Books: The Apology of the Augsburg Confession

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First [in the third place], because Christ does not cease to be
Mediator after we have been renewed. They err who imagine that He
has merited only a first grace, and that afterwards we please God and
merit eternal life by our fulfilling of the Law. Christ remains
Mediator, and we ought always to be confident that for His sake we
have a reconciled God even although we are unworthy. As Paul clearly
teaches when he says [By whom also we have access to God, Rom. 5, 2.
For our best works, even after the grace of the Gospel has been
received, as I stated, are still weak and not at all pure. For sin
and Adam's fall are not such a trifling thing as reason holds or
imagines, it exceeds the reason and thought of all men to understand
what a horrible wrath of God has been handed on to us by that
disobedience. There occurred a shocking corruption of the entire
human nature, which no work of man, but only God Himself, can
restore], 1 Cor. 4, 4: I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby
justified, but he knows that by faith he is accounted righteous for
Christ's sake, according to the passage: Blessed are they whose
iniquities are forgiven, Ps. 32, 1; Rom. 4, 7. [Therefore we need
grace, and the gracious goodness of God, and the forgiveness of sin,
although we have done many good works.] But this remission is always
received by faith. Likewise, the imputation of the righteousness of
the Gospel is from the promise; therefore it is always received by
faith, and it always must be regarded certain that by faith we are
for Christ's sake, accounted righteous. If the regenerate ought
afterwards to think that they will be accepted on account of the
fulfilling of the Law, when would conscience be certain that it
pleased God, since we never satisfy the Law? Accordingly, we must
always recur to the promise; by this our infirmity must be sustained,
and we must regard it as certain that we are accounted righteous for
the sake of Christ, who is ever at the right hand of God, who also
maketh intercession for us, Rom. 8, 34. If any one think that he is
righteous and accepted on account of his own fulfilment of the Law,
and not on account of Christ's promise, he dishonors this High Priest.
Neither can it be understood how one could imagine that man is
righteous before God when Christ is excluded as Propitiator and
Mediator.

Again [in the fourth place], what need is there of a long discussion?
[If we were to think that, after we have come to the Gospel and are
born again, we were to merit by our works that God be gracious to us,
not by faith, conscience would never find rest, but would be driven
to despair. For the Law unceasingly accuses us, since we never can
satisfy the Law.] All Scripture, all the Church cries out that the
Law cannot be satisfied. Therefore this inchoate fulfilment of the
Law does not please on its own account, but on account of faith in
Christ. Otherwise the Law always accuses us. For who loves or fears
God sufficiently? Who with sufficient patience bears the afflictions
imposed by God? Who does not frequently doubt whether human affairs
are ruled by God's counsel or by chance? Who does not frequently
doubt whether he be heard by God? Who is not frequently enraged
because the wicked enjoy a better lot than the pious, because the
pious are oppressed by the wicked? Who does satisfaction to his own
calling? Who loves his neighbor as himself? Who is not tempted by
lust? Accordingly Paul says, Rom. 7, 19: The good that I would I do
not; but the evil which I would not that I do. Likewise v. 25: With
the mind I myself serve the Law of God, but with the flesh, the law
of sin. Here he openly declares that he serves the law of sin. And
David says, Ps. 143, 2: Enter not into judgment with Thy servant; for
in Thy sight shall no man living be justified. Here even a servant
of God prays for the averting of judgment. Likewise Ps. 32, 2:
Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity.
Therefore, in this our infirmity there is always present sin, which
could be imputed, and of which he says a little while after, v. 6:
For this shall every one that is godly pray unto Thee. Here he shows
that even saints ought to seek remission of sins. More than blind
are those who do not perceive that wicked desires in the flesh are
sins, of which Paul, Gal. 5, 17, says: The flesh lusteth against the
Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. The flesh distrusts God,
trusts in present things, seeks human aid in calamities, even
contrary to God's will, flees from afflictions, which it ought to
bear because of God's commands, doubts concerning God's mercy, etc.
The Holy Ghost in our hearts contends with such dispositions [with
Adam's sin] in order to suppress and mortify them [this poison of the
old Adam, this desperately wicked disposition], and to produce new
spiritual movements. But concerning this topic we will collect more
testimonies below, although they are everywhere obvious not only in
the Scriptures, but also in the holy Fathers.

