Preface
Articles 1-4
- God
- Original
Sin
- Son of God
-
Justification
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Articles
5-9
- Ministry in the Church
- New Obedience
- The Church
- What is the Church
- Baptism
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Articles
10-16
- The supper
of the Lord
- Confession
- Repentance
- Use of
Sacraments
- Church
Order
- Church
Rites
- Civic
Affairs
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Articles
17-21
- Return of
Christ
- Free will
- Cause of
Sin
- Faith and
Good Works
- Cult of
saints
- Conclusion
to First part
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Articles
22-24
- Both kinds
in the sacrament
- Marriage
of Priests
- Concerning
the Mass
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Articles
25 -26
- Concerning
Confession
-
Distinction of Foods
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Article
27, 28, conclusion
- Monastic
Vows
- Church
Authority/Power
- Conclusion
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The Augsburg Confession
Article X: Of the Lord's Supper.
1] Of the Supper of the Lord they teach that the Body
and Blood of Christ are truly present, and are distributed
2] to those who eat the Supper of the Lord; and they
reject those that teach otherwise.
Article XI: Of Confession.
1] Of Confession they teach that Private Absolution
ought to be retained in the churches, although in confession
2] an enumeration of all sins is not necessary. For
it is impossible according to the Psalm: Who can understand
his errors? Ps. 19, 12.
Article XII: Of Repentance.
1] Of Repentance they teach that for those who have
fallen after Baptism there is remission of sins whenever
they are converted 2] and that the Church ought to
impart absolution to those thus returning to repentance.
Now, repentance consists properly of these 3] two
parts: One is contrition, that is, 4] terrors smiting
the conscience through the knowledge of sin; the other is
faith, which is born of 5] the Gospel, or of
absolution, and believes that for Christ's sake, sins are
forgiven, comforts 6] the conscience, and delivers it
from terrors. Then good works are bound to follow, which are
the fruits of repentance.
7] They condemn the Anabaptists, who deny that those
once justified can lose the Holy Ghost. Also those who
contend that some may attain to such 8] perfection in
this life that they cannot sin.
9] The Novatians also are condemned, who would not
absolve such as had fallen after Baptism, though they
returned to repentance.
10] They also are rejected who do not teach that
remission of sins comes through faith but command us to
merit grace through satisfactions of our own.
Article XIII: Of the Use of the
Sacraments.
1] Of the Use of the Sacraments they teach that the
Sacraments were ordained, not only to be marks of profession
among men, but rather to be signs and testimonies of the
will of God 2] toward us, instituted to awaken and
confirm faith in those who use them. Wherefore we must so
use the Sacraments that faith be added to believe the
promises which are offered and set forth through the
Sacraments.
3] They therefore condemn those who teach that the
Sacraments justify by the outward act, and who do not teach
that, in the use of the Sacraments, faith which believes
that sins are forgiven, is required.
Article XIV: Of Ecclesiastical Order.
Of Ecclesiastical Order they teach that no one should
publicly teach in the Church or administer the Sacraments
unless he be regularly called.
Article XV: Of Ecclesiastical Usages.
1] Of Usages in the Church they teach that those
ought to be observed which may be observed without sin, and
which are profitable unto tranquillity and good order in the
Church, as particular holy days, festivals, and the like.
2] Nevertheless, concerning such things men are
admonished that consciences are not to be burdened, as
though such observance was necessary to salvation.
3] They are admonished also that human traditions
instituted to propitiate God, to merit grace, and to make
satisfaction for sins, are opposed to the Gospel and the
doctrine of faith. Wherefore vows and traditions concerning
meats and 4] days, etc., instituted to merit grace
and to make satisfaction for sins, are useless and contrary
to the Gospel.
Article XVI: Of Civil Affairs.
1] Of Civil Affairs they teach that lawful civil
ordinances are good works of God, and that 2] it is
right for Christians to bear civil office, to sit as judges,
to judge matters by the Imperial and other existing laws, to
award just punishments, to engage in just wars, to serve as
soldiers, to make legal contracts, to hold property, to make
oath when required by the magistrates, to marry a wife, to
be given in marriage.
3] They condemn the Anabaptists who forbid these
civil offices to Christians.
4] They condemn also those who do not place
evangelical perfection in the fear of God and in faith, but
in forsaking civil offices, for 5] the Gospel teaches
an eternal righteousness of the heart. Meanwhile, it does
not destroy the State or the family, but very much requires
that they be preserved as ordinances of God, and that
charity be practiced in such 6] ordinances.
Therefore, Christians are necessarily bound to obey their
own magistrates 7] and laws save only when commanded
to sin; for then they ought to obey God rather than men.
Acts 5, 29.
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