Paul has treated and explained this article (Rom. 8 : 29 sq. ; 
 Eph. 1 : 4 sq.), as also Christ in the parable (Matt. 22 : 1 sqq.), 
 namely, that God in his purpose and counsel decreed : 
 
 1. That the human race should be truly redeemed and 15 
 reconciled with God through Christ, who, by his faultless [in- 
 nocency] obedience, suffering and death, has merited for us 
 righteousness which avails before God, and eternal life. 
 «fl 8 2. That such merit and benefits of Christ should be 16 
 
 offered, presented and distributed to us through his Word 
 and sacraments. 
 
 3. That he would be efficacious and active in us by his 17 
 Holy Ghost, through the Word, when it is preached, heard and 
 pondered, to convert hearts to true repentance and preserve 
 them in the true faith. 
 
 4. That all those who, in true repentance, receive Christ by if 
 
Part II. ETERNAL PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION. 653 
 
 a true faith he would justify and receive into grace, ado} tion 
 and inheritance of eternal life. 
 
 5. That those also who are thus justified he would sanctify in 19 
 love, as St. Paul (Eph. 1 : 4) says. 
 
 6. That, in their great weakness, he also would defend them 2a 
 against the devil, the world, and the flesh, and would rule and 
 lead them in his ways, and when they stumble would raise 
 them again [place his hand beneath them], and under the cross 
 and in temptation would comfort and preserve them [for life]. 
 
 7. That the good work which he has begun in them he 21 
 would strengthen, increase and support to the end, if they ob- 
 serve God's Word, pray diligently, abide in God's goodness 
 [grace] and faithfully use the gifts received. 
 
 8. That those whom he has elected, called and justified, he 22 
 would eternally save and glorify in life eternal. 
 
 And that in his counsel, purpose and ordination he pre- 23 
 pared salvation not only in general, but in grace considered 
 and chose to salvation each and every person of the elect, who 
 shall be saved through Christ, and ordained that in the way 
 just mentioned he would by his grace, gifts and efficacy bring 
 them thereto [make them participants of eternal salvation], 
 and aid, promote, strengthen and preserve them. 
 ~«q All this, according to the Scriptures, is comprised in the 24 
 
 doctrine concerning the eternal election of God to adop- 
 tion and eternal salvation, and should be comprised with it, 
 and not omitted, when we speak of God's purpose, predestina- 
 tion, election and ordination to salvation. And when, accord- 
 ing to the Scriptures, thoughts concerning this article are thus 
 formed, we can, by God's grace, simply [and correctly] adapt 
 ourselves to it [and advantageously treat of it]. 
 
 This also belongs to the further explanation and salutary use 25 
 of the doctrine concerning God's predestination to salvation, 
 viz. : Since only the elect, whose names are written in the book 
 of life, are saved, how can we know whence, and whereby can 
 we decide, who are the elect and those by whom this doctrine 
 can and should be received for comfort? 
 
 And of this we should not judge according to our reason, 2.6 
 also not according to the Law or from any external appear- 
 ance. Neither should we attempt to investigate the secret, 
 concealed abyss of divine predestination, but should give heed 
 to the revealed will of God. For he has " made known unto 
 us the mystery of his will," and made it manifest through 
 Christ that it might be preached (Eph. 1 : 9 sqq; 2 Tim. 
 1 : 9 sq.). 
 
 But this is revealed to us thus, as St. Paul says (Rom. 8 : 2; 
 29 sq.) : " Whom God predestinated, elected and foreordained, 
 he also called." Now, God calls not without means, but through 
 
654 THE FORMULA OF COS CORD. 
 
 the Word, as he has commanded " repentance and remission of 
 sins to be preached in his name " (Luke 24:47). St. Paul 
 also testifies to like effect when he writes (2 Cor. 5 : 20): "We 
 are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by 
 us; we pray you in Christ's stead, Be ye reconciled to God." 
 And the guests whom the King w r ill have at the wedding of 
 his Son he calls through his ministers sent forth (Matt. 22 : 
 2 sqq.) — some at the first and some at the second, third, sixth, 
 ninth, and even at the eleventh hour (Matt. 20 : 3 sqq.). 
 
 Therefore, if we wish with profit to consider our eternal 28 
 election to salvation, w T e must in every way hold rigidly and 
 firmly to this, viz. that as the preaching of repentance so also 
 71 q the promise of the Gospel is universal, i, e. it pertains to 
 all men (Luke 24). Therefore Christ has commanded 
 " that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in 
 his name among all nations." For God loved the world and 
 gave his Son (John 3 : 16). Christ bore the sins of the world 
 (John 1 : 29), gave his flesh for the life of the world (John 
 6 : 51) ; his blood is the propitiation for the sins of the whole 
 world (1 John 1:7; 2:2). Christ says : " Come unto me, all 
 ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will you rest" (Matt. 
 11 : 28). "God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he 
 might have mercy upon all" (Rom. 11 : 32). "The Lord is 
 not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to 
 repentance " (2 Pet. 3 : 9). " The same Lord over all is rich 
 unto all that call upon him " (Pom. 10 : 12). "The righteous- 
 ness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and 
 upon all them that believe " (Rom. 3 : 22). " This is the will 
 of Him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son and be- 
 lieveth on him may have everlasting life." Therefore it is 
 Christ's command that to all in common to whom repentance is 
 preached this promise of the Gospel also should be offered 
 (Luke 24: 47; Mark 16:15). 
 
 And this call of God, which is made through the preaching 29 
 of the Word, we should regard as no delusion, but know that 
 thereby God reveals his will, viz. that in those whom he thus 
 calls he will work through the Word, that they may be en- 
 lightened, converted and saved. For the Word, whereby we 
 are called, is " a ministration of the Spirit," that gives the Spirit, 
 or whereby the Spirit is given (2 Cor. 3 8), and " a power of 
 God unto salvation " (Rom. 1:16). And since the Holy Ghost 
 wishes to be efficacious through the Word, and to strengthen 
 and give power and ability, it is God's will that we should re- 
 ceive the Word, believe and obey it. 
 
 For this reason the elect are described thus : " My sheep 3c 
 hear mv voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I 
 give unto them eternal life" (John 10 : 27 sq.) And (Eph. 1. : 
 
Part II. ETEKNAL PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION. 65c 
 
 11, 13): Who according to the purpose are predestinated to an 
 inheritance, who hear the Gospel, believe in Christ, pray and 
 give thanks, are sanctified in love, have hope, patience and com- 
 fort under the cross (Rom. 8 : 25) ; and although in them all 
 thi? is very weak, yet they hunger and thirst for righteousness 
 (Matt. 5 : 6). 
 -J! Thus the Spirit of God gives to the elect the testimony 31 
 
 that they are children of God, and when they do not 
 know for what they should pray as they ought, he intercedes 
 with groanings that cannot be uttered (Rom. 8 : 16, 26). 
 
 Thus, also. Holy Scripture shows that God, who has called 32 
 us, is so faithful when he has begun a good work in us that he 
 also will preserve and continue it to the end, if we do not turn 
 ourselves from him, but retain firmly to the end the work be- 
 gun, for retaining which he has promised his grace (1 Cor. 1 : 
 9 ; Phil. 1:6; [1 Pet. 5:10]; 2 Pet. 3:9; Heb. 3 : 2). 
 
 With this revealed will of God we should concern our- 33 
 selves, and should follow and study it, because the Holy Ghost, 
 through the Word whereby he calls us, bestows, to this end, 
 grace, power and ability, and we should not attempt to scru- 
 tinize the abyss of God's hidden predestination, as it is written 
 in Luke 13 : 24, where to one who asks : " Lord, are there few 
 that be saved ?" Christ answers : " Strive to enter in at the 
 strait gate." Accordingly, Luther says [in the Preface to the 
 Epistle to the Romans] : " Follow the Epistle to the Romans 
 in its order, concern yourself first with Christ and his Gospel, 
 that you may recognize your sins and his grace. Afterwards 
 contend with sin, as Paul teaches from the first to the eighth 
 chapter. Then when in the eighth chapter you will come into 
 temptation under the cross and afflictions, the ninth, tenth and 
 eleventh chapters will teach you how consolatory is predestina- 
 tion." 
 
 But that many are called and few are chosen is not owing 34 
 to the fact that the meaning of the call of God, made through 
 the Word, is as though God were to say : " Outwardly, through 
 the Word, I indeed call to my kingdom all of you to whom I 
 give my Word, yet in my heart I intend it not for all, but only 
 for a few ; for it is my will that the greatest part of those 
 whom I call through the Word should not be enlightened or 
 converted, but be and remain lost, although, through the Word 
 in the call, I declare myself to them otherwise." For this would 
 be to assign to God contradictory wills. That is, in such a 35 
 manner it would be taught that God, who is, however, eternal 
 truth, would be contrary to himself; and yet God also punishes 
 «12 the fault when one thing is declared, and another is 
 thought and meant in the heart (Ps. 5 : 9 and 12 : 2 sq.). 
 Thereby, also, the necessary consolatory foundation is rendered 36 
 
656 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 altogether uncertain and of no value, as we are daily reminded 
 and admonished, that only from God's Word, whereby he treats 
 with us and calls us, should we learn and conclude what his 
 will to us is, and that that, to which he gives his Word and 
 which he promises, we should certainly believe and not doubt. 
 
 Therefore Christ causes the promise of the Gospel to be 37 
 offered not only in general, but through the sacraments, which 
 he attaches as seals of the promise, he seals and thereby espe- 
 cially confirms it [the certainty of the promise of the Gospel] 
 to every believer. 
 
 For that reason we also retain, as the Augsburg Confession, 38 
 Art. xi. 1 says, Private Absolution, and teach that it is God's 
 command that we believe such absolution, and regard it as sure, 
 when we believe the word of absolution, that we are as truly 
 reconciled to God as though we had heard a voice from heaven ; 
 as the Apology 2 explains this article. This consolation would 
 be entirely taken from us if we were not to infer the will of 
 God towards us from the call which is made through the Word 
 and through the sacraments. 
 
 There would also be overthrown and taken from us the 35 
 foundation that the Holy Ghost wills to be certainly present 
 with the Word preached, heard, considered, and thereby to be 
 efficacious and to work. Therefore the opinion should in no 
 way be entertained of which mention has heretofore been made, 
 that these would be the elect, even though they despise the 
 Word of God, reject, calumniate and persecute it (Matt. 22 : 6 ; 
 Acts 13 : 46), or, when they hear it, harden their hearts (Heb. 
 4 : 2, 7), resist the Holy Ghost (Acts 7 : 51), without repentance 
 persevere in sins (Luke 14 : 18), do not truly believe in Christ 
 (Mark 16:16), only present [godliness in] an outward appear- 
 ance (Matt. 7 : 22 ; 22 : 12), or seek other ways for righteousness 
 and holiness apart from Christ (Rom. 9 : 31). But as God has 4c 
 -jo ordained in his [eternal] counsel that the Holy Ghost 
 should call, enlighten and convert the elect through the 
 Word, and that all those who, through true faith, receive 
 Christ he will justify and save; he has also determined in his 
 counsel that he will harden, reprobate and condemn those who 
 are called through the Word if they reject the Word and resist 
 the Holy Ghost, who wishes to be efficacious and to work in 
 them through the Word. And for this reason " many are called, 
 but few are chosen." 
 
 For few receive the Word and follow it; the greatest nuni-41 
 ber despise the Word, and will not come to the wedding (Matt. 
 22 : 3 sqq). The cause for this contempt for the Word is not 
 God's knowledge [or predestination], but the perverse will of 
 
 1 Cf. Aug. Conf., xxv. " Art. xi. : 59. 
 
PabtII. eteenal predestination and election. 657 
 
 man, who rejects or perverts the means and instrument of the 
 Holy Ghost, which God offers him through the call, and resists 
 the Holy Ghost, who wishes to be efficacious, and works through 
 the Word, as Christ says (Matt. 23 : 37) : " How often would I 
 have gathered thee together, and ye would not." 
 
 Therefore many receive the Word with joy, but afterwards 43 
 fall away again (Luke 8:13). But the cause is not as though 
 God were unwilling to grant grace for perseverance to those in 
 whom he has begun the good work, for this is contrary to St. 
 Paul (Phil. 1:6); but the cause is that they wilfully turn 
 away again from the holy commandment [of God], grieve and 
 exasperate the Holy Ghost, implicate themselves again in the 
 filth of the world and garnish again the habitation of the heart 
 for the devil ; with them the last state is worse than the first 
 { 2 Pet. 2 : 10, 20; Eph. 4 : 30 ; Heb. 10 : 26 ; Luke 11 : 25). 
 
 Thus far is the mystery of predestination revealed to us in 43 
 God's Word, and if w r e abide thereby and cleave thereto, it is a 
 very useful, salutary, consolatory doctrine; for it establishes 
 very effectually the article that we are justified and saved with- 
 out all works and merits of ours, purely out of grace, alone for 
 Christ's sake. For before the ages of the world, before we 44 
 were born, yea, before the foundation of the world was laid, 
 when we indeed could do nothing good, we were according to 
 God's purpose chosen out of grace in Christ to salvation (Rom. 
 9:11; 2 Tim. 1 : 9). All opinions and erroneous doctrines con- 
 cerning the powers of our natural will are thereby overthrown, 
 because God in his counsel, before the ages of the world, de- 
 m+M cided and ordained that he himself, by the power of his 
 Holy Ghost, would produce and work in us, through the 
 Word, everything that pertains to our conversion. 
 
 Therefore this doctrine affords also the excellent, glorious 4^ 
 consolation that God was so solicitous concerning the conver- 
 sion, righteousness and salvation of every Christian, and so 
 faithfully provided therefor, that before the foundation of the 
 world was laid he deliberated concerning it, and in his [secret] 
 purpose ordained how he would bring me thereto [call and lead 
 me to salvation] and preserve me therein. Also, that he wished 46 
 to secure my salvation so well and certainly that since, through 
 the weakness and wickedness of our flesh, it could easily be 
 lost from our hands, or through craft and might of the devil 
 and the world be torn or removed therefrom, in his eternal pur- 
 pose, which cannot fail or be overthrown, he ordained it, and 
 placed it for preservation in the almighty hand of our Saviour 
 Jesus Christ, from which no one can pluck us (John 10 : 28). 
 Hence Paul also says (Rom. 8:28,39): "Because we have 47 
 been called according to the purpose of God, who will separate 
 us from the love of God in Christ?" [Paul builds the certainty 
 
 83 
 
658 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD 
 
 of our blessedness upon the foundation of the divine purpose, 
 when, from our being called according to the purpose of God, 
 he infers that no one can separate us, etc.] 
 
 Under the cross also and amid temptations this doctiine af- 4 V 
 fords glorious consolation, namely, that God in his counsel, be- 
 fore the time of the world, determined and decreed that he 
 would assist us in all distresses [anxieties and perplexities], 
 grant patience [under the cross], give consolation, excite [noui- 
 ish and encourage] hope, and produce such a result as would 
 contribute to our salvation. Also, as Paul in a very consola-49 
 tory way treats this (Rom. 8 : 28, 29, 35, 38, 39), that God in 
 his purpose has ordained before the time of the world by 
 what crosses and sufferings he will conform his elect to the im- 
 age of his Son, and that to every one his cross should and 
 must serve for the best, because called according to the purpose, 
 whence Paul concludes that it is certain and indubitable that 
 u neither tribulation nor distress," " nor death nor life," etc., 
 " shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in 
 Christ Jesus our Lord." 
 71 p- This article also affords a glorious testimony that these 
 
 Church of God will abide against all the gates of hell, 
 and likewise teaches what is the true Church of God, so that 
 we may not be offended by the great authority [and majestic 
 appearance] of the false Church (Rom. 9 : 24, 25). 
 
 From this article also . powerful admonitions and warnings 51 
 are derived, as (Luke 7 : 30) : " They rejected the counsel of 
 God against themselves." Luke 14:24: "I say unto you 
 that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my 
 supper." Also (Matt. 20:16): "Many be called, but few- 
 chosen ." Also (Luke 8 : 8, 18) : "He that hath ears to hear, 
 let him hear," and : " Take heed how ye hear." Thus the doc- 
 trine concerning this article can be employed with profit for 
 consolation, and so as to contribute to salvation [and can be 
 transferred in many ways to our use]. 
 
 But with especial care the distinction must be observed be- 55 
 tween that which is expressly revealed concerning this in God's 
 Word and what is not revealed. For, in addition to that hith- 
 erto mentioned which has been revealed in Christ concerning 
 this, God has still kept secret and concealed much concerning 
 this mystery, and reserved it alone for his wisdom and knowledge. 
 Concerning this we should not investigate, nor indulge our 
 thoughts, nor reach conclusions, nor inquire curiously, but 
 should adhere [entirely] to the revealed Word of God. This 
 admonition is in the highest degree necessary. 
 
 For our curiosity has always much more pleasure in con- 53 
 cerning itself therewith [with investigating those things which 
 ere hidden and abstruse] than with what God has revealed to 
 
^c 
 
 PaiitII. eternal predestination and election. Go 
 
 us concerning this in his Word, since we cannot harmonize 
 them, which we also have not been commanded to do [since 
 certain things occur in this mystery so intricate and involved 
 that we are not able by the penetration of our natural ability to 
 harmonize them, but this has not been demanded of us by God]. 
 
 Thus there is no doubt that God most exactly and certainly 54 
 saw before the time of the world, and still knows, who of those 
 who are called will believe or will not believe ; also who of 
 the converted will persevere [in faith] and who will not; who 
 after a fall [into grievous sins] will return, and who will fall 
 into obduracy [will perish in their sins]. So, too, the number, 
 how many there are of these on both sides, is beyond all doubt 
 perfectly known to God. Yet since God has reserved this mys- 55 
 tery for his wisdom, and in his Word revealed nothing to us 
 concerning it, much less commanded us to investigate it with 
 our thoughts, but has earnestly discouraged us therefrom (Rom. 
 11 : 33 sqq.), we should not indulge our thoughts, reach con- 
 ~,g elusions nor inquire curiously therein, but should adhere 
 to his revealed Word, to which he points us. 
 
 Thus without any doubt God also knows and has determined 56 
 for every one the time and hour of his call and conversion [and 
 when he will raise again one who has lapsed]. Yet since this 
 is not revealed, we have the command always to adhere to the 
 Word, but to entrust the time and hour [of conversion] to God 
 (Acts 1 : 7). 
 
 Likewise, when we see that God gives his Word at one place 57 
 [to one kingdom or realm], but not at another [to another na- 
 tion] ; removes it from one place [people], and allows it to re- 
 main at another; also, that one is hardened, blinded, given over 
 to a reprobate mind, while another, who is indeed in the same 
 guilt, is again converted, etc. ; in these and similar questions 58 
 Paul (Rom. 11 : 22 sqq.) fixes before us a certain limit as to 
 how far we should go, viz. that, in the one part we should rec- 
 ognize God's judgment [for he commands us to consider in 
 those who perish the just judgment of God and the penalties 
 of sins]. For they are richly-deserved penalties of sins when 
 God so punishes a land or nation for despising his Word that 
 the punishment extends also to their posterity, as is to be seen 
 in the Jews. Thereby God shows to those that are his, his se- 59 
 verity in some lands and persons, in order to indicate what we 
 ill have richly deserved, since we have acted wickedly in opposi- 
 tion to God's Word [are ungrateful for the revealed Word, and 
 live unworthily of the Gospel] and often have sorely grieved 
 the Holy Ghost ; so that we may live in God's fear, and ac- 
 knowledge and praise God's goodness, in and with us, without 
 and contrary to our merit, to whom he gives and grants his 
 Word, and whom he does not harden and reject. 
 
660 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 «!», For inasmuch as our nature has been corrupted by sin, 6c 
 
 and is worthy of, and under obligation to, God's wrath 
 and condemnation, God owes to us neither Word, Spirit, nor 
 grace, and when, out of grace, he bestows these gifts, we often 
 repel them from us, and judge ourselves unworthy of ever- 
 lasting life (Acts 13 : 46). Therefore this his righteous, richly- 
 deserved judgment he displays in some countries, nations and 
 persons, in order that when we are considered with respect to 
 them, and compared with them, we may learn the more atten- 
 tively to recognize and praise God's pure [immense], unmerited 
 grace in the vessels of mercy. 
 
 For no injustice is done those who are punished and receive 6i 
 the wages of their sins ; but in the rest, to whom God gives 
 and preserves his Word, and thereby enlightens, converts and 
 preserves men, God commends his pure [immense] grace and 
 mercy, without their merit. 
 
 When we proceed thus far in this article we remain upon 62 
 the right [safe and royal] way, as it is written (Hos. 13:9): 
 "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thy 
 help." 
 
 But with respect to that in this disputation which will pro- 63 
 ceed too high and beyond these limits, we should, with Paul, 
 place the finger upon our lips, and remember and say (Rom. 9 : 
 20) : " O man, who art thou that repliest against God ?" 
 
 For that in this article we neither can nor should inquire 64 
 after and investigate everything, the great apostle Paul declares 
 [by his own example]. For when, after having argued much 
 concerning this article from the revealed Word of God, he 
 comes to where he points out what, concerning this mystery, 
 God has reserved for his hidden wisdom, he suppresses and cuts 
 off the discussion with the following words (Pom. 11 : 33 sq.) : 
 " Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge 
 of God ! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways 
 past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the 
 Lord ?" i. e. in addition to and beyond that which he has re- 
 vealed in his Word. 
 
 Therefore this eternal election of God is to be considered inrj 
 Christ, and not beyond or without Christ. For "in Christ," 
 -j£ testifies the apostle Paul (Eph. 1 : 4 sq.), "he hath chosen 
 us before the foundation of the world ;" as it is written : 
 " He hath made us accepted in the Beloved." But this election 
 is revealed from heaven through the preached Word when the 
 Father says (Matt. 17:5): " This is my beloved Son, in whom 
 I am well pleased; hear ye him." And Christ says (Matt. 11 : 
 28) : " Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, 
 and I will give you rest." And concerning the Holy Ghost 
 Christ says (John 16* : 14) : " He shall glorify me ; for he shall 
 
Part II. ETERNAL PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION. 661 
 
 reoeive of mine, and shall show it unto you." Therefore the 66 
 entire Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, direct all 
 men to Christ, as to the Book of Life, in which they should 
 seek the eternal election of the Father. For it has been de- 
 cided by the Father from eternity that whom he would save 
 he would save through Christ (John 14 : 6) : "No man cometh 
 unto the Father but by me." And again (John 10 : 9) : "I am 
 the door; by me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved." 
 
 But Christ as the only-begotten Son of God, who is in the 67 
 bosom of the Father, has published to us the will of the Fa- 
 ther, and thus also our eternal election to eternal life, viz. when 
 he says (Mark 1:15):" Repent ye, and believe the Gospel ; the 
 kingdom of God is at hand." He also says (John 6 : 40) : 
 "This is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which 
 seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life." 
 And again (John 3 : 16) : "God so loved the world that he 
 gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him 
 should not perish, but have everlasting life." 
 
 This proclamation the Father wishes that all men should 68 
 hear, and that they should come to Christ. Those who come 
 Christ does not repel from himself, as it is written (John 6 : 
 37) : " Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." 
 
 And in order that we may come to Christ, the Holy Ghost 69 
 works, through the hearing of the Word, true faith, as the 
 apostle testifies when he says (Rom. 10 : 17) : "Faith cometh 
 by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God," viz. when it 
 is preached in its purity and without adulteration. 
 7 iq Therefore no one who would be saved should trouble or 7c 
 
 harass himself with thoughts concerning the secret counsel 
 of God, as to whether he also is elected and ordained to eternal 
 life; for with these miserable Satan is accustomed to attack 
 and annoy godly hearts. But they should hear Christ [and in 
 him look upon the Book of Life in which is written the eternal 
 election], who is the Book of Life and of God's eternal elec- 
 tion of all God's children to eternal life; who testifies to all 1 
 men without distinction that it is God's will that all men who 
 labor and are heavy laden with sin should come to him, in 
 order that he may give them rest and save them (Matt. 
 11 : 28). 
 
 According to this doctrine of Christ, they should abstain 71 
 from their sins, repent, believe his promise, and entirely en- 
 trust themselves to him ; and since this we cannot do by our- 
 selves of our own powers, the Holy Ghost desires to work 
 repentance and faith in us through the Word and sacraments. 
 And in order that we may attain this, and persevere and remain 77 
 steadfast, we should implore God for his grace, which he prom- 
 ised us in holy baptism, and not doubt he will impart it to us 
 
662 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 according to his promise, as he has said (Luke 11 : 11 sqq.) ; 
 " If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will 
 he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish 
 o^ive him a serpent? or if he shall ask an Qgg, will he offer 
 him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give 
 good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your 
 heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him ?" 
 
 And since the Holy Ghost dwells in the elect, who be- 73 
 eome believing, as in his temple, and is not inactive in them, 
 but impels the children of God to obedience to God's com- 
 mands ; believers, in like manner, should not be inactive, and 
 much less resist the impulse of God's Spirit, but should exer- 
 cise themselves in all Christian virtue, in all godliness, mod- 
 esty, temperance, patience, brotherly love, and give all diligence 
 to make their calling and election sure, in order that the more 
 they experience the power and strength of the Spirit within 
 them they may doubt the less concerning it. For the Spirit 74 
 bears witness to the elect that they are God's children (Rom. 
 ~2o 8 : 16). And although they sometimes fall into temptation 
 so grievous that they think that they perceive no more 
 power of the indwelling Spirit of God, and say with David 
 (Ps. 31 : 22) : " I said in my haste, I am cut off from before 
 thine eyes," yet they should again [be encouraged and] say 
 with David, without regard to what they experience in them- 
 selves : " Nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplica- 
 tions when I cried unto thee." 
 
 And since our election to eternal life is founded not upon 75 
 our godliness or virtue, but alone upon the merit of Christ and 
 the gracious will of his Father, who, because he is unchange- 
 able in will and essence, cannot deny himself; on this account, 
 when his children depart from obedience and stumble, he calls 
 them again through the Word to repentance, and the Holy 
 Ghost wills thereby to be efficacious in them for conversion; 
 and when in true repentance by a right faith they turn again 
 to him, he will always manifest his old paternal heart to all 
 those who tremble at his Word and from their heart turn again 
 to him, as it is written (Jer. 3:1): "If a man put away hi? 
 wife, and she go from him and become another man's, shall he 
 return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? 
 but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers ; yet return 
 again to me, saith the Lord." 
 
 Moreover, the declaration (John 6 : 44) that no one can come < 
 to Christ except the Father draw him is right and true. But 
 the Father will not do this without means, and has ordained 
 for this purpose his Word and sacraments as ordinary means 
 and instruments ; and it is the will neither of the Father nor 
 of the Son that a man should not hear or should despise the 
 
Part II. ETERNAL PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION. 663 
 
 preaching of his Word, and without the Word and sacraments 
 should expect the drawing of the Father. For the Father draws 
 indeed by the power of his Holy Ghost, but, nevertheless, ac- 
 cording to his usual order [the order decreed and instituted by 
 himself], by the hearing of his holy, divine Word, as with a net, 
 whereby the elect are delivered from the jaws of the devil. Every 77 
 poor sinner should therefore repair thereto [to holy preaching], 
 hear it attentively, and should not doubt the drawing of the 
 Father. For the Holy Ghost will be with his Word in his 
 power, and thereby work ; and this is the drawing of the Father. 
 
 But the reason that not all who hear it believe, and some 78 
 are therefore condemned the more deeply [eternally to severer 
 punishments], is not that God has not desired their salvation; 
 but it is their own fault, as they have heard the Word in such 
 a manner as not to learn, but only to despise, traduce and dis- 
 grace it, and have resisted the Holy Ghost, who through the 
 Word wishes to work in them. There was one form of this 
 jni at the time of Christ in the Pharisees and their adherents. 
 
 Therefore the apostle distinguishes with especial care the 79 
 work of God, who alone makes vessels of honor, and the work 
 of the devil and of man, who by the instigation of the devil, 
 and not of God, has made himself a vessel of dishonor. For 
 thus it is written (Rom. 9 : 22 sq.) : " God endured with much 
 long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, that he 
 might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of 
 mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory." 
 
 For here the apostle clearly says : " God endured with much 8a 
 long-suffering the vessels of wrath," but does not say that he 
 made them vessels of wrath ; for if this had been his will, he 
 would not have required for it any great long-suffering. The 
 fault, however, that they are fitted for destruction belongs to 
 the devil and to men themselves, and not to God. 
 
 For all preparation for condemnation is by the devil and 81 
 man, through sin, and in no respect by God, who does not wish 
 that any man be damned ; how then should he prepare any 
 man for condemnation ? For as God is not a cause of sins, so 
 too he is no cause of the punishment, i. e. the condemnation ; 
 but the only cause of the condemnation is sin, for " the wages 
 of sin is death " (Rom. 6 : 23). And as God does not wish sin, 
 and has no pleasure in sin, he also does not wish the death of 
 the sinner (Ez. 33 : 11), and has no pleasure in his condemna- 
 tion. For he is not " willing that any should perish, but that 
 all should come to repentance " (2 Pet. 3 : 9). So too it is 
 written (in Ez. 18:23; 33:11): " As I live, saith the Lord 
 God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked ; but that 
 the wicked turn from his way and live." And St. Paul testi-81 
 ties in clear words that from vessels of dishonor vessels of 
 
<)64 THE FORMULA OF CONCOBD. 
 
 honor may be made by God's power and working, as he writes 
 (2 Tim. 2:21) thus: " If a man, therefore, purge himself 
 7 no from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and 
 meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good 
 work." For lie who is to purge himself must first have been 
 unclean, and therefore a vessel of dishonor. But concerning 
 the vessels of mercy he says clearly that the Lord himself has 
 prepared them for glory, which he does not say concerning the 
 condemned, who themselves, and not God, have prepared them- 
 selves as vessels of condemnation. 
 
 It is also to be attentively considered, when God punishes 83 
 sin with sins, i. e. afterwards punishes those who have been con- 
 verted with obduracy and blindness, because of their subse- 
 quent security, impenitence and wilful sins, that it should not 
 be inferred hence that it never was God's good pleasure that 
 such persons should come to the knowledge of the truth and 
 be saved. For it is God's revealed will, both : 
 
 First, that God will receive into grace all who repent and 
 believe in Christ. 
 
 Secondly, that those who wilfully turn away from the holy 
 commandment, and are again entangled in the pollutions of the 
 world (2 Pet. 2 : 20), and garnish their hearts for Satan (Luke 
 11 : 25 sq.), and do despite unto the Spirit of God (Heb. 10 : 
 29), he will punish, and when they persist therein they shall 
 be hardened, blinded and eternally condemned. 
 
 Therefore, even Pharaoh (of whom it is written (Ex. 9 : 16 ; 84 
 Rom. 9:17): "In very deed for this cause have I raised thee 
 up, for to show in thee my power ; and that my name may be 
 declared throughout all the earth ") was lost, not because God 
 did not desire his salvation, or because it was his good pleasure 
 that Pharaoh should be condemned and lost. For God " is not 
 willing that any should perish " (2 Pet. 3:9); he also has "no 
 pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn 
 from his way and live" (Ez. 33 : 11). 
 
 But that God hardened Pharaoh's heart, viz. that Pharaoh 85 
 still continued to sin, and the more he was admonished the more 
 obdurate he became, were punishments of his preceding sins 
 and horrible tyranny, which, in many and manifold ways, he 
 exercised towards the children of Israel inhumanly and against 
 the accusations of his conscience. And since God caused his 
 Word to be preached and his will to be proclaimed, and Pha- 
 raoh wilfully resisted it in direct contradiction of all admoni- 
 72 o tions and warnings, God withdrew his hand from him, 
 and thus his heart was hardened, and God executed his 
 judgment upon him ; for he deserved nothing else than hell- 
 fire. And indeed the holy apostle introduces the example of 86 
 Pharaoh for no other reason than hereby to prove the justice 
 
PartH. ETEKftAL, PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION. 665 
 
 of God, which he exercises towards the impenitent and despis- 
 ers of his Word. Yet in no way is it there to be thought or 
 understood that God did not desire his salvation, or that there 
 is any man whose salvation he did not desire, but that he was 
 so ordained to eternal damnation in God's secret counsel that 
 he neither should, could, nor might be saved. 
 
 Through this doctrine and explanation of the eternal and 8? 
 saving choice of the elect children of God his own glory is 
 entirely and fully given to God, that in Christ he saves us out 
 of pure [and free] mercy, without any merits or good works 
 of ours, according to the purpose of his will, as it is written 
 (Eph. 1 : 5 sq.) : " Having predestinated us unto the adoption 
 of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good 
 pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, 
 wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved." Therefore 88 
 it is false and wrong 1 [conflicts with the Word of God] when 
 it is taught that not alone the mercy of God and the most holy 
 merit of Christ, but also that there is in us a cause of God's 
 election, on account of which God has chosen us to eternal life. 
 For not only before we did anything good, but also before we 
 were born, yea, even before the foundations of the world were 
 laid, he elected us in Christ ; and " that the purpose of God 
 according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him 
 that calleth, it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the 
 younger, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I 
 hated" (Rom. 9:11 sqq. ; Gen. 25 : 23 ; Mai. 1 : 2 sq.). 
 
 Moreover, no occasion is afforded either for despondency or Sg 
 for a shameless, dissolute life by this doctrine, viz. when men 
 are taught that they should seek eternal election in Christ and 
 his holy Gospel, as in the Book of Life, which excludes no 
 penitent sinner, but allures and calls all the poor, heavy- 
 7 24 laden, and troubled [with the sense of God's wrath], 
 and promises the Holy Ghost for purification and renewal. 
 This article correctly explained thus gives the most perma-9C 
 nent consolation to all troubled, tempted men, viz. that they 
 know that their salvation is not placed in their own hands (for 
 otherwise it would be much more easily lost, as was the case 
 with Adam and Eve in Paradise — ay, it would be lost every 
 hour and moment), but in the gracious election of God, which 
 he has revealed to us in Christ, from whose hand no man shall 
 pluck us (John 10 : 28 ; 2 Tim. 2 : 19). 
 
 Wherefore, if any one should so present the doctrine con- 91 
 cerning the gracious election of God in such a manner that 
 troubled Christians cannot console themselves therewith, but 
 thereby occasion is afforded for despair, or the impenitent are 
 
 — — ^— — — — — — — — ^ — ■ JUJ 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, xi. : 20. 
 W 
 
66G THE FORMULA OK 0ONC0KD. 
 
 confirmed in their wickedness; it is undoubtedly sure and true 
 that such a doctrine is put forth, not according to the Woid and 
 will of God, but according to [the blind judgment of human] 
 reason and the instigation of the devil. 
 
 For, as the apostle testifies (Rom. 15:4): " Whatsoever pj 
 things were written aforetime were written for our learning, 
 that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might 
 have hope." But when by the Scriptures this consolation and 
 hope are weakened or entirely removed, it is certain that they 
 are understood and explained contrary to the will and meaning 
 of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 By this simple, correct [clear], useful explanation, which has 93 
 firm ground in God's revealed will, we abide ; we flee from and 
 shun all lofty, acute questions and disputations [useless for 
 edifying] ; and reject and condemn that which is contrary to 
 this simple, useful explanation. 
 
 So much concerning the controverted articles which have 94 
 been discussed among the theologians of the Augsburg Confes- 
 sion for many years already, since in reference to them some 
 have erred and severe controversies have arisen. 
 
 From this our explanation, friends and enemies, and there- 95 
 fore every one, will clearly infer that we have not thought of 
 yielding aught of the eternal, immutable truth of God for the 
 ~or sake of temporary peace, tranquillity and unity (as to do 
 this is also not in our power). Such peace and unity, 
 since devised against the truth and for its suppression, would 
 have no permanency. Much less are we inclined to adorn and 
 conceal a corruption of the pure doctrine and manifest, con- 
 demned errors. But for that unity we entertain heartfelt pleas- 96 
 ure and love, and this, on our part, we are sincerely inclined 
 and anxious to advance according to our utmost power, by 
 which his glory remains to God uninjured, nothing of the 
 divine truth of the Holy Gospel is surrendered, no place is 
 admitted for the least error, poor sinners are brought to true, 
 genuine repentance, encouraged by faith, confirmed in new 
 obedience, and thus justified and eternally saved alone through 
 the sole merit of Christ. 
 
 i CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Of Other Factions [Heretics] and Sects, which 
 
 never Embraced the Augsburg Confession. 
 
 The sects and factions [sectarists and heretics] which never r 
 embraced the Augsburg Confession, and of which, in this our 
 explanation, express mention has not been made, such as are 
 
 Parallel Passage. — Epitome, xii. 
 
Part II. OTHEE HEKESIES AND SECTS. 66? 
 
 the Anabaptists, Schwenckfeldians, New Arians and Anti-trin- 
 itarians, whose errors are unanimously condemned by all 2 
 churches of the Augsburg Confession, we have not wished to 
 notice particularly and especially in this explanation; for the 
 reason that at the present time only this has been sought [that 
 sve might above all refute the charges of our adversaries the 
 Papists]. 
 
 Since our opponents, with shameless mouths, alleged and 3 
 proclaimed, throughout all the world, of our churches and their 
 teachers, that not two preachers are found who in each and 
 every article of the Augsburg Confession agree, but that they 
 are rent asunder and separated from one another to such an ex- 
 tent that not even they themselves any longer know what is the 
 -on Augsburg Confession and its proper [true, genuine and 
 
 germane] sense ; we have wished to make a common con- 4 
 fession, not only in mere brief words or names, but to make a 
 clear, luminous, distinct declaration concerning all the articles 
 which have been discussed and controverted only among the 
 theologians of the Augsburg Confession, in order that every one 
 may see that we do not wish in a cunning manner to screen or 
 cover up all this, or to come to an agreement only in appear- 5 
 ance ; but to remedy the matter thoroughly, and so to set forth 6 
 our opinion, that even our adversaries themselves must confess 
 that in all this we abide by the true, simple, natural and only sense 
 of the Augsburg Confession, in which we desire, through God's 
 grace, to persevere constantly even to our end, and, so far as it 
 is placed at our service, we will not connive at or be silent, so 
 that anything contrary to the same [the genuine and sacred 
 sense of the Augsburg Confession] be introduced into our 
 churches and schools, in which the Almighty God and Fa- 
 ther of our Lord Jesus Christ has appointed us teachers and 
 pastors. 
 
 But in order that the condemned errors of the above enu- 7 
 merated factions and sects may not be silently ascribed to us — 
 since for the most part they have secrectly stolen into localities, 8 
 and especially, as is the nature of such spirits, at the time when 
 no place or space was allowed to the pure Word of the holy 
 Gospel, but all its orthodox teachers and confessors were per- 
 secuted, and the deep darkness of the Papacy still prevailed, 
 and poor simple men who were compelled to feel the manifest 
 idolatry and false faith of the Papacy embraced, alas ! in their 
 simplicity, whatever was said to be according to the Gospel, 
 and was not Papistic 1 — we cannot forbear testifying also against 
 them publicly, before all Christendom, that we have neither 
 
 1 Latin: "Of which evil the Papistic tyranny which persecutes tin 
 pure doctrine is the very chief cause." 
 
668 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 part nor fellowship with these errors, but reject and condemn 
 them, one and all, as wrong and heretical, and contrary to the 
 Scriptures of the prophets and apostles, as well as to our well- 
 grounded Augsburg Confession. 
 
 727 Erroneous Articles of the Anabaptists. 
 
 Namely, the erroneous, heretical doctrines of the Anabap-9 
 tists, which are to be tolerated and allowed neither in the 
 Church, nor in the commonwealth, nor in domestic life, since 
 they teach : 
 
 1. That our righteousness before God consists not only in ic 
 the sole obedience and merit of Christ, but in our renewal and 
 our own piety, in which we walk before God ; which they, for 
 the most part, base upon their own peculiar observances and 
 self-chosen spirituality, as upon a new sort of monkery. 1 
 
 2. That children who are not baptized are not sinners before 11 
 God, but are righteous and innocent, and thus are saved in their 
 innocency without baptism, which they do not need. And in 
 this way they deny and reject the entire doctrine concerning 
 Original Sin and what belongs to it. 2 
 
 3. That children should not be baptized until they have at- 12 
 tained the use of reason and can themselves confess their 
 faith. 
 
 4. That the children of Christians, because they have been 13 
 born of Christian and believing parents, are holy and the chil- 
 dren of God even without and before baptism. For this reason 
 also they neither attach much importance to the baptism of 
 children nor encourage it, contrary to the express words of the 
 promise, which pertains only to those who keep God's covenant 
 and do not despise it (Gen. 17:9). 
 
 5. That that is no true Christian assembly or congregation 14 
 [church] in which sinners are still found. 
 
 6. That no sermon should be heard or attended in those 15 
 churches in which the Papal masses have previously been 
 said. 
 
 7. That no one should have anything to do with those min- 16 
 isters of the Church who preach the holy Gospel according to 
 the Augsburg Confession, and censure the errors of the Ana- 
 baptists ; also that no one should serve or in any way labor for 
 them, but should flee from and shun them as perverters of 
 God's Word. 
 
 700 8. That under the New Testament the magistracy is 17 
 not a godly estate. 
 9. That a Christian cannot, with a good, inviolate conscience, i£ 
 hold the office of magistrate. 
 
 1 See Epitome, xii. : 5. ' See Epitome, xii. : 6. 
 
Part II. OTHER HEEESIES AND SECTS. 66? 
 
 10. That a Christian cannot, without injury to conscience, use 19 
 the office of the magistracy in carnal matters against the wicked, 
 neither can subjects appeal to the power of magistrates. 
 
 11. That a Christian cannot, with a good conscience, take 20 
 an oath before a court, neither can he by an oath do homage to 
 his prince or sovereign. 
 
 12. That without injury to conscience magistrates cannot 21 
 inflict upon evil-doers capital punishment. 
 
 13. That a Christian cannot, with a good conscience, hold or 22 
 possess any property, but that he is in duty bound to devote it 
 to the community. 
 
 14. That a Christian cannot, with a good conscience, be a 23 
 landlord, merchant or cutler. 1 
 
 15. That on account of faith [diversity of religion] married 24 
 persons may be divorced, abandon one another, and be married 
 to another of the same faith. 
 
 16. That Christ did not assume his flesh and blood of the 25 
 Virgin Mary, but brought them with him from heaven. 
 
 17. That he also "is not true, essential God, but only has 26 
 more and higher gifts than other men. 
 
 And still more articles of like kind ; for they are divided 2 27 
 into many bands [sects], and one has more and another fewer 
 errors, and thus their entire sect is in reality nothing but a new 
 kind of monkery. 
 
 Erroneous Articles of the Schwenckfeldians. 
 
 As, when the Schwenckfeldians assert : 28 
 
 7 nq 1. That all those have no knowledge of Christ as the 29 
 
 reigning King of heaven who regard Christ, according to 
 the flesh or his assumed humanity, as a creature ; that the flesh 
 of Christ has by exaltation so assumed all divine properties 
 that in might, power, majesty and glory he is everywhere, in 
 degree and place of essence equal to the Father and the eternal 
 Word, so that there is the same essence, properties, will and 
 glory of both natures in Christ, and that the flesh of Christ 
 belongs to the essence of the Holy Trinity. 
 
 2. That church service, i. e. the Word preached and heard, 3c 
 is not a means whereby God the Holy Ghost teaches men, and 
 works in them saving knowledge of Christ, conversion, repent- 
 ance, faith and new obedience. 
 
 3. That the water of baptism is not a means whereby God 31 
 the Lord seals adoption and works regeneration. 
 
 4. That bread and wine in the Holy Supper are not means 32 
 whereby Christ distributes his body and blood. 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, xii. : 18. * Cf. Epitome, xii. : 2. 
 
670 THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 
 
 5. That a Christian man who is truly regenerated by God's 33 
 Spirit can in this life observe and fulfil the Law of God per- 
 fectly. 
 
 6. That that is no true Christian congregation [church] in 34 
 which no public excommunication nor regular process of the 
 ban is observed. 
 
 7. That the minister of the Church who is not on his part 35 
 truly renewed, righteous and godly cannot teach other men 
 with profit or administer true sacraments. 
 
 Erroneous Articles of the New Arians. 1 
 
 Also, when the New Arians teach that Christ is not a true, 36 
 essential, natural God, of one eternal divine essence with God 
 the Father, but is only adorned with divine majesty beneath 
 and beside God the Father. 
 
 730 Erroneous Articles of the Anti-Trinitarians. 
 
 1. Also, when some Anti-trinitarians reject and condemn the 37 
 ancient approved creeds, the Nicene and Athanasian, both as to 
 their sense and words, and teach that there is not only one 
 eternal divine essence of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, but 
 as there are three distinct persons, God the Father, Son and 
 Holy Ghost, so each person has also its essence distinct and 
 separate from the other persons; yet that all three, as three 
 men otherwise distinct and separate in their essence, are either 
 [some imagine] of the same power, wisdom, majesty and glory, 
 or [others think] in essence and properties are not equal. 
 
 2. That the Father alone is true God. 38 
 
 These and like articles, one and all, with what pertains to 39 
 them and follows from them, we reject and condemn as wrong, 
 false, heretical, and contrary to the Word of God, the three 
 Creeds, the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles and 
 the Catechisms of Luther. Of these articles all godly Chris- 
 tians will and should beware, as the welfare and salvation of 
 their souls is dear to them. 
 
 Therefore in the sight of God and of all Christendom [the 4c 
 entire Church of Christ], to those now living and those who 
 shall come after us, we wish to testify that the above declara- 
 tion, concerning all the controverted articles presented and ex- 
 plained, and no other, is our faith, doctrine and confession, in 
 which we also will appear, by God's grace, with unterrified 
 hearts before the judgment-seat of Jesus Christ, and for it will 
 
 1 Cf. Epitome, xii. : 28. 
 
Part II. OTHER HERESIES ANL> SECTS. 671 
 
 give an account. We also will neither speak nor write, pri- 
 vately or publicly, anything contrary to this declaration, but, by 
 the help of God's grace, intend to abide thereby. After mature 
 deliberation we have, in God's fear and with the invocation of 
 his name, attached our signatures with our own hands. 
 
PART VIII. 
 
 AiNALYSES AND INDEXES TO THE BOOK OF 
 
 CONCORD. 
 
L-ANALYSES. 
 
 I. ANALYSIS OF THE (ECUMENICAL CREEDS. 
 
 I. The Apostles' Greed, p. 25. 
 Article I. Of God the Father, § 1. 
 
 Article II. Of God the Son, §§ 2-6. 
 Article III. Of God the Holy Ghost, §§ 7, 8. 
 
 II. The Nicene Creed, p. 25. 
 Article I. Of God the Father, § 1. 
 
 Article II. Of God the Son, §§ 2-6. 
 Article III. Of God the Holy Ghost, §§ 7-10. 
 
 III. The Athanasian Creed, p. 26. 
 Introduction : Obligation to believe the Catholic faith, 22 1| 2. 
 
 I. Doctrine op the Trinity, §§ 3-26. 
 
 1. Statement of the mystery, §§ 3-6. 
 
 2. Ampler explanation: 
 
 (a) Of the perfect agreement and eommunion of the nature and 
 
 attributes of the three persons, §§7-19. 
 (6) Of the personal distinctions, §§ 20-22. 
 (c) Of the consequences of the doctrine, §§ 23, 24. 
 \d) Limitation of statement, § 25. 
 Conclusion, § 26. 
 
 II. Doctrine of the Person and Office of Chbist, \\ 27-4U. 
 Introduction, § 27. 
 
 1. The truth and distinction of the two natures, \\ 28-31 ; in one per- 
 
 son, §§ 32-34. 
 
 2. The mediatorial office of Christ, §§ 35-39. 
 Conclusion, § 40. 
 
 IT. ANALYSIS OF THE AUGSBUKG CON- 
 
 FESSION. 
 
 INTRODUCTION, p. 33. 
 
 1. Reasons for the presence of the confessors at Augsburg, and the preparation 
 
 of the Confession, \\ 1-7. 
 
 2. Scope and purpose of the Confession, \\ 8-14. 
 
 3. Renewal of appeal to a General Council, \\ 15-24. 
 
 I. 
 CHIEF ARTICLES OF FAITH. 
 
 Article I. Of God, p. 37. 
 
 1. Reaffirmation of the Nicene doctrine, §§1-4. 
 
 2. Rejection of the contrary errors, §§5, 6. 
 
 675 
 
676 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 Article II. Of Original Sin, p. 87. 
 
 1> Thetical statement: 
 
 (a) The source of original sin, \ 1. 
 
 (6) Its nature: (aa) Negatively; (66) Positively, \ 2. 
 
 (c) Its sinfulness, its punishment and its remedy, §3. 
 2. Antithesis : Condemnation of Pelagians and others, \ 4. 
 
 Article III. Of the Son of God, and of 'he Htly Spirit, p. 38. 
 (1) The person, \ 1. (2) The natures, \ 2. (3) The states of Christ, \\ 3-56. 
 
 Article IV. Of Justification, p. 38. 
 
 1. Rejection of false doctrine, # 1. 
 
 2. Statement of true doctrine, \\ 2, 3. 
 
 (a) The impulsive internal cause, "Grace." 
 (6) The meritorious cause, " Christ." 
 (c) The instrumental cause, "Faith." 
 (aa) Its nature. (66) Its efficacy. 
 
 Article V. Of the Means of Grace, or the Origin and Causes of Justifying 
 
 . Faith, p. 38. 
 
 1. Thetical statement, $g 1-3: 
 
 (a) The instrumental cause of justifying faith, \\ 1, 2. 
 (6) The efficient cause, \ 2. 
 
 (c) The mode of imparting it, \\ 2, 3. 
 
 2. Antithesis : Contrary doctrine of Anabaptists and others rejected. 
 
 Article VI. Of New Obedience, p. 39. 
 
 1. Good works the fruits of justifying faith, § 1. 
 
 2. The motive for good works : 
 
 i.a) Because it is God's will that they be wrought, \ 1. 
 
 (b) Not to merit justification, \ 1. 
 
 (aa) Proved from Scripture, $ 2. 
 
 (66) Maintained by the ancient writers, $ 3. 
 
 Article VII. Of the Church. — The Church in its True Nature, p. 89. 
 Its unity, holiness and perpetuity, \ 1. 
 
 2. Its external marks, \ 1. 
 
 3. The requisites of true unity, \\ 2-4 
 
 (a) Stated positively, \ 2. 
 (6) Stated negatively, § 3. 
 
 (c) Proved from Scripture, \ 4. 
 
 Article VIII. What the Church is. — The Church in its Present Ap- 
 pearance, p. 39. 
 
 1. Thetical statement : 
 
 (a) Mingling of hypocrites and unbelievers with the Church, \ 1. 
 (6) Validity of the Word and sacraments, even when administered by ih* 
 wicked, § 2. 
 
 2. Antithesis : Condemnation of the Donatists, etc. 
 
 Article IX. Of Baptism, p. 39. 
 
 1. Thetical statement : 
 
 (a) The necessity of baptism, \ 1. 
 
 (b) Its efficacy, \ 2. 
 
 (c) Its subjects, \ 2. 
 
 2. Antithesis : Condemnation of the Anabaptists, \ 3. 
 
 Article X. Of (he Lord's Supper, p. 40. 
 1. Thetical statement : 
 
 fa) The true presence of the body and blood of Christ, { 1. 
 
 (6) All communicants partake of them, \\ 2, 3. 
 S. Antithesis : Disapproval of those who teach otherwise, \ 4. 
 
ANALYSIS OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 67? 
 
 Article XI. Of Confession, p. 40. 
 
 1. The retention of private absolution 3 1. 
 2 Enumeration of sins : 
 
 (a) Unnecessary, \ 1. 
 (6) Impossible, \ 2. 
 
 Article XII. Of Repentance, p. 40. 
 
 1 Thetical statement : 
 
 (a) Those who have fallen after baptism. 
 
 (aa) May repent and be forgiven, g 1. 
 
 (66) On repentance should be absolved by the Church, $ 2. 
 {o) The two parts of repentance : 
 
 (ac^ Contrition, \ 4. 
 
 (66) Faith, \ 5. 
 (c) The fruits of repentance, \ 6. 
 
 2. Antithesis: Condemnation of — 
 
 (a) The Anabaptists : 
 
 (aa) Their denial of the possible loss of God's Spirit, § 7. 
 
 (66) Their doctrine of sinless perfection, \ 8. 
 (6) The Novatians : 
 
 (aa) Their refusal of absolution to the penitent after baptism, \ 9. 
 
 (66) Their denial that forgiveness is obtained by faith. \ 10. 
 
 Article XIII. Of the Use of the Sacraments, p. 40. 
 
 1. Thetical statement : 
 
 (a) The design of the sacraments, \ 1. 
 
 (6) Faith necessary for the proper use of the sacraments, \ 2. 
 
 2. Antithesis : Condemnation of those who teach that the sacraments justify froca 
 
 the work done, \ 3. 
 
 Article XIV. Of Ecclesiastical Orders, p. 41. 
 
 1. The two parts of the ministry. 
 
 2. The necessity of a regular call. 
 
 Article XV. Of Ecclesiastical Rites, p. 41. 
 
 1. The rites which are to be observed, $ 1. 
 
 2. The caution concerning them to be taken, § 2. 
 
 3. The rites which are not to be observed, \\ 3, 4. 
 
 Article XVI. Of Civil Affairs, p. 41. 
 
 1. Lawful civil ordinances good works of God, § 1. 
 
 2. Enumeration of political ordinances in which the Christian can participate 
 
 without sin, \ 2. 
 
 3. Antitheses to \ 2 condemned : 
 
 (a) Of Anabaptists, $ 3. 
 (6) Of the monks, J 4. 
 
 4. Design of those ordinances, \ 5. 
 
 5. Duty of obedience to the magistrate, \ 6. 
 
 Article XVII. Of ChrisVs Return to Judgment, p. 42. 
 
 1. Thetical statement: Christ's return, the resurrection of the dead, the 6nal 
 
 judgment, \ 1. 
 
 2. Antithesis: Errors condemned : 
 
 (a) That there will be an end of torments, §2. 
 
 (6) That before the resurrection there will be a temporal reign of the godly, \ & 
 
 Article XVIII. Of Free Will, p. 42. 
 1. Thetical statement : 
 
 (a) The power of the free will to work civil righteousness, $ 1 
 (6) Its inability to work spiritual righteousness, \\ 2, 3. 
 (c) The testimony if St. Augustine, $$4-7. 
 
 43 
 
678 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 2. Antithesis: Condemnation of the Pelagian doctrine concerning the extent of 
 human ability, \\ 8, 9. 
 
 Article XIX. Of the Cause of Sin, p. 43. 
 Not God, but the devil and ungodly men. 
 
 Article XX. Of Good Works.— Of the Relation of Faith to Good Works 
 
 p. 43. 
 
 1. Apologetic statement: The charges of the adversaries met, \\ 1-7. 
 
 (a) Appeal to the writings of the Reformers, \ 2. 
 
 (6) Contrast with the preaching of former days, \ 3. 
 
 (c) Improvement in the adversaries from the teaching of the Reformers; 
 
 (aa) In the kind of works preached, \ 4. 
 
 (66) In the mention made of faith, $$5-7. 
 
 2. The doctrine of faith explained, gg 8-26. 
 
 (a) Justification obtained not by works, but by faith only, $ 9. 
 (aa) Scriptural proof, $$ 10, 11. 
 (66) Testimony of the fathers, ffi 12-14. 
 
 (cc) Necessity of this doctrine shown by contrasting the comfort which 
 it brings with the distress of conscience occasioned by the doc- 
 trine of works, $$ 15-22. 
 (6) What justifying is, $$ 23-26. 
 
 (aa) Not knowledge of history, but believing in the article, Of the For- 
 giveness of Sins, $$ 23-25. 
 (66) Testimony of St. Augustine, $ 26. 
 
 3. The doctrine of good works, $ 27. 
 
 (a) Motive for good works, $ 27. 
 
 (6) Manner in which they are wrought, $$ 28-40. 
 
 (aa) By the Holy Ghost, received by faith, proved positively, $$ 28-30. 
 
 (66) The same proved negatively from human inability, without faiti 
 and the Holy Ghost, $$ 31-40. 
 
 Article XXI. Of Worship of Saints, p. 46. 
 1. The lives of the saints to be commemorated for the sake of their example, \ 1. 
 2 Worship or prayers for help not to be addressed them, $$ 2, 3. 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 1. Harmony of the Protestant doctrine with the Scriptures and the Church 
 
 catholic, $ 1. 
 
 2. The ground of dissensions, abuses connected with rites in common use, which 
 
 could not, with a good conscience, be approved, $$2-5. 
 
 ARTICLES IN WHICH ARE RECOUNTED THE ABUSES 
 WHICH HAVE BEEN CORRECTED. 
 
 INTRODUCTION, p. 47. 
 
 1. Appeal to the Emperor to hear the reasons for the changes made, \ 1. 
 
 2. Protest against the false charges of adversaries, $$ 2-5. 
 
 3. Importance of proper ceremonies, $ 6. 
 
 Article XXII. (I.). Of Both Kinds, p. 47. 
 
 1. The right of the laity to the cup — 
 
 (a) Proved from the words of Christ, $ 1. 
 
 (b) From the practice of the apostolic Church, \ 2. 
 
 (c) From the practice of succeeding periods, as shown by the testimony of 
 
 the fathers, \\ 3-10. 
 
 (d) Not to be denied if claimed, \\\. 
 
 2. The procession with the mass omitted in the Evangelical nhurches, \ 12. 
 
ANALYSIS OF THE AUGSBUKG CONFESSION. 679 
 
 Article XXIII. (II.). Of the Marriage of Priests, p. 48. 
 Introduction: Complaints of incontinence among priests, \\ 1, 2. 
 
 1. The marriage of priests defended from the Scriptures, \\ 3-9. 
 
 2. From the practice of the ancient Church, 22 10, 11. 
 
 3. From the recency of the contrary practice, \\ 12-14. 
 
 4. From the remedy for offences God has provided in marriage, \\ 15-17. 
 
 5. From the wickedness of the prohibition, 22 18-23. 
 
 6. From invalidity of rules conflicting with God's law, 2 24. 
 
 7. From the testimony of Cyprian and the canons, \\ 25, 26 
 
 Article XXIV. (III.). Of the Mass, p. 50. 
 h The celebration of the mass in the Evangelical churches, \\ 1-9. 
 
 id) The use of German, \\ 2-4. 
 b) The people receive the sacrament together, §5. 
 c) None admitted unless proved, 2 6. 
 (d) How the people are taught concerning the sacrament, \\ 7, 8. 
 
 2. Abuses of the mass among the Romanists, 2 10. 
 
 (a) Use of the mass for gain, \\ 10-20. 
 
 (6) The mass made an oblation for daily sins, \\ 21-33. 
 
 (aa) Contrarv to scriptural testimony concerning Christ's offering, 
 U 24-29. 
 
 (bb) Contrary to the design of the sacrament, 22 30-33. 
 
 3. The regularity of the common mass, and the propriety of diminishing the 
 
 number of masses, proved from Scripture and Church history, \\ 34-41. 
 
 Article XXV. (IV.). Of Confession, p. 52. 
 
 1. Retention of confession by the Evangelical churches, \\ 1-4. 
 
 2. Defects of former mode of confession remedied, \\ 5-6. 
 
 3. Enumeration of sins unnecessary and impossible, '$, 7-12. 
 
 (a) Proved from Scripture, §§ 7—9. 
 
