the augsburg confession-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

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

Augustine　also　admonishes　his　readers　concerning　the　word　

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

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

confidence　which　consoles　and　encourages　the　terrified　mind。　　



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

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

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

that　forgiveness　of　sins　is　apprehended；　and　that；　for　

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

the　philosophers；　who；　although　they　endeavored　to　live　an　

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

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

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

strength。　　



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

lusts　and　human　devices　rule　in　the　heart。　Wherefore　Christ　

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

sings：　　

Lacking　Thy　divine　favor；　

There　is　nothing　found　in　man；　

Naught　in　him　is　harmless。　　





Article　XXI：　Of　the　Worship　of　the　Saints。　



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

with　the　Father；　etc。　



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

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

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

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

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

however；　disagreement　on　certain　Abuses；　which　have　crept　into　

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

there　were　some　difference；　there　should　be　proper　lenity　on　

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

Confession　which　we　have　now　reviewed；　because　even　the　Canons　

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

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

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

diligently　observed。　For　it　is　a　false　and　malicious　charge　

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

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

that　some　abuses　were　connected　with　the　ordinary　rites。　

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

conscience；　have　been　to　some　extent　corrected。　



ARTICLES　IN　WHICH　ARE　REVIEWED　

THE　ABUSES　WHICH　HAVE　BEEN　

CORRECTED。　



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

faith　from　the　Church　Catholic；　but　only　omit　some　abuses　

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

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

we　pray　that　Your　Imperial　Majesty　would　graciously　hear　both　

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

people　were　not　compelled　to　observe　those　abuses　against　

their　conscience。　Nor　should　Your　Imperial　Majesty　believe　

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

part；　disseminate　strange　slanders　among　the　people。　Having　

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

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

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

undoubtedly　find　that　the　form　of　doctrine　and　of　ceremonies　

with　us　is　not　so　intolerable　as　these　ungodly　and　malicious　

men　represent。　Besides；　the　truth　cannot　be　gathered　from　

common　rumors　or　the　revilings　of　enemies。　But　it　can　readily　

be　judged　that　nothing　would　serve　better　to　maintain　the　

dignity　of　ceremonies；　and　to　nourish　reverence　and　pious　

devotion　among　the　people　than　if　the　ceremonies　were　observed　

rightly　in　the　churches。　　





Article　XXII：　Of　Both　Kinds　in　the　Sacrament。　



To　the　laity　are　given　Both　Kinds　in　the　Sacrament　of　the　

Lord's　Supper；　because　this　usage　has　the　commandment　of　the　　

Lord　in　Matt。　26；　27：　Drink　ye　all　of　it；　where　Christ　has　

manifestly　commanded　concerning　the　cup　that　all　should　drink。　　



And　lest　any　man　should　craftily　say　that　this　refers　only　to　

priests；　Paul　in　1　Cor。　11；27　recites　an　example　from　which　it　

appears　that　the　whole　congregation　did　use　both　kinds。　And　

this　usage　has　long　remained　in　the　Church；　nor　is　it　known　

when；　or　by　whose　authority；　it　was　changed；　although　Cardinal　

Cusanus　mentions　the　time　when　it　was　approved。　Cyprian　in　

some　places　testifies　that　the　blood　was　given　to　the　people。　

The　same　is　testified　by　Jerome；　who　says：　The　priests　

administer　the　Eucharist；　and　distribute　the　blood　of　Christ　

to　the　people。　Indeed；　Pope　Gelasius　commands　that　the　

Sacrament　be　not　divided　（dist。　II。；　De　Consecratione；　cap。　

Comperimus）。　Only　custom；　not　so　ancient；　has　it　otherwise。　

But　it　is　evident　that　any　custom　introduced　against　the　

commandments　of　God　is　not　to　be　allowed；　as　the　Canons　

witness　（dist。　III。；　cap。　Veritate；　and　the　following　

chapters）。　But　this　custom　has　been　received；　not　only　against　

the　Scripture；　but　also　against　the　old　Canons　and　the　example　

of　the　Church。　Therefore；　if　any　preferred　to　use　both　kinds　

of　the　Sacrament；　they　ought　not　to　have　been　compelled　with　

offense　to　their　consciences　to　do　otherwise。　And　because　the　

division　of　the　Sacrament　does　not　agree　with　the　ordinance　of　

Christ；　we　are　accustomed　to　omit　the　procession；　which　

hitherto　has　been　in　use。　　







Article　XXIII：　Of　the　Marriage　of　Priests。　



There　has　been　common　complaint　concerning　the　examples　of　

priests　who　were　not　chaste。　For　that　reason　also　Pope　Pius　is　

reported　to　have　said　that　there　were　certain　causes　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　desirous　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。　9：　To　avoid　fornication；　let　every　man　have　

his　own　wife。　Also：　It　is　better　to　marry　than　to　burn。　

Secondly　Christ　says；　Matt。　19；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；　without　a　singular　gift　and　work　of　

God；　to　alter　this　creation。　＇For　it　is　manifest；　and　many　

have　confessed　that　no　good；　honest；　chaste　life；　no　

Christian；　sincere；　upright　conduct　has　resulted　（from　the　

attempt）；　but　a　horrible；　fearful　unrest　and　torment　of　

conscience　has　been　felt　by　many　until　the　end。＇　Therefore；　

those　who　are　not　fit　to　lead　a　single　life　ought　to　contract　

matrimony。　For　no　man's　law；　no　vow；　can　annul　the　commandment　

and　ordinance　of　God。　For　these　reasons　the　priests　teach　that　

it　is　lawful　for　them　to　marry　wives。　　



It　is　also　evident　that　in　the　ancient　Church　priests　were　

married　men。　For　Paul　says；　1　Tim。　3；　2；　that　a　bishop　should　

be　chosen　who　is　the　husband　of　one　wife。　And　in　Germany；　four　

hundred　years　ago　for　the　first　time；　the　priests　were　

violently　compelled　to　lead　a　single　life；　who　indeed　offered　

such　resistance　that　the　Archbishop　of　Mayence；　when　about　to　

publish　the　Pope's　de