Translating the Augsburg Confession Part XL (Article III.iii)

III. De Missa. (iii.)

De his opinionibus nostri admonuerunt, quod[1] dissentiant a Scripturis Sanctis et laedant gloriam passionis Christi. Nam passio Christi fuit oblatio et satisfactio non solum pro culpa originis, sed etiam pro omnibus reliquis peccatis, ut ad Hebraeos, 10, 10, scriptum est: Sanctificati sumus per oblationem Iesu Christi semel. Item 10, 14: Una oblatione consummavit[2] in perpetuum sanctificatos.

Item Scriptura docet nos[3] coram Deo iustificari per fidem in Christum, quum credimus, nobis[4] remitti peccata propter Christum. Iam si missa delet peccata vivorum et mortuorum ex opere operato,[5] contingit iustificatio ex opere missarum, non ex fide, quod[6] Scriptura non patitur. Sed Christus iubet facere in sui memoriam, Luc. 22, 19. Quare missa instituta est, ut[7] fides in iis, qui utuntur sacramento, recordetur, quae beneficia accipiat per Christum, et erigat[8] et consoletur pavidam conscientiam. Nam id est meminisse Christi, beneficia meminisse ac sentire, quod[9] vere exhibeantur nobis. Nec satis est[10] historiam recordari, quia hanc etiam Iudaei et impii recordari possunt. Est igitur ad hoc facienda[11] missa, ut[12] ibi porrigatur sacramentum his, quibus opus est consolatione, sicut Ambrosius ait: Quia semper pecco, semper debeo accipere medicinam.

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[1] Quod…Christi: a quod substantive clause

[2] Consummavit: he completed

[3] Nos…Christum: an indirct statement where nos is the accusative subject and iustificari is the infinitive main verb

[4] Nobis…Christum: an indirect statement where peccata is the accusative subject and remitti is the infinitive main verb

[5] Operato: a perfect passive participle modifying opere

[6] Quod: a relative pronoun modifying the broad concept of justification being obtained by the work of the mass; translate as which

[7] Ut…recordetur: a purpose clause

[8] Erigat…conscientiam: [ut] erigat: a purpose clause

[9] Quod…nobis: a quod substantive clause

[10] Satis est: an impersonal construction: Nor is it enough

[11] Est…facienda: a passive periphrastic: Therefore, the mass must be done for this reason

[12] Ut…his: a purpose clause

Our teachers have cautioned about these opinions that they disagree with the Holy Scriptures and harm the glory of Christ. For Christ’s passion was an offering and satisfaction not only for original sin but also for all the remaining sins as it was written to the Hebrews 10,10: We are sanctified by the offering of Jesus Christ once. Also in 10,14,” He completed our sanctification through one offering forever. Scripture also teaches that we are justified before God through faith in Christ when we believe that sins are forgiven for us on account of Christ. Now if the mass destroys the sins of the living and the dead because of the work having been done, justification happens because of the work of the mass, not on account of faith, which Soupture does not permit. But Christ orders us to do this in his memory in Luke 22, 19. Wherefore the mass was instituted so that faith, in those who use the sacrament, is called to mind, which receives the benefits through Christ, and so that faith excites and consoles terrified consciences.

For it is to be mindful of Christ, to remember His benefits and to think that they are produced for us, and it is not enough to recall the history because the Jews and the impious are able to recall this also. Therefore, the mass must be done for this reason so that the sacrament is extended to those, for whom it is necessary, with comfort just as Ambrose says: Because I always sin, I ought always to receive the medicine.

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