by Martin Luther 1537
Table of Contents
Treats of the Sublime Articles
Concerning the Divine Majesty, as:
Article III: Of Chapters and Cloisters.
THE THIRD PART OF THE ARTICLES.
VI. Of the Sacrament of the Altar.
X. Of Ordination and the Call.
XI. Of the Marriage of Priests.
XIII. How One is Justified before
God, and of Good Works.
OF THE POWER AND PRIMACY OF THE POPE
Treatise Compiled by the Theologians
Assembled at Smalcald, in the
Who Subscribed the Augsburg
Confession and Apology, A. D. 1537.
1] Since Pope Paul III convoked a
Council last year, to assemble at
Whitsuntide,
and afterwards transferred it from Mantua, so that it is not yet known where he
will or can fix it, and we on our part either had to expect that we would be
summoned also to the Council or [to fear that we would] be condemned
unsummoned, I was directed to compile and collect the articles of our doctrine
[in order that it might be plain] in case of deliberation as to what and how
far we would be both willing and able to yield to the Papists, and in what
points we intended to persevere and abide to the end.
2] I have accordingly
compiled these articles and presented them to our side. They have also been
accepted and unanimously confessed by our side, and it has been resolved that,
in case the Pope with his adherents should ever be so bold as seriously and in
good faith, without lying and cheating, to hold a truly free [legitimate]
Christian Council (as, indeed, he would be in duty bound to do), they be
publicly delivered in order to set forth the Confession of our Faith.
3] But though the Romish
court is so dreadfully afraid of a free Christian Council, and shuns the light
so shamefully, that it has [entirely] removed, even from those who are on its
side, the hope that it will ever permit a free Council, much less that it will
itself hold one, whereat, as is just, they [many Papists] are greatly offended
and have no little trouble on that account [are disgusted with this negligence
of the Pope], since they notice thereby that the Pope would rather see all
Christendom perish and all souls damned than suffer either himself or his
adherents to be reformed even a little, and his [their] tyranny to be limited,
nevertheless I have determined meanwhile to publish these articles in plain
print, so that, should I die before there would be a Council (as I fully expect
and hope, because the knaves who flee the light and shun the day take such
wretched pains to delay and hinder the Council), those who live and remain
after me may have my testimony and confession to produce, in addition to the
Confession which I have issued previously, whereby up to this time I have
abided, and, by God's grace, will abide.
4] For what shall I
say? How shall I complain? I am still living, writing, preaching, and lecturing
daily; [and] yet there are found such spiteful men, not only among the
adversaries, but also false brethren that profess to be on our side, as dare to
cite my writings and doctrine directly against myself, and let me look on and
listen, although they know well that I teach otherwise, and as wish to adorn
their venom with my labor, and under my name to [deceive and] mislead the poor
people. [Good God!] Alas! what first will happen when
I am dead?
5] Indeed, I ought to
reply to everything while I am still living. But, again, how can I alone stop
all the mouths of the devil? especially of those (as
they all are poisoned) who will not hear or notice what we write, but solely
exercise themselves with all diligence how they may most shamefully pervert and
corrupt our word in every letter. These I let the devil answer, or at last Gods
wrath, as they deserve. 6] I often think of the good Gerson who doubts
whether anything good should be [written and] published. If it is not done,
many souls are neglected who could be delivered: but if it is done, the devil
is there with malignant, villainous tongues without number which envenom and
pervert everything, so that nevertheless the fruit [the usefulness of the
writings] is prevented. 7] Yet what they gain thereby is manifest. For
while they have lied so shamefully against us and by means of lies wished to
retain the people, God has constantly advanced His work, and been making their
following ever smaller and ours greater, and by their lies has caused and still
causes them to be brought to shame.
8] I must tell a
story. There was a doctor sent here to Wittenberg from France, who said
publicly before us that his king was sure and more than sure, that among us
there is no church, no magistrate, no married life, but all live promiscuously
as cattle, and each one does as he pleases. 9] Imagine now, how will
those who by their writings have instilled such gross lies into the king and
other countries as the pure truth, look at us on that day before the
judgmentseat of Christ? Christ, the Lord and Judge of us all, knows well that
they lie and have [always] lied, His sentence they in
turn, must hear; that I know certainly. God convert to repentance those who can
be converted! Regarding the rest it will be said, Woe, and, alas! eternally.
10] But to return to
the subject. I verily desire to see a truly Christian Council [assembled some
time], in order that many matters and persons might be helped. Not that we need
It, for our churches are now, through God's grace, so enlightened and equipped
with the pure Word and right use of the Sacraments, with knowledge of the
various callings and of right works, that we on our part ask for no Council,
and on such points have nothing better to hope or expect from a Council. But we
see in the bishoprics everywhere so many parishes vacant and desolate that
one's heart would break, and yet neither the bishops nor canons care how the
poor people live or die, for whom nevertheless Christ has died, and who are not
permitted to hear Him speak with them as the true Shepherd with His sheep. 11]
This causes me to shudder and fear that at some time He may send a council
of angels upon
12] Besides such
necessary ecclesiastical affairs, there would be also in the political estate
innumerable matters of great importance to improve. There is the disagreement
between the princes and the states; usury and avarice have burst in like a
flood, and have become lawful [are defended with a show of right]; wantonness,
lewdness, extravagance in dress, gluttony, gambling, idle display, with all
kinds of bad habits and wickedness, insubordination of subjects, of domestics
and laborers of every trade, also the exactions [and most exorbitant selling
prices] of the peasants (and who can enumerate all?) have so increased that
they cannot be rectified by ten Councils and twenty Diets. 13] If such
chief matters of the spiritual and worldly estates as are contrary to God would
be considered in the Council, they would have all hands so full that the
child's play and absurdity of long gowns [official insignia], large tonsures,
broad cinctures [or sashes], bishops' or cardinals' hats or maces, and like
jugglery would in the mean time be forgotten. If we first had performed God's
command and order in the spiritual and secular estate we would find time enough
to reform food, clothing, tonsures, and surplices. But if we want to swallow
such camels, and, instead, strain at gnats, let the beams stand and judge the
motes, we also might indeed be satisfied with the Council.
14] Therefore I have
presented few articles; for we have without this so many commands of God to
observe in the Church, the state and the family that we can never fulfil them. What,
then, is the use, or what does it profit that many decrees and statutes thereon
are made in the Council, especially when these chief matters commanded of God
are neither regarded nor observed? Just as though He were
bound to honor our jugglery as a reward of our treading His solemn commandments
under foot. But our sins weigh upon us and cause God not to be gracious
to us; for we do not repent, and, besides, wish to defend every abomination.
15] O Lord Jesus
Christ, do Thou Thyself convoke a Council, and deliver Thy servants by Thy
glorious advent! The Pope and his adherents are done for; they will have none
of Thee.
Do Thou,
then, help us, who are poor and needy, who sigh to Thee, and beseech Thee
earnestly, according to the grace which Thou hast given us, through Thy Holy
Ghost who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Father, blessed forever. Amen.
I.
That
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three distinct persons in one
divine essence and nature, are one God, who has created heaven
and earth.
II.
That the Father is begotten of no one; the Son of the Father; the Holy
Ghost proceeds from Father and Son.
That not the Father nor the Holy Ghost but the Son became man.
IV.
That the Son became man in this manner, that He was conceived,
without the cooperation of man, by the Holy Ghost, and was
born of the pure, holy [and always] Virgin Mary. Afterwards He
suffered, died, was buried, descended to hell, rose from
the dead, ascended to heaven, sits at the right hand of God, will
come to judge the quick and the dead, etc., as the Creed of the
Apostles, as well as that of St. Athanasius, and the Catechism in
common use for children, teach.
Concerning
these articles there is no contention or dispute, since we on both sides
confess them. Therefore it is not necessary now to treat further of them.
1] That Jesus Christ, our God and
Lord, died for our sins, and was raised
again for our justification, Rom. 4, 25.
2] And He alone is the
Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world, John 1, 29; and God has
laid upon Him the iniquities of us all, Is. 53, 6.
3] Likewise: All have
sinned and are justified without merit [freely, and without
their own works or merits] by His grace, through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus, in His blood, Rom. 3, 23f
4] Now, since it is
necessary to believe this, and it cannot be otherwise acquired or apprehended
by any work, law, or merit, it is clear and certain that this faith alone
justifies us as
5] Of this article
nothing can be yielded or surrendered [nor can anything be granted or permitted
contrary to the same], even though heaven and earth, and whatever will not
abide, should sink to ruin. For there is none other name under heaven, given
among men whereby we must be saved, says Peter, Acts 4, 12. And with His stripes we are healed, Is. 53, 5. And upon
this article all things depend which we teach and practice in opposition to the
Pope, the devil, and the [whole] world. Therefore, we must be sure concerning
this doctrine, and not doubt; for otherwise all is lost, and the Pope and devil
and all things gain the victory and suit over us.
1] That the Mass in
the Papacy must be the greatest and most horrible abomination, as it directly
and powerfully conflicts with this chief article, and yet above and before all
other popish idolatries it has been the chief and most specious. For it has
been held that this sacrifice or work of the Mass, even though it be rendered
by a wicked [and abandoned] scoundrel, frees men from
sins, both in this life and also in purgatory, while only the Lamb of God shall
and must do this, as has been said above. Of this article nothing is to be
surrendered or conceded, because the first article does not allow it.
2] If, perchance,
there were reasonable Papists we might speak moderately and in a friendly way,
thus: first, why they so rigidly uphold the
3] Secondly. It is an
unnecessary thing, which can be omitted without sin and danger.
4] Thirdly. The
Sacrament can be received in a better and more blessed way [more acceptable to
God], (yea, the only blessed way), according to the institution of Christ. Why,
then, do they drive the world to woe and [extreme] misery on account of a
fictitious, unnecessary matter, which can be well obtained in another and more
blessed way?
5] Let [care be taken
that] it be publicly preached to the people that the Mass as men's twaddle
[commentitious affair or human figment] can be omitted without sin, and that no
one will be condemned who does not observe it, but that he can be saved in a
better way without the Mass. I wager [Thus it will come to pass] that the Mass
will then collapse of itself, not only among the insane [rude] common people,
but also among all pious, Christian, reasonable, God-fearing hearts; and that
the more, when they would hear that the Mass is a [very] dangerous thing,
fabricated and invented without the will and Word of God.
6] Fourthly. Since
such innumerable and unspeakable abuses have arisen in the whole world from the
buying and selling of masses, the Mass should by right be relinquished, if for
no other purpose than to prevent abuses, even though in itself it had something
advantageous and good. How much more ought we to relinquish it, so as to
prevent [escape] forever these horrible abuses, since it is altogether
unnecessary, useless, and dangerous, and we can obtain
everything by a more necessary, profitable, and certain way without the
7] Fifthly. But since
the Mass is nothing else and can be nothing else (as the Canon and all books
declare), than a work of men (even of wicked scoundrels), by which one attempts
to reconcile himself and others to God, and to obtain and merit the remission
of sins and grace (for thus the Mass is observed when it is observed at the
very best; otherwise what purpose would it serve?), for this very reason it
must and should [certainly] be condemned and rejected. For this directly
conflicts with the chief article, which says that it is not a wicked or a godly
hireling of the Mass with his own work, but the Lamb of God and the Son of God,
that taketh away our sins.
