Locus 5 — Sin
guilt, the human mind asks also why man is guilty.
Therefore I am using this definition, and I would wish there were one in the church, well-composed by the judgment of many teachers and devout people. Sin is a defect or an inclination or an action in conflict with the law of God, offending God, condemned by God, and making us worthy of eternal wrath and eternal pun ishments, unless there be forgiveness. In this definition there are elements, namely defect and inclination, which refer to original sin. The action includes all actual sins, inner and external. in] the restitution of the will and heart, and because of these evils there is no doubt that we are born culpable.
Now, having established the definition of sin in general, let us speak next of the different kinds of sin, original and actual, and let us not engage in wars of words and hairsplitting, but let us hold on to the nec essary things taught in the prophetic and apostolic
Scriptures and the sure testimonies of the ancient writ ers; if others set these forth better let us gladly use their language. For we do not fight about words but set forth necessary things. It does not displease me that the definition of Anselm is retained.
The common element is the conflict with the law of God. For the Law not only speaks about actions, as [our] adversaries say, but also condemns the darkness, defects and depraved inclinations in the nature of man, as Paul very pointedly contends in Romans 7.
Original Sin Original sin is the lack of original righteousness which is required to be present in us. But this brief and unclear description requires a longer explanation. For we must inquire what "original righteousness" means.
Therefore we must add this explanation: Original righ teousness was the acceptance of the human race be fore God, and in the very nature of man [1] light in his mind by which he could firmly assent to the Word of God and [2] turning of his will to God and [3] obedience of his heart in harmony with the judgment of God's law, which had been planted in his mind.
Then the descriptive terms are added: "con demned by God," "offending God," and "making us worthy of wrath and punishments," etc. The church par ticularly emphasizes these characteristics. For reason understands that wicked actions are against the law of God, but it ignores the wrath of God which follows.
Therefore this point must be particularly considered as often as sin is mentioned, so that we may know that it means something culpable and condemned by God.
Now this definition is drawn from the words, "Cursed is he that does not continue in all things which are written in the Law" [Gal. 3:10]. The passage defines
That original righteousness included all these things can be understood from this statement: man was created in the image and likeness of God, which Paul explains, and he teaches that the image of God is the mind which knows God, and a will which is free, righ teous and in harmony with the law of God, as it says in Eph. 4[:24], "[The new man is] created in righteous ness and true holiness." He calls true holiness all vir tues which are related by a true heart to this end, that obedience is rendered to God [and] that God is loved and worshiped. Therefore after we have established what original righteousness means, then we can ac cordingly explain the opposite lack. sin as disobedience cursed by God. And disobedience may be understood not only as actual but as universal, in the nature of man opposed to God. Furthermore, it is a dreadful addition to be called cursed by God, that is, something which God in His wrath rejects and in which He casts His creature away into horrible punishments.
The words of Paul agree with this definition, Rom.
1[:18], "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness," etc., and in Rom. 7[:13]
Paul says, "Through the Law sin becomes exceedingly sinful," that is, the Law shows the wrath of God, and when this is recognized, then we understand that our uncleanness is not a small evil but is something cul pable, condemned, and cursed by God because terrible punishments follow. Since all of this is the case, there fore as often as sin is mentioned, let this designation be discerned in the church; it speaks of judgment and of the wrath of God.
Original sin is the lack of original righteousness, that is, there is in those who are born of the seed of man a loss of the light in the mind and a turning of the will away from God and a stubbornness of the heart, so that they cannot truly obey the law of God, following the fall of Adam, on account of which corruption men are born guilty and the children of wrath, that is, con demned by God unless there be forgiveness. If anyone wishes to add that those who are born are also guilty because of the fall of Adam, I will not argue. But in point of fact the unbroken teaching of the church is that of the prophets, apostles, and the ancient writers: Original sin is not only imputation, but also in the very nature of man a darkness and depravity, as I have said. And If anyone imagines that original sin is only guilt because of the sin of Adam without depravity in us, he is in error. But if anyone holds that we are born guilty both because of the fall of Adam and because of our inborn depravity, I will not keep him from adding this small part to the definition, that sin is both guilt because of Adam's fall and a defect or inclination or action in conflict with the law of God, etc. But I do not want to define everything to the last detail. This is clear, that because of the fall of Adam his posterity lacks that light which shone in the state of integrity and [also shines
I will explain this in greater detail under the prooftexts.
And the statements of Augustine, Hugo, and Bonaventura agree with .this meaning, even though other more recent [and] more profane writers have departed to some degree from the true position and devised in
tricate sophistries. But Hugo clearly says: "Original sin is ignorance in the mind and disobedience in the will." of wrath," that is, guilty or condemned. Therefore [Paul] affirms that both the descendents of Abraham and the rest of mankind are condemned not only because of actual transgressions but also because of the evil na ture which we bring with us by propagation itself. For this we need no example. And what kind this evil nature is, the statements from [Romans] 7 and 8 set forth.
Testimonies Now that the definition is set forth, we shall add the testimonies which affirm that all people born of the seed of man carry sin with them, so that they might understand that this doctrine is not something created by the disputes of recent writers but has been truly handed down by the Holy Spirit through the prophets and apostles.
John 3[:5], "Unless a person be born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." Since regeneration is necessary, it is clear that our old nature is guilty and unclean.
Also are added statements of the prophets. Ps.
And the proper locus for this doctrine is found in Rom. 5[:12 ft], "By the sin of one all died." Therefore the others are guilty because of the fall of Adam. And lest it be understood that the others are guilty only with out any propagation of corruption, he adds, "Death came upon all, for all have sinned." The. Hebrew expression is: They have sinned, that is, they are guilty and have sin, an evil and condemned thing. If only actual transgressions are sins, then each would be guilty only of his own deed. Now since it clearly says that we are guilty because of the transgression of Adam, it testifies that there is some other sin in nature besides actual transgressions. And lest this sin be un derstood as only an imputation or guilt, the import of the words ought to be noted. "All have sinned," that is, the evil which is sin is passed on to all.
51 [:5], "Behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother conceive me." For he does not deplore the sin of [his] mother, but his own. I was so conceived, that as soon as I was formed, sin was in my mass and in my very self, that is, I was not only guilty but there was born with me an aversion away from God and a corrupted tendency. Therefore he tes tifies that there is sin in human beings which they bring with them when they are born.
Gen. 8[:21], "The meditation of man's heart is evil from his youth." This passage shows that transgressions are not only brought on by habit but that in the very heart depravity is inherent in newborn chil dren. For the words are clearer in the Hebrew reading:
The work of the human heart, whether molded [plasma ] or constructed, is evil, that is, the very mass of the heart is corrupt or certainly all passions or im pulses or emotions [hormai ] in the heart are evil things, that is, [they are] turned away from God.
Again: "Sin reigned" [and] "death reigned," that is, people are crushed by the wrath of God, they are without the divine light, and they rush into horrible ragings and eternal destruction, just as it says in Rom.
3[:23], "All lack the glory of God," that is, that glory which God judges to be glory and by which He makes
Thus also Ps. [25:7] calls the sins of youth that whole heap which we bring with us as newborn chil dren, darkness in the mind, a turning away from God in the will, and stubbornness of the heart. alive.
But from Romans 7 and 8 we learn much more clearly that original sin is not only an imputation or a servitude by which we are obligated to die, but also evil propagated in the very nature of man. Rom. 7[:23], "I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind." For he calls the "law of the members" something in us which contends with the law of God, namely defects and corrupt inclinations.
Jer. 17[:9], "The human heart is perverse above all things and miserable and inscrutable," that is, turned away from God, and full of sorrows which arise from the fact that human minds do not know God and flee from Him. No one sufficiently understands how great these evils are.
These statements show that the statements of the prophets and apostles are in agreement. But brevity seems to escape human ears, especially since we in this our darkness and [sense of] security do not see the greatness of our misery; people who are apathetic, drunk with pleasures, or puffed up with glory care little about the wrath of God; and deceiving themselves, they minimize these evils, have doubts about God, neglect
God, trust in their own wisdom and power, pride, am bition, and other flames of desires. Therefore these brief discourses, though they contain the entire doctrine of sin and the causes of human calamities, move minds too little. For the old custom of teaching was to include such brief statements, as maxims, the significant arti cles of doctrine which the church, through the ministry of the Gospel, needs to unfold and explain, so that in some way it might show the fullness of things which And Rom. 8[:7], "The mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor can it be subjected." This is a sad and horrible de scription of the human race. For the words clearly show that they are spoken not only of actual evil but also of the evil inherent in nature itself which is called "enmity against God." What more terrible thing can be said than that the nature of man is enmity against God, that is, that it constantly carries around with itself darkness and doubts about God, a [feeling of] security which neglects
God, a diffidence which flees God, and a complex stub bornness. Profane and self-confident men do not un derstand these arcane evils, but the church in repentance to some degree recognizes them.
Eph. 2[:3], "We were by nature the children of wrath, even as the rest." The Hebrew term is "children
brevity he not miss these points but retain the simple and natural meaning over against the Pelagians and many other capricious spirits. The Pelagians deny the whole doctrine of original sin, even without the name. are contained in them, just as it is said briefly [in Gen.
3:15], "The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent." But the church, in explaining [this pas sage], to some extent sees what great things it con tains. Thus also many brief maxims have been handed down concerning this article on sin and concerning the causes of human calamities, which [maxims] in a very learned way include the sum [of the matter] in which [maxims] the correct meaning and the thrust of the words should be carefully considered.
Recent ones, like Occam and many others, retain the name "original sin" but minimize the matter. They deny that these evils are things that conflict with the law of God, darkness in the mind, [and] the stubbornness in the will and heart which is called concupiscence. But they clearly are refuted by the testimony of Paul, Ro mans 7 and 8, as I shall again point out below. They call these evils only punishments for original sin, whereas they are at the same time punishments for the first fall and sins in individuals as they are born. There fore in order that this matter may become clearer, I shall set forth the causes and effects.
Consider, I pray, how closely the statements of Jeremiah [17:9] and Paul [Rom. 8:7] agree: "The mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor can it be subjected." The state ment is simple and clear; it affirms that in man in this mortal life there is and there remains a certain neglect of or flight from God and an anger against Him, and because God in turn disapproves, this statement is also added: This weak nature, [Paul] says, cannot be made subject to the law of God; it never satisfies it but always languishes in doubt, [false] security, diffidence, and var ious flames of desires. What sadder thing can be said than that in man there is enmity against God? But the Mediator, our Lord Jesus Christ, has suppressed this in the believers, as will be set forth under its own locus.
The full meaning of Paul's statement cannot be set forth in words, but let our thoughts linger, let us look within ourselves, let us acknowledge and deplore our un cleanness and seek the Gospel regarding the Mediator.
The efficient causes of the first fall are the devil and the will of Adam and Eve, which assented to the devil and of its own freedom turned itself away from the command of God.
We speak of efficient causes as those which merit something. Thus Adam and Eve are the efficient causes who merited guilt for themselves and their pos terity as well as these very defects or depravity which followed the fall, when the light of God was quenched.
For after our first parents transgressed, they lost that firm knowledge of God which had been planted in [their] minds and the uprightness of will and the agreement of [their] heart with the law of God. And as they were after the fall, so was their posterity.
Now compare the statement of Jeremiah, "The human heart is perverse above all things and miserable and inscrutable." First, it is called perverse, that is, turned away from God. This completely agrees with Paul who says [Rom. 8:7], "The heart is inimical to God." For it is turned away, is not governed by the light of God, is disturbed by doubts, does not acknowledge the wrath and mercy [of God], does not have fear, love, or trust in God, loves itself, takes pleasure in and trusts in our wisdom, dreams up notions about God and has capricious impulses which deviate from the law of God, ambition, desire for vengeance, and other passions.
Then the punishments for the defects are described when [Jeremiah] says "miserable" or "full of sorrows."
The heart deprived of the light and consolation of God is oppressed by sorrows, hopelessness, and eternal sadness. Many frightful sins are involved in these pen alties, and the evil is so great that its magnitude cannot be fully understood by us or other creatures.
Where is original sin? In the soul and in the sen tient powers and their organs, because in the mind is darkness, in the will is a turning away from God, a disordered and fickle love of ourselves, an inclination which is corrupt, and in the heart a stubbornness against the right judgment of the mind. Thus in the location of a disease, so to say, or with the subject pointed out, which they call "the matter in which" [ma teria in qua ], the evil can be more properly examined.
With regard to the formal [principle] judgment is simple for the learned, though the uninstructed are trou bled in various ways regarding this question. I do not want to cause wars of words in the church, but I shall set forth the correct position clearly and without soph istry and without confusion. Those who have been properly informed know that universally the formal [prin ciple] of sin is guilt or condemnation of a person who is guilty. But this relationship to some evil took place by accident. Therefore we must seek the closest foun dation of this relationship, or, as they call it, the nearest material [principle]. Now, the foundation of this guilt is the very defect in man with which we are born, which they call either defects or perverse inclinations or con cupiscence. For all these terms refer to the same evil, or rather a great confusion of all evils. For we must understand concupiscence not of the appetites which were created in our nature but of the disorder [ataxia ] of all [our] appetites. For in these vices a dialectician
This statement has the same meaning [Ps.
31:22], "I said in my dismay," that is, in my alarm or dread, " 'Every man is a liar,' " that is, when I am ter rified by the recognition of my sins and the wrath of God, I recognized that all men are liars, that is, they do not believe correctly about God, they have doubts about Him, they do not sufficiently fear [His] wrath nor sufficiently trust in [His] mercy.
I have cited testimonies and have touched on brief explanations to alert the reader that because of
were, which are truly grievous and savage, whose for mal [principles] a dialectician well understands to be defects or deprivations or losses [sferese/'s] viz., dis orders [ataxias] which deviate from the law of God. knows that its certain formal [principle] is proper to vice, namely the defect of uprightness which strays from the law of God, or a disorder [ataxia ].
It is manifest that ignorance of God, doubts, lack of fear, and love of God are defects. The defect of disorder [ataxia ] is also in love for ourselves, in that, viz., when the [proper] order is upset, Saul loves himself more than God. The same judgment also applies to other wicked inclinations. Writers have called this dis order [ataxia ] of all desires concupiscence.
When the final cause [causa finalis] is spoken of in this locus the punishments must be reviewed and the effects. The punishments for original sin are the death of the body and the other enormous calamities which arise out of human ignorance and the weakness of all [our] powers; likewise the wrath of God and eternal damnation, as Paul says, "We were by nature the chil dren of wrath" [Eph. 2:3], We must also carefully distinguish ataxia from the appetites themselves which were created by God, as I shall set forth more fully later. Therefore since the question is raised as to the formal [principle] of original sin, the correct answer is guilt. But then we must also ask what the basis of this relationship is. Now it is, as Likewise there is the tyranny of the devil, who in a frightful way impels weak ones so they rush from one evil to another, just as Oedipus in his ignorance killed his father, and later in his ignorance took his own mother as wife. The sons born of this union contended for the kingdom and wounded and slew each other.
The father, when his eyes had been gouged out, was driven from the city and after that was swallowed up by the earth. Such loathsome things befall a person who is not defended against the attacks of the devil.
Nor is there anyone who does not feel the sharp and terrible bite of the devil, from which one must learn this truth: "The serpent will lie in wait for His heel" [Gen.
3:15], But let us again learn the promise: The head of the serpent is crushed by our Lord Jesus Christ.
I have said the very wickedness with which wp are born, which is the evil which contends against the law of God.
Because it is a great confusion of evils, just as if some one would say that there are many diseases at the same time, it can be easily understood that the formal
[principle] of these confusions is a defect. Moreover, add also guilt when sin is not forgiven; but when it is forgiven, there nevertheless still remains in this life this confusion to a great extent, [and] therefore the defects remain which are the formal [principles] of this con fusion.
The punishments for the first fall are manifold human ignorance and this stubbornness of the pas sions which is called concupiscence. But at the same time this is both the punishment for the first fall and sin itself in the newborn, that is, something culpable and condemned by God. Nor have the monks correctly said that this depraved inclination, which they call tinder, is only punishment. This list of the causes and effects will help the studious to understand the doctrine of the church concerning original sin without perplexity.
These things are clear and involve nothing con fusing. The monks in their unlearned way omitted guilt and said that the formal [principle] of sin is a defect, and that it is removed in the regenerate, and that there remains the material [principle], which they understood as the very appetites which were created by God, which are good things. But they did not understand what they were saying. For since the diseases remain, that is, the doubts, the negligence, [and] the stubbornness, it is easy to understand that the defects remain. For the names of the diseases which remain indicate defects.
Now we must warn the reader about certain statements [such as], "Nothing is sin unless it is vol untary." This statement is traditional regarding civil crimes. For only voluntary wrongs are punished by a public court of law, so that an accidental killing is not punished by the law offices. But we must not transfer this statement to the doctrine of the Gospel regarding sin and to the judgment of God.
The Holy Spirit begins to heal [our] nature, but the whole disease is not all at once suddenly removed.
Just as the Samaritan in Luke 10 did not all at once cure the wounded man, but first poured wine into [his] wounds to wash out the blood and then poured in oil to cut down the suffering and then he began to close the wound so that it might heal; and after that, when the wound had been bound up, he had the invalid put on his beast and then cared for in the inn, so Christ puts us on His body, because He carried the punish ment for our sins, and pours the Gospel into our wounds, He then binds them up, covers them and for gives our sins. But He still wishes the diseases in the church to be cured by continual exercises of the cross and of prayer. This imagery shows that in the remission of original sin the guilt is taken away, but the wounds are not suddenly healed. But as the formal [principle] of a wound is the laceration of the parts which ought to be inviolate, so also in the depravity of the mind, the will, and the heart there are certain lacerations as it
Augustine aptly says that original sin is voluntary because we delight in it. However, this sagacious in terpretation departs far from the praetorian statement.
It is more proper not to mix intemperately statements pertaining to civil matters with the Gospel. It is therefore sufficient to respond by saying that the former state ment speaks of a forensic judgment.
This statement is also highly touted: "Nature is good." This is true insofar as the rest of God's work.
But the nature of man has been horribly injured and contaminated, just as the picture of the wounded man in Luke 10 depicts. We have been despoiled of the gifts of a perfect nature, that is, a firm knowledge of God,
wisdom, righteousness, and, besides this, the rest of [our] nature has been wounded, namely by corrupt con cupiscence, death, and the various evils of soul and body. was moved with compassion. And in regard to great sorrow it is said in Matt. 26[:38], "My soul is sorrowful, even unto death." Therefore we must admit that affec tions have been placed in the nature of human beings, and God wanted also that they themselves should be images and signs of His will. God truly loves us, just
Moreover, we must distinguish those things which are works of God remaining in man from those things which are wicked per se, for example, the knowl edge of mathematics is a good thing because it has been planted in man by God. We must understand this about all true knowledge, each matter in its own order.
