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Augsburg Confession.

I.

THE Churches with common consent among us do teach, that the Decree of the Nicene Council concerning the unity of the Divine Essence, and of the Three Persons, is true, and without all doubt to be believed: to wit, that there is one Divine Essence, which is called, and is God, eternal, without body, indivisible, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, the Creator and Preserver of all things, visible and invisible: and yet that there be Three Persons, of the same essence and power, which also are co-eternal, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And they use the name of Person in that signification, in which the ecclesiastical writers have used it in this cause, to signify not a part or quality in another, but that which properly subsisteth.

They condemn all heresies sprung up against this Article, as the Manichees, who set down two beginnings, good and evil: they do in like sort condemn the Valentinians, Arians, Eunomians, Mahometists, and all such like. They condemn also the Samosatenes, old and new, who when they earnestly contend that there is but one Person, do craftily and wickedly dally, after the manner of rhetoricians, about the

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Also they teach that after Adam's fail, at nea legotten after the common course of mature are bere with sin, that is, without the fear of God, without trust in him, and with concupiscence, and that this disease or original blot, is sin indeed, condemning and bringing eternal death even now upon all that are not born again by baptism and the Holy Ghost.

They condemn the Pelagians and others that deny this original blot to be sin, and that they may extenuate the glory of the merits and benefits of Christ, they do reason that a man may by the strength of his own reason be justified before God.

[Also they teach that after the fall of Adam, all men descended from one another after a natural manner, have original sin even when they are born. We mean by original sin, that which the holy Fathers, and all of sound judgment and learning in the Church do so call, namely, that guilt whereby all that come into the world are through Adam's fall subject to God's wrath and eternal death, and that very corruption of man's nature derived from Adam. And this corruption of man's nature comprehendeth both the defect of original justice, integrity, or obedience, and also concupiscence. [This defect is horrible blindness and disobedience, that is, to wit, to want that light and knowledge of God, which should have been in our nature being perfect, and to want that uprightness, that is, that perpetual obedience, that true,

perfect nature. Wherefore those defects, and this concupiscence, are things damnable, and of their own nature worthy of death. And this original blot is sin indeed, condemning and bringing eternal death, even now also, upon them which are not born again by baptism and the Holy Ghost.

They condemn the Pelagians, who deny original sin, and think that those defects or this concupiscence are things indifferent, or punishments only, and not of their own nature damnable, and dream that man may satisfy the law of God, and may for that peculiar obedience be pronounced just before God.]

III.

Also they teach, that the Word, that is, the Son of God, took unto him man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, so that the two natures, the divine and the human, inseparably joined together in the unity of one Person, are one Christ, true God and true Man: who was born of the Virgin Mary, did truly suffer, was crucified, dead and buried, that he might reconcile his Father unto us, and might be a sacrifice, not only for the original sin, but also for all actual sins of men. The same also descended into hell, and did truly rise again the third day. Afterward he ascended into heaven, that he might sit at the right hand of the Father and reign for ever, and have dominion over all creatures, sanctify those that believe in him, by sending the Holy Spirit into their hearts, which may reign, comfort, and quicken them, and defend them against the devil and the power of sin. The same Christ shall openly come again to judge the quick and dead, &c. according to the Creed of the Apostles.

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us, that remission is given us freely; that is, that it doth not depend upon the condition of our own worthiness, nor is given for any works that went before, nor for the worthiness of such as follow after. For then should remission be uncertain, if we should think, that then only, we obtain remission of sins when we had deserved it by our former works, or when our repentance were well worthy of it [For in true terrors, the conscience findeth no work which it may oppose against God's wrath, but Christ is given and set forth unto us as a propitiation. This honour must not be transferred from Christ unto our own works, therefore Paul saith, Ye are saved freely. Again, Therefore by faith freely, that the promise might be sure. That is, thus shall remission be certain, when we know, that it dependeth not upon the condition of our own worthiness, but is given us for Christ's sake. This is a sure and necessary comfort to all godly and terrified minds. And thus do the holy Fathers teach: and there is a notable sentence in St. Ambrose, worthy the remembering, in these words; Thus God hath appointed, that he which believeth in Christ, shall be saved, without any works, by faith alone, receiving freely the remission of sins. [Now this word faith, doth not only signify a knowledge of the history of Christ, but also to believe and assent unto this promise, that is proper unto the Gospel, wherein remission of sins, justification, and life everlasting, are promised unto us, for Christ's sake. For this promise also doth pertain to the history of Christ; even as in the Creed, unto the history is added this article: I believe the remission of sins. And unto this one the other articles, touching the history of Christ,

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