Article XX: _Of Good Works._
In the Twentieth Article they distinctly lay down these words, namely,
that they reject and condemn our statement that men do not merit the
remission of sins by good works. [Mark this well!] They clearly
declare that they reject and condemn this article. What is to be
said on a subject so manifest? Here the framers of the _Confutation_
openly show by what spirit they are led. For what in the Church is
more certain than that the remission of sins occurs freely for
Christ's sake, that Christ, and not our works, is the propitiation
for sins, as Peter says, Acts 10, 43: To Him give all the prophets
witness that through His name, whosoever believeth on Him, shall
receive remission of sins? [This strong testimony of all the holy
prophets may duly be called a decree of the catholic Christian Church.
For even a single prophet is very highly esteemed by God and a
treasure worth the whole world.] To this Church of the prophets we
would rather assent than to these abandoned writers of the
Confutation, who so impudently blaspheme Christ. For although there
were writers who held that after the remission of sins men are just
before God, not by faith, but by works themselves, yet they did not
hold this, namely, that the remission of sins itself occurs on
account of our works, and not freely for Christ's sake.
Therefore the blasphemy of ascribing Christ's honor to our works is
not to be endured. These theologians are now entirely without shame
if they dare to bring such an opinion into the Church. Nor do we
doubt that His Most Excellent Imperial Majesty and very many of the
princes would not have allowed this passage to remain in the
_Confutation_ if they had been admonished of it. Here we could cite
infinite testimonies from Scripture and from the Fathers [that this
article is certainly divine and true, and this is the sacred and
divine truth. For there is hardly a syllable, hardly a leaf in the
Bible, in the principal books of the Holy Scriptures where this is
not clearly stated.] But also above we have said enough on this
subject. And there is no need of more testimonies for one who knows
why Christ has been given to us, who knows that Christ is the
propitiation for our sins. [God-fearing, pious hearts that know well
why Christ has been given, who for all the possessions and kingdoms
of the world would not be without Christ as our only Treasure, our
only Mediator and Redeemer must here be shocked and terrified that
God's holy Word and Truth should be so openly despised and condemned
by poor men.] Isaiah says, 53, 6: The Lord hath laid on Him the
iniquities of us all. The adversaries, on the other hand, [accuse
Isaiah and the entire Bible of lying and teach that God lays our
iniquities not on Christ, but on our [beggarly] works. Neither are
we disposed to mention here the sort of works [rosaries, pilgrimages,
and the like] which they teach. We see that a horrible decree has
been prepared against us, which would terrify us still more if we
were contending concerning doubtful or trifling subjects. Now, since
our consciences understand that by the adversaries the manifest truth
is condemned, whose defense is necessary for the Church and increases
the glory of Christ, we easily despise the terrors of the world, and
with a strong spirit will bear whatever is to be suffered for the
glory of Christ and the advantage of the Church. Who would not
rejoice to die in the confession of such articles as that we obtain
the remission of sins by faith freely for Christ's sake, that we do
not merit the remission of sins by our works? [Experience shows--and
the monks themselves must admit it--that] The consciences of the
pious will have no sufficiently sure consolation against the terrors
of sin and of death, and against the devil soliciting to despair [and
who in a moment blows away all our works like dust], if they do not
know that they ought to be confident that they have the remission of
sins freely for Christ's sake. This faith sustains and quickens
hearts in that most violent conflict with despair [in the great agony
of death, in the great anguish, when no creature can help, yea, when
we must depart from this entire visible creation into another state
and world, and must die].
Therefore the cause is one which is worthy that for its sake we
should refuse no danger. Whosoever you are that has assented to our
Confession, "do not yield to the wicked, but, on the contrary, go
forward the more boldly," when the adversaries endeavor, by means of
terrors and tortures and punishments, to drive away from you that
consolation which has been tendered to the entire Church in this
article of ours [but with all cheerfulness rely confidently and
gladly on God and the Lord Jesus, and joyfully confess this manifest
truth in opposition to the tyranny, wrath, threatening, and terrors
of all the world, yea, in opposition to the daily murders and
persecution of tyrants. For who would suffer to have taken from him
this great, yea, everlasting consolation on which the entire
salvation of the whole Christian Church depends? Any one who picks
up the Bible and reads it earnestly will soon observe that this
doctrine has its foundation everywhere in the Bible]. Testimonies of
Scripture will not be wanting to one seeking them, which will
establish his mind. For Paul at the top of his voice, as the saying
is, cries out, Rom. 3, 24 f., and 4, 16, that sins are freely
remitted for Christ's sake. It is of faith, he says, that it might
be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure. That is, if the
promise would depend upon our works, it would not be sure. If
remission of sins would be given on account of our works, when would
we know that we had obtained it, when would a terrified conscience
find a work which it would consider sufficient to appease God's
wrath? But we spoke of the entire matter above. Thence let the
reader derive testimonies. For the unworthy treatment of the subject
has forced from us the present, not discussion, but complaint that on
this topic they have distinctly recorded themselves as disapproving
of this article of ours, that we obtain remission of sins not on
account of our works, but by faith and freely on account of Christ.
The adversaries also add testimonies to their own condemnation, and
it is worth while to recite several of them. They quote from Peter,
2. Ep. 1, 10: Give diligence to make your calling sure, etc.. Now
you see, reader, that our adversaries have not wasted labor in
learning logic, but have the art of inferring from the Scriptures
whatever pleases them [whether it is in harmony with the Scriptures
or out of harmony; whether it is correctly or incorrectly concluded.
For they conclude thus:] "Make your calling sure by good works."
Therefore works merit the remission of sins. A very agreeable mode
of reasoning, if one would argue thus concerning a person sentenced
to capital punishment, whose punishment has been remitted: "The
magistrate commands that hereafter you abstain from that which
belongs to another. Therefore you have merited the remission of the
penalty, because you are now abstaining from what belongs to another."
Thus to argue is to make a cause out of that which is not a cause.
For Peter speaks of works following the remission of sins, and
teaches why they should be done, namely, that the calling may be sure,
i.e., lest they may fall from their calling if they sin again. Do
good works that you may persevere in your calling, that you [do not
fall away again, grow cold and] may not lose the gifts of your
calling, which were given you before, and not on account of works
that follow, and which now are retained by faith, for faith does not
remain in those who lose the Holy Ghost, who reject repentance, just
as we have said above (p. 253) that faith exists in repentance.
They add other testimonies cohering no better. Lastly they say that
this opinion was condemned a thousand years before, in the time of
Augustine. This also is quite false. For the Church of Christ
always held that the remission of sins is obtained freely. Yea, the
Pelagians were condemned, who contended that grace is given on
account of our works. Besides, we have above shown sufficiently that
we hold that good works ought necessarily to follow faith. For we do
not make void the Law, says Paul, Rom. 3, 31; yea, we establish the
Law, because when by faith we have received the Holy Ghost, the
fulfilling of the Law necessarily follows, by which love, patience,
chastity, and other fruits of the Spirit gradually grow.