 (6) Witness of the Church writers, \\ 10-12. 
 
 Article XXVI. (V.). Of Distinction of Meats, and of Traditions, p. 53. 
 
 1. The doctrine that human traditions merit grace refuted, 2 1. 
 
 (a) It obscures the doctrine of grace, \\ 4-7. 
 (6) It obscures the commandments of God, $£ 8-11. 
 
 (c) By the multitude of observances prescribed, and the difficulty of fulfilling 
 all, it leads consciences to despair, $2 12-17. 
 
 2. Necessity of admonishing the churches of the errors concerning traditions, 
 
 U 18-29. 
 
 (a) Because the Gospel commands the doctrine of grace to be urged, 
 
 U 18-21. 
 
 (b) Because of the direct testimonies of Scripture against such traditions, 
 
 U 22-29. 
 
 3. Reply to the charge that the Evangelical doctrine promoted lax discipline and 
 
 bad morals, 2230-39. 
 
 4. Proper observance of traditions, \\ 40-45. 
 
 (a) Their true end, \ 40. 
 
 (6) The liberty to be exercised in their observance, \\ 41-45. 
 
 Article XXVII. (VI.). Of Monastic Vows, p. F7. 
 
 1. Introduction: Contrast between the former and the present condition of mo- 
 
 nastic life, U 1-17. 
 (a) Formerly, the monastic life was free; now rendered obligatory by vows, 
 222-14. 
 (aa) The rigor and severity of the vows, 22 2-9. 
 (66) The false doctrine that vows are equal to baptism, ty 10-14. 
 (6) Formerly the monastic life was entered for the purpose of study ; no* 
 for work-righteousness, 22 15, 16. 
 
 2. The invalidity of monastic vows, \ 18. 
 
 (a) They are contrary to God's commands, \\ 18-25. 
 
680 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 (b) They fail in the essentials of a true vow — viz. that it have respect to 
 
 something possible, and that it he assumed voluntarily and with delib- 
 eration, $$ 27-33. 
 
 (r.) They are not sufficient justification for the dissolution of a marriage made 
 in opposition to them, $$34, 35. 
 
 (i) They are proclaimed as a means for meriting forgiveness of sins, $$ 36- 
 43 ; for acquiring superfluous merits, $ 44 ; for entering a state of Chris- 
 tian perfection, $$ 45-50. 
 
 (e) They diffuse many pernicious opinions among the people, $$ 51 62. 
 
 Article XXVIII. (VII.)- Of Ecclesiastical Power, p. 61. 
 
 1 The importance of the doctrine, $$ 1-4. 
 
 2 The scriptural doctrine stated, $$5-12. 
 
 3 The distinction between the ecclesiastical and civil powers, $$ 13-18. 
 
 4. Limitations to the jurisdiction of bishops, $$ 19-29. 
 
 5. Their power to institute ceremonies examined, $$ 30-68. 
 
 (a) The argument by which unlimited power is claimed for them stated, 
 
 $$31-33. 
 (6) Their inability to institute any ceremonies conflicting with the Gospel, 
 
 or to demand any observances not commanded of God, $$ 34-52. 
 
 (c) The power of the bishops or pastors to establish ordinances, whereby things 
 
 may be done in good order in the Church, maintained, $$ 53-68. 
 
 6. Appeal to the bishops to relax such observances as may be held without sin, 
 
 $$ 69-77. 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 1. Why more abuses are not mentioned, $$ 1-3. 
 
 2. The motive and spirit in which the Confession has been prepared, $$ 4, 5. 
 
 3. Readiness of the confessors to add to this summary of doctrine still ampler 
 
 information, $$6, 7. 
 
 III. ANALYSIS OF THE APOLOGY OF THE 
 AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 
 
 Preface p. 73. 
 
 Article I. Of God, p. 75. 
 
 Article II. Of Original Sin, Chapter I., p. 75. 
 
 A. Of the notion of original sin, $$ 2-34, p. 76. 
 
 1. Restatement of the definition of the Confession, $$ 2, 3. 
 
 2. Explanation of the terms employed, $$ 4-14. 
 
 (a) In antithesis to the Zwinglians, concupiscence, disease, inborn cor- 
 ruption, $$ 4-6. 
 
 (6) In antithesis to the Scholastics, " to be without the fear of God and 
 faith in God," $$7-13. 
 S. The definition not new, $$ 15-34. 
 
 (a) The ancient definition, " original sin is the want of original right- 
 eousness," $$ 15-23. 
 
 (6) The definition of Augustine, "Original sin is concupiscence," 
 $$24,25. 
 
 (c) The definitions of Thomas, Bonaventura and Hugo, $$ 27-29. 
 
 {d) Scripture proofs, $$ 30, 31. 
 
 (e) Importance of the doctrine, $$ 32-34. 
 
 B. Against the adversaries of Luther, $$ 35-50, p. 81. 
 
 1. Meaning of the statement that baptism removes the guilt of original 
 
 sin, but not concupiscence, $$ 35-37. 
 
 2. Concupiscence not merely a penalty, but a sin, $$ 38-50. 
 
ANALYSIS OF THE APOLOGY 381 
 
 Article III. Of Christ, p. 83. 
 Article IV. Of Justification, Chapter II., p. 84. 
 
 Objections of the Confutation, §§ 1-4. 
 
 A. Of the origin of the disagreement, and the errors of the adveis&riea, 
 
 ||5-17, p. 84. 
 
 1. The Law and the promises contrasted, §§5, 6. 
 
 2. What the Law demands, §§ 7, 8. 
 
 3. Legal opinions of the Scholastics, §§ 9-11. 
 
 4. Errors and abuses of their doctrine, §§ 12-16. 
 
 5. These errors not removed by the expedient of a prima gratia, §§ 17, 18. 
 
 6. Nor by that of a distinction between meritum congrui and merit tm con- 
 
 digni, §§ 19, 20. 
 
 7. Their doctrine leads to despair, § 21. 
 
 8. True office of righteousness of reason, §§ 22-24. 
 
 9. Summary of the errors on this point rejected, %$ 25-28. 
 
 10. Testimonies from the fathers and the Scriptures, §§ 29-35. 
 
 11. No justification by love, \\ 36-39. 
 
 12. No justification by the Law, §§ 40-42. 
 
 13. The righteousness of the Gospel, §§ 43-47. 
 
 B. What is justifying faith? §§ 48-60, p. 91. 
 
 1. Faith defined, § 48. 
 
 2. Distinction between faith and the righteousness of the Law, § 49. 
 
 3. The definition established from Scripture, £ 50. 
 
 4. Illustrated from the Apostles' Creed, §§ 51, 52. 
 
 5. The three concurrent objects of justifying faith : the promise, gratuity 
 
 merits of Christ, §§ 53-56. 
 
 6. This doctrine clearly taught even in the Old Testament, §§ 57-60. 
 
 C. That faith in Christ justifies, §§ 61-74, p. 94. 
 
 1. How faith is attained, §§ 61-68. 
 
 2. Necessity of insisting upon the fact that f'*ith justifies, §§ 69, 70. 
 
 3. Faith does not justify as an originating principle, §§71, 72. 
 
 4. Force of the exclusive particle, "Alone," g§ 73, 74. 
 
 D. That we obtain the remission of sins by faith alone in Christ, §§ 75-106, 
 
 p. 96. 
 
 1. Justification the remission of sin?, \\ 75, 76. 
 
 2. The remission of sins attained by f Atth alone, §§ 77-86. 
 
 3. Faith the righteousness that ay ails before God, §§ 87-106. 
 
 (a) Proved from Scripture, \\ 87-102. 
 (6) Confessed by the fathers, \\ 103-106. 
 
 4. Faith does not please en account of love, §§ 107-116. 
 5 The importance of this doctrine, §§ 117-121. 
 
 Of Love and thjt I^ulfildng of the Law, Chapter III., p. 104. 
 
 t Of the necespitv of the new obedience, and its relation to faith, §§1-61. 
 1. The Law to be fulfilled by Christians, §§ 1-25, p. 104. 
 (a) Necessity of the new obedience, §§ 1-4. 
 (6) This new obedience cannot be rendered except by those who have 
 
 first been justified by faith, §§ 5-8. 
 (c) The error of the adversaries in confining their attention to the 
 
 second, and ignoring the first table, of the Law, §§ 9-11. 
 {<?) The fulfilling of the Law by Christians a progressive and never 
 
 complete work, §§ 11-14. 
 («) Love inseparable from faith, §§ 15-25. 
 1 Why this fulfilling of the Law does not justify? §§ 26-61, p. 107. 
 
 (a) Because we receive remission of sins for Christ's sake, by faith 
 
 alone, §§ 26-38. 
 (6) Because even when the Law is fulfilled by Christians their obfr 
 
 dience is incomplete and imperfect, §# 39, 40. 
 (c) Because we dare not trust in this fulfilling of the Law, \\ 40-44. 
 
682 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 (aa) Since Christ remains Mediator, even after we are justified, 
 
 2341,42. 
 (66) Since the imputation of the righteousness of the Gospel is 
 from the promise, and is therefore always of grace, 
 #242-44. 
 (d) Because this inchoate fulfilling of the Law pleases net on its own 
 account, hut only on account of faith in Christ, #$45-61. 
 B. Reply to the arguments of the adversaries, $#(52-279, p. 94. 
 
 1. The ground of their error concerning good works, ## 62-96, p. 114. 
 
 (a) Their ignorace of the fact that without Christ the Law cannot be 
 
 fulfilled, U 62-67. 
 (6) The three true motives to good works stated, #$ 68-72. 
 
 (aa) On account of God's command. 
 
 (66) To exercise faith. 
 
 (cc) On account of confession and thanksgiving. 
 
 (c) The reward of good works, ## 73-81. 
 
 (d) The doctrine of the merit of good works examined, #§ 82-91. 
 
 (aa) Its origin, $ 82. 
 (66) Its effects, # 83. 
 (cc) Its history, ## 85-91. 
 
 (e) Restatement of the true doctrine, $$ 92-96. 
 
 2. Examination of scriptural passages appealed to, #$ 97-164, p. 120. 
 
 (a) "Though I have all faith, etc., and have not charity, I am noth- 
 ing " (1 Cor. 13:2), ##97-103. 
 (6) "The greatest of these is charity" (1 Cor. 13 : 13), ## 104-109. 
 
 (c) "Charity, which is the bond of perfectness " (Col. 3 : 14), ## 110- 
 
 116. 
 
 (d) "Charity shall cover the multitude of sins" (1 Pet. 4:8), ## 117- 
 
 122. 
 
 (e) " By works a man is justified, and not by faith alone " (James 
 
 2:24), ##123-132. 
 
 if) General observations on Luke 6 : 37 ; Isa. 58 : 7, 9 ; Dan. 4 : 27 ; 
 Matt. 5 : 3, 7, ## 133-138. 
 
 (g) " Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven" (Luke 6 : 37), ## 138, 139. 
 
 (h) " Redeem thy iniquities by showing mercy " (Dan. 4 : 27), $# 140- 
 147. 
 
 (t) General principles deduced from these passages, $$ 148-155. 
 
 U) "Alms free from every sin" (Tobias 4 : 11), ## 156-159. 
 
 (k) "Give alms, .... and all things are clean unto you" (Luke 
 11:41), ##160-163. 
 
 (I) The testimony of Rom. 4 : 5, as opposed to these false interpreta- 
 tions of the adversaries, # 164. 
 
 (m) Summary of the argument on the proof-texts, $ 165. 
 
 3. The doctrine of the adversaries contrasted with that of the Gospel, 
 
 ##166-181, p. 138. 
 (a) Their doctrine of merit derived from reason, # 167. 
 (6 J Their doctrine of the infusion of love from the Law, $ 168. 
 fc) Argument against both, # 169. 
 
 (d) The doctrine of the Gospel as over against these errors, $# 170- 
 
 179. 
 
 (e) The doctrine of the adversaries a doctrine of doubt, $# 180, 181. 
 
 4. Their objection to faith as the instrumental cause of justification an- 
 
 swered, ## 182-194, p. 141. 
 (a) The faith of justification is a supernatural work of God, and not 
 
 the faith of devils, #182. 
 (6) The faith of justification comprehends confidence in the will, as 
 
 well as knowledge in the intellect, ## 183-190. 
 Ic) Faith and hope can be separated in the schools, but not in fact, 
 
 §191. 
 (d) Inferences from the preceding argument, #$ 192-194. 
 
 5. The opposite doctrine of merit condigni examined, $# 195-226, p. 144. 
 
ANALYSIS OF THE APOLOGY. 683 
 
 (a) It obscures the glory of Christ, \\ 195-197. 
 \b) Gives no peace to the conscience, \\ 198, 199. 
 (c) Leads to despair, \ 200. 
 
 \d) Contrary to the testimony of the entire Church and of Scripture, 
 \l 201-226. 
 
 6. Counter-objections of the adversaries met, \\ 227-256, p. 151. 
 
 (a) Is there, then, no need of good works? #$ 227-234. 
 (6) Why, then, is eternal life called a reward? \\ 235-256. 
 
 7. Perversions of the Scholastics, \\ 257-268, p. 157. 
 
 8. The multitude and influence of adversaries no ground for disturbance 
 
 of believers, \\ 269-279, p. 159. 
 
 Articles VII. and VIII. Of the Church, Chapter IV., p. 161. 
 
 Article VII. : 1. Of the definition of the Church, U 1-29, p. 161. 
 
 (a) According to outward fellowship, many wicked men belong to 
 
 the Church, \\ 1-4. 
 
 (b) According to the fellowship of faith and the Holy Ghost in hearts, 
 
 it is the congregation of saints, \\ 5-8. 
 
 (c) Consolation of this doctrine, \\ 9-11. 
 
 (d) The Church not properly an outward polity, but the true people 
 
 of God, H 12-16. 
 
 (e) Wicked men not, properly speaking, the Church, \\ 17-19. 
 {/) The perpetuity and marks of the true Church, \\ 20-22. 
 (g) The Romish idea of the Church rejected, $$ 23-27. 
 
 (h) The scriptural doctrine restated, §§ 28, 29. 
 2. Of the unity of the Church, \\ 30-46, p> 168. 
 (a) Its true unity a spiritual unity, \\ 30, 31. 
 (6) Dissimilarity of rites no breach of unity, \\ 32-37. 
 (c) Appeal of the adversaries to apostolic usage answered, \\ 38-46. 
 Article VIII.: 1. The sacraments efficacious even when administered by 
 wicked ministers. \\ 47-49. 
 2. The use of civil ordinances allowed the Christian, \ 50. 
 
 Article IX. Of Baptism, p. 173. 
 Infant baptism approved, \\ 51-53. 
 
 Article X. Of the Holy Supper, p. 174. 
 The true presence maintained, gg 54-57. 
 
 Article XI. Of Confession, p. 175. 
 
 1. The exception of the adversaries stated, \ 58. 
 
 2. The comfort derived from absolution, \ 59. 
 
 3. How frequently the Lord's Supper should be used, \\ 60-62. 
 
 4. An enumeration of sins unnecessary, $§ 63-67. 
 
 Article XII. Of Repentance, Chapter V., p. 178. 
 
 1. Importance of the controversy, $ 1-3. 
 
 2. Various erroneous views of the Scholastics and Romanists recounted, 
 
 $2 4-27. m 
 
 3. The Gospel doctrine of repentance stated, \\ 28-43 
 
 (a) Contrition the first element, \\ 29-34. 
 
 (6) Faith the second, \\ 35-38. 
 
 (c) Faith is conceived and strengthened in absolution, \\ 39-43. 
 
 4. The Gospel doctrine of repentance proved — 
 
 (a) From scriptural statements, $# 44-54. 
 
 (6) From the lives of the saints recorded in Scripture, \\ 55-58. 
 *V. Objections of the adversaries against faith as a part of repentance ex 
 amined, § 59. 
 (a) The faith mentioned is special, and not general, \ 60. 
 ib) Absolution requires this faith, 1$ 61. 62. 
 
<;sl ANALYSES AND IXDl'.Xl'S. 
 
 (c) Remission of sins, which the adversaries acknowledge as the go.il 
 
 of repentance, requires this faith, §§ 63-74. 
 
 (d) The doctrine of the merit of an elicit act of love an annulling of 
 
 the Gospel, i| 76-87. 
 
 (e) Their doctrine <l<stn>vs all peace of conscience, $$88-90. 
 (/) Examination of patristic testimony, $$91-97. 
 
 Of Confession and Satisfaction, Chapter VI., p. 195. 
 
 1 Of confession, \\ 1-15, p. 195. 
 
 (a) Confession to be retained because of the absolution, $$2-4. 
 
 (6) Enumeration of offences unnecessary, $$ 5-15. 
 2. Of satisfactions,^ 16-81, p. 198. 
 
 (a) Their origin explained, $$ 16-18. 
 
 (6) Their worth and effect, $$ 19-24. 
 
 (c) The arguments by which they are supported examined, $$ 25-43. 
 
 (d) The argument against them presented, $$ 43-50. 
 
 (aa) The doctrine derogates from the death of Christ as a satis- 
 faction, $$ 43-48. 
 (66) And obscures repentance and grace, $$ 49, 50. 
 
 (e) Counter- arguments of the adversaries met, $$51-69. 
 
 (aa) " Punishment necessary for repentance," but not as merit or 
 
 price, $$ 51, 52. 
 (66) "The punishment of sin an act of God's justice," $$53-69. 
 (aaa) But contritions more truly a punishment than satis* 
 
 factions are, $ 53. 
 (666) Not all afflictions punishments, $$ 54-64. 
 (ccc) Common calamities are not removed by canonical 
 satisfactions, but by contrition, $$65-69. 
 (/) The testimony of the fathers, $$ 70-74. 
 (g) Canonical satisfactions not commanded in the Gospel, $$ 75-80. 
 
 Article XIII. Of the Number and Use of the Sacraments, Chapter VII., 
 
 p. 213. 
 
 1. Their number, $$ 1-17. 
 
 (a) The Zwinglian and Anabaptist notion of a sacrament rejected, 
 
 81. 
 
 (6) Principle enunciated according to which the sacraments ought to 
 be enumerated, $ 2. 
 
 (c) Definition proposed, $ 3. 
 
 (d) The three sacraments comprised in this definition, $$ 4, 5. 
 
 (e) Confirmation and extreme unction no sacraments, $ 6. 
 (/) Ordination not a sacrament, $$ 7-13. 
 
 }g) Matrimony not a sacrament, $$ 14, 15. 
 
 (h) According to the definition of the adversaries, the number of the 
 sacraments more than seven, $$ 16, 17. 
 
 2. Their use, $ 18. 
 
 (a) They do not confer grace ex opere operato, $ 18. 
 
 (6) They must be used in faith, $ 19-22. 
 
 (c) Abuses arising from the opinion of an opus operatum, $ 23. 
 
 Article XIV. Of Ecclesiastical Orders, p. 217. 
 No desire to revolt against the authority of the bishops, except as by their con- 
 demnation of scriptural doctrine they have rendered it necessary, $$ 24-28. 
 
 Article XV. Of Human Traditions in tlie Church, Chapter VIII., p. 218 
 
 1. Human traditions cannot merit grace, $$ 1,2. 
 
 2. The adversaries in teaching otherwise are judaizing, $$ 3-5. 
 
 3. Scripture proofs, $$6-12. 
 
 4. Traditions were instituted originally not for this purpose, § 13. 
 
 5. Folly of instituting them for such purpose now, $$ 14-17. 
 
 6. Doctrine of the adversaries a mark of Antichrist, $$ 18-21. 
 
ANALYSIS OF THE APOLOGY. 685 
 
 7. How the original end of traditions became perverted, §§ 22-24. 
 
 8. Evils flowing from this perversion, §§ 25-28. 
 
 9. Additional Scripture proof's that these traditions are unnecessary, §§ 29, 30 
 
 10. The bishops have no power to institute services with this design, \\ 31- 
 
 37. 
 
 11. Useful Church ordinances and edifying ceremonies not to be abolished, 
 
 §§ 38-44. 
 
 12. Bodily discipline not to be neglected, §§45-48. 
 
 13. Solution of the difficulties involved, §§49-52. 
 
 Article XVI. Of Political Order, p. 227. 
 
 1. The distinction between the kingdom of Christ and a civil government, 
 
 §§53-57. 
 
 2. Legal redress allowed by the Gospel, §§58-60. 
 
 3. Christians allowed to hold property, §§ 61-64. 
 
 4. The Gospel doctrine strengthens the magistrate, § 65. 
 
 Article XVII. Of Christ's Return to Judgment, p. 229. 
 
 Article XVIII. Of the Free Will, p. 230. 
 
 1. The doctrine of the adversaries Pelagian, §§ 68, 69. 
 
 2. In what sense the will is free, and in what it is not, §§ 70-76. 
 
 Article XIX. Of the Cause of Sin, p. 231. 
 
 Article XX. Of Good Works, p. 232. 
 
 1. The assurance of the adversaries, §§78-86. 
 
 2. Scriptural proof of the doctrine that sins are gratuitously remitted for 
 
 Christ's sake, §§ 87-88. 
 
 3. Testimony cited by the adversaries examined, §§ 89-91. 
 
 Article XXI. Of the Invocation of Saints, Chapter IX., p. 235. 
 
 1. Futile efforts of the Confutation to prove that the saints should be wor 
 
 shipped, §§ 1-3. 
 
 2. A threefold honor to the saints approved, §§ 4-7. 
 
 (a) We should thank God for their lives, § 4. 
 
 (b) We should rejoice in the examples of mercy presented, § 5. 
 
 (c) We should imitate their faith and other virtues, § 6. 
 
 3. The angels and saints pray for the Church in general, §§8, 9. 
 
 4. But they should not be invoked, §§ 10-13. 
 
 (a) Scripture gives no such command, § 10. 
 (6) They are not omniscient, § 11. 
 
 (c) Prayer without faith resting on God's Word is not prayer, §§ 12, 
 13. 
 
 5. Nor dare thev be made mediators and propitiators, as by the adversa- 
 
 ries, §§ 14-20. 
 
 6. By invoking the saints they dishonor Christ, §§ 21-31. 
 
 7. Abuses springing from this practice, §§ 32-37. 
 
 8. Summary of charges against the adversaries, and appeal to the Em- 
 
 peror, §§ 38-44. 
 
 Article XXII. Of Both Kinds in the Lord's Supper, Chapter X., p. 243. 
 
 1. Both parts of the Lord's Supper belong to the entire Church, §§ 1-5. 
 
 2. The adversaries unable to present any scriptural ground for a departure 
 
 from this order, §§ 6-8. 
 
 3. The onlv ground of this departure, human preference and priestly am- 
 
 bition, §§ 9-13. 
 
 4. The Church has only borne this injurv ; it does not approve of it, 
 
 U 14-17. 
 44 
 
G$Q ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 Article XXIII. Of the Marriage of Priests, Chapter XI., p. 246. 
 
 A. Of the reasons for disapproving celibacy, §§ 1-59. 
 
 1. Assurance of the adversaries, §§ 1-5. 
 
 2. The law compelling the celibacy of priests c.innot be defended, }\ 6-59. 
 
 (a) Marriage is founded on the divine order ordained in the creation, 
 
 and therefore pertaining to all, §§ 7, 8. 
 (6) The right to contract marriage is a natural right, and therefore i*> 
 
 immutable, \\ 9-13. 
 
 (c) 1 Cor. 7 : 2 pertains to all men who have not a special gift of con- 
 
 tinence, §§ 14-22. 
 
 (d) The ancient canons allowed the marriage of priests; celibacy is an 
 
 innovation, §§23-25. 
 
 (e) The defence of constrained celibacy under the pretext of superior 
 
 holiness hypocrisy, §§ 26-50. 
 (aa) In believers marriage is pure, because it is sanctified by the 
 
 Word of God, §§ 28-34. 
 (66) There may be greater purity in the married than even in 
 
 those who are truly continent, § 35. 
 (cc) There is nothing meritorious in celibacy, §§ 36-50. 
 (/) The dangers to souls and public scandals that have arisen from 
 this law, §§ 51-59. 
 
 B. Of the arguments of the adversaries, § 60. 
 
 1. They appeal to a revelation, although their law is contrary to manifest 
 
 testimonies of Scripture, §§ 62, 63. 
 
 2. They demand that priests ought to be pure, but this refers to inner pu- 
 
 rity of heart, and marriage is not impure, §§ 64-66. 
 
 3. "The marriage of priests is the heresy of Jovinian ;" and yet in his 
 
 time the law concerning celibacy unknown, §§ 67-69. 
 
 4. Conclusion, §§ 70, 71. 
 
 Article XXIV. Of the Mass, Chapter XII., p. 259. 
 
 1. How the mass is celebrated in the Evangelical churches, §§ 1-5. 
 
 2. The abolition of the private mass defended, §§ 6-8. 
 
 3. The mass confers no grace ex opere operato, §§ 9-13. 
 
 K. What a sacrifice is, and what are the species of sacrifice, §§ 16-65, p. 261. 
 
 1. Distinction between a sacrament and a sacrifice. §§16-18. 
 
 2. The species of sacrifice are two — the one propitiatory, the other eucha- 
 
 ristic, §§19-21. 
 
 3. The death of Christ the only propitiatory Sacrifice, §§ 22-24. 
 
 4. All other sacrifices eucharistic, §§ 25, 26. 
 
 6. The worship of the New Testament spiritual, §§ 27-30. 
 
 6. Counter-proofs of the adversaries (Mai. 1:11; 3:3; Ex. 29:38 sq.; 
 
 Dan. 8 : 11 ; 12 : 11 ; Heb. 5 : 1) examined and explained, §§ 31-63. 
 
 7. Abuses arising from this error, §§ 64, 65. 
 
 B. What the fathers thought concerning sacrifice, §§ 66, 67, p. 272. 
 
 C. Of the use of the sacrament and of sacrifice, §§ 68-77, p. 273. 
 
 D. Of the term "mass," §§ 78-88, p. 275. 
 
 E. Of mass for the dead, §§ 89-99, p. 277. 
 
 Article XXVII. Of Monastic Vows, Chapter XIII., p. 280. 
 
 1. The crimes of monasticism, §§ 1-8. 
 
 2. The questions involved in the controversy, §§ 9, 10. 
 
 3. Statement of the grounds for disregarding monastic vows, §§ 11-57. 
 
 (a) No vow lawful whereby the one who vows believes that he meritd 
 
 the remission of sins, §§ 11-20. 
 
 (b) Obedience, poverty and celibacy are Adiaphora, §§ 21-50. 
 
 (c) The vow of celibacy contrary to a law implanted in nature, and 
 
 therefore unjustifiable, §§ 51, 52. 
 
 (d) Tie wickedness of monasteries such that some are deporting them, 
 
 22 63-56. 
 
ANALYSIS OF THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 687 
 
 (e) The testimony of the ancient canons induce others to abs adon the 
 monastic life, $ 57. 
 
 4. Reply of the adversaries considered, \\ 58-68. 
 
 5. Conclusion, 69, 70. 
 
 Article XXVIII. Of Ecclesiastical Power, Chapter XIV., p. 295. 
 
 1. The points at issue, \\ 1-6. 
 
 2. The bishops have no right to impose traditions not enjoined iu God's 
 
 Word, |§ 7-14. 
 
 3. Traditions may be observed when not regarded necessary services 
 
 4. Arguments of the adversaries considered, \\ 17-27 
 
 IV. ANALYSIS OF THE SMALCALD ARTI- 
 CLES. 
 
 Prefa.ce, p. 307. 
 
 Part I. Of the Chief Articles concerning the Divine 
 
 Majesty, p. 311. 
 
 The unity of the divine essence. 
 
 Personal characteristics within the Godhead. 
 
 Incarnation of the Son of God, and the acts belonging to his mediatorial office. 
 
 Part II. Of the Articles which refer to the Office 
 and Work of Jesus Christ, or our Redemption, p. 312. 
 
 Article I. Of the Merit of Jesus Christ, and that Man is Justified by Faith 
 alone, which Appropriates this Merit, p. 312. 
 
 Article II. Of the Mass, p. 312. 
 
 1. Statement of the point of controversy, \ 1. 
 
 2. Considerations against the Papal mass presented for the thought of 
 
 fair-minded men among the adversaries, \\ 2-10. 
 (a) It is a human device, \ 2. 
 (6) It is unnecessary, \ 3. 
 
 (c) The sacrament can be received in a better way, \\ 4, 5. 
 
 (d) It is connected with numerous and dangerous abuses, \ 6. 
 
 (e) It is used as a means to obtain forgiveness of sins, \ 7. 
 
 (/) The presumption of employing it as a devotional exercise, \\ 8, 9 
 
 3. The abuses which it has originated, \\ 11-24. 
 
 (a) Purgatory, \\ 12-15. 
 
 lb) The apparitions of evil spirits, \\ 16, 17. 
 
 (e) Pilgrimages, \\ 18-20. 
 
 (d) Fraternities, \ 21. 
 
 (e) Relics of saints, \\ 22, 23. 
 (/) Indulgences, \ 24. 
 
 (g) Invocation of saints, \\ 25-29. 
 
 Article III. Of Chapters and Cloisters, p. 317. 
 
 1. They should be devoted, as originally intended, to educational pur 
 
 poses \ 1. 
 
 2. If this bo not done, they should be destroyed, \ 2. 
 
CSS ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 Article IV. Of the Papacy, p. 318. 
 
 1. The Pope not head of the Church by divine right, \\ 1-6. 
 
 2. If, by human right this position were conceded him, it would be of no 
 
 benefit to the Church, \\ 7-9. 
 
 3. The Pope the true Antichrist, \\ 10-14. 
 
 4. Conclusion of Part II., \\ 15, 16. 
 
 Part III. Articles for the Consideration of Learned 
 and Reasonable Men, p. 321. 
 
 Article I. Of Sin, p. 321. 
 1 Declaration of the sin derived from Adam's transgression, and the eviJ 
 
 works that proceed therefrom, \\ 1-3. 
 2. Enumeration of Scholastic dogmas concerning human ability in conflict 
 
 with the scriptural doctrine, §£4-11. 
 
 Article II. Of the Law, p. 322. 
 
 1. The primary design of the Law, and why ineffectual, \\ 1-3. 
 
 2. The chief office of the Law, as now declared, §g 4, 5. 
 
 Article III. Of Repentance, p. 323. 
 
 1. Of the scriptural doctrine of repentance, \\ 1-9. 
 
 (a) The office of the Law in the New Testament, \\ 1-3. 
 (6) The office of the Gospel, as completing the repentance wrought by 
 the Law, U 4-8. 
 
 2. Of the false repentance of the Papists, \\ 10-45. 
 
 (a) Its origin in improper conception of original sin, \ 10. 
 (6) Its sphere confined to actual sins, § 11. 
 
 (c) Its three parts, contrition, confession and satisfaction, which are 
 claimed to be meritorious acts, §§12. 
 (aa) How confidence which should be placed in Christ is there- 
 by diverted to man's own works, \\ 12, 13. 
 (66) Errors connected with their contrition, §| 15-18 
 (cc) Errors connected with their confession, \\ 19, 20. 
 (dd) Errors connected with their satisfaction, \\ 21-28. 
 
 3. This false contrasted with scriptural repentance : 
 
 (a) The latter acknowledges man's entire corruption and impotence, 
 
 U 30-35. 
 (6) The latter, which recognizes nothing in us that is not sin, is not 
 
 partial and uncertain like the former, which is confined to acts 
 
 of sin, g 36. 
 
 (c) The latter is accompanied also by a confession and a satisfaction, 
 
 which are likewise neither partial nor uncertain, \\ 37, 38. 
 
 (d) The latter continues until death, \ 40. 
 
 4. Warning against those who hold that faith may exist in men who are 
 
 guilty of manifest crimes, \\ 42-45. 
 
 Article IV. Of the Gospel, p. 330. 
 The forms in which the consolation of the Gospel is administered. 
 
 Article V. Of Baptism, p. 330. 
 
 1. The true nature of baptism defined, § 1. 
 
 2. The false opinions of Scholastics rejected, §§2, 3. 
 
 3. Infant baptism defended, \ 4. 
 
 Article VI. Of the Sacrament of the Altar, p. 330. 
 
 1. The true presence of Christ's body and blood, § 1. 
 
 2. Communion under both forms maintained, \\ 2—4. 
 
 3. Tra-isubstautiation rejected, $5. 
 
ANALYSIS OF THE SMALCALD ARTICLES. 689 
 
 Article VII. Of the Keys, p. 331. 
 The power of the keys is to be exercised not only with gross and manifest, bu' 
 also with subtile and secret, sins, which are known only to 
 God. 
 
 Article VIII. Of Confession, p. 331. 
 
 1. Confession and absolution to be retained, §1. 
 
 2. The enumeration of sins free to every one, \ 2. 
 
 3. As true absolution must be restricted to the external or written Word, 
 
 enthusiasm, or the claim to have the Spirit without or beyond 
 the written Word, is refuted, \\ 3-13. 
 
 Article IX. Of Excommunication, p. 333. 
 The greater excommunication — i. e. that which inflicts civil penalties — rejected. 
 The less, which does not admit open and obstinate sinners tc 
 communion, approved. 
 
 Article X. Of Ordination and the Call, p. 332. 
 The right of the Evangelical churches to ordain ministers. 
 
 Article XL Of the Marriage of Priests, p. 334. 
 
 Attack upon the Romish prohibition, and defence of Protestant permission, of 
 marriage of the clergy. 
 
 Article XII. Of the Church, p. 334. 
 
 1. The Papacy not the Church, 2 1. 
 
 2. What the Church is, § 2. 
 
 3. Wherein the holiness of the Church consists, \ 3. 
 
 Article XIII. How Man is Justified before. God, and of Good Works, 
 
 p. 335. 
 
 1. Justification by faith, 2 1. 
 
 2. Good works follow faith, so that where they do not follow the faith i* 
 
 false, U 2-4. 
 
 Article XIV. Of Monastic Vows, p. 335. 
 Monastic vows directly conflict with the chief article of the Christian faith. 
 
 Article XV. Of Human Traditions, p. 336. 
 
 1. The godless doctrine of the Papists, 22 1, 2. 
 
 2. Conclusion of Part III., \\ 3-5. 
 
 (a) Nothing concerning the above articles can be yielded, 2 3. 
 
 (b) Enumeration of some superstitious illusions of the Papists, 224, 5, 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 OF THE POWER AND PRIMACY OF THE POPE. 
 I. Of the Pope, 2 1-59, p. 339. 
 
 Introduction: The points in controversy stated, 22 1-6. 
 
 1. The bishop of Rome net universal bishop according to divine right — 
 
 (a) Proved from Scripture, \\ 7-11. 
 
 (6) From the testimony of the ancient Church, \\ 12-21. 
 
 (c) Scripture passages cited to the contrary explained, \\ 22-30. 
 
 2. The power conferred by Christ upon his apostles purely spiritual, 
 
 22 31-34 
 
690 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 8. The necessity of complete severance from the government of the Pop* 
 ^ $$ 35-59. 
 (a) No obedience to be rendered those who defend godless services oi 
 
 false doctrine, $ 38. 
 (6) The Popes defend such services and doctrines, #$39-48. 
 
 (aa) The marks of Antichrist applied to the Papacy, $? 39-42. 
 (66) Some of the godless services and false doctrines en umeiated: 
 the profanation of masses, the Romish doctrines of re 
 pentance, of justification, of sin, of the necessity of the 
 enumeration of sins, of satisfactions, indulgences, wor- 
 ship of saints, the tradition concerning celibacy, the false 
 doctrine and godless service of vows, \\ 43-48. 
 
 (c) The two great sins of the Papacy : of defending these errors by 
 
 nnjnst punishments, and of wresting the decision of ecclesias- 
 tical controversies from the Church, §$49-51. 
 
 (d) An appeal to all godly men, and especially to rulers, to reject 
 
 these errors, and to provide for their removal from the Church, 
 $$52-59. 
 
 II. 0/ the Power and Jurisdiction of Bishops, $$ 60-82, p. 348. 
 
 1. The paritv, according to divine right, of all pastors, elders and bishops, 
 
 $$ 60-64. 
 
 2. The consequent legitimacy, according to divine right, of ordination 
 
 performed by a pastor in his own church, and the necessity for 
 the Church to assert this right when the regular bishops are 
 enemies of the Gospel, $$ 65-72. 
 
 3. For the same reason, the jurisdiction of excommunication is denied the 
 
 bishops, and transferred to the pastors, $$73-76. 
 
 4. The jurisdiction in forensic cases, especially those pertaining to mar- 
 
 riage, having been committed to them entirely on the author- 
 ity of human right, should also, because of its unjust exercise, 
 be withdrawn, $$77, 78. 
 
 f> Summing up of the argument of the Appendix, showing the reasons 
 why they are no longer to be recognized as bishops, $ 79. 
 
 6. The charge added that the bishops are defrauding the Church of alms, 
 $$ 80-82. 
 
 V. THE SMALL AND LARGE CATECHISMS. 
 
 [Analysis not given, for reasons stated in Preface to this volume.] 
 
 VI. ANALYSIS OF THE FORMULA OF CON- 
 CORD. 
 
 PAKT I.— EPITOME. 
 
 Introduction. Of the Comprehensive Summary Rule 
 and Standard, p. 491. 
 
 1. The Holy Scriptures the only rule and standard, $$ 1, 2. 
 
 2. Enumeration of the Confessions of the Church, $$ 3-^6. 
 
 i. Distinction between the authority of the Holy Scriptures and that of 
 
 the Confessions, 2S7 8. 
 
ANALYSIS OF THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 691 
 
 Chapter I. Of Original Sin, p. 493. 
 
 1. Statement of the controversy, $ 1. 
 
 2. Affirmative statement of the pure doctrine: 
 
 (a) The distinction between human nature and original sin, \ 2. 
 fo) The reasons for the distinction, \\ 3-7. 
 
 (c) The extent of Original Sin, ty 8-10. 
 8. Negative : Rejection of false doctrines : 
 
 (a) Pelagian errors, \\ 11-14. 
 (6) Synergistic errors, §§ 15, 16. 
 \c) Manichaean errors, \\ 17-19. 
 
 (d) Arguments of adversaries rejected. 
 
 (aa) Abuse of terms employed by Luther, \\ 20, 21. 
 
 fob) Ambiguity of " nature," \ 22. 
 
 (cc) Use of philosophical terms, \\ 23, 24. 
 
 Chapter II. Of the Free Will, p. 496. 
 
 1. The controversy stated, \ 1. 
 
 2. The pure scriptural doctrine: 
 
 (a) The blindness of the intellect in spiritual things, $2. 
 
 (6) The enmity of the will to God, and the entire impotence of man 
 
 with respect to spiritual life, § 3. 
 (c) Conversion a work of God's Spirit through the means of grace, 
 
 3. Rejection of contrary and false doctrines, \ 7 &qq. 
 
 (a) Enumeration of errors : 
 (aa) Of Stoical and Manichaean fatalism, \ 8. 
 (bb) Of Pelagianism, \ 9. 
 
 \cc) Of Semi-Pelagianism and Synergism, \\ 10, 11. 
 \dd) Of sinless perfection, $ 12. 
 fee) Of enthusiasm, $ 13. 
 [ff) Of Flacianism, I 14. 
 
 (b) Examination of several frequently used formulas, \\ 15-18. 
 
 (c) Brief declaration of the " number of causes " of conversion, \ 19. 
 
 Chapter III. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God, p. 500. 
 
 1. The controversy stated, $g 1, 2. 
 
 2. The pure scriptural doctrine: 
 
 (a) Christ our righteousness according to both natures, \ 3. 
 
 (b) God forgives sins out of pure grace, \ 4. 
 
 (c) Faith alone is the means whereby we apprehend Christ as Saviour, 
 
 (d) What justifying faith is, \ 6. 
 
 (e) Meaning of the word "to justify," \\ 7, 8. 
 (/) The certainty of faith, \ 9. 
 
 (g) Doctrine of the exclusive particles, \ 10. 
 (h) Relation of faith to good works, § 11. 
 
 3. Rejection of contrary and false doctrines : 
 
 (a) Chief error of Osiander, \ 12. (6) Of Stancar, 1 13. (c) Other 
 errors of Osiander, \\ 14-16. 
 
 (d) Errors of the opposite extreme, $ 17. 
 
 (e) Corruptions of the pure doctrine connected with the ambiguity of 
 
 the Interim, U 19-23. 
 
 Chapter IV. Of Good Works, p. 503. 
 
 1. Statement of the controversies, \\ 1-4. 
 
 2. The pure scriptural doctrine: 
 
 (a) Relation of faith to good works, \ 6. (b) Exclusion of good works 
 from articles " Of Justification," \ 7. (c) All men in duty 
 bound to do good works, $ 8. (d) In what sense term " neces- 
 sary " is allowable, \ 9. (e) Limitation of terms, $10. (/) 
 Charge of teaching indifference of good works repelled, §11. 
 
692 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 (g) Spontaneity of good works, § 12. (h) Freedom of spirit not 
 perfect, § 13. (»') Non-imputation of this infirmity to the elect, 
 g 14. (j) How faith and salvation are preserved and retained, 
 §15. 
 3. Rejection of false doctrines: 
 
 (a) That good works are necessary to salvation, § 16. 
 
 (6) That good works are injurious to salvation, \\ 17, 18. 
 
 (c) That faith in Christ and the Holy Ghost may exist where there is 
 a deliberate purpose to sin, § 19. 
 
 CHAFrER V. Of the Law and the Gospel, p. 506. 
 
 1. Statement of the controversy, \ 1. 
 
 2. The pure scriptural doctrine: 
 
 (a) Distinction between the Law and the Gospel, \ 2. (6) Definition 
 of the Law, §£3, 4. (c) Meaning of the term "Gospel," §§5, 
 6. (d) How the revelation of sin is made, §§ 7-9. (e) Pecu- 
 liar office of the Gospel, § 10. 
 
 3. Rejection of the contrary doctrine, that the Gospel convicts of sin, \ 11. 
 
 Chapter VI. Of the Third Use of the Law, p. 508. 
 
 1. Statement of the controversy, \ 1. 
 
 2. The pure scriptural doctrine : 
 
 (a) Believers are not without law, § 2. (b) The Law to be preached 
 even to the regenerate and justified, § 3. (c) Need of the Law 
 because of the imperfection of sanctification, \ 4. {d) Distinc- 
 tion between the works of the Law and the fruits of the Spirit, 
 §§5,6. 
 
 3. Rejection of the false doctrine, that the law of God is not to be urged 
 
 upon true believers, § 8. 
 
 Chapter VII. Of the Lord's Supper, p. 509. 
 
 1. Historical introduction, § 1. 
 
 2. Statement of the controversy, \\ 2-5. 
 
 3. The pure scriptural doctrine : 
 
 (a) The true presence, \\ 6, 7. (b) The consecration, \\ 8, 9. (c) Vhe 
 foundation of the doctrine of the true presence, \\ 10-14. (d) 
 The oral partaking of the body and blood, § 15. (c) Th*? re- 
 ception of Christ's body and blood by both worthy and un- 
 worthy communicants, \\ 16-20. 
 
 4. Rejection of false doctrines : 
 
 (a) Of the Papists, g§ 22-24. (6) Of those who deny the true pres- 
 ence, §§ 25-36. (c) Of those who err concerning the partaking 
 by both worthy and unworthy, \\ 37-39. (d) Of adoration of 
 elements, § 40. (e) Examination of unjust inferences and false 
 charges, $§41, 42. 
 
 Chapter VIII. Of the Person of Christ, p. 516. 
 
 1. Origin of the controversy, \ 1. 
 
 2. Statement of the controversy, §§2, 3. 
 
 3. The pure scriptural doctrine : 
 
 (a) The personal union, §§4-6. (6) The properties of the two na 
 tures, and their relation to each other, \\ 7-16. (c) The bear- 
 ing of this doctrine on that of the Lord's Supper, § 17. (d) 
 The opposition of this doctrine to Nestorianism and Euty 
 chianism, \ 18. 
 
 4. Rejection of the fa lse doctrines : 
 
 Twenty-oo errors enumerated of Nestorius, Eutyches, Arius, MarcJon 
 and others, §§ 19-39. 
 
 Chapter IX. Of the Descent of Christ into Hell, p. 522. 
 
 1. Statement of the controversy, § 1. 
 
 2. Limitations to be observed in the discussion, \\ 2, 3. 
 
ANALYSIS OF THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 693 
 
 Chapter X. Of Ecclesiastical Ceremonies, p. 522. 
 
 1. Statement of the controversy, $ 2. 
 
 2. Pure scriptural doctrine: 
 
 (a) Ecclesiastical rites not enjoined in God's Word are not of them- 
 selves divine services, \ 3. (b) Power to change ecclesiastical 
 rites, 1 4. (c) Caution to be exercised with respect to the weak, 
 \ 5. (d) No concession to be made even with respect to Adi- 
 aphora in times of persecution, \ 6. (e) Dissimilarity in rites 
 no ground for Church censure, \ 7. 
 
 3. Rejection of the false doctrine : 
 
 Four contrary errors stated, \\ 8-12. 
 
 Chapter XI. Of God's Eternal Predestination and Election, p. 525. 
 
 1. Introduction, $ 1. 
 
 2. The pure scriptural doctrine : 
 
 (a) Distinction between foreknowledge and predestination, §§2-5. (b) 
 God's decrees not absolute, but hypothetical, \\ 6-12. (c) Cau- 
 tion to be observed in considering this doctrine, \\ 13-15. 
 
 3. Rejection of false doctrines : 
 
 Enumeration of four errors concerning the will of God, his call and 
 the causes for the final ruin and the final salvation of men, 
 U 16-21. 
 
 Conclusion. 
 Statement of what has been accomplished in the epitome, \ 22. 
 
 APPENDIX, p. 529. 
 Of other Heresies and Sects which never Accepted the Augsburg Confession* 
 
 I. Errors of the Anabaptists, §§ 2-19. 
 
 (a) Those which cannot be tolerated in the Church. 
 
 (b) Those which cannot be tolerated in the government. 
 
 (c) Those which cannot be tolerated in the family. 
 II. Errors of the Schwenkfeldians, \\ 20-27. 
 
 III. Errors of the New Arians, \\ 28. 
 
 IV. Errors of the Antitrinitarians, \ 29. 
 Conclusion, U 30, 31. 
 
 Part II. SOLID DECLARATION. 
 INTRODUCTION, p. 533. 
 
 Of the Comprehensive Summary and Rule of Doc- 
 trine, p. 535. 
 
 1. Endorsement of the former symbols of the Church, \\ 1, 2. 2. The 
 Holy Scriptures the sole rule of faith, \ 3. 3. The three (Ecu- 
 menical Creeds, § 4. 4. The Augsburg Confession, \ 5. 5. The 
 Apology, \ 6. 6. The Smalcald Articles, \ 7. 7. The Cate- 
 chisms, \ 8. 8. Relation of the symbols to the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, U 9-13. 
 
 Of the Antithesis or Rejection of False Doctrine. 
 
 p. 538. 
 
 1. Duty of the Church to resist false doctrines, g 14. 2. When controversy 
 is justifiable, g 15. 3. Motives for the present declaration, j5 16. 
 4. Errors rejected: (a) Thosp repudiated in the primitive 
 
 46 
 
694 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 Church, § 17. (b) Those repudiated in the symbols above cnir 
 merated, §18. (c) Those arising during thirty years past, 
 partly from the Interim, ami partly From other sources, among 
 the theologians of the Augsburg Confession, \ 19. 5. Fidelity 
 to Augsburg Confession reasserted, §20. 
 
 CHAPTER I. Of Original Sin, p. 537. 
 
 T. Statement of the controversy, §§ 1--3. 
 
 11. The pure scriptural doctrine: 
 
 1. The corruption and ruin of human nature, §§5, 6. 2. The manner in 
 which original sin is propagated, \\ 7-9. 3. The factors of 
 original sin: (a) The negative, $10. (6) The positive, \\ 11, 
 12. 4. The punishments of original sin, § 13. 5. The remedy 
 for original sin, § 14. 
 
 III. Rejection of contrary errors: 
 
 (1) Pelagian and Pel agiani zing, §§ 17-25. (2) Manichaean, (a) Slater 
 merit of, §^ 26-33. (b) Confutation: (aa) From article Of Crea- 
 tion, £2 34-42. (bb) From article Of Redemption, ^g 43, 44. 
 (cc) From article Of Sanctification, §45. (dd) From article Of 
 Resurrection, §§ 46,47. 
 
 IV. Explanation of terms emploved : 
 
 (1) Nature, §§ 51-53. (2) Substance and accident, §§ 54-62. 
 
 Chapter II. Of the Free Will, p. 551. 
 
 1. Statement of the controversy, §§ 1-4. 
 II. Pure scriptural doctrine concerning human power in conversion: 
 
 1. The impotence of unregenerate man in spiritual things, §§7-16. 2. 
 His enmity to God, and consequent inability to work or co- 
 operate in spiritual things, §§ 17-24. 3. Conversion, regenera- 
 tion, etc., solely the work of the Holy Ghost, §§ 25-27. 4. 
 Harmony of the Confessions of the Church with this scriptural 
 doctrine, \\ 28-45. 
 
 III. How man is converted to God. 
 
 1. Abuse of this doctrine to be avoided, §§ 6, 47. 2. God's appointment 
 of means for converting men, §§48-54. 3. Certainty of the 
 Spirit's grace and co-operation where the Word is preached 
 and heard, §§ 55, 56. 4. The means inoperative when de- 
 spised, §§ 58-62. 5. Human co-operation begins with the work 
 of the Holy Ghost, §§ 63-66. 6. Distinction between the bap- 
 tized and non-baptized, §§ 67-69. 7. Application of the argu- 
 ment to the determination of the efficient cause of conversion, 
 §§ 70-73. 
 
 IV. Rejection of errors and limitation of several customary expressions, §§74 
 
 90. 
 
 Chapter III. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God, p. 570. 
 
 F. Statement of the controversy, §§ 1-8. 
 II. The pure scriptural doctrine: 
 
 1. Definition and ground of justification, §§9-17. 2. Meaning of "re- 
 generation," as used in this article, §§ 18-20. 3. Relation of 
 sanctification to justification, §21. 4. Relation of the imputed 
 righteousness of faith to the inchoate righteousness of new 
 obedience, §§22-35. 5. Doctrine of the exclusive particles, 
 §§ 36-41. 6. The Apology's explanation of James 2 : 14, 24. 
 §§42,43. 
 III. Rejection of errors: 
 
 1. Concerning the relation of Good Works to Justification, §§ 44-53. 2. 
 Concerning the indwelling of God, and the nature of Christ, 
 regarded as our righteousness, §§ 54-58. 3. Recapitulation, 
 U 59-67. 
 
ANALYSIS OF THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. 695 
 
 Chapter IV. Of Good Works, p. 582. 
 
 I. Statement of the controversy, §§ 1-12. 
 II. The pure scriptural doctrine: 
 
 1, The necessity jf good works, §§14-20. 2. Why good works are nece* 
 sary, §§ 21-29. 3. How righteousness and salvation are pre- 
 served in us, §§ 30-36. 4. In what sense good works are per* 
 nicious to salvation, § 37. 
 III. Rejection of contrary doctrine, §§ 38-40. 
 
 Chapter V. Of the Law and the Gospel, p. 589. 
 
 I. Importance of an accurate distinction between the Law and the Gospel, § 1, 
 II. Statement of the controversy, §§ 2-4. 
 III. The pure scriptural doctrine: 
 
 1. The doctrine of the Law, §§5-18. 2. The doctrine of the Gospel, 
 §§ 19-22. 3. The distinction between the two, §§ 23-26. 
 IV Danger resulting from a confusion of these doctrines, § 27. 
 
 Chaffer VI. Of the Third Use of the Law, p. 595. 
 
 I. Statement of the controversy, §§ 1-3. 
 
 II. The pure scriptural doctrine: 
 
 1. The Law indispensable for holiness of life, §§4-9. 2. The relation 
 of the Gospel to the new obedience, §§ 10-15. 3. Distinction 
 between the works of the Law and the fruits of the Spirit, 
 §§ 16-19. 4. Reasons why the Law is needful for believers, 
 to 20-25. 
 [II. Rejection of the contrary doctrine, which repudiates the third use of the 
 Law for believers, § 26. 
 
 Chapter VII. Of the Lord's Supper, p. 600. 
 
 I. Why this topic is treated, § 1. 
 
 II. Statement of the controversy, § 2. 
 
 III. The doctrine taught by the Lutheran Church: 
 
 (1) In the Augsburg" Confession, §§ 9-11. (2) The Wittenberg Formula 
 of Concord, |§ 12-16. (3) The Smalcald Articles, §§17-19. 
 (4) The Small and Large Catechisms, §§ 20-27. (5) Luther's 
 Large Confession concerning the Lord's Supper, §§ 28-32. (6) 
 Luther's last Confession, § 33. 
 
 IV. The expressions "in," "with" and "under," §§35-40. 
 V. The scriptural proof of the true presence, §§ 42-59. 
 
 VI. The communion of the unworthy, §§ 60-72. 
 VII. The consecration, §§ 73-90. 
 
 VI II. Arguments of the adversaries disproved, chiefly from Luther, §§ 91-106. 
 IX. Rejection of errors. 
 
 1. Those of the Papists, §§ 107-110. 
 
 2. Those of the Reformed, §§ 111-128. 
 
 Chapter VIII. Of the Person of Christ, p. 624. 
 
 I. Statement of the controversy, §§ 1-4. 
 II. The pure scriptural doctrine of the personal union stated, §§ 5-12. 
 
 III. The glory and majesty of Christ's humanity imparted by the personal union, 
 
 §§ 13-30. 
 
 IV. The Communicaiio Idiomatum, §§31-62. 
 
 V. The doctrine of the Communicatio Idiomatum guarded against possible mi* 
 
 understandings, §§63-87. 
 VI. Rejection of contrary errors, §§ 88-96. 
 
 Chapter IX. Of the Descent of Christ to the Df.oA, p. 643. 
 
 I. Brief statement of the doctrine, §§ 1,2. 
 II. The mode of the descent inexplicable, § 3. 
 
696 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 Chapter X. Of Ecclesiastical Ceremonies, p. 648. 
 
 I. Statement of the controversy, §§ 1-3. 
 I T. What are Adiaphora, or matters of indifference, £$4-17. 
 
 III. The testimony of the Smalcald Articles, g§ 18-24." 
 
 IV. Rejection of errors, § 2o. 
 
 Chapter XL Of God's Eternal Predestination and Eltttion, p. 649. 
 
 I. Reasons for introducing the topic, §§ 1, 2. 
 II. The pure scriptural doctrine: 
 
 1. The distinction between foreknowledge and election, §§ 3-8. 2. God't 
 election to life not to be sought merely in his inscrutable coun- 
 sel, bu* in his revealed will — i. e. the Gospel, §§ 9-12. 3. What 
 the purpose of God, as revealed in the Gospel, comprises, §§ 13- 
 24 4. Who are the elect ? §§ 25-33. 5. The small number 
 of the elect not determined by want of efficacy attending the 
 divine call, §§34-42. 
 
 III. The consolation afforded by this doctrine, §§ 43-51. 
 
 IV. Distinction to be made between what is and what is not revealed, §$52-70. 
 V. Application of this doctrine to the life, §§71-93. 
 
 Conclusion. 
 The purpose of these articles, and the kind of harmony desired, §§ 94-96. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Of Other Factions and Sects, which never embraced the Augsburg Confession 
 
 p. 666. 
 General description, §§ 1-8. 
 
 I. Errors of the Anabaptists, §§ 9-27. 
 II. Errors of the Schwenkfeldians, §§28-35. 
 
 I I I. Errors of the New Arians, § 36. 
 
 IV. Errors of the New Antitrinii arians, §§37, 38. 
 V. Conclusion, §§ 39, 40. 
 
IL-INDEXES. 
 
 INDEX I. 
 
 SCRIPTURAL TEXTS QUOTED IN THE BOOK OF 
 
 CONCORD. 
 
 Qenesis.....l:ll 248 
 
 1:26 sq 509 
 
 1:27 79 
 
 1:28 48,248,615 
 
 2:16 509 
 
 2:18 58 
 
 3 550 
 
 3:3 , 509 
 
 3:7 sqq 322 
 
 3 : 15 82, 83, 185, 593 
 
 4:10 258 
 
 6:5 496 
 
 8:21 496,497,555 
 
 15:1 93 
 
 15:6 575 
 
 17: 7 sqq 530 
 
 22:18 593 
 
 25:23 665 
 
 Exodus 9:16 664 
 
 20 : 2 sqq 364 sqq., 391 sqq. 
 