8] But if any one
should advance the pretext that as an act of devotion he wishes to administer
the Sacrament, or Communion, to himself, he is not in earnest [he would commit
a great mistake, and would not be speaking seriously and sincerely]. For if he wishes to commune in sincerity, the surest and best way
for him is in the Sacrament administered according to Christ's institution.
But that one administer communion to himself is a human notion, uncertain,
unnecessary, yea, even prohibited. And he does not know what he is doing,
because without the Word of God he obeys a false human opinion and invention. 9]
So, too, it is not right (even though the matter were otherwise correct)
for one to use the common Sacrament of [belonging to] the Church according to
his own private devotion, and without God s Word and apart from the communion
of the Church to trifle therewith.
10] This article
concerning the Mass will be the whole business of the Council. [The Council
will perspire most over, and be occupied with this article concerning the
11] In addition to all
this,
this dragon's tail,[I mean] the Mass,
has begotten a numerous vermin-brood of manifold idolatries.
12] First, purgatory.
Here they carried their trade into purgatory by masses for souls, and vigils,
and weekly, monthly, and yearly celebrations of obsequies, and finally by the
Common Week and All Souls Day, by soul-baths so that the Mass is used almost
alone for the dead, although Christ has instituted the Sacrament alone for the
living. Therefore purgatory, and every solemnity, rite, and commerce connected
with it, is to be regarded as nothing but a specter of the devil. For it
conflicts with the chief article [which teaches] that only Christ, and not the
works of men, are to help [set free] souls. Not to mention the fact that
nothing has been [divinely] commanded or enjoined upon us concerning the dead. Therefore
all this may be safely omitted, even if it were no error and idolatry.
13] The Papists quote
here Augustine and some of the Fathers who are said to have written concerning
purgatory, and they think that we do not understand for what purpose and to
what end they spoke as they did.
14] Our Papists,
however, cite such statements [opinions] of men in order that men should
believe in their horrible, blasphemous, and cursed traffic in masses for souls
in purgatory [or in sacrifices for the dead and oblations], etc. But they will
never prove these things from Augustine. Now, when they have abolished the
traffic in masses for purgatory, of which Augustine never dreamt, we will then
discuss with them whether the expressions of Augustine without Scripture [being
without the warrant of the Word] are to be admitted, and whether the dead
should be remembered at the Eucharist. 15] For it will not do to frame
articles of faith from the works or words of the holy Fathers; otherwise their
kind of fare, of garments, of house, etc., would have to become an article of
faith, as was done with relics. [We have, however, another rule, namely] The
rule is: The Word of God shall establish articles of faith, and no one else,
not even an angel.
16] Secondly. From this
it has followed that evil spirits have perpetrated much knavery [exercised
their malice] by appearing as the souls of the departed, and with unspeakable
[horrible] lies and tricks demanded masses, vigils, pilgrimages, and other
alms. 17] All of which we had to receive as articles of faith, and to
live accordingly; and the Pope confirmed these things, as also the Mass and all
other abominations. Here, too, there is no [cannot and must not be any]
yielding or surrendering.
18] Thirdly. [Hence
arose] the pilgrimages. Here, too, masses, the remission of sins and the grace
of God were sought, for the Mass controlled everything. Now it is indeed
certain that such pilgrimages, without the Word of God, have not been commanded
us, neither are they necessary, since we can have these things [the soul can be
cared for] in a better way, and can omit these pilgrimages without any sin and
danger. Why therefore do they leave at home [desert] their own parish [their
called ministers, their parishes], the Word of God, wives, children, etc., who
are ordained and [attention to whom is necessary and has been] commanded, and
run after these unnecessary, uncertain, pernicious will-o'-the-wisps of the
devil [and errors]? 19] Unless the devil was riding [made insane] the
Pope, causing him to praise and establish these practices, whereby the people
again and again revolted from Christ to their own works, and became idolaters,
which is worst of all; moreover, it is neither necessary nor commanded, but is
senseless and doubtful, and besides harmful. Hence here, too, there can be no
yielding or surrendering [to yield or concede anything here is not lawful],
etc. 20] And let this be preached, that such
pilgrimages are not necessary, but dangerous; and then see what will become of
them. [For thus they will perish of their
own accord.]
21] Fourthly.
Fraternities [or societies], in which cloisters, chapters, vicars have assigned
and communicated (by a legal contract and sale) all masses and good works,
etc., both for the living and the dead. This is not only altogether a human
bauble, without the Word of God, entirely unnecessary and not commanded, but
also contrary to the chief article, Of Redemption. Therefore it is in no way to be tolerated.
22] Fifthly. The
relics, in which there are found so many falsehoods and tomfooleries concerning
the bones of dogs and horses, that even the devil has laughed at such
rascalities, ought long ago to have been condemned, even though there were some
good in them; and so much the more because they are without the Word of God;
being neither commanded nor counseled, they are an entirely unnecessary and
useless thing. 23] But the worst is that [they have imagined that] these
relics had to work indulgence and the forgiveness of sins [and have revered
them] as a good work and service of God, like the Mass, etc.
24] Sixthly. Here
belong the precious indulgences granted (but only for money) both to the living
and the dead, by which the miserable [sacrilegious and accursed] Judas, or
Pope, has sold the merit of Christ, together with the superfluous merits of all
saints and of the entire Church, etc. All these things [and every single one of
them] are not to be borne, and are not only without the Word of God, without
necessity, not commanded, but are against the chief article. For the merit of
Christ is [apprehended and] obtained not by our works or pence, but from grace
through faith, without money and merit; and is offered [and presented] not
through the power of the Pope, but through the preaching of God's Word.
Of the Invocation
of Saints.
25] The invocation of
saints is also one of the abuses of Antichrist conflicting with the chief
article, and destroys the knowledge of Christ. Neither is it
commanded nor counseled, nor has it any example [or testimony] in
Scripture, and even though it were a precious thing, as it is not [while, on
the contrary, it is a most harmful thing], in Christ we have everything a
thousandfold better [and surer, so that we are not in need of calling upon the
saints].
26] And although the
angels in heaven pray for us (as Christ Himself also does), as also do the
saints on earth, and perhaps also in heaven, yet it does not follow thence that
we should invoke and adore the angels and saints, and fast, hold festivals,
celebrate Mass in their honor, make offerings, and establish churches, altars,
divine worship, and in still other ways serve them, and regard them as helpers
in need [as patrons and intercessors], and divide among them all kinds of help,
and ascribe to each one a particular form of assistance, as the Papists teach
and do. For this is idolatry, and such honor belongs alone to
God. 27] For as a Christian and saint upon earth you can pray for
me, not only in one, but in many necessities. But for this reason I am not
obliged to adore and invoke you, and celebrate festivals, fast, make oblations,
hold masses for your honor [and worship], and put my faith in you for my
salvation. I can in other ways indeed honor, love, and thank you in Christ. 28]
If now such idolatrous honor were withdrawn from
angels and departed saints, the remaining honor would be without harm and would
quickly be forgotten. For when advantage and assistance, both bodily and
spiritual, are no more to be expected, the saints will not be troubled [the
worship of the saints will soon vanish], neither in their graves nor in heaven.
For without a reward or out of pure love no one will much remember, or esteem,
or honor them [bestow on them divine honor].
29] In short, the Mass
itself and anything that proceeds from it, and anything that is attached to it,
we cannot tolerate, but must condemn, in order that we may retain the holy
Sacrament pure and certain, according to the institution of Christ, employed
and received through faith.
1] That chapters and
cloisters [colleges of canons and communistic dwellings], which were
formerly founded with the good intention [of our forefathers] to educate
learned men and chaste [and modest] women, ought again to be turned to such
use, in order that pastors, preachers, and other ministers of the churches may
be had, and likewise other necessary persons [fitted] for [the political
administration of] the secular government [or for the commonwealth] in cities
and countries, and well-educated, maidens for mothers and housekeepers, etc.
2] If they will not
serve this purpose, it is better that they be abandoned or razed, rather than
[continued and], with their blasphemous services invented by men, regarded as
something better than the ordinary Christian life and the offices and callings
ordained by God. For all this also is contrary to the first chief article
concerning the redemption made through Jesus Christ. Add to this that (like all
other human inventions) these have neither been commanded; they are needless
and useless, and, besides, afford occasion for dangerous and vain labor
[dangerous annoyances and fruitless worship], such services as the prophets
call Aven, i.e., pain and labor.
1] That the Pope is
not, according to divine law or according to the Word of God the head of all
Christendom (for this [name] belongs to One only, whose name is Jesus Christ),
but is only the bishop and pastor of the Church at Rome, and of those who
voluntarily or through a human creature (that is, a political magistrate) have
attached themselves to him, to be Christians, not under him as a lord, but with
him as brethren [colleagues] and comrades, as the ancient councils and the age
of St. Cyprian show.
2] But to-day none of
the bishops dare to address the Pope as brother as was done at that time [in
the age of Cyprian]; but they must call him most gracious lord, even though
they be kings or emperors. This [Such arrogance] we will not, cannot, must not
take upon our conscience [with a good conscience approve]. Let him, however,
who will do it, do so without us [at his own risk].
3] Hence it follows
that all things which the Pope, from a power so false, mischievous,
blasphemous, and arrogant, has done and undertaken. have been and still are
purely diabolical affairs and transactions (with the exception of such things
as pertain to the secular government, where God often permits much good to be
effected for a people, even through a tyrant and [faithless] scoundrel) for the
ruin of the entire holy [catholic or] Christian Church (so far as it is in his
power) and for the destruction of the first and chief article concerning the
redemption made through Jesus Christ.
4] For all his bulls
and books are extant, in which he roars like a lion (as the angel in Rev. 12
depicts him, [crying out] that no Christian can be saved unless he obeys him
and is subject to him in all things that he wishes, that he says, and that he
does. All of which amounts to nothing less than saying: Although you believe in
Christ, and have in Him [alone] everything that is necessary to salvation, yet
it is nothing and all in vain unless you regard [have and worship] me as your
god, and be subject and obedient to me. And yet it is manifest that the holy
Church has been without the Pope for at least more than five hundred years, and
that even to the present day the churches of the Greeks and of many other
languages neither have been nor are yet under the Pope. 5] Besides, as
often remarked, it is a human figment which is not commanded, and is
unnecessary and useless; for the holy Christian [or catholic] Church can exist
very well without such a head, and it would certainly have remained better
[purer, and its career would have been more prosperous] if such a head had not
been raised up by the devil. 6] And the Papacy is also of no use in the
Church, because it exercises no Christian office; and therefore it is necessary
for the Church to continue and to exist without the Pope.
