the augsburg confession-第1章

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The　Augsburg　Confession



The　Confession　of　Faith：

Which　Was　Submitted　to　His　Imperial　Majesty　Charles　V

At　the　Diet　of　Augsburg　in　the　Year　1530

by　Philip　Melanchthon；　1497…1560





Preface　to　the　Emperor　Charles　V。　　



Most　Invincible　Emperor；　Caesar　Augustus；　Most　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；　namely；　effectually　

to　withstand　his　furor　and　assaults　by　strong　and　lasting　

military　provision；　and　then　also　concerning　dissensions　in　the　

matter　of　our　holy　religion　and　Christian　Faith；　that　in　this　

matter　of　religion　the　opinions　and　judgments　of　the　parties　

might　be　heard　in　each　other's　presence；　and　considered　and　

weighed　among　ourselves　in　mutual　charity；　leniency；　and　

kindness；　in　order　that；　after　the　removal　and　correction　of　such　

things　as　have　been　treated　and　understood　in　a　different　manner　

in　the　writings　on　either　side；　these　matters　may　be　settled　and　

brought　back　to　one　simple　truth　and　Christian　concord；　that　for　

the　future　one　pure　and　true　religion　may　be　embraced　and　

maintained　by　us；　that　as　we　all　are　under　one　Christ　and　do　

battle　under　Him；　so　we　may　be　able　also　to　live　in　unity　and　

concord　in　the　one　Christian　Church。　　



And　inasmuch　as　we；　the　undersigned　Elector　and　Princes；　with　

others　joined　with　us；　have　been　called　to　the　aforesaid　Diet　the　

same　as　the　other　Electors；　Princes；　and　Estates；　in　obedient　

compliance　with　the　Imperial　mandate；　we　have　promptly　come　to　

Augsburg；　and　　what　we　do　not　mean　to　say　as　boasting　　we　

were　among　the　first　to　be　here。　　



Accordingly；　since　even　here　at　Augsburg　at　the　very　beginning　

of　the　Diet；　Your　Imperial　Majesty　caused　to　be　proposed　to　the　

Electors；　Princes；　and　other　Estates　of　the　Empire；　amongst　other　

things；　that　the　several　Estates　of　the　Empire；　on　the　strength　

of　the　Imperial　edict；　should　set　forth　and　submit　their　opinions　

and　judgments　in　the　German　and　the　Latin　language；　and　since　on　

the　ensuing　Wednesday；　answer　was　given　to　Your　Imperial　Majesty；　

after　due　deliberation；　that　we　would　submit　the　Articles　of　our　

Confession　for　our　side　on　next　Wednesday；　therefore；　in　

obedience　to　Your　Imperial　Majesty's　wishes；　we　offer；　in　this　

matter　of　religion；　the　Confession　of　our　preachers　and　of　

ourselves；　showing　what　manner　of　doctrine　from　the　Holy　

Scriptures　and　the　pure　Word　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　other　Electors；　Princes；　and　Estates。　of　the　Empire　