Well does Augustine say: All the commandments of God are fulfilled
when whatever is not done, is forgiven. Therefore he requires faith
even in good works [which the Holy Spirit produces in us], in order
that we may believe that for Christ's sake we please God, and that
even the works are not of themselves worthy and pleasing. And Jerome,
against the Pelagians, says: Then, therefore, we are righteous when
we confess that we are sinners, and that our righteousness consists
not in our own merit, but in God's mercy. Therefore, in this
inchoate fulfilment of the Law, faith ought to be present, which is
certain that for Christ's sake we have a reconciled God. For mercy
cannot be apprehended unless by faith, as has been repeatedly said
above. [Therefore those who teach that we are not accepted by faith
for Christ's sake but for the sake of our own works, lead consciences
into despair.] Wherefore, when Paul says, Rom. 3, 31: We establish
the Law through faith, by this we ought to understand, not only that
those regenerated by faith receive the Holy Ghost, and have movements
agreeing with God's Law, but it is by far of the greatest importance
that we add also this, that we ought to perceive that we are far
distant from the perfection of the Law. Wherefore we cannot conclude
that we are accounted righteous before God because of our fulfilling
of the Law, but in order that the conscience may become tranquil,
justification must be sought elsewhere. For we are not righteous
before God as long as we flee from God's judgment, and are angry with
God. Therefore we must conclude that, being reconciled by faith, we
are accounted righteous for Christ's sake, not for the sake of the
Law or our works, but that this inchoate fulfilling of the Law
pleases on account of faith, and that, on account of faith, there is
no imputation of the imperfection of the fulfilling of the Law, even
though the sight of our impurity terrifies us. Now, if justification
is to be sought elsewhere, our love and works do not therefore
justify. Far above our purity, yea, far above the Law itself ought
to be placed the death and satisfaction of Christ, presented to us
that we might be sure that because of this satisfaction, and not
because of our fulfilling of the Law, we have a gracious God.

Paul teaches this in Gal. 3, 13, when he says: Christ hath redeemed
us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us, i.e. the Law
condemns all men, but Christ, because without sin He has borne the
punishment of sin, and been made a victim for us has removed that
right of the Law to accuse and condemn those who believe in Him,
because He Himself is the propitiation for them for whose sake we are
now accounted righteous. But since they are accounted righteous, the
Law cannot accuse or condemn them, even though they have not actually
satisfied the Law. To the same purport he writes to the Colossians,
2, 10: Ye are complete in Him, as though he were to say: Although ye
are still far from the perfection of the Law, yet the remnants of sin
do not condemn you, because for Christ's sake we have a sure and firm
reconciliation, if you believe, even though sin inhere in your flesh.

The promise ought always to be in sight that God, because of His
promise, wishes for Christ's sake, and not because of the Law or our
works, to be gracious and to justify. In this promise timid
consciences ought to seek reconciliation and justification, by this
promise they ought to sustain themselves, and be confident that for
Christ's sake, because of His promise, they have a gracious God.
Thus works can never render a conscience pacified, but only the
promise can. If, therefore, justification and peace of conscience
must be sought elsewhere than in love and works, love and works do
not justify, although they are virtues and pertain to the
righteousness of the Law, in so far as they are a fulfilling of the
Law. So far also this obedience of the Law justifies by the
righteousness of the Law. But this imperfect righteousness of the
Law is not accepted by God, unless on account of faith. Accordingly
it does not justify, i.e., it neither reconciles, nor regenerates,
nor by itself renders us accepted before God.

From this it is evident that we are justified before God by faith
alone [i.e., it obtains the remission of sins and grace for Christ's
sake and regenerates us. Likewise, it is quite clear that by faith
alone the Holy Ghost is received; again, that our works and this
inchoate fulfilling of the Law do not by themselves please God. Now,
even if I abound in good works like Paul or Peter, I must seek my
righteousness elsewhere, namely, in the promise of the grace of
Christ, again, if only faith calms the conscience, it must, indeed be
certain that only faith justifies before God. For, if we wish to
teach correctly, we must adhere to this, that we are accepted with
God not on account of the Law, not on account of works, but for
Christ's sake. For the honor, due Christ, must not be given to the
Law or our-miserable works.] because by faith alone we receive
remission of sins and reconciliation, because reconciliation or
justification is a matter promised for Christ's sake, and not for the
sake of the Law. Therefore it is received by faith alone, although,
when the Holy Ghost is given, the fulfilling of the Law follows.

