the augsburg confession-第4部分

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seen；　there　is　nothing　that　varies　from　the　Scriptures；　or　

from　the　Church　Catholic；　or　from　the　Church　of　Rome　as　known　

from　its　writers。　This　being　the　case；　they　judge　harshly　who　

insist　that　our　teachers　be　regarded　as　heretics。　There　is；　

however；　disagreement　on　certain　Abuses；　which　have　crept　into　

the　Church　without　rightful　authority。　And　even　in　these；　if　

there　were　some　difference；　there　should　be　proper　lenity　on　

the　part　of　bishops　to　bear　with　us　by　reason　of　the　

Confession　which　we　have　now　reviewed；　because　even　the　Canons　

are　not　so　severe　as　to　demand　the　same　rites　everywhere；　

neither；　at　any　time；　have　the　rites　of　all　churches　been　the　

same；　although；　among　us；　in　large　part；　the　ancient　rites　are　

diligently　observed。　For　it　is　a　false　and　malicious　charge　

that　all　the　ceremonies；　all　the　things　instituted　of　old；　are　

abolished　in　our　churches。　But　it　has　been　a　common　complaint　

that　some　abuses　were　connected　with　the　ordinary　rites。　

These；　inasmuch　as　they　could　not　be　approved　with　a　good　

conscience；　have　been　to　some　extent　corrected。　



ARTICLES　IN　WHICH　ARE　REVIEWED　

THE　ABUSES　WHICH　HAVE　BEEN　

CORRECTED。　



Inasmuch；　then；　as　our　churches　dissent　in　no　article　of　the　

faith　from　the　Church　Catholic；　but　only　omit　some　abuses　

which　are　new；　and　which　have　been　erroneously　accepted　by　the　

corruption　of　the　times；　contrary　to　the　intent　of　the　Canons；　

we　pray　that　Your　Imperial　Majesty　would　graciously　hear　both　

what　has　been　changed；　and　what　were　the　reasons　why　the　

people　were　not　compelled　to　observe　those　abuses　against　

their　conscience。　Nor　should　Your　Imperial　Majesty　believe　

those　who；　in　order　to　excite　the　hatred　of　men　against　our　

part；　disseminate　strange　slanders　among　the　people。　Having　

thus　excited　the　minds　of　good　men；　they　have　first　given　

occasion　to　this　controversy；　and　now　endeavor；　by　the　same　

arts；　to　increase　the　discord。　For　Your　Imperial　Majesty　will　

undoubtedly　find　that　the　form　of　doctrine　and　of　ceremonies　

with　us　is　not　so　intolerable　as　these　ungodly　and　malicious　

men　represent。　Besides；　the　truth　cannot　be　gathered　from　

common　rumors　or　the　revilings　of　enemies。　But　it　can　readily　

be　judged　that　nothing　would　serve　better　to　maintain　the　

dignity　of　ceremonies；　and　to　nourish　reverence　and　pious　

devotion　among　the　people　than　if　the　ceremonies　were　observed　

rightly　in　the　churches。　　





Article　XXII：　Of　Both　Kinds　in　the　Sacrament。　



To　the　laity　are　given　Both　Kinds　in　the　Sacrament　of　the　

Lord's　Supper；　because　this　usage　has　the　commandment　of　the　　

Lord　in　Matt。　26；　27：　Drink　ye　all　of　it；　where　Christ　has　

manifestly　commanded　concerning　the　cup　that　all　should　drink。　　



And　lest　any　man　should　craftily　say　that　this　refers　only　to　

priests；　Paul　in　1　Cor。　11；27　recites　an　example　from　which　it　

appears　that　the　whole　congregation　did　use　both　kinds。　And　

this　usage　has　long　remained　in　the　Church；　nor　is　it　known　

when；　or　by　whose　authority；　it　was　changed；　although　Cardinal　

Cusanus　mentions　the　time　when　it　was　approved。　Cyprian　in　

some　places　testifies　that　the　blood　was　given　to　the　people。　

The　same　is　testified　by　Jerome；　who　says：　The　priests　

