Especially when in the first article they confess the unity of the
divine essence in three persons according to the decree of the Council
of Nice, their Confession must be accepted, since it agrees in all
respects with the rule of faith and the Roman Church. For the Council of
Nice, convened under the Emperor Constantine the Great, has always been
regarded inviolable, whereat three hundred and eighteen bishops eminent
and venerable for holiness of life, martyrdom and learning, after
investigating and diligently examining the Holy Scriptures, set forth
this article which they here confess concerning the unity of the essence
and the trinity of persons. So too their condemnation of all heresies
arising contrary to this article must be accepted--viz. the Manichaeans,
Arians, Eunomians, Valentinians, Samosatanes, for the Holy Catholic
Church has condemned these of old.
To Article II.
In the second article we approve their Confession, in common with the
Catholic Church, that the fault of origin is truly sin, condemning and
bringing eternal death upon those who are not born again by baptism and
the Holy Ghost. For in this they properly condemn the Pelagians, both
modern and ancient, who have been long since condemned by the Church.
But the declaration of the article, that Original Sin is that men are
born without the fear of God and without trust in God, is to be entirely
rejected, since it is manifest to every Christian that to be without the
fear of God and without trust in God is rather the actual guilt of an
adult than the offence of a recently-born infant, which does not possess
as yet the full use of reason, as the Lord says "Your children which
had no knowledge between good and evil," Deut 1:39. Moreover, the
declaration is also rejected whereby they call the fault of origin
concupiscence, if they mean thereby that concupiscence is a sin that
remains sin in a child even after baptism. For the Apostolic See has
already condemned two articles of Martin Luther concerning sin remaining
in a child after baptism, and concerning the fomes of sin hindering
a soul from entering the kingdom of heaven. But if, according to the
opinion of St Augustine, they call the vice of origin concupiscence,
which in baptism ceases to be sin, this ought to be accepted, since
indeed according to the declaration of St. Paul, we are all born
children of wrath (Eph. 2:3), and in Adam we all have sinned (Rom.5:12).
To Article III.
In the third article there is nothing to offend, since the entire
Confession agrees with the Apostles' Creed and the right rule of
faith--viz. the Son of God became incarnate, assumed human nature into
the unity of his person, was born of the Virgin Mary, truly suffered
was crucified, died, descended to hell, rose again on the third day,
ascended to heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Father.
To Article IV
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account