Part 7

_Reply to the Arguments of the Adversaries._

Now, when the grounds of this case have been understood, namely, the
distinction between the Law and the promises, or the Gospel, it will
be easy to resolve the objections of the adversaries. For they cite
passages concerning the Law and works, and omit passages concerning
the promises. But a reply can once for all be made to all opinions
concerning the Law, namely, that the Law cannot be observed without
Christ, and that if civil works are wrought without Christ, they do
not please God. [God is not pleased with the person.] Wherefore,
when works are commended, it is necessary to add that faith is
required, that they are commended on account of faith, that they are
the fruits and testimonies of faith. [This our doctrine is, indeed,
plain; it need not fear the light, and may be held against the Holy
Scriptures. We have also clearly and correctly presented it here, if
any will receive instruction and not knowingly deny the truth. For
rightly to understand the benefit of Christ and the great treasure of
the Gospel (which Paul extols so greatly), we must separate, on the
one hand, the promise of God and the grace that is offered, and, on
the other hand the Law, as far as the heavens are from the earth. In
shaky matters many explanations are needed, but in a good matter one
or two thoroughgoing explanations dissolve all objections which men
think they can raise.] Ambiguous and dangerous cases produce many and
various solutions. For the judgment of the ancient poet is true:

"An unjust cause, being In Itself sick, requires skilfully applied
remedies."

But in just and sure cases one or two explanations derived from the
sources correct all things that seem to offend. This occurs also in
this case of ours. For the rule which I have just recited, explains
all the passages that are cited concerning the Law and works [namely,
that without Christ the Law cannot be truly observed, and although
external works may be performed, still the person doing them does not
please God outside of Christ]. For we acknowledge that Scripture
teaches in some places the Law, and in other places the Gospel, or
the gratuitous promise of the remission of sins for Christ's sake.
But our adversaries absolutely abolish the free promise when they
deny that faith justifies, and teach that for the sake of love and of
our works we receive remission of sins and reconciliation. If the
remission of sins depends upon the condition of our works, it is
altogether uncertain. [For we can never be certain whether we do
enough works, or whether our works are sufficiently holy and pure.
Thus, too, the forgiveness of sins is made uncertain, and the promise
of God perishes, as Paul says, Rom. 4, 14: The promise is made of
none effect, and everything is rendered uncertain.] Therefore the
promise will be abolished. Hence we refer godly minds to the
consideration of the promises, and we teach concerning the free
remission of sins and concerning reconciliation, which occurs through
faith in Christ. Afterwards we add also the doctrine of the Law.
[Not that by the Law we merit the remission of sins, or that for the
sake of the Law we are accepted with God, but because God requires
good works.] And it is necessary to divide these things aright, as
Paul says, 2 Tim. 2, 15. We must see what Scripture ascribes to the
Law, and what to the promises. For it praises works in such a way as
not to remove the free promise [as to place the promise of God and
the true treasure, Christ, a thousand leagues above it].