Therefore the knowledge of the law of nature is also a good thing. For though after the fall of Adam it began to be darker and assent was disturbed by doubts, yet as much of that light as remains is a good thing and a work of God. Therefore arts and beneficial laws con structed on the basis of this knowledge are good things.
But in the meantime many doubts arise as to whether God cares for us, whether He punishes, whether He hears [us], whether He wants to help us, receive us, give us eternal glory, etc. These doubts are in them selves wicked because they are evils which conflict with the law of God. as man by nature loves [his] children; God is truly moved with compassion toward us when He sees that we have fallen into eternal misery, which He Himself understands. Just as we by nature are moved with com passion when misfortune befalls a child, so does Christ say, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son for us" [John 3:16]. And John says, "God is love" [1 John 4:8], that is, He is filled with true love toward us, not willing [our destruction}. And Paul says to Titus, 3[:4], "The kindness and love of our Saviour toward mankind appeared." Thus God wanted [His] love, [storge] impressed on us, to be a reminder of His will.
Hence [affections] must be carefully considered and properly controlled. For now after the Fall they range rashly and are perverted; his is the more to be lamented because they were given to remind us of the will of God. Nevertheless love is to be distinguished from prohibited affections, from the despising of God, from raging against God, from hatred, from rejoicing in iniquity, as when Herodias, Fulvia, etc., rejoiced in re venge, and from other follies which are beyond number.
And we must know that affections prohibited by the law of God are in themselves wicked and must be suppressed.
Thus our emotions are twofold. Some of our de sires are commanded by the law of God, such as love for [our] children, spouse, [and] parents. Others are prohibited by the law of God, such as despising God, raging against God, hatred, adultery.
Furthermore, although in this corruption of nature the affections commanded by the law of God are cor rupted and by accident become wicked because they are not ruled by love for God, as when people often sin against God because of [their] children; yet tender love toward children itself is commanded by God and remains in the regenerate and should become purer.
Abraham dearly loved his sons Ishmael and Isaac, but he still put the command of God first.
Regarding the common saying, "Nature is good,"
I replied that we distinguish between things that were created and depravity, which was not created. In the wrath of Achilles there is a heroic good thing, because it is truly a work of God; but it is corrupted because it is not ruled by the knowledge of God and trust in Him is tangled and worship and trust in God do not shine forth. These defects are not minor sins; hence also a good thing that is corrupted is rejected and becomes culpable.
Therefore we must not imagine that all affections must be removed from man or that all have been con demned in the same way, as the fanatical Anabaptists profess a Stoic freedom from emotion. In fact there is no life without feeling, without desire, without some af fections, and the law of God enjoins regarding affec tions: "You shall love the Lord your God with all [your] heart, etc. You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
And in Rom. 1 [:31 ] among the horrible crimes is "with out natural affection" [astorgos].
On the other hand, similar anger in David is purer because there are added knowledge of God, fear and worship of Him, and trust in Him. Thus we should un derstand that in the regenerate there remains love but that it is more properly controlled and brought back into order and within its bounds and made purer. It remains for [something] to be said about the common question:
After baptism is it correct to say that there is sin in infants or is concupiscence a sin? Again, is it correct to say that in regenerate adults there is sin? I reply concerning regenerate adults that all must concede that sin remains. Hence John says, "If we say that we do not have sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not Therefore there were affections in uncorrupted nature, but well ordered and pure: love for God, par ents, children, spouse, brothers and other people, hap piness in the knowledge of God and His order in the use of creatures, hatred against the devil. And in the life eternal there will be great happiness in God's pres ence and love for God and all the heavenly hosts. Thus there were in Christ true affections, but well ordered and pure: love for God, love for [His] mother, disciples,
[and] friends, happiness, sorrow, [and] anger, as is said in Mark 3[:5]: "He looked around in anger." And with regard to [His] mercy it is said significantly that Christ in us" [1 John 1:8]. Therefore we confess that there are many flames of lusts in the regenerate which they say are sins, because they all together suddenly captivate an assent of the will, which is often hard to shake off.
sented and [still] dissent from the true church concern ing this question, because human reason without divine light does not perceive how great evils these inner sins are, even though from the great confusion of life and the greatness of the calamities it ought to be able to estimate them in one way or another.
But although [the adversaries] confess these things, yet they minimize these very evils and profess that they are speaking only about actual sins, which they deny are in their nature mortal. And the root of these actions, namely, the budding disease which remains in the re generate, that is the depraved inclination, they say is absolutely not sin, is it an evil which is in conflict with the law of God.
Actual Sins Moreover consider how great an effrontery it is to neglect these evils, namely doubts concerning God, a [false] security that disregards the wrath of God, a diffidence which flees from God, and the many other plagues which even if they are not always observed, yet are present and often break out, so that in times of calamity Cato sinks completely into darkness and de nies that providence exists and Saul is angry with God for punishing him so harshly. These things rtnust be
As I have said, original sin is an evil, a darkness in the mind, a turning away from God's will, a stub bornness of heart against the law of God. These evils are not called actions, but from them do arise actual inward and outward sins: in the mind, serious doubts and blasphemies, in the will, false security and neglect of God, lack of trust, self-love, placing our own life and will ahead of God's command; and then, finally, great confusion and mountains of sinful desires. Nor should we imagine that this original evil is an inactive thing.
For even though a few men do bridle themselves with honorable discipline, yet In their hearts there are great doubts and many things which drive them away from God, and many things which go counter to the law of God as is manifest when Jeremiah says, 17:9, "The heart of man is deceitful and desparately wicked, and who can know it!" recognized as sins, not concealed, so that we may learn how to contend against them and seek aid against them.
Therefore we answer in this way: In Baptism sin is taken away inasfar as it applies to guilt or imputation, but the disease itself remains, which is an evil in conflict with the law of God, worthy of eternal death unless there is forgiveness, as it is said, ''Blessed are they whose sins are covered" [Ps. 32:1]. Nor are we arguing about the term sin; the disagreement is about things. The adversaries contend that this disease which remains in the regenerate is not an evil which is in conflict with the law of God. This error must be censured. And the tes timonies of Paul are clear. In Romans 7 and 8 Paul clearly says, "The law in our members is in conflict with the law of [our] mind and with the law of God." No amount of juggling can escape these testimonies.
Thus along with this original evil there are at the same time actual sins which in the unregenerate are all mortal. And the whole person is condemned with his fruits, as John says, "He who does not believe in the Son ... the wrath of God remains upon him," John
3:36. Therefore, although there are great good qualities in such men as Aristides, Fabius, Pomponius, Atticus, and others, yet we need to know that even in them original sin was manifest, and their hearts were full of doubts and many evil desires, and they were lacking
But the adversaries set forth many false hy potheses. First they say nothing in regard to the dark ness of the mind and the wickedness in the will. Then they understand concupiscence only with reference to the senses and consider it to be a natural desire, al though they ought to consider it a disorder [ataxia] of the desires and include both the darkness of the mind and of an evil will together. Third, they also add this false hypothesis that the law of God damns only actual sins. This idea transforms the law of God into a phi losophy which speaks only of our discipline. After that these fancies obscure the doctrine of grace. For they imagine that one is righteous because of his fulfillment of the Law and they lose the light of the doctrine of faith. in the knowledge of Christ, and there was no true in vocation of God on their part.
Then we must consider this point, that most great men, in whom has been found some outstanding virtue, were also corrupted by some shameful crimes or weak nesses from which it is possible to understand that they too were under the power of the devil, as when we witness the great flaw in the character of Hercules,
Themistocles, Pausanius, Alexander, and others who even at the beginning of their careers had been very upright. These examples should serve as a warning to us not to disparage the knowledge of Christ, as many do who elevate the heathen to heaven. Indeed, for this very reason we should fear the wrath of God, when we see that they have been rejected and horribly con demned in different ways, even though they had many outstanding virtues, lest we also despise the Son of God or tread underfoot the blood of the Son of God by imagining that men can be saved without Him. We do profess these things with regard to the unregenerate, in whom all actual sins, as well as original sin, are mortal.
But the entire teaching of the prophets and apos tles cries out that people do not satisfy the law of God and that sin clings in all; and it points out the Mediator
[and] says that for His sake we are received and pro nounced righteous by faith in Him. Accordingly we must recognize our misery in order that the benefits of Christ may be understood.
But this disagreement cannot be settled by the judgments of hypocrites. Hypocrites have always dis
But when we speak of those who have been rec onciled, we will then learn to distinguish between venial and mortal sins and learn that original sin is called ve nial sin and the much greater inward sins, which are in conflict with God, are actual sins which the regenerate still fight against along with the many sins of ignorance and omission. Nor should we minimize these evils, as the sententiaries do when they imagine that a certain kind of sin is venial if it is beside the law of God and not directly contrary to the law of God. This error must of necessity be rejected. For those sins which are called venial are great evils which are in conflict with the law of God, which of their own nature are mortal sins, that is, sins on account of which man is damned by eternal wrath, unless for the sake of the Son of God they are forgiven to those who have been reconciled. Moreover, it is necessary to distinguish the sins which remain in this life in the regenerate from those sins on account of which grace, the Holy Spirit, and faith are lost. There fore actual sin is mortal sin in one who falls after his reconciliation, in an inward action as well as an outward one which conflicts with the law of God and is done in violation of conscience. For such an act makes a man guilty of eternal wrath. The idea that some people have that in going against conscience the elect do not drive out the Holy Spirit is a manifest error which must be condemned. Nor in judging concerning our sin must we look into the matter of our election, but rather keep our eyes on the Word of God which has been given to us as showing us God's will, and we must be fearful, know ing the judgment of God as set forth in His Word and in example, so that we do not become hardened in foolhardy complacency and blindness.
And the story of Aaron testifies to the fact that to those who are repentant for their great and awful sins there is forgiveness, as we must understand regarding the falls of David, Solomon, and Manasseh when they fell.
And John clearly states [in 1 John 3:7-8], "Let no man deceive you: He who does righteousness is righteous ... he who commits sin is of the devil." And Eph. 5:6, "Because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the disobedient."
Therefore it is manifest that the elect and the regenerate can lose grace, and we must distinguish between the sins which remain in all the regenerate in this life and do not drive away the Holy Spirit from the other lapses on account of which grace is lost.
And Paul gives us this distinction in Rom. 8:13, "If you live according to the flesh you will die, but if through the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you will live." We must admit that in the saints there are deeds of the flesh, that is, many wicked desires, doubts, carnal security, lack of faith, erring trust, corrupt attitudes. But, he says, against these we must fight with the aid of the Spirit, that is, with spiritual exercises, with prayer to God, with fear, faith, with spiritual endurance and chastity which keeps our eyes on God. And the regenerate will remain in grace, even if they have wicked desires, as long as they continue to fight against them and as long as they by faith acknowledge for giveness for the sake of Christ. But if they do not resist, he says they shall die.
Furthermore, in order that we can recognize who they are who do not resist, He has established a stan dard, namely, those who sin against conscience, that is, those who knowingly and willfully indulge in such activities or even tempt themselves to an outward act by wicked emotions and lusts. Thus we must carefully teach people concerning this distinction, so that they may beware of lapses against conscience, and when they have fallen, again to turn back to God.
Adam and Eve were elect, and yet they actually lost the Holy Spirit in the Fall. They were turned away from God and rendered guilty of eternal wrath. As Paul says, ''By one man's sin condemnation came upon all men" [Rom. 5:18].
And Deut. 9:20 says, ''The Lord was so angry with Aaron that He was going to destroy him," but Moses prayed for him. Nor can we escape the very sad words of the Holy Spirit when He says that God was
"very angry," nor let us imagine that God is made of stone or is a stoic. For although at one point God is angry and at another point man is, yet we are certainly correct in believing that God was angry at Aaron and that at that time Aaron was not in a state of grace but was guilty of eternal punishment. We must shrink in horror from the fall of Aaron, who had yielded in fear to the raging of those who were trying to reinstate the false religion of the Egyptians. Warned by this example we must not become complacent, but rather acknowl edge that the elect and regenerate can also fall in a terrible way and that those who fall must acknowledge the wrath of God and again be turned back to Him, so that we are not so terrified by the greatness of the fall that we do not come back to God. For "grace abounds over sin," as we must also say at this point, Rom. 5:20.
We must reject the Stoic arguments of those who are contending that all sins are equal, and that the elect always retain the Holy Spirit, even when they have suc cumbed to frightful lapses. For even though I do not wish to start any squabbles over words, yet it is im portant to warn those who are concerned that it is com mon to call that sin mortal sin which can be said to rule or dominate us. For when Paul says in Rom. 6:12, "Let not sin rule in your mortal body," he is dealing precisely with this distinction between sins of which we have just spoken. We confess that there is sin in the regenerate, but it does not rule or hold dominion as long as he does not yield to sin but resists it. And if sin does rule, it brings eternal destruction, and the emphasis of the words points to the wickedness and power of sin.
Sin holds dominion when its guilt is not forgiven.
Then it kindles the wrath of God and tears man away from God, and man'under the impulse of his own weak ness and the prompting of the devil is turned away from God and driven to the point of rushing from one evil to
another and piling up crimes and punishments for him self, as Saul did even though the Holy Spirit had been given to him and he had been adorned with great pow ers and victories; yet he fell prey to the first temptations to emulate things which at first were easy to resist, just as Aaron was overcome by jealousy against his brother. Sin began to dominate Saul when he yielded to it, that is, he remained guilty, the wrath of God was kindled, the Holy Spirit was driven out and distressed, his mind was deserted by God, he became increasingly weak and yielded to his lusts. The devil then stepped up his raging. Then followed the slaughter of the priests and the many public disasters, until finally, with his army destroyed, Saul killed himself and went to eternal pun ishment. We must often consider these tragic pictures, so that we may be able to understand the magnitude of God's anger against sin.
>, 1 All history is filled with these sad examples, and when we read or hear of them it should remind us that we are being taught by these examples what it means that "sin has dominion over us." testimony as to why He teaches that universal judgment still remains over us. For when the crimes of the un godly are not punished in this life, it is necessary that there still remain another life and another judgment in which all crimes will be punished. Thus in this first proc lamation the doctrine of the coming judgment is treated.
Third, concerning the beginning of obedience, the Scripture says, "Sin desires to rule over you, and you must have dominion over it."
Since we have already spoken regarding the judgment of God, the question can be asked: What shall
I do, when a corrupt desire is kindled within me? The answer is that God gave the Law in the first place and gave commandments, in order that we might contend against our wicked desires. But it is not sufficient to know the Law. It is also necessary to know whether our diligence and effort to produce good desires is pleasing to God and how in our great state of weakness the devil can be overcome and our natural weakness can be conquered. These things can be learned by comparing them with the promise: "The Seed of the woman will bruise the head of the serpent," just as there is no doubt that the fathers applied the promise to the preaching of the Law and taught their sons where the stubborn ness of human desires had come from and that rec onciliation had been promised for the sake of the coming Seed, and for this reason God was going to come to the aid of our weakness and would repress the devil.
An Anabaptist ruler was guilty of sedition under the pretext of religion, and he boasted falsely that he was acting under divine inspiration, gave way to his evil desires, killed his wife, and finally, when captured, was tortured with hot irons. These are examples of the dom ination of sin.
And this concept of having dominion is very old, for in Ps. 119:133 it says, "Order my steps........ and let not any iniquity have dominion over me." These words should be used by us in our daily prayers, and at the same time we must understand that the sin which holds dominion over us must be avoided at all costs.
"Order my steps . . . and let sin have no dominion over me," so that I do not become a vessel of wrath, so that John with great understanding interprets the promise, saying, "The Son of God has come to destroy the works of the devil" [1 John 3:8], that is, that He might free us from sin and help and defend us against the devil, so we are able to obey God, and that He might finally abolish sin and death and establish righ teousness and eternal life. Thus the fathers taught not only the Law, that our desires might be held in check, but they also taught how in this great weakness of ours obedience might be achieved and how God can be pleased, all of which is embedded in the word "to have dominion." For one cannot have dominion without the aid of our Mediator, that is, without being freed from guilt and overcoming Satan and our own weakness.
I am not rejected as Cain, Saul, Judas, Ahab, Oedipus, Atreus, Thyestes, Nero, and other scourges of the hu man race have been.
Moreover, I think that the term "dominion" or "domination" is taken from Moses, for in Gen. 4:7 it says, "If you do good, you will be accepted, but if you do evil, your sin lies in wait until it shall be revealed. It desires to rule over you, and you must have dominion over it." This warning of the Law must be carefully re membered, for it contains the teaching of three impor tant articles. First, it teaches the difference between inward righteousness and external sacrifices, namely, that a sacrifice is pleasing to God if the person is good, or that sacrifices do not please God if the heart is god less. Second, there is a warning concerning the coming judgment and a description of the carnal security of this world, when it says, "Sin lies in wait," that is, it is not recognized, it does not inspire fear until the heart is weighed down with a sense of the wrath of God and His punishments. Thus Nero and Caligula were com pletely secure as they rejoiced in their madness, and this is the case with a great many people, until the punishment arrives. This is a universal warning and We must also add those concepts which are spo ken in the Gospel concerning the forgiveness of sin, faith, and the help of the Holy Spirit. Likewise elsewhere the doctrine of the new obedience has been fully treated, showing how these passages in Genesis give a summary of the entire matter. These remarks also have been made to shed fuller light. It is sufficient re garding the word "dominion" or "domination" of sin to give this warning which is fully descussed elsewhere, namely that ignorance and sins of omission are also mortal sins. Immediately after the promise was given regarding the Liberator who was to come, whose mem ory all nations should keep, it was told among the Gen tiles, and then the Gospel was spread abroad throughout the whole world with many great testimon
ies, and the voice came from the heavens, "Hear Him"
[Matt. 17:5]. Thus no one is excused because of his ignorance of the Gospel. Indeed the Holy Spirit ex pressly points to this sin of ignorance, as Christ says,
"The Holy Spirit convinces the world of sin, because they do not believe in Me" [John 16:8-9].
Locus 6 The Divine Law The Law is a teaching given by God, which di rects what we are to be like, what we are to do, what we must omit. The Law requires perfect obedience to ward God. It pronounces that God is angry and pun ishes with eternal death those who do not present perfect obedience. This definition is taken from the law of God itself and from many statements of Christ. The Law contains precepts and promises to which are added the condition of complete fulfillment of the Law.