7] And supposing that
the Pope would yield this point, so as not to be supreme by divine right or
from Gods command, but that we must have [there must be elected] a [certain]
head, to whom all the rest adhere [as their support] in order that the [concord
and] unity of Christians may be preserved against sects and heretics, and that
such a head were chosen by men, and that it were placed within the choice and
power of men to change or remove this head, just as the Council of Constance
adopted nearly this course with reference to the Popes, deposing three and
electing a fourth; supposing, I say, that the Pope and See at Rome would yield
and accept this (which, nevertheless, is impossible; for thus he would have to
suffer his entire realm and estate to be overthrown and destroyed, with all his
rights and books, a thing which, to speak in few words, he cannot do),
nevertheless, even in this way Christianity would not be helped, but many more
sects would arise than before.
8] For since men would
have to be subject to this head, not from God's command, but from their
personal good pleasure, it would easily and in a short time be despised, and at
last retain no member; neither would it have to be forever confined to Rome or
any other place, but it might be wherever and in whatever church God would
grant a man fit for the [taking upon him such a great] office. Oh, the
complicated and confused state of affairs [perplexity] that would result!
9] Therefore the
Church can never be better governed and preserved than if we all live under one
head, Christ, and all the bishops equal in office (although they be unequal in
gifts), be diligently joined in unity of doctrine, faith, Sacraments, prayer,
and works of love, etc., as St. Jerome writes that the priests at Alexandria
together and in common governed the churches, as did also the apostles, and
afterwards all bishops throughout all Christendom, until the Pope raised his
head above all.
10] This teaching shows
forcefully that the Pope is the very Antichrist, who has exalted himself above,
and opposed himself against Christ because he will not permit Christians to be
saved without his power, which, nevertheless, is nothing, and is neither
ordained nor commanded by God. 11] This is, properly speaking to exalt
himself above all that is called God as Paul says, 2 Thess. 2, 4. Even the
Turks or the Tartars, great enemies of Christians as they are, do not do this,
but they allow whoever wishes to believe in Christ, and take bodily tribute and
obedience from Christians.
12] The Pope, however,
prohibits this faith, saying that to be saved a person must obey him. This we
are unwilling to do, even though on this account we must die in God s name. 13]
This all proceeds from the fact that the Pope has wished to be called the
supreme head of the Christian Church by divine right. Accordingly he had to
make himself equal and superior to Christ, and had to cause himself to be
proclaimed the head and then the lord of the Church, and finally of the whole
world, and simply God on earth, until he has dared to issue commands even to
the angels in heaven. 14] And when we distinguish the Pope's teaching
from, or measure and hold it against, Holy Scripture, it is found [it appears
plainly] that the Pope's teaching, where it is best, has been taken from the
imperial and heathen law and treats of political matters and decisions or
rights, as the Decretals show; furthermore, it teaches of ceremonies concerning
churches, garments, food, persons and [similar] puerile, theatrical and comical
things without measure, but in all these things nothing at all of Christ,
faith, and the commandments of God. Lastly, it is nothing else than the devil
himself, because above and against God he urges [and disseminates] his [papal]
falsehoods concerning masses, purgatory, the monastic life, one's own works and
[fictitious] divine worship (for this is the very Papacy [upon each of which
the Papacy is altogether founded and is standing]), and condemns, murders and
tortures all Christians who do not exalt and honor these abominations [of the
Pope] above all things. Therefore, just as little as we can worship the devil
himself as Lord and God, we can endure his apostle, the Pope, or Antichrist, in
his rule as head or lord. For to lie and to kill, and to
destroy body and soul eternally, that is wherein his papal government really
consists, as I have very clearly shown in many books.
15] In these four
articles they will have enough to condemn in the Council. For
they cannot and will not concede us even the least point in one of these
articles. Of this we should be certain, and animate ourselves with [be
forewarned and made firm in] the hope that Christ, our Lord, has attacked His
adversary, and he will press the attack home [pursue and destroy him] both by
His Spirit and coming. Amen.
16] For in the Council
we will stand not before the Emperor or the political magistrate, as at
Augsburg (where the Emperor published a most gracious edict, and caused matters
to be heard kindly [and dispassionately]), but [we will appear] before the Pope
and devil himself, who intends to listen to nothing, but merely [when the case
has been publicly announced] to condemn, to murder and to force us to idolatry.
Therefore we ought not here to kiss his feet, or to say: Thou art my gracious
lord, but as the angel in Zechariah 3, 2 said to Satan: The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan.
Concerning
the following articles we may [will be able to] treat
with learned and reasonable men, or among ourselves. The Pope and his [the
Papal] government do not care much about these. For with them conscience is
nothing, but money, [glory] honors, power are [to them] everything.
1] Here we must
confess, as Paul says in Rom. 5, 11, that sin originated [and entered
the world] from one man Adam, by whose disobedience all men were
made sinners, [and] subject to death and the devil. This is called original
or capital sin.
2] The fruits of this
sin are afterwards the evil deeds which are forbidden in the Ten Commandments,
such as [distrust] unbelief, false faith, idolatry, to be without the fear of
God, presumption [recklessness], despair, blindness [or complete loss of
sight], and, in short not to know or regard God; furthermore to lie, to swear
by [to abuse] God's name [to swear falsely], not to pray, not to call upon God,
not to regard [to despise or neglect] God's Word, to be disobedient to parents,
to murder, to be unchaste, to steal, to deceive, etc.
3] This hereditary sin
is so deep and [horrible] a corruption of nature that no reason can understand
it, but it must be [learned and] believed from the revelation of Scriptures, Ps.
51, 5; Rom. 6, 12ff ; Ex. 33, 3; Gen. 3, 7ff Hence, it
is nothing but error and blindness in regard to this article what the
scholastic doctors have taught, namely:
4] That since the fall
of Adam the natural powers of man have remained entire and incorrupt, and that man by nature has
a right reason and a good will; which things the philosophers teach.
5] Again, that man
has a free will to do good and omit evil, and,
conversely, to omit good and do evil.
6] Again, that man
by his natural powers can observe and keep [do] all the commands
of God.
7] Again, that,
by his natural powers, man can love God above all things and his
neighbor as himself.
8] Again, if a man
does as much as is in him, God certainly grants him His grace.
9] Again, if he
wishes to go to the Sacrament, there is no need of a good intention to
do good, but it is sufficient if he has not a
wicked purpose to commit sin; so entirely good is his nature and so efficacious
the Sacrament.
10] [Again,] that it
is not founded upon Scripture that for a good work the Holy Ghost with His
grace is necessary.
11] Such and many
similar things have arisen from want of understanding and ignorance as regards
both this sin and Christ, our Savior and they are truly heathen dogmas, which
we cannot endure. For if this teaching were right [approved], then Christ has
died in vain, since there is in man no defect nor sin for which he should have
died; or He would have died only for the body, not for the soul, inasmuch as
the soul is [entirely] sound, and the body only is subject to death.
1] Here we hold that
the Law was given by God, first, to restrain sin by threats and the dread of
punishment, and by the promise and offer of grace and benefit. But all this
miscarried on account of the wickedness which sin has wrought in man. 2] For
thereby a part [some] were rendered worse, those, namely, who are hostile to
[hate] the Law, because it forbids what they like to do, and enjoins what they
do not like to do. Therefore, wherever they can escape [if they were not
restrained by] punishment, they [would] do more against the Law than before. These,
then, are the rude and wicked [unbridled and secure] men, who do evil wherever
they [notice that they] have the opportunity.
3] The rest become
blind and arrogant [are smitten with arrogance and blindness], and [insolently]
conceive the opinion that they observe and can observe the Law by their own
powers, as has been said above concerning the scholastic theologians; thence
come the hypocrites and [self-righteous or] false saints.
4] But the chief
office or force of the Law is that it reveal original sin with all its fruits,
and show man how very low his nature has fallen, and has become [fundamentally
and] utterly corrupted; as the Law must tell man that he has no God nor regards
[cares for] God, and worships other gods, a matter which before and without the
Law he would not have believed. In this way he becomes terrified, is humbled,
desponds, despairs, and anxiously desires aid, but sees no escape; he begins to
be an enemy of [enraged at] God, and to murmur, etc. 5] This is what
Paul says, Rom. 4, 15: The Law worketh wrath. And Rom. 5, 20: Sin is
increased by the Law.[The Law entered that the
offense might abound.]
1] This office [of the
Law] the New Testament retains and urges, as
2] This, then, is the
thunderbolt of God by which He strikes in a heap [hurls to the ground] both
manifest sinners and false saints [hypocrites], and suffers no one to be in the
right [declares no one righteous], but drives them all together to terror and
despair. This is the hammer, as Jeremiah 23, 29 says: Is
not My Word like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? This is not activa
contritio or manufactured repentance, but passiva contritio [torture
of conscience], true sorrow of heart, suffering and sensation of death.
3] This, then, is what
it means to begin true repentance; and here man must hear such a sentence as
this: You are all of no account, whether you be manifest sinners or saints [in
your own opinion]; you all must become different and do otherwise than you now
are and are doing [no matter what sort of people you are], whether you are as
great, wise, powerful, and holy as you may. Here no one is [righteous, holy],
godly, etc.
4] But to this office
the New Testament immediately adds the consolatory promise of grace through the
Gospel, which must be believed, as Christ declares, Mark 1, 15: Repent and
believe the Gospel, i.e., become different and do otherwise, and
believe My promise. And John, preceding Him, is called
a preacher of repentance, however, for the remission of sins, i.e., John
was to accuse all, and convict them of being sinners, that they might know what
they were before God, and might acknowledge that they were lost men, and might
thus be prepared for the Lord, to receive grace, and to expect and accept from
Him the remission of sins. Thus also Christ Himself says, Luke 24, 47: 6] Repentance
and remission of sins must be preached in My name
among all nations.
7] But whenever the
Law alone, without the Gospel being added exercises this its office there is
[nothing else than] death and hell, and man must despair, like Saul and Judas;
as St. Paul, Rom. 7, 10, says: Through sin the Law killeth. 8] On
the other hand, the Gospel brings consolation and remission not only in one
way, but through the word and Sacraments, and the like, as we shall hear
afterward in order that [thus] there is with the Lord plenteous redemption,
as Ps. 130, 7 says against the dreadful captivity of sin.
9] However, we must
now contrast the false repentance of the sophists with true repentance, in order
that both may be the better understood.
Of the False
Repentance of the Papists.
10] It was impossible
that they should teach correctly concerning repentance, since they did not
[rightly] know the real sins [the real sin]. For, as has been shown above, they
do not believe aright concerning original sin, but say that the natural powers
of man have remained [entirely] unimpaired and incorrupt; that reason can teach
aright, and the will can in accordance therewith do aright [perform those
things which are taught], that God certainly bestows His grace when a man does
as much as is in him, according to his free will.
11] It had to follow
thence [from this dogma] that they did [must do] penance only for actual sins
such as wicked thoughts to which a person yields (for wicked emotion
[concupiscence, vicious feelings, and inclinations], lust and improper
dispositions [according to them] are not sins), and for wicked words and wicked
deeds, which free will could readily have omitted.