For good works are to be done on account of God's command, likewise
for the exercise of faith [as Paul says, Eph. 2, 10: We are His
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works], and on account
of confession and giving of thanks. For these reasons good works
ought necessarily to be done, which, although they are done in the
flesh not as yet entirely renewed, that retards the movements of the
Holy Ghost, and imparts some of its uncleanness, yet, on account of
Christ, are holy, divine works, sacrifices, and acts pertaining to
the government of Christ, who thus displays His kingdom before this
world. For in these He sanctifies hearts and represses the devil,
and, in order to retain the Gospel among men, openly opposes to the
kingdom of the devil the confession of saints, and, in our weakness,
declares His power. The dangers, labors, and sermons of the Apostle
Paul, of Athanasius, Augustine, and the like, who taught the churches,
are holy works, are true sacrifices acceptable to God, are contests
of Christ through which He repressed the devil, and drove him from
those who believed. David's labors, in waging wars and in his home
government, are holy works, are true sacrifices, are contests of God,
defending the people who had the Word of God against the devil, in
order that the knowledge of God might not be entirely extinguished on
earth. We think thus also concerning every good work in the humblest
callings and in private affairs. Through these works Christ
celebrates His victory over the devil, just as the distribution of
alms by the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 16, 1, was a holy work and a
sacrifice and contest of Christ against the devil, who labors that
nothing may be done for the praise of God. To disparage such works,
the confession of doctrine, affliction, works of love, mortifications
of the flesh would be indeed to disparage the outward government of
Christ's kingdom among men. Here also we add something concerning
rewards and merits. We teach that rewards have been offered and
promised to the works of believers. We teach that good works are
meritorious, not for the remission of sins, for grace or
justification (for these we obtain only by faith), but for other
rewards, bodily and spiritual, in this life and after this life
because Paul says, 1 Cor. 3, 8: Every man shall receive his own
reward, according to his own labor. There will, therefore, be
different rewards according to different labors. But the remission
of sins is alike and equal to all, just as Christ is one, and is
offered freely to all who believe that for Christ's sake their sins
are remitted. Therefore the remission of sins and justification are
received only by faith, and not on account of any works, as is
evident in the terrors of conscience, because none of our works can
be opposed to God's wrath, as Paul clearly says, Rom. 5, 1: Being
justified by faith, toe have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom also we have access by faith, etc. But because faith
makes sons of God, it also makes coheirs with Christ. Therefore,
because by our works we do not merit justification, through which we
are made sons of God, and coheirs with Christ, we do not by our works
merit eternal life; for faith obtains this, because faith justifies
us and has a reconciled God. But eternal life is due the justified,
according to the passage Rom. 8, 30: Whom He justified, them He also
glorified. Paul, Eph. 6, 2, commends to us the commandment
concerning honoring parents, by mention of the reward which is added
to that commandment where he does not mean that obedience to parents
justifies us before God, but that, when it occurs in those who have
been justified, it merits other great rewards. Yet God exercises His
saints variously, and often defers the rewards of the righteousness
of works in order that they may learn not to trust in their own
righteousness, and may learn to seek the will of God rather than the
rewards, as appears in Job, in Christ, and other saints. And of this,
many psalms teach us, which console us against the happiness of the
wicked, as Ps. 37, 1: Neither be thou envious. And Christ says, Matt.
5, 10: Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake;
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. By these praises of good works,
believers are undoubtedly moved to do good works. Meanwhile, the
doctrine of repentance is also proclaimed against the godless, whose
works are wicked; and the wrath of God is displayed, which He has
threatened all who do not repent. We therefore praise and require
good works, and show many reasons why they ought to be done.

Thus of works Paul also teaches when he says, Rom. 4, 9 sq., that
Abraham received circumcision, not in order that by this work he
might be justified; for by faith he had already attained it that he
was accounted righteous. But circumcision was added in order that he
might have in his body a written sign, admonished by which he might
exercise faith, and by which also he might confess his faith before
others, and by his testimony might invite others to believe. By
faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice, Heb. 11, 4.
Because, therefore, he was just by faith, the sacrifice which he made
was pleasing to God, not that by this work he merited the remission
of sins and grace, but that he exercised his faith and showed it to
others, in order to invite them to believe.

Although in this way good works ought to follow faith, men who cannot
believe and be sure that for Christ's sake they are freely forgiven,
and that freely for Christ's sake they have a reconciled God, employ
works far otherwise. When they see the works of saints, they judge
in a human manner that saints have merited the remission of sins and
grace through these works. Accordingly, they imitate them, and think
that through similar works they merit the remission of sins and grace;
they think that through these works they appease the wrath of God,
and attain that for the sake of these works they are accounted
righteous. This godless opinion concerning works we condemn. In the
first place, because it obscures the glory of Christ when men offer
to God these works as a price and propitiation. This honor, due to
Christ alone, is ascribed to our works. Secondly, they nevertheless
do not find, in these works, peace of conscience, but in true terrors,
heaping up works upon works, they at length despair because they
find no work sufficiently pure [sufficiently important and precious
to propitiate God, to obtain with certainty eternal life, in a word,
to tranquilize and pacify the conscience]. The Law always accuses,
and produces wrath. Thirdly, such persons never attain the knowledge
of God [nor of His will]; for, as in anger they flee from God, who
judges and afflicts them, they never believe that they are heard.
But faith manifests the presence of God, since it is certain that God
freely forgives and hears us.