administer　the　Eucharist；　and　distribute　the　blood　of　Christ　

to　the　people。　Indeed；　Pope　Gelasius　commands　that　the　

Sacrament　be　not　divided　（dist。　II。；　De　Consecratione；　cap。　

Comperimus）。　Only　custom；　not　so　ancient；　has　it　otherwise。　

But　it　is　evident　that　any　custom　introduced　against　the　

commandments　of　God　is　not　to　be　allowed；　as　the　Canons　

witness　（dist。　III。；　cap。　Veritate；　and　the　following　

chapters）。　But　this　custom　has　been　received；　not　only　against　

the　Scripture；　but　also　against　the　old　Canons　and　the　example　

of　the　Church。　Therefore；　if　any　preferred　to　use　both　kinds　

of　the　Sacrament；　they　ought　not　to　have　been　compelled　with　

offense　to　their　consciences　to　do　otherwise。　And　because　the　

division　of　the　Sacrament　does　not　agree　with　the　ordinance　of　

Christ；　we　are　accustomed　to　omit　the　procession；　which　

hitherto　has　been　in　use。　　







Article　XXIII：　Of　the　Marriage　of　Priests。　



There　has　been　common　complaint　concerning　the　examples　of　

priests　who　were　not　chaste。　For　that　reason　also　Pope　Pius　is　

reported　to　have　said　that　there　were　certain　causes　why　

marriage　was　taken　away　from　priests；　but　that　there　were　far　

weightier　ones　why　it　ought　to　be　given　back；　for　so　Platina　

writes。　Since；　therefore；　our　priests　were　desirous　to　avoid　

these　open　scandals；　they　married　wives；　and　taught　that　it　

was　lawful　for　them　to　contract　matrimony。　First；　because　Paul　

says；　1　Cor。　7；　2。　9：　To　avoid　fornication；　let　every　man　have　

his　own　wife。　Also：　It　is　better　to　marry　than　to　burn。　

Secondly　Christ　says；　Matt。　19；11：　All　men　cannot　receive　this　

saying；　where　He　teaches　that　not　all　men　are　fit　to　lead　a　

single　life；　for　God　created　man　for　procreation；　Gen。　1；　28。　

Nor　is　it　in　man's　power；　without　a　singular　gift　and　work　of　

God；　to　alter　this　creation。　＇For　it　is　manifest；　and　many　

have　confessed　that　no　good；　honest；　chaste　life；　no　

Christian；　sincere；　upright　conduct　has　resulted　（from　the　

attempt）；　but　a　horrible；　fearful　unrest　and　torment　of　

conscience　has　been　felt　by　many　until　the　end。＇　Therefore；　

those　who　are　not　fit　to　lead　a　single　life　ought　to　contract　

matrimony。　For　no　man's　law；　no　vow；　can　annul　the　commandment　

and　ordinance　of　God。　For　these　reasons　the　priests　teach　that　

it　is　lawful　for　them　to　marry　wives。　　



It　is　also　evident　that　in　the　ancient　Church　priests　were　

married　men。　For　Paul　says；　1　Tim。　3；　2；　that　a　bishop　should　

be　chosen　who　is　the　husband　of　one　wife。　And　in　Germany；　four　

hundred　years　ago　for　the　first　time；　the　priests　were　

violently　compelled　to　lead　a　single　life；　who　indeed　offered　

such　resistance　that　the　Archbishop　of　Mayence；　when　about　to　

publish　the　Pope's　decree　concerning　this　matter；　was　almost　

killed　in　the　tumult　raised　by　the　enraged　priests。　And　so　

harsh　was　the　dealing　in　the　matter　that　not　only　were　

marriages　forbidden　for　the　future；　but　also　existing　

marriages　were　torn　asunder；　contrary　to　all　laws；　divine　and　

human；　contrary　even　to　the　Canons　themselves；　made　not　only　

by　the　Popes；　but　by　most　celebrated　Synods。　＇Moreover；　many　

God…fearing　and　intelligent　people　in　high　station　are　known　

frequently　to　have　expressed　misgivings　that　such　enforced　

celibacy　and　depriving　men　of　marriage　（which　God　Himself　has　