12] And of such
repentance they fix three parts contrition, confession, and satisfaction, with
this [magnificent] consolation and promise added: If man truly repent, [feel
remorse,] confess, render satisfaction, he thereby would have merited
forgiveness, and paid for his sins before God [atoned for his sins and obtained
a plenary redemption]. Thus in repentance they instructed men to repose
confidence in their own works. 13] Hence the expression originated,
which was employed in the pulpit when public absolution was announced to the people:
Prolong O God, my life, until I shall make satisfaction for my
sins and amend my life.
14] There was here
[profound silence and] no mention of Christ nor faith; but men hoped by their
own works to overcome and blot out sins before God. And with this intention we
became priests and monks, that we might array ourselves against sin.
15] As to contrition,
this is the way it was done: Since no one could remember all his sins
(especially as committed through an entire year), they inserted this provision,
namely, that if an unknown sin should be remembered later [if the remembrance
of a concealed sin should perhaps return], this also must be repented of and
confessed etc. Meanwhile they were [the person was] commended to the grace of
God.
16] Moreover, since no
one could know how great the contrition ought to be in order to be sufficient
before God, they gave this consolation: He who could not have contrition, at
least ought to have attrition, which I may call half a contrition or the
beginning of contrition, for they have themselves understood neither of these
terms nor do they understand them now, as little as I. Such attrition was
reckoned as contrition when a person went to confession.
17] And when it
happened that any one said that he could not have contrition nor lament his
sins (as might have occurred in illicit love or the desire for revenge, etc.),
they asked whether he did not wish or desire to have contrition [lament]. When
one would reply Yes (for who, save the devil himself, would here say No?), they
accepted this as contrition, and forgave him his sins on account of this good
work of his [which they adorned with the name of contrition]. Here they cited
the example of St. Bernard, etc.
18] Here we see how
blind reason, in matters pertaining to God, gropes about, and, according to its
own imagination, seeks for consolation in its own works, and cannot think of
[entirely forgets] Christ and faith. But if it be [clearly] viewed in the
light, this contrition is a manufactured and fictitious thought [or
imagination], derived from man's own powers, without faith and without the
knowledge of Christ. And in it the poor sinner, when he reflected upon his own
lust and desire for revenge, would sometimes [perhaps] have laughed rather than
wept [either laughed or wept, rather than to think of something else], except
such as either had been truly struck by [the lightning of] the Law, or had been
vainly vexed by the devil with a sorrowful spirit. Otherwise [with the
exception of these persons] such contrition was certainly mere hypocrisy, and
did not mortify the lust for sins [flames of sin]; for they had to grieve,
while they would rather have continued to sin, if it had been free to them.
19] As regards
confession, the procedure was this: Every one had [was enjoined] to enumerate
all his sins (which is an impossible thing). This was
a great torment. From such as he had forgotten [But if any one had forgotten
some sins] he would be absolved on the condition that, if they would occur to
him, he must still confess them. In this way he could never know whether he had
made a sufficiently pure confession [perfectly and correctly], or when
confessing would ever have an end. Yet he was pointed to his own works, and
comforted thus: The more fully [sincerely and frankly] one confesses, and the
more he humiliates himself and debases himself before the priest, the sooner
and better he renders satisfaction for his sins; for such humility certainly
would earn grace before God.
20] Here, too, there
was no faith nor Christ, and the virtue of the
absolution was not declared to him, but upon his enumeration of sins and his
self-abasement depended his consolation. What torture, rascality, and idolatry
such confession has produced is more than can be related.
21] As to satisfaction,
this is by far the most involved [perplexing] part of all. For
no man could know how much to render for a single sin, not to say how much for
all. Here they have resorted to the device of imposing a small
satisfaction, which could indeed be rendered, as five Paternosters, a day's
fast, etc.; for the rest [that was lacking] of the [in their] repentance they
were directed to purgatory.
22] Here, too, there
was nothing but anguish and [extreme] misery. [For] some thought that they
would never get out of purgatory, because, according to the old canons seven
years' repentance is required for a single mortal sin. 23] Nevertheless,
confidence was placed upon our work of satisfaction, and if the satisfaction
could have been perfect, confidence would have been placed in it entirely, and
neither faith nor Christ would have been of use. But this confidence was
impossible. For although any one had done penance in that way for a hundred
years, he would still not have known whether he had finished his penance. That
meant forever to do penance and never to come to repentance.
24] Here now the Holy
See at Rome, coming to the aid of the poor Church, invented indulgences,
whereby it forgave and remitted [expiation or] satisfaction, first, for a
single instance, for seven years, for a hundred years and distributed them
among the cardinals and bishops, so that one could grant indulgence for a
hundred years and another for a hundred days. But he reserved to himself alone
the power to remit the entire satisfaction.
25] Now, since this
began to yield money, and the traffic in bulls became profitable he devised the
golden jubilee year [a truly gold-bearing year], and fixed it at
Later,
therefore, he issued them [those golden years of his] by his legates
[everywhere] to the countries, until all churches and houses were full of the
Golden Year. 26] At last he also made an inroad into purgatory among the
dead, first, by founding masses and vigils, afterwards, by indulgences and the
Golden Year, and finally souls became so cheap that he released one for a
farthing.
27] But all this, too,
was of no avail. For although the Pope taught men to depend upon, and trust in,
these indulgences [for salvation], yet he rendered the [whole] matter again
uncertain. For in his bulls he declares: Whoever would share in the indulgences
or a Golden Year must be contrite, and have confessed, and pay money. Now, we
have heard above that this contrition and confession are with them uncertain
and hypocrisy. Likewise, also no one knew what soul was in purgatory, and if
some were therein, no one knew which had properly repented and confessed. Thus
he took the precious money [the Pope snatched up the holy pence], and comforted
them meanwhile with [led them to confidence in] his power and indulgence, and
[then again led them away from that and] directed them again to their uncertain
work.
28] If, now [although],
there were some who did not believe [acknowledge] themselves guilty of such actual
sins in [committed by] thoughts, words, and works,--as I, and such as I, in
monasteries and chapters [fraternities or colleges of priests], wished to be
monks and priests, and by fasting, watching, praying, saying Mass, coarse
garments, and hard beds, etc., fought against [strove to resist] evil thoughts,
and in full earnest and with force wanted to be holy, and yet the hereditary,
inborn evil sometimes did in sleep what it is wont to do (as also St. Augustine
and Jerome among others confess),--still each one held the other in esteem, so
that some, according to our teaching, were regarded as holy, without sin and
full of good works, so much so that with this mind we would communicate and
sell our good works to others, as being superfluous to us for heaven. This is
indeed true, and seals, letters, and instances [that this happened] are at
hand.
29] [When there were
such, I say,] These did not need repentance. For of
what would they repent, since they had not indulged wicked thoughts? What would
they confess [concerning words not uttered], since they had avoided words? For
what should they render satisfaction, since they were so guiltless of any deed
that they could even sell their superfluous righteousness to other poor
sinners? Such saints were also the Pharisees and scribes in the time of Christ.
30] Here comes the
fiery angel,
33] In the same way
Paul also preaches, Rom. 3, 10-12: There is none righteous, there is
none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God, there
is none that doeth good, no not one; they are all gone out of the way;
they are together become unprofitable. 34] And Acts 17, 30: God
now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. "All men," he says;
no one excepted who is a man. 35] This
repentance teaches us to discern sin, namely, that we are altogether lost, and
that there is nothing good in us from head to foot [both within and without],
and that we must absolutely become new and other men.
36] This repentance is
not piecemeal [partial] and beggarly [fragmentary], like that which does penance for actual sins, nor is it uncertain like that.
For it does not debate what is or is not sin, but hurls everything on a heap,
and says: All in us is nothing but sin [affirms that, with respect to us, all
is simply sin (and there is nothing in us that is not sin and guilt)]. What is
the use of [For why do we wish] investigating, dividing, or distinguishing a
long time? For this reason, too, this contrition is not [doubtful or]
uncertain. For there is nothing left with which we can think of any good thing
to pay for sin, but there is only a sure despairing concerning all that we are,
think, speak, or do [all hope must be cast aside in respect of everything], etc.
37] In like manner
confession, too, cannot be false, uncertain, or piecemeal [mutilated or
fragmentary]. For he who confesses that all in him is nothing but sin
comprehends all sins, excludes none, forgets none. 38] Neither can the
satisfaction be uncertain, because it is not our uncertain, sinful work, but it
is the suffering and blood of the [spotless and] innocent Lamb of God who
taketh away the sin of the world.
39] Of this repentance
John preaches, and afterwards Christ in the Gospel, and we also. By this
[preaching of] repentance we dash to the ground the Pope and everything that is
built upon our good works. For all is built upon a rotten and vain foundation,
which is called a good work or law, even though no good work is there, but only
wicked works, and no one does the Law (as Christ, John 7, 19, says), but all
transgress it. Therefore the building [that is raised upon it] is nothing but
falsehood and hypocrisy, even [in the part] where it is most holy and
beautiful.
40] And in Christians
this repentance continues until death, because, through the entire life it
contends with sin remaining in the flesh, as Paul, Rom. 7, 14-25, [shows]
testifies that he wars with the law in his members, etc.; and that, not
by his own powers, but by the gift of the Holy Ghost that follows the remission
of sins. This gift daily cleanses and sweeps out the remaining sins, and works
so as to render man truly pure and holy.
41] The Pope, the
theologians, the jurists, and every other man know nothing of this [from their
own reason], but it is a doctrine from heaven, revealed through the Gospel, and
must suffer to be called heresy by the godless saints [or hypocrites].
42] On the other hand,
if certain sectarists would arise, some of whom are perhaps already extant, and
in the time of the insurrection [of the peasants] came to my own view, holding
that all those who had once received the Spirit or the forgiveness of sins, or
had become believers, even though they should afterwards sin, would still
remain in the faith, and such sin would not harm them, and [hence] crying thus:
"Do whatever you please; if you believe, it all amounts to nothing; faith
blots out all sins," etc.--they say, besides, that if any one sins after
he has received faith and the Spirit, he never truly had the Spirit and faith:
I have had before me [seen and heard] many such insane men, and I fear that in
some such a devil is still remaining [hiding and dwelling].
43] It is, accordingly,
necessary to know and to teach that when holy men, still having and feeling
original sin, also daily repenting of and striving with it, happen to fall into
manifest sins, as David into adultery, murder, and blasphemy, that then faith
and the Holy Ghost has departed from them [they cast out faith and the Holy
Ghost]. For the Holy Ghost does not permit sin to have dominion, to gain the
upper hand so as to be accomplished, but represses and restrains it so that it
must not do what it wishes. But if it does what it wishes, the Holy Ghost and
faith are [certainly] not present. For
We will
now return to the Gospel, which not merely in one way gives us counsel and aid
against sin; for God is superabundantly rich [and liberal] in His grace [and
goodness]. First, through the spoken Word by which the
forgiveness of sins is preached [He commands to be preached] in the whole
world; which is the peculiar office of the Gospel. Secondly,
through Baptism. Thirdly, through the holy Sacrament
of the Altar. Fourthly, through the power of the keys, and also through
the mutual conversation and consolation of brethren, Matt. 18, 20: Where two
or three are gathered together, etc.
