the augsburg confession-第7部分

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pastors；　and　such　like；　who　serve　their　calling　in　accordance　

with　God's　commands；　without　any　man…made　services。　None　of　

these　things　can　be　denied；　for　they　appear　in　their　own　

books。　＇Moreover；　a　person　who　has　been　thus　ensnared　and　has　

entered　a　monastery　learns　little　of　Christ。＇　　



What；　then；　came　to　pass　in　the　monasteries？　Aforetime　they　

were　schools　of　theology　and　other　branches；　profitable　to　the　

Church；　and　thence　pastors　and　bishops　were　obtained。　Now　it　

is　another　thing。　It　is　needless　to　rehearse　what　is　known　to　

all。　Aforetime　they　came　together　to　learn；　now　they　feign　

that　it　is　a　kind　of　life　instituted　to　merit　grace　and　

righteousness；　yea；　they　preach　that　it　is　a　state　of　

perfection；　and　they　put　it　far　above　all　other　kinds　of　life　

ordained　of　God。　These　things　we　have　rehearsed　without　odious　

exaggeration；　to　the　end　that　the　doctrine　of　our　teachers　on　

this　point　might　be　better　understood。　　



First；　concerning　such　as　contract　matrimony；　they　teach　on　

our　part　that　it　is　lawful　for　all　men　who　are　not　fitted　for　

single　life　to　contract　matrimony；　because　vows　cannot　annul　

the　ordinance　and　commandment　of　God。　But　the　commandment　of　

God　is　1　Cor。　7；　2：　To　avoid　fornication；　let　every　man　have　

his　own　wife。　Nor　is　it　the　commandment　only；　but　also　the　

creation　and　ordinance　of　God；　which　forces　those　to　marry　who　

are　not　excepted　by　a　singular　work　of　God；　according　to　the　

text　Gen。　2；　18：　It　is　not　good　that　the　man　should　be　alone。　

Therefore　they　do　not　sin　who　obey　this　commandment　and　

ordinance　of　God。　　



What　objection　can　be　raised　to　this？　Let　men　extol　the　

obligation　of　a　vow　as　much　as　they　list；　yet　shall　they　not　

bring　to　pass　that　the　vow　annuls　the　commandment　of　God。　The　

Canons　teach　that　the　right　of　the　superior　is　excepted　in　

every　vow；　＇that　vows　are　not　binding　against　the　decision　of　

the　Pope；＇　much　less；　therefore；　are　these　vows　of　force　which　

are　against　the　commandments　of　God。　　



Now；　if　the　obligation　of　vows　could　not　be　changed　for　any　

cause　whatever；　the　Roman　Pontiffs　could　never　have　given　

dispensation　for　it　is　not　lawful　for　man　to　annul　an　

obligation　which　is　simply　divine。　But　the　Roman　Pontiffs　have　

prudently　judged　that　leniency　is　to　be　observed　in　this　

obligation；　and　therefore　we　read　that　many　times　they　have　

dispensed　from　vows。　The　case　of　the　King　of　Aragon　who　was　

called　back　from　the　monastery　is　well　known；　and　there　are　

also　examples　in　our　own　times。　＇Now；　if　dispensations　have　

been　granted　for　the　sake　of　securing　temporal　interests；　it　

is　much　more　proper　that　they　be　granted　on　account　of　the　

distress　of　souls。＇　　



In　the　second　place；　why　do　our　adversaries　exaggerate　the　

obligation　or　effect　of　a　vow　when；　at　the　same　time；　they　

have　not　a　word　to　say　of　the　nature　of　the　vow　itself；　that　

it　ought　to　be　in　a　thing　possible；　that　it　ought　to　be　free；　

and　chosen　spontaneously　and　deliberately？　But　it　is　not　

unknown　to　what　extent　perpetual　chastity　is　in　the　power　of　

man。　And　how　few　are　there　who　have　taken　the　vow　

spontaneously　and　deliberately！　Young　maidens　and　men；　before　

they　are　able　to　judge；　are　persuaded；　and　sometimes　even　