 20:6 133 
 
 20:7 51 
 
 20:12 155 
 
 20 : 15 229, 290 
 
 29:38 266 
 
 33:3 322 
 
 Leviticus ...3 : 1 sq 263 
 
 7:11 sq 263 
 
 19; 18 138 
 
 Numbers...6:2 sqq 292 
 
 14:18 110, 147 
 
 28:4 sq 267 
 
 Der*eron...4 : 24 147 
 
 6:5 105, 138,285 
 
 6:6 sqq 386 
 
 12: 8 sqq 598 
 
 16:10... 276 
 
 29:4 557 
 
 30:6 557 
 
 32:6 545 
 
 32:18 493 
 
 L Samuel...2:6 185 
 
 2:36 245 
 
 2 Samuel..l2:13 185, 186 
 
 22:5 207 
 
 I Kings. .12: 26 sqq 220 
 
 46 
 
 Job 9:28 110, 147 
 
 9:30 110, 147 
 
 10:8 493 
 
 10:8-12 545 
 
 19:26 494 
 
 Psalms 1 : 2 509, 595 
 
 2:10 347 
 
 4:5 265 
 
 5:5 651 
 
 5:9 78,655 
 
 6:1 207 
 
 6:2 sq 182 
 
 7:8 110, 147 
 
 8:1 629 
 
 8:6 629, 638 
 
 12:2 sq 655 
 
 14:1-3 78 
 
 18:5 207 
 
 19: 12 40, 53, 177, 331 
 
 25 568 
 
 31:22 662 
 
 32 : 1 96, 101, 111, 576 
 
 32:2 112 
 
 32:4 197 
 
 32:6 112 
 
 33:18 187 
 
 36:1 78 
 
 37:1 117 
 
 38:4 182 
 
 38:8 182 
 
 40:6 265 
 
 45:12 237 
 
 50:8 118 
 
 50:13 265 
 
 50 : 15 94, 133, 265, 399, 451 
 
 51:4 197,322 
 
 51:10 557,564 
 
 51:16sq 265 
 
 54:7 585 
 
 56 : 12 sq 263 
 
 68:18 106 
 
 72:11 237 
 
 72:15 237 
 
 82:6 243 
 
 90 551 
 
 93:1 sq 62U 
 
 697 
 
698 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 Psalms ...100: 3 403 
 
 100:13 410 
 
 110:1 504 
 
 110:3 564, 585 
 
 111:4 sq 274 
 
 116 : 11 80, 286 
 
 116:17 265 
 
 118:18 185 
 
 110 500 
 
 110:1 505 
 
 110:1 sqq 500 
 
 110:28 185 
 
 110:35 ...500 
 
 110:71 507 
 
 110:105 401 
 
 130: 3 sq 03, 110, 147 
 
 130:7 324 
 
 136:1 25,376 
 
 130:14 403 
 
 130 : 14-16 ...546 
 
 130:16 650 
 
 140:3 78 
 
 143: 2. ..110, 112, 147, 157, 101, 
 331, 500 
 
 143 : 8 186 
 
 147:11 437 
 
 Proverbs..l0:12 125 
 
 17:15 501, 572 
 
 10:17 426 
 
 20:0 110, 147 
 
 27:23 106 
 
 Ecclesias. 12 : 1 403 
 
 12:7 546 
 
 Isaiah 1:16-18 120 
 
 1:17-10 210 
 
 5:23 572 
 
 11:2 638 
 
 11:10 237 
 
 14:27 651 
 
 26:16 208 
 
 28 200 
 
 28:16 188, 230 
 
 28:21 185 
 
 37:28 650 
 
 38:10 182 
 
 38:13 182 
 
 40:6 110, 148, 258 
 
 45:0 sqq 403 
 
 45:11 545 
 
 40:6 504 
 
 40:23 188 
 
 52:11 257 
 
 53:5 312, 504 
 
 53:6 232,312 
 
 53 : 10 263, 270 
 
 53:11 100 
 
 54 : 5 403, 545 
 
 55:11 215 
 
 58:7 130 
 
 58 : 8 sqq 154 
 
 58:0 120 
 
 61:1 638 
 
 64:8 403,545 
 
 Jeremiah...3 : 1 662 
 
 7:22 118, 264 
 
 7:23 264 
 
 0:23 408 
 
 10:24 207 
 
 Jeremiah .15: 10 133, 53* 
 
 17:0 53, 555 
 
 23:6 500 
 
 23:20 323 
 
 31:10 80 
 
 31:33 104, 120 
 
 35 : 6 sq 203 
 
 40: 12 200 
 
 Ezokiel 7:26 246 
 
 11:10 557 
 
 18:21 sq 131 
 
 18 : 23 526, 663 
 
 20:18sq 220 
 
 20:25 287 
 
 33:11 105, 526, 663, 664 
 
 Daniel 2:28 525 
 
 3:20 131 
 
 4:27 120, 130, 131 
 
 4:14 634 
 
 8:11 sq 267 
 
 0:18 sq 148, 140 
 
 11:31 268 
 
 11:36 sqq 167 
 
 11:37 251 
 
 11:38 221,270 
 
 12:11 267, 268 
 
 Hosea 13:0 650, 660 
 
 13:14 204 
 
 Jonah 2:8 110, 148 
 
 3:10..., 210 221 
 
 Habakkuk.2: 4. .."'..... ..100, 184, 573, 580 
 
 Zachariah..l : 3 133 
 
 1:12 235 
 
 2:13 110, 148 
 
 3:2 321 
 
 0:10 620 
 
 Malachi 1 :2 sq 665 
 
 1:11 265 
 
 3:3 266 
 
 Tobias 4:5 135 
 
 4:11 135 
 
 4:10 135 
 
 2 Maccab..l5 : 14 236 
 
 Matthew...l:21 547 
 
 3:2 328 
 
 3:7 328 
 
 3:8 131, 200, 202 
 
 3:12 161 
 
 4:17 200, 202 
 
 5:3 120 
 
 5:6 655 
 
 5:7 120 
 
 5:10 117 
 
 5:13 282 
 
 5: 21 sqq 416,507,501 
 
 5:32 257 
 
 5: 34 sqq 300 
 
 5:30 : 228 
 
 5:46 418 
 
 6 : sqq 368 sqq., 448 sqq. 
 
 6:14 134, 462 
 
 6:33 456 
 
 7:7 sq 451 
 
 7:12 431 
 
 7:15 63, 172, 346,648 
 
 7:18 231 
 
 7:22 656 
 
 0:12 484, 513,614 
 
SCK1PTUEAL TEXTS QUOTED IN THE BOOK OF CONCORD. 699 
 
 Matthew. .10 
 11 
 11 
 11 
 11 
 
 13 
 13 
 
 13 
 13 
 15 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 18 
 
 18 
 
 18 
 
 18 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 19 
 
 19 
 
 19 
 
 19 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 20 
 
 22 
 
 22 
 
 22 
 
 22 
 
 22 
 
 22 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 
 23 
 
 23 
 
 23: 
 
 24 
 
 24 
 
 24 
 
 25 
 
 25 
 
 25: 
 
 25: 
 
 25: 
 
 26: 
 
 26: 
 
 26: 
 
 26: 
 
 28: 
 
 28 
 
 28 
 
 28 
 
 ..1 
 
 1 
 
 6 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 Mark 
 
 :29 650 
 
 :5 513 
 
 :6 300 
 
 :27 557, 634,641 
 
 : 28. ..183, 237, 483, 513, 614, 
 654, 660, 661 
 
 : 11 sq 553 
 
 : 15 557 
 
 :38 -...165 
 
 :47 161, 165 
 
 :3. 55 
 
 :9....55, 59, 205, 206. 218, 
 285, 289, 294, 313, 523, 645 
 
 :11 55, 296 
 
 :13 64 
 
 :14... 64 
 
 :19 496 
 
 :18 342, 525, 651 
 
 :19 160, 212 
 
 :5 143, 562, 660 
 
 :21 56 
 
 :2 339 
 
 :6 sq 647 
 
 : 15-17 429 sq. 
 
 :18 203, 342 
 
 :19 sq 342 
 
 : 20.... 330, 343, 350, 385, 639 
 
 :6 250 sq., 257 
 
 :11 49, 249 
 
 :12 250 
 
 :17 104, 133 
 
 :21 290 
 
 :29 287, 289 
 
 :3aqq 654 
 
 :16 658 
 
 :1 sqq 652 
 
 :2sqq 654 
 
 :3sqq 656 
 
 :6 656 
 
 :12 656 
 
 :21 377 
 
 :37 122 
 
 :2 39 
 
 :3 298 
 
 : 13 sqq 291 
 
 :37 563, 657 
 
 :5 335 
 
 :13 586 
 
 : 23 sqq 335 
 
 21 235 
 
 :23 235 
 
 35 155 
 
 41 sq 417 
 
 46 155 
 
 26 183 
 
 26-28 374 
 
 27 47 
 
 28 183 
 
 18 518, 521, 608, 634, 
 
 637, 641 
 
 19 173, 466 
 
 19 sq 370, 389 
 
 20 344, 639 
 
 1 590 
 
 15.... 184, 200, 324,507, 661 
 
 20 434 
 
 24 614 
 
 29 289 
 
 Mark 14:22 610 
 
 14:22-24 374 
 
 14:23 512 
 
 16:15 61, 590, 654 
 
 16:15sq 390 
 
 16:16 262, 332, 371, 466, 
 
 488 sq., 656 
 
 16:20 629 
 
 Luke 1:35 517 
 
 2:32 594 
 
 3:7 328 
 
 4:18 ..590 
 
 5:31 484 
 
 6:23 152 
 
 6:37 128, 130, 462 
 
 7:30 658 
 
 7:37sq 186 
 
 7:47 108 
 
 7:50 108 
 
 8:8 658 
 
 8:13 657 
 
 8:18 553, 658 
 
 10 : 16 62, 167, 172, 183, 298 
 
 11:2 sqq 368 sqq. 
 
 11: 11 sqq 662 
 
 11:25 657 
 
 11:25 sq 664 
 
 11:41 109, 136 
 
 11:49 526 
 
 11:52 526 
 
 12:14 62 
 
 13:5 590 
 
 13:24 655 
 
 14:18 656 
 
 14:24 658 
 
 15:7 590 
 
 17:10 39, 148 
 
 18:11 1*8 
 
 21:33 608 
 
 21:34 56, 226 
 
 22 : 19 52, 273, 374, 610 
 
 22:25 339 
 
 24:26 631 
 
 24:35... 244 
 
 24:45 557 
 
 24:46sq 590 
 
 24 : 47 94, 182, 200, 324, 654 
 
 John 1 : 3 634 
 
 1:5 553, 554 
 
 1:12 100 
 
 1:14 607 
 
 1:16 328 
 
 1:29 101, 312,654 
 
 3:5 88 
 
 3:14sq 100 
 
 3:15 sq 614 
 
 3:16 654, 661 
 
 3:17 100, 151 
 
 3:18 513 
 
 3:35 634 
 
 3:36 152 
 
 4:23 sq 264 
 
 5:21 634 
 
 5:23 237 
 
 5:27 634 
 
 5:29 155 
 
 6:29 557 
 
 6 : 35... 274 
 
700 
 
 John. 
 
 VNALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 Acta. 
 
 ...6 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 8: 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 10 
 
 10 
 
 10 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 14: 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 16: 
 
 16 
 
 16 
 
 16 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 17 
 
 17 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 20 
 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 21 
 
 ...1 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 10 
 
 10 
 
 10 
 
 10 
 
 10 
 
 13 
 
 13 
 
 13 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 17 
 
 17 
 
 20 
 
 20 
 
 20 
 
 37. 
 39 sq. 
 
 .661 
 .634 
 
 40 143, 661 
 
 44 662 
 
 48-58 635 
 
 51 654 
 
 19 329 
 
 34 552, 568 
 
 36 88, 140, 565 
 
 37 554 
 
 44 43, 164,232 
 
 2 sq 209 
 
 9 661 
 
 12 538 
 
 27 sq 161,652,654 
 
 28 525, 651,657,665 
 
 3 518, 634,637 
 
 6 44, 661 
 
 13 148 
 
 3 652 
 
 5 46, 129, 132, 144, 155, 
 
 193, 498, 554, 557 
 12 584 
 
 323, 591, 597 
 
 12. 
 14. 
 15. 
 23. 
 10. 
 17. 
 20. 
 24. 
 
 63 
 .660 
 .105 
 .237 
 .641 
 .562 
 .562 
 .636 
 
 36 62,344 
 
 21 sq 61,339,344 
 
 23 342 
 
 15 342 
 
 15 sqq 343 
 
 7 659 
 
 38 200 
 
 42 244 
 
 46 ; 244 
 
 21 623 
 
 11 sq 100 
 
 12 312 
 
 29.7..... 42, 67, 298, 345, 584 
 
 31..... 557 
 
 51 564, 656 
 
 1 sqq 332 
 
 5 sq 562 
 
 38 607 
 
 43 97, 134, 189 
 
 44 189 
 
 38 sq 100 
 
 46 656, 660 
 
 48 651 
 
 1-29 534 
 
 9sq 100,296 
 
 10 64,223 
 
 10 sq 56,253 
 
 29 63, 66 
 
 3 645 
 
 14 498,557 
 
 25 545 
 
 28 493 
 
 30 328 
 
 7 244 
 
 21... 507,590 
 
 28 518 
 
 Acts 21:26 «4fi 
 
 26:18 553 
 
 Romans 1 : 4 641 
 
 1 : 16 62, 95, 215, 385, 497, 
 
 593, 654 
 1 : 17.. ..110, 184, 501, 573, 580 
 
 1:18... 32?, 507, 591 
 
 1:19 sqq 553 
 
 l:20sq 593 
 
 2:6 155 
 
 2:10 155 
 
 2:13 104, 128 
 
 3:10-12 ....328, 553, 554 
 
 3:19 323 
 
 3:20 592 
 
 3:21 90, 113 
 
 3:22 654 
 
 3:23 88 
 
 3:23sq 312 
 
 3:24 ...96,517 
 
 3:24sq 97,233 
 
 3:25 158, 188 
 
 3:26 98, 312 
 
 3 : 28... 96, 99, 312, 571, 574, 577 
 
 3:31 104, 234 
 
 4:1 99 
 
 4:1 sq 576 
 
 4:3 93, 575 
 
 4: 3 sqq 139, 143,517 
 
 4:4 sq 99 
 
 4:5 137, 501,571,572 
 
 4 • 6 99, 157, 576, 586 
 
 4:6 sqq 504, 573 
 
 4:7 Ill 
 
 4:9 99,216 
 
 4:9 sqq 117 
 
 4:11 273 
 
 4:13 139 
 
 4:14 90 
 
 4 : 15 90, 133, 145, 193, 323 
 
 4 : 16 92. 98, 188, 192, 233 
 
 4:18 146 
 
 4:20 143 
 
 4-25 312, 593 
 
 5 . 1...44, 99, 110, 116, 120, 133, 
 
 142, 146, 182, 261, 277 
 
 5 : 2..97, 111, 129, 140, 144, 182, 
 
 188, 587 
 
 5:11 321 
 
 5: 12 sqq 322, 541 
 
 5:18 572 
 
 5:19 501, 572, 580 
 
 5:20 101, 107, 235, 323 
 
 6:4 371 
 
 6:9 175 
 
 6:12 509 
 
 6:14 505 
 
 6:16 568 
 
 6:17 585 
 
 6:19 200, 202 
 
 6:23 152, 663 
 
 7:5 80 
 
 7:6 505 
 
 7-7 81, 99,285,592 
 
 7;7sq 285,599 
 
 7:10 324 
 
 7:14 507, 555, 591 
 
 7 : 14-25 329, £05 
 
SCRIPTURAL TEXTS QUOTED IN THE BOOK OF CONCORD. 701 
 
 Romans ....7 : 18 485, 555, 598 
 
 7:18sq 598 
 
 7:19 112,598 
 
 7 . 22 564 
 
 7:22sq 564 
 
 7:23 81, 332, 555, 568, 598 
 
 7-25 112, 331, 510, 568 
 
 8:1 107,143,505 
 
 8-2 510,568 
 
 8:3*. 263 
 
 8:7 497,510,554,555 
 
 8:7 sq 88 
 
 8:10? 152,202 
 
 8:12 107 
 
 8:13 107,585,587 
 
 8-14 505, 564 
 
 8*:15 505 
 
 8:16 655,662 
 
 8:17 !55 
 
 8:25 655 
 
 8:26 655 
 
 8:28sq 657 
 
 8:29sq 652, 653 
 
 8:30 116,153,527 
 
 8:33 501,572 
 
 8:34 HI 
 
 8:35 658 
 
 8:39 657 
 
 9:5 ...517,625 
 
 9:11 657 
 
 9:17 664 
 
 9:19 651 
 
 9:20 660 
 
 9:22 sq 239,663 
 
 9 : 24 sq 658 
 
 9:31 656 
 
 9:33 239 
 
 10:3 sq 88 
 
 10:4.... 594 
 
 10:10 99,158,216 
 
 10:12 654 
 
 10 : 17..95, 183, 214, 497, 562, 661 
 
 11:6 90 
 
 11:20 587 
 
 11 : 22 sq 6o9 
 
 11:32 526,654 
 
 11:33 sq 659,660 
 
 12 : 1 ... .:. 202, 226, 264 
 
 12:2 597 
 
 12:5 174 
 
 12:19 228 
 
 13:1 sqq 228,377 
 
 13:5 sqq 377,584 
 
 13:9sq 378,599 
 
 14 : i.... 614, 645 
 
 14:3 614 
 
 14:6 646 
 
 14:13 523 
 
 U: 17 55, 170, 286, 296 
 
 14 : 23..89, 145, 194, 220, 285, 583 
 
 15 : 4 527, 652 
 
 15:16 266 
 
 lC)riatb .1:7 652 
 
 1:9 655 
 
 1:81 593 
 
 1-21 553, 562 
 
 I 'o() 498 
 
 1:30."! 93, 142,500,593 
 
 Corinth. .1 : 31 335 
 
 2 566 
 
 2:'8 518 
 
 2 : 14 42, 80, 231, 497, 533, 
 
 554, 556 
 
 3:6 340 
 
 3:8 116,151,239 
 
 3:9 565 
 
 3:12 166 
 
 4-1 275 
 
 4 -.4 Ill, 331, 599 
 
 4.7 558 
 
 4': 13 413 
 
 4:15 413 
 
 6:9 sq 587 
 
 7 : 2 48, 58, 249, 257, 291 
 
 7:5 253 
 
 7:9 48,249 
 
 7:14 251 
 
 7:18sq 646 
 
 7:27„ 257 
 
 7:32 253 
 
 8:8 286 
 
 8:9 523 
 
 9:9 584 
 
 9:14 376 
 
 9:19 645 
 
 9:21 598 
 
 9 : 27 56, 226, 509, 585, 598 
 
 10 : 16...174, 331, 512, 513, 602, 
 611, 612, 616 
 
 10:17 174 
 
 11:6 65 
 
 11:23 sqq 243,374,390 
 
 11:24 610 
 
 11:25 362 
 
 11:26 119,267 
 
 11:27 50, 278,513,612 
 
 11:28 47,331 
 
 11:29 176, 513 
 
 11:31 133,216 
 
 11:33 52 
 
 12:3 557 
 
 12:22 sq 431 
 
 13:2 120 
 
 13:3 104 
 
 13:13 122 
 
 14:2 50 
 
 14:9 50 
 
 14:27 65 
 
 14:30 65 
 
 15:10 565 
 
 15:12 534 
 
 15:27 634,633 
 
 15:56sq.. 96,208 
 
 15:57 205 
 
 16:1 HI 
 
 2 Corinth. .1 : 9 208 
 
 1:24 344 
 
 2: 14 sqq 563, 566 
 
 3 : 5 ...;.;. 497, ">54, 566 
 
 3:5 sq 563 
 
 3:6..! 271 
 
 3.7 593 
 
 3:7 sqq 594 
 
 3:8... 654 
 
 3:14sq 591 
 
 3:15sq 1°5 
 
702 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 2 Corinth. .3:16 501 
 
 3:18 - 152, 286 
 
 4: 10 208 
 
 5:2 «,q 152 
 
 5: 17 r ,r>7 
 
 5: 19 <i<>7 
 
 5:20 275, 654 
 
 5:21 500, 593 
 
 5:28 142 
 
 6:1 565 
 
 6 : 14 346, 523, 644, 648 
 
 6: 16 565 
 
 6:17 644 
 
 7: 10 591 
 
 9:6 155 
 
 9:7 585 
 
 9:12 275 
 
 10:4 62, 344 
 
 10:5 643 
 
 10:8 212 
 
 12:5 209, 498 
 
 12:9 209, 614 
 
 13:8 63 
 
 13:10 63,64 
 
 Galatian8...1 : 7 sqq 350 
 
 1:8 345 sq., 517 
 
 1:9 63, 172,298 
 
 2:4 sq 645 
 
 2:5 523 
 
 2:7 sq 339 
 
 2:11 sqq 646 
 
 2:16 99 
 
 2:17 145, 219 
 
 2:19 182 
 
 2:21 88 
 
 3:2 593 
 
 3:11 502 
 
 3:13 113 
 
 3:14 104, 597 
 
 3:15 219 
 
 3:22 98, 192 
 
 3:24 87,594 
 
 3:27 565 
 
 3:28 174 
 
 4:6 563 
 
 4:9 160 
 
 5 : 1 65, 224, 297, 523, 645 
 
 5:4 59, 88, 219, 283 
 
 5:6 102,502 
 
 5:7 160 
 
 5: 17 112, 146, 505, 555, 
 
 565, 568 
 
 5:19 sqq 484 
 
 5:21 587 
 
 5:24 585 
 
 6:2 510 
 
 6:6 376 
 
 6:14 509 
 
 6:15 557 
 
 Ej he8ians..l : 4 526, 651, 653 
 
 1:4 sq 652, 660 
 
 1:5 650 
 
 1:5 sq 665 
 
 1:7 134 
 
 1 : 9 sqq 653 
 
 1:11 655 
 
 1:13 652, 655 
 
 1:17... 554 
 
 Ephosians..l .21 626, 633 
 
 1 :22 512, 634 
 
 1:22 sq 162 
 
 2.1 553 
 
 2-2 164, 230, 552 
 
 2:3 ...553 
 
 2 : 5.' 497, 553,' 564*, 573 
 
 2:8 96, 99, 182, 501,557 
 
 2:8 sq 44,218,504,571 
 
 2 : 10 557, 559, 583, 597 
 
 4:5 sq 39 
 
 4:8 349 
 
 4:10 518 
 
 4:17 sq 553 
 
 4:22 568 
 
 4:28 211 
 
 4:30 657 
 
 5:5 587 
 
 5:8 553 
 
 5:9 79 
 
 5:22 378 
 
 5:25 sq 162 
 
 6:1 sqq 378 
 
 6:2 sq 116, 409 
 
 6:4 378 
 
 6:5 sqq 378 
 
 6:9 376 
 
 Titus 2:14 200 
 
 3:1 377 
 
 3:5 469, 573 
 
 3:5 sqq 371, 557 
 
 3:10 346 
 
 3:11 646 
 
 Philemon ..16 535 
 
 1 Peter 1:2 267 
 
 1:5 159, 587 
 
 1:9 152,587 
 
 112 630 
 
 1:24 sq 258 
 
 2:4-6 125, 239 
 
 2:5 263, 595 
 
 2:6 188,239 
 
 2:9 350 
 
 2:11 568 
 
 2:13 sq 377 
 
 3:6 378 
 
 3:7 378 
 
 3:18 631 
 
 4:1 631 
 
 4:8 125 
 
 4:17 207 
 
 5:1 349 
 
 5:2 585 
 
 5:3 67 
 
 5:5 sq 378 
 
 5:10 655 
 
 2 Peter 1:4 333, 630 
 
 1:10 234, 527 
 
 1:21 333 
 
 2:1 217 
 
 2: 10 657 
 
 2:13 352 
 
 2:20 657, 664 
 
 3 : 9 526, 654, 655, 663, 664 
 
 1 John 1:7 547, 580, 635, 654 
 
 1:8 110, 147 
 
 2:1 46 
 
 2:2 526,654 
 
SCRIPTUKAL TEXTS QUOTED IN THE BOOK OF CONCORD. 703 
 
 1 John 2:12 134 
 
 3:8 106, 329,541 
 
 3:9 329 
 
 3:14 574 
 
 4:19 106 
 
 4:21 584 
 
 5 : 10 sq 140, 188, 193 
 
 2 John 1 349 
 
 Hebrews ..2:4 110, 184 
 
 2:7 sq 638 
 
 2:8 634 
 
 2:14 493, 547 
 
 2:16 493 
 
 3:1 sq 655 
 
 3:6 586 
 
 3:14 586 
 
 4:2 712 
 
 4:7 712 
 
 4:14 sq 97 
 
 4:15 493 
 
 5:1. 270 
 
 5:5 sq 270 
 
 5:10 270 
 
 10:4 262 
 
 10:10 5i, 262 
 
 10:14 51 
 
 10:19 129 
 
 10:26 657 
 
 10:29 664 
 
 11 502 
 
 11:1 143 
 
 Philipp'ns..l : 6.. 657 
 
 1:9 554 
 
 1:20... 588 
 
 2 : 6 sqq 518 
 
 2:7 629 
 
 2:13 554,557 
 
 2:14 65 
 
 2:25 276 
 
 3:7 sqq 588 
 
 3:9 572 
 
 3:20 62 
 
 CoIoeeians..l : 9 554 
 
 1:13 155 
 
 1:22 sq 587 
 
 2:3 550, 638 
 
 2:8 160 
 
 2:9 521, 607, 629, 637 
 
 2:10 113 
 
 2:11 184 
 
 2:12 127 
 
 2:13 553 
 
 2:14 184 
 
 2 : 16 55, 64, 160, 283, 646 
 
 2:16sq 170,223 
 
 2:18 254 
 
 2:20 170 
 
 2: 20 sqq 55, 64, 297 
 
 2:21 56 
 
 2:23 222 
 
 3:4 619 
 
 3:6 587 
 
 3:10 79, 152 
 
 Colossians..3 : 14 123 
 
 3:19 377 
 
 3:22 378 
 
 3:29 377 
 
 4:1 378 
 
 1 Thessal...4 : 4 253, 257 
 
 2 Thessal...2 : 3 sq 345 
 
 2:4 162, 320 
 
 2:13 sq 652 
 
 2:16 sq 237 
 
 1 Timothy.l : 5 126 
 
 1:9 87,596 
 
 2:1 sq 378 
 
 2:15 251 
 
 3:2sqq 48, 376 
 
 3:15 166 
 
 3:16 .519,630 
 
 4 : 1....50, 56, 65, 170, 257, 334 
 
 4:2 sq 160 
 
 4:5 251 
 
 4:8 285 
 
 4:30 657 
 
 5:5 378 
 
 5:8 294 
 
 5:9 294 
 
 5: 11 sqq 293 
 
 5:17 sq 377 
 
 6:15 619 
 
 2 Timothy.l : 9 sq 657 
 
 1:13 588 
 
 2:15 115 
 
 2:19 665 
 
 2:21 664 
 
 2:25 557 
 
 2:26 552 
 
 3:16 538,652 
 
 4:8 154 
 
 Titus 1:2 605 
 
 1:5 sq 349 
 
 l:6sqq 376 
 
 1:9 376. 538 
 
 1:14 64,336 
 
 1 : 15 252 sq., 257 
 
 Hebrews. .11 : 4 sq 5!)9 
 
 11 : 6 133, 156, 231, 558 
 
 11:8 575 
 
 12:1 509 
 
 12:8 597 
 
 12 : 25 sqq 526 
 
 13:15 264 
 
 13 : 17 298, 377 
 
 13:21 509 
 
 James 1 : 6 465 
 
 1:17 210,557 
 
 1:18 127 
 
 2:20 577 
 
 2:21 sq 128 
 
 2:24 126 
 
 5 : 12 399 
 
 5:16 19"7 
 
 Revelation. 4 : 11 545 
 
 10 327 
 
 12 : 1 sq 318 
 
INDEX II. 
 
 SUBJECTS. 
 
 [The larger figures refer to the page; the smaller to the section.] 
 
 A. 
 
 Abel, 117 : 81, 258 : 70. 
 
 Ability, Human, extent of, 78, 230, 
 496, 542 : 12, 551. 
 Limitations of, 231 : 73, 541 : 11, 
 
 558 : 32. 
 Insufficiency of, 88:29, 110, 85:8, 
 
 127 : 129, 193 : 87. 
 How new powers are obtained, 561 : 
 48, 654 : 29, 655 : 33 ; not through 
 the Law, 597 : 11. 
 Errors of Papacy, 159 : 270 ; of Pe- 
 lagians and Semi-Pelagians, 230: 
 68, 498 : 9 sqq., 543 : 23. 
 
 Ablutions, External, do not justify, 
 136 : 161. 
 
 Abomination, the Papal mass an, 
 300 : l, 621 : 109. 
 
 Abbaham, 99 : 87, 117 : 80, 143 : 188, 
 146:199, 216:19, 228:61, 257:64, 
 286 : 25, 291 : 49, 575 : 33, 593 : 23. 
 
 Absolution. Not for investigation, 
 but for remission of sins, 196 : 8. 
 Is the power of keys, 196 : 4, 330, 
 331 ; the promise of divine grace, 
 or the Gospel, 133 : 150, 183 : 39, 175 : 
 59; of the remission of sins, 188: 
 61, 371 : 16; whereby even unknown 
 sins are forgiven, 196:8; is not 
 man's word, but God's voice, 53, 
 183 : 40, 196 : 2, 371 : 16. Its aid and 
 comfort, 53, 134 : 50, 173 : 42, 183 : 40, 
 331, 656 : 38. 
 How to be Given. — Committed by Christ 
 to the Church, 331. May be given 
 by any bishop, 297 : 13 ; in case of 
 necessity, by a layman, 350 : 67. 
 How to be Received. — Through faith, 
 53 : 4, 134 : 150, 165 : 59, 183 : 44, 1 88 : 
 61. By the penitent, 40 : xii., 340 : 
 60. In communion of the Church, 
 446 : 54. Should be often used, 176 : 
 60. 
 Hi Relation to Confession, 188 : 61, 53 : 
 
 18. 
 
 Private Absolution, 40:xi., 196:4, 
 
 333 : 2. Form for, 373 : 2 so 
 False Forms and Doctrine, 238 : 25, 26, 
 179:7, 180:12, 200:25, 326 ; 19. 
 
 Abstract. Use of term, 16. 
 
 Abuse. Of Divine Name, 46 : l sqq., 
 364 : 3, 397 sqq. 
 Of possessions and gifts of God, 441 : 
 
 21. 
 Of Liberty, 227 : 51, 359 : 3. 
 
 Abuses, 47 sqq., 242 : 41. Their origin, 
 47 : 2, 242 : 40. Their results, 242 : 
 43, 299 : 22 sqq. Violently enforced, 
 124:115. Do not demand disuse, 
 473 : 59. How to be avoided, 649 . 
 2, 472 : 53, 473 : 58, 476 : 5. 
 
 Access to God, 97 : 81, 116 : 74, 120 : 94, 
 121 : 101 sq., 127 : 125, 129 : 135, 133 : 
 148, 139 : 169 sq., 144 : 193, 156 : 255. 
 
 Accident. Use of term in doctrine of 
 original sin, 496 : 23, 549 : 54 sqq., 
 550 : 61. 
 
 Account, Future, 28 : 38, 89 : 36. 
 
 Acts, Elicit, 78 : 12, 28 : 38, 190 : 75. 
 
 Adam. His original condition, 78 : 17 
 sqq., 544 : 27. His fall and its conse- 
 quences, 37 : 2, 76 : 2, 77 : 5, 78 : 14, 
 79:24, 249:13, 16, 321 : l, 322:4, 
 333 : 9, 544 : 27, 546 : 38, 665 : 90. 
 
 Adam and Eve. Enthusiasts, 332 : 5, 
 333:9. Their punishment, 208: 
 58. No merit in their suffering, 
 186 : 55. Receive the first Gospel, 
 185:53. Their contrition, 186: 
 55. 
 
 Adam, Children of. Their incapa- 
 city for good, 76 : 2 sq., 79 : 26 sqq., 
 89:35. Their enthusiasm, 333:9. 
 Their punishment for original sin, 
 82 : 46. 
 
 Adam, the Old. What he is, 474 : 66. 
 Inheres even in believers, 509 : 4, 
 596 : 7, 598 : 18, 599 : 24. Entices to 
 sin, 463 : 102. Distressed by the 
 cross, 457 : 66. Mortified and de* 
 
 704 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 705 
 
 stroyed by the Holy Ghost, 112 : 49, 
 596:7; through baptism, 371:12, 
 474 : 65, 71, 475 : 77, 84 ; through 
 faith, 583 : 101; in repentance, 184: 
 46, 475:75; through the Law and 
 its punishments, 509 : 4, 598 : 19, 
 599:24; through afflictions, 209 : 60. 
 Restrained by fasting, 222 : 24. Sub- 
 stance of, not entirely destroyed in 
 conversion, 499 : 14. 
 
 Autaphora, 522, 643. Human tradi- 
 tions, 286 : 27. Monastic vows, 284: 
 21. When not to be surrendered, 
 523 : 6, 524 : 11 sq., 644 : 5 sqq., 645 : 10 
 sqq., 648: 28 sqq. Luther's judgment 
 concerning them, 648 : 24. To be 
 observed sometimes for love's sake, 
 227 : 52. 
 
 Admonition, Fraternal, 429 : 276. 
 
 Adoption, 574 : 25, 579 : 53, 594 : 25, 653: 
 18, 665 : 87. Errors of the Schwenck- 
 feldians, 531 : 23, 669 : 31. 
 
 Adoration of God, 264 : 27 ;' of ele- 
 ments in Holy Supper rejected, 515: 
 40, 624 : 126. 
 
 Adultery, 49 : 18, 242 : 35, 351 : 75, 41 3 : | 
 199 sqq., 506 : 19. 
 
 Advantages, of afflictions, 209 : 63 ; of 
 daily catechetical instruction, 384 : 
 9 ; of one's neighbor, 434 : 309. 
 
 /Erius, 279 : 96. 
 
 Afflictions, benefits of, 209 : 63, 215 : 
 16. See Cross, Temptations, and 
 Troubles. 
 
 Agncet.33 (Themistians), 639 : 75. 
 
 Agreement in Ad iaphora with enemies 
 of the Gospel, 524 : 11, 646 : 15, 648: 
 28. 
 
 Alexander of Macedon, 130 . 140, 224 : 
 
 34. 
 
 Alexandria, divine service at, 52: 41 ; 
 shoemaker of, 288 : 38 ; ecclesias- 
 tical government at, 319 : 9, 330 : 12, 
 334 : 3, 349 : 62. 
 
 Allegories afford no proof, 266 : 55. 
 
 Allceosis of Zwingli, 628:21, 631:39 
 sq. 
 
 Alms. Include all works of love, 136: 
 163. Are exercises of faith, 136: 
 157. Commanded by God, 204 : 42, 
 205 : 46, 215 : 16. Are no price of 
 redemption, 131 sq. A holy work 
 of believers, 116:71. Faith and 
 alms belong together, 136 : 160 
 sq., 137 : 163. Have certain merit, 
 136 : 157 sq. Have God's blessing, 
 426 : 252. Alms of Church misused, 
 282 : 5, 315 : 16, 352 : 80. 
 
 Alone, the exclusive particle in justi- 
 fication, 96 : 73 sq., 502 : 10, 576 : 36, 
 578 : 43, 579 : 53. 
 
 Altar, relation of Hebrew term to 
 "mass," 276 : 84 sq. Establishment 
 of altars. 222 : 23, 317 : 26. 
 
 Ambrose, 39 : vi., 51 : 33, 79 : 19, 101 : 
 103, 124 : 114, 150 : 219, 195 : 96, 250 : 
 20, 274 : 75. 
 
 Amen, its significance, 370:21, 464: 
 ill. 
 
 Anabaptists, errors of, 38 : v., 40 : ix., 
 40 : xii., 7, 41 : xvi., xvii., 95 : 66, 
 163 : 52, 215 : 13, 471, 559, 586 : 27, 
 667, 668. 
 
 Analogy of Faith, 491, 535, 540:4, 
 583 : 6, 625 : 5. 
 
 Angels. Do they pray for us ? 235 : 8, 
 317:26. Not to be invoked, 317:26. 
 No power over articles of faith, 
 315 : 15. The Pope's assumption 
 over, 320: 13. St. John an angel 
 of fire, 327 : 30. 
 
 Anna, St., 239 : 32. 
 
 Anthony, St., 119 : 90, 288 : 38. 
 
 Antichrist, as described by Daniel, 
 167 : 24, 221 : 19, 251 : 25, 270 : 51 ; as 
 described by Paul, 162 : 4, 345 : 39 
 The Papacv a part of his kingdom, 
 220:18. The Pope is Antichrist, 
 320 : 10, 13, 345 : 39, 346 : 41 sq., 348 : 
 56, 647 : 20 ; proved from prohibition 
 of marriage, 334 : xi., invocation of 
 saints, 305 : 25, abuse of mass, 280: 
 98. Foundation of the kingdom of 
 Antichrist, 220 : 18. Duty of Chris- 
 tians to shun, 346:41. Will re- 
 main until the coming of Christ, 
 280 : 98. 
 
 Antinomians, 510 : 8, 592 : 15 sqq., 599: 
 
 26. 
 
 Antiochus, 278 : 91. 
 
 Anti-Trinitarians, 532, 670. 
 
 Apollonia, 392 : n. 
 
 Apology of the Augsburg Confession, 
 73 sqq. ; as a symbol, 17, 352, 492 : 
 4, 536 : 6, 537 : 11. 
 
 Apostles, gifts of God, 343 : 26. Com- 
 missioned by Christ, 61 : 6, 329 : 8 
 sqq. Their office, to preach the 
 Gospel, 228:59, 298:18, 344:31. 
 Christ spoke through them, 298 : 19. 
 Disseminated the Gospel throughout 
 the whole world, 186 : 54. Appeal 
 to the consensus of the prophets, 
 __ 190:73. 
 
 Had no command to devise new cere- 
 monies, Q6 : 61 sqq., 298 : 18 sq. For- 
 bidden to strive for worldly honor, 
 228 : 59. Excused for non-observ- 
 ance of traditions, 55 : 22, 224 : 36. 
 Established ordinances which may be 
 changed, 298 : 16, and are not uni- 
 versal, 170 : 39. Kesisted those who 
 
 47 
 
70<) 
 
 ANALYSIS AND INDEXES. 
 
 required ceremonies of the Law, 
 253: 42. Prohibited imposing yoke 
 on others, 296 : 8, 223 : 31 sq. Their 
 doctrine concerning human tradi- 
 tions, 170:39, 172:44, 223:32, 34. 
 Adapted the Jewish festivals to the 
 Gospel history, 170 : 39. Prohibited 
 abstinence from blood, etc., 63 : 32, 
 66 : 65. 
 Ruled the Church in unity, 319:9. 
 No one above the others, 339 : 8. 
 Peter often the spokesman, 342 : 
 22 sqq. Not obedient to Caiaphas, 
 345 : 38. Their rites preferred by 
 the Papists to their doctrine, 170 : 38. 
 
 Apostles' Creed. See Creeds. 
 
 Aptitude for spiritual things, 554 : 12, 
 556 : 22. 
 
 Arians, 26, 37, 521 : 39, 531 : 28, 639 : 
 75, 670 : 36. 
 
 Aristotle, 86 : 14, 87 : 24, 130 : 140. 
 
 Arius, 519:22. 
 
 Article, Chief, of the Gospel, 179: 
 10, 187 : 59, 300 : 1, 335 : xiv. 
 
 Ascension of Christ, 25, 27 : 37, 38 : iii., 
 4, 311 :iv. 
 
 Assent, power of, in conversion, 551 : 
 2, 555 : 18. 
 
 Assurance, 514 : 30, 622 : ii6. 
 
 Athanasius, 26, 115 : 69, 628 : 22. 
 
 Attrition distinguished from contri- 
 tion, 179 : 5, 325 : 16 sqq. Does not 
 merit grace, 180 : 18. False doc- 
 trines of Papists, 213 : 81. 
 
 Audians, 171 : 43. 
 
 Augsburg Confession, 33-68. De- 
 rived from the Word of God, 9, 11, 
 19. Agrees with Luther's writings, 
 607 : 34, 608 : 41. 
 Its authority, 202:33, 492:4, 533:8 
 
 No departure from it to be allowed, 
 17, 19, 539 : 20. 
 
 False doctrine introduced under its 
 protest, 12, 510:1, 600:1 sqq. 
 
 The Variata not approved, 14, 15, 18, 
 536 : 5. 
 
 Delivery at Augsburg, 9, 33, 73, 533. 
 Attempted confutation, 73 : 1. Sub- 
 scribed at Smalcald, 352, at Naum- 
 burg, 11. Comprises the sum of 
 Christian doctrine, 201 : 27. 
 Augsburg, Diet of, 9, 11, 14, 33, 161 : 
 278, 227 : 52, 321 : 16, 492 : 4, 533 : 3, 
 536:5. 
 Augustine, 42 : 4, 44 : 13, 45 : 26, 55 : 17, 
 57 : 2, 59 : 35, 63 : 28, 79 : 22, 24, 81 : 
 36, 88 : 29 sq., 94 : 63, 99 : 87, 112: 51, 
 115 : 69, 146 : 201, 152 : 235, 159 : 268, 
 194 : 91, 206 : 51, 211 : 70, 214 : 5, 216 : 
 28. 230 : 69, 231 : 76, 234 : 91, 241 : 86, 
 
 284 : 17, 315 : 13, 327 : 28, 330 : v. 
 341 : 14, 3o0 : 67, 477 : 10, 499 : 15J 
 549:55, 558:27, 568:81. 
 
 Auricular Confession. Its origin, 
 198 : 15. Has no divine author- 
 ization, 176 : 63, 177 : 65, 196 : 5. A 
 snare to conscience, 176 : 64, 197 : 13, 
 326 : 19. Testimony against it, 177 : 
 65. Insufficient arguments of advei- 
 saries, 196 sqq. 
 
 Automaton, 240 : 34. 
 
 Avarice, 309 : 12, 351 : 74, 375 : 8, 463 : 
 102. 
 
 B. 
 
 Baal, worship of, in Israel, 279 : 97 sqq. 
 
 Baptism, 26, 40, 173, 330, 370, 390, 465. 
 What it is and signifies, 330 : l, 370 : 
 
 1 sq., 371 : 11 sq., 467 : 14 sqq. 
 A sacrament, 214 : 4, 262 : 18, 389 : 20 
 
 sqq., 467 : 10 sq., 468 : 18. 
 A washing of regeneration, 371 : 10, 
 469 : 27. A treasure presented by 
 God, 470 : 37. To be highly es- 
 teemed, 466 : 6 sqq., 468 : 21, 469 : 
 26, 470:38. 
 Necessity of, 40 : ix., 173 : 51 sqq. 
 Commanded by Christ, 173 : 52, 
 466:4. Approved by God, 173: 
 53, 468:21. Its fruits, 370:5 sq., 
 468 : 23 sq., 469 : 26, 471 : 41 sq., 
 475 : 76, 83. By it we enter the 
 Church, 466 : 2, 474 : 64 ; put on 
 Christ, 565 : 67 ; receive the Holy 
 Ghost, 81 : 35, 471 : 41; become chil- 
 dren of God, 453 : 37 ; receive grace 
 and the forgiveness of sins, 40 : ix., 
 101 : 103, 173 : 52, 214 : 4, 262 : 18, 
 330, 370:6, 471:41, 661:72. It 
 removes the guilt of original sin, 
 but not the wicked desire, 81:35; 
 suppresses sin, 475 : 83 ; mortifies 
 the old Adam, 371 : 12, 474 : 65, 71, 
 475 : 83 ; imparts a new life, 83 : 35, 
 475 : 74 ; consoles desponding hearts, 
 1 35 : 155, 471 : 44 ; delivers from death 
 and the devil, 370 : 6, 471 : 41, 475 : 
 83 ; gives everlasting salvation, 370 : 
 6, 371:8, 390:21, 468:24, 470:35 
 sqq. Wherein its efficacy consists, 
 371:10, 469:26,31. 
 Meaning of " baptism in God's name," 
 466 : 10. Union of the Word and 
 the water, 468 : 22, 471 : 45, 472 : 53. 
 Proper subjects of baptism, 469 : 32. 
 Its relation to faith, 370:6 sqq., 
 469:33, 471:41, 472:52 sq., 473: 
 58 ; to repentance, 475 : 74, 78. Must 
 not be repeated, 475 : 78, 566 : 69. 
 Distinction between baptized anH 
 non-baptized, 566 : 61. Sinners afte* 
 baptism, 178 : 1, 566 : 69. 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 707 
 
 Errors of Anabaptist; , 529, 606 : 29, 
 668. Dominicans, 830 : v. ; fanatics, 
 467 : 15, 606 : 29. Papists, 58 : 13, 
 282 : 9, 284 : 20, 336 : xiv. ; Schwenck- 
 feldian*, 531 : 23, 669 : 21. 
 
 Baptism of bells, etc., 336 : xv., 350 : 73, 
 617 : 87. 
 
 Baptism, Infant, 40 : 2 sq., 173 : 51 sqq., 
 320: v., 471: 47 sqq. 
 Error of Anabaptists, 529 : 6 sqq., 668 : 
 11 sqq. 
 
 Baptized, the, can find remission of 
 sin, 40 : xii. The Holy Ghost 
 given them, 174:53, 471:49 sq. 
 Freedom of will in, 565 : 67. 
 
 Barefooted Monks, 87: 20, 153:240, 
 330 : v. 
 
 Basil, 549 : 54, 568 : 86, 628 : 22. 
 
 Bede, Venerable, 343 : 27. 
 
 Believers. Regenerated through bap- 
 tism, 81 : 36. Original sin not im- 
 puted to them, 81 : 40, 335 : 13. Have 
 forgiveness, adoption, etc., 367 : 6. 
 Christ promised them, 98 : 84, 192 : 
 81. Free from the curse of the 
 Law, 113:58. The Gospel their 
 chief treasure, 190 : 73. God's chil- 
 dren only through mercy, 98 : 86. 
 God and God's gifts dwell in them, 
 503 : 18. The spiritual kingdom 
 within them, 228 : 58. Type of 
 their sanctification, 267 : 36. Their 
 marriage pure, 252 : 34. Begin to 
 keep the Law, 106 : 15. Bring forth 
 fruits of the Spirit, 509 : 6. Have 
 a constant struggle against the flesh, 
 509 : 4, 598 : 18. Why the doctrine 
 of Law necessary to them, 598 : 20 
 sqq. Their renewal imperfect, 133 : 
 149. Not righteous in themselves, 
 530 : 21. Righteousness of life in 
 them follows that of faith, 575 : 
 32. Good works commanded them, 
 588 : 38. 
 Not without sin, 461 : 86, 573 : 22. Why 
 their works are acceptable, 583 : 8, 
 599 : 22. The Holy Supper admin- 
 istered for their consolation, 511 : 2, 
 513:19, 515:39, 614:69. Christ's 
 body and blood received also by 
 others, 513 : 16, 600 : 2, 605 : 27, 61 2 : 
 60, 613 : 66. Satan driven from them, 
 116 : 69. Christ's kingdom displayed 
 in them, 115 : 68. Reward of their 
 works, 116 : 73. Their incentive to 
 works, 117 : 78. Their death not a 
 punishment, 208 : 56. They have 
 eternal life, 42 : 17, 153 : 241 sq., 
 367:6. 
 Errors. — That they cannot sin, 329 : 
 42; that good works are necessary 
 
 for their salvation, 585 : 22 ; that 
 good works are injurious to their 
 salvation, 588 : 37. 
 
 Bells, baptism of, 336 : 4, 350 : 73, 617 : 87. 
 
 Benedict, 284 : 17. 
 
 Benefits of Christ, 100 : 101, 119 : 89, 
 274 : 72, 540 : 3, 574 : 28, 604 : .* 
 Hindrances to, 284 : 15, 346 : 45 
 
 Bernard, St., 119:90, 148, 157, 190 
 73, 285 : 21, 287 : 32, 295 : 70. 
 
 Betrothal, Secret, 351 : 78. 
 
 Bible. See Scriptures, Holy. 
 
 Bishops. Their office and jurisdic- 
 tion, 61, 217, 295, 297: 12 sqq., 348 
 350 : 73. 
 In the beginning elected by every 
 congregation, 340 : 13, 350 : 70; 
 called also pastors or elders, 349 : 
 61. No distinction between bishops 
 and pastors, according to divine 
 right, 341 : 63 sqq. The Pope has 
 no authority over them, 338 : l sqq. 
 345 : 38 sqq. 
 Papal bishops not evangelical, 297 : 
 
 12. Their infidelity, 103 : 119, 241 : 
 38, 296 : 4 sq., 309 : 10 sqq., 350 : 72 
 sqq., 359:4. Their assumption of 
 worldly power, 61 sq., 333, 334 ; of 
 the rights of pastors 351 : 54. Civil 
 government, not divine right, the 
 source of their civil power, 62 : 19, 
 63 : 29, 351 : 77. Willingness of the 
 Reformers to acknowledge their 
 authoritv, under certain conditions, 
 217 : 24 *sq., 333 : x. They do not 
 constitute the Church, 166 : 22, 246: 
 17, 334 : 12. 
 
 Bishops have no tyrannical or regal 
 power, 67 : 76, 297 : 14 ; no domin- 
 ion apart from the Gospel, 62 : 21, 
 298 : 20 ; no power to make laws or 
 institute justifying ceremonies, 63 : 
 30 sqq., 65:50, 223:31, 296 : 8 sqq. 
 What ordinances they may make, 
 65 : 53 sqq., 297 : 15 sqq. Heretical 
 bishops to be repudiated, 350 : 72. 
 
 Power of bishops limited to the 
 preaching of the Gospel, remission 
 or retention of sins, and adminis- 
 tration of sacraments, 61 : 6, 297 : 
 
 13, 348 : 60. Power of bishops and 
 pastors the same, 349 : 61. It is 
 their office to judge doctrine, 62 : 
 21. Obedience due them when they 
 preach according to God's Word, 
 62 sq., 65. Mutual patience neces- 
 sary between bishops and people, 
 124 : 112 sqq. \ 
 
 Blasphemy. Disbelief of forgiveness 
 the greatest, 195 : 94. By abuse of 
 God's name, 398 : 55 sq. By false 
 
70S 
 
 ANALYSIS AND INDEXES. 
 
 doctrine in the Papacy, 232 : 81, 
 336 : 3. Warning against, 648 : 22. 
 
 Blessing at Table, 375 6q., 400 : 73. 
 
 Blessings. See Goods. 
 
 Blindness, Spiritual. 497 : 2, 553 : 9 ; 
 a fruit of original sin, 321 : 2. Un- 
 der the Papacy, 392: 11. 
 
 Bl ..CK. Human ability compared with, 
 557 : 20 sqq., 563 : 59, 564 : 62. 
 
 Blood of Christ. By it we have re- 
 demption, 101 : 104, 134 : 152, 188 : 
 63, 312 : 3, 367 : 4, 443 : 31 ; the for- 
 giveness of sins, 233 sqq., 373, 390, 
 476 : 3 ; we are sprinkled — i. e. sanc- 
 tified, 267 : 36, 38, 635 : 59. It is the 
 true satisfaction, 206 : 50, 328 : 38 ; 
 has blotted out the handwriting 
 against us, 101 : 103 ; dishonored by 
 Papal mass, 278 : 91. 
 Distributed to the people, 48:5, 244: 
 
 4. Truly and essentially present 
 in the Holy Supper, 41 : x., 174 : 54, 
 243 : 3, 330 : 1, 373 : 2, 390, 476 : 3, 
 477 : 8sq., 12 sq., 16 sqq., 478 : 21 sq., 
 479:28sq., 31, 511:2, 6, 7, 602:9 
 sqq., 604 : 19 sq., 607 : 38, 608 : 44, 
 610: 52 sqq., 616:81, 629:29; not 
 by the consecration, but by Christ's 
 almighty power, 512 : 8, 615 : 74 
 sqq. Is quickening, 639 : 76. Re- 
 ceived not only spiritually, but also 
 orally, 512 : 15, 515 : 42, 612 : 59, 
 613 : 63 ; yet not capernaitically, 512 : 
 15, 515 : 42, 620 : 105, 624 : 126 ; even 
 by the unworthv, 512:16, 604:16, 
 605 : 24 sqq., 612 : 60, 613 : 66. 
 
 Errors of Sacramentarians, 513 : 21 
 sqq., 600 : 2 sqq., 612 : 59, 614 : 61, 
 622 : 114 sqq ; of Papal transubstan- 
 tiation, 513:22, 621 : 108. 
 
 Blood, Letters of, 124 : 115, 296 : 4. 
 
 Body of Christ. The Church, 162 : 
 
 5, 163:12, 174:56. The wicked 
 are not, 168 : 29. Given for us. 183: 
 42, 245 : 10, 262 : 22, 374 : 4, 8. truly 
 present in the Holy Supper, 41 : x., 
 174:54, 175:57, 330:1, 374, 390, 
 476 : 3, 477 : 8, 511 : 2, 6 sqq., 518 : 
 17, 602 : 9 sqq., 604 : 20, 611 : 54 sq. 
 Not inclosed in heaven, 514 : 32, 
 623 : 119. Has three modes of pres- 
 ence, 619 : 98 sqq. Is omnipresent, 
 520 : 20, 642 : 92. Did it descend to 
 hell? 522. 
 
 Error of Schwenckfeldians, 531 : 21, 
 23, 669 : 29, 32. 
 
 BONAVENTURA, 80 : 28. 
 
 Boniface VIII., 344 : 33. 
 Book of Life, 653 : 25. Is Christ, 525 : 
 •3 ; 1} 527 : 13, 652 : 13, 661 : 66, 70, 665 : 
 
 Bread, Daily. What it include^ 
 369, 458 : 75 sqq. God gives it even 
 to the wicked, 369, 460 : 83. Pr ivei 
 and thanksgiving fur, 369, 375, 389, 
 460 sq. 
 
 Brenz, Dr. John, 15, 354. 
 
 Brethren, Conversation of, 33<): 
 iv. Duty of, to reprove one another, 
 429 : 275. False, 308 : 4. 
 
 Brother, Christ our, 639 :7S. 
 
 Bucer, Dr. Martin, 353, 603 : 13. 
 
 Bull of Leo X., 160 : 276 ; of Boni- 
 face VIII., 344.33. Bulls of the 
 Pope, 318 : 4 ; concerning indul- 
 gences, 327 : 27. 
 
 Burial of Christ, 643. 
 
 Burials, contentions concerning, 67 : 2. 
 
 Burnt-offerings, 262: 21, 267 : 86. 
 
 C. 
 
 C^sar, Julius, 125 : 120. 
 
 Caiaphas, 345 : 38. 
 
 Call. To the ministry, 41 : xiv., 167 : 
 28 sq, 215 : 9, 217 : 24. To salvation, 
 how taught by Christ and Paul, 
 652:14; is God's will, 654:29; is 
 serious, 654 : 29, 655 : 31 ; is extended 
 to all sinners, 526 : 8, 10, 12, 654 : 28, 
 655 : 34 sq., 661 : 68, 665 : 89. To the 
 elect, 526 : 12, 653 : 27 ; at God's time, 
 659 : 56 ; through the Holy Ghost 
 in the Gospel, 367 : 6; through the 
 Word, 526:8, 12, 654:29, 656:39, 
 41, 657:43; should be made sure 
 by good works, 234 : 89, 527 : 14, 587 : 
 33, 662 : 73. Even those who have 
 fallen again called, 682 : 75 ; God's 
 faithfulness to the called, 653:22, 
 655 : 32. Doctrine of the Augsburg 
 Confession and Apology to be main- 
 tained, 656 : 38. 
 False doctrines concerning, 528 : 18 sqq., 
 645 : 11. 
 
 Callings, Temporal. Disparaged 
 under the Papacy, 54: 10, 222:25 
 sq., 238 : 37, 347 : 48. Works of, 
 holy, 1 16 : 71. Callings unlike, 291 : 
 49 sq. Obedience to God in, 60 : 
 49, 50, 291 : 50. Examples of saints 
 in, 46 : 1, 115 : 09 sq., 235 : 6. Sin 
 of following callings without God's 
 command, 291 : 50. 
 
 Calvinists, 516 : l. 
 
 Campegius, Cardinal, 210:28, 314: 
 10. 
 
 Canonical Hours, 383 : 3. 
 
 Canonists, 75 : 17, 138 : 167, 178 : 3, 180: 
 
 16. 
 
 Canons. Concerning the mass, 174 
 55, 313:7; celibacy, 250:23, 256 
 57 ; satisfaction, 210 . 70, 21 1 : 7* . 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 709 
 
 obedience to an heretical Pope, 335: 
 88. Condemn certain vows, 282 : 9, 
 292 : 57. Divorces prohibited by, 
 49 : 13. Penance prescribed by, 
 326 : 22. Concerning matrimonial 
 jurisdiction, 351 : 77. Concerning 
 excommunication, 176 : 61. Require 
 both forms in the Holy Supper, 
 48 : 9. Concerning power of the 
 Pope, 347 : 49 sq. Often ignored, 
 66 : 67. 
 
 Ca pability in conversion, 556 : 23. 
 
 Ca pernaitic partaking of Christ's body 
 rejected, 512 : 15, 515 : 41 sq., 519 : 17, 
 612 : 61 sqq., 620 : 105. 
 
 Carlstadt, 227 : 55. 
 
 Carnal Mind, the, 88 : 32, 107 : 22, 25, 
 120 : 98, 497 : 3, 554 : 13. 
 
 Carthusians, 407 :' 118 sqq., 467 : n 
 sq. 
 
 Cases, Reservation of, 61 : 2, 64 : 41, 
 181:27, 212:80. 
 
 Catechism. Instruction for children, 
 387 : 1. Diligently used by Lu- 
 theran Church, 225 : 41. Should be 
 studied by pastors, 384 : 3, 7, 9. 
 Should be introduced among the 
 people, 359 : 6. Should be taught 
 in one form, 350 : 7 sq. ; to be taught 
 the young, 387 : 3, 389 : 16 sq., 390 : 
 24 ; not only the text, but its meaning, 
 361 : 14. Right and wrong to be 
 learned therefrom, 528 : 22. What 
 punishment is due its neglect, 
 360: 11 sq. Advantage derived from 
 its daily use, 385 : 9 sqq., 386 : 14, 19. 
 Luther a pupil of the Catechism, 
 384 : 7 sq. The saints cannot ex- 
 haust it, 386 : 16. 
 Luther's Catechisms, part of the Book 
 of Concord, 19, 311, 492 : 5, 532 : 30, 
 536:8 (559:36, 560:40, 602:10, 
 604 : 20). Why Luther composed 
 the Small Catechism, 349 : 1 sqq. ; 
 the Large Catechism, 383 : 1 sqq. 
 The Large should be used after the 
 Small, 361 : 17. 
 
 Catholic, whv applied to the Christian 
 Church, 162 : 7, 9. 
 
 Catholicity of the Lutheran Confes- 
 sion, 217:26; of the testimony of 
 the prophets, 189 : 66. How applied 
 to the Church, 163 : 9, 39. 
 
 Cause of sin, 43, 231, 541 : 7, 663 : 81 sq. 
 Of evil not God's foreknowledge, 525 : 
 
 4, 650 : 6 sq. 
 Of condemnation not God's will, 663 : 
 
 78. 
 Of election not in us, 665 : 88. 
 Of conversion, twofold, 500 : 19 ; not 
 threefold, 569:90, 
 
 Of justification not our love, 582:1, 
 nor our works, 576 : 37, 578 : 45 
 
 Of good works, 117 : 80. • 
 Celibacy of the Clergy, requirement 
 concerning, not o:' old, 48 : 10 sqq., 
 18, 257 : 67 ; is a human ordinance, 
 251 : 25, 56 ; introduced with vio- 
 lence, 48 : 12 sq. ; supported by in- 
 justice, 251 : 25, 256 : 59, 258 : 70 ; de- 
 fended by the pretext of s iperior. 
 holiness, 60 : 51 sqq., 246 : 1, 247 : 5, 
 
 248 : 8 ; has occasioned great of- 
 fence, 48 sq., 254 : 47, 255 : 51, 258 : 
 70, 300 sq., 347 : 48, 420 : 213 sq. ; 
 caused many murders, 256 : 57 sq. ; 
 is contrary to God's command, 420: 
 213 ; contrary to divine and natural 
 Law, 50 : 19 sqq., 247 : 6 sq., 7, 9, 
 
 249 : 14, 250 : 23, 256 : 60. Celibacy 
 not true purity, 252 : 35 ; has no 
 merit, 252: 36, 39 sq. ; not to be ap- 
 proved, 334 : xi., 3. 
 
 Celsus, 228 : 58. 
 
 Ceremonial Law, abolition of, 253: 
 41 sq. 
 
