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

“And that this disease or vice of origin [And this defect is a horrible
blindness and non-obedience, to-wit, to lack that light and knowledge of
God which would have been in nature, in integrity; likewise to lack that
rectitude, that is perpetual obedience, the true, pure and highest love of
God, and like gifts of nature in integrity. Wherefore these defects and
concupiscence, are things condemned, and in their own nature worthy
death; and the vice of origin] is truly sin... [They condemn the Pelagians
who deny the sin of origin, and think that those defects, or concupiscence,
are things indifferent or penalties only, not things to be condemned in their
own nature, and who dream that man can satisfy the law of God, and can
on account of this obedience of his own be pronounced just before God.]"
The Fourth Article (on Justification) is greatly enlarged, and the
treatment of the topic is very fine. The Fifth on the Means of Grace asserts
more distinctly than the original Confession the universality of the offer of
Remission in the Gospel, and is thus more positively Anti-Calvinistic in its
expression on this point. The Sixth amplifies the doctrine of Holiness, in
its relations to Justification. In the Ninth it is said: Baptism is necessary to
salvation [as a ceremony instituted by Christ.] Infants through Baptism,
being [committed] to God, are received into God's favor, [and become
children of God, as Christ testifieth, saying of the little ones in the Church,
Matt. xviii,'It is not the will of your Father in heaven, that one of these little
ones should perish'.] They condemn the Anabaptists who affirm that
infants are saved without Baptism'[and outside of the Church of Christ.]
This is yet more decidedly than the original Article incapable of a.
Calvinistic construction. The Articles on Free Will (xviii,) the Defence of
Justification by Faith (xx,) the Worship of Saints (xxi,) are all ably
amplified. The Articles on Abuses are recast and re-arranged. It is not to
be disputed that in various respects, as a statement of doctrine, the Variata
has great beauty and great value, and that where it indisputably is in
perfect harmony with the original Confession, it furnishes an important aid
in its interpretation. Had Melanchthon put forth the new matter purely as a
private