compelled；　to　take　the　vow。　Wherefore　it　is　not　fair　to　insist　

so　rigorously　on　the　obligation；　since　it　is　granted　by　all　

that　it　is　against　the　nature　of　a　vow　to　take　it　without　

spontaneous　and　deliberate　action。　　



Most　canonical　laws　rescind　vows　made　before　the　age　of　

fifteen；　for　before　that　age　there　does　not　seem　sufficient　

judgment　in　a　person　to　decide　concerning　a　perpetual　life。　

Another　Canon；　granting　more　to　the　weakness　of　man；　adds　a　

few　years；　for　it　forbids　a　vow　to　be　made　before　the　age　of　

eighteen。　But　which　of　these　two　Canons　shall　we　follow？　The　

most　part　have　an　excuse　for　leaving　the　monasteries；　because　

most　of　them　have　taken　the　vows　before　they　reached　these　

ages。　　



Finally；　even　though　the　violation　of　a　vow　might　be　censured；　

yet　it　seems　not　forthwith　to　follow　that　the　marriages　of　

such　persons　must　be　dissolved。　For　Augustine　denies　that　they　

ought　to　be　dissolved　（XXVII。　Quaest。　I；　Cap。　Nuptiarum）；　and　

his　authority　is　not　lightly　to　be　esteemed；　although　other　

men　afterwards　thought　otherwise。　　



But　although　it　appears　that　God's　command　concerning　marriage　

delivers　very　many　from　their　vows；　yet　our　teachers　introduce　

also　another　argument　concerning　vows　to　show　that　they　are　

void。　For　every　service　of　God；　ordained　and　chosen　of　men　

without　the　commandment　of　God　to　merit　justification　and　

grace；　is　wicked；　as　Christ　says　Matt。　16；　9：　In　vain　do　they　

worship　Me　with　the　commandments　of　men。　And　Paul　teaches　

everywhere　that　righteousness　is　not　to　be　sought　from　our　own　

observances　and　acts　of　worship；　devised　by　men；　but　that　it　

comes　by　faith　to　those　who　believe　that　they　are　received　by　

God　into　grace　for　Christ's　sake。　　



But　it　is　evident　that　monks　have　taught　that　services　of　

man's　making　satisfy　for　sins　and　merit　grace　and　

justification。　What　else　is　this　than　to　detract　from　the　

glory　of　Christ　and　to　obscure　and　deny　the　righteousness　of　

faith？　It　follows；　therefore；　that　the　vows　thus　commonly　

taken　have　been　wicked　services；　and；　consequently；　are　void。　

For　a　wicked　vow；　taken　against　the　commandment　of　God；　is　not　

valid；　for　（as　the　Canon　says）　no　vow　ought　to　bind　men　to　

wickedness。　　



Paul　says；　Gal。　5；　4：　Christ　is　become　of　no　effect　unto　you；　

whosoever　of　you　are　justified　by　the　Law；　ye　are　fallen　from　

grace。　To　those；　therefore；　who　want　to　be　justified　by　their　

vows　Christ　is　made　of　no　effect；　and　they　fall　from　grace。　

For　also　these　who　ascribe　justification　to　vows　ascribe　to　

their　own　works　that　which　properly　belongs　to　the　glory　of　

Christ。　　



Nor　can　it　be　denied；　indeed；　that　the　monks　have　taught　that；　

by　their　vows　and　observances；　they　were　justified；　and　

merited　forgiveness　of　sins；　yea；　they　invented　still　greater　

absurdities；　saying　that　they　could　give　others　a　share　in　

their　works。　If　any　one　should　be　inclined　to　enlarge　on　these　

things　with　evil　intent；　how　many　things　could　he　bring　

together　whereof　even　the　monks　are　now　ashamed！　Over　and　

above　this；　they　persuaded　men　that　services　of　man's　making　

were　a　state　of　Christian　perfection。　And　is　not　this　

assigning　justification　to　works？　It　is　no　light　offense　in　

the　Church　to　set　forth　to　the　people　a　service　devised　by　

