the augsburg confession-第2章

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the　Council　of　Nicaea　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　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　there　are　

three　Persons；　of　the　same　essence　and　power；　who　also　are　

coeternal；　the　Father　the　Son；　and　the　Holy　Ghost。　And　the　term　

〃person〃　they　use　as　the　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　

article；　as　the　Manichaeans；　who　assumed　two　principles；　one　Good　

and　the　other　Evil…　also　the　Valentinians；　Arians；　Eunomians；　

Mohammedans；　and　all　such。　They　condemn　also　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〃　signifies　motion　created　in　things。　　







Article　II：　Of　Original　Sin。　　



Also　they　teach　that　since　the　fall　of　Adam　all　men　begotten　in　

the　natural　way　are　born　with　sin；　that　is；　without　the　fear　of　

God；　without　trust　in　God；　and　with　concupiscence；　and　that　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　original　

depravity　is　sin；　and　who；　to　obscure　the　glory　of　Christ's　merit　

and　benefits；　argue　that　man　can　be　justified　before　God　by　his　

own　strength　and　reason。　





Article　III：　Of　the　Son　of　God。　　



Also　they　teach　that　the　Word；　that　is；　the　Son　of　God；　did　

assume　the　human　nature　in　the　womb　of　the　blessed　Virgin　

Mary；　so　that　there　are　two　natures；　the　divine　and　the　human；　

inseparably　enjoined　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　He　might　reconcile　the　

Father　unto　us；　and　be　a　sacrifice；　not　only　for　original　

guilt；　but　also　for　all　actual　sins　of　men　　



He　also　descended　into　hell；　and　truly　rose　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　believe　in　

Him；　by　sending　the　Holy　Ghost　into　their　hearts；　to　rule；　

comfort；　and　quicken　them；　and　to　defend　them　against　the　

devil　and　the　power　of　sin。　　



The　same　Christ　shall　openly　come　again　to　judge　the　quick　and　

the　dead；　etc。；　according　to　the　Apostles'　Creed。　　









Article　IV：　Of　Justification。　　



Also　they　teach　that　men　cannot　be　justified　before　God　by　

their　own　strength；　merits；　or　works；　but　are　freely　justified　

for　Christ's　sake；　through　faith；　when　they　believe　that　they　

are　received　into　favor；　and　that　their　sins　are　forgiven　for　

Christ's　sake；　who；　by　His　death；　has　made　satisfaction　for　

our　sins。　This　faith　God　imputes　for　righteousness　in　His　

sight。　Rom。　3　and　4。　　





Article　V：　Of　the　Ministry。　　



That　we　may　obtain　this　faith；　the　Ministry　of　Teaching　the　

Gospel　and　administering　the　Sacraments　was　instituted。　For　

through　the　Word　and　Sacraments；　as　through　instruments；　the　

Holy　Ghost　is　given；　who　works　faith；　where　and　when　it　

pleases　God；　in　them　that　hear　the　Gospel；　to　wit；　that　God；　

not　for　our　own　merits；　but　for　Christ's　sake；　justifies　those　

who　believe　that　they　are　received　into　grace　for　Christ's　

sake。　　



They　condemn　the　Anabaptists　and　others　who　think　that　the　

Holy　Ghost　comes　to　men　without　the　external　Word；　through　

their　own　preparations　and　works。　　





Article　VI：　Of　New　Obedience。　　



Also　they　teach　that　this　faith　is　bound　to　bring　forth　good　

fruits；　and　that　it　is　necessary　to　do　good　works　commanded　by　

God；　because　of　God's　will；　but　that　we　should　not　rely　on　

those　works　to　merit　justification　before　God。　For　remission　

of　sins　and　justification　is　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　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：　Of　the　Church。　　



Also　they　teach　that　one　holy　Church　is　to　continue　forever。　

The　Church　is　the　congregation　of　saints；　in　which　the　Gospel　

is　rightly　taught　and　the　Sacraments　are　rightly　administered。　　



And　to　the　true　unity　of　the　Church　it　is　enough　to　agree　

concerning　the　doctrine　of　the　Gospel　and　the　administration　

of　the　Sacraments。　Nor　is　it　necessary　that　human　traditions；　

that　is；　rites　or　ceremonies；　instituted　by　men；　should　be　

everywhere　alike。　As　Paul　says：　One　faith；　one　Baptism；　one　

God　and　Father　of　all；　etc。　Eph。　4；　5。　6。　　





Article　VIII：　What　the　Church　Is。　　



Although　the　Church　properly　is　the　congregation　of　saints　and　

true　believers；　nevertheless；　since　in　this　life　many　

hypocrites　and　evil　persons　are　mingled　therewith；　it　is　

lawful　to　use　Sacraments　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　Sacraments　and　Word　

are　effectual　by　reason　of　the　institution　and　commandment　of　

Christ；　notwithstanding　they　be　administered　by　evil　men。　　



They　condemn　the　Donatists；　and　such　like；　who　denied　it　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。　　



Of　Baptism　they　teach　that　it　is　necessary　to　salvation；　and　

that　through　Baptism　is　offered　the　grace　of　God；　and　that　

children　are　to　be　baptized　who；　being　offered　to　God　through　

Baptism　are　received　into　God's　grace。　　



They　condemn　the　Anabaptists；　who　reject　the　baptism　of　

children；　and　say　that　children　are　saved　without　Baptism。　　





Article　X：　Of　the　Lord's　Supper。　　



Of　the　Supper　of　the　Lord　they　teach　that　the　Body　and　Blood　

of　Christ　are　truly　present；　and　are　distributed　to　those　who　

eat　the　Supper　of　the　Lord；　and　they　reject　those　that　teach　

otherwise。　　







Article　XI：　Of　Confession。　　



Of　Confession　they　teach　that　Private　Absolution　ought　to　be　

retained　in　the　churches；　although　in　confession　an　

enumeration　of　all　sins　is　not　necessary。　For　it　is　impossible　

according　to　the　Psalm：　Who　can　understand　his　errors？　Ps。　19；　

12。　　





Article　XII：　Of　Repentance。　　



Of　Repentance　they　teach　that　for　those　who　have　fallen　after　Baptism　

there　is　remission　of　sins　whenever　they　are　converted　　and　that　

the　Church　ought　to　impart　absolution　to　those　thus　returning　to　

repentance。　Now；　repentance　consists　properly　of　these　two　parts：　

One　is　contrition；　that　is；　terrors　smiting　the　conscience　through　

the　knowledge　of　sin；　the　other　is　faith；　which　is　born　of　the　

Gospel；　or　of　absolution；　and　believes　that　for　Christ's　sake；　

sins　are　forgiven；　comforts　the　conscience；　and　delivers　it　from　

terrors。　Then　good　works　are　bound　to　follow；　which　are　the　fruits

of　repentance。　　



They　condemn　the　Anabaptists；　who　deny　that　those　once　justified

can　lose　the　Holy　Ghost。　Also　those　who　contend　that　some　may

attain　to　such　perfection　in　this　life　that　they　cannot　sin。　　



The　Novatians　also　are　condemned；　who　would　not　absolve　such　as　had　

fallen　after　Baptism；　though　they　returned　to　repentance。　　



They　also　are　rejected　who　do　not　teach　that　remission　of　sins　comes　

through　fa