Likewise, the threats. Precepts are spoken regarding complete obedience: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, and wifh &II your strength," Deut. 6:5. Likewise, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," Lev. 19:18. Again, "You shall not covet," Ex. 20:17. And the warning says, "Cursed is he who does not abide by the words of the Law to do them," Deut. 27:26. Again Christ says in Matt. 25:41,
"Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire." action or that love which comes from bridled emotions, of which the philosophers speak, but it commands that our nature obey God perfectly, have an unshaken knowledge of God, true or constant fear of Him, firm trust in God, and a burning love for Him. But because the nature of man is not such, the voice of the Law is the judgment of God, condemning the sin in our nature.
Paul is expressing this concept when he says, "The Law is spiritual" [Rom. 7:14], that is, it is not only a civil wisdom giving commandments concerning our outward actions in our life in society, but it is a far different teaching, which demands spiritual actions, strong knowledge concerning God, a burning and perfect love, as the Law says, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart" [Deut. 6:5].
But the monks speak of the law of God as they do of civil righteousness; they say that the law of God is satisfied through this civil or philosophical training, that is, through outward works and whatever the will attempts to do, even though in the mind doubts remain and in the will and heart many evil inclinations still exist.
And they taught that these doubts and corrupt desires are not sins.
First it is necessary to give this warning, that there is a great and immeasurable difference between human law and divine law. But just as the people could not see the shining face of Moses and looked at him behind a veil, so the minds and eyes of all men see the law of God from a distance. Nor do they understand what the nature of the judgment is, but they universally think that the teaching pertains to outward works in the same way that they consider the precepts of Phoclydes or TheogTherefore they imagine that men are righteous and pleasing to God because of the works which they think satisfy the law of God; they have not taught that men are righteous in the sense of having been rec onciled to God and pleasing to Him by faith for the sake of our Mediator, Christ. But Paul refutes these pharisaic errors and affirms that this weak nature of man cannot satisfy the law of God nor placate the wrath of God nor take away sin through the works of the Law. But he affirms that the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, has been sent to take away our sins and give us righteous ness and eternal life, as we shall discuss more fully under the proper locus. nis. But there are more reasons for giving and revealing the divine law than this, as shall be mentioned later.
Thus we should not regard the law of God as the De cemvirales tables of the Romans, which perished many centuries before, along with their legal system and their courts. But the law of God is an eternal and immovable rule of the divine mind and a judgment against sin, a judgment impressed on human minds, often pro claimed by the voice of God, of which Christ says, "I have not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it" [Matt.
5:17].
Therefore we must consider the difference. Hu man law only demands or forbids external works. Phi losophy sometimes teaches that more is required, such as that the action be an honorable one and not merely external or simulated, but an upright judgment in the mind and in the will a free choice or decision for acting correctly. Therefore the Law demands a certain prud ence or moderation of the emotions and the actions, which is properly called "ethics." But this law does not accuse our natural uncleanness, nor does it pronounce judgment on all the sins which are in conflict with the Classification of the Laws First we shall review these classifications: The divine law, the natural law, and human law. Divine laws are those which have been given by God at some par ticular time and are found in written form in the writings of Moses and the books of the Gospel. The natural law, as I shall indicate below, is the natural knowledge of God and of the governance of our conduct, or the dif ference between honorable and shameful behavior, which has been divinely implanted in the human race, just as our knowledge of numbers has been divinely implanted in the minds of men. Therefore, it agrees with the part of the Law which is called the natural law, as we shall show below. For first we must distinguish the classifications of the divine law.
First Table—the doubting of God, the heart which lacks fear and love for God, our weakness of faith, and evils like this which cling in our nature.
But the law of God not only requires outward
condemned for this crime, it is certain that they were condemned by the eternal law of God and the judgment of nature.
Although from the beginning of the world there has sounded in the church the voice of the Law and the voice of the promise of grace, yet in a certain sense when the nation of Israel was established, the law of God was promulgated, for God willed by a public and manifest testimony to set forth that knowledge which at creation He had instilled in the minds of men, so that He might show His judgment against sin. But because an entire civil structure was being established, not only were laws set forth regarding the moral conduct of in dividuals, but also there were added laws regarding civil matters and other ceremonies.
Exposition of the Decalogue A reverent consideration of the Decalogue is most useful and spiritually uplifting. For it contains so complete and sublime a teaching that it can never be satisfactorily understood or exhausted. More and more we must come to detest the ravings of those who imag ine that they can satisfy the law of God or even do more than it requires. These are not the voices of men, but they have been sown by the devil, who by this kind of bitter humor plays with the human race which has fallen from its dignity and purity. For when God shows in His law the condition in which human nature was created, from whence we have fallen, and into what miseries and darkness we have been degraded, the devil, as if playing with us, spreads abroad voices which ironically try to minimize the law of God. Therefore the reverent should know that the errors of the Pharisees and the monks are not inconsequential, and they should pray
God that the veil of our hearts, which hinders us from seeing the law of God properly, might be drawn away, for we must seriously consider it as being the voice of God which contains far greater things than we can com pletely comprehend.
Thus there are three general divisions of the Mo saic law: the moral laws, the ceremonial, and the civil or judicial laws. This distinction must be carefully stud ied because even though the political structure estab lished by Moses has now been destroyed, yet the distinction of the laws must be taken into consideration.
The ceremonial laws of Moses and the civil laws are not commanded to the other nations, nor are they bind ing upon us. They were given to the people of Israel for that time in order that the political structure might continue for a definite period of time, so that there might be a specific place in which the Christ should be born and reveal Himself, be proclaimed, and become the sacrifice and openly complete the work of our eternal life.
But there is still another classification of laws which are called moral laws, which are the eternal mind and rule of God and are not changed by the passing of time. Always and from all eternity God has willed that His creatures should love and fear God and that the rational creature be pure. There are also moral laws which give commands concerning the acknowledgment of God in our hearts and our obedience toward God and concerning good works toward men, as well as concerning righteousness, chastity, truthfulness, and temperance. The moral laws have been summarized by God in a remarkable way on one small table, which Above all we must consider these four points con cerning the Law.
In the first place, the Law instructs as to the pur pose for which human nature was created and what the dignity and purity of man was like in which he was created. For human nature would have been as this
Law describes him, with full knowledge of God, always worshiping Him, always obedient to Him, always in all his works looking to His presence and guidance, ob serving the righteous order of things in all his actions, without any wickedness or calamities or death.
In the second place, the Law instructs us con cerning our present wretched state. For we now see that our nature has fallen from its original honorable position, is in conflict with the Law, is filled with dark ness and contempt for God, without any order, filled with corrupt desires of every kind. We also recognize that our sin is the cause of death and immeasurable disasters. But yet we do not understand our wretched ness, nor do we really hear the Law unless with true terror and suffering we recognize the wrath of God against sin. When this happens, we begin to a slight degree to understand the Law of God and the wretched ness of our human condition. As David cries, the wrath of God could not be endured if God wished to punish sin in keeping with our merits. "If You should mark iniquities, O Lord, Lord, who shall stand?" Ps. 130:3.
Our sins are more numerous and greater in each of us than can be understood. Furthermore, note the em phasis of the passage, "Who shall stand?" No one has is called the Decalogue. It is common to call it the De calogue when we are referring to the moral law, a term which can be easily understood without any war of words. Therefore, there are moral laws and those which are contained in the Decalogue, as we shall indicate below, and there are repetitions and explanations of the Decalogue wherever we read them in the writings of the prophets and apostles. Since these laws are the eternal rule of the mind of God, they always sounded forth in the church, even before the time of Moses, and they shall remain in force forever and apply also to the gentiles. There are also many natural laws in the civil and ceremonial laws which also are perpetual, such as the law which prohibits incestuous practices, Leviticus
18, because the reverence for blood relationships per tains to these virtues. God has clearly said that the Canaanites should be destroyed because of their in cestuous lusts. Therefore when the gentiles, even be fore the promulgation of the law of Moses, were
as Isaiah says in 1:10 ff., and again in 54:13 ff. Samuel says [1 Sam. 15:22], "Obedience is better than sacri fices." Hosea 6:6 says, "I will have mercy rather than sacrifice." Christ says that the commandment to love our neighbor "is like the First Commandment" [Matt.
22:39], that is, He demands the required obedience in the same way that obedience to the First Command ment is necessary. These points must be noted in order that we may learn what the true worship of God is and that the works of all the commandments must be related to the first one, and that the purpose must be deter mined in each of the individual commandments so that they may be done principally in order to give obedience and honor to God. For the worship of God is the work commanded by God, which consists primarily in this, that obedience and honor be given to God and that, along with the confession or acknowledgment of Christ by faith, we please the Father for Christ's sake, just as Peter commands us to offer "spiritual sacrifices ac ceptable to God through Jesus Christ" [1 Peter 2:5]. such strength that he can bear the calamity of our hu man condition, which is the punishment for our sins.
Just as David felt the penalties of his adultery—the killing of his sons, the treason of a son, the marriages which were polluted by incest, the exile, the overthrow of his cities, and other incalculable evils—so in his pun ishments he learned to understand this verse, "Who shall stand?" Yet these present evils are not worthy to be compared with eternal punishments. Thus, as often as we recite this verse, "If You should mark iniquities,
O Lord, Lord, who shall stand?" we should understand that the wrath of God against sin is real and beyond measure, and we should regard the whole law, and consider what mountains of punishment have been laid upon the human race, and regard our own and our common troubles and pray God that He would mitigate
His wrath which no one can endure or bear.,,If'He put forth His wrath, men would have to crumble and perish in present and eternal punishments. Likewise, similar passages in the psalms warn us concerning the true understanding of the Law and the knowledge of our sin and the wrath and punishments of God.
The First Commandment In the third place, the Law by implication quietly instructs us concerning the restoration of the human race and concerning eternal life. It further points out to what greater excellence we are recalled. For because
God has repeated the word of the Law after the fall of our nature, He surely wills that the Law in some way be fulfilled. Therefore there will be a restoration of the human race and there will be an eternal life. Because we see that in this life the law of God is not satisfied, the teaching concerning this restoration is more clearly set forth in the promises.
The First Commandment prescribes concerning the highest and most important work, that is, the true knowledge of God, and concerning the true and perfect obedience toward God in perfect fear, trust, and love of God. The two most important elements here are the knowledge of God and the true worship of God. The way of knowing Him is through His Word and testimony.
For because God is invisible, it is necessary that there be a testimony about Him, through which He might be recognized and understood, with the result that the hu man mind is caught up with the workmanship of the world and thinks about God its Creator, but this knowl edge, which also the gentiles and the Mohammedans hold, is not sufficient, since these thoughts are driven out of many people by the devil. But even when God is most closely present, yet doubt remains as to whether God the Creator is concerned, hears our prayers, whether He wants to be worshiped, and how.
At this point there is need for a word and testimony from God. Therefore here is set forth the sure Word and testimony: "I am the Lord your God, who led you out of the land of Egypt," Ex. 20:2. Thus the human mind should establish that He is the God who has re vealed Himself by this word given on Mount Sinai and who asserts that He is your God, that is, the One who is concerned about you, sees you, judges you, defends and punishes you.
In the fourth place, when we have thus consid ered how great is the misery of the human race under the oppression of sin, the wrath of God, and death, and have understood that the voice of the Law is a sen tence, a chain, a witness, and the messenger of His unspeakable wrath, we must always turn from this area to the Son of God and consider His sacrifice, which alone has endured this wrath for us, undergone the burden of the Law, and pleased the Father. We must consider the benefits of the Son of God, which He poured out to cover our sin. Also we should know that we are called by the Son of God Himself in order that once again that purity described in the Law might begin to take root in us, as we shall indicate later in the proper locus.
The Decalogue The glorious liberation and defense of this people when they were led out of Egypt is an added testimony.
Therefore, although God is invisible, yet the human mind knows that He is the true God who reveals Himself by His marvelous testimonies and shows how He wishes to be worshiped. Thus, in the beginning the Word was given to Adam in Paradise, and the whole nature of things, which was a testimony about God, was set before him. But afterwards, when he had fallen,
There are two tables. The First Table contains the works by which we deal with God directly and prop erly, that is, the principal union and outward worship of God. The Second Table contains the works toward men which are the bond linking human society together, and yet become also the worship of God; for God in His
Word commands and enunciates that this is true wor ship if they are performed because of God's command,
whole heart," Deut. 6:5. For these statements, wher ever we read them, are explanations of the First
Commandment. he needed comfort concerning the forgiveness of his sin. Therefore another Word was given, namely, the promise of grace; and signs were added by the use of burnt offerings. So also to us the Word of the Gospel has been given and a sure testimony, namely the cru cifixion and resurrection of the Son of God. He shows us the Father, John 14:8 ff. When the Son is acknowl edged, then we evoke the eternal Father who has re vealed Himself in His Son, as it says in John 1:18, "No one has ever seen the Father. The Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him." Likewise
John 14:9, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father."
Because this commandment requires perfect obedience, these words in Deut. 6:5 are a testimony,
"You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, mind, and strength." Thus it requires fear, trust, and love for God above all things; and this is the case in order that these virtues are to be pure, sweet-smell ing, and perfect without any mixture of sin and lust. But the corrupt nature of*man in this life cannot produce this perfect obedience. Doubts concerning both the an ger and mercy of God cling in his heart. No one fears
God as he ought. No one is so on fire with love as he ought to be, and [we have] many corrupt lusts. There fore Paul says, "The carnal mind is enmity against God," Rom. 8:7. Nor does our evil nature easily un derstand when we speak of "enmity against God." Thus this law always accuses and condemns all men in their corrupt nature, because they cannot produce perfect obedience.
Matt. 11:27, "No one knows the Father except the Son and he to whom the Son reveals Him." Through Him the Father is pleased, and for His sake He hears our prayers. Christ Himself says in John 16:23, "Whatso ever you ask the Father in My name, He will give it to you." Therefore we have established that He is God, who has revealed Himself by the giving of His Son, sent to be a sacrifice and to be raised again in order that He might be our Mediator, Intercessor, Helper, and Savior. Likewise it is He who gave to His Son the Gos pel of the remission of sins and life everlasting. This invocation, which recognizes the eternal and almighty
God by trust in Christ through the Gospel that has been given to us, distinguishes the worship of the true church from the worship of all the gentiles. Therefore, as often as the human mind cries out to God, it should call upon the God who is the Father of our crucified and risen
Now someone will ask, Is it necessary that those who want to please God must obey the Law? I reply:
The first beginnings of obedience cannot take place without the knowledge of Christ in the Gospel. For be cause the Law accuses and condemns all, and we ac knowledge that we are guilty and full of stubborn opposition to this Law, therefore our hearts flee from God, do not love Him, and do not dare to ask good things from Him. But when the Gospel has been heard, when we understand that our sins have been remitted to us because of Christ and that we have been truly received into His grace and have been made His chil dren, even though we are unworthy, then in the knowl edge of the mercy of God we call upon Him, begin to submit ourselves to Him, to fear Him, to meditate on the promise of His mercy, and to love Him, not in a vain way but as our Father who truly cares for us and saves us, as He says, "I am your God" [Ex. 20:2], Thus the beginning of keeping the commandments is the ac knowledgment of Christ. Then, although obedience ought to increase, yet not even the regenerate ever satisfy the law, and yet the rest of their sins are over looked for those who, as we shall point out under the proper locus, are reputed righteous for the sake of Christ our Mediator, as it is written, "Christ is the com pletion of the Law" [Rom. 10:4]. And since they are righteous by this imputation which is accomplished for the sake of the Son of God, their beginning obedience is pleasing to God, even if it is not perfect. The regen erate carry out the law by beginning to obey it and by believing that for the sake of Christ they are regarded as righteous and that for His sake the sins which still cling to them are pardoned.
Lord Jesus Christ and in faith meditate on the good news given through this Son: "Whatsoever you ask the Father in My name, He will give it to you," John 16:23.
This method of knowing God Paul repeatedly com mends to us, cf. 1 Cor. 1:21, "Because in the wisdom of God the world in its wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe." Likewise the doctrine of Christ the High Priest entering the Holy of Holies teaches the same thing. The remainder of mankind does not know the invisible God, but into the secret Holy of Holies the Son of God entered alone. Therefore we who are about to come near to God should recognize Him as our High
Priest who leads us to the Father and carries our re quests to Him, as it says in Heb. 4:16, "Having this high priest, let us come near to the throne of grace." Men must learn this way of knowing God in order that He may be properly worshiped.
Moreover, the worship commanded here is the knowledge of God, belief in His Word, true fear, true faith or trust, and true love. For He is requiring fear when He says, "I am the mighty God, jealous, visiting the iniquities ..." Ex. 20:1 ff. Likewise, "You shall fear the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve," Deut.
6:13. He is requiring trust and love when He says, "I am your almighty God, who sees you, cares for you, defends you, and saves you," Ex. 20:1 ff. Again, .
Showing mercy to them that love Me," Ex. 20:6. And again, "You shall love the Lord your God with your
Furthermore, it is helpful for the sake of teaching this doctrine to include all of the works of the First Com mandment under two terms, fear and faith. For although love is of necessity joined to faith or trust in God's
mercy, yet the word "love" is less clear than the word "fear" or "faith." For it is necessary that we experience fear in our repentance and trust in our consolation. imposed punishments, such as death and the like, as it is said, "Judgment begins at the house of God,"
1 Peter 4:17, or "We are chastened by the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world," 1 Cor.
I have summarized the works of the First Com mandment as the knowledge of God, belief in His word, fear, faith, trust, and love of God. To these points I have added that we must show patience in the face of af fliction, either when we are troubled by the unrighteous violence of tyrants or other evil men or when common calamities befall us: sickness, death, the loss of per sonal property, etc. In each of these difficulties God requires obedience of the heart. The work of the First
Commandment is also the worship of God and the obe dience of the church in every kind of affliction. Such was the obedience of Abel in his murder, the obedience of the martyrs in their torments, the obedience of Job, of David in his family tragedies. For concerning the first kind it is clearly written, "He who wishes to follow Me, let him take up his cross ..Matt. 16:24. Likewise it is necessary that we "be conformed to the image of His Son," Rom. 8:29. Again, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints," Ps. 116:15. Thus there are clear commandments concerning this obe dience, and God wills to be feared more than tyrants.
Further, He wills that we in these very punishments do not fall into despair in our sorrow nor think that we are forgotten by God, but rather cling to the comfort that God is lovingly inclined toward us and will direct the outcome.
