The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology - Saint Mary ...

of the Emperor,--not that he demanded such a Confession, but that under
the leadings of God's providence it grew out of his summons. The last was
destined to become first, and the first last. The Confessors themselves did
not at first realize the full value of the opening which had been made for
the proclamation of the truth, but when it dawned upon them they showed
themselves worthy of their great position. They at first meant but an
Apology. The faith they cherished, and the usages they practised, they
simply wished to defend from the current libels. This object they did not
lose sight of, but it became secondary. Their distinctive object soon
became the setting forth the great points in the whole system of heavenly
truth, and the showing how, in its light, they had endeavored cautiously,
and gently, yet firmly, to remove the abuses which had arisen in the
Church of the West. The Apology was transfigured into a Confession. It
was not only not meant to be a compromise with Popery, but it clearly
showed, and was designed to show, that such a compromise is impossible.
Our Reformers had indeed cherished a noble hope, which bitter
experience was constantly rendering feebler, that the whole Church of the
West, redeemed from the thrall of the Pope, might return to her ancient
Scriptural faith, and, abjuring Roman Catholicism, attain once more to
Christian Catholicity, and become a Communion of saints. If such a return
had been possible, the Augsburg Confession, alike in the simplicity and
purity of its statement of doctrine, the conservatism of its whole tone, its
firmness and its gentleness, would have helped to facilitate it; but the
bridge it made was not meant to open the way back to error, but to aid
men to come over to the pure faith.
The presentation of the Confession: Latin and German Text. 181
The Confession, in Latin and German, was presented to the Diet on
Saturday, June 25th, 1530. Both texts are originals; neither text is properly
a translation of the other; both present precisely the same doctrines, but
with verbal differences, which make the
181 Manuscripts of the Augsburg Confession in the Archives. Cf. Kollner, 321 -336.
A. Latin manuscripts. Köllner 323-329. Corpus Reformatorum, xxvi, 213-226.