 Ceremonies, 41 : xv., 53 : xxvi., 218 
 sqq., 336: xv., 522, 643. In the 
 Law necessary for a time, 224 : 32. 
 Righteousness of the Law bound 
 to them, 168 : 31. The Jews re- 
 garded them as justifying, 216 : 18, 
 219:10, 264:28. Paul calls this 
 imagination the veil of Moses, 105: 
 12 sqq. Synonymous with human 
 traditions, 219 : 10, 223 : 30. Chris- 
 tians free from them, 65 : 59, 253 : 
 41 sq., 257 : 64 ; therefore rejected by 
 Paul, 219:10. 
 Ceremonies, external works, 268 : 40. 
 Those instituted by God to be main- 
 tained, 213 : 2. Freedom in regard 
 to others, 56 : 42 sqq. Ceremonies 
 for instruction, 50 : 2 sqq., 292 : 55 ; 
 for good order, 56 : 40, 65 : 53, 228 : 
 38 sqq. Have bishops the powei 
 to institute them, 63 : 30 sqq. Con- 
 formity with enemies of Gospel in 
 time of persecution, 523 : 2, 6, 644 : 
 2, 645 : 10. 
 Uniformity of, not essential to eccle- 
 siastical unity, 39 : vii., 3, 57 : 44, 
 163: 10 sqq., 168:30, 172:45, 220: 
 18, 334 : xii., 524 : 7. Not com- 
 manded as necessary, 199 : 19. The 
 kingdom of God does not consist 
 therein, 164 : 13. They do not aid 
 righteousness, 168 : 31. Not neces- 
 sary services, 65 : 53, 523 : 8. Some- 
 times obscure Christ, 292 : 54. Pro- 
 test against, by the apostles, 253 : 
 42, 645 : 11 sq. No command to de« 
 
10 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 vine new ceremonies, 66 : 61. Free- 
 dom of every congregation con- 
 cerning its own ceremonies, 523 : 2, 
 345:9. Want of uniformity no 
 reason for condemnation, 523 : 7. 
 True to be carefully distinguished 
 from false Adiaphora, 644:5. 
 Ceremonies of the fathers, 221 : 20 ; 
 not continued as necessary, 198 : 16. 
 Useless ceremonies of the Papacy, 
 292 : 55. Connection of those of 
 Old Testament, 270 : 52. Prescribed 
 by the Decretals, 320 : 14. 
 The u seven sacraments " called cer- 
 emonies, 213 : 2 sq. Species of cer- 
 emonies contrasted, 262 : 18, 266 : 
 32, 33. Ceremony of Holy Supper 
 instituted to preach the Word, 266 : 
 34 sqq. ; useless without faith, 273 : 
 70, 274 : 77. 
 Lutherans retain many ceremonies, 
 56 : 40 sqq., 50 : 1 sqq., 259 : 1 sqq. 
 Luther's judgment concerning, 648 : 
 24. 
 Errors concerning, 66 : 61, 198 : 17, 
 216 : 18, 524, 648. 
 
 Certainty of God's grace, 151 : 224 sq. ; 
 inconsistent with doctrine of works, 
 111 : 43 ; is faith, 113 : 27, 151 : 225 ; 
 of faith and salvation, 584 : 12. 
 
 Chapters, Monastic, 317 : iii., 327 : 
 28. See Monasteries. 
 
 Charles V., Emperor, 9, 11, 14, 18, 
 19, 33, 73, 242 : 42 sqq., 247 : 3, 492, 
 533 sq., 536, 608. 
 
 Chastity, 365 : 12, 419 sqq., 252 : 35 sqq. 
 A gift of the Holy Ghost, 127 : 128, 
 168 : 31 sq., 234 : 92, 250 : 19. False 
 professions of monks concerning it, 
 60, 247 sq., 253:44, 284:16, 420: 
 
 214. 
 
 Children, baptism of, 39 : ix., 173 : 51 
 sq., 330 : v., 4. Are not holy before 
 baptism, 529:6, 530:8, 668:13. 
 Are well instructed in the Lutheran 
 Church, 225 : 41 sqq. Should dil- 
 igently learn the Catechism, 387 : 
 8 sq., 389 : 16. To be instructed in 
 the fear of God, 400 sq., 415 : 174 
 sq., 222 : 25. To be educated for 
 the ministry, 362 : 20, 415 : 172. 
 Their duty of gratitude to parents, 
 408 : 127 sq. Promises to obedient 
 children, 116 : 76, 155 : 246, 409 : 131 
 sqq.; punishment of the disobe- 
 dient, 408 : 122 sq., 410 : 137 sq. Bear 
 the sins of fathers, 366 : 22, 395 : 30 
 sqq. 
 
 Of Adam. See Adam. 
 
 Of God, are the believing and justi- 
 fied, 100 : 94, 116 : 70, 152 : 233, 564 : 
 
 63. Who become such through 
 baptism, 453:37; without human 
 ordinances, 169 : 34; by God's mer- 
 cy, 98 : 86. Their election, 649 : 1 
 sqq., 650 : 5. They have the Holy 
 Ghost, 662 : 73. They live in, not 
 under, the Law, 509 : 6 ; act spon- 
 taneously, 596:6; do good works 
 that are meritorious, 155 : 247. Their 
 imperfection, 505 : 13, 596 : 7 sq. 
 Their need of the Law, 596 : 9. 
 When they stumble, called again 
 to repentance, 662 : 75. 
 Christ, 25 sqq., 38, 83, 367, 516, 624. 
 God's only-begotten Son, 25 : 26, 
 367 : 3, 389 : 12, 441 : 25. Begotten 
 of the Father before all worlds, 25, 
 27 : 29, 311, 358, 625 : 6. Not made 
 nor created, but begotten, 25, 26 : 8, 
 27 : 21. A distinct person from the 
 Father, 26 : 5, 638 : 73 ; but equal to 
 him in Godhead, 26 : 6, 27 : 31. Of 
 one nature with the Father, 25 : 3. 
 True God, 25, 26 : 15, 27 : 29 sqq. 
 38 : iii., 2, 367 : 4 ; God of God, 25 : 
 3 ; Light of light, 25 : 3. Has di- 
 vine attributes and glory, 25 : 3, 6, 
 26 : 6 sqq., 27 : 17, 28, 38, 83, 367, 
 389, 441, 442 : 27, 31, 518 : 12, 625 : 6, 
 628 : 24. 
 The Holy Ghost proceeds from him, 
 
 26 : 7, 81 1, 638 : 73. Christ was con- 
 ceived by the Holy Ghost, 25, 311, 
 367, 389, 441. Was incarnate by 
 the Holv Ghost, 25. Born of the 
 Virgin Marv, 25, 38, 311, 367, 389, 
 441, 518 : 12, 625 : 6, 628 : 24. Was 
 man, of the substance of his mother, 
 
 27 : 29. Assumed human nature, 
 38: iii., 311, 493:5. Became in- 
 carnate by the Word of God, 608 : 
 39. 
 
 Is perfect man, 27 : 30, 367 : 4, 625 : 6. 
 Of one nature with us, yet without 
 sin, 547 : 43. Not by conversion of 
 the Godhead, 27 : 33 ; but by assump- 
 tion of human nature, 27 : 33. God 
 and man one Christ, 27 : 32, 35, 83 : 
 52, 367, 500 : l, 512 : 11, 512 : 15, 580: 
 58, 618 : 94. In Christ there are two 
 natures, 16, 83 : 52, 625 : 7 ; not con- 
 fused, but in one person, 16, 27 : 34, 
 500:1, 517:5, 519:18, 625 : 6 sq., 
 626 : 11, 627 : 17 sq., 629 : 30 sq., 633: 
 48 sqq., 635 : 60, 642 : 89 ; so that they 
 actually have communion with one 
 another, 51 6 : 2, 517 : 9, 519 : 18, 630: 
 31, 631 : 37, 635 : 62 sq., 639 : 76, 641 : 
 85 ; yet eacn retains its essential at- 
 tributes, 625 : 8, 630 : 36, 633 : 48 sq., 
 637 : 66 sqq. ; whereby the divine 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 711 
 
 nature is not weakened, 638 : 71 ; nor 
 the human nature made equal to 
 the divine, 16, 520 : 28, 626 : 19, 642 : 
 91. The human nature exalted to 
 God's right hand, 518 : 15, 628 : 23 
 sqq., 633 : 50 sqq., 634 : 54 sqq , 635 : 
 61, 636 : 64, 637 : 67, 639 : 78, 640 : 80. 
 Not laid aside since his exaltation, 
 629:26, 633:51. Mystery of the 
 doctrine, 519 : 18, 630*: 33. 
 
 Christ's suffering, death and burial, 
 25:27, 38, 84:52, 92:51,311,312: 
 1, 367, 389, 441 ; resurrection, 25 : 
 27, 38, 311, 312 : l, 367, 371 : 14, 441, 
 628: 25; descent to hell, 25, 27, 38, 
 311, 367, 389, 441, 522, 643; ascen- 
 sion, 25, 27, 38, 311, 367, 389, 441, 
 610 : 52, 628 : 25 sq. ; session at God's 
 right hand, 16, 25, 27, 111 : 44, 311, 
 367, 389, 441, 512 : 12, 628 : 23, 642 : 
 3. In the Father's bosom, 283 : 13, 
 661 : 67. Return to judgment, 18, 
 25, 26, 27, 38, 229, 311, 321 : 15, 367, 
 389, 441. 
 
 Christ our Creator and Redeemer, 
 608 : 44 sq. ; the minor of the Fa- 
 ther's heart, 447 : 65 ; the promised 
 Seed, 186 : 55, 593 : 23 ; the end of 
 the Law, 88 : 30, 155 : 251 ; the only 
 Mediator and Propitiator, 44 : 9, 46 : 
 3, 90 : 40, 91 : 48, 95 : 69, 97 : 80, 82, 
 111 : 41, 44, 119 : 90, 120 : 94, loo sq., 
 123 : no, 127 : 130, 141 : 178, 145 : 196, 
 156 : 255, 158 : 261, 191 : 176. 232 : 82, 
 239 : 31 ; intercessor with God, 46 : 
 2 sq., Ill : 44, 148 : 211, 317 : 26 ; the 
 Son of David, 593 : 23 ; the Messiah, 
 108 : 33, 638 : 72 ; the High Priest, 
 46 : 2, 97 : 82, 111 : 44, 148 : 212, 238 : 
 241, 270:53; the Sacrifice for our 
 sins, 38 : 3, 1 13 : 58, 214 : 8, 263 : 23, 
 270 : 55 sq. ; the Price for our sins, 
 92 : 57 ; our only Treasure, 192 : 79, 
 232 : 82, 470 : 37 ; the Lamb of God, 
 101 : 103, 312 : 2 ; eternal Wisdom 
 and Truth, 609:47; the Lord of 
 life, 442 : 30 ; the Book of life, 525 : 
 7, 527 : 13, 652 : 13, 661 : 66, 70, 665 : 
 82 ; the Door of life 661 : 66 ; accord- 
 ing to both natures, 500 : 1, 570 : 2 
 sqq., 580 : 56, 628 : 20 sq., 632 : 46 sq., 
 639 : 78, 642 : 93 ; our Lord, 25, 27, 
 367, 389, 441 ; King in God's king- 
 dom, 455 : 51 ; Head of the Church, 
 162:5,318:1,319:9,445:51; Foun- 
 dation of the Church, 166 : 20 sq. 
 
 Christ was promised before the Law, 
 140 : 176. Prefigured in the Law, 
 267 : 36 sq., 270 : 53. How not sub- 
 ject to the Law, 572:15. Foretold 
 by prophet, 97 : 83, 134 : 152, 189 . 
 
 65, 232 : 79. The patriarchs believed 
 in him, 92:5', 190:73, 270:55. 
 Has not died or been promised in 
 vain, 107 : 27, 140 : 176. Was obe- 
 dient to the Law, 501 : 3, 572 : 15, 
 573 : 22, 575 : 30. Was baptized, 
 468 : 21. His miracles testify to his 
 divine majesty, 628 : 25. How far 
 the preaching of his suffering a 
 proclamation of God's wrath, 507 : 
 9. 
 
 Christ came because we could not ful- 
 fil the Law, 192: 80; to remove sin, 
 and its punishment, 83 : 50, 118 : 58, 
 135 : 156 ; to preach our eternal 
 election, 661 : 67. Our redemption 
 his work, 444 : 38. Blotted out the 
 handwriting against us, 101 : 103, 
 184 : 48. Has freed us from the 
 curse of the Law, 113 : 58, 509 : 2, 
 565 : 67, 599 : 23 ; from external ordi- 
 nances, 297 : 15, 523 : 6, 645 : ll. The 
 preaching of God's wrath his 
 strange work, 508 : 10, 591 : 12. Has 
 reconciled God to us, 38 : 3, 84 : 52, 
 97:80, 106:20, 133:149. 
 
 Christ justifies, sanctifies, comforts, 
 38, 60, 84. Faith opposes him to 
 God's wrath, 91 : 46, 1 20 : 93, 100, 
 139 : 170, 141 : 179, 192 : 84, 193: 
 87, 284 : 17. For his sake sin is 
 gratuitously forgiven, 38, 44, 81 : 
 40, C7 : 82 sq., 103 : 117, 120, 
 113:56, 116:74, 117:82, 129: 
 136, 139:170 sq., 143:187, 175: 
 59, 178 : 2, 183 : 44, 189 : 65 sqq., 
 190 : 72, 191 : 76, 195 : 95, 232 : 
 79, 283 : ll, 13, 292 : 54, 335 : 
 xiii. 1 sq., 346 : 44, 542 : 14 ; we 
 are accounted righteous, 103 : 114, 
 107:26, 109:38, 110:40, 111: 
 42, 113 : 58 sq., 119 : 91, 123 : 
 109, 125 : 117, 143 : 187, 145 : 
 196, 335 : xiii. 1 ; and received into 
 favor, 59 : 37. By him we have 
 access to God. (See Access.) His 
 obedience our righteousness, 572 : 
 14 sq., 573 : 22. 
 
 Christ's merit, 53, 92 : 53, 541 : 6, 
 574 : 25. Is the sole cause of 
 election, 528 : 20, 651 : 8, 652 : 13, 
 657 : 43, 660 : 65 sq., 665 : 87 sq. 
 Is offered and distributed through 
 Word and sacraments, 652 : 16. 
 
 Christ's victory over sin, de: th and 
 Satan, 106 : 18, 115 : 68 sqq., 175: 57, 
 204 : 43, 205 : 49, 209 : 60, 442 : 31, 
 628 : 25, 643 : 2. His defence of his 
 people, 38, 442 : 30. Through him 
 they are victorious, 96 : 79, 205 : 49. 
 
 Christ explained the Law, 416:182, 
 
712 
 
 ANALYSIS AND INDEXES. 
 
 507 : 8. Preached repentance and 
 faith, 200:25sq., 202 : 85 sq., 181: 
 45. Commanded repentance and 
 forgivenet-s to i>e preached, 94 : 62, 
 108 : 31 sqq., 130 : 133, 182 : 30, 203 : 
 41, 324 : 6, 590 : 4 sq., G54 : 28, 661 : 
 67. Seals the Gospel in tlie sacra- 
 ments, 606 :37. Permits civil ordi- 
 nances, 227 : 54. Took oaths, 399: 
 65. Taught concerning the true 
 service of God, 108:33, 143:189; 
 concerning confession, 647 : 17 ; con- 
 cerning the observance of God's 
 command, 104 : l sqq., 505 : 12 ; con- 
 cerning love and faith, 108 : 31 sqq. ; 
 concerning avoiding oflenee, 646 : 
 16 ; concerning marriage, 250 : 23, 
 251 : 29; concerning celibacy, 249 : 
 16, 250 : 19. His doctrine the Gos- 
 pel, 589 : 4. He best interprets his 
 own words, 610 : 50. His doctrine 
 contrasted with philosophy, 85 : 12 
 sqq. 
 
 Christ instituted baptism, 173:52, 370, 
 390, 466, 468 : 22 sq., 469 : 3, 470 : 
 35. Infant baptism pleases him, 
 471:49. Is imparted in baptism, 
 471 : 41. Instituted absolution, 331, 
 373 : 28. Has given the Church the 
 power of the keys, 331, 350:68. 
 Committed to pastors the power to 
 excommunicate, 351 : 76. Instituted 
 the Lord's Supper, 313 : 4, 373 : 4, 
 389 : 20, 476, 512 : 15, 608 : 44, 610 : 
 48 ; only for the living, 314 : 12. 
 Appointed both forms for the laity, 
 48, 243 : 1 sqq. Is present in the 
 Holy Supper, 175 : 57, 511 : 2, 6 sqq., 
 518:17, 602: 9 sqq., 61 1:54 sq. His 
 threefold presence, 619 : 98 sqq. 
 Dwells in us, 174 : 56, 245 : 10. 
 
 Christ promises and gives the Holy 
 Ghost, 105 : 12, 106 : 18, 163 : 9, 371 : 
 10, 587 : 33. Is imparted by the 
 Holy Ghost, 367 : 6, 444 : 38, 560 : 
 40. Works in his members, 162 : 6. 
 Rules the Church by his Spirit, 
 162 : 5, 7. Founds it on Peter's con- 
 fession, 343 : 25. Warns of schisms, 
 172 : 49. The having of the same 
 Christ an essential to the Catholic 
 Church,163:10sqq.,168:31. Commits 
 to the Church final jurisdiction, 343: 
 24. Displays in us his kingdom, 
 115:68. Has hecome our brother, 
 639 : 78. Has a spiritual kingdom, 
 212 : 79, 344 : 31. Its members, those 
 whom he quickens, 165 : 18. 
 
 Christ commissioned the apostles, 61 : 
 6 sqq., 339 : 8 sqq. They act in I 
 (. Prist's stead, 167 : 28, 172 : 47, 298 : ' 
 
 19. He excused their non-obser 
 vance of traditions, 55 : 22, 224 : 36. 
 Gave all the same rank, 339: 8 sqq., 
 342 : 22 sqq., 343 : 30. Gave them 
 only spiritual power, 343:31; and 
 no command to institute new cer- 
 emonies, 66:61 sqq., 296:7 Bqq. 
 298 : 18 sq. 
 
 Christ calls the heavy-laden, 183:44, 
 237:18, 238:21, 526:8, 614:70; 
 consoles sinners, 184 : 45; oilers 
 them his grace, 563:67; does not 
 repel them, 4/8 : 86, 659 : 56 ; does 
 not wish us to despair, 150 : 218. In 
 him we are regenerated, 104:4, 
 199 : 19, 574 : 28 ; quickened, 497 : 3; 
 created to good works, 557 : 26, 559 : 
 39. He requires a new life, 130 : 
 138; assists in keeping the Law, 133: 
 149, 141:178, 144:194; makes us 
 perfect in him, 113:58; teaches to 
 pray, 448:3; praises faithful ser- 
 vants, 235:4; has a reward for the 
 ministry, 363 : 27 ; prophesied the 
 Church's peril, 201 : 29; awakes the 
 dead and gives eternal life, 42 : xvii., 
 229 : xvii. ; redeems and sanctifies 
 human nature, 494:6; condemns 
 the godless, 229 : xvii. ; Christ is 
 imparted through preaching, 444 : 
 38, 571 : 11, 589 : 2 ; .and offered in 
 the Gospel, 191 : 76. 
 
 Christ alone to be adored, 46 : 2, 237 : 
 18; alone to have our confidence, 
 193 : 87, 239 : 31, 288 : 34. His name 
 to conclude our prayers, 158:264. 
 "Through his name" means "for 
 his sake," 189 : 65. 
 
 Christ to be esteemed above our works, 
 113:57, 191:78, 576:35. Repu- 
 diates the meritoriousness of works, 
 149; yet attaches promises to them, 
 134 : 154 ; if wrought in him, 144 : 
 194, 155:251. Christ cannot be ap- 
 prehended by works, 97:80, 314: 
 12; but alone by faith, 97 : 80, 126: 
 124, 140 : 176, 143 : 187, 157 : 257, 2/0: 
 55, 501 : 5, 502 : lOsq., 13, 562 : 50, 575 : 
 36, 576 : 38 ; which is active by love, 
 102 : 111 ; and repentance, 652 : 18. 
 654 : 28, 656 : 40. Mere knowledge 
 of Christ not faith, 127 : 128, 501 : 6. 
 
 Errors concerning Christ. — The glory 
 of his passion diminished by the 
 Papal mass, 51 : 24. Regarded as a 
 Legislator instead of Propitiator, 
 160 : 271, 274 : 17. The saints in- 
 voked instead of him, 237 : 16, 238: 
 25 sqq. Celebrants of the masg 
 made equal to him, 314 : 10. Ex 
 eluded in tjhe doctrine of the advef 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 713 
 
 saries, 136 : 160, 138 : 169, 141 : 179. 
 Rendered unnecessary by the merit 
 of works, 85 : 12, 126 : 123, 138 : 169, 
 144:192, 153:236, 192:85, 219:12. 
 Error concerning prima gralid, 86 : 
 17, 111 : 41. That we are forgiven 
 on account of contrition, 181:20; 
 that Christ is our righteousness only 
 in his divine nature, 502 : 13 sq., 
 570 : 2 sq., 581 : 60 sq. ; only in his 
 human nature, 642:93; that we are 
 but partially justified in him, 503 : 
 21, 578 : 46, 579 : 51, 665 : 88, 668 : 10 ; 
 that the union of natures is merely 
 verbal, 516 : 3, 519 : 24, 520 : 26, 630: 
 31, 641 : 86, 642 : 95 ; that the human 
 nature has been deified, 520 : 28, 
 642 : 89 sqq. ; that it is locally ex- 
 tended, 520 : 29, 642 : 92 ; that Christ 
 cannot be present in his humanity 
 at more than one place, 520 : 30, 32, 
 641:87, 642:94; that his omnipo- 
 tence and omniscience are limited, 
 521 : 35 sqq. 
 
 Heresy of Nestorius, 519 : 18, 20, 627 : 
 15 ; of Paul of Samosata, 627 : 15 
 sq. ; of Eutyches, 519 : 18, 21, 642 : 
 89; of Arius and the Arians, 519: 
 22, 531 : 28, 670 : 36 ; of Marcion, 
 519:23; of the Anabaptists, 529: 
 3 sqq., 669:25; of the Schwenck- 
 feldians, 531:20 sqq., 669:29; of 
 Zwingli's allceosis, 628 : 21, 631 : 39 
 sq. 
 Christians. Separated from heathen, 
 Jews and Turks by the Creed, 447 : 
 66. Their mother the Church, 444 : 
 42. We become Christians in bap- 
 tism, 466 : 2. 
 
 Christians free from the curse of the 
 Law, 595:4, 599:23; temples of 
 the Holy Ghost, 579 : 54. Their 
 marriage pure, 257 : 66. They keep 
 a perpetual Sabbath, 403 : 89 ; re- 
 ceive the Lord's Supper often, 480: 
 39, 481 : 43 ; even here partake of 
 eternal blessings, 164 : 15. 
 
 Christians acknowledge their indebt- 
 ness, 441 :22; but cannot fulfil the 
 Law, 107 : 25, 448 : 68. What they 
 consider to be sin, 540 : 5. Are to 
 be admonished to good works, 589: 
 40; to be warned against conceit, 
 386 : 19 ; should avoid offence, 646 : 
 16. Knowledge of justifying faith 
 necessary to them, 159 : 266. Their 
 repentance continues until death, 
 329 : 40, 559 : 34. 
 
 Christians to bear afflictions, 56 : 31. 
 Design of their troubles, 215:16. 
 Their temptations. 462 : 105 sqq. 
 
 Their weapons, 453:30, 458:68 
 Their intercession, 317 : ?7. 
 Christians may bear civil office with- 
 out sin, 41 : xvi., 227 : 53 ; may wage 
 war, buy and sell, marry, appeal to 
 courts, etc., 60 : 52 sqq., 227 : 53, 229: 
 64 ; must obey magistrates, 42 : xvii., 
 227 : 55, 228 : 58 ; free from legal cere- 
 monies, 253:41 sq., 257:64; need no 
 observe traditions, 56, 169 : 32. Thei 
 service not like the Leritical, 64 
 39. Assemblies of early Christians, 
 276 : 86 sqq. Should reprove Papal 
 errors, 348:56; should beware of 
 Papistic doctrine, 346 : 41, 347 : 53. 
 Not Christians, those who will not 
 learn the Catechism, 360 : 11, 388 : 
 6, 476 : 2 ; who despise the sacra- 
 ment and will not believe the Gos- 
 pels, 116 : 62, 362 : 22, 466 : l. False 
 Christians in the Church, 39 : vii., 
 162:3, 165:17. 
 
 Christopher, legend of, 240 : 35. 
 
 Chrysostom, 53 : 11, 193 : 88, 211 : 73, 
 568:86, 607:36, 615:76. 
 
 Church, the, 39, 169, 334. Origin 
 and signification of the word, 445 : 
 48. Its name and attributes, 10, 25, 
 26, 39, 47, 67 : 5, 98 : 83, 111 : 45, 
 162 : 5, 7 sqq., 189 : 66, 334, 367, 389, 
 
 443 sqq. Its notes — the pure preach- 
 ing of the Word and right admin- 
 istration of sacraments, 39, 161 : 
 279, 162 : 5, 163 : 10, 165 : 20, 167 : 28, 
 168 : 30, 217 : 27. The Word of God 
 and true faith, 335. Externally, the 
 Word, Confession and sacraments, 
 161:3, 162:7; internally, com- 
 munion of faith and the Holy 
 Ghost, 162 : 5, 166 : 22, 123 : ill, 124: 
 114, 126:122, 445:51. True doc- 
 trine sufficient for its true unity, 39, 
 168 : 30, 535 : 1, 538 : 14. Uniform- 
 ity of ceremonies unnecessary, 39, 
 163:10, 164, 168:30, 169:33,172: 
 45, 220 : 18, 224 : 32, 335, 524 : 7, 649 
 31. 
 
 The True Church, the congregation of 
 all believers and saints, 25, 39, 161 : 
 l, 162 : 8, 164, 167 : 28, 335, 367, 389, 
 444:47; scattered over the whole 
 world, 163:10, 164, 165:20; col- 
 lected by the Holy Ghost, 443 : 37, 
 
 444 : 45, 445 : 51, 559 : 36 sq. What 
 makes us living members, 164:13. 
 It is the body of Christ, 162 : 5, 103: 
 12, 168 : 29, 612 : 59 ; the bride of 
 Christ, 163 : 10 ; the mother of 
 Christians, 444 : 42; a pillar of the 
 truth, 166 : 20 sqq. ; a spiritual peo- 
 ple, 164 : 14, 16 ; not a platonic stat*. 
 
 46 
 
714 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 165 : 20, 166 ; nor an external polity, 
 163:10, 164:13 sq. How distin- 
 guished from the people of the Law, 
 164 : 14, 16. 
 
 This Church must always remain, 39, 
 163:9, 658:50; Christ its I had, 
 162 : 5, 317 : 1, 319 : 9, 445 : 51, 60S ■ 41, 
 633:47, 639:78. Its foundation 
 the true Christian faith, 103 :U9, 
 156 : 256, 161 : 279, 1S9 : 167 ; the 
 Gospel, 165 : 20, 166, 178 : 3, 233: 86; 
 the article of repentance and of 
 Christ, 242 : 41. Its voice the con- 
 sensus of the prophets, 189 : 66, 232: 
 79. Its perils and oppressors, 163: 
 9, 166 : 22, 201 : 29, 217 : 27, 268 : 41. 
 Its promises, 166 : 22, 658 : 50. 
 
 The Church not dependent on princes 
 or rulers, 166 : 22 ; yet they are its 
 leading members, 347 : 54. It is 
 hidden under the multitude of the 
 godless, 165 : 19. These are also 
 in the Church, 39, 164, 172:47; yet 
 they are not the Church, 163 : 8, 
 165 : 17, 19 ; but have only outward 
 fellowship with it, 162:1, 3 sq., 163: 
 11 sq., 164, 165 : 19, 167 : 28. Noto- 
 rious offenders to be excommuni- 
 cated, 198 : 16, 333. The penitent 
 to be again received, 198 : 16, 199 : 
 23. The cause of schisms and ec- 
 clesiastical abuses, 47, 55 : 16, 123 : 
 
 11, 124 : 115, 125 : 120, 159 : 271, 163 : 
 9, 168 : 31 sq., 170 : 36, 204 : 44, 217 : 
 25, 242 : 40, 268 : 45, 299 : 22 sqq., 
 318:8, 319:7, 344:34, 37, 347:51, 
 538 : 15. Christ's warning concern- 
 ing them, 162 : 49. They are not 
 to be tolerated, 534 : 9, 538 : 14 sq. 
 
 In the Church no one should teach 
 without a call, 41, 217 : 24. Its duty 
 concerning infant baptism, 330 : 4. 
 It administers absolution, 41 : 4, 
 175:58, 179:7, 181:21, 196 : 2 sq., 
 331, 342 : 24, 350 : 67 ; the Holy Sup- 
 per, 48, 118 : 39, 162, 176 : 62, 243 : l, 
 244 : 4. Its officers and gifts, 215 : 
 
 12, 225, 235 : 4, 297 : 13, 348 : 60, 349 : 
 67, 445 : 51. The keys belong to the 
 whole Church, 350 : 69. Its prayers, 
 158 : 264. Its Confessions, 535 : 2. 
 Its ordinances and usages, 66 : 60, 
 138:167, 214:6, 218:1, 219:13, 
 246 : 15, 259 : 4, 6, 297 : 14 sqq. Its 
 power, 288 : 13, 342 : 24, 349 : 67, 
 350 : 72 ; not that of the ministry 
 over the Church, 340. Efficacv of 
 God in the Church, 240:36, 280: 
 98. Intercession of saints for, 236 : 
 9. What is comprised in its doc- 
 trine, 446 : 54 sq. 
 
 Out of the Church neither Word noi 
 sacraments, 173:52. Parables con- 
 cerning the ( lmrcl , 161 : 1, 165 : 19. 
 
 Apostolic Church, 294 : 64, 67. Its sym- 
 bols, 492 : 3, 535 : l, 5. Its doctrine 
 concerning ( hiist, 627 : 17, 634 : 67, 
 
 635 : 59, 636 : 64. Unity of Lu- 
 therans therewith, 491:8, 532:30, 
 535 : 4 sq., 539 : 17, 521 : 110, 127 : 17, 
 
 636 : 64, 670 : 89. 
 
 Lutheran Church. — Its Confessions, 
 492, 533 : 3, 536 : 5 sq, 603 : 12. Has 
 a unanimously-received, definite 
 doctrine, 537 : 10. Well provided 
 with Word and sacraments, 309 : 10. 
 Diligent in preaching and instruc- 
 tion, 225 : 41, 43, 269 : 48 ; and in ad- 
 ministration of sacraments, 173 : 52, 
 176 : 80 sqq., 225 : 40. Has not en- 
 tirely abolished external ornaments, 
 268 : 45, 269 : 50 sq. Luther its 
 chief teacher, 608 : 41. Agreement 
 of Sacramentarians therewith only 
 seeming, 600 : 2. 
 Roman Church, 47 : 1, 159 : 269, 174 : 
 
 65, 244 : 4, 318 : l, 341 : 15. 
 Greek Church, 244 : 4, 319 : 4, 341 : 15 
 
 603 : 11. 
 Oriental Church, 340 : 12 sqq. 
 False Church, 658 : 50. 
 
 Circumcision, 99 : 87 sq., 102 : ill, 117 : 
 80, 216 : 19, 253 : 42, 283 : 58, 345 : 12. 
 Spiritual, 184 : 46. 
 
 Clement of Rome, supposititious wri- 
 tings of, 344 : 35, 350 : 71. 
 
 Clergy. See Ministers. 
 
 Cloisters, originally schools, 58 : 16, 
 281 : 5, 317 : l. Conscience urges 
 many thereto, 45 : 20, 223 : 26. Some 
 godly men enter them, 282:8, 285: 
 22. Many enter them from im- 
 proper motives, 57, 282 : 9, 292 : 57. 
 Their degeneration, 282 : 5, 293 : 56, 
 318 : 2. See Monastic Life, Mo- 
 nastic Vows. 
 
 Clothing, divine service not depend- 
 ent upon, 222 : 21. Neither sin nor 
 righteousness dependent upon, 296: 
 7. Pride in dress, 309 : 12. Usage 
 of country to be respected, 224 : 35 
 God to be prayed for, 369 : 14, 459 
 76. 
 
 Coercion in conversion, 504 : 3, 505 : 10 
 582 : 4, 584 : 12, 585 : 17, 564 : 60, 566 
 73. Of the Law, 509 : 2, 596 : 5. 
 
 Command, Goo's, necessary to a sacn 
 ment, 213 : 3. The ministry hai 
 215 : 11. The Church has, to ap 
 point ministers, 215:12. Confir 
 mation and extreme unction with 
 out God's command, 214 : 6. Ais< 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 715 
 
 the invocation of saints, 239 : 31 ; 
 and works devised by the Papacy, 
 118:87, 219:14. 
 
 Commandments, the Divine, teach 
 truly good works, 87 : 22, 204 : 42, 
 212:77, 435:311; yet do not avail 
 for righteousness, 101 : 103. Must 
 be observed by one who will have 
 eternal life, 104 : l, 133 : 149. Are 
 fulfilled by love to God, 106 : 15 ; 
 and one's neighbor, 122 : 105, 125 : 
 117. Against them is our inborn 
 disposition, 542 : 12. No one can 
 observe them, 322 : 6, 439 : 3 ; with- 
 out Christ, 132 : 145, 133 : 149, 183 : 
 37 ; without the Spirit and grace, 
 88:27, 230:68, 662:73; without a 
 new heart, 556 : 23 ; without faith, 
 439 : 2, 202 : 34. Man cannot annul 
 them, 48 : 8, 58 : 18, 212 : 78, 291 : 51. 
 They are obscured by traditions, 
 54 : 8, 60 : 48, 205 : 48, 222 : 25, 295 : 3. 
 The Ten Commandments in O. T. 
 written everywhere, 438 : 331 sqq. ; 
 written on the heart, 448 : 87 ; con- 
 tain a different doctrine from the 
 Creed, 448:59. 
 The First Commandment, 364, 386, 
 437 : 324. The chief commandment, 
 105 : 9 sq., 285 : 25, 397 : 48. The 
 entire Psalter consists of exercises 
 therein, 386 : 18. The Second, 364, 
 397, 449:5, 454:45. Monasticism 
 violates both, 291 : 56. The Third, 
 364, 401. How far it pertains to 
 Christians, 402:82. The Fourth, 
 116:76, 293:61, 364, 405, 450:13, 
 468 : 20, 470 : 38; includes obedience 
 to all in authority, 410 : 141 ; as well 
 as duties of parents, 414 : 167. The 
 Fifth, 365, 415. The Sixth, 365, 
 418. The Seventh, 365, 421. The 
 Eighth, 365, 426. The Ninth and 
 Tenth, 365, 432. Why especially 
 needed by the Jews, 432 : 293 sq. 
 Close of the Commandments, 366, 
 395, 435 ; belongs to all the Com- 
 mandments, 436 : 321. 
 
 Common Week, 314 : 12. 
 
 Communicatio Idiomatum, 519 : 18, 
 630 : 31 sqq., 641 : 85. First genus, 
 630 : 36. Second genus, 632 : 46. 
 Third genus, 633 : 48. Denied by 
 the Nestorians, 519 : 18. 
 
 Communication, Verbal, 520 : 26, 634 : 
 56, 95. Real, 688 : 63. 
 
 Communion. Absentees from, to be ad- 
 monished, 176 : 62. Not to be ad- 
 ministered to one's self, 314 : 8. To 
 be publicly administered, 259 : 6. 
 Lay communion, 244 : 8. Com- 
 
 munion of saints, 444 : 47 445 : 49 
 Communion and union, 628 : 22. 
 
 Communism unscriptural, 228 : 66, 229 • 
 62 sq., 290 : 46. 
 
 Compulsion. See Coercion. 
 In Adiaphora, 524 : io, 648 : 27. 
 
 Concord, Book of, 13 sqq., 534. 
 
 Concrete and Abstract, 548 : 52. 
 
 Condemnations in Book of Concord, 
 how to be understood, 16. 
 
 Condigno, De, and De Congruo, 138 : 
 167, 145 : 197, 146 : 200, 147 : 203, 151 : 
 223, 152 : 235, 156 : 255, 230 : 72. 
 
 Confession of Sin, 40, 52, 175, 180, 
 195, 331, 371. 
 Before God, 53 : 11, 197 : 10 sq., 372 : 17. 
 To an injured neighbor, 197 : 12. 
 To a pastor (private confession), not 
 instituted by Scripture, but by the 
 Church, 53 : 12, 177 : 65. Ketained 
 by the Lutheran churches, 52. Its 
 two parts, 371 : 16. Absolution gives 
 it its chief value, 53 : 13, 188 : 61, 
 196 : 2, 331 : 1. Not the ground of 
 forgiveness, 195 : 95. How to con- 
 fess, 483 : 61. What sins to confess, 
 372. Enumeration of all sins un- 
 necessary, 40, 53 : 7 sqq., 175 : 58, 
 176 : 63 sqq., 181 : 23, 196 : 5, 197 : 
 
 13, 326 : 19, 331 : 2, 346 : 45 ; and im- 
 possible, 40, 53 : 7 sqq., 177 : 65, 197 : 
 
 14, 325 : 15, 326 : 19. Formulas for, 
 372. Directions to the father con- 
 fessor, 373. 
 
 Confession, Augsburg. See Augs- 
 burg Confession. 
 
 Confirmation no sacrament, 214:6. 
 Retained by the bishops, 350 : 73. 
 Of bishops and other church offi- 
 cers (installation), 341 : 15 sq. 
 
 Conflict attends the birth of faith, 
 142:182, 151:229. Of faith with 
 despair, 269 : 46. With sin, 329 : 
 40. Continues through life, 183: 
 37. For this philosophical specu- 
 lation has no relief, 88 : 37. 
 Conflicts of Christ through believers, 
 115 : 69 sqq. 
 
 Confusion of Natures in Christ re- 
 jected, 627 : 19, 635 : 61 sq. 
 
 Confutation, the Romish, of the 
 Augsburg Confession, 73, 74 : 14, 
 160:277, 183:44, 189:67, 232:79 
 sqq., 241 : 39 sq., 244 : 6, 261 : 14, 
 296 : 6. 
 
 Congruo, De. See Condigno, De. 
 
 Conscience accused and terrified by 
 the Law, 90 : 38, 129 : 136, 133 : 149 ; 
 on account of sin, 96 : 79, 461 : 89 ; 
 through the preaching of repent- 
 ance, 94 : 62 ; in contrition, 181 • 
 
:i<; 
 
 ANALYSIS AND INDEXES. 
 
 29, 182 : 32. Cannot attain peace 
 through works, hut only through 
 faith, 11 : 15, 100: loo, 103: us, 114: 
 60 sq., 115 : 66, 1 17 : 83, 119: 91 120 : 
 96, 145 : 198, 151 : 225, ISO : 12 184 : 
 47, 188:60, 193:88; through the 
 Gospel 1 82 : 35, 1 93 : 88, 233 : 85, 
 269 : 4S, 476 : 12; through the right- 
 eousness God grants, 120:95, 121 : 
 103; through absolution, 129:136, 
 183:39. Is not to be burdened 
 with human ordinances, 42 : 2, 44 : 
 19 sqq., 48 : ll, 54, 55, 57 : 8, 64 : 41 
 sq., 65 : 53, 170 : 35, 176 : 64, 177 : 67, 
 223 : 27 sqq., 226 : 49, 51, 269 : 46, 
 296 : 8. The Romish doctrine de- 
 prives it of consolation, 346 : 44, 
 (196:1). Bad conscience, 118:87, 
 331 : l. 
 
 Consecration. Of churches, 336 : 4 ; 
 of tapers, palm-branches, etc., 336 : 
 3. Of elements in the Holy Sup- 
 per, 512 : 8 sq., 615 : 73 sqq., 616 : 79, 
 623 : 121. 
 
 Consensus of the prophets, 189:66, 
 190:70, 73. 
 
 Consolation. Reason seeks in works, 
 325 : 18. Despised by secure hearts, 
 185 : 51 sq. Afforded by the doc- 
 trine of reconciliation and justifi- 
 cation through Christ, 84 : 2, 94 : 60, 
 98 : 85,-137 : 164, 141 : 178, 182, 158 : 
 261, 233 : 85, 324 : 8, 575 : 30, 589 : 1, 
 593 : 21; by the doctrine of election, 
 527 : 13, 658 : 48; of the true worship 
 of God, 143: 188; of the Church, 163 : 
 9, 658 : 50. Received bv faith, 102 : 
 106, 103 : 118, 106 : 14, 147 : 203, 159 : 
 266, 184 : 46 sq., 190 : 72, 194 : 90 ; in 
 absolution, 175 : 59, 183 : 39, 331 : 
 viii. ; in the sacraments, 134 : 154 
 sq., 274:75, 471:44, 510:2. 
 
 Constance. See Council. 
 
 Constraint. See Coercion. 
 
 Contempt. Of God, 78:11, 89:35, 
 105 : 14. Of the Divine Word, 404 : 
 95, 463:104, 563:57, 656:41, 665: 
 86. Of the Holy Supper, 176 : 61. 
 
 Contentions, needless, to be avoided, 
 538 : 15. That concerning original 
 sin not needless, 540 : 3 ; nor those 
 concerning matters of faith, 534 : 9. 
 
 Contrition, the first part of repent- 
 ance, 181 : 28. Contrition passive, 
 not active, 323 : 2. The burden 
 upon conscience, 183 : 44. The put- 
 ting off the body of sins, 184 : 46. 
 The handwriting condemning us, 
 185 : 48. A punishment for sin, 
 207 : 53. Distinction between con- 
 trition and attrition, 179 : 5, 325 : 16. 
 
 Controversies, Religious, low to be 
 
 decided, 19, 533 : 4, 7 sqq., 538 : 15. 
 See Contentions. 
 
 Convents. See Cloisters. 
 
 Conversation of Christians, 330. 
 
 Conversion not synonymous with jus- 
 tification, 574:24. Has two parts, 
 181 : 28 ; good works might be named 
 as third, 181 : 28. Synonymous with 
 repentance, 202 : 34 ; mortification 
 and quickening, 184:46. Resur- 
 rection from spiritual death, 569 : 
 87. A change in understanding, 
 will and heart, 566 : 70. Not the 
 annihilation of an old and the 
 creation of a new substance, 499 : 
 14, 567 : 81. Mortification of flesh 
 and good fruits follow, 202 : 34. 
 Before, only two efficient causes, 
 500 : 19, 565 : 65. Man cannot co- 
 operate, 552 : 7, 556 : 24, 564 : 61, 
 566 : 71; but is purely passive, 499: 
 18, 569 : 89. After, man co-operates, 
 
 499 : 17, 565 : 65 ; yet not from nat- 
 ural, but from new powers, 565 : 
 65. 
 
 Wrought by the Holy Ghost through 
 the Word and sacraments, 497 : 4, 
 
 500 : 19, 552 : 5, 554 : 16, 561 : 48, 
 566:71, 650:3, 653:29, 657:4; at 
 his own time, 659 : 56. Errors con- 
 cerning, 498 : 8 sqq., 566 : 74 sqq. 
 Objectionable expressions, 499 : 15 
 sq., 564 : 61, 568 : 82, 86. 
 
 Co-operation (synergism). Impossi- 
 bility of, to conversion, 498 : 11, 16, 
 552 : 7, 555 : 18, 557 : 24, 560 : 42, 
 563 : 59, 567 : 77. Occurs after con- 
 version, 499 : 17, 565 : 65 sq. Lu- 
 ther's declaration concerning, 555 : 
 20 sqq., 560 : 43 sqq. 
 Corruption of human nature, 485 : 76, 
 494 : 8, 539 : l, ll, 550 : 60. Its cause 
 524 : 4. Reason does not recognize 
 it, 494 : 9. 
 Council, General. Appeal to, 35, 309 . 
 10. Apprehensions concerning, 321 : 
 16. Subjects for its consideration, 
 309 : 13. Preparation for it, 307 : 2. 
 The Pope's claim of superiority to 
 councils, 346:40, 347:49, 348:55, 
 251 : 24. Their decrees violated, 
 210:70, 247:6, 250: 23 sqq. 
 
 Of Constance, 319 : 7, 331 : 2. 
 
 Of Chalcedon, 342 : 19, 627 : 18, 632 : 44. 
 
 Of Nice, 37 : l, 52 : 38, 171 : 42, 340 : 13 
 sq., 341 : 17. 
 
 Of Trent, 588 : 85. 
 
 Proposed, of Mantua, 295 : 1. Coun 
 cil of angels, 309 : 11. 
 Counsels of the Gospel, 57 '• 12, 60 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 17 
 
 M, 228 : 59, 282 : 9, 285 : 24, 289 : 39, 
 330 : 4, 418 : 197. 
 
 Counterfeiting, 422 : 227, 460 : 84. 
 
 Creator, God, the, 25, 37 : 2, 43 : xix., 
 231 : 77, 366 : 2, 388 : 11, 439 : 6, 440 
 sqq. ; of man since the Fall, 493 : 2, 
 540 : 2, 545 : 34 sqq., 546 : 33, 41 ; 
 but not of sin, 541 : 7, 546 : 38, 41. 
 
 Creatures, all, created by God, 231 : 
 77, 366 : 2 ; suppoi ted by him, 440 : 
 13 sq. Divine Providence extends 
 to all, 650 : 3. God uses them for 
 our good, 394 : 36. 440 : 14. To seek 
 consolation from them,idolatry, 393: 
 21. Man a creature of God, even 
 since the Fall, 493 : 2, 4, 540 : 2, 545 : 
 32, 34. Original sin not, 546 : 49. 
 
 Creeds (Symbols). The ancient, re- 
 ceived, 9. (Ecumenical, 25 sqq., 
 84, 311, 360, 388, 476, 492 : 3, 532 : 
 30, 535 : 4. Their meaning, 92 : 51, 
 163 : 7, 491 : 2 sq. Rejected by the 
 Anti-Trinitarians, 670 : 37. See also 
 Symbols. 
 Creed, Apostles', 366, 439. 
 
 Cross, the, of Christ, 165:18, 214:8, 
 270 : 56, 635 : 59 ; of Christians, 56 : 
 31 sqq., 112 : 46, 207 : 54, 226 : 45, 
 457 : 65 sqq. Christ's kingdom con- 
 cealed beneath the cross, 165 : 18. 
 The flesh flees from the cross, 1 12 : 
 49. Benefits of, 209:63, 226:45. 
 Promises to, 215:16. Consolation 
 under, 653 : 20, 658 : 48. Does not 
 merit reconciliation, 272 : 66. 
 Sign of the, 374 : 1, 400 : 74. 
 
 Crypto-Calvinists, 600 : 1, 625 : 4. 
 
 Cursing, 364 : 4, 399 : 62, 416 : 186, 
 454 : 42. 
 
 Cyprian, 48 : 5, 49: 25, 147 : 201, 235 : 2, 
 241 : 36, 274 : 76, 341 : 14, 343 : 27, 
 607 : 36. 
 
 Cyril of Alexandria, 174 : 56 sq., 
 549:54, 602:u. 
 
 D. 
 
 Damascenus, 628 : 22. 
 
 Daniel, 129 sqq., 148 sq., 167 : 24, 221 : 
 
 19, 228 : 61, 268 : 45. 
 David, 46 : 1, 93, 112 : 47, 116 : 70, 147 : 
 
 205, 182:36, 186:66, 208:58, 228: 
 
 61, 286:25, 290:46, 291:49, 396: 
 
 46, 546 : 36. 
 Day, the Last, 42 : xvii. 1, 367 : 6, 
 
 445 : 53. 
 Deacons, in the early Church received 
 
 the sacrament after the priest, 52 : 38. 
 
 Elected the archdeacons, 349 : 62. 
 Deal, the, spiritually, 553:11, 564: 
 
 61. Prayers for, 279 : £4, 96. Masses 
 
 for, 180:15, 260 : 11, 272:64. 277: 
 
 89 sqq., 291 : 53, 314 : 12. The Bare- 
 footed Monks place hoods upon 
 153 : 240. 
 
 Death, the wages of sin, 81 : 40, 210 : 
 64, 542 : 13, 663 : 81. In what re- 
 spect no punishment, 208 : 56. 209 . 
 62 sq. Sin its sting, 96:79. All 
 men subject to it, 82 : 46, 90 : 40, 94 : 
 62, 207 : 54, 321 : l. The Law makes 
 men feel it, 323 : 2. Not delivered 
 therefrom by our own works or suf- 
 ferings, 135 : 156 sq., 205 : 46, 206 : 
 52, 212:77. Aid only from God, 
 85 : 8. Vanquished by Christ, 107 : 
 28 sq., 135:156, 186:55, 204:43, 
 209 : 60, 367 : 4, 442 : 27, 31 ; who de- 
 livers us through baptism, 370 : ) 
 471:41; and faith, 103:115, 135 
 157, 184:46, 208:56, 277:89. Re- 
 pentance of Christians continues un- 
 til death, 329 : 40. Frees the Chris- 
 tian from sinful flesh, 208 : 56. No 
 death in the world to come, 448 : 58. 
 Spiritual, deliverance from, 554 : 15. 
 
 Deception of the devil and the world, 
 397 : 46, 593 : 23. 
 
 Decree of God concerning salvation, 
 526 : 9, 13, 652 : 13 sqq., 653 : 23. 
 Consolation therefrom, 657:44 sq., 
 658 : 47. Warning concerning, 525: 
 6, 651 : 9 sq. 
 
 Decretals, 166 : 23, 320 : 14. 
 
 Degrees of reward, 154 : 245 ; of glory, 
 152 : 234. 
 
 Denial of God, 463:104; of Christ, 
 336 : 3; by Peter, 235 : 5, 241 : 36. 
 
 Descent of Christ into hell, 25, 27, 38, 
 299, 367, 389 : 12, 441 : 25, 518 : 13, 
 522, 643. 
 
 Despair, the result of constant doubt, 
 194:89; of works without faith, 
 137:164, 146:200; of work-right- 
 eousness, 141 : 212, 194 : 89, 324 : 7, 
 591:10; of auricular confession, 
 177 : 67, 346 : 45. What protects 
 saints from despair, 154:243, 190: 
 72. A work of the devil, 370 : 18. 
 Should not result from the doctiine 
 of election, 526 : 9, 527 : 16, 651 : 10. 
 
 Devil, the, a liar and murderer from 
 the beginning, 232 : 77, 256 : 58, 464: 
 115. The enemy of God, 45 : 25 ; 
 of God's Word, 385:11; of the 
 godly, 457 : ee, 460 : 80, 465 : 116. 
 526 : 13. The cause of sin, 44, 231 : 
 77, 442 : 28, 525 : 4, 540 : 2, 544 : 27, 
 547 : 41, 550 : 61, 650 : 7, 663 : 81. The 
 Old Serpent or Dragon, 322 : 5, 323: 
 9, 593 : 23. Knows Christ's history, 
 45 : 23, 149 : 216, 184 : 45 ; but be- 
 lieves not, 45 : 23, 141 : 182. Tempts 
 
718 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXED 
 
 to disregard God's Word, 463 : 104 ; 
 to error and heresy, 83 : 47 ; to crime, 
 87 : 23. Seeks to prevent God's 
 praise, 116 : 71, 308 : (i, 369 : 11, 448 : 
 2, 464:113; prayer, 453:29; gov- 
 ernment, ecclesiastical and civil, 
 460 : 80. Lies in wait for us, 400 : 
 71, 478 : 28, 485 : 80. The source of 
 temptations, 463 : 101, 104 ; espe- 
 cially to strong Christians, 464 : 
 107; of temporal misfortunes, 464: 
 115; of hatred, murder, etc., 416: 
 184, 460 : 80. Extent of his power, 
 83 : 49 ; its limitations, 496 : 25. All 
 men subject to his attack, 82: 46 sq., 
 106 : 17, 321 : l, 322 : 4 ; even the 
 wise of this world, 83 : 49. The 
 godless he controls, 106 : 17, 164 : 16, 
 165:19, 168:29, 212:77, 464:11. 
 His kingdom must yield to that of 
 God, 456 : 54. Christ has van- 
 quished him and delivered us, 38, 
 42, 83:48sqq., 106:18, 115:68sq., 
 116 : 71, 229 : 66, 367 : 4, 442 : 27, 31, 
 522 : 3, 644 : 2. God defends against 
 him, 173 : 50. Consolation and help 
 against him, 98 : 85, 127 : 129, 233 : 
 85, 453 : 30, 460 : 80, 463 sq., 464 : 
 113; through baptism, 370:6,471: 
 
 41. 
 
 Devils, Doctrine of, 49 : 22, 204 : 44, 
 218 : 4, 256 : 58, 257 : 63, 286 : 26, 333 : 
 10. 
 
 Diana, 393 : 18. 
 
 Diogenes, 290 : 46. 
 
 Dionysius, 350 : 71. 
 
 Disciples recognized the Lord in the 
 breaking of bread, 244 : 7. Had 
 only spiritual power, 344 : 31. Er- 
 rors during their lives, 534 : 7. 
 
 Discipline required by Lutheran 
 churches, 56 : 30 sqq. Of the 
 Law, 87 : 22 sqq., 255 : 55, 508 : l, 
 510 : 8, 595 : 1. Especially needed 
 for the common people, 226 : 49. 
 Preparatory to the Holy Supper, 
 374 : 10. Afflictions a discipline, 
 208 : 54, 59. Ceremonies a disci- 
 pline, 292:58. Domestic, 222:25, 
 421 : 218. 
 Church discipline, 199:23 sq., 298: 
 16. 
 
 Disobedience, Adam's, 321 : l, 501 : 3, 
 541 : 9 ; to parents, 321 : 2, 410 : 137 ; 
 of subjects, 309 : 12. Covered by 
 Christ's obedience, 580 : 58. 
 
 Dispensations, bought and sold, 166 : 
 23 ; required by human traditions, 
 224 : 27. 
 
 Dissension, origin of, 125 : 120. Serious- 
 ness of, 346 . 42. When justifiable, 
 
 346 : 42, 523. 6, 524 : 11, 644 : 5, 648. 
 28. To be reconciled by Augsburg 
 Confession, 34 : 10 ; by Formula of 
 Concord, 12, 535: 2. Candor need- 
 ed for their settlement, 592 : 10. 
 
 Dissimilarity in ceremonies not a 
 ground for Church divisions, 56: 44, 
 169 : 33, 220 : 18, 524 : 7, 649 : 31 ; not 
 contrary to faith, 171 : 42. 172: 45. 
 
 Distinctions of food, 42, 53, 136 : 162, 
 218 : 2, 286 : 26 ; of days, times, etc., 
 221 : 20 sq. ; of clothing and Church 
 decoration, 222 : 21, 286 : 26, 296 : 7. 
 
 Divinity, Divine Nature. See 
 Christ. 
 
 Divorces allowed in O. T., forbidden 
 in N. T., 432 : 295, 434 : 306. Mar- 
 riage of innocent party after death 
 permissible, 351 : 78. Errors of 
 Anabaptists, 531 : 19, 669 : 24. 
 
 Doctrine of Christ, Law and Gospel, 
 507 : 6. 
 Of the Law, divine, 506 : 3 ; does not 
 annul the Gospel, 133 : 148. What 
 it is, 156 : 256, 192 : 85. 
 Of Repentance proclaimed against the 
 godless, 117 : 79 ; commands new 
 works, 134:151, 153; promises for- 
 giveness, 134 : 151. Importance of, 
 195 : 1, 269 : 46. 
 Of the Gospel must be firmly main- 
 tained, 156 : 256. Gives no occa- 
 sion to scandals, 299 : 22 sqq. Estab- 
 lishes the authority of magistrates, 
 229 : 65. 
 Of Faith and Justification not to be 
 neglected, 156 : 256, 158 : 26 ; or mis- 
 represented, 45 : 35 sqq. Why im- 
 portant, 103 : 118, 141 : 182, 178 : 3, 
 192 : 84, 194 : 90. Less specious than 
 that of the Law, 123 : 109. 
 Unity in, 319 : 9. Capacity for judg- 
 ing, 386 : 17. Summaries of, 242 : 
 43, 535 : l, 537 : 9 (350 : 7 sq.). Pur- 
 ity of, 162:5, 454:39. Standard 
 of, 491, 535. God's name hallowed 
 by, 368:5, 399:64. Undunsumd- 
 ingof, a prerequisite to Loru* Sup- 
 per, 387 : 5. The Augsburg Con- 
 fession a summary of the enti:* 
 doctrine, 201 : 27. Must be con- 
 stantly urged, 390 : 24. Philosophy 
 not to be mingled therewith, 159 . 
 269. Godless, to be avoided, 346 : 
 41. 
 Of Devils, 65 : 49, 170 : 40. 
 
 Dogmas, 158 : 26. 
 
 Domestics, duties of, 378 : 10, 411 : 143 
 sqq., 422 : 225. Insubordination of, 
 309 : 12. Should not be alienated 
 from our neighbor, 365 sq., 432 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 719 
 
 434 : 306. Must be kept in disci- 
 pline, 222:25; be taught the Cate- 
 chism, 387 : 4, 389 : 16 ; should be 
 daily prayed for, 400 : 73, 452 : 28. 
 
 Dominicans, 291 : 53, 330 : 2. 
 
 Dominicus, 119 : 90. 
 
 Donatists, 39, 168 : 29, 172 : 49. 
 
 Doubt of Providence, 112 : 46 ; of God's 
 grace, 118:83; of forgiveness, 103: 
 119, 107 : 28, 1 93 : 88 sq. ; of the abso- 
 lution, 372 : 16 ; of eternal salvation, 
 502 : 9, 661 : 70, 662 : 13. The Papists 
 teach that men must doubt, 346 : 44, 
 87 : 19, 146 : 200, 158 : 260. Doubt a 
 consequence of work-righteousness, 
 141 : 180, 586 : 23. Inconsistent with 
 prayer, 193 : 89, 465 : 121 sqq. ; with 
 proper partaking of the Lord's 
 Supper, 374 : 10. Doubt of truth 
 more bitter than death, 201 : 31 ; the 
 parent of despair, 146 : 200, 193 : 89. 
 Paul's remedy for, 146 : 199. Doubt 
 a source of dissension, 550 : 58. 
 
 Dragon, the Old. See Devil. 
 
 Dragon's Tail, 314 : n. 
 
 Drawing, God's, of men, 392 : 15. Sub- 
 jects of, 499 : 16, 568 : 86. Of the 
 Father to Christ, 662:76. Means 
 of, 562 : 54. No compulsion em- 
 ployed, 564 : 60. Of the Holy Ghost, 
 493 : 17, 569 : 88. 
 
 Drunkards, 404 : 96. 
 
 E. 
 
 Easter, 56 : 43, 169, 171. 
 
 Efficacy of the Holy Ghost, 653 : 23, 
 663:82; of the sacraments, 162:3; 
 of the Word, 215 : 11. 
 
 Elders, according to divine right equal 
 to bishops, 349 : 61. 
 
 Elect, who they are, 654 : 30 sq. Who 
 do not belong thereto, 656 : 39. Their 
 paucity, 655 : 34. Known to God, 
 653 : 23. Their weakness not im- 
 puted, 500 : 14. Christ gives them 
 eternal life, 42 : xvii. They will 
 all be saved, 653 : 25. 
 Errors concerning, 506 : 19. 
 
 Election, 525, 649. To be distin- 
 guished from foreknowledge, 525 : 
 2, 650 : 3. Not dependent on our 
 godliness, 662 : 75. To be read in 
 Christ, 526 : 13, 652 : 13, 660 : 65 sq. 
 Sealed by God's oath and the sacra- 
 ments, 652 : 13. Kevealed in his 
 Word, 657 : 43. Pertains only to 
 the godly, 525 : 5, 650 : 5. A cause 
 of salvation, 651 : 8. How to be 
 considered, 525 : 6, 526 : 9, 651 : 9, 
 652 : 13 ; not according to reason, 
 053 ; 26, 660 : 63 sq. j or from curi- 
 
 osity, 638 :52; but to be learned for 
 comfort and patience, 527 : 16. It ex- 
 horts to repentance, 652: 12, 658 : 51, 
 661 : 71. Should not occasion hard 
 thoughts, 561 : 47, 651 : 10, 665 : 89. 
 Its consolation, 658 : 48 sq. To whom 
 consolatory, 526 : 11, 653 : 25. To 
 whom not consolatory, 563 : 57. Not 
 chargeable with the destruction of 
 the godless, 526:12, 655:34, 663: 
 78. 
 Abuse of the doctrine, 526 : 8, 657 : 10, 
 656 : 39 sq. Errors to be rejected, 
 558 : 17 sqq. 
 