11:32. It is necessary to add faith to this obedience which determines that God does not neglect us, nor cast us off in our affliction, but even now is regarding you and is favorable toward you and will direct the out come, as David believed when he was in exile. The faith and hope are works of the First Commandment.
From all these things comes the virtue which is called patience, that is, the obedience which is given to God with a kind of tranquility of soul or an obedient will which comes from the comfort of our faith. All of these things
Paul calls "peace," as in Phil. 4:7, "The peace of God which surpasses all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds," that is, there shall be in you such peace or tranquility of mind that you can sustain and strengthen your minds by the consolation of obedience to God and the comfort of faith and can bear adversities by keeping your eyes on the promise of God by which, when we see the marvelous goodness and mercy of God, we also love Him.
Antithesis Now we should consider the stubborn resistance of the human race in opposition to the First Com mandment, in order that we may acknowledge our frailty and to some extent learn to distinguish the kinds or degrees of sins against this precept.
In regard to the calamities that befall us it is writ ten: "Judgment begins at the house of God," 1 Peter
4:17; therefore whether they are punishments or test ings, God wills that the church be subjected to such afflictions because human nature by reason of the sin which clings in our flesh is subject to death, and many of the actual sins of the church, even of the saints, are punished. Thus God wills that the church be admon ished by these troubles to repent, to render obedience, to practice faith, worship, and hope, and not to fall into despair or think that we are forgotten or cast off by God.
Rather we should cling to the consolation that God is favorable toward us and will direct the final outcome.
The first kind is the sin of the Epicureans and academic philosophers who deny or doubt whether there is a God or whether He is concerned about human matters or whether the Word which the church has was given to us by God. For such is the great majority of mankind everywhere, who have completely banished from their minds every thought about God, who are filled with doubt and increase in it. Thus the greatest darkness followed the fall of our first parents; the wickedness of men later on confirmed the darkness, and the devil aids it also.
The second kind of sin against the First Com mandment belongs to those who worship idols, that is, those who devise many gods and attribute different powers to them individually, as when the gentiles at tribute divine honor, that is, invoke a creature or call upon dead saints. For this invocation attributes omnip otence to the creature or limits God to certain images, even though He does not will to be bound to anything without His Word. For it is evident that the world has always been full of idols and is still given to idolatry.
Nor does this invoking of the saints and the worship of statues differ from the practices of the heathen.
Here are pertinent the statements which command us to be obedient in our common calamities and be hopeful through faith: "Do not murmer," 1 Cor. 10:10, that is, do not be angry with God as if He were treating us cruelly or neglecting us. Likewise, "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God," 1 Peter 5:6. Again, "A broken spirit is a sacrifice to God . .Ps. 51:17. "Com mit your way unto the Lord, trust also in Him," Ps. 37:5.
Again, "Offer the sacrifice of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord," Ps. 4:5.
See how many good works relate to this obedi ence which also at the same time pertain to the First
Commandment. First, the very obedience of looking to God is of itself a good work, and in this precept it is commanded that God be feared more than tyrants.
Likewise, the precept commands us to bear divinely The third kind belongs to magicians who make pacts with devils, the enemies of God, and those who consult magicians, and those who are given over to other superstitious observances to which powers are attributed without the ordinance of God. If some effects
do result from these practices, the devil is the author of them, and trust is placed in him. All these things are forbidden in Lev. 20:6, "The person who turns to me diums and wizards plays the harlot after them. I will turn
My face against him and cut him off from the midst of his people." ander was reduced to nothing and punished. The same is recorded of Nebuchadnezzar who, when he was chastened for his arrogance, repented, Dan. 4:3 ff. Sennacharib in the same way was puffed up in his own self confidence and did not repent and was killed, 2 Kings
18-19. History shows that many men of heroic pro portions were finally brought low by tragic circum stances. This happens because they sin in their self admiration and trust in their own talents without rec ognizing their human frailty and without acknowledging and seeking divine aid. They often create dangerous situations and even evil ones out of their own desires, because of confidence in their own power, as Pompey did. Thus they add other vices—love of wealth, de spising and oppressing other people,>as Alexander did when in his false security he became intoxicated and killed his most deserving generals and thus brought down punishments upon himself. Poetry also refers to this same kind of thing in the case of Ajax, whom Soph ocles describes as being punished with madness be cause, when his father Telamon had said to him in his departure that he should fight with all his might but seek
Fourth, the Jews, philosophers, heretics, and Mo hammedans all devise for themselves their own gods and are unwilling to acknowledge that He is God who reveals Himself in His Word through His Son Christ, since He wills to be known and worshiped only in this way. Therefore the Manichaeans violated the First
Commandment when they created the notion that there were two gods, one good and one evil and both equally eternal. Likewise Paul of Samosata, who argued that in Christ there was only the human nature, just as Mo hammedans irreverently believe. The Arians also broke this commandment in denying that the Son of God is of the substance of the Father. Likewise others who say that the Holy Spirit is only an emotion created in men.
Fifth, there are those who do not worship and call upon God through Christ the Mediator, but imagine other mediators such as the saints, Masses, satisfac tions, and other works. Also those who say that we must remain in doubt about the grace of God. his victory from God, Ajax replied that even a coward could be victorious with the help of God, but that he would win without him. From examples of this kind we can easily understand why heroic men are finally de stroyed by evil circumstances. It is written of this pride and self-confidence, "Everyone who is proud in heart before men is an abomination before the Lord," Prov.
16:5. Although this evil can more clearly be seen in heroic people, yet all are subject to the disease. The trust of many people leans more heavily on riches, friends, and their own industry than on God. We must learn to recognize this disease in order that we may amend ourselves and place our trust truly in God, as David cried, "Look upon me and be merciful to me, for Sixth, the deserters who have fallen away from the true doctrine of the Gospel because of fear or hatred, such as Judas and Julian the Apostate.
Seventh, those who have lost hope, such as Saul, and of necessity all people will fall into this state who do not know the Gospel of faith in Christ.
Eighth, those who refuse to learn the Gospel and are not aroused to hear or understand the teaching of Christ, even though the heavenly Father has com manded, "Hear Him," Matt. 17:5.
Ninth, the hypocrites, who even though they pro fess the truth and are not polluted by worship of idols, yet in their heart are without fear of God, without faith, and they love their pleasures or their treasures more than they love God, men such as Nabal, 1 Sam.
25:3 ff. This is the way the great majority of people in the church are, even when the church possesses the pure doctrine, as the parable of the sower teaches
[Matt. 13:3 ff.].
I am desolate and afflicted," Ps. 25:16. Again he says, "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up," Ps. 27:10.
Here we must also mention those hypocrites who put their trust in their own righteousness before God, as the Pharisees in Luke 18:10 ff. Upon such people falls the guilt of many sins, because they do not rec ognize their own weakness, they do not recognize that in the eyes of God they are worthy of punishment be
Tenth, pride, that is, an admiration for and trust in one's own power, wisdom, or virtues, without the admission of our own weakness, without acknowledg cause they have a false confidence and do not call upon God through Christ the Mediator. Indeed, they put their own works forward in the place of the Mediator's. I have described their attributes above under the fifth degree. ing our need of or praying for divine help, as was the case with Alexander, who after so many great things had been accomplished, believed that this beautiful em pire of his had come into being by his own decision and military might and took great delight in his own wisdom and his own courage, and began to despise and oppress his subordinates and did not recognize that these great achievements had been made by the help of God, who took the rule away from the Persians that He might punish them, just as afterwards Alex
Eleventh, unwillingness to suffer, which in the proper sense of the word is a violation of the First Com mandment because our will refuses to be obedient to God in our punishments. Sometimes it even becomes angry at God as being a harsh master or an unjust judge, an emotion against which Scripture often cau tions us, for example, "Be angry and do not sin" [Eph.
4:26], that is, rule over your sorrow and bend your mind
so that you may willingly be obedient to God in your anguish, as has been said in Ps. 4:4. these works. For example, "Go and teach all nations,"
Matt. 28:19; "Call upon Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver you, and you will glorify Me," that is, give
Me thanks, Ps. 50:15; "With the heart it is believed unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation," Rom. 10:10. These statements very properly give command concerning things of this kind.
Relative to invocation also is the matter of taking an oath. For in swearing, a person calls upon God to be
I have gathered together the kinds of sins which in themselves are violations of the First Commandment, which can easily be recognized and evaluated. Be cause the Decalogue is the sum of the teaching of all virtues, we should distribute also these virtues among the individual commandments. To the first pertains the virtue sometimes called "piety," sometimes "religion," but it is more easily understood as fear of God, faith or trust, love of God. Of necessity this virtue called piety includes these aspects. Here we consider also the will ingness to suffer. Another name for piety is almost equivalent to the term "universal righteousness," if we define it as that obedience which is given to God in all
His commandments, as we shall later discuss, to this end, that we humble ourselves before God qnd do all our works for Him. Therefore we shall discuss also that virtue called "universal righteousness." a witness of his will that he does not want to lie, and he prays that God will take vengeance and punish him if he lies, and he subjects himself to this punishment.
From this we can understand how great a bond an oath is. A person calls upon God to pour out His wrath upon him if he is lying. What more terrible thing can a man bring down upon himself, or how can he bind a greater punishment upon himself! Therefore the final outcome is that this obligation is sanctified and confirmed by a divine oath in keeping with this passage, "God will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain," Ex.
20:7. Also in this life horrible punishments come to perjurers.
The Second Commandment Under the First Commandment we have spoken regarding the desires of the heart toward God, which are the highest and innermost worship, because God requires obedience from the heart and not something pretended, in keeping with the passage, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart," Deut. 6:5, or "The true worshipers are those who worship the Father
How Can This Commandment Be Carried Out?
As we have said above, the works of the First Commandment cannot be carried out without the knowledge of the Son of God and faith. We must un derstand the same thing regarding this commandment.
It is thoroughly evident that there can be no invocation unless there be knowledge of Christ the Mediator, and the same applies to the giving of thanks. Again it is certainly necessary in regard to the ministry that the Gospel of the Son of God be taught. Finally, as we have said above, it is necessary first that we lay hold on the reconciliation given to us through the Son of God, but after this to determine to make a beginning of obedience. The same must be understood regarding the other commandments. The works of the other com mandments are thus pleasing to God and become the worship of God when the works of the First Com mandment precede, namely fear and faith. Thus [the work of] the rest of the commandments become sac rifices of praise and are pleasing to God, but this is particularly true in the case of the Second Command ment. As it has been written especially about this kind of obedience, "I will sacrifice to You the sacrifice of praise, and I will call upon the name of the Lord," Ps.
116:17. in spirit and in truth," John 4:24. Now we move on to a discussion of the Second Commandment from the standpoint of its outward observance. For God wills that we know Him and call upon Him with our voice. Just as He has revealed Himself through the Word, so He wills that this Word be proclaimed. Therefore, after He has spoken about the desires of the heart, He then gives a command concerning that proclamation in which the name of God and the Word of God sounds forth.
"You Shall Not Take the Name of God in Vain"
Under the First Commandment we have placed affirmative and negative statements: "I am the Lord your God who led you out of the land of Egypt." This is the affirmative, to which are added also other affir mative statements: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart," Deut. 6:5. Likewise, "You shall fear the Lord your God," Deut. 6:13. When we have estab lished the affirmative aspects, then we must add the negative statements, always bearing in mind that under the First Commandment the affirmative is expressed first. Here in the Second Commandment God forbids the misuse of His name, and wills that it be proclaimed and made known: "I am the Lord your God," Ex. 20:2.
There are, therefore, true uses for the name of God: true preaching, true invocation, the giving of thanks, and confession. We should understand here that these four kinds of work are commanded, and at this place we should bring in the affirmative passages regarding
Sins against the Second Commandment The antithesis is the same as for the preceding commandment, since the sins of the heart, as we have reviewed them above, are made known. In conflict with this commandment are: epicurean words; words of out ward godless worship; godless invocation of demons, idols, the dead; false doctrine, perjury, unjust condem nations; the words of those who proclaim arrogance and impudence as in the case of Ajax, who said that
in effect for all time and cannot be abrogated, that is, it is a commandment for the preservation of the public ministry, so that there be a day on which the people may be taught and the divinely instituted rites observed.
But the specific reference to the Jews by name and the specific reference to the seventh day have been abrogated. he could conquer even without God. Likewise the very common evil of attaching the name of God, religion, and the Gospel to sinful desires, ambitions, greed, lust, and hatred conflicts with the Second Commandment.
The pope under the title of "minister" or "servant" seeks power and starts unjust wars. He has set up idols and laid snares for catching immeasurable amounts of money and other things. Now this generation of ours under the title of the "Gospel" often covers up the av arice of private citizens. Here pertain also all the snares which either wound the simple or weaken faith or turn the wills of some people away from the Gospel.
Therefore we should learn with certainty that here is commanded the preservation of the public ministry and the rites which God has instituted, because God wills to preserve them in order that His church may remain and be planted, as it says in Eph. 4:11 ff.,"He gave some apostles, some, prophets, some pastors, some teachers, that the body of Christ may be built... that we be not tossed to and fro andxcarried about by every wind of teaching," that is, He gave a sure word to be spread among people through the prophets and apostles, with certain witnesses added. He established the public ministry by which this Word is preached, so that we might have the sure teaching about God and not devise new religions and new worship, as the gen tiles do. Each person in his own place ought to love and respect this gift of God and support it, as Christ says, "He who hears you hears Me and he who de spises you despises Me," Luke 10:16. The prophets deplored the desolation of the Sabbath (2 Chron. 36:21, cf. Jer. 27:2) and lamented that the ministry of teaching
Frightful threats have been added to this precept; they speak of physical punishments and also refer to eternal wrath, because the Law does not announce the remission of sins, but in the Gospel God's eternal wrath is declared against those who do not repent: "Depart from Me, you wicked people, into everlasting fire," Matt.
25:41. For what is said here regarding the punishments "unto the third and fourth generation of those who hate"
God, Ex. 20:5, should be understood in the physical sense. Just as penalties were added to previous gen erations, so we should understand that they have also been added to succeeding generations, and in Deut.
27:15 ff. curses are added to all the commandments.
Nor should we doubt that the calamities of this world are punishments for the sins of the whole race, as it says in Ps. 39:11, "Because of iniquity You have cor rected the sons of men." had been abolished. Therefore the works demanded by this commandment and the reverent performance of this ministry are: to hear those who teach correctly and use the sacrament reverently and to support their use also by Christian example and frequent atten dance; to obey those who teach correctly and honor and support them and defend true teachers and to aid with zealous works the needs of the church. I do not require any allegory for this commandment but rather give the proper and particular meaning. For it is no easy and insignificant task to preserve the divinely estab lished ministry.
The Third Commandment In the First Commandment are taught the inner works of the mind, will, and heart toward God; in the Second, the outward profession; in the Third Com mandment is taught the precept regarding the divinely instituted ceremonies. We must understand the pur pose of these. Ceremonies were given for the service of teaching and serves this function. Thus the precept regarding the Sabbath speaks principally of the service of teaching and administering the divinely instituted cer emonies or rites. Thus the text is not speaking only in a general way but specifically of sanctification. The commandment intends that on that holy day good works are to take place, that is, properly those things which God has commanded, that the people are to be taught and the divinely established rites be observed.
For this purpose a certain day was set aside. This prin cipal point in the commandment pertains to all men and to all times, because it is natural law. But in regard to the observance of the seventh day, it is obvious that after the Levitical ceremonies were abrogated, this ob servance has also been changed, as Col. 2:14 ff. clearly teaches. Thus it is correct to say that in the Third Com mandment there are two parts, one a natural, moral, or general law, and the other part is the ceremonial which applied properly to the people of Israel specifi cally with reference to the seventh day. Of the first part it is correct to say that as a natural or general law it is
The sins against this commandment are these: to omit or abolish the work of correct teaching, to teach falsely, to corrupt the sacred rites, never or rarely to attend public services in the congregation where the churches are correctly taught; to lead others away from the public ministry which is not corrupted by ungodli ness, as when the Donatists led their congregations out. Or not to obey the ministry of pure teaching, to carry on useless works, that is, works which hinder religious services on days set aside for public worship, or to spend those days in games and gormandizing or other vices, or to despise and bring humiliation on godly pastors, or being unwilling to give them financial sup port and to defend them, or to be unwilling to cover their faults if they are sound in doctrine, as when Ham ridiculed his naked father; or not to give eager support to the church.
Furthermore, as we have said above, the First Commandment must be included in all the others, for,
since they are the commandments of God, He must be recognized as their author and obedience must be given Him. Therefore, the fear of God and trust in God are the life of the other commandments and must be present in all of the works of all the remaining com mandments. Thus, in order that the works of this pre cept may be accomplished, we must add the recognition of the Son of God, so that we can in faith and worship of God obey this command. Likewise, since this precept speaks of the ministry and the rites, it has to include the Gospel because the ministry of the Law is only the ministry of death, but the Gospel pro claims the remission of sins and life everlasting for the sake of the Son of God. Likewise, the divinely estab lished ceremonies are a type of Christ. Thus, the Jews cannot correctly perform the works of this command ment without the true knowledge of Christ, dnd the monks and those who sacrifice the mass (because the doctrine of faith, true worship and true prayer is un known among them) pile up many sins in their own ceremonies. They wrongly think that the works of hu man traditions are worship. They pervert the Lord's
Supper in many ways and actually bring the rites them selves into question by their corruptions. These errors are in conflict with this commandment and they defile the Sabbath. man's nature is especially apparent in this life of man in society. The arrogance in government, the multitude of unjust killings, the unjust wars, the hatred and the envy! Uncontrolled lusts, improper desires, the ravings of the demented are beyond calculation. Thievery is clearly beyond measure in illegal business practices, in usury, and the like. Who works without greed? Who is content with what he has? Who piously and properly handles his property? Finally, everyone deplores dou ble-talk and lying in treaties, contracts, and courts of justice. In these examples we can clearly see the con fusion in the order established by God. Thus we must learn that His law is speaking not only about external actions, but also is accusing the whole stubborn op position of human nature and the confusion of His or der, both internal and external. Thus were added at the end of the commandments the precepts regarding cov eting, which speak directly to our inner opposition.