Moreover, this godless opinion concerning works always has existed in
the world [sticks to the world quite tightly]. The heathen had
sacrifices, derived from the fathers. They imitated their works.
Their faith they did not retain, but thought that the works were a
propitiation and price on account of which God would be reconciled to
them. The people in the law [the Israelites] imitated sacrifices
with the opinion that by means of these works they would appease God,
so to say, _ex opere operato_. We see here how earnestly the
prophets rebuke the people: Ps. 50, 8: I will not reprove thee for
thy sacrifices, and Jer. 7, 22: I spake not unto your fathers
concerning burnt offerings. Such passages condemn not works, which
God certainly had commanded as outward exercises in this government,
but they condemn the godless opinion according to which they thought
that by these works they appeased the wrath of God, and thus cast
away faith. And because no works pacify the conscience, new works,
in addition to God's commands, were from time to time devised [the
hypocrites nevertheless used to invent one work after another, one
sacrifice after another, by a blind guess and in reckless wantonness,
and all this without the word and command of God, with wicked
conscience as we have seen in the Papacy]. The people of Israel had
seen the prophets sacrificing on high places [and in groves].
Besides, the examples of the saints very greatly move the minds of
those, hoping by similar works to obtain grace just as these saints
obtained it. [But the saints believed.] Wherefore the people began,
with remarkable zeal, to imitate this work, in order that by such a
work [they might appease the wrath of God] they might merit remission
of sins, grace, and righteousness. But the prophets had been
sacrificing on high places, not that by these works they might merit
the remission of sins and grace, but because on these places they
taught, and, accordingly, presented there a testimony of their faith.
The people had heard that Abraham had sacrificed his son. Wherefore
they also, in order to appease God by a most cruel and difficult work,
put to death their sons. But Abraham did not sacrifice his son with
the opinion that this work was a price and propitiatory work for the
sake of which he was accounted righteous. Thus in the Church the
Lord's Supper was instituted that by remembrance of the promises of
Christ, of which we are admonished in this sign, faith might be
strengthened in us, and we might publicly confess our faith, and
proclaim the benefits of Christ, as Paul says, 1 Cor. 11, 26: As
often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's
death, etc. But our adversaries contend that the mass is a work that
justifies us _ex opere operato_, and removes the guilt and liability
to punishment in those for whom it is celebrated, for thus writes
Gabriel.

Anthony, Bernard, Dominicus, Franciscus, and other holy Fathers
selected a certain kind of life either for the sake of study [of more
readily reading the Holy Scriptures] or other useful exercises. In
the mean time they believed that by faith they were accounted
righteous for Christ's sake, and that God was gracious to them, not
on account of those exercises of their own. But the multitude since
then has imitated not the faith of the Fathers, but their example
without faith, in order that by such works they might merit the
remission of sins, grace, and righteousness: they did not believe
that they received these freely on account of Christ as Propitiator.
[Thus the human mind always exalts works too highly, and puts them in
the wrong place. And this error the Gospel reproves which teaches
that men are accounted righteous not for the sake of the Law, but for
the sake of Christ alone. Christ, however, is apprehended by faith
alone; wherefore we are accounted righteous by faith alone for
Christ's sake.] Thus the world judges of all works that they are a
propitiation by which God is appeased; that they are a price because
of which we are accounted righteous. It does not believe that Christ
is Propitiator; it does not believe that by faith we freely attain
that we are accounted righteous for Christ's sake. And, nevertheless,
since works cannot pacify the conscience, others are continually
chosen, new rites are performed, new vows made, and new orders of
monks formed beyond the command of God, in order that some great work
may be sought which may be set against the wrath and judgment of God.
Contrary to Scripture, the adversaries uphold these godless opinions
concerning works. But to ascribe to our works these things, namely,
that they are a propitiation, that they merit the remission of sins
and grace that for the sake of these and not by faith for the sake of
Christ as Propitiator we are accounted righteous before God, what
else is this than to deny Christ the honor of Mediator and
Propitiator? Although, therefore, we believe and teach that good
works must necessarily be done (for the inchoate fulfilling of the
Law ought to follow faith), nevertheless we give to Christ His own
honor. We believe and teach that by faith, for Christ's sake, we are
accounted righteous before God, that we are not accounted righteous
because of works without Christ as Mediator, that by works we do not
merit the remission of sins, grace, and righteousness, that we cannot
set our works against the wrath and justice of God, that works cannot
overcome the terrors of sin, but that the terrors of sin are overcome
by faith alone, that only Christ the Mediator is to be presented by
faith against the wrath and judgment of God. If any one think
differently, he does not give Christ due honor, who has been set
forth that He might be a Propitiator, that through Him we might have
access to the Father. We are speaking now of the righteousness
through which we treat with God not with men, but by which we
apprehend grace and peace of conscience. Conscience however, cannot
be pacified before God, unless by faith alone, which is certain that
God for Christ's sake is reconciled to us, according to Rom. 5, 1:
Being justified by faith, we have peace because justification is only
a matter freely promised for Christ's sake, and therefore is always
received before God by faith alone.

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