 Elements, external signs in the sacra- 
 ments, 468 : 18, 471 : 10. Conse- 
 crated by the words of institution, 
 676 : 82. Not to be adored, 515 : 40, 
 624 : 126. 
 
 Eli, sons of, 245 : 10. 
 
 Elijah, 280 : 99, 333 : 11. 
 
 Elisha, 333 : 11. 
 
 Emperor. May follow David's exam- 
 ple, 46 : l. Power of, usurped by 
 popes, 61 : 2, 166 : 23, 318 : 2, 344 : 
 55, 347 : 50. Election of popes for- 
 merly confirmed by, 312 : 20. 
 
 Encratites, 254 : 45, 255 : 50. 
 
 "Evuoie, 628 : 22. 
 
 Enthusiasm in the Papacy, 332 : 4, 
 333 : 9. 
 
 Enthusiasts, who they are, 215 : 13, 
 332 : 3 sqq., 499 : 13. Old and new, 
 552 : 4. Condemn the outward 
 Word, 332 : 6. Abuse the doctrine 
 of human inability, 561 : 46. 
 
 Epicureans, 623 : 123, 526 : 9. 
 
 Epicurus, 89 : 35. 
 
 'Ett ieiKia } 66 : 64, 126 : 122. 
 
 Epiphanius, 254 : 45, 260 : 8, 279 : 96. 
 
 Eternity of punishments, 229 : 66. 
 
 Eucharist, a name of the mass, 272 : 
 66, 274 : 76. 
 
 Eunomians, 37 : 5. 
 
 Eutyches, 519 : 18, 21, 642 : 89. 
 
 Evil. God not its cause, 43 : xix., 525 : 
 4, 650 : 6. He fixes its limit, 525 : 
 4, 650 : 6. Inclination of our flesh 
 to, 457 : 63. How and by whom 
 punished. 429 : 274. Should not be 
 wished, 417 : 188. Prayer for deliv- 
 erance from it, 464 : 113 sqq. 
 
 Evils, bodily, 83 : 46. Forms of, 370 : 
 20, 464. Whv permitted, 141 : 180. 
 Prayer agains't, 370 : 19 sq., 389, 464. 
 Divine protection against, 366 : 2. 
 
 Evil-Doers. Convicted by preaching 
 of Law, 129 : 134. To be punished 
 by the magistrate, 42 : xvi., 227 : 53, 
 228 : 59, 530 : 16, 669 : 21. 
 
 Exaltation of Christ, state o£ 518 : 15, 
 

 ANALYSIS AND INDEXES. 
 
 531 : 21, 629 : 26, 636 : 64 sq., 637 : 
 87 sqq. 
 
 Kxamina iions before the Lord's Sup- 
 per, 259:1, 269:49. 
 
 Example of saints, 16 : 1, 118:87, 119: 
 90, 235:4 si](]., 240:36; of Mary, 
 239:37. Distinction between Law 
 and Gospel illustrated, 186 : 55. 
 Must be examined according to 
 Scripture, 293 : 60. Wicked exam- 
 ples invite to sin, 463 : 102. No 
 example in Scripture of the invo- 
 cation of saints, 236 : 10, 239 : 31, 
 316 : 25. 
 
 Exclusive Particles, 96 : 73, 502 : 10, 
 576 : 36, 578 : 43, 579 : 53. 
 
 Excommunication, 333. Excludes 
 from outward fellowship, 162:3; 
 the openly wicked and despisers 
 of the sacraments, 176 : 61, 349 : 60, 
 351 : 74. Power of, belongs to every 
 bishop or pastor, 297 : 13 sq., 351 : 
 76. Abuse of, by the Papacy, 61 : 2, 
 344 : 35, 351 : 74. Error of Schwenk- 
 feldt, 531 : 26, 670 : 34. 
 
 Exercises, bodily, of the Fathers, 170 : 
 36, 221 : 20 sq." Under the Law, 1 18 : 
 86, 293 : 58. Always to be used, 56 : 
 34, 226 : 46 sq., 2o4 : 48 sq. Of the 
 saints, 119 : 90, 222 : 24; not merit- 
 orious, 222 : 24, 284 : 21. Of faith, 
 135 : 157, 385 : 9 sq. The Book of 
 Psalms an exercise upon First Com- 
 mandment, 386 : 18. Exercises of 
 singing, etc., 292 : 55. 
 
 External Life. Man's ability to live 
 an externally moral life, 43 : 1, 9, 87 : 
 23, 557 : 26 ; to hear and read God's 
 Word, 562 : 53; to be industrious in 
 external works, 556 : 20. Does not 
 justify before God, 56 : 41, 88 : 26, 
 28. Distinction between external 
 and internal godliness, 136 : 161 
 sq. 
 
 Extreme Unction, 214 : 6. 
 
 Faith, the true Catholic, 26 : 1, 3, 27 : 
 19, 28 : 40. Justifying, 91 : 48, 98 : 
 61, 139 : 171 sq., 141 : 182 sq., 156 : 
 255, 158 : 265, 187 : 60, 194 : 92. Fides 
 formula, 102 : 109, 121 : 100; properly 
 so called, 103 : 113, 116 ; general, 187 : 
 60, 216 : 21 ; not a mere knowledge 
 of Christ's historv, 45 : 23 sqq., 86 : 
 17, 91 : 48, 92 : 50, 94 : 61, 100 : 99, 
 103 : 115, 122 : 116, 127 : 128, 142 : 183, 
 149 : 216, 158 : 262, 184 : 45. Not an 
 idle thought, 94 : 64, 103 : 115, 127 : 
 129 ; not a work or preparation of 
 man, 91:48; is supernatural, 142: 
 
 182 ; above reason, 222 : 22, 325 : 14 
 367:6, 448:67. 
 
 Faith a gift and work of God, 91 : 48, 
 184:46; a work, light and power 
 of the Holy Ghost, 38 : v., 43 : 3, 94 : 
 64, 100: 99, 103: 115, 127: 128 sq., 
 168 : 31, 271 : 59, 367 : 6, 368 : 8, 369 : 
 11,447:61; a witness of the Holy 
 Ghost, 103:113; a divine service, 
 92:49, 57, 122:107, 143:188, 220, 
 346 : 44. Faith and God belong to- 
 gether, 391 : 3. The doctrine con- 
 cerning faith to be urged in the 
 Church, 55:20; as the chief doc- 
 trine, 43 : 8. Its knowledge neces- 
 sary, 103:118. Faith the spiritual eat- 
 ing of John 6, 615 : 62. Confidence, 
 trust, 45 : 26, 91 : 48, 95 : 69, 108 : 33, 
 143:191, 144:194, 149:216, 391:4. 
 How distinguished from hope, 143: 
 191. Is certainty of God's grace in 
 Christ, 107 : 27, 151 : 229; acknow- 
 ledgment and reception of Christ, 
 91 : 46, 48, 105 : 12, 108 : 33, 122 : 106, 
 501 : 6; a living power, 127: 125, 
 158 : 262 ; righteousness of heart, 
 99 : 92, 131 : 142, 142 : 186 sq. Not 
 merely the beginning of justifi- 
 cation, 95 : 71 ; but also of good 
 works and the fulfilling of the 
 Law. 91 : 46, 92 : 51, 95 : 71. Chris- 
 tian perfection, 41 : xvi., 228 : 61, 
 286 : 27, 288 : 37. Higher and 
 stronger than works, 149 : 216 ; yet 
 we dare not build thereon, 473 : 56. 
 
 Faith comes by hearing, 95 : 67, 183 
 39, 214:5; through the Word, 96 
 73, 100 : 93, 151 : 225, 214 : 5, 227 : 54 
 273 : 70, 447 : 62, 612 : 59, 613 : 62 
 through the words of institution 
 616 : 81 ; through the ministry, 38 
 v.; through the Gospel and sacra 
 ments, 38, 41, 118 : 89, 170 : 3G, 183 
 42, 245 : 10, 271 : 59, 273 : 70, 277 : 89 
 332:7, 478:24 sqq.; through ex 
 ternal signs, 117 : 80, 131 : 143, 214 
 4 sq., 216 : 19. 
 
 Faith comprehends the present and 
 the future, 144: 191; belongs to re 
 pentance, 40 : 5, 91 : 45, 106 : 21, 129 
 136, 135:157, 160:277, 178:1, 181 
 21, 182 : 35, 183 : 44 sq., 186 : 57, 187 
 60 sq., 194 : 91, 590 : 4, 8. Rises and 
 grows in repentance, 106 : 21, 134 
 151, 151 : 229, 152 : 232; in temp- 
 tation, 183 : 37, 42, 207 : 54, 269 : 46 
 through exercise in good works, 
 etc., 115 : 68, 135 : 157, 151 : 229; not 
 without struggles, 142 : 182, 152 : 229, 
 346 : 44. Distinguishes the repent- 
 ance of Peter from that of Judas. 
 
LNDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 721 
 
 179 : 8, 182 : 36. Even a weak faith 
 acceptable to God, 614 : 70. What 
 precedes and follows pertains not 
 to justification, 574 : 24. 
 
 Faith has three objects, 92 : 53. Ap- 
 prehends God's Word and promise, 
 91 : 44, 92 : 50, 55, 95 : 67, 70, 103 : 113, 
 107:27, 108:32, 121:103, 127:126, 
 131 : 143, 139 : 171, 140 : 173, 143 : 
 191, 157 : 260, 158 : 265. Faith and 
 the promise correlative, 147:203, 
 151 : 225. Apprehends God's mercy 
 and the forgiveness of sins, 98 : 85, 
 101 : 106, 105 : 8, 106 : 20, 108 : 32, 
 110:40, 113:53, 122:107, 139:171, 
 145 : 197, 147 : 203, 160 : 277. Ap- 
 prehends Christ as Redeemer and 
 Mediator, 90 : 44, 91 : 46. 92 : 55, 95 : 
 69, 97:80, 82, 111:40, 120:96, 100, 
 121 : 103, 123 : no, 126 : 123, 143 : 187, 
 157:257, 158:261, 188:63, 192:84, 
 501 :5, 571 : 11. 
 
 Faith the beginning, centre and end 
 of justification, 587 : 34 sq. ; brings 
 the Holy Ghost, 45 : 29, 91 : 45, 103 : 
 116, 104 : 4, 105 : 12, 114 : 61, 192 : 82, 
 234 : 92, 583 : 96; and thereby a new 
 heart and mind, 104 : 4, 127 : 129, 
 128:131, 335; cleanses the heart, 
 100:99, 130:140, 137:163, 168:31, 
 296 : 8; mortifies concupiscence, 91 : 
 45. By it we are regenerated, con- 
 verted, etc., 91 : 45 sq., 94 : 64, 96 : 72, 
 103:115, 117, 113:54, 114:61, 127: 
 126, 129 : 135, 139 : 171, etc. Love 
 follows it, 96 : 74, 76, 104 : 4, 106 : 20, 
 108:30, 109:34, 126:124, 127:128, 
 133:149, 140:173, 183:37, 192:82, 
 574 : 27. It imparts ability to ob- 
 serve the Law, 91 : 45, 104 : 2, 109 : 
 38 ; 129 : 135, 144 : 194, 234 : 92 ; brings 
 forth good fruits, 39 : vi., 45 : 29, 94 : 
 64, 96:74, 103: 111 sq., 106:14sqq., 
 109:34, 117:82, 126:125. 128:130, 
 156 : 252, 210 : 68, 335 : 2, 502 : n, 
 504 : 6, 506 : 18, 576 : 36, 583 : 9. 
 These follow, and do not precede, 
 faith, 578 : 49. They are testimonies 
 to faith, 109:34, 1 14: 63, 115:68. 
 Faith in itself no good work, 572 : 13. 
 
 Faith exists in those only who grieve 
 for sin, 106 : 22; not in those with- 
 out the Holy Ghost, 231:72; not 
 in carnal men, 107 : 22 sq., 151 : 
 221, 234:90; not in the godless 
 and devils, 141 : 182 ; cannot coexist 
 with a purpose to sin, 502 : 11, 574 : 
 26; nor with mortal sin, 94:64, 102: 
 109, 103:115, 329:43; nor without 
 love, 120 : 98 sq., 121 : 103; nor with- 
 out works, 127 : 129, 128 : 131, 335 : 
 
 49 
 
 xiii. Distinction between dead and 
 living faith, 127 : 127 sqq. The for- 
 mer a fruit of original sin, 321 : 2. 
 P'aith required for profitable recep- 
 tion of baptism, 469 : 33 sqq., 470 : 
 41; yet the validity of baptism not 
 dependent thereon, 472 : 52, 473 : 
 58. Faith required for profitable 
 reception of the Lord's Supper, 
 135 : 155, 277 : 90, 216 : 19 sqq.. 273 : 
 70, 274 : 77, 374 : 10, 480 : 34, 609 : 46 
 sq., 613 : 63 ; yet its validity not de- 
 pendent thereon, 606:32, 615:74, 
 617 : 88. Prayer without faith no 
 prayer, 236 : lb, 13, 465 : 120. Church 
 unity requires unity in faith, 168 : 31, 
 445 : 51 (319 : 9). 
 Arti'cles of. — God's Word the only 
 source, 315 : 15. Claim of the Pope 
 to frame, 166 : 23. 
 
 Fall, the, and its consequences, 37 : ii., 
 77 : 5 sqq., 78 : 14, 79 : 24, 249 : 13, 16, 
 321 : 1 sqq., 442 : 28 sq., 493 : 1 sqq., 
 494 : 8, 539 : l sqq., 541 : 8 sqq., 543 : 
 23, 544 : 26 sq., 546 : 38, 551 : 2, 552 : 
 8. Its penalties, 208 : 58, 542 : 13. 
 Before the Fall man not without 
 Law, 509 : 2. The will, before and 
 since, 496 : l, 562 : 53. Since the 
 Fall, human nature and original 
 sin not identical, 547 : 44 ; but re- 
 main God's creatures, 493 : 2. 
 
 Family, the, not destroyed by the Gos- 
 pel, 228 : 57. Promotion of harmony 
 in, 123 : ill. Duties of, holy, 222: 
 25. Instruction in, 364 sqq., 387:4. 
 Worship in, 400 : 73. Error of Pap- 
 ists, 54 : 10, 11 ; of Anabaptists, 531 : 
 17 sqq. 
 
 Famine, 210 : 65, 424 : 440, 460 : 78. 
 
 Fanatics, 243 : 43, 606 : 33. 
 
 Fasting, a bodily exercise and disci- 
 pline, 222 : 24, 226 : 47 sq. ; before 
 the Holy Supper, 374 : 10. True 
 fasting has God's command, 205 : 
 
 46. Is not rejected, 56 : 39. Not a 
 meritorious service, 53 : l, 63 : :?: 
 sqq., 170 : 39, 205 : 46, 224 : 29, 226 : 
 
 47. Not necessary for justification, 
 171 : 41. 
 
 Father, the, God. Of him the Son 
 begotten, and from him the Holy 
 Ghost proceeds, 27 : 21 sq., 311, 367 : 
 4. The Son equal to him accoid- 
 ing to his Godhead, 27:3. Not 
 the Father, but the Son, became 
 man, 311. His essence, will and 
 work, 439 : 10. 
 Father, Our, God, 134:151, 148:212, 
 368 : 2, 370 : 21, 440 : 17, 441 : 24, 
 660 : 65, 662 : 75, 76. 
 
722 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 Fathers (parents), their rank above 
 all others, 405: 105. Command and 
 promise concerning them, 116:76, 
 155 : 246, 354, 388, 405, 437. Their 
 iniquities visited upon their chil- 
 dren, 306 : 21, 395 : 30 sqq. Three 
 species of fathers, 413:158. 
 Fathers, Church, their life, 119:190. 
 Built hay and stubble on the foun- 
 dation, 166:2. Their fallibility, 
 279 : 95. Could not frame articles 
 of faith, 315 : 15. Their testimony 
 concerning Christ, 633 : 51 ; the free 
 will, 556:23; the imperfection of 
 good works, 147 : 202, 204, 159 : 271 ; 
 the forgi veness of sins, 1 25 : 117, 1 90 : 
 73; the grace of God in Christ, 92 : 
 54, 221 : 20; justification, 88 : 29 sqq., 
 112:50; the Law and the Gospel, 
 101:103 sqq.; confession, 198:15; 
 repentance, 194 : 91, 195 : 93, 198 : 
 16; the Church, 163 : 11 sqq.; the 
 sacraments, 213 : 2, 214 : 6, 273 : 66, 
 274 : 75 ; Church ordinances, 138 : 
 163, 176 : 62, 198 : 16 sq., 199 : 23 sq.. 
 210: 70 sq., 211 : 74. 219 : 13, 221 : 20, 
 260 : 8 ; purgatory, 210 : 70, 315 : 13. 
 Silent concerning sacrifice of the 
 mass, 272 : 65, 274 : 75, 279 : 95 sq., 
 315:14; concerning invocation of 
 saints, 235 : 3, 240 : 33. Held to 
 one form of the Catechism, 360 : 
 8. The doctrine of the Lutheran 
 churches harmonizes with them, 
 169 : 268. 
 
 Faults, many, cling to the regenerate, 
 501 : 9. Forbearance with, 123 : 11, 
 126 : 23. 
 
 Fear of God, filial and servile, 183 : 38. 
 Innate absence of true fear of God, 
 38, 43 : 9, 76 : 2 sq., 78 : 14 sqq., 79 : 
 26, 88:27, 112:46, 150:221. Be- 
 longs to the divine image, 79. Is 
 a work of the Holy Ghost, 106 : 14, 
 168:31. Christian perfection, 41: 
 4. A consequence of regeneration, 
 104 : 4, 151 : 228. Grows under ter- 
 rors of conscience, 152 : 23. Chil- 
 dren to be trained therein, 401 : 75. 
 Of Punishment, 181 : 29, 505 : 12, 587 : 
 31, 598 : 16. 
 
 Festivals, profitable for good order, 
 41, 65 : 51, 221 : 20 sq., 169 : 33, 224 : 
 38 sq. The Jewish festivals adapted 
 to the Gospel, 171 : 40. The Lord's 
 Supper on, 259 : 1. They are not 
 necessary for salvation, 63 : 37. In 
 honor of angels and saints not to 
 be held, 317 : 26. Have bishops 
 the right to institute them ? 63 : 30. 
 Christians should observe a per- 
 
 petual Sabbath, 403.89. Relation 
 of the Lord's Day to the S.tbbati:, 
 65 : 59 sqq., 402 : 85 sqq. 
 Flesh of Christ (his body). Given 
 for the life of the world, 245:10. 
 In the Holy Supper, 608 : 39, 613 : 
 63. (See Lord's Supper.) Even 
 according to the flesh, Christ had 
 the fulness of the Spirit, 638 : 73. 
 Erroneous doctrine of the Schwcnck- 
 feldians, 531 : 20 sq., 669 : 29 ; of the 
 Anabaptist^, 669 : 25. 
 
 Flesh, our, Christ a3sv.med, 493 . 5 
 608 : 39, 626 : 11, 631 : 37, 639 : 78. 
 
 Flesh, sinful, even God's children have 
 it, 113:58, 208:55, 335 : xiii. ; and 
 their works consequently impure, 
 583 : 8. It cannot endure God's 
 judgments, 148:208. Will be laid 
 aside in the resurrection, 446 : 57, 
 494 : 10, 548 : 46 sqq. 
 
 The flesh sins in external works of 
 the Law, 89 : 33 ; distrusts God, 
 112:99, 461:89; cannot love God, 
 89 : 33 ; resists God's will, 369 : ll ; 
 resists the Spirit, 112 : 48, 145 : 198, 
 555 : 17, 564 : 64, 568 : 84, 585 : 19, 
 596 : 8 ; opposes the Holy Ghost, 
 115 : 68 ; tempts to evil, 370 : 18, 
 457 : 63, 461 : 89, 463 : 101 sq., 485 : 
 76, 555 : 17, 564 : 64, 597 : 12, 657 : 
 48; attacks especially the young, 
 463:107; defiles good works, 115: 
 68 ; offended at the cross, 457 : 66. 
 Its wicked desires are sins, 112 : 48. 
 Thev who live according to it are 
 without faith, 107:22, 149, 151: 
 227 ; without true conversion, 566 : 
 70 ; are secure and indifferent, 226 : 
 47 ; must die, 107 : 22, 587 : 32. 
 
 It remains even after baptism, 478 : 
 22; after regeneration, 508 : 1, 510: 
 7, 565 : 68, 568 : 85, 573 : 23, 597 : 12, 
 599 : 22. Renders sanctification im- 
 perfect, 374 : 28. Constant struggle 
 of believers against it, 509:4; un- 
 til death, 329 : 40, 559 : 34, 598 : 18. 
 God's defence against, 653 : 20. A id 
 afforded by study of God's Word, 
 385 : 10 ; by fasting, 226 : 47. Mor- 
 tified in repentance, 202 : 34 sq.. 
 585 : 19. 
 Fomes of original sin, 82 : 42. 
 Food, distinctions in 41 :4, 54, 218:2, 
 286:26; a human ordinance, 136: 
 162. Neither sin nor righteousness, 
 £96:7. Adiaphora, 646:13. To 
 find sin therein contrary to God's 
 command, 64 : 39. 
 
 To whom food should be denied, 360 : 
 12. How sanctified, 251 : 80. Tb« 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 723 
 
 Holy Supper food of the soul, 
 478 : 23. 
 
 Foreknowledge, God's, what it is, 
 and how distinguished from elec- 
 tion, 525:2, 3, 650:3. Not the 
 cause of sin, 525 : 4, 650 : 6 sq. 
 Harmful thoughts concerning, 651 : 
 11, 653 : 26. 
 
 Forgiveness of sins, 25, 26, 84, 367, 
 443. The final cause of the his- 
 tory of Christ, 92 : 51. Necessary 
 above all to justification, 96 : 75 sq., 
 138:169, 501:4, 574:25, 577:39, 
 579 : 54. The best consolation, 96 : 
 79, 98:85, 129:136, 158, 461:92. 
 Importance of this article, 92 : 51, 
 179 : 10. 
 Proclaimed not by the Law, but by 
 the Gospel, 92 : 57, 95 : 70, 102 : no, 
 181 : 29, 228 : 58. Not obtained 
 through the Law, 85 : 7, 90 : 38 ; or 
 through our merit, virtues, love, 
 works, 38:iv., 39 : vi., 84, 85:9, 
 86 sq., 88 : 25, 31, 89 : 36, 90 : 41, 92 : 
 51, 96 : 74, 77, 79 sq., 97 : 83, 98 : 85, 
 87, 102 : 110 sqq., 107 : 26, 108 : 33 
 sq., 117 : 82, 120 : 100 sq., 126 : 123, 
 128:132, 131:139, 131:142, 133: 
 148, 134 : 153, 193 : 88, 195 : 95, 232 : 
 
 78, 261 : 14, 284 : 17 ; or through 
 reason, 88 : 31 ; or through repent- 
 ance and satisfaction, 97 : 83, 175 : 
 39, 191 : 78, 195 : 95, 198 : 16 sqq., 
 206 : 52 ; but not without repent- 
 ance, 186 : 58. Not through facti- 
 tious services or human traditions, 
 97 : 83, 218 : l, 3 sqq., 220 : 18, 223 : 
 29, 253 : 40, 283 : 14, 284 : 17, 288 : 34, 
 292:55, 296:9, 315:18. Not by 
 forgiving others, 128 : 133, 130 : 138, 
 131 : 143, 134 : 151. Even the saints 
 pray for it, 112 : 47, 367, 389, 461 : 88. 
 
 Promised gratuitously through Christ, 
 54:5, 84:5, 90:40, 94:62, 97:82, 
 102 : 110, 119 : 90, 125 : 118, 1 29 : 136, 
 132:147, 182:35, 184:43, 591:35; 
 without merit, through Christ, 103 : 
 120, 209:60, 252:36, 283:11; out 
 of grace for Christ's sake, through 
 faith, 38, 40, 45, 84, 87, 92 : 51, 94 : 
 62, 96 : 79 sqq., 98 : 84, 103 : 117, 105 : 
 11, 119 : 90, 129 : 136, 134 : 151 sqq., 
 1*0:176, 157,178:2, 192:84, 239: 
 29, 296:7, 299:23, 374:8, 476:3, 
 562 : 54, 572 : 11. Obtained through 
 faith alone, 52, 84, 89 : 36, 96 : 77, 
 
 79, 98:85, 102:112, 103:116, 107: 
 23, 109 : 34, 37, 111 : 42, 114 : 61, 116 : 
 73 sq., 130:138, 134:151, 135:157, 
 139:171, 160:277, 177:66, 182:36, 
 188:63, 192:79 sq., 232:79, 233: 
 
 84 sq., 88, 261 : 14, 269 : 41, 287 : 19, 
 346 : 44, 572 : 16, 593 : 20, through 
 special faith, 187 : 59 sq. ; also to 
 the patriarchs, 92 : 57. Given in 
 baptism and the Holy Supper, 
 135 : 155, 183 : 40 sqq., 216 : 20, 262 : 
 18, 273 : 69 sq., 277 : 90, 324 : 8, 370 : 
 6, 371 : 16, 374 : 4 sqq., 446 : 54 sq., 
 616 : 81 ; through absolution, 371 : 
 16, 479 : 31 ; to all (116 : 74) who are 
 converted, 212 : 79. Repentance and 
 forgiveness of sins belong together, 
 590 : 4, 9, 653 : 27. It is imparted 
 by the Holy Ghost, 367 : 6, 446 : 
 58, 567 : 77. The gift of the Holy 
 Ghost follows, 329 : 40, 562 : 54. 
 Good works follow, 186:58, 334: 
 2; and the works of the Law, 192: 
 82; thank-offerings, 262:19, 263: 
 25. Repentance of no avail with- 
 out it, 188 : 63. Without it, no love 
 of God, 102 : no, 106 : 20, 143 : 190 ; 
 or good works, 131:143, 155:246. 
 
 To wish it the highest worship of 
 God, 143 : 188 sq. To deny it is to 
 annul the Gospel, 131 : 143. To 
 seek it through love and works is 
 to rob Christ of his glory, 107 : 29, 
 119 : 92, 283 : 11 ; would never bring 
 certainty, 102 : no, 131 : 143; would 
 fail to sustain in death, 1 03 : 119, 
 107 : 29. Sin of disbelieving it, 
 195 : 94. 
 
 Errors of Papists, 159 : 271, 177 : 65, 67, 
 239 : 91. That forgiveness is obtain- 
 ed through good works de congruo, 
 230 : 72 ; ex opere operato, 260 : 12, 
 346 : 44 ; through love to God be- 
 fore grace, 166:21, 190:75, 192: 
 85; through repentance, confession, 
 satisfaction, 181 : 20, 24, 198 : 15, 324 : 
 12; through human ordinances, 168: 
 32, 169 : 34, 177 : 65, 205 : 46, 218 : 6, 
 219 : 7, 336 ; through fasts, prayers, 
 alms, 205 : 46 ; through vows, 347 : 
 
 48. 
 
 Form, identity of, in doctrinal state- 
 ments, its importance, 18, 360:7 
 sqq., 537 : 10. Declarations to be 
 conformed thereto, 499 : 16, 505 : 9, 
 548 : 50, 569, 588 : 36. 
 
 Francis, St., 87: 20, 119:90. 222:24, 
 260 : 7, 285 : 81. 
 
 Franciscans. See Barefooted 
 Monks. 
 
 Frankfort on the Main, 11. 
 
 Fraternities in the Papacy, 316 : ai. 
 
 Freedom, Human, in external things, 
 42, 566 : 74. Its extent, 230 : 70 
 How far in spiritual things, 556 
 23. 
 
724 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 Of Will, 556 : 23. 
 
 Christian, to be maintained, 65:51, 
 524:12, 649: 3". Change of Sab- 
 bath an example, I '»■"•: 60. Sup- 
 ported by the apostles, 172 : 44, 
 646: 12, 15. How to be eontrolled, 
 'I'll : 51. Not to be abused, 360 : 3, 
 384 : 3. 
 Fruits. Of Repentance, 40, 181 : 28, 
 202 : 34, 204 : 42, 212 : 77 ; of forgive- 
 ness of sin and regeneration, 131 
 142, 186:58; of justification, 134 
 154, 139 : 171 ; of sanetification, 577 
 41; of faith, 39: vi., 94:64, 108:34, 
 114:63, 127:128, 152:233, 445:53, 
 475 : 84, 559 : 37, 576 : 36, 582 : l, 583 : 
 9, 584 : 15 ; of love, 122 : 105. Love 
 a fruit of faith, 574 : 27. Only good 
 trees yield good fruit, 128 : 132, 230 : 
 22. Fruits and their source often 
 mentioned together, 154 : 244 sq., 
 156 : 254. May be called the third 
 part of repentance, 42 : 6, 181 : 28, 
 184:45,135:157. Where they are 
 not, the Holy Ghost absent, 120 : 
 98 sq. ; and there is hypocrisy, 134 : 
 154, 202 : 35 ; and dead faith, 577 : 43. 
 
 They please God because of faith and 
 Christ's intercession, 128 : 131, 156 : 
 254; but they are not the treasure 
 whereby we make satisfaction, 108 : 
 34. Neither are they worthy of 
 eternal life, 156 : 254 ; yet obtain 
 mitigation of earthly punishments, 
 210 : 67 sq. 
 
 Of the Spirit, distinguished from works 
 of the Law, 509 : 5 sq., 598 : 17. 
 
 Of the Cross, 209 : 61 sq. ; of the Di- 
 vine Word and Catechism, 384 : 9 sq., 
 385 : 12, 386 : 19. 
 
 Of Original Sin, 76 : 3. 
 
 G. 
 
 Gabriel, the archangel, 333 : 11. 
 
 Gabriel, the schoolman (Biel), 119: 
 89, 189 : 68, 238 : 23, 245 : 9. 
 
 Gelasius, Pope, 48 : 6. 
 
 George, St., 228 : 32. 
 
 Germany, 309 : n, 344 : 35, 453 : 31. 
 
 Gerson, 54 : 13, 16, 61 : 60, 223 : 28, 250 : 
 20, 284 : 16, 288 : 36, 308 : 6, 472 : 50. 
 
 Gifts of God manifold, 445 : 51. Differ 
 in degree, 252 : 38. To be received 
 with thanksgiving, 235 : 4, 262 : 19. 
 The world abuses them, 441 : 21. 
 To be used in a godly way, 254 : 57. 
 Ciod avenges their contempt, 255: 
 &3. Their preservation to be prayed 
 for. 555: 16. Inequality of, 319:4. 
 O' Divine Image, 79:23; of Church, 
 ' 849 : 67. 
 
 Of IJoly Ghost, 105 : li, 164 : 13, 234 
 90, 329:40, 3(I7:R, 559:34,560-40, 
 561 : 47, 563 : c«, 565 : 65, 653 : 23. 
 Apostles, teachers, etc. gifts, 343:26. 
 Continence and virginity gifts, 169: 
 31, 234 : 92, 250 : 18, 252 : 38, 291 : 51. 
 Faith a gift, 99 : 93, 557 : 26, 571 : 11. 
 Salvation and eternal life gifts, 152: 
 235, 218:6, 504:7. 
 Error of Enthusiasts, 581 : 46 ; of Ana- 
 baptists, 529 : 4, 638 : 72 ; concern- 
 ing limitation of Christ's indwell- 
 ing, 503 : 78. 
 
 Glorification of the justified, 116 • 
 75, 153 : 241, 653 : 22. 
 
 Glory, the Lord's, beatific sight of, 
 152 : 230, 519 : 25. Christ's eternal, 
 165:18, 518:16, 631:39, 633:51, 
 635 : 61, 636 : 64 sq. ; grades of, 152 
 234. 
 
 God, 25, 26, 37, 75, 311, 366, 388, 439, 
 Is a Spirit, 254:27, 637:88; un 
 create, 26 : 8 ; without body, 37 : 2 
 one and indivisible, 25 : l, 26 : 3, 37 
 2, 75 : l, 311, 439 : 7, 637 : 68 ; eter 
 nal and infinite, 26 : 10, 37 : 2, 75 : l 
 omnipresent, 512 : 12, 14, 618:95, 
 637 : 68 ; omnipotent, 25, 26 : 13, 37 
 
 2, 366, 388, 439, 515:34; of infi 
 nite power, wisdom and goodnes» : 
 37:2. 
 
 Exists in three persons, Father, Son 
 and Holy Ghost, 26 : 3, 27 : 25, 37 : 
 
 3, 75:1, 311, 366 sq., 388, 439:6: 
 625 : 6 ; there are not three Gods, 
 but one God, 26:16; Trinity in 
 Unity, and Unity in Trinity, 27 : 25 
 sq. Error of the Arians and Anti- 
 Trinitarians, 531 sq. 
 
 See Trinity, Father, Son and 
 Holy Ghost. The Triune. Bap- 
 tism in his name, 370 : 4. Forgive- 
 ness in his name, 373 : 28. Kising 
 and going to bed in his name, 374: 
 1, 375 : 4. Dwells in the believer, 
 579:54, 581:65. Has testified to 
 his Son, 140 : 176. Presents him as 
 a Propitiation, 188 : 63. Jesus 
 Christ our Almighty God and Sa- 
 viour, 617 : 89, 625 : 6. 
 
 God is the Lord, 27 : n, 366 : 21 ; Cre- 
 ator and Sustainer of all things. 25 ; 
 37 : 2, 43 : xix., 105 : 14, 231 . 77, 
 366 : 1 sq., 439 sqq. Creator of men 
 even since the Fall, 546 : 38 ; our 
 Father and Helper, 104 : 4, 368 : 2, 
 440 : 17, 441 : 23 ; the only eternal 
 Good, 392 : 15. Hence his name, 
 394 : 25. 
 
 God became man, 517 : 10, 519 : 18. 
 The Son of God, true God, 625 : 6; 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 i 1-) 
 
 not merely in name, 516 : 3. Mary 
 may be called the mother of God, 
 518 : 12. God suffered and died, 
 518 : 14, 632 : 44 sq. 
 
 Meaning of "to have one God," 391: 
 l sqq., 393 : 18, 394 : 28. Treated 
 with and apprehended only through 
 the Word, 95 : 67, 476 : 1. In Christ, 
 45. By the heart, 392:13. He 
 wijhes himself honored by faith, 
 92:49, 99:89, 143:188. Our duty 
 to fear, praise, love, thank and 
 serve him, 60, 85 : 8, 104 : 3 sq., 105 : 
 10, 106:20, 179:9, 212:77, 364:2, 
 366 : 22, 391 : 4, 392 : 14 sq., 393 : 24, 
 440 : 19, 584 : 12 ; to obey, 582 : 4, 
 585 : 17. Of him we pray what is 
 needful, 60. 85:8, 135:158, 148: 
 210, 368 : 2, 393 : 24, 448 sqq. 
 
 Not the cause of sin, 43, 231, 525 : 4, 
 541 : 7, 547 : 40, 42, 650 : 7. Created 
 man righteous and holy, 593 : 23. 
 Does not will evil, 650 : 6. Is a 
 jealous God, 366 : 21, 395 : 30 sqq. 
 Angry with unbelief, 451 : 21. 
 Threatens and punishes, 82 : 46 sq., 
 89 : 36, 104 : 7, 117 : 79, 207 : 53, 366 : 
 22, 394 : 29, 395 : 34 sq., 404 : 95, 436: 
 322 sqq., 447 : 65, 542 : 13, 659 : 59, 
 664 : 84 sqq. Judges otherwise than 
 man, 82 : 43, 120 : 95, 149, 151 : 224. 
 A consuming fire, 148 : 208. 
 
 He wills not man's destruction, 526 : 
 10, 12, 528 : 17 sqq., 546 : 39, 561 : 49, 
 655 : 34, 663 : 81. Forgives sin for 
 Christ's sake, 112:20, 118:84, 195: 
 95, 324:8, 335:1, 501:4, 594:25. 
 Has laid our sins upon Christ, 232 : 
 82, 312 : 2 ; whose obedience he 
 reckons to us for righteousness, 
 571:9 sqq., 576:34, 593:22; and 
 adopts us as children, 594 : 25. Has 
 elected us in Christ, 525 : 7, 652 sq., 
 656:40, 657:43, 660:65. Is long- 
 suffering, 663 : 80. Has determined 
 the hour of every Christian's con- 
 version, 659 : 56. Anticipates us, 
 566 : 71. Begins and continues the 
 work within unto the end, 554 : 16, 
 653 : 21. Draws man to conversion, 
 564 : 60, 568 : 86, 569 : 88, 662 : 76. 
 Works faith, 128 : 130. Defends 
 against spiritual enemies, 653 : 20. 
 Consoling and quickening his pe- 
 culiar work, 185 : 51, 209 : 61. Has 
 eternally cast away the fallen an- 
 gels, but not fallen men, 556 : 22. 
 Delivers from spiritual darkness, 
 554 : 15. Works to will and to do, 
 554 : 14, 16, 557 : 26, 653 : 21. Sanc- 
 tifies, 547 : 45, 560 : 42 ; but not with- 
 
 out means, 552 : 4, 567 : 80, 653 : 27 ; 
 or by compulsion, 561 : 46. 
 Enjoins upon all men repentance, 
 328 : 34, 653 : 27. Calls his children 
 to repent when thev fall, 662:75. 
 Requires faith, 190:7*2, 122:107,143: 
 189. Demands good works, 87 : 22, 
 291 : 49 sq., 583 : 7, 584 : 14, 588 : 38. 
 Breaks the will, 226 : 45. Exercises 
 his saints variously, 117 : 77, 207 : 
 54, 658 : 48. Suppresses sins by 
 afflictions, 141 : 180, 208 : 55. Our 
 Teacher, 455 : 16. 
 Difference between God and an idol, 
 391 : 2 sq. Prohibition of other 
 gods, 354, 388. Meaning of prohi- 
 bition, 391 sqq., 437 : 324. Deifica- 
 tion of saints, 236 : 11. Assump- 
 tion of divine prerogatives by the 
 Pope, 166:23, 214:4. 
 
 Godhead. See Christ. 
 
 Godless, the, have historical faith, 
 141 : 182, 149 : 216. Belong to the 
 outward fellowship of the Church, 
 162 : 3, 167 : 28, 172 : 47. Are among 
 the teachers and officers of the 
 Church, 165 : 17 sqq., 167 : 28. Ad- 
 minister the sacraments, 162 : 3, 
 165 : 19. Receive Christ's body in 
 the Lord's Supper, 606 : 53 ; but are 
 not the Church, 163 : 8, 165 : 17, 19. 
 Not Christ's, but the devil's, 168 : 
 29 (165:19), 230:71. Their per- 
 verted will the cause of sin, 43. 
 Cannot call upon God or believe 
 the forgiveness of sins, 45 : 25. Their 
 end, eternal condemnation, 42, 229 : 
 66. 
 
 Good. The word the source of the 
 name "God," 394:25. 
 The good, God's foreknowledge con- 
 cerning, 650 : 3 sq. ; in the Church, 
 163 : 10 sqq. 
 Human nature contains in it by na- 
 ture nothing good, 494 : 13, 495 : 16, 
 541 : 11, 543 : 23 sqq., 550 : 60. No 
 man does or thinks what is good, 
 323 : 33, 485 : 76, 495 : 16, 497 : 3, 552 : 
 7, 553 : 10, 555 : 17, 564 : 61, 567 : 77. 
 Can only be done by the justified, 
 156:251, 564:64; through God's 
 grace, 556 : 23, 559 : 39. Necessary 
 to them, 151 : 227. Is done for love 
 and praise to God, 584 : 12. Is 
 wrought by love, 122 : 105. Not at 
 the option of the regenerate, 505 : 
 ll. 
 
 Goods (Blessings). 
 Eternal, 164 : 15, 441 : 24. 
 Spiritual, 141 : 179, 164 : 14, 16, 571 : Id 
 Temporal, the gift of God, 366 ■ 2. 368 
 
726 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 14, 440: 13. A Christian may pos- 
 sess, 60 : 53, 290: 46, A31 : 17, 609 : 22; 
 even priests, 173:50. The flash 
 trusts in, 112:49. The world 
 abuses, 441 : 21. How to be used 
 397 : 47. Of others, dare not be ap- 
 propriated, 196 : 9, 365 : 14, 421 sqq. 
 Reason in its own strengli cannot 
 abstain from coveting them, 88 : 27. 
 Do not profit when taken, 424 : 242 
 sqq. 
 
 < kx)DNESs, God's, 653 : 21, 659 : 59. 
 
 Gospel, 191 : 76, 330, 443 : 33, 506, 589. 
 The first Gospel (protevangelium), 
 185 : 53. 
 The second part of Holy Scripture, 
 84 : 5, 185 : 53 ; whereby we learn 
 of Christ 501 : 6. The promise and 
 doctrine of the forgiveness of sins 
 and justification through Christ, 
 39, 54, 84 : 5, 90 : 43, 102 : no, 103 : 
 120, 115 : 65, 138 : 166, 159 : 267, 179 : 
 
 8, 182 : 35, 183 : 39, 186 : 55, 190 : 73, 
 218 : 6, 228 : 58, 60, 285 : 23, 292 : 54, 
 562 : 54, 572 : 16, 577 : 39, 591 : 12sq., 
 594 : 27. Offers Christ, reconcilia- 
 tion, etc. gratuitously, 90 : 44, 92 : 
 62, 134 : 153, 155 : 246 sq., 178 : 2, 
 181:29, 191:76, 193:88, 263:24, 
 283 : U, 13, 323 : l, 324 : 4 sqq., 502: 
 
 9, 555 : 18 ; to all men, 654 : 28, 656: 
 37 ; which is received by the pen- 
 itent, 590 : 9. Its peculiar office, 
 330. Teaches the true doctrine 
 of election, 526 : 10, 13, 654 : 28, 656 : 
 37, 665 : 89. Absolution, its voice, 
 133:150, 183:39, 196:8, 342:24. 
 Rests upon the promise of grace, 
 154 : 245. Without it we despair, 
 87, 324 : 7. A preaching of conso- 
 lation, 507 : 7, 508 : 10, 590 : 6, 591 : 
 12, 593 : 21. 
 
 It exhorts to faith, 151 : 224, 175 : 59, 
 193 : 88, 592 : 19. Teaches how and 
 what man is to believe for justifica- 
 tion, 506 : 5, 562 : 54. Cannot be 
 believed by our own powers, 553: 
 9, 554 : 13," 561 : 45. Obedience to 
 it faith, 143 : 187. But not his- 
 torical, 184 : 45. The highest di- 
 vine service, 143 : 188. No salva- 
 tion without it, 190:73. The pa- 
 triarchs saved thereby, 92 : 57, 185 : 
 63 sq., 190 : 73. For its sake 
 everything to be surrendered, 
 289:41 sq., 485:79. Its diffusion 
 to be prayed for, 456 : 54. Not effi- 
 cacious in the unbelieving, 617 : 89. 
 He is no Christian who refuses be- 
 lief or obedience, 362 : 22 sq. Those 
 who reject it blasphemers, 129: 136. 
 
 Saul and Judas lost because the) 
 did not accept it, 179 : 8, 507 : 8. 
 
 It teaches a different righteousness 
 from that of the Law, 123 : 109, 
 223 : 30. Not external, but inter- 
 nal, 41 : 4; whereby the Holy Ghost 
 is given, 38, 106:14, 271 .59; who 
 works faith, 38, 127 : 126, 143 : 190: 
 and a new life, 228:58, 297:10; 
 new obedience, 596 : 10 sqq. ; sancti- 
 tication, 655 : 30. Sprinkles the 
 blood of Christ, 267 : 36. Incor- 
 porates with Christ, 612:59, 61. 
 
 Preaching of the Law and Gospel be- 
 long together, 129 : 136, 130 : 139, 
 131 : 143, 136 : 160, 591 : 12 sqq. The 
 Gospel the explanation of the Law. 
 129 : 135, 592 : 18. Is not annulled 
 thereby, 132 : 148. Is to be distin- 
 guished therefrom, 84 : 5, 91 : 49, 
 114: 62 sqq., 594:24 sqq. Import- 
 ance of the distinction, 579 : l ; 
 controversies concerning it, 506 : l 
 sqq., 589 : 2. The Gospel not to be 
 converted into Law, 508 : 11, 594: 27. 
 
 Its twofold significance, 507 : 6, 589 : 3. 
 The entire doctrine of Christ and 
 the apostles sometimes meant, 507 : 
 6, 589 : 3. So far a preaching of 
 repentance, 94 : 62, 181 : 29 sq., 507 : 
 6, 590:5, 594:27; yet this is not 
 properly the preaching of the Gos- 
 pel, 508 : 10, 591 : 12. _ 
 
 Does not overthrow civil government, 
 228:57, 229:65. Forbids private 
 redress, 228 : 59. Allows marriage, 
 256 : 61. 
 
 God causes it to be preached, 562 : 50. 
 The Holy Ghost calls thereby, 367 : 
 6, 444 : 38, 560 : 80, 567 : 77. Is the 
 foundation of the Church, 165 : 20, 
 166 : 22. Its pure preaching a note 
 of the true Church, 39, 161:279, 
 162:5, 163:10, 165:20. Unity in 
 it and the sacraments the essentials 
 to Church unity, 39, 168 : 30. All 
 of the Gospel embodied in the Holy 
 Supper, 479 : 32. Its preaching per- 
 tains to the office of the keys, 61, 
 183 : 39. 
 
 The Gospel and philosophy to be dis- 
 tinguished, 86. Teaches a different 
 righteousness from the Scholastics, 
 139 : 170. Indifference of the Pa- 
 pists to it, 167 : 27, 168, 292 : 54. 
 Their doctrine antagonizes it, 345 : 
 40. The bishops persecute it, 349 ; 
 66, 647 : 19. 
 Government, Civil, 41, 227. Is God's 
 ordinance, 41, 61, 227 : 53, 290 : 49, 
 369 : 14, 440 : 14 ; even thoagh it be 
 
INDEX O* 1 SUBJECTS. 
 
 m 
 
 tyrannical, 318 : 3. Not interfered 
 with by the Gospel or ecclesiastical 
 government, 42, 62 : n, 227 : 55, 228 : 
 67 sqq. 
 
 Ecclesiastical, Spiritual, to be distin- 
 guished from civil, 62, 227 : 54 sq. 
 Is God's gift, 62, 369 : 14, 440 : 14. 
 God works in both, 240:36. Of 
 Antichrist, 162 : 4. No government 
 of bishops except through the Gos- 
 pel, 298 : 21. 
 Grace of God, in what it consists, 558, 
 27. Gratia gralum faciens is faith, 
 103 : 116. Is universal, 173 : 52. Is 
 God's mercy towards us, 157 : 260. 
 " First grace," 86 : 17, 111 : 41. Does 
 not make God a debtor, 150 : 221. 
 Because of it good works please, 
 157 : 260. 
 
 Out of grace {freely) we are elected, 
 557 : 13 ; have the forgiveness of 
 sins, righteousness, 38, 90 : 41, 43, 
 182 : 35, 195 : 95, 335 : 2, 371 : 10, 501 : 
 
 4, 6, 573 : 23, 575 : 30, 594 : 25. 
 Imparted only through the outward 
 
 Word, 332 : 3 ; through the sacra- 
 ments, 183 : 42, 213 : l sqq., 215 : 14, 
 269:49, 273:69, 471:41, 604:16, 
 610 : 50. Acquired and promised 
 through Christ, 41, 45, 1 1 9 : 90, 131 : 
 141, 137 : 164, 140 : 176, 157 : 258, 158: 
 265, 185 : 53, 328 : 32, 547 : 45 ; stron- 
 ger than sin, 101 : 103, 107 : 28, 235 : 
 
 5. Afflictions signs of grace, 209 : 61. 
 Israel sought to merit grace by sacri- 
 fices, 118 : 87. Reason seeks it 
 through good works, 138 : 167; 
 many through monasticism, pil- 
 grimages, etc., 119 : 90, 315 : 18. 
 Cannot be offered without God's 
 command, 214:3. Obtained not 
 by works, love, fulfilling of the 
 Law, 51, 54, 88 : 29, 94 : 60, 114 : 60, 
 116:73, 119:92, 145:197, 193:88, 
 312 : 4; not by ceremonies, fasts, 
 etc., 41, 54, 55 : 21, 65 : 52 sq., 223 : 
 21 ; not by repentance, 179 : 8. Man 
 cannot prepare himself for it from 
 his own powers, 498 : 11, 551 : 3, 
 567 : 77. 
 
 Its magnitude not understood until 
 magnitude of sin is known, 80 : 83. 
 Apprehended in repentance, 158 : 
 265 ; by faith, 51, 65 : 52, 91 : 48, 92 : 
 55, 140 : 176, 141 : 182, 145 : 197, 157 : 
 260, 158 : 265, 395 : 32 sqq. Shown 
 to the obedient, 366 : 22. Must not 
 be abused, 565 : 65 sqq., 590 : 25. 
 
 Of it we must not despair, 150 : 218. 
 Such despair a consequence of 
 original ain, 77:8, 112:9. Grace 
 
 hidden from those fearing punish 
 ment, 102 : 106. Neglect of grace 
 ends in despair, 55. Obscured by 
 human ordinances, 54, 205 : 49. 
 Those who seek righteousness by 
 the Law fall from grace, 88 . 30, 283: 
 11, 284 : 17 ; as well as those who 
 seek it by monastic vows, 59. Good 
 works cannot be done outside of 
 grace, 180 : 17, 230 : 72, 322 : 10. 
 
 Grace, Means of, 38, 62 : 10, 170 : 36, 
 273 : 69, 333 : 10, 552 : 5, 561 : 48, 502: 
 54, 662 : 76, 669 : 30 sq. See Grace, 
 Word, Sacrament, Holy Ghost. 
 
 Greek Church uses both forms in the 
 Holy Supper, 244 : 4. Has no pri- 
 vate mass, 259 : 6. Considers the 
 mass a thank-offering, not a satis- 
 faction, 278 : 93. Calls it liturgy and 
 synaxis, 275 : 79 sq. Its words of 
 absolution, 277 : 88. 
 
 Gregory the Great, 52 : 35, 56 : 44, 
 209 : 64, 211 : 72, 260 : 6, 341 : 19, 513 : 
 15, 639 : 75. 
 
 Gregory Nazianzen, 228 : 58, 235 : 3. 
 
 Gregory of Nyssa, 628 : 22. 
 
 Groves, worship in, 1 18 : 87. 
 
 Growth, Spiritual, 106 : 115, 478 : 24, 
 554 : 16. 
 
 Guests at the Holy Supper, two kinds, 
 515:38, 616 : 69, 623 : 123. 
 
 Guilt of original sin removed in bap- 
 tism, 81 : 35. It is not the guilt of 
 another, 542 : 11. 
 Satisfaction for it rendered by Christ's 
 death, 193 : 43, 237 : 19; and applied 
 through faith, 101 : 103, 131 : 143. 
 In use of Lord's Supper, 277 : 90. 
 By propitiatory sacrifice, 262 : 19. 
 With its remission we are freed 
 from divine anger and eternal 
 death, 205 : 50. Guilt not remitted 
 by human ordinances, or the mass, 
 ex opere operato, 118 : 89, 181 : 24, 205 : 
 50, 260 : 9. Remission of guilt pre- 
 cedes remission of punishment, 132 : 
 146 ; which invariably follows, 199 : 
 21. 
 
 H. 
 Habit of Love, Scholastic doctrine 
 
 concerning, 86 : 17 sqq., 95 : 66, 97 s 
 
 81, 136 : 168, 143 : 191, 146 : 200, 157 : 
 
 260. 
 Hammer of the Law, 323 : 2. 
 Hand, Right, God's, everywhere, 512, 
 
 12, 618 : 95. 
 Hands, Laying on of, 215:12. 
 Handwriting of Ordinances, 101 : 
 
 203, 152 : 229, 184 : 48. 
 Hardening of the Heart (obdu 
 
'28 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 racv), 526 : 12, 659 : 54, 664 : 83. 
 Pharaoh's, 664 : 85. 
 
 Hatred. Of God innate, 77:8, 80: 
 29. 
 of ( bncupUcence, 151 : 228. And wrath 
 forbidden, 417 : 188. The source of 
 dissensions, 125:120. Caused by 
 schisms, 124 : 111. 
 
 Head of the Church, Christ the 
 only, 162 : 5, 318 : l, 319 : 9, 445 : 51, 
 608 : 44, 633 : 47, 639 : 78. The Pope 
 not, 167:23, 318:1, 320: 1:5. 
 
 Hearing, how related to faith, 95 : 67, 
 183, 214:5, 497 : 4 sqq., 499:13, 
 562, 661, 662 : 76. 
 
 Heart, God's paternal, 441 : 23, 662 : 75. 
 Is known through Christ, 447 : 65. 
 Of Christ, 610 : 50. 
 
 Of Mm. Its natural condition, 46 : 
 81 sqq., 79 : 23, 230: 72, 496 sq., 541 : 
 11 sq., 554 : 12, 558:31. God searches 
 and judges, 147 : 205. The Law 
 written therein, 104 : 2, 120:98, 448: 
 67. A penitent heart a part of re- 
 pentance, 178 : l. Through the 
 sorrows of penitence God prepares 
 it for his consolation, 185 : 51, 53, 
 231 : 74. Its struggles in attaining 
 consolation, 142 : 182. How con- 
 soled and sustained, 91 : 45, 97 : 80, 
 102 : 106, 127 : 128, 1 85 : 48, 50, 188 : 
 60, 64, 201 : 12, 575 : 30, 590 : 9. How 
 brought to faith, 213:1, 214:5. 
 How regenerated, 91 : 46. How 
 sanctified, 46 : 29 sq., 100 : 99, 104 : 
 4,105:9, 11, 112:49, 115:68,126: 
 125, 127 : 128, 136 : 163, 139 : 172, 158: 
 202, 163 : 8, 168 : 31, 227 : 54, 286 : 27, 
 296 : 8, 335 : 1, 557 : 27 sqq. Its duty 
 of gratitude, 441 : 23. Love of God 
 impossible until the heart is assured 
 of forgiveness, 102 : no, 104 : 7, 144: 
 194. The heart alone embraces 
 God, 392:13 sq., 393:16, 394:28. 
 New heart, creation of, 564 : 60. 
 True faith and wicked intention 
 cannot coexist in the same heart, 
 584: 15. Righteousness of heart and 
 its fruits, 154: 244, 155 : 250, 252. In it 
 the kingdom of God consists, 164 : 
 13, 168 : 31. 
 
 Heathen. How distinguished from 
 the Church, 164 : 14. How the Re- 
 chabites distinguished from them, 
 293 : 62. Imitated the offerings but 
 not the faith of the patriarchs, 118: 
 85. Their human offerings, 138 : 
 167. Their expiations, 198 : 17, 220: 
 15, 393 : 19. Their invocation of 
 saints, 240 : 32, 39. The command 
 to preach to and to baptize them, 
 
 1 82 : 81 265:81 sq., 370:4. The 
 preaching of the apostles to them, 
 186:53. 
 
 HEAVEN and Earth, God the Crea- 
 tor, 299:1, 366, 388, 439 Bqq. God 
 the Father in heaven, 308, 388. 
 The Son of God came from heaven, 
 442 : 29. Christ rules in heaven, 
 512:12. Christ exalted above all 
 creatures in heaven and on -earth, 
 629 : 26, 637 : 70. He lias ascended 
 not only to heaven, but above all 
 heavens, 629 : 27. Is not enclosed 
 in heaven, 514 : 32, 623 : 119. His 
 body to be sought, not only in hea- 
 ven, 511 : 5, 601 : 2 sq., 6 sq. God's 
 will on earth as in heaven, 369, 
 389, 457. Prayers of the angels in 
 heaven, 317:26; of the saints in 
 heaven, 236 : 9. The absolution a 
 voice from heaven, 175 : 59, 183 : 
 40. 
 
 Held. Conquered by Christ, 522 : 3, 
 629 : 25, 643 : 2 ; who delivered us 
 from its jaws, 442 : 30. God leads 
 to hell and brings up again, 597 : 
 12. It can be merited by neglect 
 of children, 415 : 176. Its gates 
 cannot prevail against the elect, 
 525 : 5, 651 : 8 ; or the Church, 658: 
 50. Its eternal pains, 28 : 39, 42, 
 229:66. Descent of Christ to, see 
 Descent. 
 
 Help to be expected only of God, 85 : 
 8, 465 : 117. We seek it in affliction, 
 207 : 54. The flesh seeks human 
 help, 112 : 49. God's help not 
 sought until we have faith, 104:4. 
 Help of the saints not to be sought, 
 46:1, 236:10, 240:32, 35, 317:26, 
 392 : 11, 393 : 21 sq. 
 Against sin imparted bv the Gospel, 
 330 ; by the absolution, 331. With- 
 out Christ's help no observance of 
 the Law, 144 : 194. 
 
 Hercules, 393 : 18. 
 
 Heresies, their Source. — Schisms, 124: 
 111. Personal antagonisms, 125: 
 121. Enthusiasm, 333 : 9. A Pope 
 no protection, 319 : 7. Heresies of 
 Jovinian, 267 : 67. Doctrine of 
 repentance proclaimed a heresy, 
 329:41. The heresies rejected by 
 the ancient Church rejected also by 
 the Lutheran Church, 492 : 3, 532 : 
 30, 535 : 4 sq., 539 : 17, 627 : 17, 670 : 
 39. 
 
 Heretics. In apob^olic times, 492 : 3, 
 534 : 7. Lutherans are not, 47 : 1. 
 True Christians often falsely so 
 called, 427 : 262. When bishops are 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 729 
 
 heretics churches to ordain preach- 
 ers, 342 : 72. Canons forbid obe- 
 dience to an heretical Pope, 345 : 
 38. Many treat marriage with con- 
 tempt, 254 : 45. Ordination by 
 heretics valid, according to the 
 Papists 334 : 3. The Symbols di- 
 rected against them, 535 : 5. 
 
 Hermits, 228 : 61. 
 
 Herod, 434 : 305. 
 
 High-Places, offerings on, 118 : 27. 
 
 High Priests of the Law, 270 : 52, 345 : 
 38. Christ our High Priest, 46 : 2, 
 97:82, 111 : 44, 148:211, 238:24, 
 518 : 14; according to both natures, 
 633 : 47, 639 : 78. 
 
 Hilary, 239 : 30, 343 : 29, 483 : 59. 
 
 Hilten, John, 289. 
 
 Hindrance to grace, Scholastic doc- 
 trine concerning, 216 : 18, 272 : 63, 
 279 : 96. 
 
 History, Tripartite, 52 : 41, 56 : 45. 
 
 Holidays. See Festivals. 
 
 Holiness. Difference between Chris- 
 tian and heathen, 290 : 46. Va- 
 lidity of sacrament not dependent 
 on holiness of man, 478 : 16 sq., 
 483 : 61. Does not consist in obser- 
 vance of ceremonies, vestures, etc., 
 435; or forsaking Avife and child, 
 289 : 41 ; or monasticism, 285 : 22 ; 
 or poverty, 268 : 61 sqq. ; or fasting, 
 praying, etc., 327 : 28, 407 : 118, 120, 
 435 : 312 sqq. Imaginary holiness 
 of the Encratites, 254. 
 
 Holy, God's name, 368 : 4. God 
 created man holy, 493 : 2. He ac- 
 counts us so for Christ's sake, 335. 
 Faith alone can render holy, 411 : 
 147. Absolute holiness in resurrec- 
 tion, 208 : 56. The Church holy, 
 162 : 7. 
 
