phrasi Scripturæ Sacræ, in hoc articulo, idem significare, quod absolvere a peccatis, ut ex dicto Salomonis (Prov. xvii. 15) intelligi potest: 'Qui justificat impium, et qui condemnat justum, abominabilis est uterque apud Deum.' Item (Rom. viii. 33): 'Quis accusabit electos Dei? Deus est qui justificat.' article, conformably to the usage of Holy Scripture, signifies the same as to absolve from sin, as may be understood by the word of Solomon (Prov. xvii. 15): 'He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord.' Also (Rom. viii. 33): 'Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.' Et, si quando pro vocabulo justificationis vocabula regenerationis et vivificationis usurpantur (quod in Apologia Augustanæ Confessionis factum est), sunt ea in illa superiore significatione accipienda. Nam alias eæ voces de hominis renovatione intelligendæ sunt, quæ a fidei justificatione recte discernitur. And if at any time for the word Justification the words Regeneration and Vivification are used (as is done in the Apology of the Augsburg Confession), these words are to be taken in the above-stated signification. For elsewhere these words are to be understood of the renewing of man, which is rightly distinguished from the justification of faith. VI. Credimus, docemus et confitemur etiam, etsi vere in Christum credentes et renati multis infirmitatibus et nævis usque ad mortem sunt obnoxii: non tamen illis vel de justitia, quæ per fidem, ipsis imputatur, vel de æterna salute esse dubitandum, quin potius firmiter illis statuendum esse [vor gewiss halten sollen], quod propter Christum, juxta promissionem et immotum verbum Evangelii, Deum sibi placatum habeant. VI. We believe, teach, and confess, moreover, that, although they that truly believe in Christ and are born again are even to the hour of death obnoxious to many infirmities and stains, yet they ought not to doubt either of the righteousness which is imputed to them through faith or concerning their eternal salvation, but rather are they firmly to be convinced that, for Christ's sake, according to the promise and unshaken word of the gospel, they have God reconciled to them.
VII. Credimus, docemus et confitemur, quod ad conservandam puram doctrinam de justitia fidei coram Deo, necessarium sit, ut particulæ exclusivæ (quibus Apostolus Paulus Christi meritum ab operibus nostris prorsus separat, solique Christo eam, gloriam tribuit) quam diligentissime retineantur, ut cum Paulus scribit: ex gratia, gratis, sine meritis, absque lege, sine operibus, non ex operibus. Quæ omnia hoc ipsum dicunt: 'Sola fide in Christum justificamur et salvamur' (Eph. ii. 8; Rom. i. 17; ii. 24; iv. 3 sqq.; Gal. iii. 11; Heb. xi.). VII. We believe, teach, and confess that, for the preserving of the pure doctrine of the righteousness of faith before God, it is necessary that the exclusive particles (by which the apostle Paul separates the merit of Christ utterly from our works, and attributes that glory to Christ alone) should be most diligently retained, as when Paul writes: 'Of grace, freely, without our deserts, without law, without works, not of works.' All which expressions amount to this: 'By faith in Christ alone are we justified and saved' (Eph. ii. 8; Rom. i. 17; ii. 24; iv. 3 sqq.; Gal. iii. 11; Heb. xi.). VIII. Credimus, docemus et confitemur, etsi antecedens contritio et subsequens nova obedientia ad articulum justificationis coram Deo non pertinent: non tamen talem fidem justificantem esse fingendam, quæ una cum malo proposito peccandi, videlicet, et contra conscientiam agendi, esse et stare possit. Sed postquam homo per fidem est justificatus, tum, veram illam et vivam fidem esse per caritatem efficacem (Gal. v. 6), et bona opera semper fidem justificantem sequi, et una cum ea, si modo vera et viva fides est, certissime deprehendi. Fides enim vera nunquam sola est, quin caritatem et spem semper secum habeat. VIII. We believe, teach, and confess that, although antecedent contrition and subsequent new obedience do not appertain to the article of justification before God, yet we are not to imagine any such justifying faith as can exist and abide with a purpose of evil, to wit: of sinning and acting contrary to conscience. But after that man is justified by faith, then that true and living faith works by love (Gal. v. 6), and good works always follow justifying faith, and are most certainly found together with it, provided only it be a true and living faith. For true faith is never alone, but hath always charity and hope in its train.
