From the Diet of Worms to the Augsburg Confession - James Aitken Wylie

necromantic influence in all its observances, in
virtue of which a purifying change was effected
upon the soul of the worshipper. This idea was the
essence of Paganism. In the sacrifice, in the lustral
water, in every ceremony of its ritual, there resided
an invisible but potent power, which of itself
renewed or transformed the man who did the rite,
or in whose behalf it was done. This doctrine
descended to Romanism. In all its priests, and in all
its rites, there was lodged a secret, mysterious,
superhuman virtue, which regenerated and
sanctified men. It was called the "opus operatum,"
because, according to this theory, salvation came
simply by the performance of the rite–the "doing of
the work." It was not the Spirit that regenerated
man, nor was faith on his part necessary in order to
his profiting; the work was accomplished by the
sole and inherent potency of the rite. This doctrine
converts the ordinances of the Gospel into spells,
and makes their working simply magical.
Luther was on the point of fully emancipating
himself from this belief. As regards the doctrines of
Christianity, he did fully emancipate himself from
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