Leo Tolstoy - "A Letter to a Hindu"

Richard Johnson - "An Address to the Inhabitants Of The Colonies, established in"

John Lothrop Motley - "The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1582 84"

Kathleen Norris - "Poor, Dear Margaret Kirby and Other Stories"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: The Apology of the Augsburg Confession

P >> Philip Melanchthon >> The Apology of the Augsburg Confession




[Regarding this matter we submit the following:] But we must retain
in the Church this doctrine, namely, that we receive the remission of
sins freely for Christ's sake, by faith. We must also retain this
doctrine, namely, that human traditions are useless services, and
therefore neither sin nor righteousness should be placed in meat
drink, clothing and like things, the use of which Christ wished to be
left free, since He says, Matt. 15, 11: Not that which goeth into the
mouth defileth the man; and Paul, Rom. 14, 17: The kingdom of God is
not meat and drink. Therefore the bishops have no right to frame
traditions in addition to the Gospel, that they may merit the
remission of sins, that they may be services which God is to approve
as righteousness and which burden consciences, as though it were a
sin to omit them. All this is taught by that one passage in Acts, 15,
9ff., where the apostles say [Peter says] that hearts are purified
by faith. And then they prohibit the imposing of a yoke, and show
how great a danger this is, and enlarge upon the sin of those who
burden the Church. Why tempt ye God they say. By this thunderbolt
our adversaries are in no way terrified, who defend by violence
traditions and godless opinions.

For above they have also condemned Article XV, in which we have
stated that traditions do not merit the remission of sins, and they
here say that traditions conduce to eternal life. Do they merit the
remission of sins? Are they services which God approves as
righteousness? Do they quicken hearts! Paul to the Colossians, 2,
20ff., says that traditions do not profit with respect to eternal
righteousness and eternal life; for the reason that food, drink,
clothing and the like are things that perish with the using. But
eternal life [which begins in this life inwardly by faith] is wrought
in the heart by eternal things, i.e., by the Word of God and the Holy
Ghost. Therefore let the adversaries explain how traditions conduce
to eternal life.

Since, however, the Gospel clearly testifies that traditions ought
not to be imposed upon the Church in order to merit the remission of
sins; in order to be services which God shall approve as
righteousness; in order to burden consciences, so that to omit them
is to be accounted a sin, the adversaries will never be able to show
that the bishops have the power to institute such services.

Besides, we have declared in the Confession what power the Gospel
ascribes to bishops. Those who are now bishops do not perform the
duties of bishops according to the Gospel although, indeed, they may
be bishops according to canonical polity, which we do not censure.
But we are speaking of a bishop according to the Gospel. And we are
pleased with the ancient division of power into power of the order
and power of jurisdiction [that is the administration of the
Sacraments and the exercise of spiritual jurisdiction]. Therefore
the bishop has the power of the order, i.e., the ministry of the Word
and Sacraments; he has also the power of jurisdiction, i.e., the
authority to excommunicate those guilty of open crimes, and again to
absolve them if they are converted and seek absolution. But their
power is not to be tyrannical, i.e., without a fixed law; nor regal,
i.e., above law; but they have a fixed command and a fixed Word of
God, according to which they ought to teach and according to which
they ought to exercise their jurisdiction. Therefore, even though
they should have some jurisdiction, it does not follow that they are
able to institute new services. For services pertain in no way to
jurisdiction. And they have the Word, they have the command, how far
they ought to exercise jurisdiction, namely, if any one would do
anything contrary to that Word which they have received from Christ.
[For the Gospel does not set up a rule independently of the Gospel;
that is quite clear and certain.]

Although in the Confession we also have added how far it is lawful
for them to frame traditions, namely, not as necessary services, but
so that there may be order in the Church, for the sake of
tranquillity. And these traditions ought not to cast snares upon
consciences, as though to enjoin necessary services; as Paul teaches
when he says, Gal. 5, 1: Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty
wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with
the yoke of bondage. The use of such ordinances ought therefore to
be left free, provided that offenses be avoided, and that they be not
judged to be necessary services; just as the apostles themselves
ordained [for the sake of good discipline] very many things which
have been changed with time. Neither did they hand them down in such
a way that it would not be permitted to change them. For they did
not dissent from their own writings, in which they greatly labor lest
the Church be burdened with the opinion that human rites are
necessary services.

This is the simple mode of interpreting traditions, namely, that we
understand them not as necessary services, and nevertheless, for the
sake of avoiding offenses, we should observe them in the proper place.
And thus many learned and great men in the Church have held. Nor
do we see what can be said against this. For it is certain that the
expression Luke 10, 16: He that heareth you heareth Me, does not
speak of traditions, but is chiefly directed against traditions. For
it is not a _mandatum cum libera_ ( a bestowal of unlimited
authority), as they call it, but it is a _cautio de rato_ (a caution
concerning something prescribed), namely, concerning the special
command [not a free, unlimited order and power, but a limited order,
namely, not to preach their own word, but God's Word and the Gospel],
i.e., the testimony given to the apostles that we believe them with
respect to the word of another, not their own. For Christ wishes to
assure us, as was necessary, that we should know that the Word
delivered by men is efficacious, and that no other word from heaven
ought to be sought. He that heareth you heareth Me, cannot be
understood of traditions. For Christ requires that they teach in
such a way that [by their mouth] He Himself be heard, because He says:
He heareth Me. Therefore He wishes His own voice, His own Word, to
be heard, not human traditions. Thus a saying which is most
especially in our favor, and contains the most important consolation
and doctrine, these stupid men pervert to the most trifling matters,
the distinctions of food, vestments, and the like.