 Holy Ghost, 25, 26, 27, 37, 311, 367, 
 389, 442. The Third Person of the 
 Trinity, 26. God, 26. The Lord, 
 26, 27. The Spirit of God, 231 : 73, 
 332 : 3, 443 : 36. The Spirit of 
 Christ, 156 : 257, 162 : 5, 164 : 16, 165 : 
 18. What the Sacramentarians un- 
 derstood thereby, 511:5, 601:5, 
 602 : n. Spirit of the Lord, 148 : 
 208, 286 : 27. Not a motion created 
 in things, 37 : 6. Not made or cre- 
 ated or begotten, but proceeding 
 from Father and Son, 26, 27, 311, 
 638 : 73. Ts incomprehensible, eter- 
 nal, almighty, 26; and to be wor- 
 shipped with Father and Son, 26. 
 Baptism is administered in his 
 name, 370 : i, 390 : 21, 466 : 4 ; and 
 sin£ forgiven, 373 :28. 
 
 $0 
 
 Promised through the Gospel, 103 : 9, 
 182 : 29. Imparted by Christ, 105: 
 12, 123 : 169. Given for Christ's 
 sake, 105 : 111, 371 : 10. Not only 
 to adults, but also to children, 173: 
 52 sq. 
 
 Eeceived through Word and sacra- 
 ment, 38, 42:3, 63; through bap- 
 tism, 81 : 35, 471 : 41 ; through the 
 Gospel, 105 : 14, 190 : 71 sq. ; in the 
 fellowship of the Church, 163:8, 
 443 : 37 ; through faith, 45, 91-45, 
 98:86, 103:116, 104:4, 6, 105, 12, 
 113:54, 114:61, 139:172, 191:82, 
 234 : 92 ; out of grace, and not be- 
 cause of works, 234 : 90. 
 
 He works through the ministry of 
 the New Testament, 271 : 59 ; through 
 the Church, 443:37; not without 
 means, 497 : 4, 499 : 13, 566 : 72; 
 through the Word, 184:44, 446:58, 
 332 : 3, 497 : 4, 500: 19, 552:5; 
 through the Word and sacraments, 
 273:70, 496:1, 499:18, 554:16, 
 561 : 48, 565 : 65, 572 : 16 ; through 
 the converted will, 500: 18 ; but not 
 through the Law, 597 : 11 ; although 
 he uses it for reproof and admoni- 
 tion, 597 : 12. He creates and 
 gathers the Church, 444 : 45, 445 : 
 51 ; which is a fellowship of the 
 Holy Ghost in hearts, 162 : 5, 163 : 
 10, 104, 167 : 28, 168 : 31. Through 
 him the prophets prophesv, 333: 
 12. 
 
 His Office, 443 : 35, 446 : 29. He calls 
 through the Gospel, 367 : 6, 560 : 40. 
 Checks and mortifies original sin, 
 81, 82 : 45, 446 : 55, 559 : 34 sqq. ; 
 and concupiscence, 81 : 35, 107 : 22, 
 25. Reproves sin, 323 : l, 329 : 44. 
 Helps to overcome it, 106 : 15, 318: 
 40. Contends against the flesh, 112: 
 49. Forgivessin,367:6. Offers grace, 
 496 : 1, 555 : 18. Establishes God's 
 kingdom in the heart, 286: 27, 455: 
 52. Quickens, 26, 188 : 44. Works 
 conversion and regeneration, 91 : 45, 
 231 : 74, 497 : 4 sqq., 500 : 19, 505 : 8, 
 542 : 14, 552 : 5, 565 : 65, 569 : 89 ; 
 faith, 94 : 64, 103 : 115, 368 : 8, 554 : 
 16, 557:25; enlightening, purifv- 
 ing of heart, 286 : 27, 367 : 6, 
 553 : 9, 556 : 21 sqq. ; renewal, sanc- 
 tification, 81:35, 91:45, 112:49, 
 139:172, 162:5, 163:8, 208:55, 
 231 : 74, 367 : 6, 439 : 6, 443, 446 : 59, 
 572 : 19, 597 : 11. Maintains in 
 grace, 505 : 15. Works light, life, 
 righteousness, 105 : 11, 110 : 40, 170: 
 36, 227 : 54, 231 : 75, 271 : 59, 367 : 6; 
 
730 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 other gifts and virtues, 105 : 12, 127: » 
 128, 139:172, 168:31, 170:36,234: 
 92, 509 : G, 573 : 23. What are fruits 
 of the Spirit? 598 : 17. Testimo- 
 nies to his presence, 505:15. He 
 leads the justified, 156 : 251, 564 : 63 
 sq., 598 : 17. Through him God 
 draws, 499 : 17. He will raise the 
 dead, 367 : 6. 
 The absence of love, etc. shows that 
 he is absent, 120 : 98; its loss causes 
 his departure, 120 : 99, 121 : 103, 234: 
 90. He is grieved at the absence 
 of g-jod works, 212 : 77, 657 : 42. 
 Does not govern the godless, 164: 
 16. Is not given those who resist, 
 499 : 15, 564 : 60. His presence not 
 to be determined by sense, 563 : 56, 
 565 : 68. He would not be neces- 
 sary could we justify ourselves, 78: 
 10. Without him external duties 
 can be performed, 105 : 9 ; but not 
 the chief matters of the Law, 
 88 : 27, 95 : 70, 104 : 5, 105 : 9, 12, 14, 
 231 : 73. 
 
 Hoods of monks, 286 : 27. 288 : 34. 
 
 Hope, distinguished from faith, 144 : 
 191. 
 
 Hotel-keeper, 531 : 18, 669 : 23. 
 
 Hours, Canonical, 383 : 3. 
 
 Humanity, Human Nature of Christ. 
 See Christ. 
 
 Humiliation, stateof, 518 : 16, 628 : 25 sq. 
 
 Humility. Counterfeit, 60:48, 170: 
 35 ; genuine, 238 : 27, 461 : 90. 
 
 Huss, John, 472 : 50. 
 
 Hymns, 50 : 2, 259 : 3 sq., 390 : 25. 
 
 Hypocrisy. The imagination of self- 
 righteousness, 254 : 46. Papistic 
 contrition and confession, 325 : 18, 
 327 : 27. Monasticism, 281 : 4, 284 : 
 16, 285 : 25, 292 : 56. Repentance 
 should not be, 211:73. Scripture 
 does not enjoin, when it commands 
 good works, 155 : 250, 156 : 253. Hy- 
 pocrisy present when good fruits do 
 not follow, 134 : 154. 
 
 Hypocrites. Produced by the ex- 
 clusive preaching of the Law, 507 : 
 8. In the Church, 39, 167 : 28, 172 : 
 47 ; yet only in outward fellowship, 
 162:3, 163:12, 167:28. Receive 
 Christ's body, 602 : 8. Try by works 
 to earn grace, 87 : 20 sq., 146 : 200. 
 Try by their own powers to fulfil 
 the Law, 106 : 16, 323 : 3. Confess 
 only with the mouth, 197 : 10 eq. 
 
 [dolatry, what it is, 393 : 21. It is a 
 ftuitof original sin, 321: 2. Among 
 
 the heathen, 220:15, 393:18 sqq 
 Of the godless in Israel, 220 : 15, 
 222 : 23. Of the Papists, 393, 492 : 
 4 ; in the invocation of saints, 236 
 sq., 291 : 53 sq., 317 : 26, 346 : 47, 
 393:21; in the abuse of the mass, 
 280, 302 : 1, 314 : 11 sqq., 346 : 43. 
 
 Ignorance, spiritual, 553 : 9, 554 : 15. 
 
 Illumination (enlightening) wrought 
 by the Holy Ghost, 367 : 6, 444 : 42, 
 560:40; through the Word, 654 
 29, 655 : 34, 656 : 44 ; before it man 
 is spiritually dead, 556 : 24, 560 
 42, 563 : 58. The A nabaptists ex 
 pect it without the preaching of 
 the Word, 215:13, 499:13, 567 
 80. 
 
 Image of God in man, 78 : 15-22, 509 
 2, 541 : 10. How restored, 152 : 230. 
 Of Christ's priesthood, 270:53. 
 
 Images of saints, 240 : 34. 
 
 Immunities of churches and clergy, 
 295 : 1 sqq. 
 
 Impatience, 112:46, 409:128, 463: 
 
 103. 
 
 Impenitent. Preaching of the Law 
 against, 510 : 7, 591 : 12, 594 : 24. 
 Their relation to election, 527 : 16. 
 Receive Christ's body and blood, 
 515:37. Their punishment, 664: 
 86. 
 
 Impotence, spiritual, of man, 541 : 10, 
 552 : 7, 554 : 12, 15. 
 
 Impurity of the heart, 113 : 56, 133 : 
 149, 152:229, 138:67; of Levitical 
 sacrifices, 253:41; of the celibacy 
 of the godless, 252 : 34. 
 
 Imputation. Non-imputation of im- 
 perfections, 113:56. Non-imputa« 
 tion of sin, 81 : 36. Imputation of 
 faith, 142 : 86, 571 : 12; of righteous- 
 ness, 111:42; of Christian obe- 
 dience, 237 : 19, 571 : 9, 572 : 14, 573 : 
 23, 575 : 32. Entire, not partial, 503 : 
 21, 579 : 50. 
 
 " In, With and Under," 608 : C8. 
 
 Incarnation, 633 : 49. 
 
 Inclination, Evil, 107 : 25, 542 : 11. 
 
 Indolence, 282 : 9, 404 : 99, 458 : 57. 
 
 Indulgences, 212 : 78 sqq. 
 
 Indwelling of God in believers, 503 : 
 18, 579 : 54, 581 : 65, 637 : 68 ; of 
 Christ, 503 : 16 ; of the Holy Ghost, 
 505 : 15, 506 : 19. 
 
 Inheritance of our neighbor, 865 : 18 ; 
 of eternal life, 155 : 245. 
 
 Injurious, good works not, 504 : 2, 
 506 : 17, 582 : 2, 588 : 37 sq. 
 
 Injury of our neighbor, 365 : 1C 416: 
 185, 432 : 296, 433 : 301 sqq., 434 : 309; 
 arising from original sin, 494 : 9. 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 731 
 
 Apparent injury of the Law, 101 : 
 103. 
 
 Injustice, the world full of, 463:103. 
 Protection against, the duty of a 
 king, 133:141. God's prohibition 
 of, 346 : 42. 
 
 Instruments of the Holy Ghost, 170 : 
 36, 500 : 18 sq., 562 : 52. Error of 
 Enthusiasts, 552 : 4. 
 
 Intention. See Purpose. 
 
 Intercession of saints, 236 : 14. 
 
 Interim, divisions caused thereby, 539: 
 19, 570 : 5, 586 : 29. 
 
 Invocation of saints, 43 : 3, 46, 335 sqq., 
 282 : 9, 316 sq., 392 : 11 sq. 
 
 Irenjeus, 56 : 44, 79 : 19, 603 : 14, 628 : 22. 
 
 Irrefragable Doctors, 101 : 105. 
 
 Isaac, 609 : 46. 
 
 Israelites (Israel, Jews) Their error 
 concerning sacrifices, 118 : 86 sq., 
 160 : 274, 279 : 97 sq. ; concerning 
 human sacrifices, 138 : 167, concern- 
 ing human ordinances, 219 : 10, 222 : 
 23, 264 : 27 ; the Sabbath, 401 : 80. 
 Their early marriages, 419 : 201. 
 Their idolatry, 280 : 98. The Holy 
 Scriptures the pure fountains of 
 Israel, 535 : 3. External fellow- 
 ship maintained by propitiatory 
 offerings, 262 : 21. The spiritual 
 separated from the bodilv Israel, 
 164 : 14, 165 : 19, 447 : 66. Not only 
 to them, but also to the heathen, was 
 Christ promised, 131:141. They 
 dreamed of a worldly kingdom of 
 the Messiah, 228 : 59. In Israel 
 Christ preached the Gospel, 185 : 
 63. The Israelites saw only the 
 veiled face of Moses, 87 : 21. The 
 wicked among them called God's 
 people, 164 : 14. They dishonored 
 Christ's body, 612 : 60.* God's judg- 
 ment concerning them, 659 : 58. 
 
 fTALY, preaching in parts of, confined 
 to Lent, 225:42. The authority 
 of the Pope doubted in, 201 : 30. 
 
 J. 
 
 Jacob, 257 : 64. 
 
 James. Does not contradict Paul, 126 : 
 124, 127 sq., 577:42 sq. On con- 
 fession, 197 : 12 ; on true prayer, 
 465 : 123. Pilgrimages to St. James's 
 church, 207 : 52. 
 
 Jeremiah, 118 : 86, 207 : 53, 209 : 62, 
 264:28, 345:38. 
 
 Jeroboam, 220 : 15. 
 
 Ierome, 43 : 5, 112 : 52, 131 : 143, 163 : 
 11, 235:2, 244:4, 319:9, 327:28, 
 334 : 3, 341 : 18, 349 : 63, 350 : 73, 
 475:81. 
 
 Jewish Christians, 171 
 
 Jewish Errors, 42, 216 . 18, 218 : 4. 
 
 Jews. See Israelites. 
 
 Job, 117 : 77, 147 : 206, 209 : 61. 
 
 Iohn the Apostle, 106 : 20, 349 : 62. 
 635 : 59. 
 
 John the Baptist, 131 : 142, 161 : 1, 
 165 : 19, 202 : 35, 209 : 62, 324 : 5, 
 327:30, 333:11. 
 
 Jovinian, 56 : 30, 252 : 37, 257 : 67. 
 
 Joy. The fruit of faith, 105 : 100, 188 : 
 60, 584 : 12. Its degree not always 
 the same, 565 : 68. The fourth com- 
 mandment points the way to, 413 : 
 157. In our callings, 407 : 120. In 
 children, 406 : 114, 408 : 121. In the 
 Holy Ghost, 170 : 36. Eternal joys 
 for believers, 42 : l, 229 : 66. Of the 
 angels, 629 : 30. 
 
 Jubilee, 326 : 25, 327 : 27. 
 
 Judas, 167:28, 179:8, 182:36, 324:7, 
 607:33, 612:60. 
 
 Judge, duties of, 427 : 259, 263. God a 
 righteous Judge, 154 : 242. Out of 
 Christ, terrible, 447 : 65, 146 : 201, 
 147 : 205. Christ the Judge of us 
 all, 309 : 9 (25 : 6, 26 : 6). 
 
 Judgment, God's, intolerable, 147 : 205, 
 208. Human nature flees from, 142 : 
 183, 143:191. He who flees there- 
 from cannot be justified, 113:55. 
 He who does not feel it imagines 
 self-justification possible, 85 : 9. 
 David's prayer concerning, 112: 
 47, 147 : 205. Different from man's, 
 151 : 224. Works of no benefit in, 
 119:93, 197:11. Only the right- 
 eousness of faith avails, 192 : 84 ; 
 for Christ's sake, 120 : 93, 100. 
 Against sin belongs to God alone, 
 331 : 2. Begins at God's house, 
 207 : 54. The world seeks to set 
 works over against it, 119 : 91. 
 The Popes do not trouble them- 
 selves therewith, 201 : 32. The ar- 
 guments of the adversaries avail 
 not, 258:70. 
 Of unworthy communicants, 176 : 12, 
 513 : 16, 603 : 16, 614 : 68, 623 : 123. 
 Questions referred to God's judg- 
 ment, 515 : 41. Against evil spirits, 
 556 : 52. 
 Christ's, of the quick and the dead, 
 25, 27, 38, 42, 229, 311, 367, 389, 444 
 Civil (courts of justice), 142 : 185, 15" 
 224, 397 : 51, 668 : 18 sqq. 
 
 Julian the Apostate, 81 : 36, 228 : 16. 
 
 Jupiter, 393 : 18. 
 
 Jure Divino, or Humano, as applic- 
 able to the Pope's power, 160 : 23, 
 318 : l, 319 : 17, 320 : IB, 337. 
 
r 32 
 
 ANALYSED AND INDEXES. 
 
 Jurisdiction. Of bishops, 297 : 14, 
 348 : CO sqq., 351 : 77 ; of pastors, 
 351:74, 76. Final, committed to 
 the Church, 343:24. 
 
 Jurists, 329 : 41, 427 : 261, 433 : 29a. 
 
 Justification, 38, 84, 335, 500, 570. 
 The most important article, 84 : 2, 
 571 : 6. Its relation to repentance, 
 181 : 59. 139 : 171. A promised gift 
 of God, 153 : 241, 120 : 96. Is recon- 
 ciliation for Christ's sake, 109 : 37, 
 139:171. Bestowed through faith, 
 without works or merit, 51, 95 : 96, 
 96:73sq., 113:55sq., 114:63, 116: 
 73 sq., 120:96, 121:101, 127:126, 
 129 : 136, 132 : 147, 139 : 171 sq., 140 : 
 176, 151 : 226, 152 : 233, 154 : 245, 159 : 
 267, 187 : 60, 501 : 4 sq., 571 : 9 ; for 
 Christ's sake, 109 : 37, 114 : 61, 116 : 
 73 sq., 120:96, 121:101, 127:126, 
 139 : 171, 140 : 175, 144 : 192, 155 : 246 
 sq., 187 : 60, 571 : 9, 572 : 17, 574 : 25; 
 who is Mediator both before and 
 after, 145:196; according to both 
 natures, 500 : 2, 580 : 55 sqq. ; from 
 pure grace, 501 : 6, 570 : l, 4, 571 : 
 9, 574 : 25, 577 : 39 ; not through 
 human ordinances, celibacy, etc., 
 170 : 39 sqq., 135 : 155, 224 : 54; not 
 through the Lord's Supper, ex opere 
 operato, 135 : 155. No consolation 
 without this doctrine, 84:2, 113: 
 55 sq. It makes sons of God, 116 : 
 75. 
 Forgiveness of sin the first essential 
 of justification, 96 : 75, 100 : 97, 138 : 
 169. Appeases divine wrath, 121 : 
 103. Excludes all confidence in 
 merit and works, 96 : 74, 504 : 7, 
 574 : 29, 576 : 35 sqq. ; even of re- 
 pentance, 134:153, 502:11. The 
 exclusive particles needful, 96 : 73, 
 502 : 10, 570 : 7, 576 : 36, 578 : 43, 
 579:63. 
 Relation to regeneration and sanctifi- 
 cation, 501 : 8, 572 : 18-22, 574 : 25, 
 577 : 40 sq. Is not merely the be- 
 ginning of renewal, 110:40; pre- 
 cedes the fulfilling of the Law, 
 114:61, 154:245. Works follow, 
 134 : 154, 139 : 171, 502 : 11, 574 : 27, 
 577 : 41 ; which are the end of jus- 
 tification, 151 : 227. 
 Errors. — Concerning the two modes, 
 138 : l('»6 sqq. Necessity of personal 
 merit, etc., 132 : 144, 154 : 245, 156 : 
 255, 168 : 32, 503 : 21, 23, 578 : 45, 47 
 sq. Independence of Christian after 
 justification, 219:12, 503:21,579: 
 51. That faith is only its begin- 
 ning, 95 : 71, 503 : 20, 578 : 49. That 
 
 love is its means, 122 108, 138. 
 
 168 sq. 
 Justify. Its double meaning, 95 : 72. 
 
 Its forensic sense, 142 : 184, 501 : 7, 
 
 502 : 15, 571 : 9 sqq., 572 : 17, 581 : 62. 
 Justin Marty it, 607 : 37, 608 : 39. 
 
 Keys, Power of, 52, 61 sq., 175 : 59, 
 331. In what it consists, 01, 179: 
 6 sq., 183:39 sq., 196:2, 212:79, 
 
 330, 331, 342:24. Is of Christ, 
 
 331. Belongs to the whole Church, 
 342 : 24, 349 : 67 sqq. Its foundation, 
 183:40. How to be exercised, 61. 
 Private absolution derived there- 
 from, 331. Ignorance of those who 
 despise it, 196 : 4. Its effects, 54, 
 175:59, 179 : 6 sq. Its limitations, 
 61, 203:41, 208:59, 209:64, 212. 
 79. The Pope transfers it to tem- 
 poral power, 344 : 36, 345 : 40. Er- 
 ror of Papists, 179 : 5, 7, 180 : 13, 
 181 : 21 sq., 26, 199 : 21, 208 : 57, 212 : 
 78 sq. 
 
 Kingdom of God, of Christ. Spiritual, 
 61, 164 : 13, 212 : 79, 227 : 54 sq., 228 : 
 58, 286 : 27, 344 : 31, 455 : 51. Is the 
 Church, 164:16, 173:52. How it 
 comes, 368 : 6 sqq., 455 : 50 sqq., 456 : 
 55 sq. Regeneration, righteousness, 
 etc. needful in it, 88 : 31, 155 : 245, 
 164 : 13, 165 : 18, 496 : 67. Not fully 
 revealed in this life, 165 : 17, 18. 
 Displayed in good works, 115:68. 
 Wicked teachers do not constitute 
 it, 166 : 22, 173 : 52. 
 Worldly, of the Messiah, 228 : 59. Mil- 
 lennial, 43. 
 Papal, 167 : 24 ; of Antichrist, 220 : 18, 
 251 : 25. 
 
 Kings. Their office and duties, 46 : l 
 sqq., 131 : 141 sqq., 243 : 44, 347 : 54. 
 Their gifts to the Church, 295:2. 
 Their power assailed bv the Pap- 
 acy, 60 sqq., 166 : 23, 344 : 35. The 
 godly kings of Israel, 190 : 73, 240 : 
 
 36. 
 
 Knowledge. Mere knowledge not 
 faith, 45 : 23 sq., 86 : 17, 91 : 48, 92 : 
 50, 94:61, 100:99, 103:115, 122: 
 106, 127 : 128, 142 : 183, 144 : 194, 149 : 
 216, 158 : 262, 184 : 45, 501 : 6. 
 Of God, an element of the divine 
 image, 79 : 18. Possessed by the 
 heathen, 593 : 22. Mainta ; ned in 
 Israel, 116:70. Imparted by the 
 Holy Ghost, 554:16; through the 
 Gospel, 593 : 22. Grows amid ter- 
 rors of conscience, 152 : 230. The 
 best consolation, 94 : 60. Election 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 700 
 
 God has reserved fc>r his own know- 
 ledge, 658 : 52, 660 : 64. 
 
 Of Christ, what it is, 91 : 46, 100 : 101. 
 Is the foundation of the Church, 
 165 : 20. True members of the 
 Church have it, 162:8. Depends 
 upon the doctrine of justifying faith, 
 178 : 3. God gives through preach- 
 ing, 552 : 4. Hindered by traditions, 
 55:16. Suppressed by false holi- 
 ness, 254 : 46 ; and the invocation 
 of saints, 240:34, 316:25. Some 
 true knowledge always present, 160 : 
 271. Its comfort, 261 : 12. Observ- 
 ance of Law impossible without it, 
 104 : 5. Christ's knowledge as man, 
 639 : 74. 
 
 Of Justifying Faith, 159 : 266. 
 
 Of Sin, proceeds from the Law, 508 : 
 1, 592 : 17, 595 : l ; but a more thor- 
 ough knowledge derived from the 
 Gospel, 507 : 8, 590 : 9, 591 : 10, 594 : 
 24. Paul teaches before he treats 
 of election, 526 : 11. 
 Koivuvia, 628 : 22. 
 
 L. 
 
 Labor on festivals, 64 : 41. 
 
 Laborers, sins of, 309 : 12, 422 : 226, 
 424 : 237. 
 
 Lapsed, the, 198 : 15, 556 : 22. 
 
 Latin Language in divine service, 
 259 : 2 sq. 
 
 Laurentius, 157, 392 : 11. 
 
 Law, the. Natural. — Written on man's 
 heart, 85 : 2, 509 : 2, 596 : 2. 
 Of Noses. — Divinely revealed, 283 : 
 14. Comprises the moral, cere- 
 monial and judicial Law, 85 : 6. 
 Includes Mosaic ceremonies, 224 : 
 32, 266:35, 270:52, 293:58; from 
 which Christians are free, 64 : 39, 
 65 : 59, 170 : 39, 253 : 41 sq., 283 : 15, 
 284 : 17. Carlstadt's desire to im- 
 pose the judicial laws of Moses, 
 227 : 55. 
 Decalogue, 85 : 8. Its Two Tables, 
 78, 105:9 sq. A part of Holy 
 Scripture, 84 : 5, 101 : 102, 115 : 65, 
 185 : 53. Divine doctrine teaching 
 what is right and pleasing to God, 
 and reproving sin, 506 : 2, 592 : 17. 
 Its threefold use, 508, 595. 
 First Use. To maintain outward dis- 
 cipline, 87 : 22 sq., 508 : l, 595 : l. 
 Second Use. To bring men to the 
 knowledge of sin, 508 : 1, 595 : l. 
 Keq lires works, 90 : 44, 597 : 11 ; 
 and those perfect, 90 : 44, 204 : 45. 
 Is spiritual, 507 : 8, 591 : 10. Re- 
 veals sin, 101 : 103, 129 : 134, 184 : 
 
 48, 185 : 53, 323 : 4, 562 : 54, 591 : 10 
 and God'f- wrath, 96 : 79, 104 : 7, 
 140 : 174, 323 : 5, 591 : 12, 592 : 14. 
 Reproves sin, £07, 591 : 10, 594 : 27, 
 597 : 12 ; and unbelief, 592 : 19, 597 : 
 14. Accuses, 90 : 38, 101 : 103, 104 : 
 7, 112:46, 117:83, 129:136, 130: 
 139, 133 : 149, 137 : 164, 140 : 174, 146 : 
 198, 182 : 34, 184 : 48, 193 : Z8, 541 : 6, 
 545 : 32. Condemns, 541 : 6, 507 : 5, 
 595 : 27. Terrifies, 90 : 38, 102 : 106, 
 181 sq., 323:4, 594:24. Causes 
 wrath, 118:83, 129:136, 130:139, 
 133 : 149, 193 : 88. Does not justify, 
 90 : 38, 40, 100 : 97 sq., 101 : 103, 109 : 
 36 sqq., 113 : 56, 114 : 59, 62, 122 : 106, 
 123 : 110, 135 : 156, 136 : 160, 139 : 171, 
 191 : 79, 300 : 4. Its exclusive preach- 
 ing leads either to presumption or 
 despair, 591 : 10. Insufficient, 85, 
 100:97, 109:38 sq., 130:139, 132: 
 145, 191 : 75 sq., 566 : 61. Christ the 
 end of the Law, 155 : 251, 594 : 24. 
 From its constraint and curse be- 
 lievers free, 509:2, 596 : 5. The 
 regenerate begin to observe it, 94 : 
 64, 104 sq., 106 sq., Ill, 192 sq., 
 234 : 90 ; yet imperfectly, 498 : 11, 
 531 : 25, 567 : 77, 670 : 33. _ 
 Third Use. As a rule of life to the 
 regenerate, 508, 595. An object 
 of delight, 568 : 85, 585 : 19, 595 : 4, 
 598 : 18; while, according to the old 
 Adam, believers still need its threats, 
 509 : 4, 598 : 19. When its urging 
 is unnecessary, 596 : 6. In what 
 sense necessary, 234 : 92, 504, 582 
 sq. 
 Distinction between it and the Gos- 
 pel, 84 : 5, 90 : 43, 44, 95 : 70, 100 : 
 101 sq., 115 : 65, 129 : 136, 506 sqq., 
 589 sqq. The Holy Ghost not 
 given thereby, 597 : 11. Its works 
 to be distinguished from the fruits 
 of the Spirit, 509 : 5 sq., 598 : 17. 
 Taught by Christ, 507 : 7, 591 : 10. 
 But this is not his proper office, 
 508 : 10 ; but it is that of Moses, 
 508 : 10. Christ no new legislator, 
 159 : 271. 
 
 Laws, Civil, are of God, 41 . A Chris- 
 tian may use them, 227:54, 229: 
 64. Not annulled by the Gospel, 
 62 : 14, 227 : 55. Such ordinances 
 not instituted by the Gospel, 228 : 
 58. Are good ordinances, 41. Even 
 those framed by heathen to be 
 obeyed, 227 : 55. Cannot change 
 God's commandment, 48 : 8, 49 : _'4, 
 291 : 51. 
 
 Lay Co'mmunion, 244 : 8. 
 
73 1 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 Laymen. The cup should not be with- 
 held from them, 47, 243 sq., 514 : 
 24, 621 : 110. Can absolve, 349 : 67. 
 The Catechisms for them, 492 : 5, 
 536 : 8. 
 
 Legates, Papal, 327 : 25. 
 
 Legends of Saints, 240 : 85. 
 
 Leo the Great, 513 : is. 
 
 Leo X., 81 : 85, 160 : 276, 189 67. 
 
 Lesscns, 171 : 40, 292 : 55. 
 
 Levi, Sons of, 266 : 34. 
 
 Levitii;al. Impurities, 253:41. Of- 
 ferings, 262:21 sqq., 266:34, 270: 
 53 sqq. Priesthood, 251 : 27, 253 : 
 41, 270 : 53. Service, 64 : 39, 66 : 61, 
 214 : 7 sqq., 264 : 26. 
 
 Liberty. See Freedom. 
 
 Licentiousness. Forbidden, 252 : 35, 
 418 sqq. Temptation to, 463: 102. 
 Prevalence of, 309 : 12. Before the 
 Flood, 255 : 54. A remedy, 49, 249 : 
 14, 257:63, 291:51. 
 
 Life, Earthly. From God, 105 : 14. 
 Regarded in the promise pertain- 
 ing to marriage, 215:14; in the 
 fourth commandment, 155 : 246, 409 : 
 133 sqq. Good works pertaining to, 
 116 : 73, 155. Christ's kingdom in- 
 visible in, 165 : 17 sq. To be sur- 
 rendered for the Gospel, 289 : 41. 
 The life (conversation) should be god- 
 ly, 454 : 39. Counterfeits of godly 
 life, 54 : 3. Holiness not dependent 
 on the calling, 288:38. 
 A new, spiritual life required, 130 : 138, 
 131 : 143, 134 : 153, 156 : 253, 202 : 35, 
 371 : 14. Does not proceed from 
 our own powers, 497 : 3, 553 : 11. 
 Given through Christ, 174 : 56, 184 : 
 46 sq., 371 : 14, 497 : 3 ; wrought by 
 the Holy Ghost, 105 : 11, 271 : 59, 
 368 : 8 ; in baptism, 475 : 75 ; and 
 the Lord's Supper, 374 : 6 ; through 
 faith, 94:64, 104:4, 184:48, 187: 
 60. Is the fruit of repentance, 184 : 
 45; of regeneration, 151 : 227. God's 
 name hallowed thereby, 368 : 5. 
 Good works belong thereto, 129 : 
 137. It saves, 135 : 157. 
 Life, Eternal, 25, 26, 28, 367, 389, 443. 
 Promised in the Gospel through 
 Christ, 84 : 5, 131 : 141, 140 : 176, 182 : 
 29. God gives, 140 : 176. Christ 
 gives, 227 : 54, 229 : 66, 245 : 10 ; 
 who has earned it by his obe- 
 dience, 501 : 3. He who has the 
 Son has it, 140 : 176, 143 : 189, 152 : 
 235. The Holy Ghost gives, 105 : 
 11, 297 : 1 ) ; 367 : 6. Its beginning, 
 repentance and regeneration, 152: 
 281, 652:18. Alreadv on- earth, 
 
 164 : 15. Obtained out of grace, 
 through faith in Christ, for Christ's 
 sake, 116 : 75, 140 : 176, 146 : 198 sq., 
 201, 151 : 226, 152 : 231, 233, 156 : 25'.' j 
 158 : 263, 285 : 23, 287 : 30, 82, 371 : 
 10, 574:25. God will save the 
 called to eternal life, 653 : 22. How 
 for a reward, 152 : 235, 153 : 241. 
 Light. Innate, of reason, 542 : 12. 
 Divine, an element of the divine im- 
 age, 79. 
 New, of faith, 94 : 64, 104 : 4, 127 : 128, 
 170 : 36; wrought by the Holy Ghost, 
 105:11. Is the kingdom of God, 
 28G : 27. 
 Liturgy, 275 : 79 sq. 
 Living, The, and dead to be judged, 
 25, 27, 38, 42, 311, 367 : 3, 389, 442. 
 The sacrament instituted only for 
 them, 314 : 12. 
 Lombard (Longobard), 79 : 21, 199 : 22, 
 
 204 : 42. 
 Loosing of sins, 203 : 41, 212 : 79. 
 Lord's Prayer, Cyprian's exposition 
 of, 147 : 201 ; Luther's, 368 sqq., 
 448 sqq. Pastors should pray it, 
 384 : 8. 
 Love, God's, toward us, declared by First 
 Article of Creed, 441 : 23 ; by all three 
 articles, 447 : 64. Apprehended by 
 faith, 158:260. 
 Toward Ood and men, 104 sqq. Re- 
 quired by the Law, 104 : 3, 105 : 10, 
 125:117, 138:168, 190:75, 204:45, 
 364 : 2, 440 : 19. The highest work 
 of the Law, 122 : 108; its fulfilment, 
 107:26, 109:38, 114:60, 126:124, 
 138 : 168, 139 : 172. The greatest 
 virtue, 122 : 105, 108. Its necessity, 
 126:122. Without faith in Christ 
 impossible, 86 : 18, 102 : no. It is 
 the fruit of faith, 96 : 74, 102 : 111, 
 106:20, 108:30, 109:34, 127:128, 
 140:173, 192:82, 502:11, 574:27; 
 of justification, 139 : 171, 182 : 37 ; 
 of regeneration, 104:4. Belongs 
 to the new life, 151 : 228, 234 : 92. 
 Its growth, 234 : 92, 288 : 37. A 
 work of the Holy Ghost, 104 : 4, 
 105:12, 107:26, 139:172, 168:31. 
 Its absence declares the absence of 
 the Holy Ghost, 120:98. Faith 
 without it dead, 582 : l. Through 
 love no forgiveness, 89 : 36 sq., 96 : 
 79, 97 : 83, 102 : 112, 107 : 26, 108 : 30 
 120 : 100, 140 : 73, 571 : 37, 572 : 38. 
 Lucina, 393 : 18. 
 
 Lustrations, Purgatorial, 314 : 12. 
 Luther, Dr. Martin. Hilten's proph- 
 ecy concerning, 281. Complaints 
 before him concerning abuses, 242: 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 735 
 
 41. Before his lime the doctrine 
 of repentance confused, 178 : 4. Re- 
 stored to light the truth of God's 
 Word, 536 : 5. His doctrine occa- 
 sioned godly hearts much joy, 176 : 
 59. Attacks of the Papists, 81 : 35. 
 A highly-illumined man, 605 : 28. 
 A diligent pupil of the Catechism, 
 384 : 7. His experience as an in- 
 spector of churches, 350. Signed 
 the Formula of 1536, 603 : 12. His 
 firmness, 336 : 3, 606 : 30 sq. Trou- 
 bles succeeding his death, 10. 
 His writings perverted, 308. The best 
 expounder of the Augsburg Con- 
 fession, 607 : 34. Doctrinal and po- 
 lemical writings of, 536 : 8 sq. Ser- 
 mon at Torgau, 522 : 2, 643 : l. His 
 Works — on monastic vows, 282 : 10; 
 on the councils, 519 : 18, 573 : 21, 632 : 
 14; of the enslaved will, 560:44. 
 Large Confession concerning the 
 Holy Scripture, 618 : 91, 631, 640. 
 Small Confession, 618 : 91. Against 
 the heavenly prophets, 618 : 91. 
 Declarations concerning original sin, 
 81 : 35, 82 : 45, 546 : 38, 550 : 61 ; 
 " accident;' 560 : 62 ; free will, 499 : 
 18, 556 : 23, 559 : 36, 560 : 40, 569 : 89 ; 
 predestination, 655 : 33 ; the person 
 of Christ, 627 : 17, 628 : 21, 629 : 26, 
 631 : 38, 640 : 80, 641 : 85, 86 ; Law 
 and Gospel, 591 : 11 ; justification, 
 571:6; faith, 583:10; faith and 
 good works, 574:28, 577:41, 586: 
 24 sqq. ; the Holy Supper, 604:20, 
 605 : 28, 606 : 32 sq., 612 : 58, 615 : 
 77 sq., 618:93; against the Sacra- 
 mentarians, 512 : 10, 515 : 42, 516 : 3, 
 618 : 91, 93 ; concerning Adiaphora, 
 648 : 24 ; faithful shepherds, 538 : 14. 
 
 Lutheran, originally a term of re- 
 proach, 225 : 42. 
 Church. See Church. 
 
 Lydia, 497 : 5, 557 : 26. 
 
 Lying, 321 : 2, 329 : 45, 354 : 4, 399 : 64, 
 400 : 68. 
 
 Lyra, 166 : 22. 
 
 M. 
 
 Magicians, 240 : 34, 36. 
 
 Magistrates, 41, 108 : 30, 227, 416 sqq. 
 Their calling, 54 : 10, 227 : 63. Their 
 office holy, 215 : 15, 222 : 25, 227 : 53, 
 530 : 12, 668 : 17. Christians in office 
 without sin, 42, 227 : 53, 530 : 13, 668 : 
 18, 19. God acts through them, 394 : 
 26. Their punishment of offenders 
 sinless, 42, 228 : 59 ; even when they 
 deprive of life, 415 : 181, 530 : 16, 
 669 : 21. Fcr the restraint of gross 
 
 sinners, 87 : 22. Matrimonial ques« 
 tions to be decided by them, 251 : 
 
 77. Table of duties, 377 : 4. 
 Mahomet, Mahometans, 220 : 18, 333 : 
 
 9 ; 37 : 5, 122 : 108, 286 : 27. 
 
 Maidens, 317 : l. 
 
 Majesty, chief articles concerning the 
 Divine, 311. How it is offered to 
 us, 396 : 40. Of the human nature 
 in Christ, 518 : 15, 626 : 12 sq., 628 : 
 23, 633 : 51, 635 : 61, 637 66 sq., 639 : 
 
 78. How received, 628 : 23, 636 : 64 ; 
 how not, 638 : 71. How manifested 
 in state of humiliation, 52 3 : 16, 629 : 
 
 28. Error of Schwenckfeldians, 531 
 21, 669 : 29 ; of Anti-Trinitarians, 532 • 
 
 29, 670 : 37. 
 
 Mammon, 391 : 6, 392 : 9, 15, 395 : 36, 
 396 : 42. 
 
 Man, Men. Creation and Condition 
 prior to the Fall, 78 : 15 sqq., 366, 
 440 : 13 sq., 442 : 28, 493 : 2, 509 : 2, 
 540 : 10, 544 : 27. 
 Since the Fall, 37, 43, 76, 79 : 24, 94 : 
 62, 111 : 42, 112 : 46, 323 : 3, 493 : 2, 
 494 : 8, 540 : 2, 541 : 9 sq., 544 : 27 
 sq. Although God's creation, yet 
 all are sinners, 88 : 32, 90 : 40, 192 : 
 81, 312 : 2 sq., 321 : l, 331 ; they them- 
 selves, and not something within 
 them, 495 : 19. Have no true fear 
 of God, love, trust, faith, 37, 43 : 8 
 sq., 76, 77 : 7, 78 : 14, 79 : 23 sq., 81 : 
 42, 88 : 32 sqq., 105 : 14, 107 : 22, 112 : 
 46, 49, 231 : 74, 321 : 2 ; or knowledge 
 of God, 43, 80 : 30, 88 : 32 sqq., 231 : 
 73, 497 : 2, 552 : 5, 553 : 9. Are ene- 
 mies to God and his Law, 497 : 3, 
 
 555 : 17, 556 : 24. Murmur against 
 God, 82, 112:46. Guilty of un- 
 belief, security, contempt of God, 
 82 : 42 sq., 89 : 39 sqq., 105 : 14, 182 : 
 31, 184 : 48, 226 : 47-71. Inclined to 
 wrath, ambition, etc., 82. Sin even 
 in outward observance of Law, 88 : 
 33. Wish to reconcile God by works, 
 160 : 272. The Law written in their 
 hearts, 85 : 7, 447 : 67, 596 : 5. Have 
 some free will in outward things. 
 42, 78, 541 : n, 556 : 20, 558 : 31 ; yet 
 external righteousness rare, 230 : 71. 
 In spiritual things impotent, 78, 
 494:13, 497:2, 552:5, 7, 554 "2, 
 
 556 : 20. Know nothing of true re- 
 pentance, 329 : 41. Have a false 
 opinion of the Law, 132 : 144. Are 
 unable to observe it, 90:40, 111, 
 204 : 45, 448 : 2. Subject to eternal 
 wrath and death, 77 : 5, 88 : 33, 89 : 36, 
 90 : 40, 94 : 62, 113 : 58, 147 : 2Q5, 321 : 
 l, 323 : l, 494 : 12, 542 : 13, 543 : 25. 
 

 ANALYSIS AND [NDEXES. 
 
 Distinction between tlie baptized and 
 unbaptized, 505:67; between mini's 
 nature and original sin, 493:3, 495: 
 17, 19, 543 : 18, 544 : 26, 5 15 : 33, 548 : 
 47, 549 : 55. 
 Before, in and after Regeneration. God 
 does not immediately cast away hu- 
 man nature, 516 : 39. Wills that all 
 come to him and be saved, 526 : 8, 
 12, 655:34, 661:70. The Gospel 
 offers them forgiveness, etc. for 
 Christ's sake, 94:62, 111:44, 128: 
 131, 158, 159:266, 173:52, 192:81, 
 218:6, 312:5, 367:4, 501:4, 504: 
 7, 506 : 5, 571 : 10, 652 : 15 ; yet a 
 change needful, 323 : 3, 566 : 70. All 
 must repent, 328 : 34, 371 : 12, 414 : 
 65 sqq., 569 : 88; must do good works, 
 505, 583 : 7. Of this man cannot 
 make the beginning, neither can 
 co-operate therein, 498 : 11, 551 : 3, 
 553 : 11, 556 : 24, 561 : 45, 566 : 71. 
 God does not force, but draws men, 
 564 : 60. A work of the Holy Ghost, 
 497 : 5, 499 : 17, 542 : 14, 558 : 27 sq., 
 559 : 34, 598 : 17. Afterwards man 
 does good spontaneously, 564 : 63 
 sq. The inner man does God's will, 
 595 : 3. The new man lives eter- 
 nally in God's presence, 371 : 12. 
 After the Resurrection will be free from 
 original sin, 494 : 10, 548 : 46 ; will be 
 entirely pure and holy, 446 : 58. 
 Man is God, and God man, 517 : 10, 
 
 519:25, 667:19. 
 Errors of Pelagians, Stoics and Man- 
 ichaeans, 230 : 68, 72, 322 : 4 sqq., 7 sq., 
 324 : 10, 477 : 16, 494 : 13 sqq., 498 : 8 
 sqq., 542 : 17 sqq., 566 : 74 sqq. 
 
 Mandatum cum libera, 298 : 18. 
 
 Manes, 627 : 16. 
 
 Manichjeans, 37:5, 230:67, 495:17, 
 19, 496 : 22, 498 : 8, 544 : 26 sq., 30, 
 547 : 45. 
 
 Marcion, 519 : 23. 
 
 Marks or Church, 39, 161 : 279, 162 : 5, 
 165:20: of faith, 577:42. 
 
 Marriage instituted by God, 48, 248 : 
 7, 249 : 12, 250 : 19, 251 : 29 ; in Para- 
 dise, 257:67; is pure, 251:29, 81, 
 252 : 33 sq., 257 : 64, 67 ; sanctified 
 by God's Word and prayer, 251 : 
 30 ; is a necessary estate, 420 : 211 
 sq.; has God's command and prom- 
 ise, 215 : 14; is blessed and honored 
 of God, 419 : 206 sq. God commands 
 that it be held in honor, 49 : 19, 419 : 
 207. Is founded on natural law, 248 : 
 9, 249 : 11 ; is no sacrament, 215 : 14 
 sq. Virginity an exalted gift, 252 : 
 88, 258 : 69. 
 
 Whv instituted, 419:207; as a rem 
 edy, 49, 250 : 17, 19, 23, 251:29; 
 whereby our infirmity is to bo 
 helped, 249: 16. Who should many, 
 58, 249 : 14, 16, 250 : 19. It should be 
 free, 256 Ml, 334:8. Commanded 
 rather than forbidden, 255 : 55. The 
 young to be encouraged thereto, 421: 
 217; a.s in Israel, 419 : 201. Chastity 
 in marriage, 264: 47, 420 : 213. De- 
 sertion of marriage for monasticism, 
 60:56. 
 Its prohibition a doctrine of demons, 
 49, 256 : 58, 257 : 63; a mark of 
 Antichrist, 251 : 25 ; is wrong, 250; 
 22. Dissolution of marriages that 
 have been contracted unscriptural, 
 257 : 63, 258 : 71. Marriage between 
 spiritual relations not wrong, 351 : 
 78. Clandestine marriages wrong, 
 351 : 78. 
 Marriage of priests, 49, 246, 334, 
 351 : 78. 
 
 Mary the Virgin, pure and holy, 311, 
 628 : 24 ; worthy of highest praise, 
 237 : 29 sq. ; bore not a mere man, 
 but One who is truly the Son of 
 God, 518 : 12, 628 : 24 ; can there- 
 fore be called the mother of God, 
 518:12, 628:24; yet she is not to 
 be placed in Christ's stead, 239 : 28. 
 Christ dishonored by absolution in 
 her name, 238 : 25 sqq. 
 
 Mass, 50, 259, 275, 312. Is a com- 
 munion, 50. How the Greeks 
 designated it, 275 : 79 sqq. Is the 
 term Hebrew ? 276 : 84 sqq. Is it 
 Latin? 277 : 88. Is it a daily sacri- 
 fice ? 267 : 35. Its ceremonies sacri- 
 fices of praise, 266:33, 35. Thus 
 called by the fathers, 272 : 66 sq., 
 274 : 75, "279 : 95 sq., 315 : 13 ; but 
 not a propitiatory sacrifice, 266 : 34, 
 267 : 35. Not instituted by Christ 
 for that end, 51. Abused in the 
 Papacy, 50, 119:89, 138:167, 180: 
 12, 203 : 40, 224 : 40, 260 : 91, 261 : 13, 
 264 : 27, 268 : 42, 269 : 47, 272 : 64, 
 277 : 89, 278 : 9 sq., 291 : 53, 301 : 26, 
 315 : 14, 346 : 43. Held even for 
 the dead, 51:22, 181, 271 : 59 sq., 
 272 : 66, 314 : 12, 350 : 71, 514 : 23, 
 621 : 109. Origin of these abuses, 
 52, 216:23, 259:2, 270:52. Ap- 
 proved by the monks, 282:9; es- 
 pecially furthered by the mendi- 
 cant orders, 260 : 7. The greatest 
 abomination in the Papacy, 312 : l, 
 621 : 109. Faith in Christ thereby 
 ignored, 51 ; and godlessness pro- 
 moted, 280, 314:11, 346:43; e. g. 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 737 
 
 Purgatory, 314 : 12 ; appearance of 
 spirit, 315:16 sq. ; pilgrimages, 
 315:18 sqq. ; fraternities, 316:21; 
 worship of relics, 316 : 22 sqq. ; in- 
 dulgences, 316:24; private masses, 
 etc., 51, 313:6. 
 History of, 51, 259 :(i sqq., 279:94. 
 Not abolished in our churches, 50, 
 52, 169 : 33, 259 : 1, 268 : 41 (only un- 
 necessary and private masses abol- 
 ished, 52, 259:6); but celebrated 
 every Sunday and festival day, 52, 
 259 : 1. The hymns sung therein 
 are German, 50 : 2, 259 : 3 sq. ; yet 
 the Latin mass not entirely disused, 
 259 : 3; but not used where it is not 
 understood, 259 : is sq., 5. 
 Error 01 Anabaptists, 530 : 10, 668 : 15. 
 
 Means of apprehending Christ, 501 : 
 5, 571:10, 576:38; whereby Holy 
 Ghost is given, 38, 444 : 41, 497 : 4, 
 554 : 16, 561 : 48, 562 : 50, 566 : 72. 
 He does not work without means, 
 497 : 4, 499 : 13, 552 : 4. 
 Of Grace, 170 : 36, 333 : 10, 551 : 2 sq., 
 561 : 48, 562 : 54, 662 : 76, 669 : 30 sq. 
 
 Mediator, Christ alone, 44:9, 46:2, 
 111 : 41 sq., 44, 117 : 83, 119 : 93, 121 : 
 101, 126 : 124, 191 : 76, 232 : 82, 237 : 
 17, 19, 238 : 24, 239 : 31, 573 : 23. God 
 reconciled through him, 125 : 117. 
 Is set over against God's wrath, 
 120 : 9 sq., 192 : 84. He is such 
 before and after regeneration, 111 : 
 41, 145 : 196 ; not alone according to 
 the divine nature, 580 ; but accord- 
 ing to both natures, 632 : 47. Christ 
 thereby glorified, 141 : 178. The 
 opposite doctrine dishonors him, 
 119 : 92 sq., 219 : 9. 
 Danger of seeking other mediators, 
 240 : 34. Human ordinances sub- 
 stituted, 218 : 5, 219 : 7 ; the mass, 
 271:57; saints, 46, 166, 235, 236: 
 14 sq., 291 : 53. 
 
 Mediatorial Office of Christ, 312, 
 632 : 46. 
 
 Melanchthon, 15, 336. 
 
 Members, Law in, 81 : 36, 329 : 40. 
 Of Christ, the godless not, 162 : 6, 165 : 
 19. Of the Church, externally hypo- 
 crites are, 161:3; yet not living, 
 but dead members, 162 : 6. What 
 constitutes living members, 164 : 13, 
 445 : 51, 559 : 36, 620 : 104. They are 
 bound together by Christian love, 
 123 : 111. 
 
 Merchants, 531 : 18, 669 : 23. 
 
 Mercury, 393 : 18. 
 
 Mercy, God's. The only ground of 
 confidence, 148 : 209. its certainty, 
 61 
 
 151 : 224. The ground of justifica- 
 tion, 112 : 51 , 197 : 10, 11, 335 : 2 ; of 
 reconciliation and forgiveness. 135: 
 158, 131 : 141 ; of adoption, 98 : 86; 
 of salvation, 149 : 213, 217, 150 : 223, 
 527:15; of eternal life, 146:201, 
 287 : 32. From it he bestows all 
 blessings, 366 : 2 ; anticipating us, 
 566:71; and willing our conver- 
 sion, 556:22. 
 
 Even good works need mercy, 147 : 
 202, 204. Upon this our prayers are 
 based, 148 : 210. Must be received 
 bv faith, 98 : 86, 101 : 106, 105 : 8, 
 108 : 32, 110 : 40, 113 : 53, 145 : 197, 
 147 : 203, 149 : 217. Its relation to 
 faith, 108 : 33, 147 : 203, 149 : 216, 151 : 
 225, 157 : 260. Upon it alone faith 
 rests, 90 : 44, 92 : 55. It renders God 
 an object of love, 105 : 8. God dis- 
 honored by its neglect, 148 : 211. 
 Vessels of mercy, 660 : 63, 663 : 79, 
 664 : 82. 
 Merit of man's own works nothing, 38, 
 87, 88 : 29, 31, 91 : 48, 94 : 60, 97 : 83, 
 98 : 87, 111 :4sq., 112:52, 131: 141, 144: 
 194, 145 : 197, 146 : 201, 148 : 209, 175 : 
 59, 189 : 65, 190 : 72, 193 : 88, 197 : 10 
 sq., 209 : 60, 214 : 5 sq., 215 : 10, 232 : 79, 
 233 : 84, 252 : 36, 283 : 11, 284 : 17, 287 : 
 32, 296 : 17, 312 : 3 sq., 335 : 3, 366 : 2, 
 501 : 4, 507 : 5, 571 : 9, 573 : 23, 580 : 
 55, 660 : 61. All merit excluded 
 from the article of justification, 
 96 : 74, 98 : 84, 155 : 246, 576 : 37, 
 579 : 53, 585 : 22 ; as well as from the 
 article of election, 526 : 13, 665 : 87. 
 
 All merit forgotten when God's wrath 
 is felt 87 : 20. Faith does not offer 
 it to God, 91 : 44, 46. Confidence in 
 works flatters men, 85 : 10. The 
 controversy important, 109 : 35, 153 
 De condigno and de congruo, 137 : 
 161, 145 : 197, 146 : 200 sq. 
 
 Christ's merit the sole cause of our 
 righteousness and salvation, 237 : 
 19, 238 : 22, 239 : 29, 31, 284 : 17, 287 : 
 32, 502 : 10, 541 : 6 ; of our election, 
 528 : 20, 662 : 75; of our fitness for 
 the Holy Supper, 513 : 20, 614 : 71. 
 Offered in the preaching of the 
 Gospel, 316 : 24, 507 : 7, 590 : 9, 652 : 
 16; shown by the article concerning 
 original sin, 540 : 3 ; apprehended 
 by faith, 122 : 106, 140 : 175, 237 : 19, 
 578 : 43. By what means suppressed 
 and obscured, 271 : 57, 346 : 45, 508 : 
 11, 594 : 27. 
 
 Errors— Of Scholastics, 155 : 246, 189 : 
 68,213:81. Papistic, of merit, of 
 works, human ordinances, monastic 
 
738 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 vows, etc., 153 : 239, 157 : 257, 166 : 
 21, 180 : 17, 218 : 4, »-'tc. ; of repent- 
 ance, 179 : 8, ISO : 18, 182 : 34, 324 : 
 12; of the merit of Mary, the saints, 
 etc., 235 : 3, 236 : 14, 233 : 22, 25, 239 : 
 29, 81, 316 : 24 ; the Anabaptists, 529 : 
 5, 586 : 27, 668 : 10. 
 
 Meritoriousness of good works, 116: 
 73, 152 : 234 sq., 155 : 246 sq. 
 
 Messiah. 108 : 33, 332 : 8, 636 : 72. Jew- 
 ish dreams of a worldly kingdom, 
 228 : 69. 
 
 Ministers. Are called by the Church, 
 167 : 28, 342 : 24, 349 : 66 sq., 350 : 69, 
 72. Are all equal, 340 : 11, 349 : 62, 
 65. Have the command to forgive 
 sins, 196 : 7, 212 : 79. Represent 
 Christ, and not themselves, 167 : 28, 
 172 : 47. Their unworthinesa no 
 hindrance to the efficacy of ordi- 
 nances, 167 : 28, 604 : 19, 605 : 24 sq., 
 617 : 89. The sacraments not de- 
 pendent on their work or declara- 
 tion, 512 : 8, 615 : 74, 616 : 78. Chap- 
 ters founded for their education, 
 317 : 1. Church endowments for 
 their support, 352:80. 
 Error of Anabaptists, 530 : 11, 668 : 16 ; 
 of Schwenckftddians, 531 : 22, 27, 
 669:30, 670:35. 
 
 Ministry of Word and Sacraments, 
 39, 41, 61 : 5 sqq., 217, 297 : 13, 298 : 
 18, 333, 339, 343, 348. A regular 
 call necessary thereto, 41, 222 : 24. 
 Can ordination thereto be called a 
 sacrament? 215 : 11. Its labors and 
 burdens, 363 : 26 sq. Its glorious 
 promises, 215 : 11. Limited to no 
 persons or places, 343 : 26. Has no 
 earthly power, 62 : 13, 344 : 13. Sep- 
 aration of priesthood and ministry 
 improper, 214 : 7. See Minis- 
 ters. 
 
 Miraculous Signs of no avail without 
 faith, 216 : 20. Of Christ, 628 : 25. 
 
 Mixture of natures, 519 : 21, 627 : 19, 
 630 : 31, 635 : 60 sqq., 642 : 89. 
 
 Monasticism, Monks. Among the 
 Turks, 286 : 27. Vows assumed in 
 youth, 57. Their vows are Adia- 
 phora, 284 : 21. They profess to 
 live the nearest the Gospel, 289 : 39. 
 Resist God's order, 420 : 213 ; per- 
 vert Scripture, 289 : 40, 290 : 44 sq., 
 293 : 59 ; claim a special promise of 
 Christ, 287 : 28, 289 : 40 ; hope by 
 their own works to overcome sins, 
 325 : 14 ; and obtain forgiveness, 293 : 
 63. Regard themselves holy, 327 : 
 28 sq. Imagine tbey can impart 
 superfluous merits to others, 60, 
 
 153:239, 286:25, 287:29, 289:89, 
 327 : 28 sq. Confuse civil order and 
 domestic life, 228 : 56, 229 : 65, 254 • 
 47, 285 : 24. Are mostly Epicureans, 
 159:269. Unlike the Rechabites, 
 293. Without scriptural support, 
 287 : 29. Full of hypocrisy, 292 : 06. 
 Prophecy of Hilten, 281. 
 
 Monastic Orders, 53, 119 :9i, 138 : 167, 
 239 : 29, 287 : 28 Sq. 
 
 Money. A common idol, 391 : 6 sqq. 
 That of our neighbor not to oe 
 taken, 365 : 14, 422. Mass said for, 
 51 : 10, 11 sqq. Dispensations for, 
 166:23. Indulgences for, 316:24, 
 326 : 25 sqq., 346 : 46. 
 
 Monks. See Monasticism. 
 
 Morality, External. Man's capa- 
 bility for, 43 : l sq., 87 : 22 sq., 105:9, 
 230 : 70, 557 : 26. Opinions of phil- 
 osophers, 82 : 43. 
 
 Mortal Sins, 404 : 99. Faith cannot co- 
 exist with, 91 : 48, 94:64, 102: 109, 
 103 : 115 ; nor can love, 89 : 37. Er- 
 rors of Papists, 199 : 21, 202 : 35, 205 : 
 46, 210 : 66, 336 : 2. 
 
 Mortification of flesh, 56 : 30 sqq., 
 116:72, 184:46, 202:34, 206:51, 
 211 : 71, 226:45 sqq. 
 
 Moses, the veiled face of, 87 : 21, 122 : 108, 
 191 : 78. His veil hangs before all 
 men, 507 : 8, 591 : 10. How it is re- 
 moved, 507 : 9, 595 : 1. Christ does 
 not succeed him as legislator, 283 : 
 15, 284 : 17. Compared with Christ, 
 507 : 7. Our eyes to be turned from 
 him to Christ, 140:75. 
 
 Mother. Duties toward, 155 : 246, 364, 
 388, 405. The highest station, 
 405 : 105. Original sin propagated 
 through, 541 : 7. Of God, Mary, 
 628 : 24. 
 
 Munzer, Thomas, 290, 332 : 3. 
 
 Murder, a fruit of original sin, 321 : 2. 
 Who is guilty of, 417 : 191. 
 
 Mystery of Christ's presence, 615 : 42 
 sqq., 624 : 127. 
 
 N. 
 Name. Of God, not to be abused, 364. 
 397, 448. This is done by false doc- 
 trine, 368 : 5, 397, 453 ; by the Pa- 
 pistic mass, 277 : 89. 
 In his name we are baptized, 370 : l 
 sq., 466 : 9 sq. ; i. e. by God himself, 
 466. This name given us in bap- 
 tism, 453 : 37 sq. ; and therewith life 
 and salvation, 469 : 27. 
 Name of Christ, 100 : 98, 188 : 65, 265 • 
 31 sq., 623 : 123. 
 Nathan the prophet. 186 : 56. 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 739 
 
 Nations. All represented in the 
 Church, 163 : 9. 
 
