Translating the Apology of the Augsburg Confession: Art. IV De Iustificatione (xii)

Quoties igitur de fide iustificante loquimur, sciendum est[1] haec tria obiecta concurrere: promissionem, et quidem gratuitam, et merita Christi tamquam pretium et propitiationem. Promissio accipitur fide; gratuitum[2] excludit nostra merita et significat[3] tantum per misericordiam offerri beneficium; Christi merita sunt pretium, quia oportet[4] esse aliquam certam propitiationem pro peccatis nostris. Scriptura crebro misericordiam implorat. Et sancti patres saepe dicunt[5] nos per misericordiam salvari. Quoties igitur fit mentio misericordiae, sciendum est, quod[6] fides ibi requiratur, quae promissionem misericordiae accipit. Et rursus, quoties nos de fide loquimur, intelligi volumus obiectum, scilicet misericordiam promissam. Nam fides non ideo iustificat aut salvat, quia ipsa sit opus per sese dignum, sed tantum, quia accipit misericordiam promissam.[7]

Et hic cultus, haec λατρειία, in prophetis et psalmis passim praecipue laudatur, quum tamen lex non doceat gratuitam remissionem peccatorum. Sed patres norant[8] promissionem de Christo, quod[9] Deus propter Christum vellet remittere peccata. Igitur quum intelligerent[10] Christum fore[11] pretium pro nostris peccatis, sciebant[12] opera nostra non esse pretium rei tantae. Ideo gratuitam misericordiam et remissionem peccatorum fide accipiebant, sicut sancti in novo testamento.

Huc pertinent illae crebrae repetitiones misericordiae et fidei in psalmis et prophetis ut hic, Ps. 130, 3 sq.: Si iniquitates observaveris, Domine, Domine, quis sustinebit? Hic[13] confitetur peccata, nec allegat merita sua. Addit: Quia apud te propitiatio est. Hic erigit se fiducia misericordiae Dei. Et citat promissionem: Sustinuit anima mea in verbo eius, speravit anima mea in Domino, id est, quia promisisti remissionem peccatorum, hac tua promissione sustentor. Itaque et patres iustificabantur, non per legem, sed per promissionem et fidem. Ac mirum est[14] adversarios adeo extenuare fidem, quum videant ubique pro praecipuo cultu laudari, ut Ps. 50, 15: Invoca[15] me in die tribulationis et eripiam te.

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[1] A passive periphrastic which introduces an indirect statement: it must be known that…

[2] A substantive use of the adjective: a free thing

[3] Introduces an indirect statement

[4] Introduces an indirect statement

[5] Introduces an indirect statement

[6] A quod substantive clause

[7] A perfect passive participle

[8] A syncopated form of noverant

[9] A quod substantive clause

[10] Introduces an indirect statement

[11] Futurum esse

[12] Introduces an indirect statement

[13] This man

[14] An impersonal construction which introduces an indirect statement

[15] A positive imperative

Vocabulary
Allego, are, avi, allegatus- to allege; commission; admit	Pretium, i, n.- price, worth; reward
Concurro, ere, concucurri, concursus- to assemble; agree; make a claim	Propitiatio, propitiationis, f.- atonement, propitation
Creber, crebra, um- thick, crowded; frequently, repeated, constant	Psalmus, ī, m.- psalm
Crebro (adv.)- frequently, repeatedly	Quoties (adv.)- how often; as often as
Dies, ei, m.- day	Repetitio, repetitionis, f.- repetition
Dominus, i, m.- lord	Rursus (adv.)- in turn; on the contrary; again
Excludo, ere, exclusi, exclusus- to exclude	Salvo, are, avi, atus- to save
Implorō, āre, āvī, ātus-to ask for, beg; invoke	Sustento, are, avi, atus- to endure, hold out
Invocō, āre, āvī, ātus- to call upon, invoke	Tamquam (conj,)- as if, just as if
Obiectum, i, n.- object; accusation, charge	Testamentum, ī, n.- testament, will, covenant
Observō, āre, āvī, ātus- to observe, heed	Tribulatio, tribulationis, f.- distress, tribulation
Praecipue (adv.)- particularly, chiefly	Ubique (adv.)- everywhere

As often as we spoke about justifying faith, it must be known that there are these three objections concur: a promise and indeed free, and the merit of Christ as if a price and atonement. The promise is received by faith; a free thing excludes sour merits and signifies that only through mercy is the benefit offered; the merits of Christ are the reward because it is fitting that there is some other propitiation for sins. Scripture repeatedly invokes mercy. And the holy fathers often say that they are saved through mercy. As often as a mention of mercy happens, it must be known that there faith, which accepts the promise of mercy, is required. And again, as often as we speak about faith, we want its object to be be known: such as the promise of mercy. For such faith does not justify or save because the faith itself is necessary through its own worth but only because it accepts the promised mercy.

And this worship, this latreiia, is especially praised everywhere in the prophets and Psalms since the law, nevertheless, does not teach the free forgiveness of sins. But the fathers knew the promise of Christ that God on account of Christ wants to forgive sins. Therefore, when they understood that Christ would be the price for our sins, they knew that our works for not the price of such a thing. They received such free mercy and forgiveness of sins by faith just as the saints in the New Testament.

Here those repetitions of mercy and faith in the Psalms and prophets pertain as here in Psalms 130:3 and following, “If you observe iniquity, Lord, Lord, who will stand? This man confesses sins and does not admit his merits. He adds: “Because with there is atonement.” This man raises himself with trust in the mercy of God. And he cites the promise: “My spirit sustains itself in His word, my spirit hopes in the Lord” that is because you promised the forgiveness of sins, with this your promise I am sustained. And so the fathers were justified, not through the law but through the promise and faith. And it is a marvel that adversaries so diminish faith although they see that everywhere it is praised for particular worship as Psalm 50:15 says, “Call on me in the day of tribulation, and I will rescue you.”

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