Tetrapolitan Confession
By Martin Bucer, Wolfgang Capito, Augsburg, Germany. The purpose was to unite the Zwinglians and the Lutherans at the Diet of Augsburg.
- Chapter I: EXORDIUM
Thy Worshipful Majesty, Most Powerful and Most Clement Emperor, bath commanded that the orders and estates of the Holy Empire, so far as concerns each and each hopes to act... - Chapter 1: OF THE SUBJECT-MATTER OF SERMONS
First, therefore, since about ten years ago, by the remarkable goodness of God, the doctrine of Christ began to be treated with somewhat more certainty and clearness than... - Chapter 2: OF THE HOLY TRINITY AND THE MYSTERY OF THE INCARNATE CHRIST
Since, therefore, holy sermons were derived from this source and dangerous contentions ceased, those in whom there was any desire after godliness have obtained a far more... - Chapter 3: OF JUSTIFICATION AND FAITH
In regard to those things which were commonly taught concerning the manner in which we become partaker of the redemption made by Christ and concerning the duties of a... - Chapter 4: OF GOOD WORKS, PROCEEDING OUT OF FAITH THROUGH LOVE
These things we will not have men so to understand, as though we placed salvation and righteousness in slothful thoughts of the mind, or in faith destitute of love, which they... - Chapter 5: TO WHOM GOOD WORKS ARE TO BE ASCRIBED, AND HOW THEY ARE NECESSARY
But since they who are the children of God are led by the Spirit of God, rather than that they act themselves (Rom. 8:14), and "of him, and through hint, and to him, are all... - Chapter 6: OF THE DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN
Now it cannot be doubted what be the duties of a Christian, and to what actions he should be chiefly devoted: namely, to all those whereby every one, for his part, may profit... - Chapter 7: OF PRAYERS AND FASTS
We have prayers and fasts, actions nevertheless the most holy and such as are especially proper for Christians, to which our ecclesiastics most diligently exhort their hearers.... - Chapter 8: OF THE COMMANDING OF FASTS
But since no minds, unless they be very ardent and peculiarly influenced by inspiration from above, can either pray or fast aright and with profit, we believe that it is... - Chapter 9: OF THE CHOICE OF MEATS
For the same cause was remitted also the selection of meats prescribed for certain days, which St. Paul, writing to Timothy, calls a doctrine of demons. Nor is their answer... - Chapter 10: THAT BY PRAYERS AND FASTINGS WE MUST NOT LOOK TO MERIT ANYTHING
Moreover, our ecclesiastics have taught that this fault must be amended with respect to prayers and fasts - viz., that men are commonly taught to seek some sort of merit and... - Chapter 11: THAT ONE GOD IS TO BE WORSHIPPED THROUGH CHRIST
Another abuse concerning these things has been rejected, by which some think by fastings and prayers they can so oblige the Virgin Mary that bare God, and other saints, as, by... - Chapter 12: OF MONKERY
For the same reason, that all our justification consists in faith in Jesus Christ, whence we derive liberty in all external things, we have permitted the bonds of monkery also... - Chapter 13: OF THE OFFICE, DIGNITY AND POWER OF MINISTERS IN THE CHURCH
Concerning the ministry and the dignity of the ecclesiastical order we teach: first, that there is no power in the Church except for edification. Secondly, that we must not... - Chapter 14: OF HUMAN TRADITIONS
Furthermore, concerning the traditions of the fathers or such as the bishops and churches at this day ordain, the opinion of our men is as follows: They reckon no traditions... - Chapter 15: OF THE CHURCH
We must set forth now what we think concerning the Church and the sacraments. The Church of Christ, therefore, which is frequently called the kingdom of heaven, is the... - Chapter 16: OF THE SACRAMENTS
Furthermore, since the Church lives here in the flesh, even though not according to the flesh, it has pleased the Lord to teach, admonish and exhort it also by the outward... - Chapter 17: OF BAPTISM
Of Baptism, therefore, we confess that which Scripture in various places declares of it: that by it we are buried into Christ's death, are united into one body and put on... - Chapter 18: OF THE EUCHARIST
Concerning this venerable sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, all that the evangelists, Paul and the holy fathers, have left in writing, our men, in the best faith,... - Chapter 19: THE MASS
Furthermore, since Christ has instituted his Supper in this manner, which afterwards began to be called the mass - to wit, that therein the faithful, being fed with his body... - Chapter 20: OF CONFESSION
Since, indeed, also the confession of sins which arises from godliness can be rendered by no man whom his repentance and true grief of mind do not impel thereto, it cannot be... - Chapter 21: OF THE CHANTS AND PRAYERS OF ECCLESIASTICS
For the same reason - viz. that there should be no conniving at an offence to God, which might occur under pretext of his service, than which nothing can offend him more-our... - Chapter 22: OF STATUES AND IMAGES
Finally, against statues and images our preachers have applied the holy oracles, chiefly because they began to be worshipped and adored openly, and vain expenditure was devoted... - Chapter 23: OF MAGISTRATES
We have above set forth that our ecclesiastics have assigned a place among good works of the first rank to the obedience which is rendered magistrates, and that they teach that... - Chapter C: CONCLUSION
These are the chief points, most invincible and devout Emperor, wherein our men have somewhat receded from the common doctrine of ecclesiastics, being forced thereto by the...