 Nature, Divine and Human, in Christ. 
 See Christ. 
 Human. — Meaning of the term, 496 : 
 22, 633 : 51. Its corruption, 46, 53, 
 82 : 46, 230 : 71, 321 : 3, 392 : 9 sqq., 
 494:8, 541:6, 11, 544:30, 548:52. 
 Its capabilities and incapabilities, 
 43, 46, 88 : 29, 111 : 42, 140 • 176, 141 : 
 182, 230 : 70, 541 : 10, 543 : 25, 552 : 
 7. Distinction in it before and 
 since the Fall, 493 : 2, 545 : 33 sq., 
 548 : 8, 549 : 55 ; between human na- 
 ture and original sin, 493 : 3, 494 : 7, 
 495: 14. Wicked desires not innate 
 qualities of the nature, 494 : 12. 
 Christ's assumption of our nature 
 a proof thereof, 547 : 43. Is God's 
 creature even since the Fall, 493 : 2, 
 541 : 7, 545 : 34, 546 : 38. Original 
 sin implanted in the nature, 591 : 7. 
 Man by nature a child of wrath and 
 subject of the devil, 541 : 6, 542 : 13, 
 558 : 29. Errors of the Sophists, 82 : 
 43 ; Pelagians, 321 : 4, 494 : 13 sq., 
 495 : 16, 542 : 17 sqq. ; Manichaeans, 
 495 : 17 sqq., 544 : 26, 548 : 48. 
 Physical. No man or human ordinance 
 can change, 248 : 8 sq., 249 : 16, 334 : 2. 
 
 Natural Sin, 495 : 20, 549 : 53. 
 
 Naumburg, 14. 
 
 Nazarenes, 293 : 5. 
 
 Nazianzenus, 228 : 58. 
 
 Nebuchadnezzar, 129 : 134, 130 : 140, 
 525 : 3. 
 
 Necessity. Use of the term in the 
 doctrine concerning good works, 
 504 : 3, 505 : 9 sq., 582 : 4, 584 : 14, 
 585 : 17, 22. 
 
 Necromancers, 392 : 12. 
 
 Neighbor. Envy of, 416 : 184. Duty 
 of love towards, 138 : 168, 288 : 37. 
 The highest virtue, 122 : 105. Un- 
 attainable by natural powers, 322 : 7. 
 No one loves sufficiently, 112 : 46. 
 Such love towards one's neighbor a 
 work of the Holy Ghost, 46, 104:4, 
 139:172, 168:31, 502:11, 573:23, 
 584 : 12. Other duties : Reconcilia- 
 tion, 197 : 12 ; forgiveness, 125 : 121, 
 462 : 93 sqq. ; assistance, 365 : 18, 
 427 : 260, 434 : 309 ; charitable con- 
 struction, 365 : 16, 431 : 289 ; protec- 
 tion, 415 sqq., 417 : 189. How to 
 treat his secret sins, 428 : 265, 270, 
 429:276; his public sins, 430:284. 
 
 Nestorius, error of, 519 : 18, 20, 627 : 15. 
 
 Net, parable of, 161 : l, 165 : 19, 663 : 76. 
 
 New Birth, 500 : 18. 
 
 New Heart, 335 : 1, 564 : 60, 567 : 81. 
 
 New Life, 156 : 245 253, 169 : 34 sq., 
 
 184:45, 202:34sq. 
 New Man, 564 : 63, 567 : 81. 
 New Moon, 170 : 35, 223 : 30. 
 New Obedience. See Obedience. 
 Nicholas, St., 401 : 74. 
 Nineveh, 210 : 69. 
 Noah, 286 : 25. 
 
 Norm, of doctrine and life, 491, 536. 
 Novatians, 41 : 9. 
 Novelli of Justinian, 351 : 77. 
 Nyssa. See Gregory of Nyssa. 
 
 O. 
 
 Oaths, the taking of, no sin, 41 : 2, 227 
 53. Under what circumstances, 399 
 65 sqq. Error of the Anabaptists, 
 530 : 15, 669 : 20. False oaths, 397 : 
 63. God's oath, 195 : 94, 526 : 13. 
 Obedience incumbent on all, 582 : 4. 
 To parents, 364 : 8, 405 sqq. ; God 
 places this next to obedience to 
 himself, 407 : 116. To superiors and 
 rulers, 42 : 6, 364 : 8, 410 : 141 sqq., 
 412 : 150; even when they are 
 heathen, 227 : 55. To God more than 
 to men, 42 : 6, 67 : 75, 217 : 25, 298 : 21, 
 345 : 38. 
 
 Vow of, 284 : 16, 21. 
 
 New, of the regenerate, 39, 104 : 4, 
 120 : 98, 128 : 130, 225 : 43. Not at 
 our option, 504 : 3, 505 : 11. Without 
 constraint, 510:7, 595:2. Wrought 
 by the Holy Ghost through the 
 Gospel, 567 : 75, 669 : 30. Does not 
 justify, 108 : 30, 143, 209 : 63, 579 : 51. 
 Is a fruit of faith, 127 : 128. Is in- 
 cipient righteousness, 575 : 82, 109 : 
 38. What the Law and what the 
 Gospel have to do therewith, 597 : 
 10 sqq. 
 
 Of Christ, 262 : 22, 501 : 3 sq., 503 : 16, 
 513 : 20, 570 : 4, 571 : 12 sqq., 573 : 22, 
 575 : 30, 32, 579 : 54, 580 : 56, 58, 581 : 
 63, 596 : 7 ; to Christ, 515 : 42. 
 Objects, the three, of faith, 92 : 53. 
 Observances, of food, days, clothing, 
 etc., not of God, 172*: 45, 205:46. 
 Rejected by Christ, 205 : 46, 291 : 52 
 sqq. Not sanctioned by the apostles, 
 170 : 38 sq., 205 : 45. Are human 
 ordinances, 170 : 35, 222 : 22. Fool- 
 ish services, 288 : 34, 524 : 9. Be- 
 yond the power of bishops to in- 
 stitute, 63 : 34, 296 : 6 sqq., 297 : M 
 sqq. In the Papacy, 138 : 167, 296 : 8, 
 338 : 6, 346 : 45, 347 : 48, 357 : 78. Ex- 
 ternal observances should be free, 
 297 : 16, 340 : 11, 345, 648 : 22. Dis- 
 similarity therein should not cause 
 separation in the Church, 172:45sq. 
 
740 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 Offencv., Mutters of, in Papacy, 48 : 2 
 sq., 18, 60 : 48, 255 : 51. Concern- 
 ing Adiaphora, 226 : 61, 297 : 16 sq., 
 646 : 16. 
 Offering. What it is, and what it is 
 not, 261 : 16, 262 : 18. How the sig- 
 nification of the words is to be de- 
 termined, 263:23. Distinction be- 
 tween sacrifice and sacrament, 261 : 
 16 sqq. Propitiatory and thank- 
 offerings, 262 : 19, 21. "The continual 
 sacrifice, 267 : 35 sq., 39. The Le- 
 vitical offering, 214 : 7, 262 : 21 sqq., 
 266 : 34, 270 : 56. Commanded of 
 God, 118:86. Abused in Israel, 
 160 : 274. Testimonies against their 
 ex opere operato value, 118 : 86 sq., 
 160 : 274, 264 : 28 sqq. 
 Of the patriarchs, 118:86 sq. ; of 
 Abraham, 118:88, 609:46. 
 
 In the Law foreshadowing Christ's 
 offering, 262 : 22. Christ's the only, 
 for sin, 38, 51, 214 : 8, 262 : 21 sqq., 
 270 : 53, 56 sq., 271 : 59. Justifica- 
 tion and sanctitication thereby, 214 : 
 8, 262 : 22. How far the ceremonies 
 of the mass may be called an offer- 
 ing, 266 : 33 sq. The mass not in- 
 stituted as a sacrificial offering, 51 : 
 21 sqq., 278 : 91, 313 : 1, 350 : 71, 514 : 
 23, 621 : 109: Forgiveness not there- 
 by, 271 : 57, 279 : 97. Origin of the 
 error, 270 : 52. Testimonies of the 
 fathers, 272 : 66 sqq. 
 
 Spiritual offerings of the N. T., 263 : 
 25 sq., 264 : 30, 33. Good works 
 offerings of faith, 115:68; as are 
 also perils, labors, sermons, etc., 
 115 : 69. David's wars, 116 : 70. 
 Alms, 116 : 71. But not in the 
 sense of our antagonists, 193 : 86. 
 Not to be made to angels and 
 saints, 317 : 26. 
 OlFiCE. Of Christ, 312; to free from 
 death and sin, 135 : 156. His strange 
 office, 508 : 10. Is learned from the 
 doctrine of the righteousness of 
 faith, 156 : 256, 159 : 266. How ob- 
 scured, 147 : 203, 159 : 271, 237 : 15. 
 
 Of the Holy Ghost, 443:35, 446:59. 
 His strange office, 591 : 11. His 
 proper office, 563 : 56. 
 
 Of the Gospel, 330. 
 
 Of the Law, 324 : 4. Without the Gos 
 pel it brings death, 324 : 7. 
 
 In the Church, can be administered by 
 hypocrites, 162 : 3, 163 : 12, 167 : 28; 
 even by Antichrist, 162 : 4. Should 
 be highly esteemed, 332 : 2. 
 Offices and Estates, appointed of 
 God, 227 : 53. Approved by the 
 
 Gospel, 259 : 6J. May be exercised 
 bv a Christian, 41, 227:53. Error 
 of Anabaptists, 530, 668. 
 
 Omission, sins of, 417 : 189 sqq. 
 
 Omnipotence, of Christ, 520 : 33 sqq., 
 637 : 66. 
 
 Omnipresence. Of God, in creatures, 
 637 : 68. Of Christ, 520 : 27, 30, 32 ; 
 according to both natures, 639:77 
 sq., 642 : 94; according to his human 
 nature, 629 : 27. Of Christ's body, 
 514 : 30, 32 sqq ; not by local exten- 
 sion, 520 : 29, 642 : 92. 
 
 Omniscience. Of God, 650 : 3 sq., 6. 
 Of Christ, 521 : 30 sqq., 638 : 72 sqq. 
 
 Opus Operatum. A mere work, with- 
 out faith, 118 : 86, 180 : 12, 261 : 12. 
 In the sacraments, especially the 
 mass, 51, 119 : 89, 138 : 167, 166 : 21, 
 181 : 25, 216 : 18, 23, 259 : 5, 260 : 9, 
 265 : 30, 267 : 35, 39, 271 : 59 sq., 272 : 
 66, 275 : 78, 276 : 87 sqq., 279 : 96, 
 313 : 7. In sacrifices, 105 : 13, 118 : 
 86, 131 : 143, 135 : 155, 264 : 28 sq., 
 265 : 31. In alms, 135 : 155. In re- 
 pentance, 180 : 12, 187 : 59 sq., 325: 12. 
 The prayers of monks and priests, 
 452 : 25. External services, 105 : 13, 
 264 : 26. Of no avail in the N. T., 
 264 : 27, 271 : 69, 131 : 143, 135 : 157, 
 216 : 18. 
 
 Oral Keception, 510 : 2 sqq,, 601 : 3, 6, 
 602:8, 606:32, 611:56, 612:61,613: 
 63, 617 : 86, 620 : 105. 
 
 Ordinances, Divine. The state and 
 the family, 173 : 50, 228 : 57 sq. The 
 Lord's Supper, 476 : 4, 606 : 32. Both 
 kinds in Lord's Supper, 243 : 1 sqq. 
 To be honored, 470 : 38. Depends 
 not on man, 473 : 60. Vows cannot 
 annul, 58 : 18. Cannot be changed 
 by the Church, 246 : 15 (172 : 46). 
 Ecclesiastical. — Of the apostles, 297 : 
 16. Of the fathers, 138 : 167, 219 : 
 13. Extent of their obligation, 
 169 : 33, 218 : 1, 228 : 38 sqq., 645 : 9. 
 Their use, 297 : 15 sq., 644 : 7. The 
 kingdom of God does not consist 
 therein, 164 : 13. No divine service, 
 523 : 3. External, temporary, are 
 traditions, 168:32, 170:40- 
 Human. — The distinction between 
 bishop and pastor, 349 : 63 sq. The 
 jurisdiction of bishops in matri- 
 monial cases, 351 : 78. 
 
 Ordination, 333 sq. May be called a 
 sacrament, 215 : 11 sq. Belongs to 
 the entire Church, 342 : 24, 349 : 66 
 sq., 350 : 69. Is committed to bishops. 
 349 : 62 ; but can be administered 
 by any pastor, 349 : 65. The chief 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 741 
 
 distinction between bishop and pas- 
 tor, 350 : 73 ; in beginning only a 
 ratification, 350 : 70. Validity of 
 heretical ordination, 334 : 3. 
 Of Bishops, 217 : 24 sq., 333 : l sqq., 
 647 : 19. (Consecration) not orig- 
 inally sought from Rome, 341 : 15 
 sq. 
 
 Origen, 228 : 58, 343 : 27. 
 
 Obiginai, Sin, 37, 75, 321, 493, 539. 
 Necessity of knowing concerning 
 it, 80 : 33. Cannot be understood, 
 321 : 3, 494 : 9 sq., 541 : 8, 550 : 60, 62. 
 What Paul teaches thereon, 81 : 39; 
 Augustine, etc., 80 : 27, 81 : 36; 
 Luther, 81 : 35, 495 : 20, 540 : 4 sq., 
 548: 57. 
 Not an Adiaphoron, 81 : 41. Not a 
 mere penalty, 81 : 38 ; or a mere 
 bodily corruption, 79 : 25 ; or debt 
 for another, 494 : 11, 542 : 17 ; or ex- 
 ternal impediment, 495 : 15, 543 : 22; 
 or external spot, 495 : 14, 543 : 21 ; 
 or something essential in man's na- 
 ture or substance, 495 : 17, 19, 539 : 1 
 sqq., 543 : 18, 544 : 26, 28, 549 : 55 ; 
 nor an actual sin, 496 : 21. 
 An innate disease, 37, 77 : 6, 550 : 62. 
 Absence of original righteousness, 
 78 : 15, 79 : 23, 26 sq., 541 : 10. In- 
 nate wicked desires, 79 : 24 sq., 80 : 
 27, 541 : 11. Its two parts, 80 : 27. 
 A deep corruption of the nature, 
 321 : 3, 494 : 8, 539 : 1 sq., 541 : 11, 
 544 : 30, 548 : 53, 550 : 60 ; yet distinct 
 from human nature, 493 : 2 sq., 545 : 
 33, 548:47. In man's higher and 
 lower powers, 79 : 23, 25, 550 : 60. 
 The Law in the members, 81 : 36. 
 The root and fountain-head of sins, 
 541 : 5. The capital sin, 321 : l sqq. 
 
 540 : 5. Spiritual leprosy, 541 : 6, 
 559:33. How far may be called 
 "natural" or "personal," 539:1, 
 548:51 sqq. Use of "substance" 
 and "accident," 549: 54. 
 
 Derived not from God, but from 
 the devil, 43, 541 : 7, 546 : 38 sqq. 
 A consequence of Adam's fall, 37, 
 76, 79 : 24, 321 : l, 494 : 8, 539 : l, 
 
 541 : 11, 552 : 5. Propagated by con- 
 ception, 541 : 7. Condemns men, 37, 
 
 81 : 38 sqq. Its punishment, 82 : 46 
 sq., 542 : 13, 543 : 19. Its fruits, 321 : 
 2, 323 : 4, 552 : 7. Not assumed by 
 Christ, 547 : 43 sqq. 
 
 Christ's death the sacrifice for, 51-: 25. 
 For Christ's sake it is not imputed, 
 
 82 : 45, 542 : 14. Its guilt removed 
 in baptism, 81 : 35. 
 
 Errors concsTiug, 77 : 5 sqq., 322 : 
 
 4 sqq., 493 : 1, 494 : n sqq., 542 : fl 
 sqq., 544: 26 sqq , 548 48. Pelagian 
 and Manichaean, 540 : ;», 542 : 16 sqq., 
 544 : 26 sqq., 548 : 48. New Man- 
 ichseans, 547 : 45. 
 Ornaments, external, of churches, not 
 to be entirely abolished, 268 : 44. 
 
 P. 
 
 Pain, Eternal, of the devil and god- 
 less, 229:66. Commuted by abso- 
 lution into temporal, false, 179 : 6, 
 181 : 22, 203 : 41 sqq. Of purgatory, 
 180 : 13, 199 : 21, 204 : 43, 205 : 50. 
 Indulgences therefor, 180 : 15. Sac- 
 rifice of the mass, 118 : 89, 180 : 15, 
 260, 9, n, 278 : 92. Canonical satis- 
 factions, 181 : 24, 199 : 21, 204 : 42, 
 205 : 50. Rejection of this doctrine 
 by the Greek Church, 278 : 93. No 
 deliverance in works, but only in 
 Christ's death, 209 : 63, 212 : 77. 
 Our pain brings no deliverance, 
 204 : 43. 
 
 Panormitanus, 177 : 65. 
 
 Papacy, the, 318. Daniel's prophecy 
 concerning, 268 : 45. Blindness in, 
 392 : n, 444 : 43. Luxuriousness in, 
 226 : 48. Its human ordinances, 118 : 
 87, 159 : 271, 196 : 1, 295 : 3 ; of no 
 use, 319 : 6. A part of the kingdom 
 of Antichrist, 220 : 18. A human 
 figment, 319 : 5. Its transubstantia- 
 tion, 513:22, 621 : 108. Its enthu- 
 siasm, 332:4, 333:9. Falls with 
 the mass, 312 : l, 314 : 10. The Augs- 
 burg Confession opposes it, 492 : 4, 
 536 : 6 sqq. How the door is opened 
 for its errors, 508 : 11, 594 : 27 ; yet 
 God has his saints in it, 280 : 98. 
 Luther's contests therewith, 537 : 9, 
 586 : 26. 
 
 Paradise, 78 : 15, 257 : 67, 541 : 10. 
 
 Parents, our first, 509:2. In God's 
 stead, 405 : ; 08, 408 : 126. God com- 
 mands that they be honored, 116: 
 76, 155 : 246, 364, 388, 405 sqq,, 437, 
 450 : 13, 468 : 20, 470 : 38. Obedience 
 to them next that to God, 407 : H6. 
 Must be grateful to them, 410 : 127 
 sq. Not to be abandoned, 289 : 41,. 
 406:111. Children not to be be- 
 trothed without their knowledge, 
 351 : 78. Formerly had power over 
 their children's lives, 415 : 181. What 
 we receive of them comes from God, 
 394 : 26. The reward of obedience, 
 116:76. Disobedience a fruit of 
 original sin, 321 : 3. Punishment 
 of disobedience, 409 sq. 
 Duties of, 360 : 12, 362 : 19, 378 : 8, 414: 
 
7 1-2 
 
 ANALYSIS AND INDEXES. 
 
 168 sqq. Their faults transmitted, 
 408 : 124. 
 
 Parishioners. Duty of pastor to pray 
 for, 375 : 3. Their duly to pray for 
 pastor, 452 : 28. Mutual charity to 
 be exercised, 124:112. Table of 
 duties, 376 : 3. 
 
 P articles, Exclusive. See Exclu- 
 sive Particles. 
 
 Passivity of the will in conversion, 
 499 : 18, 569 : 89. 
 
 Passover, Jewish, 481 : 47. 
 
 Pastors. Gifts of God, 343 : 26, 349 : 
 67. The same as elders and bishops, 
 349 : 61 sq. The Pope not their su- 
 perior, 339 : 7. Distinctions among, 
 considered, 349 : 63 sqq., 350 : 73. 
 Provision to be made for their 
 education, 317, 415 : 172. Their 
 election, call, ordination, 215 : 12, 
 217 : 24 sq., 333 : 1 sq., 350 : 70 sq. 
 They may ordain, 349 : 65 ; and ex- 
 communicate, 351 : 76. Duty of obe- 
 dience to, 65. Encroachments upon 
 their rights, 67 ■ 2, 177 : 65, 350 : 74. 
 Marriage of, 48. Luther's com- 
 plaints and warnings, 359 : 2, 6, 
 362 : 19, 383 : l sq., 386 : 19. Their 
 duties in teaching and preaching, 
 225 : 41, 43, 227 : 51, 295 : 3, 360 : 7, 
 383 : 3, 387 : 19 ; in confession, 176 : 
 63; in the administration of the 
 sacraments, 176 : 60 sqq. ; in prayer 
 for parishioners, 375 : 3. Must not 
 confound ecclesiastical with civil 
 penalties, 333. Must exercise for- 
 bearance, 124 : 113. Schisms aris- 
 ing from their dissensions, 125: 120. 
 Must encounter misrepresentation, 
 427 : 262, 431 : 289 ; and persecution, 
 384 : 6, 413 : 162. 
 The adversaries unfaithful pastors, 
 103 : 119 ; who in confession do vio- 
 lence to conscience, 53. Such pas- 
 tors abuse God's name, 398 : 54 ; 
 and are to be avoided, 346 : 41. 
 Table of duties, 376 : 2. Error of 
 Schwenckfeldians, 531 : 27, 670 : 35. 
 
 Paternosters, 326 : 21. 
 
 Patience, God's, 663 : 79 sqq. A gift 
 of the Holy Ghost, 105 : 12, 168 : 
 31, 234 : 92. A fruit of faith, 127 : 
 128, 186 : 58, 234 : 92, 654 : 30. Through 
 the Word, 418 : 195. Does not merit 
 forgiveness, 108 : 30. 
 
 Patriarchs, 92 sq., 118 : 85, 190 : 73, 
 278 : 93. 
 
 Paul, St., conversion of, 94 : 63. His 
 labors and sermons, 115 : 69. His 
 trust alone in Christ, 113 : 54, 123 : 
 110, 154:242. His trials, 208:54. 
 
 Lament of natural corruption, 112*. 
 47, 286 : 25, 485 : 76, 505 : 13, 555 : 11 
 Bq., 596 : 8. Rejects Mosaic cere- 
 monies, 54, 105:12 sqq., 215 : io, 
 223 : 30, 226 : 50. Concerning legal 
 righteousness, 139 : 171, 160 : 272. 
 Teaches the righteousness of faith, 
 44, 92 : 50, 99, 137 : 164, 140 : 173, 
 157, 170 : 36, 192 : 84, 216 : 23, 233 : 
 87. Concerning the Law and faith, 
 104:2 sqq., 113:54, 192:79 sqq., 
 234 : 92 ; the Law of Christ, 510 : 6. 
 Excludes all works from justifi- 
 cation, 99 : 87, 136 : 159, 502 : 10, 
 571 : 6. Combines faith and love, 
 126 : 124. Concerning original sin, 
 81 : 39 ; repentance and conversion, 
 184 : 46, 202 : 35, 328 : 33, 329 : 40, 
 559 : 38 ; love, 104 : 2 so^., 120 : 97 
 sqq., 121 : 102 sqq., 123': 110, 124 : 
 114; the Holy Supper, 174 : 34, 176 : 
 62, 243 : 3, 512 : 15 ; election, 526 : 
 11, 655 : 33 ; the parity of ministers. 
 340 : 11, 349 : 62 ; Antichrist, 345 : 
 49. Not opposed to James, 128 : 
 132. Was not ordained by Peter, 
 339 : 10. The champion of the 
 Lutherans, 226:50. 
 
 Paul III., Pope, 307 : 1. 
 
 Paul of Samosata, 37 : 6, 627 : 15 sqq. 
 
 Peace. Of Conscience, 99 : 91. Not at- 
 tained by works, 117 : 83, 146 : 198, 
 184 : 46 ; but by faith, 45 : 15, 1 00 : 
 100, 116:74, 118:84, 120:96, 146: 
 199, 182 : 36, 184 : 47, 188 : 60, 64, 
 260 : 12. Imparted by absolution, 
 183 : 39. 
 Among men. Not possible without 
 mutual forbearance, 123 : 111 ; in 
 the Church as well as the Slate, 
 126 : 122. Ceremonies that promote 
 peace may be observed, 218 : l, 224 : 
 38 sq. For peace' sake God's truth 
 not to be surrendered, 666 : 95. 
 Prayer for, 369 : 14, 459 : 73. Be- 
 longs to the promise of the Fourth 
 Commandment, 409 : 134, 412 : 151 
 Its invasion punished, 415 : 177. 
 
 Pelagians, 37, 43:8, 88:29, 112:52, 
 230 : 67, 234 : 91, 494 : 13, 498 : 9, 
 542 : 17 sqq., 567 : 75. Semi-Pela- 
 gians, 498 : 10. 
 
 Pelagianizing, 86 : 18, 230 : 67 sqq. 
 
 Perfection, Christian. What it is, 
 and what not, 60 : 49, 152 : 232, 228 : 
 61, 286 : 27, 290 : 48. Required by 
 the Law, 90:44. To be striven 
 for, 288 : 37 ; yet unattainable in 
 this life, 133 : 149, 139 : 172, 204 : 45. 
 Does not consist in monastic life and 
 human ordinances, 57, 60, 282 ■ 9 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 743 
 
 285 : 24 sqq., 347 : 48 ; no more tlian 
 in life of farmer or mechanic, 288 : 
 37. Does not consist in abandon- 
 ment of property, 228 : 61, 229 : 63, 
 290 : 45 sq. 
 Ecclesiastical, how maintained, 124: 
 113. 
 
 Persecution of Christians, 17; of God's 
 Word and the godly, 427 : 262. At 
 time of, no concession to be made 
 to the enemies of the Gospel, 523 : 
 6, 524 : 11, 644 : 5, 649 : 29 sq. At 
 time of Interim, 586 : 29. 
 
 Person. The three persons in Christ, 
 26, 27:25, 37, 75 : l, 311, 439:6, 
 532 : 29, 670 : 37. Signification of 
 term, 37. 
 Of Christ, 516, 624. Our righteous- 
 ness rests on his entire person, 
 580 : 55. 
 
 1 'ersonal Sin, 495 : 20, 549 : 53. 
 
 I ersonal Union, 15 sqq., 517 : 5, 518 : 
 13, 519 : 24, 626 : 11 sqq. 
 
 Peter, St., appeals to the consensus of 
 the prophets, 189:66, 190:70, 73. 
 Distinction between his repentance 
 and that of Judas, 179:8, 182:36. 
 Acknowledged himself a sinner, 
 286 : 25. Received no superior office, 
 339 : 10 sq., 342 : 22 sqq. Calls him- 
 self only an elder, 349 : 62. His 
 doctrine of forgiveness, 97 : 83 ; of 
 faith in Christ, 189 : 65, 69 sq. ; of 
 love, 125:117, 119; of diligence in 
 good vorks, 234 : 89, 527 : 14 ; of 
 the royal priesthood, 247 : 5 ; of 
 the abuse of Church property, 352 : 
 82. 
 
 Pharaoh's Hardening, 664 : 84 sq. 
 
 Pharisees, reproved by Christ, 108 : 
 33, 136 : 161, 164 : 16, 224 : 36, 291 : 
 52. Saints like the monks, 327 : 29. 
 Hypocrites, 507 : 8. Looked on the 
 veiled face of Moses, 123 : 108. Their 
 righteousness, 86 : 16. Prayer of, 
 148 : 211. 
 
 Philosophers, speculations of, followed 
 by the Scholastics, 85 : 9, 156 : 255. 
 Look only on the veiled face of 
 Moses, 123 : 108. Their idea of 
 "local presence," 512:14, 618:97. 
 Know nothing of original sin, 550 : 
 60. Error of the Stoics, 498 : 8. 
 Error concerning man's natural es- 
 tate, 322 : 4. 
 
 Philosophy, its abuse, 76 : 4, 78, 552 : 
 8. On the part jf theologians, 
 159 : 269, 189 : 68. Its distinction 
 from Christ's doctrine, 85 : 12 sqq. 
 Its doctrine of righteousness, 142 : 
 IBS. 
 
 Pilgrimages, 205 : 47. Origin of, 315 : 
 16, 18. Design of, ^80 : 14, 241 : 37, 
 315:18. Not commanded of God, 
 44:3, 205:47, 233, 315: 18. 
 
 Pleasure in God's law, 568 : 85. 
 
 Polity, Canonical, 214 : 24, 297 : 12 sq. 
 The Church not au oik ward polity, 
 163: 10, 164: 13 sq. 
 
 Pomeranus, Dr. John Bugenhaoen, 
 15, 352. 
 
 Pompey, 125 : 120. 
 
 Poor, the, duty of kings towards, 131 : 
 141. Church endowments for, 352 : 
 80. Oppressed by extortion, 424 : 
 240, 425:247; by false witnesses, 
 426 : 257 sq. Their cry reaches 
 heaven, 425 : 247, 460 : 84. 
 
 Pope, the, is only bishop of Rome, 
 318 : 1. Has no power in oppo- 
 sition to the concurring testimony 
 of the prophets, 189:66. Has no 
 worldly power, 344 : 31 sqq. ; no 
 authority over bishops, 339 : 7 sqq. 
 Did not preside at many ancient 
 councils, 341 : 17. The Council of 
 Constance deposed three and elected 
 a fourth, 319 : 7. The Church with- 
 out a pope for five hundred years, 
 
 318 : 4. No bishop ventures to call 
 him brother, 318 : 2. Elevated to 
 his present authority by the devil, 
 
 319 : 5. Wishes authority over both 
 temporal and spiritual affairs, 166 : 
 23, 318 : 1, 320 : 13, 338 : l sq., 344 : 
 36. (Ecumenical bishop, 338 : 5 sqq. 
 Vicar of Christ, 338 : 3. Claims 
 both swords, 167 : 23, 338 : 2. Em- 
 perors and kings to receive from 
 him their crowns, 167 : 23, 344 : 35. 
 Wishes to extend his power over 
 the world to come, 345 : 40. As- 
 sumes authority even over angels, 
 320:13; darkness and commotions 
 arising therefrom, 344 : 34. 
 
 Claims superiority over councils, 26.0 : 
 24; over bishops, 344:35; claims tl\e 
 right to ordain them, 338 : 5. Mo.it 
 of the popes Epicureans, 159 : 26s?, 
 167 : 27. Papal ordinances to be 
 compared with Scripture, 166:23. 
 332:4, 338:6. Idolatry and falsi 
 doctrine of, 345 : 38, 346 : 44, 348 : 
 57. Indulgences and jubike of, 
 326 : 25 sq. Holy water invented 
 bv, 136 : 161. Pilgrimages, 316 : 19. 
 The mass, 315 : 17, 346 : 43, 514 : 23, 
 515 : 40, 621 : 109, 624 : 126. Dispen- 
 sations, 58, 255 : 55, 282 : 9. Reserved 
 cases, 61 : 2, 64 : 41, 181 : 27, 212 : 80. 
 Work-righteousness, 216 : 18, 567 : 
 79. Celibacy, 251 : 25. Much thai 
 
44 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 is unjust concerning marriage, 351 : 
 78. The Pope claims to sell the 
 superfluous merits of Christ, 31G : 
 
 24. He is Antichrist, 320:10, 13, 
 
 345 : 39, 346 : 41 sq., 348 : 57, G47 : 
 20 sq. 
 
 Does not wish a reform, 307 : 3, 321 : 
 16. No concession to be made to, 
 
 346 : 41, 536 : 7, 644 : 5, 648 : 22. His 
 errors must be reproved, 348:56. 
 Doctrine of canons concerning, 345 : 
 38. Even if tolerated jure humano, 
 no profit to Church, 319 : 7. By the 
 preaching of repentance and faith 
 his power destroyed, 328 : 39, 312 : 
 5. Melanchthon's opinion of his 
 primacy, 336. 
 
 Possessions. See Goods. 
 
 Poverty. Wherein true evangelical 
 poverty consists, 290 : 46. Neither 
 sin nor righteousness, 284 : 21. 
 
 Power, God's, infinite, 620:103; given 
 Christ, 518 : 16 sq., 521 : 35, 608 : 43, 
 633 : 51 sqq., 637 : 70, 641 : 85. False 
 doctrine thereon, 521 : 35, 39, 637 : 
 69. Luther's testimonv, 641 : 85. 
 The Holy Ghost has, 6*37 : 68. 
 Men are by nature in Satan's power, 
 
 542 : 13. From this Christ has re- 
 deemed us, 522 : 3. 
 
 Ecclesiastical, 61 sqq., 295 sqq. Of 
 
 order and jurisdiction, 297 : 13 sq. 
 
 Powers, Spiritual, of man, 496 sqq., 
 
 551 sqq. Corrupted by original 
 
 sin, 45 : 31, 77 : 9 sq., 78 : 14, 79 : 23, 
 
 25, 498 : 6, 539 : 1 sq., 541 : 10, 544 : 
 30, 550 : 66, 552 : 7, 556 : 24, 564 : 61, 
 661 : 71. By man's own powers the 
 works of the Law cannot be ren- 
 dered, 85 : 8, 90 : 40, 439 : 3 ; nor the 
 devil or sin resisted, 106 : 17, 329 : 
 40, 559 : 34 ; nor God's Word appre- 
 hended and believed, 367 : 6, 500 : 
 19, 553 : 9, 560 : 40 ; nor can man 
 turn to Christ, 558 : 30, 560 : 42. 
 Hypocrites imagine their natural 
 powers sufficient, 106 : 16, 323 : 3. 
 Man's powers sufficient for external 
 righteousness, 87 : 23, 557 : 26. Lu- 
 ther's doctrine thereof, 560 : 43 sq., 
 569 : 89. Augustine's confession, 
 558 : 27. Abuses of the Epicureans 
 and Enthusiasts, 561 : 46. Errors 
 of Scholastics and Papists, 82 : 46, 
 322 : 4 sqq., 324 : 10, 567 : 76 ; of the 
 Pelagians, 494 : 13 sqq., 498 : 9 sq., 
 
 543 : 20 sqq., 567 : 75 ; of the Syner- 
 gists, 551 : 3, 567 : 77 ; of the Stoics, 
 566 : 74. 
 
 New, imparted by the Holy Ghost, 
 561 : 48, 654 : 29, 655 : 33 ; even the 
 
 power to qualify self for giace> 
 567 : 78. 
 
 Praise. Due God, 354 : 4, 366 : 2, 399 : 
 64, 440: 19. Belongs to good works, 
 87:24, 117:80, 133:148. Children 
 to be trained thereto, 414: 168. Satan 
 tries to prevent, 116 : 71. 
 
 Prayer, 46:8, 85:8, 215:16, 364:4, 
 368, 374 sq., 389, 448. Has God's 
 command, 146:201, 204:12, 205: 
 46, 364 : 4, 370 : 21, 448 : 5 sq., 450 : 
 16; and promise, 85 : 8, 106: 26, 163: 
 9, 204 : 42, 205 : 46, 215 : 16, 238 : 20, 
 451 : 19 sqq. We are impelled there- 
 to by our need, 452 : 24, 26 sq. ; and 
 temptations, 463 : 105 ; by the need 
 of others, 452 : 28. Pastors should 
 pray for their people, 383 : 3. It is 
 grounded upon God's mercy, and 
 not on our merits, 148 : 210, 450 : 16 
 sq.; upon Christ the High Priest, 
 148:211 sq., 158:264, 238:20. It 
 must proceed from faith, 236 : 10, 11, 
 465 : 120 sq. Of the saints and elect, 
 554 : 15, 654 : 30. 
 Efficacy of, 453:30 sq., 458:69 sq. 
 Sanctifies everything, 251 : 30. But 
 it is no sacrament, 215 : 16. A wall 
 of protection, 453 : 31, 458 : 69 ; es- 
 pecially against the devil, 452 : 29 
 sq., 464 : 113. Thereby we are sup- 
 ported in good, 653 : 21. 
 How and for what to pray, 448 sqq., 
 451 : 22; especially for spiritual 
 blessings, 458 : 67 sqq., 554 : 14, 661 : 
 72; for the growth of faith, 149, 
 448 : 2, 554 : 16 ; in sickness, 241 : 36. 
 Punishments mitigated thereby, 
 133 : 147. Must not be lightly es- 
 teemed, 449 : 6, 10, 450 : 12, 16 ; nor 
 must the certainty of an answer be 
 doubted, 465 : 121 sqq. Support of 
 the Holy Ghost therein, 655 : 31. 
 At preparation for communion, 480 : 
 37 ; for the dead, 279 : 94, 96 ; to 
 saints, 236 : 10, 12 sqq. ; to Marv , 
 238 : 25 sqq. Prayer ex opere operalo, 
 205 : 46, 452 sq. 
 Church prayers, 236 : 13. 
 
 Preaching. See Sermons. 
 
 Predestination. See Election. 
 
 Preparation for grice, 551 : 2, 567 : 7« 
 sq. ; false preparations of Enthu- 
 siasts, 215 : 13. For Holy Supper, 
 374 : 10, 480 : 36. The worthiness 
 of guests not dependent thereon, 
 518:38, 624:124 sq. 
 
 Preparing Grace, 444 : 38, 566 : 71, 
 568 : 83. 
 
 Presbyters and bishops equal, 349 : ft 
 sq. 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 745 
 
 Prescience. See Foreknowledge. 
 
 Presence, Bodily. See Christ, and 
 Lord's Supper. 
 
 Preservation o r faith, 554 : 16 ; to final 
 salvation, 665 : 90. 
 
 Pretext of right, 365 : 18, 432 : 296 sq., 
 433 : 30, 31 ; of ecclesiastical au- 
 thority, 345 : 40 ; of Church unity, 
 644 : 5. 
 
 Pride, 441 : 21. 
 
 Priesthood, the Levitical, 270 : 53 sqq. 
 Of the New Testament, 214 : 7, 271 : 
 59. 
 Royal, the true Church alone has, 
 250 : 69. 
 
 Priests. Christ the only High Priest, 
 46 : 2, 271 : 58. Priests in N. T. not 
 mediators and propitiators, 271 : 57 
 sq., 277 : 89. In the early Church 
 married, 48 sq. May hold prop- 
 erty, 172 : 50. Partake of all human 
 faults, 249 : 15. Harmony of the 
 priests at Alexandria, 319 : 9. Not 
 alone entitled to the cup, 243 sqq. 
 Wicked priests may administer the 
 sacraments, 477 : 15 sqq., 605 : 24. 
 Schisms not to be countenanced be- 
 cause of their vices, 172 : 49. Con- 
 fession to, 197 : 12. 
 Marriage of, 48, 246, 334. 
 
 Princes. Their calling, 54 : 10, 131 sq. 
 Should use their power to advance 
 God's glory, 347 : 54. The Church 
 not dependent on them, 166 : 22. 
 The Romish and Evangelical con- 
 trasted, 258 : 70 sq. Not dependent 
 on the Pope, 166 : 23. Disagree- 
 ment between them and the states, 
 309 : 12. Encroachment of Papacy 
 on, 423 : 230. The bishops wish to 
 be, 334 : 2. 
 
 Privileges of clergy, 295 : 1 sqq. 
 
 Procession with the sacrament, 48 : 12, 
 621 : 108. 
 
 Promise of Christ, grace, etc., 84 : 5, 
 103 : 120, 115 : 65, 132 : 145, 138 : 166, 
 139 : 171, 185 : 53. Distinguished 
 from that of the Law, 109 : 38, 114: 
 62 sqq., 129 : 134, 130 : 140, 132 : 145, 
 139 : 171, 191 : 79 sq., 323 : 4, 592 : 14. 
 Is universal, 654 : 28. Requires 
 faith, 147 : 203. Is apprehended by 
 faith, 90 : 43, 92 : 53, 95 : 70, 97 : 82, 
 98 : 84, 102 : 112, 104 : 6, 107 : 27, 131 : 
 141, 140 : 174, 176, 141 : 182 sq., 149 : 
 216 sqq., 151 : 225, 154 : 243, 157 : 260 
 sqq., 192:80 sq., 219:10, 273:70, 
 575 : 30. 
 In the O. T., 84 : 5 sqq., 92 : 57, 185 : 53 
 sqq., 270 : 55, 609 : 46. See Gospel. 
 Belonging to prayer, 215 : 16, 238 : 20, 
 
 52 
 
 451 : 19 sqq. ; to the ministry, 215 : 
 11,563:56; to the sacraments, 213:3, 
 216 : 19 sq., 262 : 18, 273 : 69, 371 : 8, 
 483:64, 530:8, 656:37; to absolu- 
 lion, 342 : 24 ; to marriage, 215 : 14 ; 
 attached to the first commandment, 
 133 : 149, 394 : 29 ; to the fourth, 116 : 
 76, 155 : 246, 409 : 131 sqq., 413 : 164 ; 
 to the close of Commandments, 
 436 : 322. 
 
 Properties of natures, 630 31 sq., 
 635 : 62. 
 
 Property. Possession of, no sin, -11 : 2, 
 531 : 17, 669 : 22. Allowed ministers, 
 173 : 50. Absence of, not Christian 
 perfection, 228 : 61 sqq., 290 : 45 sq. 
 
 Propitiator, the two parts of a, 237 ; 
 17 sqq. Christ the only, 46 : 2 sqq., 
 97 : 80, 82, 111 : 41 sq., 119 : 90, 120: 
 94, 100, 141:178, 191:76, 232:82; 
 both before and after justification, 
 111 : 41, 145 : 196. This the Church 
 confesses, 159 : 268. The saints not 
 to be regarded such, 236 : 14, 237 : 
 16 ; neither the celebrants of the 
 mass, 271 : 57. 
 
 Providence. See Foreknowledge. 
 
 Psalms, the, praise faith, 92 : 57 sq. De- 
 scribe terrors of repentance, 179 : 9. 
 Their consolation, 117 : 77. How 
 sung by the monks, 224 : 40 ; how 
 by Lutheran children, 225 : 40. To 
 be learned by the young, 390 : 25. 
 
 Psalter, the entire, contained in the 
 first commandment, 386 : 18. 
 
 Punishments of original sin, S'Z : 46 
 sqq., 542 : 13, 544 : 27 ; of sin, 104 : 7, 
 208 : 59, 366 : 21 sq., 395 : 30 sqq., 
 664 : 85. Terrors of conscience, 
 236 : 51, 208 : 56. Troubles, 207 : 
 54, 209 : 60, 62 sq. Their miti- 
 gation, 132:147, 210:67. Do not 
 always follow, 186:57. Their in- 
 fliction just, 197:11, 660:61. To 
 be often recalled by Christians, 587 : 
 32. Their fear does not produce 
 good works, 505 : 12, 598 : 16, 101 : 
 106. Ecclesiastical and civil, not 
 to be confounded, 333 : 12, 228 : 59. 
 Canonical, 212 : 80. God inflicts his 
 punishments through men, 429 : 274. 
 God does not wish to inflict them, 
 593:21, 663:81; wishes to remit 
 them through Christ, 113 : 58. At 
 the resurrection no longer needed 
 by the regenerate, 599 : 24. 
 
 Purgatory. Not taught in Scripture, 
 212 : 77 ; or by Christ and the apos- 
 tles, 200 : 26. Doctrine of the fathers, 
 210 : 70, 315 : 13. Doctrine of the 
 Papists, 180 : 13, 181 : 24, 199 : 21, 
 
•|«; 
 
 ANALYSIS AND INDEXES. 
 
 203 : 37 Bq'., 272 : 64, 277 : 89, 326 : 21 
 sq., 327 : 26 sq. A consequence of 
 the mass, 314 : 10. 
 
 Purification of the Church, 1G2 : 7 ; 
 of hearts, 286 : 27, 547 : 45; in purga- 
 tory, 210:70; of the heathen, 198: 17. 
 
 Purity. In what it consists, 136:161, 
 252 : 33, 35, 434 : 310. No ground of 
 justification, 98:86, 257:64. Of 
 Christian marriage, 257:66. Eter- 
 nal, 371 : 12. 
 
 i'urpose, wicked, cannot coexist with 
 faith, 502 : 11, 574 : 26, 577 : 41, 584 : 
 15 (322 : 9). A good wherever, there 
 is true conversion, 566 : 70, 651 : 11. 
 Gods, of saving, 527 : 15, 653 : 23, 
 657 : 46, 665 : 88. Erroneous doc- 
 trine concerning purpose to con- 
 demn, 528 : 19. 
 
 Q- 
 
 Qualities, corruption of, in original 
 sin, 543 : 21. Luther's use of the 
 term, 550 : 62. 
 
 Quickening. God's peculiar work, 185 : 
 61. Belongs to repentance, 184 : 46. 
 Human traditions of no service 
 thereto, 168 : 31. Its relation to 
 conversion or regeneration, 184 : 46, 
 501 : 8, 573 : 20. 
 
 R. 
 
 Reading of God's Word, 183 : 42, 554 : 
 15 sq., 562 : 53 sq. 
 
 11 Really." " Real communion," 516 : 2, 
 517 : n, 518 : 15, 626 : 14, 627 : 19, 
 636 : 63. 
 
 Reason, 42, 85 : 7 sqq. A gift of God, 
 366 : 2, 440: 13, 546 : 38. Can in some 
 way understand the Law, 85 : 7, 88 : 
 27, 138 : 167. Do external good works, 
 etc., 85 : 8, 87 : 23 sqq., 88 : 27, 105 : 9, 
 230: 70 sqq., 231:75, 543:24, 544: 
 26, 545 : 31 ; but not the whole Law, 
 85 : 8, 88 : 27. Its pride, 552 : 8. Its 
 overestimate of external works, 
 132 : 144, 222 : 22 sqq., 325 : 18. Over- 
 looks the significance of the Fall, 
 original sin, etc., 138 : 167, 321 : 3, 
 494 : 9, 541 : 8, 550 : 60. Understands 
 not the righteousness of faith, 222 : 
 22 ; or the descensus, 522 : 2 ; or the 
 doctrine of the Holy Supper, 515 : 
 42, 620 : 102, 106 ; or of election, 526 : 
 9, 527 : 16, 653 : 26, 665 : 91. Its judg- 
 ment diverse from Christ's doctrine, 
 123 : 109 ; therefore not to be re- 
 garded, 140:175, 609:45, 642:96. 
 In spiritual things blind and with- 
 out love and trust in God, 85 : 9, 
 86 : 17. 87, 88 : zi, 190 : 75, 231 : 73 
 
 367 : 6, 497 : 2, 552 . 1 553 : 9, 56C 
 40, 43, 563 : 59. Is enmity to God, 
 88:33. How illumined, 564:60, 
 566 : 70, 568 : 83, 569 : 89 sq. 
 Error of the Scholastics, 86 : 17, 190 : 
 75, 322 : 9, 324 : io. The source of 
 the entire Romish doctrine, 138: 
 166 sq. 
 
 " Reatus " (guilt), 494 : u, 542 : 17. 
 
 Rechabites, 293 : 59 sqq. 
 
 Reconciliation is to have access to 
 God, 97:81; is justification, 109: 
 37, 40, 570 : 4, 575 : 30. The propiti- 
 atory sacrifice a means of, 262:19 
 sqq., 263 : 25, 272 : 67. True, not by 
 the works of the Law, 38, 90 : 41 sq., 
 97:80, 102: 112, 117:82, 120:100, 
 125 : 117, 121 sqq., 129 : 134, 133 : 148, 
 134 : 154, 138 : 169, 143, 191 : 78, 263 : 
 23,284:17; or human ordinances, 
 41 : 3, 55 : 21, 59 : 36, 63 : 35, 65 : 52 
 sq., 85 : 11, 169 : 34, 192 : 85, 197 : 10, 
 199 : 23, 218 : l, 220 : 18, 233 : 87, 
 296:7; or masses, 261:13; but 
 alone through Christ, 84 : l, 90 : 44, 
 101:102, 108:30, 109:38, 113:58, 
 114:61, 131:143, 140:176,158:261, 
 191:76, 192:80, 218:5, 239:31, 
 263:23, 518:14, 580:57, 654:28. 
 Is received bv faith, 95 : 69, 97 : 81, 
 101 : 106, 109 : 38, 114 : 61, 139 : 170, 
 158 : 260, 265, 175 : 59, 574 : 25 ; from 
 absolution, 175:59; and the promise 
 of the Gospel, 1 14 : 59, 125 : 117, 139 : 
 171, 142 : 183, 263 : 24. Consequences 
 of, 135 : 157, 143 : 187, 155 : 247, 183 : 
 37, 192 : 80, 584 : 14. 
 With one's neighbor, 197 : 12. 
 
 Redeemer, Christ alone, 90 : 40, 142 : 
 185, 442 sqq. ; in both natures, 633 : 
 47, 642 : 93. We apprehend in the 
 Word, 571 : 11. See Redemption. 
 
 Redemption, 312, 330 : 4, 439 : 6 sqq., 
 442 sqq. 
 
 Redress, Private, 228 : 59, 416 : 184 
 sqq., 418 : 195. By process of law, 
 60, 228 : 59. 
 
 Reformation opposed by the Pope, 
 307 : 3 sq. ; by Luther, 533. It£ 
 progress, notwithstanding defama- 
 tion, 308:7. 
 
 Regenerate, the. Only they can ob- 
 serve God's law, love him, etc., 91 : 
 46, 143 : 190. God gracious to them, 
 notwithstanding their faults, 502 : 9. 
 Their duty of obedience, 504:3, 
 505 : 8 sq. Even on them the Law 
 to be urged, 509 : 3, 596 : 9, 597 : 12 
 They live in the Law, 113 : 54, 129: 
 135, 509 : 6, 568 : 85, 569 : 88, 595 : t 
 Do good works from a free will 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 747 
 
 505 : 11. Bring forth Iruits of re- 
 pentance, 131 : 142. In conversion 
 their will co-operates, 499 : 17. Strug- 
 gle of the flesh in them, 565 : 68, 
 568 : 84, 573 : 23. 
 Regeneration, the New Birth, 
 what it is, 104 : 3 sqq., 150 : 230 sq., 
 
 572 : 18. Why needful, 85 : 12. Dis- 
 position of the will before and after, 
 496 : l sqq., 551 : 2 sqq., 555 : 17 sq., 
 556 : 24. Impossibility of observing 
 the Law before, 129 : 135, 143 : 187, 
 144 : 194, 155 : 247. 
 
 Required by Scripture, 156 : 253. Not 
 the work of man, but of the Holy 
 Ghost, 127 : 130, 164 : 14, 557 : 25 sq., 
 
 573 : 22. In baptism, 81 : 36, 371 : 10, 
 469 : 27, 554 : 15 ; through the Word 
 and sacrament, 552 : 5, 143 : 190 ; 
 through faith in repentance, 114: 
 61, 129 : 135, 139 : 171, 144 : 194, 156 : 
 253, 158 : 265, 192 : 82, 202 : 34. Thanks 
 for it, 554 : 15. 
 
 Its consequence a new life, 151 : 228; 
 good works, love, 128 : 131, 144 : 195, 
 583 : 10 sqq. ; yet not perfect, but only 
 incipient, 509 : 4, 542 : 14, 543 : 18, 
 565:68, 573:22. We need Christ 
 both before and after, 111, 138 : 169. 
 Errors of the Synergists, 498 : 11 sq., 
 499 : 14 ; of the Schwenckfeldians, 
 531 : 23, 669 : 31 ; of the Papists, 
 567 : 79 ; of the creation of new 
 essence, 567 : 81. 
 
 Regius, Dr. Urban, 15, 352. 
 
 Relapse into sin, 329 : 43, 462 : 100, 463 : 
 105, 657 : 42, 659 : 54. 
 
 Relationship, Spiritual, 351 : 78. 
 
 Relics of the saints, 315:15, 316:22, 
 403 : 91. 
 
 Religion, false unity in, 644 : 5. Ridi- 
 culed by some Papists, 167 : 27 sqq. 
 Matters of, improperly judged, 347 : 
 49. Controversies in, 534 : 7, 538 : 
 15 sq. 
 
 Remembrance of Christ in the Holy 
 Supper, 243 : 3, 267 : 35, 38, 273 : 72, 
 373 sq., 390 : 23, 476 : 3, 481 : 45, 608 : 
 44. Faith needful for, 273 : 72. 
 
 Renewal. Wrought by the Holy 
 Ghost, 139 : 112, 163 : 8, 208 : 55, 
 565 : 65, 566 : 71 ; by Christ, through 
 his Spirit, 162 : 5, 574 : 28. Is re- 
 ceived by faith, 530 : 7; not by love, 
 125 : 121 ; in afflictions, 208 : 55. Its 
 parts, 184:46, 503:19. Does not 
 constitute our righteousness before 
 God, 503 : 21, 577 : 39. To be dis- 
 tinguished from justification, 501 : 
 8, 572 : 18, 574 : 25, 576 : 35, 577 : 41 ; 
 but inseparable t/ierefrom, 577 : 41. 
 
 Often confounded with regeneration. 
 573 : 21. Imperfection of, in this 
 life, 573 : 22 sq., 575 : 32. Saves, 
 135 : 157. 
 Repentance, 40, 53, 178, 323. Im- 
 portance of the article, 179 : 10> 
 195 : l, 242 : 41, 269 : 46. Relation- 
 ship between this doctrine and that 
 of justification, 187:59. In what 
 sense may it be called a sacrament, 
 183:41, 214:4, 475:74. How the 
 term is employed in Holy Scrip- 
 ture, 590 • 7 sqq. 
 
 God requires it of all men, 328:34, 
 654 : 28, 662 : 75, 663 : 81 ; and that 
 in this life, 203:37. God works 
 bv the Holy Ghost through the 
 Word, 652:17. Christ and the 
 apostles preached, 184 : 45, 200 : 25 
 sq., 202 : 35, 589 : 4 sq. ; as did John, 
 202 : 35, 324 : 5, 327 : 30, 328 : 39 ; and 
 Paul, 202 : 35, 39, 328 : 33 sq. Doc- 
 trine of the fathers concerning it, 
 1 94 : 91, 93, 195 : 96, 211 : 72 sq. Care- 
 fully taught by Lutherans, 53 : 6, 
 178 : 4, 326 : 22 sq., 329 : 44. This 
 doctrine destroys the Pope and all 
 confidence in good works, 328 : 39. 
 The Romish theologians ignorant 
 of true repentance, 329 : 41. Can 
 be taught aright only by those who 
 know what sins are, 324 : 10. Re- 
 lation of the preaching of the Law 
 to, 182, 592 : 15. How far the Gos- 
 pel is a preaching of repentance, 
 94:62, 292:54, 506:1 sq., 507:6, 
 589 : 4 sq. The doctrine of election 
 admonishes thereto, 652 : 12. 
 
 True repentance is not active but pas- 
 sive contrition, 323 : 2 sq., 328 : 36. 
 Teaches to discern sin, 328 : 35. Re- 
 sists sin, 329 : 40. Preaching of, 
 terrifies the conscience, 94 : 62, 106 : 
 21, 139 : 171, 154 : 244, 181 : 28. Con- 
 victs wrong-doers, 129 : 134, 206 : 51. 
 
 Public, of the fallen (penance), 198: 
 15 sq., 199:23, 211:74, 326:22. 
 
 Its two parts, contrition and faith, 
 40 : 3 sqq., 178 : l, 181 : 28, 182 : 35, 
 183: 44 sqq., 185:52, 188:63, 194: 
 91, 323 : 2 sqq., 590 : 8. Coexists 
 ence of repentance and faith, 41, 
 91 : 45, 106 : 21, 129 : 136, 134 : 151, 
 140:177, 186:57, 187:60 sq., 323: 
 2, 324 : 4. Both should grow to- 
 gether, 152 : 232. Faith thereby 
 made manifest, 91 : 45, 106 : 21, 151 : 
 229, 158 : 265, 182 : 35 sqq., 183 : 44-52. 
 
 Relation of repentance to absolution. 
 183:41, 188:61, 63, 214:4, 590:4 
 sqq. ; to forgiveness, 40 : 2 8q,q., 130 : 
 
,S 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 138. 134 : 151, 178 : 1. Mitigates evils, 
 210:68. Relation to regeneration, 
 156 : 258, 202 : 34 ; to baptism, 475 : 
 74 8(|(j., 323:4; to good works, 41, 
 181 :28. 184:45. Continues through- 
 oat life, 329:40, 559:34, 569:88. 
 Errors on this article, 54:7, 181: 
 25, 200 : 25 aq., 206 : 51, 213 : 81, 324 : 
 n sqq., 326 : 21, 327 : 29, 651 : 10 Bq. 
 
 Repor. Injurious, 365 : 16, 426 sq. 
 
 Reproof, the office of the Law, 506 : 4, 
 592 : 17, 20, 594 : 27, 597 : 14, 652 : 12. 
 Who among men are to administer 
 it, 429 : 274 sq. 
 
 Resistance to God's grace, 563 : 59 ; to 
 the Holy Ghost, 499:15, 526:12. 
 Is a grievous sin, 566 : 72. Incom- 
 patible with conversion, 564 : 60, 
 568 : 83 ; and faith, 587 : 31. Is not 
 found in the elect, 656 : 39 sqq. Re- 
 sults in hardening, 656 : 40 sq., 663 : 
 78. 
 
 Rest, on Sunday, 402 : 83 sqq. 
 
 Resurrection, of the body, 25, 26, 28, 
 42, 208 : 56, 229 : 66, 367 : 6, 389, 442 : 
 31, 446 : 60J -548 : 46. 599 : 24. Spi rit- 
 ual, 127 : f2vi74 : 65, 371 : 14. 
 
 Revelation. Duty of adhering there- 
 to, 526 : 13, 658 : 52 sq., 659 : 55, 660 : 
 
 64. 
 
 Revenge, forbidden by the Gospel, 228 : 
 59, 416, 418 : 195. 
 
 Reward, 153 : 241 sq., 154 sq., 239. De- 
 grees of, in life eternal, 154:245. 
 Of the ministry, 363 : 26 sq. 
 
 Riches of bishops, 344 : 80. 
 
 Right, Natural, 248 : 9, 249 : 12. Di- 
 vine, the Pope not head of Church 
 by, 338 : l sqq., 344 : 36, 345 : 38, 
 348:57. Allows no distinction be- 
 tween bishop and pastor, 349 : 65 ; 
 permits ordination by a pastor, 349 : 
 65; gives no foundation for tradi- 
 tions, monastic vows, etc., 171 : 41, 
 291 : 51 ; or auricular confession, 
 176 : 63, 177 : 65, 180 : 11, 196 : 5. 
 Of the Law, 113:58. 
 Rights, Spiritual, 64 sq., 297 : 14, 348 : 
 60 sqq., 351 : 74 sqq. 
 
 Righteous, the ; Justified, the. Men 
 become such by faith, 100 : 100, 131 : 
 142, 184 : 47, 573 : 20 ; prior to good 
 works, 126 : 125, 155 : 251. How the 
 Law not made for them, 596 : 5. 
 Have no mortal sins, 91 : 48. Only 
 they can do good works, 155 : 251. 
 The Holy Ghost works in them re- 
 newal, 572 : 19. Warned, 120 : 99, 
 587 : 32. Their works please only 
 because of faith, 128 : 131. They 
 should seek no other righteousness, 
 
 145:196. Thev have peace witl 
 God, 116:74, 120; 96, 142; 184, 146: 
 199, 182 : 36, 184 : 47, 277 : 89. Des- 
 tined for eternal life, 116:75, 153: 
 
 241. 
 
 Righteousness, Goo's. Dwells in us, 
 579 : 54. Sufficient for us, 580 : 57. 
 
 Christ's. Granted us, 260: 12. Reck- 
 oned as ours, 142 : 184 sqq., 237 : 19, 
 501 : 4, 503 : 21, 572 : 17, 574 : 25. 
 Identical with the righteousness of 
 faith, 573 : 23. 
 
 Original, concreate, 78 sq., 83 : 47, 593 : 
 23, 541 : 10, 544 : 27, 30. 
 