Antithesis, seu Negativa. Antithesis, or Negative. Rejectio contrariæ et falsæ doctrinæ. Rejection of opposite and false doctrine. Repudiamus ergo et damnamus omnia falsa dogmata, quæ jam recitabimus. We repudiate, therefore, and condemn all the false dogmas, which we will now recount: I. Christum, esse justitiam nostram solummodo secundum divinam naturam. I. That Christ is our righteousness only according to his divine nature. II. Christum esse justitiam, nostram tantummodo juxta humanam naturam. II. That Christ is our righteousness only according to his human nature. III. In dictis Propheticis et Apostolicis, ubi de justificatione fidei agitur, vocabula 'justificare' et 'justificari' non idem, esse ac a peccatis absolvere et absolvi, et remissionem peccatorum consequi: sed nos per caritatem, a Spiritu Sancto infusam, per virtutes et per opera, quæ a caritate promanant, reipsa coram Deo justos fieri. III. That in the prophetic and apostolic declarations, which treat of the righteousness of faith, the words justify and to be justified are not the same as to absolve and be absolved from sins, and to obtain remission of sins, but that we, through love infused by the Holy Ghost, through the virtues and through the works which flow forth from charity, become in very deed righteous before God. IV. Fidem, non respicere in solam Christi obedientiam, sed in divinam ejus naturam; quatenus videlicet ea in nobis habitet atque efficax sit, ut per eam inhabitationem peccata nostra tegantur. IV. That faith does not have respect to the sole obedience of Christ, but to his divine nature, so far as that dwells and is efficacious in us, so that by that indwelling our sins are covered. V. Fidem esse talem fiduciam in obedientiam Christi, quæ possit in eo etiam homine permanere et consistere, qui vera poenitentia careat, et ubi caritas non sequatur, sed qui contra conscientiam in peccatis perseveret. V. That faith is such a confidence in the obedience of Christ as can abide and have a being even in that man who is void of true repentance, and in whom it is not followed by charity, but who contrary to conscience perseveres in sins.
VI. Non ipsum Deum, sed tantum dona Dei in credentibus habitare. VI. That not God himself dwells, but only the gifts of God dwell in believers. VII. Fidem ideo salutem nobis conferre, quod novitas illa, quæ in dilectione erga Deum et proximum consistit, per fidem in nobis inchætur. VII. That faith bestows salvation upon us for the reason that that renewal which consists in love towards God and our neighbor, commences in us through faith. VIII. Fidem in justifications negotio primas quidem partes tenere, sed tamen etiam renovationem et caritatem ad justitiam nostrum coram Deo pertinere, ita ut renovatio et caritas quidem non sit principalis causa nostræ justitiæ: sed tamen justitiam nostrum coram Deo (si absint renovatio et caritas) non esse integram et perfectam. VIII. That faith in the matter of justification holds, indeed, the first place, but that renewal and charity also appertain to our righteousness before God, so that renewal and charity, indeed, are not the principal cause of our righteousness, but yet that our righteousness before God (if renewal and charity be wanting) is not whole and perfect. IX. Credentes in Christum coram Deo justos esse et salvos, simul per imputatam Christi justitiam, et per inchoatam novam obedientiam, vel, partim quidem per imputationem justitiæ Christi, partim vero per inchoatam novam obedientiam. IX. That believers in Christ are righteous and saved before God, both through the imputed righteousness of Christ and through the new obedience which is begun in them, or partly, indeed, through the imputation of the righteousness of Christ, and partly through the new obedience which is begun in them. X. Promissionem gratiæ nobis applicari per fidem in corde, et præterea etiam per confessionem, quæ ore fit, et per alias virtutes. X. That the promised grace is appropriated to us by the faith of the heart, and also by the confession of the mouth, and moreover, also, by other virtuous acts. XI. Fidem non justificare sine bonis operibus, itaque bona opera necessario ad justitiam requiri, et XI. That faith does not justify without good works, that therefore good works are necessarily required