1] Baptism is nothing
else than the Word of God in the water, commanded by His institution, or, as
Paul says, a washing in the Word; as also Augustine says: Let the
Word come to the element, and it becomes a Sacrament. 2] And
for this reason we do not hold with Thomas and the monastic preachers [or
Dominicans] who forget the Word (God's institution) and say that God has
imparted to the water a spiritual power, which through the water washes away
sin. 3] Nor [do we agree] with Scotus and the Barefooted monks
[Minorites or Franciscan monks], who teach that, by the assistance of the
divine will, Baptism washes away sins, and that this ablution occurs only
through the will of God, and by no means through the Word or water.
4] Of the baptism of
children we hold that children ought to be baptized. For they
belong to the promised redemption made through Christ, and the Church should
administer it [Baptism and the announcement of that promise] to them.
1] Of the Sacrament of
the Altar we hold that bread and wine in the Supper are the true body and blood
of Christ, and are given and received not only by the godly, but also by wicked
Christians.
2] And that not only
one form is to be given. [For] we do not need that high art [specious wisdom]
which is to teach us that under the one form there is as much as under both, as
the sophists and the Council of Constance teach. 3] For even if it were
true that there is as much under one as under both, yet the one form only is
not the entire ordinance and institution [made] ordained and commanded by
Christ. 4] And we especially condemn and in God's name execrate those
who not only omit both forms but also quite autocratically [tyrannically]
prohibit, condemn, and blaspheme them as heresy, and so exalt themselves
against and above Christ, our Lord and God [opposing and placing themselves
ahead of Christ], etc.
5] As regards
transubstantiation, we care nothing about the sophistical subtlety by which
they teach that bread and wine leave or lose their own natural substance, and
that there remain only the appearance and color of bread, and not true bread. For
it is in perfect agreement with Holy Scriptures that there is, and remains,
bread, as Paul himself calls it, 1 Cor. 10, 16: The bread which we break.
And 1 Cor. 11, 28: Let him so eat of that bread.
1] The keys are an
office and power given by Christ to the Church for binding and loosing sin, not
only the gross and well-known sins, but also the subtle, hidden, which are
known only to God, as it is written in Ps. 19, 13: Who can understand his
errors? And in Rom. 7, 25
1] Since Absolution or
the Power of the Keys is also an aid and consolation against sin and a bad
conscience, ordained by Christ [Himself] in the Gospel, Confession or
Absolution ought by no means to be abolished in the Church, especially on
account of [tender and] timid consciences and on account of the untrained [and
capricious] young people, in order that they may be examined, and instructed in
the Christian doctrine.
2] But the enumeration
of sins ought to be free to every one, as to what he wishes to enumerate or not
to enumerate. For as long as we are in the flesh, we shall not lie when we say:
"I am a poor man [I acknowledge that I am a miserable sinner], full of
sin." Rom. 7, 23: I see another law in my members, etc. For since
private absolution originates in the Office of the Keys, it should not be
despised [neglected], but greatly and highly esteemed [of the greatest worth],
as [also] all other offices of the Christian Church.
3] And in those things
which concern the spoken, outward Word, we must firmly hold that God grants His
Spirit or grace to no one, except through or with the preceding outward Word,
in order that we may [thus] be protected against the enthusiasts, i.e.,
spirits who boast that they have the Spirit without and before the Word, and
accordingly judge Scripture or the spoken Word, and explain and stretch it at
their pleasure, as Muenzer did, and many still do at the present day, who wish
to be acute judges between the Spirit and the letter, and yet know not what
they say or declare. 4] For [indeed] the Papacy also is nothing but
sheer enthusiasm, by which the Pope boasts that all rights exist in the shrine
of his heart, and whatever he decides and commands with [in] his church is
spirit and right, even though it is above and contrary to Scripture and the
spoken Word.
5] All this is the old
devil and old serpent, who also converted Adam and Eve into enthusiasts, and
led them from the outward Word of God to spiritualizing and self-conceit, and
nevertheless he accomplished this through other outward words. 6] Just
as also our enthusiasts [at the present day] condemn the outward Word, and
nevertheless they themselves are not silent, but they fill the world with their
pratings and writings, as though, indeed, the Spirit could not come through the
writings and spoken word of the apostles, but [first] through their writings
and words he must come. Why [then] do not they also omit their own sermons and
writings, until the Spirit Himself come to men, without their writings and
before them, as they boast that He has come into them without the preaching of
the Scriptures? But of these matters there is not time now to dispute at
greater length; we have elsewhere sufficiently urged this subject.
7] For even those who
believe before Baptism, or become believing in Baptism, believe through the
preceding outward Word, as the adults, who have come to reason, must first have
heard: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, even though
they are at first unbelieving, and receive the Spirit and Baptism ten years
afterwards. 8] Cornelius, Acts 10, 1ff , had heard long before among the
Jews of the coming Messiah, through whom he was righteous before God, and in
such faith his prayers and alms were acceptable to God (as Luke calls him
devout and God-fearing), and without such preceding Word and hearing could not
have believed or been righteous. But St. Peter had to reveal to him that the
Messiah (in whom, as one that was to come, he had hitherto believed) now had
come, lest his faith concerning the coming Messiah hold him captive among the
hardened and unbelieving Jews, but know that he was now to be saved by the
present Messiah, and must not, with the [rabble of the] Jews deny nor persecute
Him.
9] In a word,
enthusiasm inheres in Adam and his children from the beginning [from the first
fall] to the end of the world, [its poison] having been implanted and infused
into them by the old dragon, and is the origin, power [life], and strength of
all heresy, especially of that of the Papacy and Mahomet. 10] Therefore
we ought and must constantly maintain this point, that
God does not wish to deal with us otherwise than through the spoken Word and
the Sacraments. 11] It is the devil himself whatsoever is extolled as
Spirit without the Word and Sacraments. For God wished to appear even to Moses
through the burning bush and spoken Word; and no prophet neither Elijah nor
Elisha, received the Spirit without the Ten Commandments [or spoken Word]. 12]
Neither was John the Baptist conceived without the preceding word of
Gabriel, nor did he leap in his mother's womb without the voice of Mary. 13]
And Peter says, 2 Pet. 1, 21: The prophecy came not by the will of man;
but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Without the
outward Word, however, they were not holy, much less would the Holy Ghost have
moved them to speak when they still were unholy [or profane]; for they were
holy, says he, since the Holy Ghost spake through them.
The
greater excommunication, as the Pope calls it, we regard only as a civil
penalty, and it does not concern us ministers of the Church. But the lesser,
that is, the true Christian excommunication, consists in this, that manifest
and obstinate sinners are not admitted to the Sacrament and other communion of
the Church until they amend their lives and avoid sin. And ministers ought not
to mingle secular punishments with this ecclesiastical punishment, or
excommunication.
1] If the bishops
would be true bishops [would rightly discharge their office], and would devote
themselves to the Church and the Gospel, it might be granted to them for the
sake of love and unity, but not from necessity, to ordain and confirm us and
our preachers; omitting, however, all comedies and spectacular display
[deceptions, absurdities, and appearances] of unchristian [heathenish] parade
and pomp. 2] But because they neither are, nor wish to be, true bishops,
but worldly lords and princes, who will neither preach, nor teach, nor baptize,
nor administer the Lord's Supper, nor perform any work or office of the Church,
and, moreover, persecute and condemn those who discharge these functions,
having been called to do so, the Church ought not on their account to remain
without ministers [to be forsaken by or deprived of ministers].
3] Therefore, as the
ancient examples of the Church and the Fathers teach us, we ourselves will and
ought to ordain suitable persons to this office; and, even according to their own
laws, they have not the right to forbid or prevent us. For their laws say that
those ordained even by heretics should be declared [truly] ordained and stay
ordained [and that such ordination must not be changed], as St. Jerome writes
of the Church at Alexandria, that at first it was governed in common by priests
and preachers, without bishops.
1] To prohibit
marriage, and to burden the divine order of priests with perpetual celibacy,
they have had neither authority nor right [they have done out of malice,
without any honest reason], but have acted like antichristian, tyrannical,
desperate scoundrels [have performed the work of antichrist, of tyrants and the
worst knaves], and have thereby caused all kinds of horrible, abominable,
innumerable sins of unchastity [depraved lusts], in which they still wallow. 2]
Now, as little as we or they have been given the power to make a woman out
of a man or a man out of a woman, or to nullify either sex, so little have they
had the power to [sunder and] separate such creatures of God, or to forbid them
from living [and cohabiting] honestly in marriage with one another. 3] Therefore
we are unwilling to assent to their abominable celibacy, nor will we [even]
tolerate it, but we wish to have marriage free as God has instituted [and
ordained] it, and we wish neither to rescind nor hinder His work; for Paul
says, 1 Tim. 4, 1ff , that this [prohibition of marriage] is a doctrine of
devils.
1] We do not concede
to them that they are the Church, and [in truth] they are not [the Church]; nor
will we listen to those things which, under the name of Church, they enjoin or
forbid. 2] For, thank God, [to-day] a child seven years old knows what
the Church is, namely, the holy believers and lambs who hear the voice of their
Shepherd. For the children pray thus: I believe in one holy [catholic or]
Christian Church. 3] This holiness does not consist in albs, tonsures,
long gowns, and other of their ceremonies devised by them beyond Holy
Scripture, but in the Word of God and true faith.
1] What I have
hitherto and constantly taught concerning this I know not how to change in the
least, namely, that by faith, as St. Peter says, we acquire a new and clean
heart, and God will and does account us entirely righteous and holy for the
sake of Christ, our Mediator. And although sin in the flesh has not yet been
altogether removed or become dead, yet He will not punish or remember it.
2] And such faith,
renewal, and forgiveness of sins is followed by good
works. And what there is still sinful or imperfect also in them shall not be
accounted as sin or defect, even [and that, too] for Christ's sake; but the
entire man, both as to his person and his works, is to be called and to be
righteous and holy from pure grace and mercy, shed upon us [unfolded] and
spread over us in Christ. 3] Therefore we cannot boast of many merits
and works, if they are viewed apart from grace and mercy, but as it is written,
1 Cor. 1, 31: He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord,
namely, that he has a gracious God. For thus all is well. 4] We say,
besides, that if good works do not follow, faith is false and not true.
1] As monastic vows directly
conflict with the first chief article, they must be absolutely abolished. For
it is of them that Christ says, Matt. 24, 5. 23ff : I am Christ, etc. 2]
For he who makes a vow to live as a monk believes that he will enter upon a
mode of life holier than ordinary Christians lead, and wishes to earn heaven by
his own works not only for himself, but also for others; this is to deny
Christ. 3] And they boast from their
monastic vow is equal to
Baptism. This is blasphemy [against God].
1] The declaration of
the Papists that human traditions serve for the remission of
sins, or merit salvation, is [altogether] unchristian and condemned, as
Christ says Matt. 15, 9: In vain they do worship Me, teaching for
doctrines the commandments of men. 2] Again, Titus 1, 14: That turn from the truth. Again, when they
declare that it is a mortal sin if one breaks these ordinances [does not keep
these statutes], this, too, is not right.
