Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Für euch gegeben und vergossen | stand here: 'Given, and shed for zur Vergebung der Sünden. you, for the remission of sins.' Welche Worte sind neben dem leib- Which words, besides the bodily lichen Essen und Trinken als das eating and drinking, are the main Hauptstück im Sacrament; und wer point in the sacrament; and he denselbigen Worten glaubt, der hat, who believes these words has that was sie sagen, und wie sie lauten, nämlich Vergebung der Sünden.

Wer empfähet denn solch Sacrament würdiglich? Antwort:

which they declare and mean, namely, forgiveness of sins.

Who, then, receives this Sacrament wor thily? Answer:

Fasten und leiblich sich bereiten ist Fasting and bodily preparation wohl eine feine äußerliche Zucht; aber are, indeed, a good external disder ist recht würdig und wohl ge- cipline; but he is truly worthy schickt, wer den Glauben hat an diese and well prepared who has faith Worte: Für euch gegeben und in these words: Given, and shed vergossen zur Vergebung der for you, for the remission of Sünden. Wer aber diesen Worten sins.' But he who does not benicht glaubt, oder zweifelt, der ist un lieve these words, or who doubts, würdig und ungeschickt; denn das is unworthy and unfit, for the Wort: Für euch fordert eitel gläu words 'for you' require truly bebige Herzen. lieving hearts.

FORMULA CONCORDIÆ.

(Die Concordien-Formel.)

THE FORMULA OF CONCORD. A.D. 1576 (1584).

(THE EPITOME.)

[The Formula of Concord was originally written in the German language, 1576, and published at Dresden, 1580. It was translated into Latin by Lucas Osiander, 1580; but the translation was very defective, and was revised by two of the authors-first by Selnecker for the German-Latin edition of the Book of Concord, 1582, then more fully by Chemnitz, 1583; and in this doubly improved form it became the authorized text, published in the first authentic Latin edition of the Book of Concord, Leipzig, 1584. We give this text, with a new English translation made for this work from the German and Latin compared, and adapted to the style of the age of composition. The EPITOME Contains, in clear and concise form, all that is necessary for this collection; and hence we omit the lengthy SOLID REPETITION AND DECLARATION, which merely repeats more fully the same articles, and fortifies them by ample quotations from the Scriptures, the fathers, the older Lutheran symbols, and the private writings of Luther, with an appendix of patristic testimonies for the doctrine of the communicatio idiomatum. See Vol. I. § 45, pp. 258 sqq.]

[blocks in formation]

ortæ sunt inter Theologos Augu- have arisen among the divines of

stana Confessionis, qui in repetitione sequenti, secundum verbi Dei præscriptum, pie declarati sunt et conciliati.1

DE COMPENDIARIA REGULA atque Norma, ad quam omnia dogmata exigenda, et quæ inciderunt certamina, pie declaranda et componenda sunt.

the Augsburg Confession, which in the following restatement have been in godly wise, according to the express word of God, set forth and reconciled.

OF THE COMPENDIOUS RULE AND NORM, according to which all dogmas ought to be judged, and all controversies which have arisen ought to be piously set forth and settled.

I. Credimus, confitemur et doce- I. We believe, confess, and teach mus, unicam regulam et normam that the only rule and norm, ac[die einige Regel und Richtschnur], cording to which all dogmas and secundum quam omnia dogmata, all doctors ought to be esteemed

The German title of the First Part: 'SUMMARISCHER BEGRIFF DER STREITIGEN ARTIKEL zwischen den Theologen Augsburgischer Confession in nachfolgender Wiederholung nach Anleitung Gottes Worts christlich erkläret und verglichen.' The Second Part has the title: Gründliche, lautere, richtige und endliche WIEDERHOLUNG und ERKLÄRUNG etlicher Artikel Augsburgischer Confession,' etc., or 'Solido, plana ac perspicua REPETITIO et DECLARATIO quorundam Articulorum Aug. Confessionis,' etc.

the New Testament, as it is written (Psalm cxix. 105): Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto

omnesque Doctores æstimari et ju- and judged, is no other whatever dicari oporteat, nullam omnino than the prophetic and apostolic aliam esse, quam Prophetica et writings both of the Old and of Apostolica scripta cum Veteris, tum Novi Testamenti, sicut scriptum est (Psa. cxix. 105): 'Lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum, my path.' And St. Paul saith (Gal. et lumen semitis meis. Et Divus i. 8): "Though an angel from heaven. Paulus inquit (Gal. i. 8): Eti- preach any other gospel unto you, amsi Angelus de cœlo aliud præ- let him be accursed.'

6

dicet Evangelium, anathema sit.

But other writings, whether of

Reliqua vero sive Patrum sive Neotericorum scripta, quocunque the fathers or of the moderns, with veniant nomine, sacris literis ne- whatever name they come, are in quaquam sunt æquiparanda, sed nowise to be equalled to the Holy universa illis ita subjicienda Scriptures, but are all to be essunt, ut alia ratione non recipi- teemed inferior to them, so that antur, nisi testium loco, qui do- they be not otherwise received than ceant, quod etiam post Aposto- in the rank of witnesses, to show lorum tempora, et in quibus par- what doctrine was taught after tibus orbis doctrina illa Prophe- the Apostles' times also, and in tarum et Apostolorum sincerior what parts of the world that more conservata sit.

II. Et quia statim post Apostolorum tempora, tempora, imo

cum

sound doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles has been preserved.

