Translating the Apology of the Augsburg Confession: (Art. XI) De Poenitentia (ix)

Check out the ninth part of Translating the Apology of the Augsburg Confession: On Confession. As always you’ll find the Latin text with notes, a listing of the Latin words which have not appeared in the previous sections, and an English translation.

Haec enim sunt duo praecipua opera Dei in hominibus, perterrefacere, et iustificare ac vivificare perterrefactos. In haec duo opera distributa est universa Scriptura. Altera pars lex est, quae ostendit, arguit et condemnat peccata. Altera pars evangelium, hoc est, promissio gratiae in Christo donatae,[1] et haec promissio subinde repetitur in tota Scriptura, primum tradita[2] Adae, postea patriarchis, deinde a prophetis illustrata,[3] postremo praedicata et exhibita[4] a Christo inter Iudaeos et ab apostolis sparsa[5] in totum mundum. Nam fide huius promissionis sancti omnes iustificari sunt, non propter suas attritiones vel contritiones.

Et exempla ostendunt similiter has duas partes. Adam obiurgatur post peccatum et perterrefit; haec fuit contritio. Postea promittit Deus gratiam, dicit futurum semen, quo destruetur regnum diaboli, mors et peccatum; ibi offert remissionem peccati. Haec sunt praecipua. Nam etsi postea additur poena, tamen haec poena non meretur remissionem peccati. Et de hoc genere poenarum paulo post dicemus.

Sic David obiurgatur a Nathan et perterrefactus inquit 2 Sam. 12, 13: Peccavi Domino. Ea est contritio. Postea audit absolutionem: Dominus sustulit peccatum tuum, non morieris. Haec vox erigit Davidem et fide sustentat, iustificat et vivificat eum. Additur et hic poena, sed haec poena non meretur remissionem peccatorum.

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[1] A perfect passive participle

[2] A perfect passive participle

[3] A perfect passive participle

[4] Perfect passive participles

[5] A perfect passive participle

Vocabulary
Similiter (adv.)- similarly

For these are the two particular works of God in men: to terrify and justify and make alive the terrified. In these two works the whole of Scripture has been distributed. The first part is the law, which exposes, charges and condemns sins. The second part, the gospel, that is, the promise of grace in Christ which has been given, and this promise thereupon is repeated in the whole of Scripture, first given to Adam, afterwards to the patriarchs, then made clear by the prophets, and finally proclaimed and displayed by Christ among the Jews and by the apostles scattered through the whole world. For by trust in this promise all the saints have been justified, not on account of their attrition or contrition.

And examples similarly show these two parts. Adam was reproached after sin and terrified; this was contrition. Afterwards God promised grace, and he spoke about the future seed by which He will destroy the kingdom of the devil, death and sin; there He offers the forgiveness of sins. These are particular parts. For even if afterwards satisfaction is added, nevertheless, this satisfaction does not merit the forgiveness of sins. And about this kind of satisfactions we will speak a little after. 

Thus David was urged by Nathan and was terrified as it says in 2 Samuel 12:13, “I have sinned against the Lord.” This is contrition. Afterwards he heard the absolution: “The Lord has removed your sin, you will not die.” This voice raises David, sustains him with faith, justifies and makes him alive. Here also satisfaction is added, but this satisfaction does not merit the forgiveness of sins.

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