3] These are the
articles on which I must stand, and, God willing, shall stand even to my death;
and I do not know how to change or to yield anything in them. If any one wishes
to yield anything, let him do it at the peril of his conscience.
4] Lastly, there still
remains the Pope's bag of impostures concerning foolish and childish articles,
as, the dedication of churches, the baptism of bells, the baptism of the
altarstone, and the inviting of sponsors to these rites, who would make
donations towards them. Such baptizing is a reproach and mockery of Holy
Baptism, hence should not be tolerated. 5] Furthermore, concerning the
consecration of wax-tapers, palm-branches, cakes, oats, [herbs,] spices, etc.,
which indeed, cannot be called consecrations, but are sheer mockery and fraud. And
such deceptions there are without number, which we commend for adoration to
their god and to themselves, until they weary of it. We will
[ought to] have nothing to do with them.
1] Dr. Martin Luther subscribed.
2] Dr. Justus Jonas, Rector,
subscribed with his own hand.
3] Dr. John Bugenhagen, Pomeranus,
subscribed.
4] Dr. Caspar
Creutziger subscribed.
5] Niclas Ambsdorf of
6] George Spalatin of
7] I, Philip
Melanchthon, also regard [approve] the above articles as right and
Christian. But regarding the Pope I hold that, if he would allow the Gospel,
his superiority over the bishops which he has otherwise, is conceded to him by
human right also by us, for the sake of peace and general unity of those
Christians who are also under him, and may be under him hereafter.
8] John Agricola of Eisleben
subscribed.
9] Gabriel Didymus subscribed.
10] I, Dr. Urban
Rhegius, Superintendent of the churches in the Duchy of Lueneburg, subscribe
in my own name and in the name of my brethren, and of the
11] I, Stephen
Agricola, Minister at
preaching and firmly believing as above. 14] I, Andrew
Osiander of Nuernberg, subscribe. 15] I, Magister Veit Dieterich,
Minister at Nuernberg, subscribe. 16] I, Erhard Schnepf, Preacher
at
Brentz, as on departing
from Smalcald he directed me orally and by a letter, which I have
shown to those brethren who have subscribed. 24] I, Dionysius
Melander, subscribe to the Confession, the Apology, and the Concordia on
the subject of the Eucharist.
25] Paul Rhodius, Superintendent of
26] Gerard Oeniken, Superintendent of
the Church at
27] I, Brixius
Northanus, Minister of the
Articles
of the Reverend Father Martin Luther, and confess that hitherto I have thus
believed and taught, and by the Spirit of Christ I shall continue thus to
believe and teach. 28] Michael Coelius, Preacher at Mansfeld,
subscribed. 29] The Reverend Magister Peter Geltner, Preacher at
33] I, Frederick
Myconius, Pastor of the Church at
name and in that of Justus Menius of
35] The Reverend
Licentiate Ludwig Platz of Melsungen. 36] The Reverend Magister Sigismund
Kirchner. 37] The Reverend Wolfgang Kismetter. 38] The Reverend Melchior
Weitmann. 39] The Reverend John Tall. 40] The Reverend
John Kilian. 41] The Reverend Nicholas Faber. 42] The
Reverend Andrew Menser. 43] And I, Egidius Mechler, have
subscribed with my own hand.
Year 1537.
1] The Roman Pontiff
claims for himself [in the first place] that by divine right he is [supreme]
above all bishops and pastors [in all Christendom].
2] Secondly, he adds
also that by divine right he has both swords, i.e., the authority also
of bestowing kingdoms [enthroning and deposing kings, regulating secular
dominions etc.].
3] And thirdly, he
says that to believe this is necessary for salvation. And for these reasons the
Roman bishop calls himself [and boasts that he is] the vicar
of Christ on earth.
4] These three
articles we hold to be false, godless, tyrannical, and [quite] pernicious to
the Church.
5] Now, in order that
our proof [reason and opinion] may be [better] understood, we shall first
define what they call being above all [what it means that he boasts of being
supreme] by divine right. For they mean that he is universal [that the Pope is
the general bishop over the entire Christian Church], or, as they say,
ecumenical bishop, i.e., from whom all bishops and pastors throughout
the entire world ought to seek ordination and [confirmation, who [alone] is to
have the right of electing, ordaining, confirming, deposing all bishops [and
pastors]. 6] Besides this, he arrogates to himself the authority to make
[all kinds of] laws concerning acts of worship, concerning changing the
Sacraments [and] concerning doctrine, and wishes his articles, his decrees, his
laws [his statutes and ordinances] to be considered equal to the divine laws
[to other articles of the Christian Creed and the Holy Scriptures], i.e.,
he holds that by the papal laws the consciences of men are so bound that those
who neglect them, even without public offense, sin mortally [that they cannot
be omitted without sin. For he wishes to found this power upon divine right and
the Holy Scriptures; yea, he wishes to have it preferred to the Holy Scriptures
and God's commands]. And what he adds is still more horrible, namely, that it
is necessary to believe all these things in order to be saved [all these things
shall and must be believed at the peril of forfeiting salvation].
7] In the first place,
therefore, let us show from the [holy] Gospel that the Roman bishop is not by
divine right above [cannot arrogate to himself any supremacy whatever over]
other bishops and pastors.
8]
II. Matt.
18, 2. The same is taught by the parable when Christ in the same dispute
concerning the kingdom places a little child in the midst, signifying that
among ministers there is not to be sovereignty, just as a child neither takes
nor seeks sovereignty for himself.
9] III. John 20, 21. Christ sends forth His disciples on an equality, without any distinction [so that no one of them
was to have more or less power than any other], when He says: As My Father
hath sent Me, even so send I you. [These words are clear and plain:]
He says that He sends them individually in the same manner as He Himself was
sent; hence He grants to no one a prerogative or lordship above the rest.
10] IV. Gal. 2, 7f St.
Paul manifestly affirms that he was neither ordained nor confirmed [and
endorsed] by Peter, nor does he acknowledge Peter to be one from whom
confirmation should be sought. And he expressly contends concerning this point
that his call does not depend upon the authority of Peter. But he ought to have
acknowledged Peter as a superior if Peter was superior by divine right [if
Peter, indeed, had received such supremacy from Christ]. Paul accordingly says
that he had at once preached the Gospel [freely for a long time] without
consulting Peter. Also: Of those who seemed to be somewhat (whatsoever
they were, it maketh no matter to me; God accepteth no man's
person). And: They who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing
to me. Since Paul, then, clearly testifies that he did not even wish to
seek for the confirmation of Peter [for permission to preach] even when he had
come to him, he teaches that the authority of the ministry depends upon the
Word of God, and that Peter was not superior to the other apostles, and that it
was not from this one individual Peter that ordination or confirmation was to
be sought [that the office of the ministry proceeds from the general call of
the apostles, and that it is not necessary for all to have the call or
confirmation of this one person, Peter, alone].
11] V. In 1 Cor. 3, 6,
Paul makes ministers equal, and teaches that the Church is above the ministers.
Hence superiority or lordship over the Church or the rest of the ministers is
not ascribed to Peter [in preference to other apostles]. For he says thus: All
things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas,
i.e., let neither the other ministers nor Peter assume for themselves
lordship or superiority over the Church; let them not burden the Church with
traditions; let not the authority of any avail more than the Word [of God]; let
not the authority of Cephas be opposed to the authority of the other apostles,
as they reasoned at that time: "Cephas, who is an apostle of higher rank,
observes this; therefore, both Paul and the rest ought to observe this." Paul
removes this pretext from Peter, and denies [Not so, says Paul, and makes Peter
doff his little hat, namely, the claim] that his authority is to be preferred
to the rest or to the Church.
12] VI. The Council of
Nice resolved that the bishop of
13] VII. Again the
Council of Nice determined that bishops should be elected by their own
churches, in the presence of some neighboring bishop or of several. 14] The
same was observed [for a long time, not only in the East, but] also in the West
and in the Latin churches, as Cyprian and Augustine testify. For Cyprian says
in his fourth letter to Cornelius: Accordingly, as regards the divine
observance and apostolic practice, you must diligently keep and practice
what is also observed among us and in almost all the provinces, that for
celebrating ordination properly, whatsoever bishops of the same province
live nearest should come together with the people for whom a pastor is being
appointed, and the bishop should be chosen in the presence of the people,
who most fully know the life of each one, which we also have seen
done among us at the ordination of our colleague Sabinus, that by the
suffrage of the entire brotherhood, and by the judgment of the bishops
who had assembled in their presence, the episcopate was conferred and
hands laid on him.
15] Cyprian calls this
custom a divine tradition and an apostolic observance, and affirms that
it is observed in almost all the provinces.
Since,
therefore, neither ordination nor confirmation was sought from a bishop of Rome
in the greater part of the world in the Latin and Greek churches, it is
sufficiently apparent that the churches did not then accord superiority and
domination to the bishop of Rome.
16] Such superiority is
impossible. For it is impossible for one bishop to be the overseer of the
churches of the whole world, or for churches situated in the most distant lands
to seek ordination [for all their ministers] from one. For it is manifest that
the kingdom of Christ is scattered throughout the whole world; and to-day there
are many churches in the East which do not seek ordination or confirmation from
the Roman bishop [which have ministers ordained neither by the Pope nor his
bishops]. Therefore, since such superiority [which the Pope, contrary to all
Scripture, arrogates to himself] is impossible, and the churches in the greater
part of the world have not acknowledged [nor made use of] it, it is
sufficiently apparent that it was not instituted [by Christ, and does not
spring from divine law].
17] VIII. Many ancient
synods have been proclaimed and held in which the bishop of
18] IX. Jerome says: If
the question is concerning authority, the world is greater than the
city. Wherever there has been a bishop, whether at
19] X. Gregory, writing
to the patriarch at
20] XI. Lastly, how can
the Pope be over the entire Church by divine right when the Church has the
election, and the custom gradually prevailed that bishops of
22] But they cite
against us certain passages, namely, Matt. 16, 18f : Thou
art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; also: I
will give unto thee the keys; also John 21, 15: Feed My sheep, and
some others. But since this entire controversy has been fully and accurately
treated elsewhere in the books of our theologians, and everything cannot be
reviewed in this place, we refer to those writings, and wish them to be
regarded as repeated. Yet we shall reply briefly concerning the interpretation
[of the passages quoted].
23] In all these
passages Peter is the representative of the entire assembly of apostles [and
does not speak for himself alone, but for all the apostles], as appears from
the text itself. For Christ asks not Peter alone, but says: Whom
do ye say that I am? And what is here said [to Peter alone] in the singular
number: I will give unto thee the keys; and whatsoever thou shalt bind,
etc., is elsewhere expressed [to their entire number], in the plural Matt. 18,
18: Whatsoever ye shall bind, etc. And in John 20, 23: Whosesoever
sins ye remit, etc. These words testify that the keys are given alike to
all the apostles and that all the apostles are alike sent forth [to preach].