Therefore let us now run through the rest of the commandments, which even though they pertain to civil matters, you must know were first given by God in order that we might live in this societal life in which He wills to be known; in which He wills to develop our faith and worship in the midst of our common perils and labors; in which He wills that love be demonstrated toward our fellow men, and that individuals be subject to the com mon service for His sake; in which He wills that the light of our confession shine forth, so that others may be taught and invited to know and fear God, as it is written,
"Let your light shine before men ... ," Matt. 5:16. He does not will that Samuel or David lie hidden in solitude and spend their time in some cave performing secret ceremonies, but He wills that they live in the midst of the floods and storms of governing and there spread the divinely given teaching. He wills that they exercise their faith in the midst of dangers and teach others; and that they be known as witnesses of the doctrine which God shows through them. He wills that they be subject to the common service for the sake of the obedience they owe to God. Thus, the Law treats all alike, setting forth the duties in which each individual serves other individuals, when they carry out their own duties, since we are all members of one body, in mutual love, joined together in our mutual duties, in order to obey God.
Therefore let us learn here to be ruled so that we may bear the common burdens of our entire life and carry out our common service, that we may contribute our works and remember that we have been made by God for their life in human society. For the first law does not say: seek solitude, or your pleasure, or take your ease, but it says, "Honor your father and your mother, respect your government, and render obedience." Therefore we should learn that the works of the Second Table are truly the worship of God, as this worship has been de scribed above, that is, when our works are guided by the fear of God and by faith. Thus it is common in the prophets, when a choice must be made, that civil ob ligations should be placed ahead of ceremonies. Is.
The titles for the good works which pertain to the First Commandment also apply to the Second and Third.
The Second Table Even if only civil life is established in this table, yet it is necessary that the human mind understand that here is set forth the best form of life for man in his society. In the first place, government is established as a divine institution and obedience is commanded. In the second place, peace is protected: "Thou shalt not kill." Marriage is protected: "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Ownership of property is protected: "Thou shalt not steal." Later on courts of justice were estab lished and the truth was verified by oaths in the case of contracts and covenants: "Thou shalt not bear false witness." These are all sources for the laws of human society. We should know, to be sure, that life in society is taught to us, but two other points have been added.
First, we must remember that God is the Maker both of these laws and of civil life. Thus we must know that we must be obedient for the sake of God, and we should include the First Commandment in all things in order that fear and respect for God and faith in Him may govern our obedience in all areas. Second, we should understand not only the outward works of the precept but also the inner obedience. Thus the nature of man must be ordered so that it does not have inclinations, desires, and works which run counter to this order in which it has been established, which is also set forth and commanded in the Law.
The opposition and confusion in the order in
1:17 says, "Defend the orphan . . . Is. 58:7, "Divide your bread with the hungry." Cf. also Hosea 6 and Zechariah 7; be just in your judgment. Christ adorns these duties in the most beautiful way when He tells us that loving our neighbor is like the First Command ment, that is, God demands obedience in both cate gories at the same time, and that both kinds of obedience are the worship of God. involved must be kept in mind, so that the works of God can be kept separate from the works of the devil. He who can distinguish between the matters themselves and the personalities will love and revere his govern ment and its laws more, as he looks at the great con fusion of,rulers which comes from the devil and his agents. For what can be imagined as more monstrous, more shameful, and more abominable than the tyrants of all ages, and how few kindly rulers there have been in any age! We must understand and lament these evils and pray God that He Himself will correct and preserve our governments. Nor are iniquities to be excused or defended under the pretext of godly work; nor are the manifest and horrible injuries, impieties, and indescrib able lusts of tyrants to be tolerated on the ground of the dignity of their rank, when there is no end to their raging, but rather other elements of government, to whom God has given the sword, also are doing the right thing when they remove monsters like Caligula and Nero from the power of governing. As the most honorable Trajan said to his master of the horse when he was giving him his sword, "Use this sword to support me, if I rule justly; but if I rule unjustly, use it against me."
The Fourth Commandment The Fourth Commandment is established at the first level of authority, namely our parents, and thus ought to be the rule for other forms of governance, as in Romans 13. Likewise the highest degree of obedi ence is commanded, namely honor. Honor has three aspects: The first is the recognition of God, who is the author of the laws for human society both in marriage and in the state. In these ordinances we see the wisdom of God, His goodness toward us, His righteousness,
His anger against wrongdoers, and His defense of the innocent. Therefore honoring our parents is recognizing that this human state is a divine work, a testimony to God's providence, beneficial for the human race, good and honorable; loving this ordinance for the sake of God and the common good; and seeking with godly prayers that He would preserve this state.
If rulers are faithful, that is, if they try at least to some degree to carry out their duties and act as justly as possible, and are mindful of failing, then we must forgive them and either overlook or correct their mis takes. Such men were David, Solomon, and Jehosh aphat, who although they were excellent rulers, also had their lapses, which are described in Scripture in order that we might be warned that governing is a most difficult and dangerous activity. For the devil, since he is a murderer, causes the destruction of statesmen and either overturns their governments or has his hench men among their people, as he did in the case of Saul, whom he totally destroyed, although Saul at the begin ning had done some fine and useful things. David fell into some traps from which he was barely extricated.
Then the devil incited Absalom, whose crime brought immeasurable ruin. The devil stirs up the civic realm and the nature of man in itself is weak both in the case of rulers and their people. Both, by nature, love license and hate laws and the iron fetters of discipline. That among the great traps of the devil and the manifold weakness of men even a modicum of stability remains is a great and remarkable gift of God, as Solomon clearly says, "That the eye sees and the ear hears, the Lord has done both," Prov. 20:12, that is, that a ruler rules wisely and that obedience is the response of his subjects each in their station, this is the work of God and He bestows it through faithful rulers, some of whom pass it on to others. No human wisdom, watchfulness, or power is equal to these great tasks. Thus Paul says
The second involves external obedience, so that we may observe our common duties in society and not destroy them.
The third involves equity by which in the great weakness of mankind we pardon certain wrongs in our government and restore or repair them with our sense of fairness, gentleness, and concern, and yet in such a way that we do not act contrary to the commandments of God.
The substance of the matter must be distin guished from the personalities. This threefold concept of honor which I have mentioned is always owed to those in authority, that is to the estate of matrimony and to civil government, and committed and bound to the honored and respected laws which God has grafted into the minds of men, and to other just laws. Thus the patriarchs, the prophets, Christ, and the apostles al ways respected matrimony and the civil order as being the works and benefits of God, just as they considered changes in movements and times and the many mi raculous outcomes of events in civil life, and considered them as being the concern of God toward the human race. In the meantime, however, they made a distinction between the things themselves from the persons and from the works of the devil who furiously tries to ruin, overturn and disrupt the greater works of God. Thus
Paul loved and obeyed the government, that is, the laws of the Roman empire, but he did not love Caligula and Nero. Indeed, he execrated them as instruments of the devil, cursed by God, by whose crimes the entire nature of things appeared to be contaminated. This distinction between the subjects themselves and the personalities in 2 Cor. 3:5, "Our sufficiency is from God; not that we are able of ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves." But in the people themselves faith fulness is required, that is, a desire to do the right
things, 1 Cor. 4:2, "But this is required in stewards that they be faithful." Therefore, when the state of political affairs is reasonably good, we should understand that it is a blessing of God which He imparts to others through His faithful servants and we should obey God through the authority of our rulers. of governments that we must distinguish between the subject itself and the personalities, so also we must observe a distinction in the kinds of government. In the case of many kingdoms there was particular concern for the defense of honorable civil society, even if religion was unknown. But in the kingdom of the Antichrist there are continuing and particular laws regarding the new religion which [it is said] brings shame to Christ and is condemned by God, and the principal purpose of his kingdom is to destroy the name of Christ, and his king dom itself is established on the pretext that to extirpate the name and doctrine of Christ is for the glory of God.
Such also is the kingdom of Mohammed. The very law of Mohammed is in manifest contempt of Christ. In the second place, it is a law of violence, in which he com mands that those who believe that Christ is the Son of God are to be killed, and he commands his followers to propagate his errors by the sword. These kingdoms were predicted in Daniel 7 in connection with the little horn, v. 8 ff., "Who speaks words against God and crushes His saints," v. 25. In the third place, the law of Mohammed allows manifold shameful lusts. In fact, there is no real marriage among Mohammedans, be cause they permit marriage, divorce, and the receiving of divorces, according to their private decisions, without cause; and by law they allow shameful perversions on account of which God destroyed Sodom and many other cities. In this kingdom the law is not from God but from the ragings of the devil which God permits to con tinue until the last time, in order that He may punish the world. By the same token, as sins increased from the very beginning, slavery increased, and also the harshness and confusion of rulers. Thus the difference between the rest of the kingdoms and the rule of Mo hammed must be noted. Daniel was able to be a mag istrate in the kingdom of Babylon. The Jews could serve in Alexander's army. Christians could fight under the Roman emperors, such as when under the believing
Marcus Antoninus a great victory was won by Christian soldiers in Pannonia, because the purpose of the mil itary action was the establishment of good government.
But it is not right to serve under the Turks, whose pur pose is not good political order but the strengthening and spreading of the law they profess. It is permitted for Christians to suffer slavery under them, but not to enter military service with the Turks, because the text clearly says, "He shall crush the saints of God," Dan.
7:25.
Furthermore, we should give honor to these rul ers for their faithfulness and the heavy labors which accompany all governance, that is, we should confess that they are aided by God and are the instruments through which God supplies good things to us; we should love them and be subject to them. We ought to express gratitude to them for their hard work and over look their failures, as long as it is not contrary to the commandments of God. This equity is a great and dif ficult virtue. I have briefly noted the things included un der the word "honor," and we must carefully. Consider these things. I have also spoken of the distinction be tween the concept itself and the people involved.
Furthermore, this precept deals with the inter relationships between the rulers and the ruled. The du ties of the rulers are indicated in such terms as "father" and "mother." Likewise in the entire Decalogue, which is the complete statement regarding governance, are included all the virtues and the duties of a good father and a good ruler. Xenophon says it correctly: "A good prince differs in no way from a good father." The first concern of a good ruler deals with the First Table, that is, he is anxious that the churches teach correctly. A father is concerned that his children are taught about God. In the second place, he must be just and strong in his defense of his people; he must be chaste, helpful in aiding the good, he must have zeal, and a strong hatred for wickedness; he must be honest in his words and actions, open, not given to suspicion, etc. He must be diligent in using his resources so that there is no lack of necessities. Then, as I have said, the entire
Decalogue is a model for governance, and if a ruler will have the attitude of a father, he will have a desire and the ability to do these things.
In turn, the subject must give honor to his ruler, that is, he must recognize that government is a work of God, he should obey for the sake of God and he overlooks some of the errors of his ruler. Here pertain such virtues as universal justice, which is legitimate obedience to a magistrate. There must likewise be a concern about our calling. Likewise, reasonableness in overlooking and correcting the errors of our rulers so that the public peace is not disturbed. But vices which we oppose and sins are more easily seen, so that there is a stubbornness against rulers, which is called dis obedience and is a universal unrighteousness, or se dition, neglect of the duties of one's calling, that is, injecting oneself into the responsibilities of others. Both rulers and ruled often fall into this kind of sin. Thus Peter in 1 Peter 4:15 forbids meddling in the government of someone else.
The Fifth Commandment:
"You Shall Not Kill"
This commandment forbids not only external in juries to the body and private outward revenge, but also hatred in the heart, evil intention, jealousy, and hidden desire for revenge. Christ clearly explains this com mandment in Matt. 5:21 ff. On the contrary, it demands benevolence toward all men, mercy, concern, kindness which is opposed to all evil intention; it demands gen
Besides, just as we have said above in the case
ment. Christ adds an explanation in Matthew 5 which shows that not only are outward sins prohibited but also our depraved lusts and wandering and erring desires which are against this commandment. As we have said above, with the prohibitions are included also certain affirmative concepts such as the sanctifying and strengthening of lawful wedlock, which is protected un der this commandment and which gives approval to marriage in the common sense of that term. On the contrary, it condemns_all cohabitation outside of legit imate marriage and sets forth penalties in this life and eternal torments after this life. As it says in Heb. 13:4,
"God will punish fornicators and adulterers." Likewise Eph. 5:5, "No fornicator or unclean man has any in heritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God ... be cause of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." It says that marriage is protected by these laws because even when the world does not punish adultery or other lusts, yet God pun ishes them and does not allow His commands to be taken lightly, as the examples of all ages show, even those which are not put in writing. But God has willed that certain things be written so that we may be cau tioned regarding the rule that God is angry at all im purities and He either severely chastises or completely destroys those who do not respect [this command ment], as the Sodomites were destroyed. Not only were those five cities destroyed for this reason, but the evil desires of every nation gave occasion for the destruc tion of many others, as happened to the Greek cities
Thebes, Athens and Sparta. Not only was Troy pun ished because of adultery, but many kings perished in tragic accidents because of their lusts, as in the case of the king of Egypt, Clytemnestra, nearly all the kings of Macedonia, Archelaus, Philip, Alexander, Demetrius,
Ptolemy, and most of the Caesars. Often also in great wars kingdoms were changed because of this, so that almost the entire tribe of Benjamin was wiped out over the rape of the Levite's wife [Judges 19-20]. We should study these examples, apply them to ourselves as warnings from God, and resolve to be obedient to this precept and to fight against the flames of illicit desire.
In obedience to this commandment are required virtues such as modesty, chastity, continence, a sense of shame, temperance, and sobriety. For without tem perance no person can protect chastity. tleness, long-suffering, equity which forgives something out of a higher law for the sake of probable causes, that is, that those who can be restored should be called back to the right way. Likewise, the commandment de mands that public disagreements should not arise out of private discord. For we know that the strong com mand regarding private offenses is, "Forgive and it shall be forgiven you." Again, revenge is not a matter of one's own private attack, but God demands that it be left to Him and He sets boundaries for it.Therefore He says,
"Vengeance is mine," Rom. 12:19. For it is evident what great commotions the desire for personal revenge often arouses. Thus we should learn what vengeance God prescribes and how we are to obey the divine mandate.
Here we must also add that the government of ficial has a divine mandate to take legimate vengeance.
The duty of an official pertains to this statement:
"Vengeance is mine; I will repay"—I will punish, either by My own hand or by permission or by the lawful office of the magistrate. For God has established powers and governments, He retains and changes them, as Daniel says in 2:37. God transfers and establishes the powers of government. Therefore lawful punishments are di vine vengeance by which the magistrate chastises mur derers, adulterers, perjurers, and idlers who have been condemned by the courts. To the office of ruler also pertains the matter of just wars, as when Constantine repressed the savagry of Licinius by force of arms. But just as war is the highest degree of political power, so also it is the most abused, and just and lawful wars are very rare. The devil, since he is a murderer and op posed to good political order and discipline, often stirs up great wars on the most flimsy pretexts, with the minds of men on both sides enflamed by sinful desires.
God tolerates these villainies in order that the crimes of both parties may be punished. Just as the Pelo ponnesian War, which was the most destructive war of all Greece, was stirred up by the most insignificant causes, by a quarrel over the destruction of a certain grove which was considered sacred for some heathen rites and which Pericles had burned down because he was offended at things they had said against Aspasia.
Nor is the highest law, especially in an insignificant case, a sufficiently just cause for initiating war, as it is said: Often the highest law is the highest injury. But let us employ equity which, even if offense has been given, is more concerned to bring peace than to destroy the innocent and bring immeasurable harm to the churches and the nation because of the errors of the few. Rulers should know that wars must be divine punishment and not serve human greed or rash anger. As Abigail says to David in 1 Sam. 25:28, "Because you are fighting the battles of the Lord, evil shall not be found in you."
The Seventh Commandment:
"You Shall Not Steal"
Here we must assert the affirmative aspects of this commandment, for the distinction of ownership is sanctified by God, a distinction which the very word of the commandment asserts has been ordained by God.
Because He forbids theft, He thereby wills that individ uals should possess their own property. By this testi mony are refuted the ravings of fanatical men who contend under the great and dangerous error that in the Gospel the holding of private property has been
The Sixth Commandment:
"You Shall Not Commit Adultery"
There is a great confusion among all people as to what God has actually prohibited in this command
abolished. In the second place, the prohibitory aspect of the precept must be kept in mind also, lest we covet the property of others. Because the arrangement has been divinely established that men among themselves in the natural performance of their duties should dem onstrate their obedience toward God and honorably carry out their duties, God also punishes inequity in the performance of these relationships, not only with the punishments of magistrates but also with other disas ters, as Isaiah says in 33:1, "Woe to you who despoil
... for you will be despoiled." Deut. 25:15, "You shall have an honest measure ... that your days may be prolonged." And experience proves the well-known rule: "Divide dishonestly and your goods will dishon estly disappear." This commandment demands many virtues which are in conflict with greed, jealousy, and wastefulness, such as uprightness in our business af some qualities, such as doubt concerning God, turning away from Him, and raging against Him when we are punished. This hostility also includes innumerable va grant and erring desires and feelings which are against the law of God, such as confidence in our own wisdom or powers, contempt for other people, jealousy, ambi tion, avarice, the flames of lust, desire for revenge. All of these concepts Paul includes under the term "hos tility," in which we must also understand guilt. These qualities are in conflict with God, and God in turn is angry at these evils, even though for the sake of His
Son He overlooks them in the believers. What Paul here calls hostility toward God, in other places he calls "con cupiscence," which describes the corrupt inclination and depravity of all our desires. From this it becomes clear that no man who is born in this state of corruption fulfills the law of God, because of this wicked concu piscence, which Paul in Romans 7 testifies is sin and which remains in our mortal nature. Later on, in ch. 8 he calls it enmity against God and adds that it cannot be made subject to the law of God, and for this reason it is condemned in the Decalogue. At this point we must give this warning in order that the greatness of God's grace may be seen and the doctrine of faith can be understood. fairs, generosity, industriousness, and thrift. Thus the lazy and wasteful are all thieves, for unless they take from someone else they cannot sustain their laziness and costly habits.
The Eighth Commandment:
"You Shall Not Bear False Witness"
This Law protects judgments and treaties and contains the most beautiful of all virtues, truth, the value of which is most widely evident in teaching, in legal judgments, in treaties or contracts, and in our daily life.
Furthermore we must also add this: Although in the individual commandments mention is not made of rewards and punishments, yet we must understand that the promises and threats do pertain to the individual precepts and are repeated over and over again. The summary of the promises is expressed in these words,
"He who does these things shall live in them," Lev.
18:5. The summary of the threats is, "Cursed is he who does not continue in all the things which are written in the Law," Deut. 27:26; Gal. 3:10. But we must under stand that all the promises of the Law are conditional, that is, they require the condition that a person does nothing against the Law. But since the Law always ac cuses us, these promises would be vain unless we learn from the Gospel how we are to be accounted righteous and how our incipient obedience to the Law is pleasing to God. The promises attached to the Law are accounted to the righteous by faith for the sake of Christ, because God has accepted this obedience.