II. And inasmuch as immediateetiam ly after the times of the Apostles, adhuc superstites essent, nay, even while they were yet alive, falsi doctores et hæretici exorti false teachers and heretics arose, sunt, contra quos in primitiva against whom in the primitive Ecclesia Symbola sunt compo- Church symbols were composed, sita, id est, breves et categorica that is to say, brief and explicit Confessiones, quæ unanimem Ca- confessions, which contained the tholicæ Christianæ fidei Consen- unanimous consent of the Catholic sum et Confessionem Orthodoxo- Christian faith, and the confession

'Als Zeugen, welcher Gestalt nach der Apostel Zeit und an welchen Orten solche Lehre der Propheten und Apostel erhalten worden.'

rum et veræ Ecclesia complecte- of the orthodox and true Church. bantur (ut sunt SYMBOLUM APO- (such as are the APOSTLES', the NISTOLICUM, NICÆNUM, et ATHANASIA-CENE, and the ATHANASIAN CREEDS): NUM): profitemur publice, nos illa we publicly profess that we emamplecti, et rejicimus omnes ha- brace them, and reject all heresies reses, omniaque dogmata, quæ con- and all dogmas which have ever tra illorum sententiam unquam been brought into the Church of in Ecclesiam Dei sunt invecta. God contrary to their decision.

III. Quod vero ad schismata

III. And as concerns the schisms

in negotiis fidei attinet, quæ in in matters of faith, which have nostra tempora inciderunt, judi- come to pass in our times, we camus, unanimem Consensum et judge the unanimous consent and Declarationem Christiana no- declaration of our Christian faith, stræ fidei et Confessionis, in especially against the papacy and primis contra Papatum, et hu- its idolatrous rites and superstijus falsos ac idolatricos cultus tions, and against other sects, to et superstitiones, et alias sectas, be the Symbol of our own age, esse nostri temporis Symbolum, called The First, Unaltered AUGSAUGUSTANAM illam primam, et BURG CONFESSION, which in the non mutatam CONFESSIONEM, que year 1530 was exhibited to the Imperatori Carolo V. Augusta Emperor Charles the Fifth at the anno XXX. in magnis Imperii Diet of the Empire; and likewise Comitiis exhibita est; similiter the APOLOGY [of the Augsburg et APOLOGIAM [derselben APOLO- Confession]; and the SMALCALD GIE]; et ARTICULOS SMALCALDICOS ARTICLES drawn up in the year anno XXXVII. conscriptos [AR- 1537, and approved by the subTIKELN 80 zu SCHMALKALDEN Anno scription of the principal divines 37 gestellet], et præcipuorum Theo- of that time.

logorum illius temporis subscrip

tione comprobatos.

[ocr errors]

Et quia hæc religionis causa And inasmuch as this matter etiam ad Laicos, quos vocant, of religion appertains also to the spectat, eorumque perpetua salus laity, as they are called, and their agitur: profitemur publice, nos eternal salvation is at stake, we pubetiam amplecti MINOREM et MA- licly profess that we also receive JOREM D. LUTHERI CATECHISMOS DR. LUTHER'S SMALLER and LARGER

[zu dem KLEINEN und GROSSEN CATECHISMS as they are included in KATECHISMO DOCTOR LUTHERS], ut Luther's works, because we judge ii Tomis Lutheri sunt inserti: them to be, as it were, the Bible of quod eos quasi Laicorum Biblia the laity, in which all those things [Laienbibel] esse censeamus,in qui- are briefly comprehended which bus omnia illa breviter compre- in the Holy Scripture are treated henduntur, quæ in Sacra Scriptu- more at length, and the knowledge ra fusius tractantur, et quorum of which is necessary to a Chriscognitio homini Christiano ad tian man for his eternal salvaæternam salutem est necessaria. tion.

Ad has rationes, paulo ante To these principles, as set forth monstratas, omnis doctrina in a little above, every religious docreligionis negotio conformanda trine ought to be conformed; and, est, et, si quid iis contrarium if any thing is discovered to be esse deprehenditur, id rejicien- contrary to them, that is to be redum atque damnandum est: jected and condemned, as being at quippe quod cum unanimi fidei variance with the unanimous decnostræ declaratione pugnet.

laration of our faith.

Hoc modo luculentum discri In this way a clear distinction men inter sacras Veteris et Novi is retained between the sacred Testamenti literas, et omnia ali- Scriptures of the Old and New orum scripta retinetur: et sola Testaments, and all other writings; Sacra Scriptura judex, norma et and Holy Scripture alone is acregula [der einige Richter, Regel knowledged as the [only] judge, und Richtschnur] agnoscitur, ad norm, and rule, according to which, quam, ceu ad Lydium lapidem as by the [only] touchstone, all [als dem einigen Probierstein], doctrines are to be examined and omnia dogmata exigenda sunt et judged, as to whether they be godly judicanda, an pia, an impia, an or ungodly, true or false. vera, an vero falsa sint.

But the other symbols and other writings, of which we made men

Cætera autem Symbola, et alia scripta, quorum paulo ante mentionem fecimus, non obtinent tion a little while ago, do not posautoritatem judicis; hæc enim sess the authority of a judge-for dignitas solis sacris literis debe- this dignity belongs to Holy Scriptur: sed duntaxat pro religione ture alone; but merely give testi

« AnteriorContinuar »