The
Defense of the Augsburg Confession
Articles
VII and VIII: Of the Church.
1] The Seventh Article of our Confession,
in which we said that the Church is the congregation of saints, they have
condemned, and have added a long disquisition, that the wicked are not to be
separated from the Church since John has compared the Church to a
threshing-floor on which wheat and chaff are heaped together, Matt. 3:12, and Christ has compared it to a
net in which 2] there are both good and bad fishes, Matt. 13:47. It is,
verily, a true saying, namely, that there is no remedy against the attacks of
the slanderer. Nothing can be spoken with such care that it can escape
detraction. 3] For this reason we have added the Eighth
Article, lest any one might think that we separate the wicked and hypocrites
from the outward fellowship of the Church, or that we deny efficacy to
Sacraments administered by hypocrites or wicked men. Therefore there is no need
here of a long defense against this slander. The Eighth Article is sufficient
to exculpate us. For we grant that in this life hypocrites and wicked men have
been mingled with the Church, and that they are members of the Church according
to the outward fellowship of the signs of the Church, i.e., of Word,
profession, and Sacraments, especially if they have not been excommunicated. 4] Neither are the Sacraments without
efficacy for the reason that they are administered by wicked men; yea, we can
even be right in using the Sacraments administered by wicked men. For Paul also
predicts, 2 Thess. 2:4, that
Antichrist will sit in the temple of God, i.e., he will rule and bear office in
the Church. 5] But the Church is not only the
fellowship of outward objects and rites, as other governments, but it is originally
a fellowship of faith and of the Holy Ghost in hearts. [The Christian Church
consists not alone in fellowship of outward signs, but it consists especially
in inward communion of eternal blessings in the heart, as of the Holy Ghost, of
faith, of the fear and love of God]; which fellowship nevertheless has outward
marks so that it can be recognized, namely, the pure doctrine of the Gospel,
and the administration of the Sacraments in accordance with the Gospel of
Christ. [Namely, where God's Word is pure, and the Sacraments are administered
in conformity with the same, there certainly is the Church, and there are
Christians.] And this Church alone is called the body of Christ, which Christ
renews [Christ is its Head, and] sanctifies and governs by His Spirit, as Paul
testifies, Eph. 1:22 sq., when
he says: And gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church, which is
His body, 6]the fulness of Him that filleth all in
all. Wherefore, those in whom Christ does not act [through His Spirit] are not
the members of Christ. This, too, the adversaries acknowledge, namely, that the
wicked are dead members of the Church. Therefore we wonder why they have found
fault with our description [our conclusion concerning the Church] 7] which speaks of living members. Neither
have we said anything new. Paul has defined the Church precisely in the same
way, Eph. 5:25f , that it
should be cleansed in order to be holy. And he adds the outward marks, the Word
and Sacraments. For he says thus: Christ also loved the Church, and gave
Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water
by the Word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having
spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without
blemish. In the Confession we have presented this sentence almost in the very
words. Thus also the Church is defined by the article in the Creed which
teaches us to believe that there is a holy Catholic Church. 8] The wicked indeed are not a holy Church.
And that which follows, namely, the communion of saints, seems to be added in
order to explain what the Church signifies, namely, the congregation of saints,
who have with each other the fellowship of the same Gospel or doctrine [who
confess one Gospel, have the same knowledge of Christ] and of the same Holy
Ghost, who renews, sanctifies, and governs their hearts.