Therefore He gives both temporal and spiritual rewards in keeping with this statement: "Give and it shall be given to you," Luke 6:38. Likewise, Ps. 33:19, "... to deliver their soul from death and to nourish them in famine." Later on we must speak fully concerning the difference between Law and Gospel and between the promises attached to the Law and those which belong to the Gospel. Also remember this, that the social or political order is truly a work of God, just as much as the order of the movement of the heavenly bodies, and therefore God regularly is presenting both His promises and His threats in the area of civil justice among men.
Outward heinous crimes are threatened with clear pun ishments, even if the public officers fail to do their duty.
For all corruptions of doctrine which take place through fraud or the pride of human reason are violations of this commandment, as well as all spoken slanders, ver bal game-playing, falsifications regarding human activ ities, all sophistries, all statements made either out of hypocrisy or are insinuated in some other manner and do not clearly demonstrate what the person believes or what his nature really is. These things which are manifest in our daily life must be carefully considered, so that we truly and earnestly learn to hate all sophistry and double-talk.
The Ninth and Tenth Commandments The Ninth and Tenth Commandments add an ex planation in order that by the law of God we may know not only regarding the outward works of a particular commandment, but also that the evil which clings in the depraved nature of man, which they call concupis cence, is also under accusation and condemnation. For not only does the Law here condemn these wicked desires to which we give consent, as they call it, but it also condemns this wicked inclination itself which is a kind of continual turning away from God and a stub bornness which is in conflict with the law of God and which produces an infinite confusion of desires, even if consent is not always given. Concerning this constant evil Paul says in Rom. 8:7, "the mind of the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law and it cannot do so." Nor should this hostility toward God be regarded as a trifling evil, for it includes many trouble
of things, who is wise, good, just, etc., and that this God is to be obeyed in keeping with the difference be tween honorable and evil things, yet this knowledge of the truth is suppressed and rejected in unrighteous ness, that is, it is held captive and does not have the rule, but rather unrighteousness rules in opposition to this knowledge, by turning away man's will from God, by contempt for Him, by confidence in human abilities, and finally by various desires which conflict with the light which has been cjivinely kindled within our minds.
Thus our assent is weak and— Even if murderers escape from the hands of the mag istrate, yet they are still in a miraculous way brought to their punishment. Even if the civil law fails to punish perjurers, adulterers, or those corrupted by the lusts of incest, yet history and our daily experience bear wit ness that they are weighed down by all kinds of mis fortunes. The Law is witness that these things have happened by God's intervention, as it says in Ex. 20:7,
"The Lord will not hold him guiltless." Again, Heb. 13:4, "God will judge fornicators and adulterers." On the other hand, God aids upright rulers, as the good order and freedom from wars in their nations constantly dem onstrate. Therefore the material promise is added to the Fourth Commandment, which deals with man in society, "... that you may live long on the earth."
"The charioteer is carried along by the horses and does not heed the direction of the chariot." '
Thus the philosophers (when they saw that the assent of man was very weak and that men were car ried away with great force to different pleasures) asked whether what was right and what was wrong were to be determined by nature or merely by human opin ion.To have doubt on such a matter is shameful and disgraceful, just as if one were to ask whether two times four is eight is a matter of nature or merely an accident.
The divine light in the minds of men must not be extin guished; rather, the mind must be stirred up and strengthened in order that it may recognize the first principles of action and embrace them and to determine that the immutable decrees of God are just as sure and certain as the visible principles. This is what Paul is stressing in Rom. 1:19 when he says, "God has shown it to them"; and again in Rom. 2:15, when he says,
"The work of the Law was written in their hearts." He calls this knowledge the divine decree or judgment,
Natural Law As light has been set before our 'eyes by God, likewise certain knowledge has been implanted in the minds of men by which they understand and evaluate many things. The philosophers call this light the knowl edge of the first principles, which they also call common notions or preconceptions.In popular speech a distinc tion is made: one category consists of principles visible to observation, such as the knowledge of numbers, or der, logical syllogism, the principles of geometry, and physics. They grant that all of these are definite and the sources of the most useful things in this life. For what kind of life would we have without numbers or order? The second category consists of principles which relate to our actions, such as the natural differ ence between things which are honorable and those which are base. The matter of obedience to God comes under this category. To be sure, these principles gov erning our conduct ought to be as clear to us as the knowledge of numbers, and yet because of our original fall, a certain darkness has come over us and the hu man heart has conflicting desires over against the dis tinction between the upright and the immoral. For this reason men do not give their unequivocal assent to such areas of knowledge as the following: We must obey God, adultery must be shunned, contracts must be kept, in distinction to the fact that two times four is eight. The knowledge of the Law remains, but our as sent to it is weak because of the stubbornness of our heart. This knowledge is a testimony that we have had our origin in God and that we owe obedience to Him and that He accuses our disobedience. But our hesi tancy and stubbornness are clear signs that the nature of man is divided. The fact that we die points to the same thing, as well as the countless calamities which befall the human race and man's many incredibly evil actions. Paul is dealing with this in Rom. 1:18 when he says that men "suppress the truth in unrighteousness," that is, that even though the knowledge of the truth has been strongly impressed upon men that there is one
God who is the eternal mind, the creator and preserver Rom. 1:32, " .. . who though they knew God's judg ment. . .." Therefore the correct definition of the law of nature is this: The law of nature is the knowledge of the divine law which has been grafted into the nature of man. For this reason man is said to have been cre ated in the image of God, because in him shone the image, that is, the knowledge of God and the likeness to the mind of God, that is, the understanding of the difference between the honorable and the shameful; and the powers of man concurred or agreed with this knowledge. The will had been turned to God before the Fall, the true knowledge of God glowed in man's mind, and in his will was love toward God. His heart assented to the true knowledge of God without any doubt. This knowledge established for us that we had been created to know and worship God and to obey Him as our Lord who had made us, cared for us, and had impressed
His image upon us, who demanded and gave His ap proval to what was righteous, and on the contrary con demned and punished unrighteousness. Although in this corruption of our nature the image of God has been so deformed that the knowledge of Him does not shine forth like it did, yet the knowledge does remain, but our heart contends against it and our doubts arise because of certain things which seem to conflict with this knowl1 Virgil, Georg. I, 514.
Thus our human reason first recognizes that in this society of ours there is need for order and direction.
The first source of this direction is the authority of our parents. To this authority figure later on is added the power of the rulers who govern and defend the entire society. edge. For because punishments are deferred and evil befalls the good and good the evil, the human mind is uncertain regarding God's providence, that is, about the very first law, as to whether God really does bless the good and punish the wicked. Likewise all men by nature doubt that their prayers are heard. Yet the natural knowledge of God is not entirely extinct. Thus the first law of nature itself acknowledges that there is one God, who is eternal mind, wise, just, good, the Creator of things, kind toward the righteous and punitive toward the unrighteous, by whom there has been ingrafted into us the understanding of the difference between good and evil, and that our obedience is based on this dis tinction; that this God is to be invoked and that good things are to be expected from Him. Paul is citing this law of nature in Romans 1 and explaining it. It is obvious that it is in agreement with the First Commandment, and to this touchstone may be referred the discussion of Xenophon, Cicero, and men like them who followed their natural judgment and taught and often defended this law in opposition to atheists.
To the Fifth Commandment pertains the state ment which prohibits all evil violence which harms any one. Although the value of this precept is clear (for the safety of human existence cannot be maintained if vio lence is permitted to go unrestrained), yet human rea son not only teaches that these injuries must be avoided for the sake of expedience, but also the mind of man must be educated to this for the sake of justice.
As justice commands that all innocent people are to be protected, so also it orders that violence be held in check by the magistrate and that the harmful members of society be removed. Nor is it difficult for prudent men to understand the many natural reasons for these state ments, but the chief reason is that the understanding of justice has been divinely instilled into men just as the knowledge of numbers has been, even if our assent to it is weaker because of our stubborn heart, which does not heed the warnings of our reason and burns with anger because of hatred and desire for revenge.
Nor was this law regarding doing an unjust murder writ ten first on the tables of Moses. But immediately at the very beginning God by the judgment of nature added a clear testimony when He cursed and punished Cain because he killed his brother. Later on the Law was given in Gen. 9:6 which forbids murder and commands that it be punished by the magistrate. These are the words in the text, "Whosoever sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed," Gen. 9:6, that is, through the magistrate. Man was made in the image of God, that is, that he might understand God, call upon Him, worship Him, and be righteous. God does not want this worship or the priesthood to be violated, but rather de fended and supported, so that he may worship and call upon God. God Himself is the one who protects and avenges His violated image, His violated worshiper and priest. Because of this God has added clear testimonies to the laws of nature so that these things are not for gotten in the darkness of the human heart.
To the Second Commandment pertain laws and decrees concerning the taking of oaths and the pen alties for perjury and also the punishments of those who curse God. For even human reason judges that pun ishments follow this, and the experience of all ages shows many examples. Here also pertain the countless statements regarding the punishments for perjury as we see them in Tibullus [1.10.3]— "Ah, poor man who first hides his perjuries;
For punishment comes slowly on silent feet."
To the Third Commandment pertain any proven or well-known statements which have been published regarding religious ceremonies, for example, when the citizens of Athens used to swear this: I will defend the sacred rites both alone and with the help of others, because we believe these rites have come down to us from our fathers who understood what oaths should be taken regarding things which have been divinely trans mitted to us. Then their godless posterity rashly devised new ceremonies and new ideas, with the result that men lost the rule of God which forbade new religions to be undertaken by human authority. To ungodly rites of this kind this ancient statement should not have been applied.
To the Sixth Commandment pertains the judg ment of human reason which distinguishes the life of man from that of the beast and commands that men establish marriage in keeping with certain laws. He dis approves of adultery and moving from one bed to an other. The existence of marriage proves that this judgment is inherent in human reason. Although this commandment is broken in many different ways con trary to this order because of the corruption of our na ture, yet God immediately in Paradise sanctified the law concerning marriage. Later on He punished men's wandering lusts by the Flood and in other ways, in order to teach us by the law of nature.
Up to this point I have discussed the laws of na ture which apply to the First Table, and these are not as clear as those which follow which refer to civil life.
This is natural, because human reason understands that there is a difference between the life of men and that of animals, and it also understands righteousness, chastity, truthfulness, moderation, kindness, and other virtues. Likewise the race of men understands that these qualities have been established for a lawful so ciety and that virtues are to be developed for the sake of worshiping God, and even if we are not motivated by any sense of their usefulness, God has added man ifest values in this society.
To the Seventh Commandment applies the state
ment: to give to each his own property. Human reason is aware that the distinction of ownerships applies to man's very nature and that property must be transferred by legal methods and that men are obligated to one another to practice justice and honorable treatment to ward one another through their mutual duties. This nat ural judgment the philosophers call the law or right of nature for which there is a great mountain of proofs and many grades or degrees. Thus the lawyers speak a little differently, even though the laws of the gentiles have no other meaning except the common judgment of men, that is, the normal principles and examples drawn from them. Nor does the "communism" advo cated by Plato2 apply to this aspect of the nature of men in which there must be a distinction between the laws of empires and those of particular states, whereby evil men may be punished, and also distinctions of property ownership must be noted. Thus in carrying out these duties we should learn not only to consider the use fulness of the Law but also the fact that the order which has been established by God and demonstrated in na ture must be preserved by us, both for the sake of God and also for keeping proper regulations to our contrac tual relationships, so that we do not defraud others but rather help them to keep their own property. Regarding this equality of the rights of ownership we have the most learned discourses of the philosophers and lawyers, which serve as testimonies to the law of nature or the natural law, that is, to the judgment of human nature on this matter. in order that we may understand that the laws of nature themselves are also divinely instituted and that we may stress and correctly understand that the philosophers and law-givers approve of them and agree with them, and in order that we may reject statements contrary to this. It was for this reason that the divine law was pro claimed from heaven so that God might testify that He is the author of this natural knowledge and that He demands obedience in accordance with this knowledge and that He is accusing the human race because of its stubbornness. For God willed that the voice of His judg ment against sin be known. Afterwards, it was also for the benefit of the saints that there be a well-defined testimony from God as to which works He requires and approves, so that in the weakness of.our flesh human reason must not wander away, as has happened in the case of many law-givers who have made some iniq uitous laws.
The Use of the Law There is no doubt that the law of God demands both inner and outward obedience, as it says, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart," Deut.
6:5. But since this corrupted nature of men cannot pro duce perfect obedience, as Paul so clearly testifies in Romans 7-8, and since this sin remains in us in this life in the form of doubt, lack of faith and insufficient fear and love of God, and countless desires which run counter to the law of God, it follows that men are not pronounced righteous, that is, accepted before God by reason of the Law. Therefore Paul in this controversy argues vigorously and separates the matter of justifi cation from the Law. Even if human reason judges dif ferently concerning sin and righteousness, even though controversies have arisen over the difference between human judgment and the Gospel, yet we must heed the voice of the Gospel which has been proclaimed from the very beginning that sins are forgiven to men and that they are reconciled and become pleasing to God, or righteous, that is, they are accepted for the sake of our Mediator, the Son, as it says in Rom. 5:2,
"Through Him we have access to the Father by faith."
In regard to the Eighth Commandment it is ob vious that there has been grafted into human reason a power of judging which establishes that we should love and maintain the truth and avoid lying. Here again the value of this law and the duties related to it are very obvious, because, if trust in such contracts were taken away, there would be no lasting business relationships, no alliances or peace treaties; and court decisions would be made in vain if the truth were not required in areas of workmanship such as medicine and other arts.
How evil life would be if the false were traded for the truth, poison given for remedies! God always adds countless values to His laws. We must not only consider the values but much more the fact that this has been ordained by God and that this order, namely the pres ervation of the concept of truth, must constantly be ob served because we love God.
Thus the question arises: What is the use or pur pose of the Law, if the works of the Law do not merit the remission of sins, or if we are not righteous by the Law? At this point we need to understand that there are three uses or duties for the Law.
In reviewing the laws of nature I have followed the order of the Decalogue, for this order is clearest and shows the way which our own reason points out for us to follow. But regardless of the order and the number, the substance is the same, if something for eign does not confuse things. Further, it is beneficial to follow this order so that the agreement of the laws of nature with the Decalogue may be evident, and it is useful for many reasons that this be kept in view: First,
The first is the pedagogical or civil use, for God wills that all men be compelled by the discipline of the Law, even the unregenerate, not to commit outward sins. Paul speaks of this use in 1 Tim. 1:19, "The law was laid down for the unrighteous," that they might be compelled to obey. That this discipline might be strongly supported, God established magistrates or governments over the human race; He wills that men be governed by laws and sound teaching; He wills that the wild ravings of men be held in check and be pun
2 See Plato's Republic and his Laws.
ished by the penalties imposed by their rulers, as it says men in this misuse of human nature. For the law of God which has been revealed to men is a perpetual judg ment which condemns sin in the entire human race.
Because the knowledge of the divine law has been grafted into our minds, and because it has been re vealed in different ways by voice and examples as, for instance in Paradise, where God demanded obedi ence, and added the punishment, namely, death and other sorrows, in order that there might be testimonies of His judgment against sin. Afterwards many warnings and examples followed, such as the matter of Cain, the Flood, the destruction of the Sodomites and others. And the immutable judgment of God, whose eternal wrath presses upon all who are not freed through the knowl edge of the Son of God. Therefore we should never get the idea that the law of God is a light matter and something changeable, as was the Laconic law, so that they used only iron money in the land of Laconia. But it is the judgment of God in which His horrible anger against sin is shown at all times, because it is always proclaimed and believed in the church even more than in the rest of the world, just as from the very beginning in Paradise and afterwards in the sermons of the pa triarchs the voice of the Law sounded forth condemning sin and preaching repentance. Paul says in Rom. 1:18,
"The wrath of God has been revealed from heaven against all wickedness of men who oppress the truth in unrighteousness." Here it is witnessed that the voice of God rings out in the church announcing the wrath of God against the sins of men. in Deut. 19:19 ft., "You shall put the evil man out of your midst, so that the rest of the people shall hear of it and fear, and you shall have no pity on him." Previous to this God had established a much more unhappy prison, namely the universal calamities which afflict the human race, as Ps. 32:9 says regarding the causes of the troubles of mankind, "Their mouths must be held in with a bit and bridle that they will not come near to you." Men must be diligently taught regarding this dis cipline and these four reasons must be set before them:
1. It is necessary to show this to man because of the commandment of God to whom we owe obedience.
2. To avoid the penalties by which either the mag istrate or God punishes our horrible crimes.
3. To preserve the public peace and prefer, for God demands discipline so that we do not practice vio lence against the person or property of others; He wills that peace and tranquility be maintained, so that men can be governed and taught. At this point we must speak a warning that we must preserve the life and property not only of ourselves but also of others and be mindful of the many crimes not only against the lives and fortunes of others but also in corrupting the minds of others. These injuries are not repaired, but the divine punishment for them follows.
4. The discipline of the Law is our "schoolmaster to Christ." The nobler gentiles have also seen other reasons for man's troubles, and there has been a great rage over the fact that nothing is improved by man's fear of calamities and punishments. But this fourth rea son is more important and there is great praise for the discipline of the Law because it is called a schoolmaster unto Christ, that is to say, that for those who do not cease corrupting themselves by sins against their own conscience, Christ is of no effect, as it clearly says in As I have said, the voice of the Law resounds in the church, but even more the thunderbolts are felt by men such as Adam, Abraham, Jacob, David, Hezekiah, and Paul. They felt the terrors of knowing their own sins. For example, Hezekiah says in Is. 38:13, "As a lion He will break all my bones." The Psalms are full of these laments. In order that this judgment may be felt and sin recognized, the church has been placed under the cross, while in the meantime the blind and raging world despises the judgment of God. Therefore there is no doubt that the voice of the Law condemning sins must constantly be set forth and taught in the church, and indeed it would be a monstrous crime to conceal God's judgment and His voice which an nounces His wrath against sin, as it says in Jer.