 Of the Law, external, 87:21, 114 60, 
 125 : 117, 230 : 70. See Law, G^od 
 Works. 
 
 Our Own. Does not merit forgive- 
 ness, 191 : 79; or God's grace, 141 : 
 178, 219 : 9. Saints trust not, 117 : 77. 
 See Justification. 
 
 Civil or Philosophical, 78 : 12. 
 Rites. See Usages. 
 Romans, Epistle to, 98 : 86, 583 : 10, 655 : 
 
 33. 
 Rome, Bishop of, 318 : 1, 340 : 12, 341 : 
 
 15, 18 sq., 342 : 20 sq. Extortion of 
 
 the See of, 326 : 24. Immorality of, 
 
 255. 
 Rosaries, 43 : 3, 180 : 14, 205 : 47, 233 : 
 
 82, 241 : 37, 283 : 14, 291 : 53. 
 
 Sabbath. See Festivals. 
 
 Sacrament, 40, 213. Signs and seals 
 of the N.T. covenant, 183 : 42, 215 : 
 14, 216 : 20, 369 : 49, 527 : 13, 656 : 37. 
 Not only marks of profession, but 
 signs and testimonv of God's grace, 
 41 : 1,-213 : 1, 273 : 69. Are marks of 
 the Church, 162 : 3, 5, 173 : 52, 217 : 
 27 ; means of obtaining the Holy 
 Ghost, 38; signs of forgiveness, 
 183 : 42. Are also called ceremonies, 
 213 : 2 sq., 261 sq. Distinction be- 
 tween them and sacrifices, 261 : 16. 
 The essentials of the sacraments, 213 : 
 3, 216:17, 330:1, 389:20, 468:18 
 sq., 477 : 10 sq., 478 : 17, 610 : 50 
 Augustine's judgment thereon, 214 : 
 5, 216:23, 330:1, 468:18, 477:10. 
 Two constituents of, 273 : 69. Man 
 could not institute them, 214 : 3. 
 Their proper administration a mark 
 of the true Church, 39. Are effi- 
 cacious even when administered bv 
 the wicked, 39, 162 ; 3, 165 : 19, 167': 
 28 sq., 172 : 47, 477 : 15 sqq., 531 : 27 
 Excite faith, 41, 51 : 30, 170 : 3G : 
 213 : 1, 271 : 59 ; comfort, 51 : 30 
 324 : 8, 528 : 21 ; offer Christ's merit. 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 49 
 
 grace and 'orgiveness, 183 : 42, 216 : 
 19, 446:54, 563:57, 652:16. The 
 Holy Ghost works thereby, 496 : 1, 
 500 : 18. God deals with us only 
 through the Word and sacraments, 
 333 : 10, 562 : 50 Cod calls thereby, 
 656 : 38. Their proper use, 50, 216 : 
 18, 22, 273 : 68 sqq., 274 : 73, 562 : 50, 
 621 : 108. 
 1 heir number, 213 : 2, 215 : 17 ; bap- 
 tism, the Lord's Supper and abso- 
 lution, 214 : 4, 389:20. In what 
 sense is absolution a sacrament, 
 183:41, 475:74. Marriage not a 
 sacrament, 215 : 14 sqq. ; neither 
 confirmation or extreme unction, 
 214 : 6; nor ordination, 214 : 7, 215 : 
 11. The Pope claims the right of 
 changing them, 338 : 6. 
 
 Sacramentarians, Errors of. Con- 
 cerning the Holy Supper, 510 : 2, 
 513 : 21 sqq., 600 : 2 sqq., 602 : 9, 
 606:29, 611:56; concerning the 
 person of Christ, 516:3, 618:91, 
 625 : 4, 631 : 38 sqq. ; distinction be- 
 tween gross and subtle, 511 : 3 sq. 
 Their blasphemous expressions, 
 515:41, 614:67, 620:105, 621 : in 
 sqq. Their separation from the 
 adherents of Augsburg Confession, 
 600 : 1. Luther against, 606 : 29 sqq., 
 618 : 91 sqq., 624 : 2 sq., 631 : 39 sqq. 
 
 Sacrifice, abuse of term, 261 : 14 sq., 
 266 : 34. Distinguished from sac- 
 rament, 261 : 16. Daily, 267 : 35, 
 278 : 91. See Offering. 
 
 Paints. Communion of, the Church, 
 25, 39, 1 61 : l, 162 : 8, 164 : 16, 167 : 
 28, 335, 367 : 5 sq., 389, 443 : 34 sqq., 
 444 : 47. Under the O. T., 164 : 16. 
 Christ their Head, 445 : 51. Their 
 prayers for the Church, 236 : 9, 317 : 
 26 sq. Their confession, 115 : 68. 
 Their sinfulness, 147 : 207, 285 : 25. 
 Their inability to completely fulfil 
 the Law, 107 : 25, 123 : no, 138 : 169. 
 Cannot exhaust the Catechism, 387 : 
 6. In what to be imitated, and in 
 what not, 118:87, 222:24. Made 
 such not by work, but by Word, 
 403 : 92. Do not live in mortal sin, 
 91 : 48. Their works acceptable 
 through faith, 128 . 131. Exercised 
 in manifold ways, 117 : 77. Bear 
 the cross, 208 : 54. Their conso- 
 lation therein, 154 : 243. Concupi- 
 scence thereby mortified, 208 : 55. 
 When they fall into sin faith and 
 the Holy Ghost lost, 329 : 43. Their 
 sufferings and sermons good works, 
 263 : 25. Gi/d works through them 
 
 great things, 240 : 36. Their death 
 proves that troubles are not always 
 punishments, 209 : 62. Degrees of 
 their glory, 152 : 234, 155 : 247. Do 
 they pray in heaven for us? 236: 
 9, 317 : 26. 
 Invocation of, Worship of, 43 : 3, 46, 
 235, 291 : 53, 316. Relics of, 315 : 
 15, 316:22. 
 
 Salvation. God's gift, 99 : 93, 218 : 6. 
 God's election its cause, 525 : 5, 
 650 : 5, 651 : 8, 653 : 23 sqq., 656 : 40. 
 Christ's promise, merit and right- 
 eousness a cause, 27, 95 : 70 158, 
 181 : 29, 239 : 29, 504 : 7. False opin- 
 ions concerning, 651 : 10 sq., 661: 10. 
 Relation of baptism thereto, 39, 
 173 : 51 sq., 370 : 6, 469 : 26 sq. ; of 
 the Holy Supper, 374 : 6. How ob- 
 tained and how lost, 657 : 45 sq., 
 665 : 90. Importance thereto of dis- 
 crimination of false doctrine, 536 : 8. 
 Impossibility of our co-operation, 
 555 : 18. Salvation and justification 
 have the same cause, 579 : 52. Is 
 given us without merit, 527 : 15 ; 
 and without works, 504 : 7, 505 : 15, 
 586:24; yet not to fruitless trees, 
 584 : 15 ; alone through faith, 152 : 
 233, 158:265, 470:34, 587:34 sq. 
 Can be lost, 586 : 31. Are good 
 works necessary or injurious there- 
 to? 504, 582:1 sqq., 588:37. 
 
 Samosatenus (Paul of Samosata), 627 : 
 15 sqq. His adherents, 37 : 6. 
 
 Sanctification. See Renewal. 
 
 Satisfaction, True, the suffering and 
 obedience of Christ, 328 : 38, 580 : 
 57; which is far above our purity 
 and works, 113 : 57. 
 Canonical, 195, 198 : 16 ; to be distin- 
 guished from civil, 21 1 : 72. Its re- 
 lation to confession, 181 : 22, 198 : 
 15, 18; to repentance, 206 : 51, 211 : 
 71 sq. ; to the Lord's Supper, 277 : 
 90, 278 : 93. Instituted for external 
 discipline, 199 : 23 sq., 210 : 70, 211 : 
 74. Not necessary for true repent- 
 ance, 207 : 53. False doctrine there- 
 on, 181 : 13 sqq., 187 : 60, 199 : 20, 
 200:25, 202:34, 206:52, 211:75, 
 278 : 92, 282 : 9, 324 : 12, 326 : 21, 24. 
 
 Satjl, 179 : 8, 182 : 36, 396 : 45. 
 
 Saviour, 617 : 89. 
 
 Schisms, 67 : 77, 172 : 49, 217 : 24, 256 . 59, 
 300 : 25, 528 : 22, 534 : 7, 537 : 12, 
 539 : 19. 
 
 Scholastics, errors of, concerning orig- 
 inal righteousness, 79 : 23 ; original 
 sin, 77 : 7, 78 : 15, 79 : 23, 80 : 27, 82 : 
 44, 321 : 3 sqq. ; free will, 78 : 12, 
 
'50 
 
 ANALYSES h \D INDEXES. 
 
 567 : 76; the works of love, 73 : 12, 
 82 : 46, 85 : 9, 105 : 7, 122 : 108, 138 : 
 168, 157 : 258, 158 : 261 ; righteousness 
 before God, 78, 82, 85 : 9, 13 ; grace, 
 157 : 260; satisfaction, 199, 202 : 35 
 sq. ; meritum coiidigni, 150 : 223 ; opus 
 operatum of the sacraments, 216 : 
 18, 23; suppression of faith, 133:150, 
 157:258, 158:262; repentance, 178:3. 
 Treat little of God's Word and 
 mingle it with philosophy, 78, 82. 
 Understand not the fathers, 80 : 32, 
 157 : 259. 
 Schools in monasteries, 57, 281 : 4. Use 
 of Luther's Catechisms therein, 
 536 : 8. 
 
 SCHWENCKFELDIANS, 531, 669. 
 
 Scotus, 189 : 68, 205 : 46, 330 : 3. 
 
 Scribes, 327 : 29. 
 
 Scriptures, the Holy. Given of God, 
 538, 597, 652. Consist of Law and 
 Gospel, 84 : 5, 101 : 102, 115 : 15, 17, 
 185 : 53, 186 : 55, 593 : 22. The doc- 
 trine of justification, their chief 
 topic, 99 : 87. Without this they 
 cannot be understood, 84 : 2. Teach 
 the corruption of nature, 321 : 3. To 
 their testimony the Lutherans con- 
 stantly appeal^ 88 : 29, 111 : 45, 112 : 
 50, 147 : 202, 205, 159 : 268, 232 : 82, 
 233 : 87. The only rule and stand- 
 ard, 491, 535. Their trustworthi- 
 ness, 485 : 76. The Holy Ghost 
 their expounder, 557 : 26. Distinc- 
 tion between them and the sym- 
 bols, 492:7. 
 
 Seal of the covenant, 183 : 42, 215 : 14, 
 216 : 20. 
 
 Sebastian, 240 : 32, 392 : n. 
 
 Sects, 9, 121 : 101, 455:47, 529, 666. 
 Their origin, 124 : 112, 242 : 43. Pro- 
 tection afforded therefrom by the 
 article of justification, 571 : 6. The 
 Papacy no protection against, 319: 
 7. The Papacy a sect, 492 : 4. Augs- 
 burg Confession against, 492 : 4, 535 : 
 5, 539 : 18. Sectarists, 242 : 43, 329 : 
 42, 477 : 7, 571 : 6. 
 
 Recurity, carnal, 78 : 11, 82 : 43, 384 : 5, 
 556 : 21. In all men, 105 : 14. In 
 unbelievers and hypocrites, 87 : 20, 
 106:21, 127:127, 146:200. Scrip- 
 ture a remedy for, 652:12. 
 
 Self- Examination, 394 : 28. 
 
 Sense (feeling), corrupt since the Fall, 
 542 : 12. New, 104 : 4, 112 : 49, 170 : 
 36, 557 : 26. 
 
 Sententiarists, 94:65 sq., 101:105, 
 178:4 sq., 193:88, 194:93. 
 
 ^ekmoxs, in orthodox, is found the 
 proper adornment of Church, 269 : 
 
 51. They are a mark of the tru# 
 Church, 39, 161:279, 162:5, 165: 
 20. Where Christ is not preached 
 there is no Church, 343 : 25, 444 : 
 45. Their chief end, 316 : 24, 479 : 
 31, 497 : 4, 526 : is, 562 : 50, 54, 566 : 
 71, 661 : 69. Their chief contents, 
 225 : 43, 269 : 48. The young should 
 attend, 390:26. Hearing the Gos- 
 pel strengthens faith, 183 : 42. Sad 
 condition of, in the Papacy, 268 : 43. 
 
 Serpent in Paradise, 71:7, 332 : 5, 593 : 
 23. Brazen, 100 : 95. 
 
 Servant, form of, 520 : 33, 629 : 26, 633 : 
 
 51, 636 : 65. 
 
 Servants. Their calling and duty, 
 222:25, 411:143 sq. Their sins, 
 422 : 225. Formula of confession 
 for, 372 : 22. To be instructed in 
 the Catechism, 389 : 16. Duty to- 
 wards those of our neighbor, 366 : 
 20, 388, 432. The unregenerate 
 servants of sin, 552 : 7, 568 : 85. 
 
 Service, Divine, of some form found 
 in all nations, 393 : 17. True and 
 false, 60 : 50, 273 : 71, 277 : 78, 392 ; 
 16 sqq. The highest, is to seek 
 from Christ the remission of sins, 
 108:33, 122:107, 143:188. Faith 
 and its fruits divine service, 92 : 49, 
 57, 102 : 107, 108 : 34, 178 : 3, 220 : 16. 
 The " reasonable service" of Chris- 
 tians, 264 : 26, 273 : 71, 276 : 88. Nol 
 like the Levitical, 64 : 39, Q6. The 
 purpose of the Lord's Day, 402 : 84 
 sqq. A service to be divine must 
 have God's command, 285 : 23, 25, 
 289 : 40. Should not be in an un- 
 known tongue, 259 : 2. Details of, 
 among Lutherans, 225 : 40. 
 Outward, man can to a certain extent 
 render, 230 : 70 ; but he is not there- 
 by justified, 56 : 41, 59 : 36, 105 : 14, 
 220 : 17 ; or forgiven, 97 : 83 ; nor 
 does he thus merit grace, 64, 65 : 
 
 52. Human ordinances no divine 
 service, 55 : 21, 65 : 53, 286 : 26, 290 : 
 47, 296 : 8 sqq., 524 : 9, 646 : 15, 648 : 
 26; are a vain service, 206 : 50, 289 : 
 41. Bishops cannot institute, 223 : 
 31, 297 : 14. Nor can the office of 
 the keys, 61 : 2, 181 : 22, 212 : 79, 
 338 : 6. Paul's complaint of such 
 abuse, 160 : 272. 
 
 False services : Monastic vows, 60, 284 : 
 21 sq., 293 : 63, 294 : 65, 69, 318 : 2 : 
 fasts, ceremonies, orders, 54, 224 : 
 40 sq. ; auricular confession, 177 : 65 ; 
 the mass, 51. These services com- 
 pared to worship of Baal, 279 : 97 sq 
 Servility, 172 : 38, 505 : 12, 578 : 16 sqq 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 751 
 
 Servitude, of the Law, 64 : 39. 
 
 Session of Christ at God's right hand, 
 512 : 12, 518 : 15, 628 : 23, 633 : 51, 
 638:74, 639:78, 642:96. 
 
 Shadows. Of Christ, 267 : 36 sq. ; o: 
 future blessings, 164:15, 170:35. 
 
 Shoemaker of Alexandria, 288 : 38. 
 
 Signs. Circumcision a sign, 117:80, 
 216 : 19. Sacraments signs of the 
 covenant of grace, 135 : 155, 183 : 
 43, 213 : l, 215 : 14, 216 : 20, 269 : 49, 
 273 : 69, 462 : 98. 
 External, of the Church, 213 : 3, 214 : 
 5, 7. Hypocrites also appeal there- 
 to, 163 : 12, 165 : 19, 167 : 28. Inner, 
 of the Church, 162 : 5. 
 External, necessity of, to faith, 469 : 30. 
 Of justification, 134 : 154. The sac- 
 raments external signs that have 
 God ; s command, 213 : 3. Portray 
 what is taught by the Word, 214 : 
 5. Awaken and strengthen faith, 
 118 : 89, 162 : 4 sq., 273 : 70. For- 
 giveness thereby obtained, 446 : 55. 
 A means whereby the Holy Ghost 
 works, 273 : 70. Significance of the 
 outward sign in baptism, 474 : 64 
 sqq. The sacraments not mere 
 signs, 41, 162:1, 273:68, 514:27, 
 30, 601:4, 602:7, 622:116. 
 
 Sin. Concupiscence sin, 81 : 40, 112 : 
 48. Corruption of nature, 540 : 5, 
 660 : 60. Everything contrary to 
 God's law, 597 : 13. Everything 
 without faith, 193 : 89, 220 : 17, 285 : 
 23. Wicked deeds its fruits, 321 : 2. 
 Distinction between original and ac- 
 tual, 495 : 20 sq., 540 : 2. Sins of 
 fathers, 395 : 30 sqq. 
 Its cause, 43, 231,321:1, 663:81. God 
 not, 43, 231, 525 : 4, 541- : 7. A work 
 of the devil, 546 : 41, 550 : 61. All 
 men its subjects, 90 : 40, 94 : 62, 192 : 
 81, 549 : 53. All dead in sin, 497 : 
 3, 550 : 60, 553 : 11, 564 : 60. Ser- 
 vants of sin, 552 : 7, 560 : 43. Not 
 the substance of human nature, 548 : 
 48. No one can avoid it, 101 : 103. 
 Knowledge, reproof and punishment 
 thereof imparted by the Law, 101 : 
 103,129:136, 182:34, 184:48, 185: 
 53, 323, 507:4, 8, 508:1, 545:32, 
 590 : 9 sqq., 591 : 12, 592 : 14, 17 ; 
 by the preaching of repentance, 
 94 : 62, 328 : 35, 590 : 8 ; of the Gos- 
 pel, 181 : 29, 592 : 15. Secure hearts 
 indifferent, 185:51; but the terri- 
 fied conscience feels it keenly, 188 : 
 64, 614 : 69. Effects of this feeling, 
 96 : 79, 105 : 14, 151 : 229, 182 : 32, 
 202:84, 207:53, 208:56. 
 
 Effects and consequences of sin . God'a 
 wrath, 89:35; judgment, 6j9:58; 
 hardening, 664:83; temporal and 
 eternal punishments, 104 : 7, 207 : 
 53; death, 96:79, 207:53, 660:61, 
 663 : 81. 
 Deliverance from. See Redemp- 
 tion, Justification, Forgive- 
 ness, Eenewal, Salvation, 
 Christ, Gospel. 
 
 Singing in divine service, 50 : 2, 225 : 
 40; at consecration in Holy Sup- 
 per, 616 : 79. 
 
 Sinners, all men, 88 : 32, 312 : 2, 321 : 
 1, 369 : 16, 441 : 22, 544 : 27; even all 
 saints, 285 : 25. Testimony of Law 
 thereto, 101 : 103 ; of Gospel, 1 81 : 
 29; of Christ, 184:45. God does 
 not repel them, 450 : 11, 476 : 87. 
 525 : 7, 546 : 39, 665 : 89. Does not 
 wish their death, 664 : 81, 84. 
 Conversion of. See Conversion. 
 At the Holy Supper, 482 : 58 sqq., 
 
 484 : 71 sqq. 
 Manifest, among the godly, 39. Should 
 be excommunicated, 333. 
 
 Slander, 14, 308, 427. 
 
 Smalcald, Council of, 604 : 17. Sub- 
 scription of Augsburg Confession 
 and Apology at, 352. Articles, 303, 
 492 : 4, 532 : 30, 536 : 7, 537 : 11, 559 : 
 33, 592 : 14, 647 : 19. 
 
 Sodom, 255 : 54, 309 : 11. 
 
 Son of God, true God with the Father 
 and Holy Ghost, 625 : 6. God com- 
 municates to him his essence and 
 attributes, 635 : 61. Is born of the 
 seed of David, 631 : 37. Son of the 
 Most High, called with truth the 
 son of Mary, 517 : 11, 628 : 24, 629 : 
 28. Truly suffered and died, 520 : 
 31, 631:42. 
 Son of God and man, not two, but 
 one Christ, 517:5, 519:20. 
 
 Sophists. Their corruption of doc- 
 trine, 75 : 17, 200 : 26. Understand 
 not the fathers, 80 : 82. Teach 
 nothing of faith, 176:59. Antag- 
 onize the righteousness of faith, 
 142 : 183. Their other errors, 83, 
 142 : 183, 180 : 16, 272 : 64, 330. 
 None of them can tell what orig 
 inal sin is, 550 : 60. 
 
 Sorcery, 364 : 4, 399 : 62, 454 : 42. 
 
 Soul. Not unimpaired, 322 : 11. Cor- 
 rupt, 540 : l. Not exterminated in 
 conversion, 499 : 14, 568 : 81. AH 
 Souls' Day, 314 : 12. 
 
 Spain, 201 : 30, 225 : 42. 
 
 Spectres, 315 : 16. 
 
 Spirits, Evil, 556 : 22. 
 
752 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 Spiritual eating of Christ's body, 612: 
 61. Partaking thereof, 511 : 5, 514 : 
 26, C12 : 59, 620 : l(M, 622 : 118. 
 Powers since the Fall, 552 : 7. 
 Things, reason blind concerning, 497 : 
 2, 553 : 9 sq. Man cannot begin or 
 work, 231 : 73, 541 : 10 sq., 543 : 25, 
 554 : 12, 556 : 20, 24, 558 : 31 sq. Pe- 
 lagian errors rejected, 540:20 sq., 
 23. Man spiritually dead, 553 : 11. 
 Spiritual efficacy of the Holy Ghost, 
 569 : 89. 
 Immunities and Privileges, 290 sq. 
 
 Spirituality. Self-devised, 56, 170 : 
 85, 246 sqq., 529 : 5, 668 : 10. 
 
 Sponsors, 336 : 4, 351 : 78. 
 
 Steadfastness in faith, 454 : 14, 657 : 42. 
 
 Stealing, 321 : 2, 365, 388. 
 
 Stone, man compared to, 555 : 19 sq., 
 556 : 24, 563 : 59. 
 
 Subjects. Duties of, 377 : 5. Insub- 
 ordination of, 309 : 12. Duties of 
 rulers towards, 46 : l. 
 
 Substance, use of the term in doctrine 
 of Original Sin— false, 495 : 19, 540 : 
 1, 545 : 30, 548 : 48, 549 : 55 ; true, 
 496 : 21 sq., 24. Use, in doctrine 
 of Holy Supper, 513 : 22, 621 : 108; 
 of person of Christ, 520 : 28, 638 : 
 71, 642 : 91. In conversion, man 
 becomes no new substance, 499 : 14, 
 568 : 81. That of our flesh will rise 
 again, 548 : 46 sq. Creation of, by 
 the devil impossible, 496 : 25. 
 
 Subtile Doctors, 101 : 105. 
 
 Sufferings of Christ, not in vain, 140 : 
 176. A true satisfaction, 328 : 38. 
 Their significance, 344 : 32. How 
 far belonging to the preaching of 
 Law, and how far to the Gospel, 
 507 : 9 sq. A declaration of God's 
 wrath, 507 : 9, 591 : 12. The suffer- 
 ings of no mere man, but of the Son 
 of God, 518 : 13 sq., 628 : 20, 631 : 
 39, 642 : 93. His obedience therein 
 reckoned ours, 572 : 15. 
 Of Christians, 85 : 8, 263 : 25, 267 : 38. 
 
 Sum of doctrine, 46, 537 : 9 ; of the Law, 
 126 : 124; of the Gospel, 181 : 29; 
 of the second article of Creed, 
 442 : 26. 
 
 Summists, 54 . 14, 168 : 33, 177 : 64. 
 
 Sunday. See Festivals. 
 
 Supererogation, merits of, 153 : 239, 
 282 : 9, 285 : 25, 288 : 34, 316 : 24, 
 327 : 28. 
 
 8upper, the Lord's, 40, 174, 330, 390, 
 
 476, 510, 600. 
 
 Names: Christ's testament, 243 : 2, 
 
 511 : 7 ; sacrament of the altar, 
 
 330; tacrament of the body and 
 
 blood of Christ, 389:21); mass, 50, 
 259:1, 260:8, 272:66; Eucharist. 
 272 : 66, 274 : 76 ; thank-oflering, 
 266 : 33, 272 : 66 sq., 274 : 74 ; com- 
 munion, 52 : 34 ; Agape, 276 : 86. 
 
 Institution, 15, 118 : 89, 373 : 2, 389 : 20, 
 476, 603 : 16, 608 : 94, 610 : 48 sq., 52, 
 615:75. Its words to be under- 
 stood literally, 511 : 7, 514 : 25, 602 : 
 7, 610 : 48, 616 : 79 sqq. Their effi- 
 cacy, 512 : 9, 617 : 89. Requires 
 both forms, 48, 243 : l sqq., 330 : 2, 
 331 : 4. 
 
 What it is, 373, 477:8, 604:20. A 
 true sacrament, 214:4; that re- 
 quires faith, 277 : 90. Food for the 
 soul, 478:23; daily nourishment 
 of faith, 118 : 89, 183 : 42, 245 : 10, 
 478 : 24. Comprises the entire Gos- 
 pel, 479 : 32. Not a satisfaction ex 
 opere operato, 277 : 90, 118 : 89, 131 : 
 143, 135 : 155. 
 
 Effects, 374 : 5 sqq., 478 : 20 sqq., 484 : 
 70. They are twofold, 274 : 75. 
 Unites with Christ, 245 : 10, 640 : 
 79; strengthens faith, 118:89, 183: 
 42, 245 : 10 ; consoles the terrified 
 conscience, 135 : 155, 245 : 10, 277 : 
 90; imparts forgiveness, life and 
 salvation, 183:42, 277 : 90, 374 : 6, 
 478 : 21, 608 : 44, 611 : 53. Not de- 
 pendent on the worth of the ad- 
 ministrator, 603 : 16, 604 : 19, 605 : 
 24 sq., 606:32, 615:74, 617:89. 
 
 Its true use, 272. Preparation for it, 
 374:10, 480:36, 513:20. To be 
 received in faith of forgiveness, 
 216:19, 277:90, 614:69 sq. ; with 
 thanksgiving, 274 : 76. Who are 
 worthy ? 274 : 73, 374 : 10, 479 : 33 
 sqq., 513 : 20, 614 : 69 sqq., 623 : 123 
 sqq. Who are unworthy ? 374 : 10, 
 483 : 61, 513 : 18, 614 : 68. Who to 
 be excluded, 176 : 61, 483 : 58. 
 
 Its administration. The administrator 
 must be regularly called, 41, 217 : 
 24. No one should administer it to 
 himself, 314 : 8. Its consecration, 
 512 : 8 sq., 614 : 73 sqq., 623 : 121. 
 No one to be compelled to receive 
 it, 362 : 21, 481 : 42, 47. Motives to 
 influence the indifferent, 362 : 23, 
 484:71, 75; the timid, 482:55 sq., 
 483 : 62. Should be received sev- 
 eral times a year, 362 : 22. 
 
 False Doctrines: Of the Sacramen- 
 tarians, 511 : 3 sq., 514 : 25 sqq., 
 600 : 2 sq., 606 : 32 sq., 612 : 59, 614 : 
 67, 617 : 88 sqq., 621 : 112 sqq. ; of 
 the Papists, 331 : 5, 513 : 22 bq., 515 : 
 4«. 603 : 14, 607 : 85, 616 : 83 sqq. 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 75:] 
 
 621 : 108 sq., 623 : 121, 624 : 126 ; of 
 tne Sehwenckfeldians, 531 : 24, 669 : 
 
 32. 
 
 Swearing, when lawful, 399 : 65 sqq. 
 Sinful, a fruit of original sin, 321 : 
 2. Forbidden, 364 : 4, 399 : 62, 454 : 
 42. Its punishment, 400 : 67. 
 
 Sword, distinction between spiritual 
 and worldly, 61 : 4. The Pope's 
 claim of both, 166 : 23, 338 : 2. His 
 endeavor thereby to exterminate 
 the Gospel, 126 : 124. 
 
 Stbaris, 255 :54. 
 
 Symbols (Creeds). The ancient re- 
 ceived, 9. The oecumenical, 25 
 sqq., 84, 311, 360, 388, 476, 492 : 3, 
 535 : 4. Their meaning and design, 
 92 : 51, 163 : 7, 491 : 2 sq. Kejected 
 by the Anti-Trinitarians, 670 : 37. 
 The Augsburg Confession, a sym- 
 bol of our time, 9, 563 : 4. 
 Symbolical Books. Their authority 
 and relation to Scripture, 491 : 2, 
 492 : 8, 535 : 1, 537 : 9 sqq. 
 
 Synaxis, 275 : 79. 
 
 Synechdoche, 108 : 31. 
 
 Synergism, 498 : 11, 499 : 17 sq., 567 : 77. 
 
 Synod of Toledo, 244 : 4. 
 
 T. 
 
 Table, use of Catechism at, 389 : 16. 
 Prayer at, 375 : 6 sqq. Of duties, 
 375 sq. 
 
 Tares, 165 : 19. 
 
 Teachers, God's gift, 235 : 4, 343 : 26, 
 349 : 67, 409 : 130. How to be re- 
 garded, 491 : l sqq., 535 : 3. Their 
 dangers and labors, 115 : 69. 
 False, 160 : 273, 166 : 22, 492 : 3. 
 
 Temperance, 226 : 46 sq. 
 
 Temple, the regenerate God's, 595 : 2, 
 662 : 73. Antichrist in God's tem- 
 ple, 162 : 4. 
 
 Temptations. Every Christian must 
 bear, 463 : 105 sqq. ; even saints, 
 207:54, 208:56. They must con- 
 stantly be prepared for them, 464 : 
 109; especially when they adhere 
 to the Gospel, 485 : 75. Christ has 
 forewarned the Church thereof, 
 163 : 10. Concerning worthiness 
 for Holy Supper, 482 : 55 sqq. 
 Of believers' good works, 116 : 72. 
 Are not signs of divine wrath, 
 208 : 55, 209 : 61. The doctrine of 
 election brings consolation, 653 : 20. 
 Prayer aids against, 464 : no, 465 : 
 117. 
 Growth of faith in, 183 : 37, 42, 662 : 
 74. To feel it differs from consent- 
 ing thereto, 463 : 103. 
 
 63 
 
 Terrors of conscience, 117 : 83, 141 
 180, 179 : 9, 182 : 31 sq., 184 : 46, 202 ; 
 
 34, 206 : 51 sq., 208 : 59 ; of the Law, 
 507 : 7, 594 : 24 ; not God's peculiar 
 work, 185 : 51, 53, 508 : 10, 591 : 11. 
 Faith arises in, 106:21, 152:230; 
 and overcomes them, 91 : 45, 98 : 85, 
 106:21, 107 : 27, 116:74, 119:93, 
 125 : 118, 127 : 126, 131' : 141, 139 : 169, 
 144 : 193, 152 : 230, 158 : 262, 160 : 277, 
 183 : 42, 233 : 85, 260 : 12, 271 : 60. 
 Our works and love fail before, 
 120 : 100, 1 26 : 123, 128 : 132, 144 : 193 ; 
 as also external services, 138 : 167. 
 
 Tertullian, 195 : 94. 
 
 Testament. Old, a shadow, type, prom- 
 ise, 267 : 37 sqq., 270 : 55. Its sac- 
 rifices, 270 : 56, 616 : 50. 
 New, has but one Sacrifice, 270 : 56. 
 Promise of grace peculiar to, 214 
 4, 215 : 14. Its blessings, what, 268 
 39. Its priesthood, service, etc., 214 
 7 sq., 263 : 26 sqq., 266 : 85 sq., 270 
 56, 271 : 59, 273 : 71. Its signs and 
 seals, 183 : \2, 215 : 14. How far it 
 retains the Law, 323 : l, 324 : 4. 
 Does not reject magistrates, 530 : 
 12. 
 Of Christ, 243 : 2, 511 : 7, 514 : 25, 515 : 
 
 35, 521 : 39, 607 : 38, 610 : 50, 618 : 92. 
 Testimony of the Holy Ghost in the 
 
 heart, 102 : 113, 655 : 31, 662 : 74. 
 The sacraments, of God's grace, 
 forgiveness, etc., 41, 213 : l, 269 . 49. 
 Good works, of righteousness and 
 faith, 114:63, 156:252, 505:15. 
 Of Faith, the symbols, 518 : 8, 538 : 
 13, 16. See also Witness. 
 
 Thanksgiving, a fruit of the Holy 
 Ghost, 104:4, 105:11. Should be 
 made for all gifts, 366 : 2, 440 : 19. 
 Enjoined by the second command- 
 ment, 364 : 4, 399 : 64. Must be 
 regulated according to the first, 
 285 : 25. Especially for regenera- 
 tion, 554 : 15. At meals, 369 : 13. 
 At bed-time, 374 sq. Marriage, 
 food, etc. hallowed thereby, 251 : 
 30. 
 
 Thank-Offerings. Of how many 
 classes, 262 : 31. Are made by 
 those already reconciled, 262 : 19, 
 263 : 25, 272 : 67. The mass a thank- 
 offering, 274 : 74. Testimony of 
 Greek Church thereon, 278 : 93. 
 
 Theodore of Raithu, 627 : 15. 
 
 Theodoret, 628 : 22. 
 
 Theophylact, 174 : 55. 
 
 Thomas Aquinas, 80 : 27, 222 : 24, 271 : 
 62, 284 : 20, 336 : 3. 
 
 Thoughts, evil, have their source in 
 
764 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 original sin, 496 : 21. God's Word 
 a remedy for, 385 : 10 sq. Faith 
 not an idle thought, 94:64, 103: 
 lis, 127 : 129. Do the saints know 
 our thoughts? -34 : 11. 
 
 Times, the Last, 49, 201 : 29, 255 : 53. 
 
 Tithes, 63:29, 262:21. 
 
 Tonoue, sins of, 417:188, 427:263 sij., 
 429: 276. 431 : 291. 
 
 Topic, the Chief, 98 : 87, 179 : 10, 187 : 
 59, 232: 79, 571 : 6. 
 
 Toroau, Luther's sermon at, 522, 643. 
 Conference at, 12. 
 
 Torments, eternal, 42; of conscience, 
 190:72; from human ordinances, 
 223 : 27. 
 
 Touchstone, 492 : 7. 
 
 Trades, Trading, no sin, 42, 227 : 53, 
 531 : 18, 669 : 23. Unfair, forbidden, 
 365 : 14, 423 : 233, 460 : 84. 
 
 Traditions, 42, 295. Particular and 
 universal, 168:30. Are outward 
 accidental relations, 168 : 32. Pre- 
 ferred to God's commands, 54 : 8, 
 295:3. Unscriptural, 54:5, 212: 
 77, 224:36. Have not the Holy 
 Ghost as their author, 168 : 31. 
 Promote not justification, 55 : 21, 
 168 : 31. Occasion errors, 46, 55 : 
 16 ; and burdening of conscience, 
 54: 12. What traditions are proper, 
 56 : 40. 
 
 Transgression, 129 : 133, 198 : 75, 540 : 5. 
 
 Transgressors, 592 : n, 593 : 21. 
 
 Transubstantiation. In the Greek 
 Church, 174 : 55. In the Roman 
 Church, 331 : 5, 513 : 22, 607 : 35, 
 621 : 108. 
 
 Trinity, 26 : 3 sqq., 27 : 17 sqq., 24 sqq., 
 37, 75, 311. A great mystery, 630 : 
 33. The entire Trinity directs to 
 Christ, 661 : 66. Testimony of its 
 deniers, 532, 670. 
 
 Tripartite History, 52 . 41, 56 : 45. 
 
 Triumph of Christ, 522 : 1. 
 
 Troubles. Not always indications of 
 wrath, 209 : 61 sq. Must be en- 
 dured, even by saints, 207 : 54. 
 Their design, 155 : 247, 207 : 54 sq., 
 208 : 54 sq., 209 : 63. Duty of Chris- 
 tians therein, 85 : 8, 88 : 27, 104 : 4, 
 112 : 46, 209 : 63. Where aid is not to 
 be sought, 112 : 49, 208 : 57. Prom- 
 ises in, 215 : 16. 
 See also Afflictions, Tempta- 
 tions. 
 
 Trust (confidence). An element in the 
 divine image, 79. A work of the 
 Holy Ghost, 230 : 72. Is calling on 
 Christ'n name, 100 : 98. Is faith, 
 JU : 48, 95 : 69, 102 : 107, 149 : 216. 
 
 Accompanies genuine repentance, 
 503 : 17. Holy Scripture incul- 
 cates, 437 : 825. To be placid in 
 Christ alone, 593 : 22. In work* 
 condemned, 100:98, 102: 110, 103 : 
 30, 109:86, 110:40, 148:209, 150: 
 218, 191 :75, 193 : 87, 204 : 45. Un- 
 der the Papacy transferred to 
 Marv and the saints, 237 . 15, 238 : 
 22, 239 : 31. 
 
 Truth, the Eternal, is Jesus Christ, 
 608:43, 609:47, 621 : lOf, ; is God'jj 
 Word, 538 : 13, 562 : 51. Luther 
 has restored it to light. 536 : 5 
 Must not be denied, 194:90. Its 
 defence necessary for the Church, 
 233:83. Those who persistently 
 oppose it cannot be converted 
 564 : 60. 
 Concreated, an element of the divine 
 
 image, 541 : 10. 
 Duty of speaking, 568 : 81, 398 sq. 
 How ? 428. 
 
 Turks, 33 : 1, 46 : 1, 286 : 27, 320 : 11, 
 460 : 77. 
 
 Types, 164:15, 170:35, 262:21, 263: 
 24, 266 : 34, 267 : 36 sqq., 270 : 53. 
 
 Tyranny over conscience, 176 : 64 sqq. ; 
 of bishops, 217 : 25 sq. ; of the Pope, 
 251 : 25, 295 : 4, 307 : 3, 347 : 49. 
 Compared to Antiochus, 278 : 91. 
 Pharaoh's, punishment of, 664 : 85. 
 
 Tyrants, 318 : 3. 
 
 U. 
 
 Unbaptized, 529 : 6, 565 : 67. 
 
 Unbelief, 370 : 18, 456 : 58, 463 : 104. 
 A fruit of original sin, 321 : 2. 
 The greatest sin, 589 : 2. Is it 
 reproved bv the Law or the Gos- 
 pel? 506 : l, 592 : 19. God has 
 concluded all under it, 526 : 10. 
 Inheres deeply, 105 : 14. Of Is- 
 rael, 587 : 34. 
 
 Unbelievers. The Law to be preached 
 to, 509:3; yet not to them alone, 
 510 : 8, 599 : 26. Receive in the 
 Lord's Supper Christ's body and 
 blood, 515 : 37, 605 : 27. How their 
 works to be regarded, 583 : 8. 
 
 Unconverted, 583 : 8. 
 
 Understanding. See Reason. 
 
 Uniformity of ceremonies, 39, 56 : 4-t, 
 163 : 10, 164, 168 : 30 sq., 169 : 33. 
 
 Union, ecclesiastical, 346:41 sq., 644. 
 5. Personal or hypostatic, 517 : 5, 
 9, 518 : 14 sq., 626: 11 sqq., 628 : 23 
 sq., 630 : 31, 638 : 74. Sacramental 
 true, 512 : 15, 607 : 37 ; false, 607 : hi. 
 Of Sacramentarians 516 : 3, 519; 
 24, 622 : 117. 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 755 
 
 Unity maintained by love, 123 : ill, 
 126 : 122, 445 : 51. Requires much 
 forbearance, 124 : 112 sqq. Must 
 not be sought with denial of the 
 truth, 666 : 95 sq. The welfare of 
 the Church depends thereon, 319 : 
 9. Dutv of praver for it, 528 : 23. 
 Of the Church, 39, 445 : 51. 
 
 Universality of God's grace, 526 : 10, 
 528 : 17 sqq., 561 : 49, 653 : 23 sqq. 
 Of the Gospel promise, 654 : 28. 
 
 Unreoenerate, state of, 497 : 3, 552 : 7, 
 555 : 17. Their heart like a stone, 
 555 : 19. Hear God's Word only 
 externally, 562 : 53. The three 
 causes concurring in their con- 
 version, 569 : 90. They obey the 
 Law only by constraint, 510 : 7. 
 Ministers, 39, 168 : 29, 172 : 47, 531 : 27, 
 605 : 24, 606 : 32, 670 : 35. 
 
 Unwilling God makes willing, 499 : 
 15, 17, 569:88. Are the unregen- 
 erate, 510 : 7. 
 
 Un worthiness, its own, faith confesses, 
 149 : 216. Feeling of, should not 
 deter from the Lord's Supper, 482 : 
 55 sq., 484 : 70. 
 
 Unworthy. Our works, 149 : 217 sq. 
 Of the Holy Supper unbelief alone 
 renders us, 374 : 10. Even the un- 
 worthy receive Christ's body and 
 blood, 603 : 10, 605 : 27, 614 : 72, 623: 
 123. The administration of sacra- 
 ments by, valid. 167 : 29. 
 
 Usages, Church, 522, 643. Such to 
 be observed as can be observed 
 without sin, 218 : l, 227 : 51. Not 
 to be changed without cause, 227 : 
 51. Doctrine of the fathers concern- 
 ing, 221 : 20 sq. See Adiaphora, 
 Ceremonies. 
 
 Usury, 309 : 12. 
 
 V. 
 
 Valens, 639 : 75. 
 
 Valentine, St., 240 : 32. 
 
 Valentinians, 37 : 5. 
 
 Veil of Moses, 105 : 12 sqq., 507 : 8, 
 591 : 10, 595 : l. 
 
 Venus, 393 : 18. 
 
 Vicarious Sacrifices, 262 sq. 
 
 V toils, 314 : 12, 327 : 26. 
 
 Vine, Christ the true, 174 : 56, 193 : 85. 
 
 Virginity, a gift of God, 250 : 18 sq. 
 More excellent than marriage, 252 : 
 38, 258 : 69. Does not justify, 252 : 
 36, 258:69. Is impure in the god- 
 less, 252 : 34. Gerson and Ambrose 
 concerning, 250 : 20. Jovinian on, 
 252 : 37. Commended by Christ and 
 Paul, 253:40, 286:27. He who 
 
 has not a gift therefor should be 
 married, 58, 249 : 16. 
 
 Virtues. Of the Law, 108:30, 122: 
 104 sqq.; of faith, 122:106, 158: 
 262. Our, not the cause of elec- 
 tion, 662 : 75. Do not justify, 108 : 
 30, 122 : 104 sqq., 502 : 15, 503 : 22, 
 575 : 30, 576 : 35, 577 : 39. Do not 
 render worthy for the Holy Sup- 
 per, 513 : 20. Believers should ex 
 ercise themselves in, 662 : 73. 
 
 Visitation of churches, 19, 359 : 1 
 
 Vows. Their nature, 58. Lawful, to 
 be observed, 282 : 9. Of Nazarites. 
 292 : 58. Of celibacy in twelfth 
 century, 48 sq. Should include 
 only possibilities, 59 sq. Are a 
 false divine service and invalid, 
 59 sq. Doctrine of, has obscured 
 the Gospel, 60, 347 : 48. Repud- 
 iated even by popes, 282 : 10. Their 
 invention, 119 : 91. Errors, 282 : 9, 
 347 : 48. See Monastic Vows. - 
 
 Vulgarius. See Theophylact. 
 
 W. 
 
 War and pestilence calamities, 210 : 65. 
 Of the devil, 460 : 78. Just wars 
 to be waged, 41,46, 116 : 70, 228 : 59. 
 
 Washing, bodily, 136 : 161. Of bap- 
 tism, 371 : 10,' 469 : 27. Of water in 
 the Word, 162:7, 330:1. 
 
 Water, Holy, 136 : iei. The true, 
 385 : 10. 
 
 Weak, the, to be tolerated, 124 : 112. 
 Not to be offended, 227 : 51. How 
 rewards and punishments to be 
 preached to them, 154 : 243. Not 
 unworthy of Lord's Supper, 513 : 
 19, 614 : 69. Forbearance towards, 
 523:5, 645:9. 
 
 Weakness. Of faith, 112, 484 : 70, 
 565 : 68. Of God's children, 505 : 
 13. Of human nature, 249 : 16. 
 How to be aided, 101 : 106, 111 : 
 44, 115:68, 209:63, 653:20. 
 
 Whitsunday (Pentecost), 65:57, 171: 
 
 40. 
 
 Wicked, the. Their relation to di- 
 vine foreknowledge. 525 : 4, 650 : 3 ; 
 to election, 650 : 4. They are not 
 the Church, 163 : 8, 165 : 19. They 
 belong thereto only nominallv, 
 161 : 3, 163 : 10, 12, 167 : 28, 623 : 123. 
 Their administration of the sacra- 
 ments valid, 165:19, 477:15, 604: 
 16, 19, 605 : 24, 606 : 32, 617 : 89. 
 Their reception of them, 511 : 7, 
 513:17, 604:19, 613:66, 623:128. 
 
 Wickliffe, Wycliffe, 229:63, 168, 
 
 29. 
 
756 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 Widow 8, 258 : 70, 293 : M sqq., 378 : 13. 
 
 Wife, 11, 289: Ilea., 3(55 : 12, 19 sq., 
 33S:io, 377:7, 419 Bqq., 432. 
 
 Will, God's, known only through Ins 
 Word, 220 : 17, 654: 29, 656 : 36 ; 
 especially through the Law, 510:7, 
 592 : 17, 597 : 11. The sacraments 
 signs of, 41 : 1, 213 : l, 273 : 69. Un- 
 known to the natural reason, 231 : 73 
 sq., 131 : 141. The flesh resists, 112: 
 49, 555 : 18. The life to be guided 
 thereby, 527 : 14. Must be obeyed 
 in afllictions, etc., 85 : 8, 104 : 4, 
 117 : 77, 154 : 243. Prayer concern- 
 ing, 369, 389, 457 sqq. That we 
 hear his Word, 497 : 5, 563 : 55. 
 That they who believe in Christ 
 be saved, 143 : 189, 526 : 12, 527 : 15, 
 561 : 49, 653 : 2G sqq. That they do 
 good works, 588 : 38, 595 : 3, 598 : 17. 
 Not the cause of sin, 43, 650 : 6. 
 Of Men. How related to faith, 142 : 
 183. The old Adam in, 509 : 4. 
 Wicked and sinful, 497 : 3, 525 : 4, 
 541 : 11, 650 : 6. Broken by the 
 cross, 226 : 45. Wicked, of men 
 and devils the cause of sin, 43, 
 232 : 77, 369 : 11, 650 : 6. Works 
 wrought against the will displease 
 God, 585 : 17, 598 : 19. 
 The Free Will, 43, 88 : 29, 230, 322, 
 496, 551. Its four states, 496 : 1, 
 551 : 2. How far possessed by man, 
 230 : 70. Its ability with respect 
 to outward morality, 43, 230 : 70, 
 75, 557 : 26, 558 : 31 sq. Its in- 
 ability in spiritual things, 231 : 73, 
 552 : 7, 554 : 12 sq., 555 : 17. Purely 
 passive in conversion, 499 : 18, 566 : 
 73, 569 : 89. Its dependence on the 
 Holy Ghost, 498 : 6, 566 : 70 sqq. 
 After conversion it is not idle, 499 : 
 17, 569:88. If it were sufficient 
 Christ's death vain, 88 : 29. 
 Errors: Of Scholastics, Papists, Pe- 
 lagians, and Semi-Pelagians, 78 : 12, 
 86 : 17, 230 : 67 sq., 322 : 4 sq., 324 : 
 10 sq., 498 : 9 sq., 567 : 75. Synerg- 
 ists, 567 : 77; Manichaeans and Sto- 
 ics, 230 : 67, 498 : 8, 566 : 74. Ob- 
 jectionable expressions, 495 : 15 sq., 
 498 : 11 sq., 568 : 82, 86. Epicureans 
 and Enthusiasts, 561 : 46. 
 
 William of Paris, 231 : 76. 
 
 Wine, abstinence of Rechabites from, 
 293 : 59 ; of Encratites, 254 : 45. 
 
 Wisdom, God's hidden, 660 : 64. Christ 
 the true and essential, 521 : 37, 608: 
 43, 609 : 47, 618 : 92. An element of 
 the divine image, 79. Is lost, 88 : 
 82. Insufficient, 122:108 sq., 170: 
 
 35, 222 : 22. Of tin world, 553 : is 
 562 : 51. 
 
 Witness. See Testimony. 
 False, 426 : 257, 429 : 271 sq. 
 
 Wolves in the Church, 166 : 22 
 
 Woman, Seed of, 593 : 23. 
 
 Word (Myoc ), 37, 607 : 36, 627 : 16. 
 God's, is his power, 385 : 11. Effica- 
 cious, 165 : 19, 183 : 44, 215 : 11, 385 : 
 10 sqq., 404 : 101. It alone reveals 
 God's will, 95 : 67, 220 : 17. Is the 
 source of illumination, conversion, 
 salvation, 491, 497 : 4 sqq., 499:18 
 sq., 555:19, 562:50. The means 
 whereby the Holv Ghost is be- 
 stowed, 38, 62 : 8 sq., 105 : 14, 190 : 
 71 sq., 273 : 70, 446 : 58, 500 : 19, 663 : 
 77 ; and faith, 96 : 73, 170 : 36, 214 : 
 5, 273 : 69 sq., 497 : 5. 498 : 7, 601 : 3, 
 661 : 69. Election thereby revealed, 
 525 : 6, 526 : 13, 657 : 43, 658 : 52. 
 God therebv calls, maintains, com- 
 forts, etc., 108 : 33, 182 : 32, 183 : 40, 
 185 : 49, 190 : 72, 324 : 8, 369 : 11, 477 : 
 12, 655:34, 657:44. His kingdom 
 thereby comes to us, 445 : 52, 455 : 
 53, 559 : 36. The Word and the 
 Cross belong together, 457 : 65, 458 : 
 67. We should daily exercise our- 
 selves therein, 554 : 16. Disregard 
 thereof a fruit of original sin, 321 : 
 
 2, 404 : 99 ; a temptation of the 
 devil, 463 : 104. 
 
 Is a mark of the Church, 161 : 3, 335 : 
 
 3. Where it is not, Christ's king- 
 dom absent, 173 : 52, 525 : 7. Es- 
 sential to the sacraments, 214 : 5, 
 277 : 89, 330 : l, 370 : 2, 374 : 5 sqq., 
 10, 468 : 18, 22, 469 : 26, 471 : 45 sq., 
 472 : 53, 476 : 4, 477 : 10, 14, 604 : 21. 
 It sanctifies marriage, 251 : 31, 252 : 
 34, 420 : 209. The sole source of 
 articles of faith, 315 : 15. Without 
 it no divine worship, 277 : 89, 278 : 
 92, 314 : 8. Should be preached 
 purely, 563 : 55 ; and be rightly 
 divided, 589 : 1 ; and by it all doc- 
 trine be judged, 491, 535. Is the 
 sanctuary above all, 403 : 91. 
 
 The Word preached. God thereby 
 gives the Holy Ghost, 332:2, 652: 
 17; and deals with us, 333 : 10, 655: 
 
 36. Is the peculiar office of the 
 Gospel, 330, 479 : 31 ; the office and 
 work of the Holy Ghost, 563 : 56, 
 654 : 29. Without it no prophet, 
 333 : 10. 
 
 Errors : Of Enthusiasts, 215 : 13, 332 ; 
 3, 6, 499 : 13, 531 : 22, 552 : 4, 567 
 80, 669 : 30 ; of the Sacramentarians 
 515 : 35, 642 : 94. 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 Work, Christ's, 312, 444:38, 479 31. 
 His strange work, 508 : 10. 
 Of the Holy Ghost, 446 : 59, 447 : 61, 
 526 : 12. Is the preaching of the 
 Word, 563:56. Is faith, 100:99, 
 103 : 115. Conversion and sanctifi- 
 cation, 569 : 88 sq., 574 : 28. 
 Works of the Law, 86 : 17, 598 : 16, 645 : 
 
 12. Distinguished from the fruits 
 of the Spirit, 509 : 5, 597 : 15. Love 
 the chief, 122 : 108. Do not justify, 
 574 : 29. 
 
 Works of Reason, 86 : 17, 325 : 18. 
 Outward works to a certain ex- 
 tent within our own power, 85 : 8, 
 105:9, 129:135, 231:73; yet the 
 Law is not thereby fulfilled, 105 : 
 
 13, 591 : 10. Merit not forgiveness, 
 130 : 138, 131 : 143, 260 : 12. When 
 they are sinful, 89 : 35, 106 : 15. 
 Reason estimates them too highly, 
 85:10, 118:85, 119:91. 
 
 Good Works, 43, 232, 335, 503, 582. 
 What are, 43, 85 : 8 sq., 155 : 250, 
 212 : 77, 222 : 25, 231 : 73, 292 : 54, 
 435 : 311 sqq. What are not, 222 : 
 25, 403 : 93, 583 : 7, 597 : 15. Ob- 
 scured under the Papacy, 54 : 8 
 sqq., 222 : 25. 
 
 Men must be admonished thereto, 
 506 : 18, 589 :40. They are praise- 
 worthy, 87 : 24, 117 : 80, 128 : 131, 
 155:250, 583:8; yet with certain 
 limitations, 87 : 24, 133 : 143, lt-T - 
 196, 155 : 252, 191 : 78, 205 : is sq., 
 232 : 81. In what their holiness 
 consists, 115:68 sqq. Why pleas- 
 ing to God, 112 : 51, 114": ei, 63, 
 128:131, 132 : 145, 136: 160, 139 : 
 172, 152 : 234, 158 : 264, 583 : 8, 588 : 38. 
 Have promises and rewards, 116: 
 "3, 131 : 143, 135 : 157, 153 : 241 sqq., 
 155 : 246, 212 : 77, 426 : 252, 583 : 8. 
 Are necessary, not by constraint of 
 Law, but by obligation of obedi- 
 ence, 39, 43, 45, 60, 115:68, 119: 
 93, 131 : 142, 151 : 227, 212 : 77, 234 : 
 89 sq., 505 : 8 sqq., 583 : 7, 584 : 14, 
 16 sqq. Dare not be omitted with- 
 out sin, 205 : 46 ; yet are done freely, 
 585 : 18. Do not maintain faith and 
 salvation, 505 : 15, 586 : 30. Do not 
 precede faith, 132 : 145, 577 : 41 ; 
 but inevitably follow, 96:74, 103: 
 115, 117 : 82, 131 : 143, 210 : 68, 231 : 
 92, 335:2, 504:6. Their absence 
 indicates absence of faith, 335 : 4, 
 577 : 42 sq., 584 : 15. Necessary 
 fruits and testimonies of faith, 39, 
 95 : 71, 114 : 63, 115 : 68, 127 : 125, 
 128, 267 : 38, 505 : 15, 576 : 36, 583 : 
 
 9. Fruits of repentance, 40: 6, 134 : 
 151 sqq., 181 : 28, 186 : 58, 202 : 34, 
 204:42, 212:77. Fruits and ope- 
 rations cf the Holy Ghost, 45, 151 : 
 228, 231 : 73, 558 : 29, 559 : -38, 569 : 
 90, 598 : 17. Cannot be wrought 
 from natural powers, but only by 
 the regenerate, 45, 128 : 131, 505 : 8, 
 558:29, 559:39, 583:7. Are at 
 best imperfect, 111 : 42, 115 : 68, 
 117 : 83, 123 : 110 sq., 583 : 8. Even 
 faith as a work imperfect, 54, 98 : 
 86, 572 : 13. Expressions "good 
 works injurious," "necessary," con- 
 sidered, 504 : 2 sq., 505 : 10, 16, 582 : 
 1 sqq., 584 : 16, 588 : 37. 
 
 Wicked Works. Fruits of original sin, 
 321 : 2, 496 : 21. God's foreknow- 
 ledge concerning, 650 : 6. Error 
 of Stoics and fatalists, 498 : 8, 566 : 
 74. Cause loss of righteousness and 
 salvation, 586 : 31. 
 World. Its corruption, 83 : 49, 369 : 
 11, 422 : 228, 433 : 303 sq., 441 : 21, 
 455 : 47, 463 : 101 sqq. Its error and 
 ignorance, 118 : 85, 119 : 91, 447 : 63, 
 542 : 13, 553 : 10, 562 : 51. Its un- 
 belief, 396:42; its idolatry, 393: 
 17 ; hatred of truth, 427 : 262. 
 Ten?p r i.tl->ns thi-ou%h it, 370 : 18, 
 6*34 : 8*3. P'-oieciioii against, 385: 
 
 10, 653 : 20. Redemption by Christ, 
 151 : 224, 214 : 8, 245 : 10, 312 : 2, 
 561 : -x9, 5£0 : 5C ; his kingdom 
 
 . not, of this world, 62, 344 : 31. 
 The Holy Ghost reproves it, 323: 
 1, 591 :U sq. The field for tares 
 aud wheat, 165 : 1C. Not escaped 
 by pnteiing a cloister, 60 : 57 sqq. 
 
 Worship, Divine. See Service. 
 Of Angels. Saints. See Invoca- 
 tion in the New Testament, 264 : 
 27. 
 
 Wrath, God's eternal, 96 : 79. All 
 men beneath it, 89 : 36, 90 : 40, 94 : 
 62, 197 : 11, 550 : 62, 592 : 20, 660 : 60. 
 Children of wrath, 494 : 12, 541 : 6, 
 9, 543 : 19, 573 ; 20. Vessels of, 663 : 
 79 sq. Threatened against the im- 
 penitent, 117 : 79. Revealed by the 
 Law, 96 : 79, 140 : 171, 154 : 244, 323 : 
 l, 562 : 54, 592 : 14. The Gospel pro- 
 claims, 507 : 5 sq., 591 : 12. Conse- 
 quences of feeling it, 87 : 20, 89 : 36, 
 104:7, 105: 14, ^1 19 : 91, 138: 167, 
 182 : 34. This sense of God's wrath 
 exists in repentance, 106:21, 181: 
 29, 182 : 32, 183 : 44, 197 : 10, 207 : 53, 
 566 : 70. A punishment of sin, 208 : 
 56. Afflictions not always indi- 
 cations thereof, 209 : 61. Human 
 
;:,s 
 
 ANALYSES AND INDEXES. 
 
 nature cannot endure it, 143 : 191. 
 Unproductive of truly good works, 
 509 : 5. 
 Can be appeased, 131 : 143. Its ne- 
 cessity, 122 : 103. But this occurs 
 not through works, love, etc., 91 : 
 46, 97 : 80, 116 : 74, 117 : 82 sq., 120 : 
 100, 128:132, 188:64, 192:84 sq., 
 193 : 87, 197 : 11, 233 : 87 ; or human 
 ordinances, 218 : 5, 201 : 13; or pur- 
 gatory, 204:42; but only th-ough 
 Christ, 91 : 46 : 97 : 81, 119 : 93, 139 : 
 170, 141:179, 193:87, 205:4 «q., 
 289 : 17. 
 
 The Law works wrath, 118 *u, 121 
 136, 133 : 149, 148 : 212, 193 : 88, 324 
 7. Wrath towards God spring) 
 from servile fear, 183 : 38. 
 Writings of ancient and modern 
 teachers, 15, 491 : 2, 492 : 7, 537 : 
 10. 
 
 Y. 
 Yielding against conscience, 336 : a. 
 
 Z. 
 
 Zwingli, 628 : 21, 631 : 88. 
 Zyvlnglians, 624 : 2. 
 
DUE DATE 
 
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