of the whole Christ in either of the substances be admitted.^973 But Article VII., on the Church, is
rejected;^974 also Art. XX., on faith and good works, and Art. XXI., on the worship of saints.^975
The second part of the Confession, on abuses, is wholly rejected; but at the close, the
existence of various abuses, especially among the clergy, is acknowledged, and a reformation of
discipline is promised and expected from a general council.^976
The tone of the Confutation is moderate, owing to the express direction of the Emperor;
but it makes no concession on the points under dispute. It abounds in biblical and patristic quotations
crudely selected. As to talent and style, it is far inferior to the work of Melanchthon. The Roman
Church was not yet prepared to cope with the Protestant divines.
The publication of the Confutation as well as the Confession was prohibited, and it did not
appear in print till many years afterwards; but its chief contents became known from notes taken
by hearers and from manuscript copies.
The Lutheran members of the Diet urged Melanchthon to prepare at once a Protestant
refutation of the Roman refutation, and offered the first draught of it to the Diet, Sept. 22, through
Chancellor Brück; but it was refused.
On the following day Melanchthon left Augsburg in company with the Elector of Saxony,
re-wrote the Apology on the journey,^977 and completed it leisurely at Wittenberg, with the help of
a manuscript copy of the Confutation, in April, 1531.
The Apology of the Augsburg Confession is a scholarly vindication of the Confession. It
far excels the Confutation in theological and literary merit. It differs from the apologetic Confession
by its polemic and protestant tone. It is written with equal learning and ability, but with less
moderation and more boldness. It even uses some harsh terms against the papal opponents, and
calls them liars and hypocrites (especially in the German edition). It is the most learned of the
Lutheran symbols, and seven times larger than the Confession, but for this very reason not adapted
to be a symbolical book. It contains many antiquated arguments, and errors in exegesis and patristic
quotations. But in its day it greatly strengthened the confidence of scholars in the cause of
Protestantism. Its chief and permanent value is historical, and consists in its being the oldest and
most authentic interpretation of the Augsburg Confession, by the author himself.
The Apology, though not signed by the Lutheran princes at Augsburg, was recognized first
in 1532, at a convent in Schweinfurt, as a public confession; it was signed by Lutheran divines at
Smalcald, 1537; it was used at the religious conference at Worms, 1540, and embodied in the
various editions of the Confession, and at last in the Book of Concord, 1580.
(^973) "Decimus articulus in verbis nihil offendit si modo credant [principes, the Lutheran signers] sub qualibet specie integrum Christum
adesse."
(^974) Because it is defined as a congregatio sanctorum, without including mali et peccatores.
(^975) Because it rejects the invocation of saints."Hic articulus confessionis toties damnatus penitus rejiciendus est et cum tota universali
ecclesia reprobandus."
(^976) "Quod autem de abusibus adstruxerunt, haud dubie norunt Principes omnes et status imperii, neque a Caes. Maiestate, neque ullis
a Principibus et christiano aliquo homine vel minimum abusum probari, sed optare tum Principes, tum status imperii, ut communi consilio
ac consensu adnitantur, ut, sublatis abusibus et emendatis, utriusque status excessus aut penitus aboleantur, aut in melius reformentur,
ac tandem ecclesiasticus status multis modis labefactatus, ac christiana religio, quae in nonnullis refriguit et remissa est, ad pristinum
decus et ornamentumrestituatur et redintegretur. Qua in re Caes. Maiestas, ut omnibus constat, hactenus plurimum et laboris et curae
insumsit, et in reliquum ad hoc negotii omnem suam operam ac studium serio collocaturam benigne pollicetur." Corp. Ref., XXVII. 182
sq.
(^977) He worked so hard at it at Altenburg, even on Sunday, that Luther reminded him to observe the Fourth Commandment.