1:9-10, "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
See, I have set you over the nations to overthrow and destroy." But in the church there is an argument over this question: Hypocrites think that the Law was laid down in order that it might merit reconciliation or take away sin. Paul calls us back from these errors and teaches a position foreign to the judgment of men. In deed, he says, "Through the Law is the knowledge of sin," Rom. 3:20, as much as to say that the Law was laid down that it might accuse and condemn sin, but not take it away. Likewise Rom. 4:15, "The Law works wrath." Again, Rom. 7:13, "Through the Law sin be came sinful beyond measure." Again, 1 Cor. 15:56,
1 Cor. 6:9-10, "Fornicators, idolaters, adulterous peo ple ... shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Along the same line is the statement in 1 John 3:8, "Everyone who commits sin is of the devil." Thus it is necessary to curb our lusts so that we do not fight against the Holy Spirit when He moves our hearts. It also comes to this, that it is a part of discipline to hear and learn the Gospel through which the Holy Spirit is effective in us. It is very important that we remember these uses for the discipline of the Law, and yet not devise the errors of those who have taught that this discipline mer its the forgiveness of sins or that it is without sin and is the fulfilling of the Law or the righteousness which avails before God.
Up to this point we have spoken of the civil or pedagogical use of the Law. Now we must say some thing regarding the second use of which Paul speaks so clearly in order to correct the errors of human judg ment regarding sin and righteousness. Thus it is a sec ond and very important use of the law of God to show our sin and to accuse, to terrify, and to condemn all
"The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law." It would be absurd to apply these statements to civil matters, they contain warnings not about civil prac tices but about the judgment of God which we feel in times of true terror and true repentance, for the Law does not have this use for carnally secure men, as Paul says in Rom. 7:9, "I was once alive apart from the Law," that is, I was secure and unaware of the judgment of God; but afterwards I became terrified, recognized my own weakness and my sins. The Law had this use in the life of David when he was condemned by the prophet and became terrified over his adultery. Then the contrition, as they call it, can be clearly understood in his repentance, if we understand that it consisted of terrors of this kind. But the proclamation of the Gospel must be added which points to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and reveals the inde scribable mercy of God who, although He is genuinely angry against sin and judges sin, to be sure, yet wills to free those who believe in His Son, whom He made a victim for us. Thus Paul says that we are terrified, not that we may perish but that we may flee to the Mediator, for "He includes all under sin that He may have mercy on all," Rom. 11:32.
Law. We shall return later to the second and third uses.
The Distinction between Counsels and Precepts Ignorance of righteousness through faith has spawned many errors. From this ignorance flows the imagining of those who have devised the notion that in the Gospel account three counsels are given: (1) con cerning not taking revenge, (2) concerning deserting our worldly goods, or 'poverty, as they call it, and (3) concerning virginity. It would be too long a task to re hearse all the errors which are contained in this ridic ulous idea. Therefore I shall add only a few words.
First, we must deplore the blindness with which they add to the Law of God. They add begging or some other work like it which is not commanded by God, as an adornment under even more important names than the divine Law itself, as if any greater work could be imagined by any creature than that which is demanded in the First Commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart." And then, in the second place, they say many things about the perfection of these absurd notions.
The third use of the Law pertains to the regen erate. Insofar as the regenerate have been justified by faith, they are free from the Law. This must be said under this locus. For they are freed from the Law, that is, from the curse and the condemnation and the wrath of God which is set forth in the Law, that is to say, if they remain in the faith and fight against sin in confi dence in the Son of God, and overcome the terrors of sin. Yet in the meantime it must be said that the Law which points out the remnants of sin, in order that the knowledge of sin and repentance may increase, and the Gospel also must proclaim Christ in order that faith may grow. Furthermore, the Law must be preached to the regenerate to teach them certain works in which God wills that we practice obedience. For God does not will that we by our own wisdom set up works or worship, but He wills that we be ruled by His Word, as it is written, "In vain do they worship Me by the com mandments of men," Matt. 15:9. Again, "Your Word is a lamp unto my feet," Ps. 119:105. When human rea son is not directed by the Word of God it is very likely to lack something. For it is seized by wicked desires or gives its approval to iniquitous works, as is apparent in the laws of the gentiles. The divine order that we are to obey God remains unchangeable. Therefore, even though we are free from the Law, that is from dam nation, because we are righteous by faith for the sake of the Son of God, yet because it pertains to obedience, the Law remains, that is, the divine ordinance remains that those who have been justified are to be obedient to God. Indeed, they have the beginning of obedience which we shall discuss under its own locus as to how it is pleasing to God. These comments suffice to give instruction briefly regarding the threefold use of the Furthermore, they erroneously think that the Law of God speaks only of external discipline, so that under the law "You shall not kill" only unjust murder is pro hibited, but private desire for revenge, malevolence, unjust hatred, and similar wicked ideas are not prohib ited. Christ in Matt. 5[:21 ff.] condemns this error. He teaches that complete and perfect obedience to the Law of God is required, and that a just order is required for all the powers of man, both his inner and his external actions. And so by the Law the uncleaness of human nature is shown and condemned. Therefore, He also adds punishments for our inner corruption [v. 22]:
"Whoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be guilty of judgment." Again [v. 28], "Everyone who looks at a woman in order to lust after her is already an adulterer." These are not, as many people think, statements of Stoic exaggeration (which are only idle musings signifying neither an action in our life nor the wrath of God). These statements of Christ bear witness that God is truly angry with the depravity of natural man, and that this is indeed a sin. And it is said in this way in order that we may understand that we do not satisfy the Law and we must seek mercy and flee to the mediator.
Redress3 There are doctrinal statements concerning re dress everywhere. They are precepts. But some of them pertain to the office of rulers, and others speak of private redress, of hatred and wicked conflicts which 3 The Latin word vindicta can mean redress, venge ance, revenge, or vindication. The translation employs what ever word seems most appropriate in each context.
[2 Sam. 16:11-12], "Let him curse me, for God has said to do it. It may be that God will look upon my affliction and will repay me with good for these curses."
And there is a remarkable example of a mind which restrains the desire for revenge—when David draws back and spares Saul, when he could have killed him without any difficulty, but he was not willing to occupy the kingship unless it was given to him by God. These examples should be carefully considered in order that we may more correctly understand the Law of God, so that we admit our weakness and learn to keep it under control. This doctrine is the peculiar property of the Holy
Spirit. For the history of the Gentiles has no examples similar to David's. arise particularly in sharp and excitable minds out of a desire for revenge, as broke out in the violent wrath of such men as Marius, Sulla, Caesar, and Pompey. And in the church there are no fewer examples than there are in other realms. Many people who have been mo tivated by malevolence and desire for revenge have stirred up controversies, as is specifically written re garding Arius. Therefore we must make a distinction concerning redress.
One kind is public, which seeks redress from the ruler by reason of God's command. Concerning this kind of redress it says in Rom. 13[:4], "He is God's minister to execute wrath on him who does evil." Nor is there any doubt that the ruler carries out his office and punishes sin by reason of the command of God.
And they should know that they owe obedience to God, for the magistrate does not punish out of private desire but because of the will of God.
Let us hold to the principle that the command has been given to the rulers that they are to obtain redress in keeping with the laws, and that negligence in their duties is displeasing to God, as it is said in Deut.
The guilty man undergoes punishment in order that he may become obedient to the command of God who has commanded that sins be punished. Nor does the Gospel prohibit this public redress or the work of the ruler, nor does the Gospel advise that it be omitted.
Rather, it approves and confirms the office of ruler. Nor does the Gospel will that this office be unknown or neglected, especially since it has been divinely estab lished. But because we do not give due consideration to the importance of this office and to the will of God, hypocritical people have devised insane ideas that we should not seek redress. The source of this idea is the same, namely, the stubbornness of men, and therefore men unwittingly comply with their punishments. For they do not perceive the command of God which gives precepts both to the ruler and to the evil-doer.
19[:19—21 ], "Put away the evil person, that those who remain may have fear... and do not have pity on him"
[Vulgate]. And on the contrary, since there is no pre cept, they are not to take vengeance nor disturb the order which has been established by God, either by the hand or by a decision of the mind. This is a useful rule for our life, and it strengthens governments and pre serves peace. From this point, we can understand how great an absurdity there would be if we followed the raving of the monks: When the discussion concerns the fact that we should not take vengeance, they allow the rulers not to punish crimes, but they even allow private persons to stir up sedition for the sake of revenge.
Since these imaginings of the fanatics are false and pernicious, we should absolutely drive them out of the church. This was the reason that Christ so often prohibits taking revenge, because He wanted to re move from the apostles the false opinion of thinking that the kingdom of the Messiah was going to be a worldly kingdom and that the Gentiles were to be won over by force of arms. On the contrary, Christ teaches that the apostles will not take up arms, but they shall be preachers of the Gospel. Without human defenses and without arms, they shall gather together the church.
The church will be liable to the severity of tyrants, and yet it will have a divine deliverance. In this way, Christ has guided His teachers of all ages, so that they may perform their duties by correct teaching and put their dangers into God's hands. They are not to trust in hu man protection, nor break out from the boundaries of their calling, nor establish kingdoms for themselves un der the pretext of the Gospel, as the Anabaptists of Munster have done.
The second kind of redress is private, that is, it does not take place through the ruler or through laws.
Concerning this private redress it says in Matt. 5[:43 ff.] and Rom. 12[:19] that we should not take vengeance.
And these statements are true precepts, for God has sanctioned order whereby there are laws and judges, and He has subjected the human race to them. Thus it is His will that there be punishers and vindicators. He does not want this order to be upset. Therefore, He prohibits private redress, whether external or internal, and wills that with a true heart we give to God the task of taking revenge through His laws and His judges.
Christ preaches about this order in Matthew 5 when He describes the Law and condemns hypocrisy which thinks that it can satisfy the Law of God even when there is manifest confusion of this order among men.
As it says in [Juvenal's] Satyra [13, 180], "Vin dication is a more pleasant good than life itself."
There is often public dispute about the statement: the law of nature gives the right to repel force with force.
First we must consider what this statement means. For if it is a matter of the natural knowledge or love (Greek storge), then we have to ask the question of how this statement has been established, so that it does not become perverted under some pretext or the admixture
Christ wants us to understand this confusion and to hold back our desire for private vindication, espe cially since the nature of men is now guilty and subject to death and penalties. Therefore our sins may accuse us in adverse circumstances, and we should not only see in this the sins of others, as David says of Shimei
tum [Matt. 26:52], "He who takes up the sword shall perish by the sword." To "take up the sword" is to fail to restrict something which has been given by the laws.
Therefore he who brings in unjust power "takes up the sword." On the contrary, he who uses the sword in lawful defense does not "take up the sword," but rather restricts it to that purpose which has been given by the laws. On this point Christ carefully distinguishes be tween the offices of rulers and the offices of ministers of the Gospel. God has given the sword to the ruler so that he might use it in his lawful office. And it is abused or misused if he wages private vendettas or vents his wrath in capricious raging, as Nero sinned. But on the other hand, God does not will that the ministry of the Gospel be an earthly kingdom. Therefore He forbids the apostles to engage in battle. The respective duties are distinguished in this statement. We must carefully consider the distinction, so that the teachers of the church do not teach that the church must rely on human defenses, or that it must take up arms against the gov ernment. They must understand that the church is in the care of God and that it must look to Him for help.
Thus God has delivered His church from the savagery of Pharaoh, the Chaldeans, Maxentius, and other ty rants. And thus in this dictum not only is doctrine taught regarding the different duties of people, but also it is correctly shown that the church is defended by God and delivered by Him. This statement brings much com fort to the godly. So much for the matter of redress. of unjust desire. For natural laws are not unrestrained forces, but the ordinances of a certain and definite thing in nature. Therefore it is right and lawful to circumscribe this dictum within certain boundaries. Thus it should be understood in regard to open violence and with refer ence to necessary defense against sudden force or attack, as when a robber assaults a peaceful traveler on his journey, or when a certain nation brings an unjust war upon another, or when riotous people attack the home of another person. In such cases, because a ruler or judge is absent, the right to defend oneself is granted.
And there is a difference between defense and revenge or punishment for a crime. The correct line of reasoning is that it is not right to harm another person, and that a person must defend himself against unjust force by ordinary and legitimate powers, as in a just war or self defense, even when it is not possible to call upon the services of the magistrate. For there is in nature a righ teous love (Greek storge), a desire for self-preservation in the face of unjust violence.
When the statement regarding repelling manifest violence is understood in this way and manner (as right reason believes and as the laws themselves declare), then it is a true statement that it is lawful to repel force with force. Nor is this in conflict with the Gospel or with the statement [Matt. 5:44] "You shall love your ene mies"; for the Gospel does not abolish the law of nature or the bonds of political society, that is, the laws which are in agreement with sound reason. Indeed, for this very reason, God has united men under various offices in this society, so that there is the opportunity to ex ercise and proclaim faith, obedience, and love. The father of the household has the obligation to defend his wife and children. Therefore, in defending his home, he is fulfilling his duty or office of love; and his faith should be manifest in his mind or intention. In the same way, the political leader is obligated to defend his sub jects in just cases, and therefore when he wages a just war he is carrying out his duty of love, and the worship of God should be manifest in this danger.
Poverty The confession of the Gospel brings many dan gers to the life and fortunes of men, since zeal for the Gospel is in disrepute and unprofitable. In this common life among other common misfortunes, poverty is a very common kind of misfortune, and it often attacks the church with great harshness. Therefore it is necessary for us to have teaching and comfort on the matter, so that we do not think that we have been forgotten by God because of our poverty. For this reason many ser mons are found in the prophets and in the Gospel re garding the subject of poverty. And precepts are laid down concerning constancy, so that we do not cast off the Gospel in our weariness of being poor, and so that in our desire for wealth and power we do not allow ourselves to be drawn away into the company of evil things. Comforts are also given in which God promises that He will enrich the needy, as, tor example, the state ment [Matt. 19:29], "He who leaves home and field will receive a hundred-fold," but He adds the words "with tribulation."
These acts are not in conflict with the Gospel, which wills that each person fulfill his lawful calling; nor are they in conflict with the statement [Matt. 5:44], "You shall love your enemies." For love, defense, and pun ishment are not self-contradictory. For the purpose of love is established in this—that for the sake of God, we love and give preference to our love for Him. Since
King Asa could not love his mother for God's sake be cause she worshiped idols, he punished her. In the same way, if Constantine had continued to endure Licinius' attacks against the church, he would have per formed duties which were not pleasing to God.
Therefore he put him down by force of arms.
The statements of the Gospel are filled with these important matters. They contain salutary doctrine or teaching regarding the great exercises of faith and other virtues. They are not to be distorted toward monk ish hypocrisy, toward the forsaking of our property, or toward a confusion of the social order of men. For the Gospel neither commands nor counsels that we leave
I have discussed these points regarding the dic tum that it is lawful to repel force by force, so that learned people should consider—to the degree that it is valid—whether the laws of wars are drawn from this fountain. But we must also compare it with another dic
Cor. 8[:13], "Not that there be ease for some and a burden for you." our property, if it is not forcibly taken from us. It neither commands nor counsels that we put all things in com mon, especially since it is certain that there is a dis tinction of ownership and property which has been established by God. Godly people should know that property rights are pleasing to God, and that this entire distinction and exchange of property is legitimate. For God wills that in these civil duties our faith be mani fested and our love exercised along with other virtues.
The loveliest statement about property and lib erality and its rewards is found in Solomon [Prov. 5:1518], "Drink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well. Let your fountains be dis persed abroad, streams of water in the streets. But you, master,4 be the sole owner of them, and let no strangers be partakers with you, and let your fountain be blessed." This is a universal and very important doc trine which sets forth a very lovely figure of speech. It forbids grabbing from other people. Thus he says [v.
15], "Drink from your own cistern." He gives his ap proval to the concept of property when he says, "You, master, be the sole owner of them." He joins also to this the precept regarding liberality [v. 16], "Let your fountains be dispersed," that is, from your own crops or produce decide to increase the property of others.
He also shows the method of this liberality: "I do not want," he says, "your inheritance to be squandered, or your basic possessions to be thrown away. This is the method you should follow. Hold on to your principal and preserve your inheritance for the sake of our children and the public good. But help those in need out of your profits, and do so generously." He has been speaking concerning the ownership of property and the practice of generosity or liberality. Then he finally adds also the teaching concerning rewards and faith: Exercise your faith in these activities. If you realize that these benefits and their preservation are a gift of God, then you will defraud no one. You will be generous and you may expect blessing from God. This is the true teaching of the church of Christ regarding this matter. And we must flee the ravings of those who devise a Platonic sharing of things as being commanded or praised in the Gospel.
Finally, the very ridding of ourselves of property brings on either begging, which in healthy and idle peo ple is a form of robbery, or better cooking in a mon astery which certainly owns property. For no society can live without something of its own. Other words can be used, but they cannot support this kind of thing.
There are many testimonies that the Gospel approves of the distinction of owners and property and riches.
First, the law says [Ex. 20:15], "You shall not steal."
Here God Himself with His own voice sanctions and approves the distinction of owners. Likewise, it is ab solutely certain that kings and princes can be the heirs of eternal life, and they can be righteous and pleasing to God in their governance, as was the case with Jo seph, Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Cornelius, the centurion, and others. But kingdoms cannot be main tained without wealth. Likewise in 1 Cor. 7[:30], buying and selling are condoned.
But each aspect of this matter requires great skill, great care, and virtue—to be able to bear both wealth and poverty correctly. In order that you may hold prop erty rightly, there must be a good conscience which knows that this ordinance of God is necessary in order that there be this distinction of property. And you shall not upset it by defrauding others, as often happens when men increase their wealth by sinful business practices. Rather, you should preserve equality for the sake of God, who has commanded that you keep away from the property of others. Therefore you should de clare your gratitude to God by seeking equality, and give thanks to God, who has granted your property to you and still preserves it, as it is written [Prov. 10:22],
"The blessing of God makes a person rich."
But just as it requires great skill to own property in the right way, so it requires great skill and is a mark of distinction to endure poverty in the right way. Re garding poverty, we must first recognize that it is the will of God that we be subject to these common afflic tions such as diseases, death, and need. And we must also understand that these afflictions are not signs for the godly that they have been cast off by God. They are exercises which instruct us regarding the sin on account of which our nature is subject to death. Re pentance and prayer also are exercizes. Therefore you must learn that it is obedience to God, who has willed that you be exercised in this way, just as this obedience is required in a general way, in keeping with the state ment [1 Peter 5:6], "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God."
In the second place, you should know that the poor are to be helped liberally, as Christ often com mands, for example [Luke 6:38]: "Give and it shall be given to you." And a promise is added for two reasons, namely, so that we may understand that because of their liberality, the godly are deserving of great rewards, and so that we may also understand that God com mands these duties in order that our faith may be strengthened by the expectation of rewards. Both of these causes are evident in the example of the widow of Zarephath [cf. 1 Kings 17:8 ff.]. She fed Elijah and looked to God for her food. And thus God fed the woman and adorned her with other great rewards, and she herself exercised her faith in a remarkable way when she gave to him all the crumbs which she had left over. And the method of sharing is described in 2
Further, there must be constancy so that in the desire to escape poverty we do not act against God.