men；　without　the　commandment　of　God；　and　to　teach　that　such　

service　justifies　men。　For　the　righteousness　of　faith；　which　

chiefly　ought　to　be　taught　in　the　Church；　is　obscured　when　

these　wonderful　angelic　forms　of　worship；　with　their　show　of　

poverty；　humility；　and　celibacy；　are　east　before　the　eyes　of　

men。　



Furthermore；　the　precepts　of　God　and　the　true　service　of　God　

are　obscured　when　men　hear　that　only　monks　are　in　a　state　of　

perfection。　For　Christian　perfection　is　to　fear　God　from　the　

heart；　and　yet　to　conceive　great　faith；　and　to　trust　that　for　

Christ's　sake　we　have　a　God　who　has　been　reconciled；　to　ask　of　

God；　and　assuredly　to　expect　His　aid　in　all　things　that；　

according　to　our　calling；　are　to　be　done；　and　meanwhile；　to　be　

diligent　in　outward　good　works；　and　to　serve　our　calling。　In　

these　things　consist　the　true　perfection　and　the　true　service　

of　God。　It　does　not　consist　in　celibacy；　or　in　begging；　or　in　

vile　apparel。　But　the　people　conceive　many　pernicious　opinions　

from　the　false　commendations　of　monastic　life。　They　hear　

celibacy　praised　above　measure；　therefore　they　lead　their　

married　life　with　offense　to　their　consciences。　They　hear　that　

only　beggars　are　perfect；　therefore　they　keep　their　

possessions　and　do　business　with　offense　to　their　consciences。　

They　hear　that　it　is　an　evangelical　counsel　not　to　seek　

revenge；　therefore　some　in　private　life　are　not　afraid　to　take　

revenge；　for　they　hear　that　it　is　but　a　counsel；　and　not　a　

commandment。　Others　judge　that　the　Christian　cannot　properly　

hold　a　civil　office　or　be　a　magistrate。　　



There　are　on　record　examples　of　men　who；　forsaking　marriage　

and　the　administration　of　the　Commonwealth；　have　hid　

themselves　in　monasteries。　This　they　called　fleeing　from　the　

world；　and　seeking　a　kind　of　life　which　would　be　more　pleasing　

to　God。　Neither　did　they　see　that　God　ought　to　be　served　in　

those　commandments　which　He　Himself　has　given　and　not　in　

commandments　devised　by　men。　A　good　and　perfect　kind　of　life　

is　that　which　has　for　it　the　commandment　of　God。　It　is　

necessary　to　admonish　men　of　these　things。　　



And　before　these　times；　Gerson　rebukes　this　error　of　the　monks　

concerning　perfection；　and　testifies　that　in　his　day　it　was　a　

new　saying　that　the　monastic　life　is　a　state　of　perfection。　　



So　many　wicked　opinions　are　inherent　in　the　vows；　namely；　that　

they　justify；　that　they　constitute　Christian　perfection；　that　

they　keep　the　counsels　and　commandments；　that　they　have　works　

of　supererogation。　All　these　things；　since　they　are　false　and　

empty；　make　vows　null　and　void。　　





Article　XXVIII：　Of　Ecclesiastical　Power。　



There　has　been　great　controversy　concerning　the　Power　of　

Bishops；　in　which　some　have　awkwardly　confounded　the　power　of　

the　Church　and　the　power　of　the　sword。　And　from　this　confusion　

very　great　wars　and　tumults　have　resulted；　while　the　Pontiffs；　

emboldened　by　the　power　of　the　Keys；　not　only　have　instituted　

new　services　and　burdened　consciences　with　reservation　of　

cases　and　ruthless　excommunications；　but　have　also　undertaken　

to　transfer　the　kingdoms　of　this　world；　and　to　take　the　Empire　

from　the　Emperor。　These　wrongs　have　long　since　been　rebuked　in　

the　Church　by　learned　and　godly　men。　Therefore　our　teachers；　

for　the　comforting　of　men's　consciences；　were　cons