Article II (I): _Of Original Sin._

The Second Article, Of Original Sin, the adversaries approve, but in
such a way that they, nevertheless, censure the definition of
original sin, which we incidentally gave. Here, immediately at the
very threshold, His Imperial Majesty will discover that the writers
of the _Confutation_ were deficient not only in judgment, but also in
candor. For whereas we, with a simple mind, desired, in passing, to
recount those things which original sin embraces, these men, by
framing an invidious interpretation, artfully distort a proposition
that has in it nothing which of itself is wrong. Thus they say: "To
be without the fear of God, to be without faith, is actual guilt";
and therefore they deny that it is original guilt.

It is quite evident that such subtilties have originated in the
schools, not in the council of the Emperor. But although this
sophistry can be very easily refuted; yet, in order that all good men
may understand that we teach in this matter nothing that is absurd,
we ask first of all that the German Confession be examined. This
will free us from the suspicion of novelty. For there it is written:
_Weiter wird gelehrt, dass nach dem Fall Adams alle Menschen, so
natuerlich geboren werden, in Suenden empfangen und geboren werdenen,
das ist, dass sie alle von Mutterleibe an voll boeser Lueste und
Neigung sind, keine wahre Gottesfurcht, keinen wahren Glauben an Gott
von Natur haben koennen._ [It is further taught that since the Fall
of Adam all men who are naturally born are conceived and born in sin,
i.e., that they all, from their mother's womb, are full of evil
desire and inclination, and can have by nature no true fear of God,