the augsburg confession-第7章

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Christ。　　



Nor　can　it　be　denied；　indeed；　that　the　monks　have　taught　that；　

by　their　vows　and　observances；　they　were　justified；　and　

merited　forgiveness　of　sins；　yea；　they　invented　still　greater　

absurdities；　saying　that　they　could　give　others　a　share　in　

their　works。　If　any　one　should　be　inclined　to　enlarge　on　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　man's　making　

were　a　state　of　Christian　perfection。　And　is　not　this　

assigning　justification　to　works？　It　is　no　light　offense　in　

the　Church　to　set　forth　to　the　people　a　service　devised　by　

men；　without　the　commandment　of　God；　and　to　teach　that　such　

service　justifies　men。　For　the　righteousness　of　faith；　which　

chiefly　ought　to　be　taught　in　the　Church；　is　obscured　when　

these　wonderful　angelic　forms　of　worship；　with　their　show　of　

poverty；　humility；　and　celibacy；　are　east　before　the　eyes　of　

men。　



Furthermore；　the　precepts　of　God　and　the　true　service　of　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；　and　yet　to　conceive　great　faith；　and　to　trust　that　for　

Christ's　sake　we　have　a　God　who　has　been　reconciled；　to　ask　of　

God；　and　assuredly　to　expect　His　aid　in　all　things　that；　

according　to　our　calling；　are　to　be　done；　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　

of　God。　It　does　not　consist　in　celibacy；　or　in　begging；　or　in　

vile　apparel。　But　the　people　conceive　many　pernicious　opinions　

from　the　false　commendations　of　monastic　life。　They　hear　

celibacy　praised　above　measure；　therefore　they　lead　their　

married　life　with　offense　to　their　consciences。　They　hear　that　

only　beggars　are　perfect；　therefore　they　keep　their　

possessions　and　do　business　with　offense　to　their　consciences。　

They　hear　that　it　is　an　evangelical　counsel　not　to　seek　

revenge；　therefore　some　in　private　life　are　not　afraid　to　take　

revenge；　for　they　hear　that　it　is　but　a　counsel；　and　not　a　

commandment。　Others　judge　that　the　Christian　cannot　properly　

hold　a　civil　office　or　be　a　magistrate。　　



There　are　on　record　examples　of　men　who；　forsaking　marriage　

and　the　administration　of　the　Commonwealth；　have　hid　

themselves　in　monasteries。　This　they　called　fleeing　from　the　

world；　and　seeking　a　kind　of　life　which　would　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　perfect　kind　of　life　

is　that　which　has　for　it　the　commandment　of　God。　It　is　

necessary　to　admonish　men　of　these　things。　　



And　before　these　times；　Gerson　rebukes　this　error　of　the　monks　

concerning　perfection；　and　testifies　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；　namely；　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　XXVIII：　Of　Ecclesiastical　Power。　



There　has　been　great　controversy　concerning　the　Power　of　

Bishops；　in　which　some　have　awkwardly　confounded　the　power　of　

the　Church　and　the　power　of　the　sword。　And　from　this　confusion　

very　great　wars　and　tumults　have　resulted；　while　the　Pontiffs；　

emboldened　by　the　power　of　the　Keys；　not　only　have　instituted　

new　services　and　burdened　consciences　with　reservation　of　

cases　and　ruthless　excommunications；　but　have　also　undertaken　

to　transfer　the　kingdoms　of　this　world；　and　to　take　the　Empire　

from　the　Emperor。　These　wrongs　have　long　since　been　rebuked　in　

the　Church　by　learned　and　godly　men。　Therefore　our　teachers；　

for　the　comforting　of　men's　consciences；　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　

the　chief　blessings　of　God　on　earth。　　



But　this　is　their　opinion；　that　the　power　of　the　Keys；　or　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　this　commandment　

Christ　sends　forth　His　Apostles；　John　20；　21　sqq。：　As　My　

Father　hath　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　every　creature。　　



