The Apology of the Augsburg ConfessionMelanchthon, Philipp
Religion
The Apology of the Augsburg Confession
Melanchthon, Philipp
Lutheran Church -- Catechisms
easily judge that the apostles wished to free the people from the
foolish opinion of a fixed time, when they prohibit them from being
troubled, even though a mistake should be made in the computation.
Some, moreover in the East, who were called, from the author of the
dogma, Audians, contended, on account of this decree of the apostles,
that the Passover should be observed with the Jews. Epiphanius, in
refuting them, praises the decree and says that it contains nothing
which deviates from the faith or rule of the Church, and blames the
Audians because they do not understand aright the expression, and
interprets it in the sense in which we interpret it because the
apostles did not consider it of any importance at what time the
Passover should be observed, but because prominent brethren had been
converted from the Jews who observed their custom, and, for the sake
of harmony, wished the rest to follow their example And the apostles
wisely admonished the reader neither to remove the liberty of the
Gospel, nor to impose necessity upon consciences, because they add
that they should not be troubled even though there should be an error
in making the computation.
Many things of this class can be gathered from the histories, in
which it appears that a want of uniformity in human observances does
not injure the unity of faith [separate no one from the universal
Christian Church]. Although, what need is there of discussion? The
adversaries do not at all understand what the righteousness of faith
is, what the kingdom of Christ is, when they judge that uniformity of
observances in food, days, clothing, and the like, which do not have
the command of God, is necessary. But look at the religious men, our
adversaries. For the unity of the Church they require uniform human
observances, although they themselves have changed the ordinance of
Christ in the use of the Supper, which certainly was a universal
ordinance before. But if universal ordinances are so necessary, why
do they themselves change the ordinance of Christ's Supper, which is
not human, but divine? But concerning this entire controversy we
shall have to speak at different times below.
The entire Eighth Article has been approved, in which we confess that
hypocrites and wicked persons have been mingled with the Church, and
that the Sacraments are efficacious even though dispensed by wicked
ministers, because the ministers act in the place of Christ, and do
not represent their own persons, according to Luke 10, 16: He that
heareth you heareth Me. Impious teachers are to be deserted [are not
to be received or heard], because these do not act any longer in the
place of Christ, but are antichrists. And Christ says Matt. 7, 15:
Beware of false prophets. And Paul, Gal. 1, 9: If any man preach any
other gospel unto you, let him be accursed.
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