24] In addition to
this, it is necessary to acknowledge that the keys belong not to the person of
one particular man, but to the Church, as many most clear and firm arguments
testify. For Christ, speaking concerning the keys adds, Matt. 18, 19: If two
or three of you shall agree on earth, etc. Therefore he grants the keys
principally and immediately to the Church, just as also for this reason the
Church has principally the right of calling. [For just as the promise of the
Gospel belongs certainly and immediately to the entire Church, so the keys
belong immediately to the entire Church, because the keys are nothing else than
the office whereby this promise is communicated to every one who desires it,
just as it is actually manifest that the Church has the power to ordain
ministers of the Church. And Christ speaks in these words: Whatsoever ye
shall bind, etc., and indicates to whom He has given the keys, namely, to
the Church: Where two or three are gathered together in My
name. Likewise Christ gives supreme and final jurisdiction to the Church,
when He says: Tell it unto the Church.]
Therefore
it is necessary that in these passages Peter is the representative of the
entire assembly of the apostles, and for this reason they do not accord to
Peter any prerogative or superiority, or lordship [which he had, or was to have
had, in preference to the other apostles].
25] However, as to the
declaration: Upon this rock I will build My Church, certainly the Church
has not been built upon the authority of man, but upon the ministry of the
confession which Peter made, in which he proclaims that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God. He accordingly addresses him as a minister: Upon this rock,
i.e., upon this ministry. [Therefore he addresses him as a minister of
this office in which this confession and doctrine is to be in operation and
says: Upon this rock, i.e., this preaching and ministry.]
26] Furthermore, the
ministry of the New Testament is not bound to places and persons as the
Levitical ministry, but it is dispersed throughout the whole world, and is
there where God gives His gifts, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers; neither
does this ministry avail on account of the authority of any person, but on
account of the Word given by Christ. 27] [Nor does the person of a
teacher add anything to this word and office; it matters not who is preaching
and teaching it; if there are hearts who receive and cling to it, to them it is
done as they hear and believe.] And in this way, not as referring to the person
of Peter, most of the holy Fathers, as Origen, Cyprian, Augustine, 28] Hilary,
and Bede, interpret this passage: Upon this rock.
Chrysostom says thus: "Upon this rock," not upon Peter. For He built His Church not upon man,
but upon the faith of Peter. But what was his faith?"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
And Hilary says: To Peter the Father revealed that he should say,"Thou
art the Son of the living God." 29] Therefore the building
of the Church is upon this rock of confession; this faith is the foundation of
the Church.
30] And as to that
which is said John 21, 15ff : Feed My sheep,
and, Lovest thou Me more than these? it does
not as yet follow hence that a peculiar superiority was given Peter. He bids
him "feed," i.e., teach the Word [the Gospel], or rule the
Church with the Word [the Gospel], which Peter has in common with the other
apostles.
31] The second article
is still clearer, that Christ gave to the apostles only spiritual power, i.e.,
the command to teach the Gospel to announce the forgiveness of sins, to
administer the Sacraments, to excommunicate the godless without bodily force
[by the Word], and that He did not give the power of the sword, or the right to
establish, occupy or confer kingdoms of the world [to set up or depose kings]. For
Christ says, Matt. 28, 19. 20: Go ye, teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you; also John 20, 21: As My Father
hath sent Me, even so send I you.
Now, it is
manifest that Christ was not sent to bear the sword or possess a worldly kingdom
[rule in a worldly fashion], as He Himself says, John 18, 36: My kingdom is
not of this world. And Paul says, 2 Cor. 1, 24: Not for that we have
dominion over your faith; and 2 Cor. 10, 4: The weapons of our warfare
are not carnal, etc.
32] Accordingly, that
Christ in His passion is crowned with thorns and led forth to be derided in
royal purple, this signified that in the future, after His spiritual kingdom
was despised, i.e., the Gospel was suppressed, another kingdom of a
worldly kind would be set up [in its place] with the pretext of ecclesiastical
power. 33] Therefore the Constitution of Boniface VIII and the chapter Omnes,
Dist. 22 and similar opinions which contend that the Pope is by divine right
the ruler of the kingdoms of the world, are [utterly] false and godless. 34]
From this persuasion horrible darkness has been brought into the Church,
and after that also great commotions have arisen in
35] Next, the Popes
began to seize upon kingdoms for themselves; they transferred kingdoms, they
vexed with unjust excommunications and wars the kings of almost all nations in
Europe, but especially the German emperors, sometimes for the purpose of
occupying cities of Italy, at other times for the purpose of reducing to
subjection the bishops of Germany, and wresting from the emperors the
conferring of episcopates. Yea, in the Clementines it is even written: When
the empire is vacant, the Pope is the legitimate successor.
36] Thus the Pope has
not only usurped dominion, contrary to Christ's command, but has also
tyrannically exalted himself above all kings. And in this matter the deed
itself is not to be reprehended as much as it is to be detested, that he
assigns as a pretext the authority of Christ; that he transfers the keys to a
worldly government; that he binds salvation to these godless and execrable
opinions, when he says it is necessary to salvation for men to believe that
this dominion belongs to him by divine right.
37] Since these great
errors obscure [the doctrine of] faith and [of] the
38] In the third place,
this must be added: Even though the bishop of
The
Levitical high priest was the chief priest by divine right, and yet godless
high priests were not to be obeyed, as Jeremiah and other prophets dissented
from the high priests, the apostles dissented from Caiaphas and did not have to
obey them.
39] Now, it is manifest
that the Roman pontiffs, with their adherents, defend [and practice] godless
doctrines and godless services. And the marks [all the vices] of Antichrist
plainly agree with the kingdom of the Pope and his adherents. For Paul, in
describing Antichrist to the Thessalonians, calls him 2 Thess. 2, 3: an
adversary of Christ, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is
called God or that is worshiped, so that he as God sitteth in the temple
of God. He speaks therefore of one ruling in the Church, not of heathen
kings, and he calls this one the adversary of Christ, because he will devise
doctrine conflicting with the Gospel, and will assume to himself divine
authority.
40] Moreover, it is manifest, in the first place, that the Pope rules in the
Church, and by the pretext of ecclesiastical authority and of the ministry has
established for himself this kingdom. For he assigns as a pretext these words: I
will give to thee the keys. Secondly, the doctrine of the Pope conflicts in
many ways with the Gospel, and [thirdly] the Pope assumes to himself divine
authority in a threefold manner. First, because he takes to himself the right
to change the doctrine of Christ and services instituted by God, and wants his
own doctrine and his own services to be observed as divine; secondly, because
he takes to himself the power not only of binding and loosing in this life, but
also the jurisdiction over souls after this life; thirdly, because the Pope
does not want to be judged by the Church or by any one, and puts his own
authority ahead of the decision of Councils and the entire Church. But to be
unwilling to be judged by the Church or by any one is to make oneself God. Lastly,
these errors so horrible, and this impiety, he defends with the greatest
cruelty, and puts to death those dissenting.
41] This being the
case, all Christians ought to beware of becoming partakers of the godless
doctrine, blasphemies, and unjust cruelty of the Pope. On this account they
ought to desert and execrate the Pope with his adherents as the
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for
what communion hath light with darkness?
42] To dissent from the
agreement of so many nations and to be called schismatics is a grave matter. But
divine authority commands all not to be allies and defenders of impiety and
unjust cruelty.
On this
account our consciences are sufficiently excused; for the errors of the kingdom
of the Pope are manifest. And Scripture with its entire voice exclaims that
these errors are a teaching of demons and of Antichrist. 43] The
idolatry in the profanation of the masses is manifest, which, besides other
faults [besides being altogether useless] are shamelessly applied to most
shameful gain [and trafficking]. 44] The doctrine of repentance has been
utterly corrupted by the Pope and his adherents. For they teach that sins are
remitted because of the worth of our works. Then they bid us doubt whether the
remission takes place. They nowhere teach that sins are remitted freely for
Christ's sake, and that by this faith we obtain remission of sins.
Thus they
obscure the glory of Christ, and deprive consciences of firm consolation, and
abolish true divine services, namely, the exercises of faith struggling with
[unbelief and] despair [concerning the promise of the Gospel].
45] They have obscured
the doctrine concerning sin, and have invented a tradition concerning the
enumeration of offenses, producing many errors and despair.
They have
devised, in addition, satisfactions, whereby they have also obscured the
benefit [and merit] of Christ.
46] From these,
indulgences have been born, which are pure lies, fabricated for the sake of
gain.
47] Then, how many
abuses and what horrible idolatry the invocation of saints has produced!
48] What shameful acts
have arisen from the tradition concerning celibacy!
What
darkness the doctrine concerning vows has spread over the Gospel! There they
feigned that vows are righteousness before God and merit the remission of sins.
Thus they have transferred the benefit of Christ to human traditions, and have
altogether extinguished the doctrine concerning faith. They have feigned that
the most trifling traditions are services of God and perfection and have
preferred these to the works of callings which God requires and has ordained. Neither
are these errors to be regarded as light; for they detract from the glory of
Christ and bring destruction to souls, neither can they be passed by unnoticed.
49] Then to these
errors two great sins are added: The first, that he defends these errors by
unjust cruelty and death-penalties. The second, that he wrests the decision
from the Church, and does not permit ecclesiastical controversies [such matters
of religion] to be judged according to the prescribed mode; yea he contends
that he is above the Council, and can rescind the decrees of Councils, as the
canons sometimes impudently speak. But that this was much more impudently done
by the pontiffs, examples testify.
50] Quest. 9, canon 3, says: No one shall judge the first seat; for the judge is
judged neither by the emperor, nor by all the clergy, nor by the
kings, nor by the people.
51] The Pope exercises
a twofold tyranny: he defends his errors by force and by murders, and forbids
judicial examination. The latter does even more injury than any executions
because, when the true judgment of the Church is removed, godless dogmas and
godless services cannot be removed, and for many ages they destroy innumerable
souls.
52] Therefore let the
godly consider the great errors of the kingdom of the Pope and his tyranny, and
let them ponder, first, that the errors must be rejected and the true doctrine
embraced, for the glory of God and to the salvation of souls. 53] Then
let them ponder also how great a crime it is to aid unjust cruelty in killing
saints, whose blood God will undoubtedly avenge.
54] But especially the
chief members of the Church, kings and princes, ought to guard the interests of
the Church, and to see to it that errors be removed and consciences be healed
[rightly instructed], as God expressly exhorts kings, Ps. 2, 10: Be wise,
now, therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of
the earth. For it should be the first care of kings [and great lords] to
advance the glory of God. Therefore it would be very shameful for them to lend
their influence and power to confirm idolatry and infinite other crimes, and to
slaughter saints.
55] And even though the
Pope should hold Synods [a Council], how can the Church be healed if the Pope
suffers nothing to be decreed contrary to his will, if he allows no one to
express his opinion except his adherents whom he has bound by dreadful oaths
and curses to the defense of his tyranny and wickedness without any exception
concerning God's Word [not even the Word of God being excepted]?