9] And this article has been presented for
a necessary reason. [The article of the Church Catholic or Universal, which is
gathered together from every nation under the sun, is very comforting and
highly necessary.] We see the infinite dangers which threaten the destruction
of the Church. In the Church itself, infinite is the multitude of the wicked
who oppress it [despise, bitterly hate, and most violently persecute the Word,
as, e.g., the Turks, Mohammedans, other tyrants, heretics, etc. For this reason
the true teaching and the Church are often so utterly suppressed and disappear,
as if there were no Church, which has happened under the papacy; it often seems
that the Church has completely perished]. Therefore, in order that we may not despair,
but may know that the Church will nevertheless remain [until the end of the
world], likewise that we may know that, however great the multitude of the
wicked is, yet the Church [which is Christ's bride] exists, and that Christ
affords those gifts which He has promised to the Church, to forgive sins, to
hear prayer, to give the Holy Ghost, this article in the Creed presents us
these consolations. 10] And it says Church Catholic, in order
that we may not understand the Church to be an outward government of certain
nations [that the Church is like any other external polity, bound to this or
that land, kingdom, or nation, as the Pope of Rome will say], but rather men
scattered throughout the whole world [here and there in the world, from the
rising to the setting of the sun], who agree concerning the Gospel, and have
the same Christ, the same Holy Ghost, and the same Sacraments, whether they
have the same 11] or different human traditions. And the
gloss upon the Decrees says that the Church in its wide sense embraces good and
evil; likewise, that the wicked are in the Church only in name, not in fact;
but that the good are in the Church both in fact and in name. And to this
effect there are many passages in the Fathers. For Jerome says: The sinner,
therefore, who has been soiled with any blotch cannot be called a member of the
Church of Christ, neither can he be said to be subject to Christ.
12] Although, therefore, hypocrites and
wicked men are members of this true Church according to outward rites [titles
and offices], yet when the Church is defined, it is necessary to define that
which is the living body of Christ, and which is in name and in fact the Church
[which is called the body of Christ, and has fellowship not alone in outward
signs, but has gifts in the heart, namely, the Holy Ghost and faith]. 13] And for this there are many reasons.
For it is necessary to understand what it is that principally makes us members,
and that, living members, of the Church. If we will define the Church only as
an outward polity of the good and wicked, men will not understand that the
kingdom of Christ is righteousness of heart and the gift of the Holy Ghost
[that the kingdom of Christ is spiritual, as nevertheless it is; that therein
Christ inwardly rules, strengthens, and comforts hearts, and imparts the Holy
Ghost and various spiritual gifts], but they will judge that it is only the
outward observance of certain forms of worship and rites. 14] Likewise, what difference will there be
between the people of the Law and the Church if the Church is an outward
polity? But Paul distinguishes the Church from the people of the Law thus, that
the Church is a spiritual people, i.e., that it has been distinguished from the
heathen not by civil rites [not in the polity and civil affairs], but that it
is the true people of God, regenerated by the Holy Ghost. Among the people of
the Law, apart from the promise of Christ, also the carnal seed [all those who
by nature were born Jews and Abraham's seed] had promises concerning corporeal
things, of government, etc. And because of these even the wicked among them
were called the people of God, because God had separated this carnal seed from
other nations by certain outward ordinances and promises; and yet, 15] these wicked persons did not please
God. But the Gospel [which is preached in the Church] brings not merely the
shadow of eternal things, but the eternal things themselves, the Holy Ghost and
righteousness, by which we are righteous before God. [But every true Christian
is even here upon earth partaker of eternal blessings, even of eternal comfort,
of eternal life, and of the Holy Ghost, and of righteousness which is from God,
until he will be completely saved in the world to come.]
16] Therefore, only those are the people,
according to the Gospel, who receive this promise of the Spirit. Besides, the
Church is the kingdom of Christ, distinguished from the kingdom of the devil.
It is certain, however, that the wicked are in the power of the devil, and
members of the kingdom of the devil, as Paul teaches, Eph. 2:2, when he says that the devil now
worketh in the children of disobedience. And Christ says to the Pharisees, who
certainly had outward fellowship with the Church, i.e., with the saints among
the people of the Law (for they held office, sacrificed, and taught): Ye are of
your father, the devil, John
8:44. Therefore, the Church, which is truly the kingdom of Christ,
is properly the congregation of saints. For the wicked are ruled by the devil,
and are captives of the devil; they are not ruled by the Spirit of Christ.