instituted　and　left　free　to　men）　has　never　produced　any　good　

results；　but　has　brought　on　many　great　and　evil　vices　and　much　

iniquity。＇　　



Seeing　also　that；　as　the　world　is　aging；　man's　nature　is　

gradually　growing　weaker；　it　is　well　to　guard　that　no　more　

vices　steal　into　Germany。　　



Furthermore；　God　ordained　marriage　to　be　a　help　against　human　

infirmity。　The　Canons　themselves　say　that　the　old　rigor　ought　

now　and　then；　in　the　latter　times；　to　be　relaxed　because　of　

the　weakness　of　men；　which　it　is　to　be　wished　were　done　also　

in　this　matter。　And　it　is　to　be　expected　that　the　churches　

shall　at　some　time　lack　pastors　if　marriage　is　any　longer　

forbidden。　　



But　while　the　commandment　of　God　is　in　force；　while　the　custom　

of　the　Church　is　well　known；　while　impure　celibacy　causes　many　

scandals；　adulteries；　and　other　crimes　deserving　the　

punishments　of　just　magistrates；　yet　it　is　a　marvelous　thing　

that　in　nothing　is　more　cruelty　exercised　than　against　the　

marriage　of　priests。　God　has　given　commandment　to　honor　

marriage。　By　the　laws　of　all　well…ordered　commonwealths；　even　

among　the　heathen；　marriage　is　most　highly　honored。　But　now　

men；　and　that；　priests；　are　cruelly　put　to　death；　contrary　to　

the　intent　of　the　Canons；　for　no　other　cause　than　marriage。　

Paul；　in　1　Tim。　4；3；　calls　that　a　doctrine　of　devils　which　

forbids　marriage。　This　may　now　be　readily　understood　when　the　

law　against　marriage　is　maintained　by　such　penalties。　　



But　as　no　law　of　man　can　annul　the　commandment　of　God；　so　

neither　can　it　be　done　by　any　vow。　Accordingly；　Cyprian　also　

advises　that　women　who　do　not　keep　the　chastity　they　have　

promised　should　marry。　His　words　are　these　（Book　I；　Epistle　XI　

）：　But　if　they　be　unwilling　or　unable　to　persevere；　it　is　

better　for　them　to　marry　than　to　fall　into　the　fire　by　their　

lusts；　they　should　certainly　give　no　offense　to　their　brethren　

and　sisters。　　



And　even　the　Canons　show　some　leniency　toward　those　who　have　

taken　vows　before　the　proper　age；　as　heretofore　has　generally　

been　the　ease。　　





Article　XXIV：　　　Of　the　Mass。　　



Falsely　are　our　churches　accused　of　abolishing　the　Mass；　for　

the　Mass　is　retained　among　us；　and　celebrated　with　the　highest　

reverence。　Nearly　all　the　usual　ceremonies　are　also　preserved；　

save　that　the　parts　sung　in　Latin　are　interspersed　here　and　

there　with　German　hymns；　which　have　been　added　to　teach　the　

people。　For　ceremonies　are　needed　to　this　end　alone　that　the　

unlearned　be　taught　＇what　they　need　to　know　of　Christ＇。　And　

not　only　has　Paul　commanded　to　use　in　the　church　a　language　

understood　by　the　people　1　Cor。　14；2。　9；　but　it　has　also　been　

so　ordained　by　man's　law。　The　people　are　accustomed　to　partake　

of　the　Sacrament　together；　if　any　be　fit　for　it；　and　this　also　

increases　the　reverence　and　devotion　of　public　worship。　For　

none　are　admitted　except　they　be　first　examined。　The　people　

are　also　advised　concerning　the　dignity　and　use　of　the　

Sacrament；　how　great　consolation　it　brings　anxious　

consciences；　that　they　may　learn　to　believe　God；　and　to　expect　

and　ask　of　Him　all　that　is　good。　＇In　this　connection　they　are　

also　instructed　regarding　other　and　false　teachings　on　the　

Sacrament。＇　This　worship　pleases　God；　such　use　of　the　

Sacrament　nourishes　true　devotion　toward　God。　It　d