the augsburg confession-第4章

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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　decree　concerning　this　matter；　was　almost　

killed　in　the　tumult　raised　by　the　enraged　priests。　And　so　

harsh　was　the　dealing　in　the　matter　that　not　only　were　

marriages　forbidden　for　the　future；　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　Synods。　＇Moreover；　many　

God…fearing　and　intelligent　people　in　high　station　are　known　

frequently　to　have　expressed　misgivings　that　such　enforced　

celibacy　and　depriving　men　of　marriage　（which　God　Himself　has　

instituted　and　left　free　to　men）　has　never　produced　any　good　

results；　but　has　brought　on　many　great　and　evil　vices　and　much　

iniquity。＇　　



Seeing　also　that；　as　the　world　is　aging；　man's　nature　is　

gradually　growing　weaker；　it　is　well　to　guard　that　no　more　

vices　steal　into　Germany。　　



Furthermore；　God　ordained　marriage　to　be　a　help　against　human　

infirmity。　The　Canons　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　wished　were　done　also　

in　this　matter。　And　it　is　to　be　expected　that　the　churches　

shall　at　some　time　lack　pastors　if　marriage　is　any　longer　

forbidden。　　



But　while　the　commandment　of　God　is　in　force；　while　the　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　marvelous　thing　

that　in　nothing　is　more　cruelty　exercised　than　against　the　

marriage　of　priests。　God　has　given　commandment　to　honor　

marriage。　By　the　laws　of　all　well…ordered　commonwealths；　even　

among　the　heathen；　marriage　is　most　highly　honored。　But　now　

men；　and　that；　priests；　are　cruelly　put　to　death；　contrary　to　

the　intent　of　the　Canons；　for　no　other　cause　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　such　penalties。　　



But　as　no　law　of　man　can　annul　the　commandment　of　God；　so　

neither　can　it　be　done　by　any　vow。　Accordingly；　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；　they　should　certainly　give　no　offense　to　their　brethren　

and　sisters。　　



And　even　the　Canons　show　some　leniency　toward　those　who　have　

taken　vows　before　the　proper　age；　as　heretofore　has　generally　

been　the　ease。　　





Article　XXIV：　　　Of　the　Mass。　　



Falsely　are　our　churches　accused　of　abolishing　the　Mass；　for　

the　Mass　is　retained　among　us；　and　celebrated　with　the　highest　

reverence。　Nearly　all　the　usual　ceremonies　are　also　preserved；　

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　alone　that　the　

unlearned　be　taught　＇what　they　need　to　know　of　Christ＇。　And　

not　only　has　Paul　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　together；　if　any　be　fit　for　it；　and　this　also　

increases　the　reverence　and　devotion　of　public　worship。　For　

none　are　admitted　except　they　be　first　examined。　The　people　

are　also　advised　concerning　the　dignity　and　use　of　the　

Sacrament；　how　great　consolation　it　brings　anxious　

consciences；　that　they　may　learn　to　believe　God；　and　to　expect　

and　ask　of　Him　all　that　is　good。　＇In　this　connection　they　are　

also　instructed　regarding　other　and　false　teachings　on　the　

Sacrament。＇　This　worship　pleases　God；　such　use　of　the　

Sacrament　nourishes　true　devotion　toward　God。　It　does　not；　

therefore；　appear　that　the　Mass　is　more　devoutly　celebrated　

among　our　adversaries　than　among　us。　　



But　it　is　evident　that　for　a　long　time　this　also　has　been　the　

public　and　most　grievous　complaint　of　all　good　men　that　Masses　

have　been　basely　profaned　and　applied　to　purposes　of　lucre。　

For　it　is　not　unknown　how　far　this　abuse　obtains　in　all　the　

churches　by　what　manner　of　men　Masses　are　said　only　for　fees　

or　stipends；　and　how　many　celebrate　them　contrary　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　admonished　concerning　this　sin；　

Private　Masses　were　discontinued　among　us；　as　scarcely　any　

Private　Masses　were　celebrated　except　for　lucre's　sake。　　



Neither　were　the　bishops　ignorant　of　these　abuses；　and　if　they　

had　corrected　them　in　time；　there　would　now　be　less　

dissension。　Heretofore；　by　their　own　connivance；　they　suffered　

many　corruptions　to　creep　into　the　Church。　Now；　when　it　is　too　

late；　they　begin　to　complain　of　the　troubles　of　the　Church；　

while　this　disturbance　has　been　occasioned　simply　by　those　

abuses　which　were　so　manifest　that　they　could　be　borne　no　

longer。　There　have　been　great　dissensions　concerning　the　Mass；　

concerning　the　Sacrament。　Perhaps　the　world　is　being　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　correct　them。　For　

in　the　Ten　Commandments　it　is　written；　Ex。　20；　7：　The　Lord　

will　not　hold　him　guiltless　that　taketh　His　name　in　vain。　But　

since　the　world　began；　nothing　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　

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　Mass　takes　

away　the　sins　of　the　living　and　the　dead　by　the　outward　act。　

Then　they　began　to　dispute　whether　one　Mass　said　for　many　were　

worth　as　much　as　special　Masses　for　individuals；　and　this　

brought　forth　that　infinite　multitude　of　Masses。　＇With　this　

work　men　wished　to　obtain　from　God　all　that　they　needed；　and　

in　the　mean　time　faith　in　Christ　and　the　true　worship　were　

forgotten。＇　　



Concerning　these　opinions　our　teachers　have　given　warning　that　

they　depart　from　the　Holy　Scriptures　and　diminish　the　glory　of　

the　passion　of　Christ。　For　Christ's　passion　was　an　oblation　

and　satisfaction；　not　for　original　guilt　only；　but　also　for　

all　other　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　hath　perfected　forever　

them　that　are　sanctified。　＇It　is　an　unheard…of　innovation　in　

the　Church　to　teach　that　Christ　by　His　death　made　satisfaction　

only　for　original　sin　and　not　likewise　for　all　other　sin。　

Accordingly　it　is　hoped　that　everybody　will　understand　that　

this　error　has　not　been　reproved　without　due　reason。＇　　



Scripture　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　the　dead　by　the　outward　act　justification　

comes　of　the　work　of　Masses；　and　not　of　faith；　which　Scripture　

does　not　allow。　　



But　Christ　commands　us；　Luke　22；　19：　This　do　in　remembrance　of　

Me；　therefore　the　Mass　was　instituted　that　the　faith　of　those　

who　use　the　Sacrament　should　remember　what　benefits　it　

receives　through　Christ；　and　cheer　and　comfort　the　anxious