Part 1 (2/2)
Their Confession in the sixth article that faith should bring forth good fruits is acceptable and valid since ”faith without works is dead,”
James 2:17, and all Scripture invites us to works. For the wise man says: ”Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” Eccles.
9:10. ”And the Lord had respect to Abel and to his offering,” Gen. 4:4.
He saw that Abraham would ”command his Children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord, and to do justice and judgment,” Gen.
18:19. And: ”By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing I will bless thee and multiply thy seed.” Gen 22:16. Thus he regarded the fast of the Ninevites, Jonah 3, and the lamentations and tears of King Hezekiah, 4:2; 2 Kings 20. For this cause all the faithful should follow the advice of St. Paul: ”As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith,” Gal. 6:10. For Christ says: ”The night cometh when no man can work.” John 9:4. But in the same article their ascription of justification to faith alone is diametrically opposite the truth of the Gospel by which works are not excluded; ”because glory, honor and peace to every man that worketh good,” Rom.
2:10. Why? because David, Ps. 62:12; Christ, Matt. 16:27; and Paul, Rom.
2:6 testify that G.o.d will render to every one according to his works.
Besides Christ says: ”Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father,” Matt. 7:21. 4. Hence however much one may believe, if he work not what is good, he is not a friend of G.o.d. ”Ye are my friends,” says Christ, ”if ye do whatsoever I command you,” John 15:14. On this account their frequent ascription of justification to faith is not admitted since it pertains to grace and love. For St. Paul says: ”Though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not charity, I am nothing.” 1 Cor. 13:2. Here St. Paul certifies to the princes and the entire Church that faith alone does not justify. Accordingly he teaches that love is the chief virtue, Col. 3:14: ”Above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” Neither are they supported by the word of Christ: ”When ye shall have done all these things, say We are unprofitable servants,” Luke 17:10. For if the doors ought to be called unprofitable, how much more fitting is it to say to those who only believe, When ye shall have believed all things say, We are unprofitable servants! This word of Christ, therefore, does not extol faith without works, but teaches that our works bring no profit to G.o.d; that no one can be puffed up by our works; that, when contrasted with the divine reward, our works are of no account and nothing. Thus St.
Paul says: ”I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us,” Rom.
8:18. For faith and good works are gifts of G.o.d, whereby, through G.o.d's mercy, eternal life is given. So, too, the citation at this point from Ambrose is in no way pertinent, since St. Ambrose is here expressed declaring his opinion concerning legal works. For he says: ”Without the law,” but, ”Without the law of the Sabbath, and of circ.u.mcision, and of revenge.” And this he declares the more clearly on Rom. 4, citing St.
James concerning the justification of Abraham without legal works before circ.u.mcision. For how could Ambrose speak differently in his comments from St. Paul in the text when he says: ”Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight?” Therefore, finally, he does not exclude faith absolutely, but says: ”We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”
To Article VII.
The seventh article of the Confession, wherein it is affirmed that the Church is the congregation of saints, cannot be admitted without prejudice to faith if by this definition the wicked and sinners be separated from the Church. For in the Council of Constance this article was condemned among the articles of John Huss of cursed memory, and it plainly contradicts the Gospel. For there we read that John the Baptist compared the Church to a thres.h.i.+ng-floor, which Christ will cleanse with his fan, and will gather the wheat into his garner, but will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire, Matt. 3:12. Wherefore this article of the Confession is in no way accepted, although we read in it their confession that the Church is perpetual, since here the promise of Christ has its place, who promises that the Spirit of truth will abide with it forever John 14:16. And Christ himself promises that he will be with the church alway unto the end of the world. They are praised also, in that they do not regard variety of rites as separating unity of faith, if they speak of special rites. For to this effect Jerome says: ”Every province abounds in its own sense” (of propriety). But if they extend this part of the Confession to universal Church rites, tis also must be utterly rejected, and we must say with St. Paul: ”We have no such custom,” 1 Cor. 11:16. ”For by all believers universal rites must be observed,” St. Augustine, whose testimony they also use, well taught of Januarius; for we must presume that such rites were transmitted from the apostles.
To Article VIII.
The eighth article of the Confession, concerning wicked ministers of the Church and hypocrites--viz. that their wickedness does not injure the sacraments and the Word--is accepted with the Holy Roman Church, and the princes commend it, condemning on this topic the Donatists and the ancient Origenists, who maintained that it was unlawful to use the ministry of the wicked in the Church--a heresy which the Waldenses and Poor of Lyons revived. Afterwards John Wicliff in England and John Huss in Bohemia adopted this.
To Article IX.
The ninth article, concerning Baptism--viz. that it is necessary to salvation, and that children ought to be baptized--is approved and accepted, and they are right in condemning the Anabaptists, a most seditious cla.s.s of men that ought to be banished far from the boundaries of the Roman Empire in order that ill.u.s.trious Germany may not suffer again such a destructive and sanguinary commotion as she experienced five tears ago in the slaughter of so many thousands.
To Article X.
The tenth article gives no offense in its words, because they confess that in the Eucharist, after the consecration lawfully made, the Body and Blood of Christ are substantially and truly present, if only they believe that the entire Christ is present under each form, so that the Blood of Christ is no less present under the form of bread by concomitance than it is under the form of the wine, and the reverse.
Otherwise, in the Eucharist the Body of Christ is dead and bloodless, contrary to St. Paul, because ”Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more,” Rom. 6:9. One matter is added as very necessary to the article of the Confession--viz. that they believe the Church, rather than some teaching otherwise and incorrectly, that by the almighty Word of G.o.d in the consecration of the Eucharist the substance of the bread is changed into the Body of Christ. For thus in a general council it has been determined, canon Firmiter, concerning the exalted Trinity, and the Catholic faith. They are praised therefor, for condemning the Capernaites, who deny the truth of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
To Article XI.
The eleventh article their acknowledgment that private absolution with confession should be retained in the Church is accepted as catholic and in harmony with our faith, because absolution is supported by the word of Christ. For Christ says to his apostles, John 20:23: ”Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them.” Nevertheless, two things must here be required of them: one, that they compel an annual confession to be observed by their subjects, according to the const.i.tution, canon Omnis Utriusque, concerning penance and remission and the custom of the Church universal. Another that through their preachers they cause their subjects to be faithfully admonished when they are about to confess that although they cannot state all their sins individually, nevertheless, a diligent examination of their conscience being made, they make an entire confession of their offences--viz. of all which occur to their memory in such investigation. But in regard to the rest that have been forgotten and have escaped our mind it is lawful to make a general confession, and to say with the Psalmist, Ps. 19:17: ”Cleanse me, Lord, from secret faults.”
To Article XII.
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