56] But since the
decisions of Synods are the decisions of the Church, and not of the Popes, it
is especially incumbent on kings to check the license of the Popes [not allow
such wantonness], and to act so that the power of judging and decreeing from
the Word of God is not wrested from the Church. And as the rest of the
Christians must censure all other errors of the Pope, so they must also rebuke
the Pope when he evades and impedes the true investigation and true decision of
the Church.
57] Therefore, even
though the bishop of
58] Manifest also is
the cruelty [against godly Christians] which he exercises. And it is clear that
it is God's command that we flee idolatry, godless doctrine, and unjust
cruelty. On this account all the godly have great, compelling, and manifest
reasons for not obeying the Pope. And these compelling reasons comfort the
godly against all the reproaches which are usually cast against them concerning
offenses, schism, and discord [which they are said to cause].
59] But those who agree
with the Pope, and defend his doctrine and [false] services, defile themselves
with idolatry and blasphemous opinions, become guilty of the blood of the
godly, whom the Pope [and his adherents] persecutes, detract from the glory of
God, and hinder the welfare of the Church, because they strengthen errors and
crimes to all posterity [in the sight of all the world and to the injury of all
descendants].
Of the Power and
Jurisdiction of Bishops.
60] [In our Confession
and the Apology we have in general recounted what we have had to say concerning
ecclesiastical power. For] The Gospel assigns to those who preside over
churches the command to teach the Gospel to remit sins, to administer the
Sacraments and besides jurisdiction, namely, the command to excommunicate those
whose crimes are known, and again to absolve those who repent.
61] And by the
confession of all, even of the adversaries, it is clear that this power by
divine right is common to all who preside over churches, whether they are
called pastors, or elders, or bishops. 62] And accordingly Jerome openly
teaches in the apostolic letters that all who preside over churches are both bishops
and elders, and cites from Titus 1, 5f : For this cause left I thee in Crete,
that thou shouldest ordain elders in every city [and afterwards calls
these persons bishops]. Then he adds: A bishop must be the husband of one
wife. Likewise Peter and John call themselves elders [or priests] 1 Pet. 5,
1; 2 John 1. And he then adds: But that afterwards one was chosen to be
placed over the rest, this was done as a remedy for schism, lest
each one by attracting [a congregation here or there] to himself
might rend the
us, the elders always elected one from among themselves, and
placed him in a higher station, whom they called bishop; just as an army
would make a commander for itself. The deacons, moreover, may
elect from among themselves one whom they know to be active, and name
him archdeacon. For with the exception of ordination, what does the
bishop that the elder does not?
63] Jerome, therefore,
teaches that it is by human authority that the grades of bishop and elder or
pastor are distinct. And the subject itself declares this, because the power
[the office and command] is the same, as he has said above. 64] But one
matter afterwards made a distinction between bishops and pastors namely,
ordination, because it was [so] arranged that one bishop should ordain
ministers in a number of churches.
65] But since by divine
authority the grades of bishop and pastor are not diverse, it is manifest that
ordination administered by a pastor in his own church is valid by divine law
[if a pastor in his own church ordains certain suitable persons to the ministry,
such ordination is, according to divine law, undoubtedly effective and right].
66] Therefore, when the
regular bishops become enemies of the Church, or are unwilling to administer
ordination, the churches retain their own right. [Because the regular bishops
persecute the Gospel and refuse to ordain suitable persons, every church has in
this case full authority to ordain its own ministers.]
67] For wherever the
Church is, there is the authority [command] to administer the Gospel. Therefore
it is necessary for the Church to retain the authority to call, elect, and
ordain ministers. And this authority is a gift which in reality is given to the
Church, which no human power can wrest from the Church, as Paul also testifies
to the Ephesians when he says, Eph 4,
8: He
ascended, He gave gifts to men. And he enumerates among the gifts
specially belonging to the Church pastors and teachers, and adds that
such are given for the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
Hence, wherever there is a true church, the right to elect and ordain ministers
necessarily exists. Just as in a case of necessity even a layman absolves, and
becomes the minister and pastor of another; as Augustine narrates the story of
two Christians in a ship, one of whom baptized the catechumen, who after
Baptism then absolved the baptizer.
68] Here belong the
statements of Christ which testify that the keys have been given to the Church,
and not merely to certain persons, Matt. 18, 20: Where two or three are
gathered together in My name, etc.
69] Lastly, the
statement of Peter also confirms this, 1 Pet. 2, 9: Ye are a royal
priesthood. These words pertain to the true Church, which certainly has the
right to elect and ordain ministers since it alone has the priesthood.
70] And this also a most
common custom of the Church testifies. For formerly the people elected pastors
and bishops. Then came a bishop, either of that church or a neighboring one,
who confirmed tho one elected by the laying on of hands; and ordination was
nothing else than such a ratification. 71] Afterwards new ceremonies
were added, many of which Dionysius describes. But he is a recent and
fictitious author, whoever he may be [this book of Dionysius is a new fiction
under a false title], just as the writings of Clement also are spurious [have a
false title and have been manufactured by a wicked scoundrel long after
Clement]. Then more modern writers added [that the bishop said to those whom he
was ordaining]: I give thee the power to sacrifice for the living and the
dead. But not even this is in Dionysius.
72] From all these
things it is clear that the Church retains the right to elect and ordain
ministers. And the wickedness and tyranny of bishops afford cause for schism
and discord [therefore, if the bishops either are heretics, or will not ordain
suitable persons, the churches are in duty bound before God, according to
divine law, to ordain for themselves pastors and ministers. Even though this be
now called an irregularity or schism, it should be known that the godless
doctrine and tyranny of the bishops is chargeable with it], because Paul, Gal.
1, 7f , enjoins that bishops who teach and defend a
godless doctrine and godless services should be regarded as accursed.
73] We have spoken of
ordination, which alone, as Jerome says, distinguished bishops from other
elders. Therefore there is need of no discussion concerning the other duties of
bishops. Nor is it indeed necessary to speak of confirmation, nor of the
consecration of bells [nor other tomfoolery of this kind], which are almost the
only things which they have retained. Something must be said concerning
jurisdiction.
74] It is certain that
the common jurisdiction of excommunicating those guilty of manifest crimes
belongs to all pastors. This they have tyrannically transferred to themselves
alone, and have applied it to the acquisition of gain. For it is certain that
the officials, as they are called employed a license not to be tolerated and
either on account of avarice or because of other wanton desires tormented men
and excommunicated them without any due process of law. But what tyranny is it
for the officials in the states to have arbitrary power to condemn and
excommunicate men without due process of law! 75] And in what kind of
affairs did they abuse this power? Indeed, not in punishing true offenses, but
in regard to the violation of fasts or festivals, or like trifles! Only, they
sometimes punished adulteries; and in this matter they often vexed [abused and
defamed] innocent and honorable men. Besides, since this is a most grievous
offense, nobody certainly is to be condemned without due process of law.
76] Since, therefore,
bishops have tyrannically transferred this jurisdiction to themselves alone,
and have basely abused it, there is no need, because
of this jurisdiction, to obey bishops. But since there are just reasons why we
do not obey, it is right also to restore this jurisdiction to godly pastors [to
whom, by Christ's command, it belongs], and to see to it that it is
legitimately exercised for the reformation of morals and the glory of God.
77] There remains the
jurisdiction in those cases which, according to canonical law, pertain to the
ecclesiastical court, as they call it, and especially in cases of matrimony. This,
too, the bishops have only by human right, and that, not a very old one, as
appears from the Codex and Novellae of Justinian that decisions
concerning marriage at that time belonged to the magistrates. And by divine
right worldly magistrates are compelled to make these decisions if the bishops
[judge unjustly or] are negligent. The canons also concede the same. Therefore,
also on account of this jurisdiction it is not necessary to obey bishops. 78]
And, indeed, since they have framed certain unjust laws concerning
marriages, and observe them in their courts, there is need also for this reason
to establish other courts. For the traditions concerning spiritual relationship
[the prohibition of marriage between sponsors] are unjust. Unjust also is the
tradition which forbids an innocent person to marry after divorce. Unjust also
is the law which in general approves all clandestine and underhanded betrothals
in violation of the right of parents. Unjust also is the law concerning the
celibacy of priests. There are also other snares of consciences in their laws,
to recite all of which is of no profit. It is sufficient to have recited this,
that there are many unjust laws of the Pope concerning matrimonial subjects on
account of which the magistrates ought to establish other courts.
79] Since, therefore,
the bishops, who are devoted to the Pope, defend godless doctrine and godless
services, and do not ordain godly teachers, yea, aid the cruelty of the Pope,
and, besides, have wrested the jurisdiction from pastors, and exercise it only
tyrannically [for their own profit]; and lastly, since in matrimonial cases
they observe many unjust laws, there are reasons sufficiently numerous and
necessary why the churches should not recognize these as bishops.
80] But they themselves
should remember that riches [estates and revenues] have been given to bishops
as alms for the administration and advantage of the churches [that they may
serve the Church, and perform their office the more efficiently], as the rule
says: The benefice is given because of the office. Therefore they cannot
with a good conscience possess these alms, and meanwhile defraud the Church,
which has need of these means for supporting ministers, and aiding studies
[educating learned men], and caring for the poor and establishing courts,
especially matrimonial. 81] For so great is the variety and extent of
matrimonial controversies that there is need of a special tribunal for these,
and for establishing this, the endowments of the Church are needed. 82] Peter
predicted, 2 Pet. 2, 13, that there would be godless bishops, who would abuse
the alms of the Church for luxury and neglect the ministry. Therefore [since
the Holy Spirit in that connection utters dire threats] let those who defraud
the Church know that they will pay God the penalty for this crime.
According
to the command of the most illustrious princes and of the orders and states
professing the doctrine of the Gospel, we have reread the articles of the
Confession presented to the Emperor in the Assembly at Augsburg, and by the
favor of God all the preachers who have been present in this Assembly at
Smalcald harmoniously declare that they believe and teach in their churches
according to the articles of the Confession and Apology. They also declare that
they approve the article concerning the primacy of the Pope and his power, and
the power and jurisdiction of bishops, which was presented to the princes in
this Assembly at Smalcald. Accordingly, they subscribe their names.
1] I, Dr. John
Bugenhagen, Pomeranus, subscribe the Articles of the Augsburg
Confession,
the Apology, and the Article presented to the princes at Smalcald
concerning the Papacy. 2] I also, Dr. Urban Rhegius,
Superintendent of the churches in the Duchy of Lueneburg, subscribe.
3] Nicolaus Amsdorf of
16] I, Pomeranus,
again subscribe in the name of Magister John Brentz, as he ordered me. 17]
Philip Melanchthon subscribes with his own hand. 18] Anthony
Corvinus subscribes with his own hand, as well as in the name of Adam a
Fulda. 19] John Schlainhauffen subscribes with his own hand. 20] Magister George Helt of Forchheim. 21] Michael
Coelius, Preacher at Mansfeld. 22] Peter Geltner, Preacher of
the
by the Most Illustrious Prince, the Elector of Saxony, and by the other
princes and estates of the
John
Brentz, Minister of Hall.
Done at
Smalcald,
February
23, 1537.