They quote also Heb. 13, 17: Obey them that have the rule over you.
This passage requires obedience to the Gospel. For it does not
establish a dominion for the bishops apart from the Gospel. Neither
should the bishops frame traditions contrary to the Gospel, or
interpret their traditions contrary to the Gospel. And when they do
this, obedience is prohibited, according to Gal. 1, 9: If any man
preach any other gospel, let him be accursed.

We make the same reply to Matt. 23, 3: Whatsoever they bid you
observe, that observe, because evidently a universal command is not
given that we should receive all things [even contrary to God's
command and Word], since Scripture elsewhere, Acts 5, 29, bids us
obey God rather than men. When, therefore they teach wicked things,
they are not to be heard. But these are wicked things, namely, that
human traditions are services of God that they are necessary services,
that they merit the remission of sins and eternal life.

They present, as an objection, the public offenses and commotions
which have arisen under pretext of our doctrine. To these we briefly
reply. If all the scandals be brought together, still the one
article concerning the remission of sins, that for Christ's sake
through faith we freely obtain the remission of sins, brings so much
good as to hide all evils. And this, in the beginning, gained for
Luther not only our favor, but also, that of many who are now
contending against us. "For former favor ceases, and mortals are
forgetful," says Pindar. Nevertheless, we neither desire to desert
truth that is necessary to the Church, nor can we assent to the
adversaries in condemning it. For we ought to obey God rather than
men. Those who in the beginning condemned manifest truth, and are
now persecuting it with the greatest cruelty, will give an account
for the schism that has been occasioned. Then, too, are there no
scandals among the adversaries? How much evil is there in the
sacrilegious profanation of the Mass applied to gain! How great
disgrace in celibacy! But let us omit a comparison. This is what we
hare replied to the _Confutation_ for the time being. Now we leave
it to the judgment of all the godly whether the adversaries are right
in boasting that they have actually refuted our Concession from the
Scriptures.




Part 37


_THE END._

[As regards the slander and complaint of the adversaries at the end
of the _Confutation_, namely, that this doctrine is causing
disobedience and other scandals, this is unjustly imputed to our
doctrine. For it is evident that by this doctrine the authority of
magistrates is most highly praised. Moreover, it is well known that
in those localities where this doctrine is preached, the magistrates
have hitherto by the grace of God, been treated with all respect by
the subjects.

But as to the want of unity and dissension in the Church, it is well
known how these matters first happened, and who have caused the
division, namely, the sellers of indulgences, who shamelessly
preached intolerable lies, and afterwards condemned Luther for not
approving of those lies, and besides, they again and again excited
more controversies, so that Luther was induced to attack many other
errors. But since our opponents would not tolerate the truth, and
dared to promote manifest errors by force, it is easy to judge who is
guilty of the schism. Surely, all the world, all wisdom, all power
ought to yield to Christ and His holy Word. But the devil is the
enemy of God, and therefore rouses all his might against Christ, to
extinguish and suppress the Word of God. Therefore the devil with
his members, setting himself against the Word of God, is the cause of
the schism and want of unity. For we have most zealously sought
peace, and still most eagerly desire it, provided only we are not
forced to blaspheme and deny Christ. For God, the discerner of all
men's hearts, is our witness that we do not delight and have no joy
in this awful disunion. On the other hand, our adversaries have so
far not been willing to conclude peace without stipulating that we
must abandon the saving doctrine of the forgiveness of sin by Christ
without our merit; though Christ would be most foully blasphemed
thereby.

And although, as is the custom of the world it cannot be but that
offenses have occurred in this schism through malice and by imprudent
people; for the devil causes such offenses, to disgrace the Gospel,
yet all this is of no account in view of the great comfort which this
teaching has brought men, that for Christ's sake, without our merit,
we have forgiveness of sins and a gracious God. Again, that men have
been instructed that forsaking secular estates and magistracies is
not a divine worship, but that such estates and magistracies are
pleasing to God and to be engaged in them is a real holy work and
divine service.

If we also were to narrate the offenses of the adversaries, which,
indeed, we have no desire to do, it would be a terrible list: what an
abominable, blasphemous fair the adversaries have made of the Mass;
what unchaste living has been instituted by their celibacy; how the
Popes have for more than 400 years been engaged in wars against the
emperors, have forgotten the Gospel, and only sought to be emperors
themselves, and to bring all Italy into their power how they have
juggled the possessions of the Church; how through their neglect many
false teachings and forms of worship have been set up by the monks.
Is not their worship of the saints manifest pagan idolatry? All
their writers do not say one word concerning faith in Christ, by
which forgiveness of sin is obtained; the highest degree of holiness
they ascribe to human traditions, it is chiefly of these that they
write and preach. Moreover this, too, ought to be numbered with
their offenses, that they clearly reveal what sort of a spirit is in
them, because they are now putting to death so many innocent, pious
people on account of Christian doctrine. But we do not now wish to
say more concerning this; for these matters should be decided in
accordance with God's Word, regardless of the offenses on either aide.

We hope that all God-fearing men will sufficiently see from this
writing of ours that ours is the Christian doctrine and comforting
and salutary to all godly men. Accordingly, we pray God to extend
His grace to the end that His holy Gospel may be known and honored by
all, for His glory, and for the peace, unity, and salvation of all of
us. Regarding all these articles we offer to make further statements
if required.]