17] But what need is there of words in a
manifest matter? [However, the adversaries contradict the plain truth.] If the
Church, which is truly the kingdom of Christ, is distinguished from the kingdom
of the devil, it follows necessarily that the wicked, since they are in the
kingdom of the devil, are not the Church; although in this life, because the
kingdom of Christ has not yet been revealed; they are mingled with the Church,
and hold offices [as teachers, and other offices] in the Church. 18] Neither are the wicked the kingdom of
Christ, for the reason that the revelation has not yet been made. For that is
always the kingdom which He quickens by His Spirit, whether it be revealed or
be covered by the cross; just as He who has now been glorified is the same
Christ who was before afflicted. 19] And with this clearly agree the
parables of Christ, who says, Matt. 13:38, that
the good seed are the children of the kingdom, but the tares are the children
of the Wicked One. The field, He says, is the world, not the Church. Thus John [Matt. 3:12: He will thoroughly purge His
floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff]
speaks concerning the whole race of the Jews, and says that it will come to
pass that the true Church will be separated from that people. Therefore, this
passage is more against the adversaries than in favor of them, because it shows
that the true and spiritual people is to be separated from the carnal people.
Christ also speaks of the outward appearance of the Church when He says, Matt. 13:47: The
kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, likewise, to ten virgins; and He teaches
that the Church has been covered by a multitude of evils, in order that this
stumbling-block may not offend the pious; likewise, in order that we may know
that the Word and Sacraments are efficacious even when administered by the
wicked. And meanwhile He teaches that these godless men, although they have the
fellowship of outward signs, are nevertheless not the true kingdom of Christ
and members of Christ; 20] for they are members of the kingdom of
the devil. Neither, indeed, are we dreaming of a Platonic state, as some
wickedly charge, but we say that this Church exists, namely, the truly
believing and righteous men scattered throughout the whole world. [We are
speaking not of an imaginary Church, which is to be found nowhere; but we say
and know certainly that this Church, wherein saints live, is and abides truly
upon earth; namely, that some of God's children are here and there in all the
world, in various kingdoms, islands, lands, and cities, from the rising of the
sun to its setting, who have truly learned to know Christ and His Gospel.] And
we add the marks: the pure doctrine of the Gospel [the ministry or the Gospel]
and the Sacraments. And this Church is properly the pillar of the truth, 1 Tim. 3:15. For it
retains the pure Gospel, and, as Paul says, 1 Cor. 3:11 [:
"Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus
Christ"], the foundation, i.e., the true knowledge of Christ and faith.
Although among these [in the body which is built upon the true foundation,
i.e., upon Christ and faith] there are also many weak persons, who build upon
the foundation stubble that will perish, i.e., certain unprofitable opinions
[some human thoughts and opinions], which, nevertheless, because they do not
overthrow the foundation, are both forgiven them 21] and also corrected. And the writings of
the holy Fathers testify that sometimes even they built stubble upon the
foundation, but that this did not overthrow their faith. But most of those
errors which our adversaries defend, overthrow faith, as, their condemnation of
the article concerning the remission of sins, in which we say that the
remission of sins is received by faith. Likewise it is a manifest and
pernicious error when the adversaries teach that men merit the remission of
sins by love to God, prior to grace. [In the place of Christ they set up their
works, orders, masses, just as the Jews, the heathen, and the Turks intend to
be saved by their works.] For this also is to remove "the
foundation," i.e., Christ. Likewise, what need will there be of faith if
the Sacraments justify ex opere operato, 22] without a good disposition on the part
of the one using them? [without faith. Now, a person that does not regard faith
as necessary has already lost Christ. Again, they set up the worship of saints,
call upon them instead of Christ, the Mediator, etc.] But just as the Church
has the promise that it will always have the Holy Ghost, so it has also the
threatenings that there will be wicked teachers and wolves. But that is the
Church in the proper sense which has the Holy Ghost. Although wolves and wicked
teachers become rampant [rage and do injury] in the Church, yet they are not
properly the kingdom of Christ. Just as Lyra also testifies, when he says: The
Church does not consist of men with respect to power, or ecclesiastical or
secular dignity, because many princes and archbishops and others of lower rank
have been found to have apostatized from the faith. Therefore, the Church consists
of those persons in whom there is a true knowledge and confession of faith and
truth. What else have we said in our Confession than what Lyra here says [in
terms so clear that he could not have spoken more clearly]?
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