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

emaining in a child after Baptism, and in regard to the incentive (fomes)
which prevents the soul from entering heaven."
5. “But if, as St. Augustine uses the term, they assert that the fault of
origin is carnal appetite, which in Baptism ceases to be sin, their doctrine
is to be received, since St. Paul also teacheth, Eph. ii. 3, we are all born the
children of wrath, and, Rom. v. 12, in Adam we have all sinned." 243
V. A commission of fourteen persons.
Seven persons on each side were appointed to compare the views of
the Protestants (Lutherans) and Romanists. On each side the commission
consisted of two princes, two jurists, and three theologians. The Romish
theologians were Eck, Wimpina and Cochleus: the Protestant theologians
were Melanchthon, Schnepf and Brentins. Spalatin was added to the
commission as notary.
1. Before this commission, the Lutheran Confessors presented the
following explanation of the part of the second Article which had been
objected to: "When it is said in the second Article, in the Latin, that man is
born by nature without trust in God, and without fear of God, the language
is to be understood not alone of children who are too young to have these
emotions, but it means that when they are grown they cannot, by their
natural powers, have the fear of God, and trust in Him. And to be born
thus, without this power and gift, is a defect of that righteousness which
ought to have been derived to us from Adam (had he not fallen). In the
German this Article is so clearly stated, that it cannot be impugned, for it is
there said that 'We are not by nature able to fear God, and trust in Him, in
which words adults are also embraced.'
"In regard to the natural inclinations, we maintain, that the nature of
sin remains, but the condemnation is removed by baptism." 244
2. In regard to the second Article, Dr. Eck remarked that, in the main
part, it was in conformity with the teaching of the Christian Church, but
was defective in the definition, and in calling fleshly appetite original sin,
and in maintaining
243 Latin in Hase's L. S. Proleg. lxxviii. German in Chytraeus, H. A. C. 236, b.
244 Müller's Hist. Protestat. 746. Latin: Coelestinus, iii. 55.