# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1872_S50
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 50 —

virtus operativa et collativa [operative and conferring power], the working and the imparting power. Joh. Benedict Carpzov writes: "The Augsburg Confession deals here in the 5th article with the Word and the sacraments insofar as they are effecting means and are active after the manner of physical operation, since at this place the question is: Whence is faith? and do Word and sacraments produce it? For besides this mode of operation there belongs to the Word and the sacraments yet another, which is of a moral kind and consists in the giving, presenting or offering, imparting and sealing of the righteousness-making good. For one may not confuse what Word and sacraments do insofar as they engender, nourish or awaken faith, and what the Word does insofar as it contributes immediately to justification (concurrit). For whereas in the first case Word and sacrament behave as instruments which not only bring about the supernatural powers toward faith (effectiva), but also awaken the spiritual movements of faith (excitativa); in the other case, namely in justification, they are only giving, imparting and sealing (dativa, collativa et obsignativa) instruments of the righteousness-making good, which is Christ's obedience. (In short,) Word and sacraments are considered in two ways: 1. as effecting and awakening (effectiva et excitativa) instruments, insofar as they produce faith; 2. as giving, imparting and sealing (dativa, collativa et obsignativa) instruments, insofar as they contribute immediately to justification." (Isagog. in libros symbol. Lips. 1675. p. 251.) The giving and imparting power, the sects suppose, the Word does not have. Therefore they do not believe that the means of grace are the hand of God through which everything we need for the salvation of our souls is handed over to us. But whoever does not believe that does not believe at all that there are means of grace. Whoever wants to speak of means of grace must first believe that the grace has already been obtained, which one becomes partaker of through such means, by which God distributes it as with His hand: for if there are means which present grace, this can only be because the grace is already there. Since we have considered and accepted the fifth thesis, however, it is to be presupposed that we are all convinced of this: the righteousness is already obtained, the grace already there, and now we can confidently go further and say: Word and sacrament are the hand of God through which is presented to us what Christ has obtained for us and brought with Him out of the grave. When, therefore, among us the power and efficacy of the means of grace is spoken of, this is the meaning: that Word and sacrament are not only an indication and proclamation, nor only a power that engenders faith, but a giving, imparting and sealing of the very goods which they indicate and proclaim. In Rom. 1:16 the Gospel is called a power of God which saves. Thus not only a testimony of salvation, not only an instruction how to obtain righteousness