This　power　is　exercised　only　by　teaching　or　preaching　the　

Gospel　and　administering　the　Sacraments；　according　to　their　

calling　either　to　many　or　to　individuals。　For　thereby　are　

granted；　not　bodily；　but　eternal　things；　as　eternal　

righteousness；　the　Holy　Ghost；　eternal　life。　These　things　

cannot　come　but　by　the　ministry　of　the　Word　and　the　

Sacraments；　as　Paul　says；　Rom。　1；　16：　The　Gospel　is　the　power　

of　God　unto　salvation　to　every　one　that　believeth。　Therefore；　

since　the　power　of　the　Church　grants　eternal　things；　and　is　

exercised　only　by　the　ministry　of　the　Word；　it　does　not　

interfere　with　civil　government；　no　more　than　the　art　of　

singing　interferes　with　civil　government。　For　civil　government　

deals　with　other　things　than　does　the　Gospel。　The　civil　rulers　

defend　not　minds；　but　bodies　and　bodily　things　against　

manifest　injuries；　and　restrain　men　with　the　sword　and　bodily　

punishments　in　order　to　preserve　civil　justice　and　peace。　　



Therefore　the　power　of　the　Church　and　the　civil　power　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　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　

concerning　the　form　of　the　Commonwealth。　As　Christ　says；　John　

18；　33：　My　kingdom　is　not　of　this　world；　also　Luke　12；　14：　Who　

made　Me　a　judge　or　a　divider　over　you？　Paul　also　says；　Phil。　　

3；　20：　Our　citizenship　is　in　heaven；　2　Cor。　10；　4：　The　weapons　

of　our　warfare　are　not　carnal；　but　mighty　through　God　to　the　

casting　down　of　imaginations。　　



After　this　manner　our　teachers　discriminate　between　the　duties　

of　both　these　powers；　and　command　that　both　be　honored　and　

acknowledged　as　gifts　and　blessings　of　God。　

If　bishops　have　any　power　of　the　sword；　that　power　they　have；　

not　as　bishops；　by　the　commission　of　the　Gospel；　but　by　human　

law　having　received　it　of　kings　and　emperors　for　the　civil　

administration　of　what　is　theirs。　This；　however；　is　another　

office　than　the　ministry　of　the　Gospel。　　



When；　therefore；　the　question　is　concerning　the　jurisdiction　

of　bishops；　civil　authority　must　be　distinguished　from　

ecclesiastical　jurisdiction。　Again；　according　to　the　Gospel　

or；　as　they　say；　by　divine　right；　there　belongs　to　the　bishops　

as　bishops；　that　is；　to　those　to　whom　has　been　committed　the　

ministry　of　the　Word　and　the　Sacraments；　no　jurisdiction　

except　to　forgive　sins；　to　judge　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　of　necessity　and　by　divine　right　must　obey　them；　

according　to　Luke　10；　16：　He　that　heareth　you　heareth　Me。　But　

when　they　teach　or　ordain　anything　against　the　Gospel；　then　

the　congregations　have　a　commandment　of　God　prohibiting　

obedience；　Matt。　7；　15：　Beware　of　false　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　truth。　Also：　The　power　which　the　Lord　hath　

given　me　to　edification；　and　not　to　destruction。　So；　also；　the　

Canonical　Laws　command　（II。　Q。　VII。　Cap。；　Sacerdotes；　and　Cap。　

Oves）。　And　Augustine　（Contra　Petiliani　Epistolam）：　Neither　

must　we　submit　to　Catholic　bishops　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　and　

judging　certain　cases；　as　of　matrimony　or　of　tithes；　etc。；　

they　have　it　by　human　right；　in　which　matters　princes　are　

bound；　even　against　their　will；　when　the　ordinaries　fail；　to　

dispense　justice　to　their　subjects　for　the　maintenance　of　

peace。　　



Moreover；　it　is　disputed　whether　bishops　or　pastors　have　the　

right　to　introduce　ceremonies　in　the　Church；　and　to　make　laws　

concerning　meats；　holy…days　and　grades；　that　is；　orders　of　

ministers；　etc。　They　that　give　this　right　to　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　example　of　the　Apostles；　who　

commanded　to　abstain　from　blood　and　from　things　strangled；　

Acts　15；　29。　They　refer　to　the　Sabbath…day　as　having　been　

changed　into　the　Lord's　Day；　contrary　to　the　Decalog；　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　has　

been　shown　above）　that　bishops　have　no　power　to　decree　

anything　against　the　Gospel。　The　Canonical　Laws　teach　the　same　

thing　（Dist。　IX）　。　Now；　it　is　against　Scripture　to　establish　

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　merit　

suffers　injury　when；　by　such　observances；　we　undertake　to　

merit　justification。　But　it　is　manifest　that；　by　such　belief；　

traditions　have　almost　infinitely　multiplied　in　the　Church；　

the　doctrine　concerning　faith　and　the　righteousness　of　faith　

being　meanwhile　suppressed。　For　gradually　more　holy…days　were　

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　times　

past　the　Penitential　Canons　increased；　whereof　we　still　see　

some　traces　in　the　satisfactions。　　



Again；　the　authors　of　traditions　do　contrary　to　the　command　of　

God　when　they　find　matters　of　sin　in　foods；　in　days；　and　like　

things；　an