The Apology of the Augsburg ConfessionMelanchthon, Philipp
Religion
The Apology of the Augsburg Confession
Melanchthon, Philipp
Lutheran Church -- Catechisms
name of Christ, i.e., for Christ's sake, and not for the sake of any
merits and works of our own. And this occurs when we believe that
sins are remitted to us for Christ's sake.
Our adversaries cry out that they are the Church, that they are
following the consensus of the Church [what the Church catholic
universal, holds]. But Peter also here cites in our issue the
consensus of the Church: To Him give all the prophets witness, that
through His name, whosoever believeth in Him, shall receive remission
of sins, etc. The consensus of the prophets is assuredly to be judged
as the consensus of the Church universal. [I verily think that if
all the holy prophets are unanimously agreed in a declaration ( since
God regards even a single prophet as an inestimable treasure), it
would also be a decree, a declaration, and a unanimous strong
conclusion of the universal, catholic, Christian, holy Church, and
would be justly regarded as such.] We concede neither to the Pope nor
to the Church the power to make decrees against this consensus of the
prophets. But the bull of Leo openly condemns this article, Of the
Remission of Sins and the adversaries condemn it in the Confutation.
From which it is apparent what sort of a Church we must judge that of
these men to be, who not only by their decrees censure the doctrine
that we obtain the remission of sins by faith, not on account of our
works, but on account of Christ, but who also give the command by
force and the sword to abolish it, and by every kind of cruelty [like
bloodhounds] to put to death good men who thus believe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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