absque eorum præsentia hominem justificari non posse. for righteousness, and that independently of their being present man can not be justified. Art. IV. Art. IV. DE BONIS OPERIBUS. OF GOOD WORKS. Status Controversiæ. Statement of the Controversy. In doctrina de bonis operibus duæ controversiæ in quibusdam Ecclesiis ortæ sunt. Respecting the doctrine of Good Works, two controversies have arisen in certain churches: I. Primum schisma inter Theologos quosdam factum est, cum alii assererent, bona opera necessaria esse ad salutem, impossibile esse salvari sine bonis operibus, et neminem unquam sine bonis operibus salvatum esse: alii vero docerent, bona opera ad salutem esse perniciosa. I. The first schism among certain theologians arose when some asserted that good works are necessary to salvation, and that it is impossible to be saved without good works, and that no one was ever saved without good works; while others taught that good works are detrimental to salvation. II. Alterum schisma inter Theologos nonnullos super vocabulis 'necessarium' et 'liberum' ortum est. Alter a enim pars contendit, vocabulum, 'necessarium' non esse usurpandum de nova obedientia: eam enim non a necessitate quadam et coactione, sed a spontaneo spiritu [aus freiwilligen Geiste] promanare. Altera vero pars vocabulum 'necessarium' prorsus retinendum censuit: propterea, quod illa obedientia non in nostro arbitrio posita et libera sit, sed homines renatos illud obsequium debere præstare. II. The other schism has arisen between certain divines concerning the terms necessary and free. For the one part contends that the term necessary should not be used concerning the new obedience, for that this flows not from any necessity or constraint, but from a voluntary spirit. But the other part judges that the term necessary should by all means be retained, inasmuch as this obedience is not left to our mere will, and therefore is not free, but that regenerate men are bound to render such service.
Et dum de commemoratis illis vocabulis disputatum est, tandem etiam de reipsa fuit disceptatum. Alii enim contenderunt, Legem apud Christianos prorsus non ease docendam, sed tantummodo doctrina Evangelii homines ad bona opera invitandos esse: alii hanc opinionem impugnarunt. And out of this discussion concerning the aforementioned terms there arose at length a dispute concerning the material fact. For some have contended that the law ought not to be taught at all among Christians, but that men should be invited to good works by the doctrine of the gospel alone. Others have impugned this opinion. Affirmativa. Affirmative. Sincera Ecclesiæ doctrina de hoc controversia. The sound doctrine of the Church concerning this controversy. Ut hæ controversiæ solide et dextre explicentur atque decidantur, hæc nostra fides, doctrina et confessio est. In order that these controversies may be solidly and judiciously explained and decided, the following is our faith, doctrine, and confession: I. Quod bona opera veram fidem (si modo ea non sit mortua, sed viva fides) certissime atque indubitato sequantur, tanquam fructus bonæ arboris. I. That good works [58] must certainly and without all doubt follow a true faith (provided only it be not a dead but a living faith), as fruits of a good tree. II. Credimus etiam, docemus et confitemur, quod bona opera penitus excludenda sint, non tantum cum de justificatione fidei agitur, sed etiam cum de salute nostra æterna disputatur, sicut Apostolus perspicuis verbis testatur, cum ait (Rom. iv. 6): 'Sicut et David dicit, beatitudinem hominis, cui Deus accepto fert II. We believe, also, teach, and confess that good works are wholly to be excluded, not only when the righteousness of faith is treated of, but also when the matter of our eternal salvation is discussed, as the apostle bears witness in clear words, when he says (Rom. iv. 6): 'Even as also David describeth the blessedness of the man to whom God imputeth