Christ is preaching this constancy when He says [Matt.
4 Melanchthon appears to interpret hyparchonta in the LXX as referring to a master or lord. The text of CR has Dominus, uppercased, but the context calls for a human master.
place a definite kind of teaching is commended to the family of Levi, and in which He forbids any other ques tionable doctrine to be taught. "You have," He says,
"the law given by Moses; teach this purely and do not attach any new opinions or new worship to it." Then
He adds the command regarding constancy in dangers [vv. 9-10]: "He who says to his father and his mother,
'I do not know you,' and to his brothers, 'I do not know them,' and does not know his own brothers—these men keep Your Word and protect Your convenant, your judgments, O Jacob, and your law, O Israel.5 They place incense in Your wrath and burnt offerings upon Your altar." This is the second part which admonishes teachers concerning great controversies, dangers, hatreds, and punishments which must be endured in contending for godly doctrine. These are certainly harsh things to say to parents, our country, and our children,
"I do not know you," to appear to be an enemy of one's country, an instigator of rebellion. But we see the proph ets and apostles burdened with the same accusations.
And therefore, lest we be broken in our minds, the promise is added [Deut. 33:11], "Bless, O Lord, his strength, and receive the works of his hands; strike the backs of his enemies, and let not those who hate him rise again," that is, "Help, O God, those who teach rightly. Let their ministry be effective and salutary, and press down godless teachers and tyrants." The words of Christ are taken from this statement of Moses. And both speak of most important matters, as the wise reader can easily judge. Therefore these very signifi cant statements are not to be twisted to support the empty superstitions of the monks.
5:3], "Blessed are the poor in spirit," for they are obey ing God by enduring their poverty and the other diffi culties which accompany poverty. For there are heavy loads which come to us when we are pressed down and despised by the powerful, when we become liable to injury and insults, and see the sufferings of our chil dren. In the midst of these evils, to keep our constancy of mind, not to seek protection either of people or the power of evil counsels, not to be moved by our poverty to making a public tumult—in this situation, greatness of mind shines forth amid our calamities. It is a great dignity. Examples are poor men such as Jeremiah, many of the prophets, the Baptist, Christ, the apostles, and many of the martyrs—men who were born in high est positions, and yet were deprived of all their pos sessions—men such as Attalus. Also godly men who had much property were treated the same way, such as Job, David, and others. They knew that some people must be rich, and they carried out their calling; but yet they did not put their riches before their confession.
Although they lost their riches, they did so willingly in obedience to God and in keeping with their calling. This obedience and likewise this constancy in confession are laudable. They are the worship of God.
But the monks do a manifest injustice to the state ment of Christ, because they hide behind their hypoc risy, as we see in Matt. 19[:29], "He who leaves his home or his father or his mother..." There is a two fold desertion here, the one out of God's command in confession or vocation, as when tyrants command them either to reject the Gospel or give up their possessions; the other when a person who has been called to rule over the churches hesitates to do so because he might encounter dangers and hatred, or would rather pre serve his personal property. In such cases the laudable thing is to renounce one's property. For we must give precedence to the confession of the Gospel and the calling to teach it over all human things, above our life and our fortune.
I have cited these statements in order that they may be noted by godly scholars, many of whom are under attack by various calamities because of their con cern for true doctrine. By statements such as these which have been cited, they can strengthen themselves so that they do not give up their proper concerns, and realize that God will reward them, as Christ says [Matt.
6:33], "Seek first the kingdom of God ... and these things shall be added to you." Cf. also Ps. 84[:10], "I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
... "; Isa. 30[:20-21], "The Lord will give you bread in tribulation and water in distress. He will not allow your teacher to leave . .. This is the way; walk in it, and do not turn aside from it." Let us be strengthened by state ments of this kind, and let us serve God in spreading
His true doctrine and beware that we do not pervert it by our offenses.
There is very good reason why this concept is repeated so commonly in the Gospel. For instances often occur where confession not only compels us to give up our property, but it compels us to do the much harder thing of offending those who are very dear to us, as well as the wishes of great and honorable princes and other prominent people whose judgment it is very difficult to disregard. That is, it is hard to be called the authors of discord in our country. These things cannot fail to torment our minds terribly, whenever God com mands us to put the Gospel first. Our consolation must be that He has promised help and rewards.
There is a second kind of desertion of our worldly goods without a calling, indeed a superstitious deser tion, when people imagine that taking an oath and be coming a beggar is the worship of God. Such desertion
Thus in Deut. 33[:8], in the benediction to the tribe of Levi, a reward is given to him by name because he has taught the true doctrine, and speeches are added regarding the dangers he endured and the promises he has received. These are the words to Levi [v. 8],
"This is Your law, which is given to Your holy man, whom You have tested at Massah." This is the first is in no way praiseworthy. Indeed, it is merely an opin5 Melanchthon'follows the Vulgate. The Hebrew reads,
"They will teach Your judgments to Jacob, and Your law to Israel."
by accident, but they are punishments by which God shows His wrath against this sin. Therefore, calamities follow the horrible lusts among the Gentiles, and they must be laid at the same door and violate the same rule that is found in Heb. 13[:4]: "God will judge forni cators and adulterers." ion which arises out of superstition, a form of heathen godlessness, as it says [Matt. 15:9; Isa. 29:13], "In vain they worship Me with the commandments of men."
Chastity Through marvelous wisdom God has instituted procreation in human nature and has sanctioned mar riage under a definite law in Gen. 2[:24], And now after the fall of Adam He wills that men use marriage for two reasons, for the sake of procreation and for restraining their lusts, as Paul says [1 Cor. 7:2], "Because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife." God sets so high a value on this ordinance that He very severely prohibits all extramarital love affairs and connections, and seriously punishes them. Many statements and ex amples bear witness, for example, Heb. [13:4],' "God will judge fornicators and adulterers"; 1 Cor. 6[:9—10,
Moreover, the examples from among the heathen or Gentiles are so horrible that they cannot even be thought of without great sorrow. We shall mention only some of the great changes in governments which have taken place because of these lustful actions. Troy was completely destroyed because of the kidnaping of He len. Thebes was punished because of the kidnaping of Chrysippus and the incest of Oedipus. The kings were thrown out of Rome because of the foul act against Lucretia. The government was again changed because of the crime committed by the decemviri under Appius.
There is a long list of this kind in Aristotle's Politica 5, where he cites these cases which brought great changes to governments. Among these he includes many cases of lust and gives many examples. The sons of Pisistratus were ejected from Athens because of their shameful conduct against a girl. The leader of Laconia,
Pausanias, ravished a girl whom he had taken by force at Byzantium and afterwards killed her, and in a mar velous miracle the voice of a statue threatened pun ishment upon him, saying, "Your punishment must be poured out upon you; your crime will bring destruction."
18], "Make no mistake; fornicators, idolators and adul terers shall not possess the kingdom of God.... Flee fornication"; Eph. 5[:6], "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon those who are disobedient"; 1 Thess.
4[:3—5], "This is the will of God: your sanctification, that you should abstain from sexual immorality and each should know how to possess his own vessel in sanc tification and honor, and not in the passion of lust, as the Gentiles"; Heb. 12[:14], "Follow after holiness, with out which no one will see God."
And later on when Pausanias was thrown out of Byzantium, Athens received him. But even though he accomplished many important things and even de stroyed the Persian army, yet afterwards he was forced to die by starvation at the hands of the Ephori. Finally, these accounts are filled with examples which show the wrath of God against lustfulness. Therefore let us learn the stern command regarding chastity.
In the Scriptures there are examples of punish ments. Gen. 5[6:2 ff.] lists among the causes of the deluge the wanderings of lust; in Gen. 19 five cities were destroyed because of the frightful nature of their lust. And it is especially amazing that the raving of these cities was so great, since they had as their neighbor
Shem, who had actually seen the flood. And doubtless he was an active condemner and preacher against these things. They had also heard other great men, such as Abraham and Lot, but their ingratitude toward
God was very great. For not long before they went astray, when the city was captured by the Chaldeans and the citizen carried away, Abraham had delivered them. But then when they were secure, they let down the bars and gave free rein to all their lusts.
Now chastity is either the normal custom of mar riage, or the purity of the celibate life for those who are suited for celibacy by reason of their immature age or in those who possess a remarkable gift. I have made specific mention of the immature age. For this arrange ment in nature was not established rashly, but so that we might live through this period of life in a pure manner and, with a normal degree of care, can retain our purity in that period when our bodies are still growing. But many people are caught in the traps of the devil, the corrupt practices of evil companions, and other vices and pleasures because of laziness. Thus good minds must be instructed that although a person's age is not yet mature enough for marriage, yet with proper care he or she can live a pure life and that God earnestly requires this work, and that those who have been cor rupted in this area shall encounter great punishments.
If Joseph had defiled himself by adultery, he would have lost those gifts with which he had been adorned, and having been forsaken by God he would have fallen into even more sins. Thus also David added adultery to the murder of an excellent man, and produced great ofIn Num. 25, twelve princes were hanged because of their debauchery [v. 4], and 24,000 men were killed
[v. 9]. In Lev. 18[:24] it is written that the Canaanites were destroyed because of their incestuous lusts. In Judges 20 almost the entire tribe of Benjamin was de stroyed because of the rape of the wife of a Levite. In 2 Sam. 12[:9 ff.] David is very seriously denounced and punished because of his adultery. Solomon permitted instances of idolatry because of his lusts. And Jeremiah often mentions the adultery of Jerusalem, along with cases of murder. In these examples is written the rea son for these testimonies regarding the judgment of God. We should know that lusts are always punished, and that calamities do not fall upon the impure merely
13:4], "Fornicators and adulterers shall not possess the kingdom of God." tenses, because of which many other punishments fol lowed. And Paul specifically mentions in Eph. 4 [:18 ff.] that blindness is the punishment for lust, that those who love it are forsaken by God. They do not see or hear right counsels, and they bring down upon themselves punishments and death. But those who have completed this period of their life, and who recognize that they are not suited for the celibate life, understand that they are compelled by God's command to marry, as Paul clearly says [1 Cor. 7:2], "In order to avoid fornication, let each have his own wife." This mandate prescribes marriage for all those who believe that they are not suited for celibacy, both lay and clerical.
Therefore we must keep a good conscience, avoid the lapses of our youth, and then in our mature years marry, if there is need for it, in obedience to the command of God. Those who despise this arrangement should understand that they bring punishments upon themselves and the whole human race. We should also consider that God cannot be called upon by an evil conscience, as it says in 1 John 3:21, "If our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God." In order that you may be able to call upon God, you must keep a good conscience. What sadder thing can be said than that a man is living without invoking God, without God, without His guidance and defense? The devil more and more blinds them while they live, and ties them up in various sins, as their daily experiences demonstrate.
Neither human laws nor monastic promises can do away with the ordinance and command of God. God hates unrestrained lusts and fleshly contaminations.
Therefore, He wills that husband and wife be joined together under the defined law of marriage which was established at the beginning in Gen. 2[:24] and re peated in Matt. 19[:5 ff.] and 1 Corinthians 7. This so cietal arrangement truly is chastity and purity, that is, it is a condition which has been ordained by God and is pleasing to God. It involves countless exercises of faith, love, and patience. And not only is marriage the fountain of the human race, but it is the most important bond in our common society. Furthermore, God wills that human procreation be preserved until the church
The monks clamor that Paul preferred virginity because he clearly says [1 Cor. 7:38], "He who does not marry does better." The godly reader should know that this entire section needs to be read and consid ered, for it carefully instructs the reader in both of its parts. In the beginning it deals with the precept of God that we are to avoid fornication, and for this reason each is to have his own wife [v. 2]. Then it exhorts godly living. But it goes on to add [v. 7], "But each has his own gift." Since he puts virginity first, he is speaking about what is suitable for the person. And then this also must be considered: By this comparison, good things are being compared with one another in keeping with their purposes. It is not the purpose to inquire what merits the remission of sins or reconciliation. Nor does the comparison take place in order that worship may be established which is in keeping with the will and judgment of men. It is an error to devise the notion that the remission of sins is merited because of celibacy, or that we should pay particular attention to it because through it there is a peculiar and special worship of God, or that marriage is an impure kind of life, on ac count of which man either does not please God or at least is less pleasing to Him. These errors are the doc trine of devils and absolutely must be refuted. is filled, and that civil life among men continue in order that the church can teach others.
Therefore it is absolutely certain that lawful mar riage is pleasing to God. But the devil easily draws away the ungodly into the idea that lusts are unpunished.
Thus in the church he increases lusts under the pretext of chastity by the use of notable deceit, and he urges on fanatical spirits so that they prohibit marriage, either for all or for the priests. This suggestion of the devil has no other purpose than the contamination of more peo ple and the establishing of license to commit many crimes. For godly people should consider how many multitudes of souls the law of celibacy has dragged into hopelessness over the eternal wrath of God, and also into eternal blasphemies against Him.
Therefore there ought to be no legal authority for celibacy. The notions of the monks who imagine that celibacy is the highest worship of God and merits the remission of sins and life eternal, must be vigorously refuted and rejected. And finally, these people bring great darkness over the Gospel while they also entrap the inexperienced in the bondage of vows. Many are thus terribly perverted. At the same time, the devil both obscures the Gospel and increases lusts. We must carefully consider these matters and engrave in our minds the divine warnings and keep in view the horrible examples of punishments, so that we may truly be alert, lest we pervert God's ordinance. We must determine that all unions of the sexes outside of lawful marriage
But Paul is praising virginity in people who are suited for it, and he praises it because there is a useful purpose for it, not that it is a greater worship of God than marriage. But [he praises it] because the celibate form of life is more convenient for a certain kind of ministry, since families and the cares of domestic prob lems often are a hindrance to the ministry, especially for those who are not strong. These points are true, but one has one gift, and another has a different gift. This instruction must always be kept in mind, and many who are celibate, even if they live a pure life physically, yet have minds which are occupied with illicit desires. Many people are tormented more by lustful cares in seeking protection and the splendors of this world's goods, than most godly and happily married people. is mortal sin, as it is said over and over again [Heb.
Locus 7 The Gospel there are two kinds of promises. Certain of them are added to the Law and have the condition of the Law, that is, the promise is given subject to the fulfillment of the Law. Such are promises of the Law. The Law teaches that God is good and merciful, but to those who are without sin. Human reason also teaches the same thing, for our reason does have some knowledge of the Law. Here let each person consult his own ex perience. For we know by nature that God is merciful, but only toward those who are worthy, that is, those who are without sin. Yet a person cannot be certain that he is pleasing God, since he is unworthy and un clean. Thus the Law and the promises of the Law, since they are conditional, leave our consciences in doubt.
There is no doubt that the apostles with remark able wisdom gave such a sweet and pleasant name to their teaching to distinguish the Law from the promise of reconciliation. The prophets also in their proclama tion used the peculiar term bissar, which meant "to announce good news." Further, euaggelion is an old word which even in Homer [Odyssey, 14.152] signifies that a gift is to be given to the one who brings good news, while elsewhere in the Greek language it refers to a message announcing good and happy things, just as the apostles used the term. And there are clear in stances of this usage in Plutarch's Life of Artaxerxes
[14 (1.1018b)], where the words euaggelion misthon are used and the word euangelium must be understood as a speech which announces good news. In the same writer there are many instances of this.' There is also extant a witness to its use in his Life of Pompey, "Letter carriers came from the sea bearing good tidings" [cf.
Pompey, 66 (1.654b)]. Cicero says the same thing to Atticus [Ad Atticum, 2.3.1 or 13.40.1].
The second kind of promise belongs to the Gos pel. It does not have the condition of the Law as a cause for its fulfillment, that is, it does not make its promises on the condition that the Law be fulfilled, but freely for the sake of Christ. This is the promise of the remission of sins, or reconciliation or justification, concerning which the Gospel primarily speaks, so that these bene fits are sure and do not depend upon the condition of fulfilling the Law. For if we are to believe that we will have remission of sins only when we have satisfied the Law, then we will have to despair of the remission of our sins. Therefore remission and reconciliation or jus tification are given freely, that is, not because of our worthiness. Yet there had to be some sacrifice for us.
Therefore Christ was given and made a sacrifice for us, so that for His sake we might be assured that we are pleasing to the Father.
Therefore the sweetness of the name should alert the pious to a new kind of teaching and the difference between the Law and the Gospel. Nor are we creating new terminology more precise than necessary, as many hypocrites are now caviling. John the apostle at the beginning of his gospel [1:17] sets forth this clear distinction: "The Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came througn Jesus Christ." For it is necessary to distinguish precepts from the remission of sins and from promises; likewise, the free promise from promises that are not free. The Law, as we have said above, is a teaching that requires perfect obedi ence toward God, does not freely remit sins, and does not pronounce people righteous, that is, acceptable be fore God, unless the Law be satisfied. Although it has promises, yet they have the condition that the Law must be fulfilled. On the contrary, the Gospel, even when it makes its proclamation about repentance and good works, nevertheless contains the promise of the bene fits of Christ, which is the proper and primary teaching of the Gospel, and this must be separated from the Law. For the Gospel freely forgives sins and pro nounces us righteous even if we do not satisfy the Law.
How these can be reconciled—that the Gospel along with the Law preaches about repentance and yet is a gracious promise—this we shall explain below. But first we must warn the reader that he must observe the difference between these promises, for the Law also has promises.
Thus this Gospel promise of reconciliation is dif ferent from the promise of the Law, because it is prom ised freely for the sake of Christ. Therefore Paul carefully and repeatedly sets before us this term
"freely," as Rom. 4:16 says: "Therefore it is freely by faith, that the promise might be sure." The term "freely for the sake of Christ" spells the difference between the Law and the Gospel. For if we do not see this word concerning the free promise, doubt remains in our hearts, the Gospel is transformed into Law, and it ren ders our consciences just as uncertain regarding the remission of our sins or our justification as the Law or the natural judgment of our reason do.
Thus our adversaries, no matter how vociferously they protest that they are teaching the Gospel, nev ertheless, because they do not teach about free rec onciliation, still leave our consciences in doubt, and in place of the Gospel they are teaching the Hesiodic law, that is, the judgment of natural reason. Thus our mind and eyes must turn their attention to this term "freely."
We must understand that in the divine Scriptures It is necessary to teach regarding this free promise in order that the matter may be certain, so that doubt may
' Cf. Kittel, Theological Dictionary of the New Testa ment, 2.722-23.