The Apology of the Augsburg ConfessionMelanchthon, Philipp
Religion
The Apology of the Augsburg Confession
Melanchthon, Philipp
Lutheran Church -- Catechisms
But as the Confutation condemns us for having assigned these two
parts to repentance, we must show that [not we, but] Scripture
expresses these as the chief parts in repentance or conversion. For
Christ says Matt. 11, 28: Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Here there are two members.
The labor and the burden signify the contrition, anxiety, and terrors
of sin and of death. To come to Christ is to believe that sins are
remitted for Christ's sake, when we believe, our hearts are quickened
by the Holy Ghost through the Word of Christ. Here, therefore, there
are these two chief parts, contrition and faith. And in Mark 1, 15
Christ says: Repent ye and believe the Gospel, where in the first
member He convicts of sins, in the latter He consoles us, and shows
the remission of sins. For to believe the Gospel is not that general
faith which devils also have [is not only to believe the history of
the Gospel], but in the proper sense it is to believe that the
remission of sins has been granted for Christ's sake. For this is
revealed in the Gospel. You see also here that the two parts are
joined, contrition when sins are reproved and faith, when it is said:
Believe the Gospel. If any one should say here that Christ includes
also the fruits of repentance or the entire new life, we shall not
dissent. For this suffices us, that contrition and faith are named
as the chief parts.
Paul almost everywhere, when he describes conversion or renewal,
designates these two parts, mortification and quickening, as in Col.
2, 11: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made
without hands, namely, by putting off the body of the sins of the
flesh. And afterward, v. 12: Wherein also ye are risen with Him
through the faith of the operation of God. Here are two parts. [Of
these two parts he speaks plainly Rom. 6, 2. 4. 11, that we are dead
to sin, which takes place by contrition and its terrors, and that we
should rise again with Christ, which takes place when by faith we
again obtain consolation and life. And since faith is to bring
consolation and peace into the conscience, according to Rom. 5, 1:
Being justified by faith, we have peace, it follows that there is
first terror and anxiety in the conscience. Thus contrition and
faith go side by side.] One is putting off the body of sins; the
other is the rising again through faith. Neither ought these words,
mortification, quickening, putting off the body of sins, rising again,
to be understood in a Platonic way, concerning a feigned change; but
mortification signifies true terrors, such as those of the dying,
which nature could not sustain unless it were supported by faith. So
he names that as the putting off of the body of sins which we
ordinarily call contrition, because in these griefs the natural
concupiscence is purged away. And quickening ought not to be
understood as a Platonic fancy, but as consolation which truly
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account