Apology of the Augsburg Confession | Page 6

there be
anything disadvantageous in this opinion, let them quarrel with
Augustine. Besides Paul says, Rom. 7, 7. 23: I had not known lust
(concupiscence), except the Law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Likewise: I see another law in my members, warring against the law of
my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in
my members. These testimonies can be overthrown by no sophistry.
[All devils, all men cannot overthrow them.] For they clearly call
concupiscence sin, which, nevertheless, is not imputed to those who are
in Christ although by nature it is a matter worthy of death where it is
not forgiven. Thus, beyond all controversy, the Fathers believe. For
Augustine, in a long discussion refutes the opinion of those who
thought that concupiscence in man is not a fault but an adiaphoron, as

color of the body or ill health is said to be an adiaphoron [as to have a
black or a white body is neither good nor evil].
But if the adversaries will contend that the fomes [or evil inclination] is
an adiaphoron, not only many passages of Scripture but simply the
entire Church [and all the Fathers] will contradict them. For [even if
not entire consent, but only the inclination and desire be there] who
ever dared to say that these matters, even though perfect agreement
could not be attained, were adiaphora, namely, to doubt concerning
God's wrath,: concerning God's grace, concerning God's Word, to be
angry at the judgments of God, to be provoked because God does not at
once deliver one from afflictions, to murmur because the wicked enjoy
a better fortune than the good, to be urged on by wrath, lust, the desire
for glory, wealth, etc.? And yet godly men acknowledge these in
themselves, as appears in the Psalms and the prophets. [For all tried,
Christian hearts know, alas! that these evils are wrapped up in man's
skin, namely to esteem money, goods, and all other matters more
highly than God, and to spend our lives in security; again, that after the
manner of our carnal security we always imagine that God's wrath
against sin is not as serious and great as it verily is. Again, that we
murmur against the doing and will of God, when He does not succor us
speedily in our tribulations, and arranges our affairs to please us. Again,
we experience every day that it hurts us to see wicked people in good
fortune in this world, as David and all the saints have complained. Over
and above this, all men feel that their hearts are easily inflamed, now
with ambition, now with anger and wrath, now with lewdness.] But in
the schools they transferred hither from philosophy notions entirely
different, that, because of passions, we are neither good nor evil, we are
neither deserving of praise nor blame. Likewise, that nothing is sin,
unless it be voluntary [inner desires and thoughts are not sins, if I do
not altogether consent thereto]. These notions were expressed among
philosophers with respect to civil righteousness, and not with respect to
God's judgment. [For there it is true, as the jurists say, L. cogitationis,
thoughts are exempt from custom and punishment. But God searches
the hearts; in God's court and judgment it is different.] With no greater
prudence they add also other notions, such as, that [God's creature and]
nature is not [cannot in itself be] evil. In its proper place we do not
censure this; but it is not right to twist it into an extenuation of original

sin. And, nevertheless, these notions are read in the works of
scholastics, who inappropriately mingle philosophy or civil doctrine
concerning ethics with the Gospel. Nor were these matters only
disputed in the schools, but, as is usually the case, were carried from
the schools to the people. And these persuasions [godless, erroneous,
dangerous, harmful teachings] prevailed, and nourished confidence in
human strength, and suppressed the knowledge of Christ's grace.
Therefore, Luther wishing to declare the magnitude of original sin and
of human infirmity [what a grievous mortal guilt original sin is in the
sight of God], taught that these remnants of original sin [after Baptism]
are not, by their own nature, adiaphora in man, but that, for their
non-imputation, they need the grace of Christ and, likewise for their
mortification, the Holy Ghost.
Although the scholastics extenuate both sin and punishment when they
teach that man by his own strength, can fulfil the commandments of
God; in Genesis the punishment, imposed on account of original sin, is
described otherwise. For there human nature is subjected not only to
death and other bodily evils, but also to the kingdom of the devil. For
there, Gen. 3, 16, this fearful sentence is proclaimed: I will put