will；　according　to　the　said　Imperial　proposition；　present　similar　

writings；　to　wit；　in　Latin　and　German；　giving　their　opinions　in　

this　matter　of　religion；　we；　with　the　Princes　and　friends　

aforesaid；　here　before　Your　Imperial　Majesty；　our　most　clement

Lord　are　prepared　to　confer　amicably　concerning　all　possible　ways　

and　means；　in　order　that　we　may　come　together；　as　far　as　this　may　

be　honorably　done；　and；　the　matter　between　us　on　both　sides　being　

peacefully　discussed　without　offensive　strife；　the　dissension；　

by　God's　help；　may　be　done　away　and　brought　back　to　one　true　

accordant　religion；　for　as　we　all　are　under　one　Christ　and　do　

battle　under　Him；　we　ought　to　confess　the　one　Christ；　after　the　

tenor　of　Your　Imperial　Majesty's　edict；　and　everything　ought　to　

be　conducted　according　to　the　truth　of　God；　and　this　it　is　what；　

with　most　fervent　prayers；　we　entreat　of　God。　　



However；　as　regards　the　rest　of　the　Electors；　Princes；　and　

Estates；　who　constitute　the　other　part；　if　no　progress　should　be　

made；　nor　some　result　be　attained　by　this　treatment　of　the　cause　

of　religion　after　the　manner　in　which　Your　Imperial　Majesty　has　

wisely　held　that　it　should　be　dealt　with　and　treated　namely；　by　

such　mutual　presentation　of　writings　and　calm　conferring　together　

among　ourselves；　we　at　least　leave　with　you　a　clear　testimony；　

that　we　here　in　no　wise　are　holding　back　from　anything　that　could　

bring　about　Christian　concord；　　such　as　could　be　effected　with　

God　and　a　good　conscience；　　as　also　Your　Imperial　Majesty　and；　

next；　the　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　deign　

to　take　notice　and　to　understand　this　from　this　Confession　of　

ours　and　of　our　associates。　　



Your　Imperial　Majesty　also；　not　only　once　but　often；　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　proclaimed　that　Your　Majesty；　

in　dealing　with　this　matter　of　religion；　for　certain　reasons　

which　were　alleged　in　Your　Majesty's　name；　was　not　willing　to　

decide　and　could　not　determine　anything；　but　that　Your　Majesty　

would　diligently　use　Your　Majesty's　office　with　the　Roman　Pontiff　

for　the　convening　of　a　General　Council。　The　same　matter　was　thus　

publicly　set　forth　at　greater　length　a　year　ago　at　the　last　Diet　

which　met　at　Spires。　There　Your　Imperial　Majesty；　through　His　

Highness　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　submitted：　

that　Your　Imperial　Majesty　had　taken　notice　of；　and　pondered；　the　

resolution　of　Your　Majesty's　Representative　in　the　Empire；　and　

of　the　President　and　Imperial　Counselors；　and　the　Legates　from　

other　Estates　convened　at　Ratisbon；　concerning　the　calling　of　a　

Council；　and　that　your　Imperial　Majesty　also　judged　it　to　be　

expedient　to　convene　a　Council；　and　that　Your　Imperial　Majesty　

did　not　doubt　the　Roman　Pontiff　could　be　induced　to　hold　a　

General　Council；　because　the　matters　to　be　adjusted　between　Your　

Imperial　Majesty　and　the　Roman　Pontiff　were　nearing　agreement　and　

Christian　reconciliation；　therefore　Your　Imperial　Majesty　himself　

signified　that　he　would　endeavor　to　secure　the　said　Chief　

Pontiff's　consent　for　convening；　together　with　your　Imperial　

Majesty　such　General　Council；　to　be　published　as　soon　as　possible　

by　letters　that　were　to　be　sent　out。　



If　the　outcome；　therefore；　should　be　such　that　the　differences　

between　us　and　the　other　parties　in　the　matter　of　religion　should　

not　be　amicably　and　in　charity　settled；　then　here；　before　Your　

Imperial　Majesty　we　make　the　offer　in　all　obedience；　in　addition　

to　what　we　have　already　done；　that　we　will　all　appear　and　defend　

our　cause　in　such　a　general；　free　Christian　Council；　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　the　assembly　of　this　General　Council；　

and　at　the　same　time　to　Your　Imperial　Majesty；　we　have；　even　

before　this；　in　due　manner　and　form　of　law；　addressed　ourselves　

and　made　appeal　in　this　matter；　by　far　the　greatest　and　gravest。　

To　this　appeal；　both　to　Your　Imperial　Majesty　and　to　a　Council；　

we　still　adhere；　neither　do　we　intend　nor　would　it　be　possible　

for　us；　to　relinquish　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　should　be　amicably　and　charitably　

settled；　allayed；　and　brought　to　Christian　concord；　and　regarding　

this　we　even　here　solemnly　and　publicly　testify。　　





Article　I：　Of　God。　



Our　Churches；　with　common　consent；　do　teach　that　the　decree　of　

the　Council　of　Nicaea　concerning　the　Unity　of　the　Divine　Essence　

and　concerning　the　Three　Person